Fasting and Prayer for Wednesday 8 April 2020
The session of MPC invites you to join us in a time of fasting and prayer. If there is ever a time to pray and fast, we are living in it now. Normally, on Wednesday, we at MPC have our fellowship meal in the evening, but we are on hold from that for wise reasons. So, instead of feasting, let us fast and pray together in the Lord as families and individuals.
It is a very biblical practice of God’s people that we see throughout the Old Testament and the New. Jesus himself fasted (Matt. 4:2).
There’s a method to fasting, but let’s start small. If your health allows, on Wednesday, pick a meal (or if you want to skip more that’s fine, but if you’ve never fasted, it is good to start small), so pick a meal, and skip it—don’t snack, but be sure to hydrate. If you can’t fast on Wednesday, pick another day. The important thing is to fast and pray.
Now, fasting isn’t just skipping a meal or a few meals. It is a discipline meant to focus us towards a particular purpose. The particular purpose of this fast, as a congregation, is for heartfelt and diligent prayer along seven points. With your scriptures open (seeking the Lord’s Word), pray to the Lord, and pray diligently.
The Seven Focus Points of this time of Prayer and Fasting:
1. Give thanks and praise to the Lord for his many blessings.
2. Pray according to whatever the Lord is putting on your heart.
3. Pray concerning this whole coronavirus situation (fill in the details—there are so many—a short list includes praying for the Lord’s mercy, our leaders, healthcare workers, healing, for the sick, for a cure, for those who mourn, for protection, and prayer concerning this whole situation’s impact on the community, nation, and world), praying particularly, about how we, as God’s people might be faithful to him during these times.
4. Pray the Lord will turn this terrible situation from being a victory for evil, and that he would overcome it, using it, somehow, according to his sovereign will, for his good purposes.
5. Pray for revival across the nation, even the world. Pray that if, as people say, things will be different from here on out, then may that difference include a resurgence of faith in the Lord Jesus everywhere.
6. Pray with a willingness to obey, when he answers your prayer—even if he’s calling you to missions or ministry in some way.
7. And again, pray according to whatever the Lord is putting on your heart.
Some verses to consider concerning fasting:
Matthew 4:1-2; Matthew 6:16-18; 2 Samuel 1:12; Ezra 8:21-23; Nehemiah 1:4; 9:1-3; Daniel 9:3, 20; Jonah 3:5-10; Esther 4:3; and many more.
Some websites to consider: