Month of Prayer & Fasting: March 8–April 4
Download the Month of Prayer & Fasting PDF for weekly fasting and prayer prompts. You can also pick up a printed copy in your campus foyer.
Introduction
How is your prayer life? Have you ever fasted?
Now, regardless of your answers to those questions, the reality is we all have room to grow when it comes to prayer and fasting. As we approach Easter, we want to encourage and spur each other on to grow both as a church and as individuals in prayer and fasting. Throughout the Bible we see example after example of God’s people praying and fasting. At Harmony Bible Church, we want to be people that pray and fast for God’s glory.
Both prayer and fasting are intended to help believers draw closer to God. As we pray, we talk to God, praise God, share our burdens and struggles with God, thank God for who He is, and we grow in our personal relationship with Jesus Christ as we spend time with Him. As we fast, we set our minds on the things of God. As we abstain from worldly things, it reminds us that our true nourishment comes from God.
Brothers and sisters, let’s pray and fast together as we “seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!” (Psalm 105:4).
Opportunities
Throughout this month of prayer, we’ll have weekly and daily challenges for you, laid out in the PDF above. You can follow along and get additional encouragement through our mobile app and social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook).
Download our app by texting HARMONYBIBLE APP to 77977.
Each week, we’ll have an opportunity for you to pray corporately with each other. The following times are when each campus will be gathering over the next 4 weeks, but you are welcome to come pray for however long you can, even if you have to arrive late or leave early!
Burlington Campus: Wednesdays, 7–8 a.m. in the foyer
Danville Campus: Thursdays, 6:30–7:30 a.m. in the MPR
Fort Madison Campus: Wednesdays, 12–1 p.m. in the upstairs foyer
Fasting
Although fasting has become a popular diet and health trend, that is not what we are hoping to grow in this month. The spiritual discipline of fasting has unfortunately been largely lost and perhaps neglected in our western Christian culture. It is often misunderstood and perhaps even feared for seeming too extreme or too difficult. It is often looked at as only for the “super-Christians.” However, all of this misses the point of why God gave us the spiritual discipline of fasting.
Fasting is intended to help us turn our focus from worldly things and turn our hearts, minds, and souls fully on God. So often our emotions, our desires, and our “hungers” drive us; and fasting helps open our eyes to that reality. Fasting humbles us and reminds us that we are completely dependent on God. Biblical fasting is generally an intentional voluntary abstinence from food for a specific time period for spiritual purposes. Many Christians have expanded this idea to include fasting from other things, such as social media, TV, specific foods, time or activity on your cell phone, etc.
Whether you fast regularly or have never fasted, this is a great opportunity to grow in this important spiritual discipline together. Each week this guide will encourage you to consider and participate in a specific fast. The intent of the guide is to grow each week, so consider adding a new element to your fast each week. Whether you fast one day, several days, or the whole four weeks, the goal is to draw nearer to God through this time. If it is not possible for you to fast from food, that is okay! We would encourage you to consider other things to fast from that would allow you to be reminded of your need to rely on the Lord and spend time with Him.
“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” —Matthew 6:16–18 (emphasis added)
Prayer
“Prayer is our Christian duty. It is the expression of submission to God and dependence upon Him.” —H.B Charles Jr. in It Happens After Prayer
Prayer at the simplest level is talking to God. It is spending intentional time with God. Prayer involves thanksgiving, adoration, confession, petition, lament, etc. It can involve meditating on God’s Word and praying it back to Him. It can involve quiet and silence as we listen for the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts. Prayer is, or at least should be, the breath of the Christian’s life: a constant dialogue with our Creator.
For this month, the hope is that we would all spend more time with God. Each day, the following pages will provide a Scripture passage as well as a short encouragement to guide your prayer time. Our prayers will be centered around the Word of God.
Here are a few tips to make the most of this guide. First, commit to a specific time to pray each day. If possible, you may even want to consider a specific location that is free of distractions. Second, find a prayer partner. Someone that you can either pray with or hold each other accountable in your prayer time. It could be as simple as texting each other every day, “I prayed today!” Third, consider using a prayer journal. Write out your prayers to God each day.
Brothers and sisters let’s pray!
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” —Jeremiah 33:3