Prayer and Fasting Guide February 6-26 2012
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PRAYER AND FASTING GUIDE FEBRUARY 6-26 2012 Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Ezra 8:21, 23 “Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of {New Birth}, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions…So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.” Revelation 05:1 “And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.” Genesis 1:28 (King James Version) “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” FRUITFUL yielding or producing fruit; conduc ive to an abundant yield. MULTIPLY to make many or manifold; increase the number, quantity. REPLENISH to make full or complete again, as by supplying what is lacking. SUBDUE to conquer and bring into subjection; to overpower by superior force; overcome. DOMINION power or right of governing, controlling; sovereign authority, rule; domination. PAGE “The Power of One” Prayer and Fasting Guide 1 New Birth Missionary Baptist Church•6400 Woodrow Road•Lithonia, GA 30038•770.696.9600•www.newbirth.org We make a sincere declaration as Kings and Priests to operate in “The Power of One” with our Heavenly King and with one another. We declare and decree that we are fruitful, that we multiply, replenish, subdue and have dominion in every area of our lives, spiritually, physically and financially. We are the head, not the tail, forever above, never beneath. We are prospering as Kingdom Citizens in all wi sdom, knowledge and understanding of what God's Will is for our lives. We walk in the power and the authority of the Holy Ghost, having full access to the Kingdom of God, in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. For 21 days, we are uniting as Kings and Priests in “The Power of One” through prayer and fasting, with one worship, one witness and one seed. Beginning February 6, through February 26, we are focusing on strengthening our relationship with the Lord, our relationship with one another, and we are preparing the way for others to experience oneness with Christ through salvation. “THE POWER OF ONE” PRAYER Begin each morning with time in God’s presence, seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). Worship, prayer and increased time in the Word of God are “I do not pray for these alone, essenti al for a fruitful fast. As you commune with the King of Kings, you will gain greater intimacy with Him, and receive but also for those who will be- strategic instructions on how to reign and rule in all of your lieve in Me through their word; Kingdom assignments. Pray not only for yourself and your that they all may be one, as family, but also for Bishop Eddie L. Long, First Lady Vanessa Long, our First Family, our Church Family, the Body of Christ, You, Father, are in Me, and I in government, community, families, the unsaved, as well as You; that they also may be one anything the Holy Spirit places on your heart. in Us, that the world may be- At 6:30 a.m. (Monday through Friday), join Bishop Long on lieve that You sent Me.” John the Morning Prayer Call. Connect with thousands of 17:20-21 intercessors by dialing 760-569-7676 and entering the access code: 980291#. Standard long-distance rates apply. Throughout the day, we will continue in prayer as we all pray on one accord at 9:00 a.m., 12 Noon, and 3:00 p.m. The 9:00 a.m. prayer is for spiritual wisdom (Ephesians 1:15-23), the Noon prayer is for spiritual strength (Ephesians 3:14-21), and the 3:00 p.m. prayer is for growth in the love of God (Philippians 1:9-11), (see the “Daily Declarations” attached). Wherever you are at those times, stop for a moment and pray. If possible, take a “prayer break,” go for a short prayer walk, or call a prayer partner to pray toget her. PAGE “The Power of One” Prayer and Fasting Guide 2 New Birth Missionary Baptist Church•6400 Woodrow Road•Lithonia, GA 30038•770.696.9600•www.newbirth.org Every evening, end the day in the Lord’s Presence. Pray together with your family, giving God thanks for who He is, and all He has done. Before you retire, get alone for an unhurried time of "seeking His Face" so you can be One with Christ. “THE POWER OF ONE” FAST Week One: February 6-12 One meal a day For 21 days, we will experience “The Power of One” through fasting. Fasting is one of the most powerful weapons God has ever given us Week Two: February 13-19 for our daily lives. Daniel Fast While everyone is encouraged to seek the Lord on how they are to Week Three: February 20-26 fast, please consider the suggested model of fasting by eating one Liquid Fast meal a day for Week One, during Week Two engaging in the Daniel Fast (no meats or sweets), and a liquid fast (water, juice, smoothies, broth, etc.) in Week Three. Remember to limit or avoid television, electronics, or any other distraction that may dampen your spiritual focus. For maximum spiritual benefit, set aside ample time to be alone with the Lord. Listen for His Leading. The more time you spend with Him, the more meaningful your fast will be. Prayer and Fasting - A Definition Prayer and fasting is defined as voluntarily going without food in order to focus on prayer and fellowship with God. Prayer and fasting often go hand in hand, but this is not always the case. You can pray without fasting, and fast without praying. It is when these two activities are combined and dedicated to God's glory that they reach their full effectiveness. Having a dedicated time of prayer and fasting is not a way of manipulating God into doing what you desire. Rather, it is simply forcing yourself to focus and rely on God for the strength, provision and wisdom you need. Prayer and Fasting - What the Bible Says The Old Testament law specifically required prayer and fasting for only one occasion, which was the Day of Atonement. This custom became known as "the day of fasting" (Jeremiah 36:6) or "the Fast" (Acts 27:9). Moses fasted during the 40 days and 40 nights he was on Mount Sinai receiving the law from God (Exodus 34:28). King Jehoshaphat called for a fast in all Israel when they were about to be attacked by the Moabites and Ammonites (2 Chronicles 20:3). In response to Jonah's preaching, the men of Nineveh fasted and put on sackcloth (Jonah 3:5). Prayer and fasting was often done in times of distress or trouble. David fasted when he learned that Saul and Jonathan had been killed (2 Samuel 1:12). Nehemiah had a time of prayer and fasting upon learning that Jerusalem was still in ruins (Nehemiah 1:4). Esther and all of the Jews in Shushan fasted for 3 days and nights to turn the heart of the king for their deliverance (Esther 4:14-16). Darius, the king of Persia, fasted all night after he was forced to put Daniel in the den of lions (Daniel 6:18). Daniel fasted for 21 days and received an answer to his prayer (Daniel 10:2-3). PAGE “The Power of One” Prayer and Fasting Guide 3 New Birth Missionary Baptist Church•6400 Woodrow Road•Lithonia, GA 30038•770.696.9600•www.newbirth.org Prayer and fasting also occurs in the New Testament. Anna worshipped night and day, fasting and praying at the Temple (Luke 2:37). John the Baptist taught his disciples to fast (Mark 2:18). Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights before His temptation by Satan (Matthew 4:2). The church of Antioch fasted (Acts 13:2) and sent Paul and Barnabas off on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:3). Paul and Barnabas spent time in prayer and fasting for the appointment of elders in the churches (Acts 14:23). Prayer and Fasting - Required or Recommended? The Word of God does not specifically command believers to spend time in prayer and fasting. Far too often, the focus of prayer and fasting is on abstaining from food. Instead, the purpose of Christian fasting should be to take our eyes off the things of this world and focus our thoughts on God. Fasting should always be limited to a set time because not eating for extended periods can be damaging to the body. Fasting is not a method of punishing our bodies and it is not be used as a "dieting method" either. We are not to spend time in prayer and fasting in order to lose weight, but rather to gain a deeper fellowship with God. By taking our eyes off the things of this world through prayer and Biblical fasting, we can focus better on Christ. Prayer and Fasting - What Does it Accomplish? Spending time in prayer and fasting is not automatically effective in accomplishing the desires of those who fast. Fasting or no fasting, God only promises to answer our prayers when we ask according to His Will.