Pray Instead ...18

CONTENTS:

WELCOME TO OUR 21 DAYS...... 3 HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE...... 4 AS WE BEGIN...... 6 DAY 1 – TUNE IN ...... 7 DAY 2 – UNWAVERING FAITH AND TRUST ...... 8 DAY 3 – SPIRITUAL FOOD ...... 9 DAY 4 – HUNGER FOR GOD ...... 10 DAY 5 – REMOVING UNBELIEF ...... 11 DAY 6 – RELIANCE ON GOD ...... 12 DAY 7 – FERVENT PRAYER ...... 13 DAY 8 – SPOKEN WORD ...... 14 DAY 9 – HUMBLE YOURSELF ...... 15 DAY 10 – CLEAN HOUSE ...... 16 DAY 11 – ACCEPTING YOUR ASSIGNMENT ...... 17 DAY 12 – DON’T WORRY – PRAY INSTEAD ...... 18 DAY 13 – PRAYING BOLDLY ...... 19 DAY 14 – ALIGNMENT WITH HEAVEN ...... 20 DAY 15 – CONFESSION ...... 22 DAY 16 – PRIDE AND HUMILITY ...... 23 DAY 17 – A BURNING PASSION FOR GOD ...... 24 DAY 18 – THE SUFFERING CHRIST ...... 25 DAY 19 – LOVE ...... 26 DAY 20 – DARKNESS FALLS ...... 27 DAY 21 – VICTORY IN CHRIST ...... 28 DAY 22 – AND BEYOND ...... 29

2 WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021 WELCOME TO OUR 21 DAYS OF PRAYER & FASTING. Are your spiritual batteries drained from the battles of 2020? 2020 has been a challenging year for a lot of people. And as we have entered 2021, I am so glad you have decided to participate in our extended time of prayer, fasting and personal devotion. My hope is that this time of prayer and fasting will refresh us personally but also our church as we seek His blessing and direction. I believe as we come together, fully submitted to God in prayer, He will display both His person and His power in extraordinary ways. I also believe that as we pray and fast, the Holy Spirit will give us a spiritual jumpstart for 2021. I pray that you will experience the presence and power of God in an extraordinary way as you commit yourself to Him over the next 21 days. May you be closer to God than ever before as you seek Him first. As you prepare for the next 21 days, think about why you are fasting. Are you praying for: • Spiritual renewal? • Guidance? • Healing? • Special grace to handle a difficult situation? • A major decision? Ask the Holy Spirit to clarify His leading and objectives for your Spiritual Awakening fast. This will enable you to pray more specifically and strategically. Think about the top two or three most pressing issues on your heart and zone in on those with God. Make time to pray daily. Have that place and time where you can seek Him every day. If you don’t plan to pray, then you won’t pray. Let God recharge your prayer life in 2021. Blessings!

Pastor Ras

WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021 3 HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE This booklet is designed to guide us individually and corporately through our 21 days of prayer. Beyond that it will also give you some tools for continuing into prayer from day 22 and beyond. Each day of this booklet will give you a Scripture, as well as some thoughts around that passage, additional scriptures and prayer. This is a starting point; we don’t have to follow a specific formula to talk with God but practicing different ways to pray can help us find deeper purpose and connection to Him through our prayer time. The goal of using this guide is not to add pressure or overwhelm you. The goal is simply to get comfortable with talking to God. To make your prayer time even more meaningful, you can write notes and prayer requests and play worship music. The important step is committing to regularly entering God’s presence through prayer. The heart of this guide is to help you find a new level of purpose, effectiveness, and enjoyment in your prayer life. WHAT IS PRAYER: The most basic definition of prayer is “talking to God.” Prayer is not meditation or passive reflection; it is direct address to God. It is the communication of the human soul with the Lord who created the soul. Paul wrote, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6–7 NIV). Don't worry about anything? Yes, God wants us to talk with Him about everything. How often should we pray? The biblical answer is “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJV). This does not mean, eyes closed and hands together. Prayer can be audible or silent, private or public, formal or informal. You can pray any time of day, whilst doing chores, working, resting, during family time or alone time. We should keep a running conversation going with God all day long. Eyes open or closed, out loud or in our hearts, we can be creating a continual dialogue with God. Your prayer life is not measured in minutes. Prayer is a lifestyle. Prayer is a constant two- way communication with God. There is really no special formula for how to pray. We should just do it. We can pray under any and all circumstances. Prayer develops our relationship with God and demonstrates our trust and utter dependence upon Him. WHY FAST? The goal of fasting is to draw nearer to God. Biblical fasting always has to do with eliminating distractions for a spiritual purpose; it hits the reset button of our soul and renews us from the inside out. Fasting allows us to create space in our minds and hearts for more of God’s presence.

4 WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021 Fasting is one of the oldest and most prevalent spiritual practices in the Bible. Great leaders in the Bible fasted routinely, including Moses, David, Jeremiah, Isaiah, John the Baptist, Jesus and the disciples. Jesus expects that we will fast regularly. In Matthew 6:16, Jesus addresses fasting specifically when he tells the disciples, “When you fast…” Notice Jesus says “when” not “if.” Jesus assumes that we will fast. Though fasting is assumed, it is not required. We don’t have to fast. We get to fast. Like all intentional spiritual practices, fasting should not be legalistic – we are not earning approval from God through fasting. TYPES OF FASTS: Biblical fasting almost always concerns food. Since the purpose of fasting is to focus on God, to humble ourselves and to remind ourselves that we are sustained by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, then the task in fasting is connecting our “going without” to “hungering for God.” This takes time, focus and prayer in itself. Please do not expect to be an “expert” at fasting right away. Fasting is a discipline that can take a very long time to understand well. Also, do not let this fact deter you or intimidate you. Here are several different ways you can practice fasting. Here are some examples: Complete Fast: In this type of fast, you drink only liquids, typically water with light juices as an option. Start slowly. Begin with fasting for only a part of a day (lunch, or lunch and dinner). Do this for one day a week, or perhaps three days a week. You determine the timing and duration. Take a step of faith. Fasting is risky and involves our faith. Selective Fast: This type of fast involves removing certain elements from your diet. One example of a selective fast is the Daniel Fast, during which you remove meat, sweets, and bread from your diet and consume water and juice for fluids and fruits and vegetables for food. Partial Fast: This fast is sometimes called the “Jewish Fast” and involves abstaining from eating any type of food in the morning and afternoon. This can either correlate to specific times of the day, such as 6:00 am to 3:00 pm, or from sun-up to sundown. Non-Food Fast: This fast is a great option if you do not have much experience fasting food, have health issues that prevent you from fasting food, or if you wish to refocus certain areas of your life that are out of balance. For example, you might choose to stop using social media or watching television for the duration of the fast and then carefully bring that element back into your life in healthy doses at the conclusion of the fast. IF YOU HAVE ANY HEALTH CONDITIONS OR ARE CONCERNED ABOUT FOOD FASTING THEN YOU SHOULD CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR OR COMMIT TO A NON- FOOD FAST.

WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021 5 AS WE BEGIN As we begin our 21 days of prayer and fasting, there are some things that you might find helpful to do. 01: SET SOME GOALS What would you like to see God do in these 21 days? Begin with clear personal goals, church goals, breakthrough goals. Be specific. • Why are you fasting? • Is there something or some specific you are praying for? • Do you need direction, healing, restoration of your marriage or resolution of family issues? • Are you facing difficulties? Pray and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. 02: FEAST ON THE WORD OF GOD Prayer and fasting is ultimately an expression of humility and dependence on God. It is about focusing specifically for the next 21 days on communicating with God and also replacing the daily intake of food, entertainment and human contact with focused times of prayer, spending time feeding on the Word of God and spiritual listening. Use this guide to help you, go on the Bible app and choose a reading plan, choose a book of the Bible and read it over the next 21 days. Read God’s Word. 03: OPEN YOUR LIFE BEFORE GOD One of the great benefits a focused time of prayer and fasting is a heightened awareness of God’s presence and power in our lives. It is not that God has moved but that we have. Prayer and fasting has a great way of moving us towards a deeper spiritual dependency and away from wilful self-dependency. The greatest breakthrough will take place when you make time to examine your life and discover what areas most need breakthrough. 04: EXPECT GOD TO MOVE The Word of God says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). These next 21 days have the potential to impact you and your relationship with Jesus as well as the countless people and situations we will pray and fast over. If you have doubt, ask God to meet you in your doubts and lead you in overcoming them, just as the apostles prayed, “Increase our faith!” (Luke 17:5 NIV).

6 WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021 1st January 2021 14 Job 33:14 (NLT) For God speaks again and DAY 1 again, though people do not recognise it. TUNE IN

Have you ever been searching for a radio station only to be frustrated by finding static rather than music? You then focus to fine tune the dial again, and suddenly you hear a clear signal. The fact is, the signal always existed on the airwaves; the only difference is that now you have adjusted your tuner to the right frequency. In our hectic lives, there are so many signals bombarding our senses that it can become difficult to distinguish God’s voice from the deafening “static noise” of life. Fasting enables us to tune out the world’s distractions and tune in to God. As we fast, we deny our flesh. When we deny our flesh, we become more in tune to the Holy Spirit and can hear God’s voice more clearly. If you truly listen for God’s voice, you will hear it. When you hear it, it will build faith within you. If you desire to tune out the static of life and really tune into the voice of God, come to Him first and foremost with ears that are willing to listen and a heart that is ready to obey what He says. (Psalm 34:18, Isaiah 66:2) The more we practice being in His presence, the clearer and more recognisable His voice becomes.

ADDITIONAL BIBLE READING: PRAYER: John 10:22-30 Lord, help me to tune in to You. As distractions and Psalm 34:18 temptations come, give me strength to turn to You. Isaiah 66:2

Teach me. Give me eyes and ears to hear Your Isaiah 64:8 voice. Open my heart to Your Word. As I’m challenged in the days ahead, please give me what GO DEEPER I need to humble myself and honour You. Help me • In this time of fasting, what is your to take time to be holy, to spend time with You in mind tuned to? secret, to trust in Your Word. You are the potter. I am the clay. Mould me and make me according to • What distractions do you need to Your will. Thank You for being a God who I can remove so that you can focus on trust. You are so faithful to me. I am Yours. God? Prepare your heart to hear the voice of God, and ask God to help you remove distractions that keep you from focusing on Him and hearing Him clearly.

Notes: ______

WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021 7 2nd January 2021 Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT) 5 Trust in the Lord with all your

DAY 2 heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 UNWAVERING Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. FAITH AND TRUST Unwavering faith means that you trust God with your life more than you trust yourself. It means that you trust His timing even when you are running out of patience. It means that you trust His decisions even if you don’t like them. It means that you will love Him with all your heart even if you don’t understand Him. It means that instead of fighting with Him, you fight for Him. It means that instead of complaining to Him, you thank Him. Faith doesn’t change anything around you, but it changes everything within you. During these 21 days of prayer and fasting we need to pray with earnest expectation, and we need to exercise our faith and trust. The earnest prayers of people walking in step with God can produce powerful results, and the most earnest prayers come from us recognising our need for God. James 1:5 (The Voice) 5 If you don’t have all the wisdom needed for this journey, then all you have to do is ask God for it; and God will grant all that you need. He gives lavishly and never scolds you for asking. Wisdom is the ability to live life well and make good decisions. Wisdom doesn’t come from old age or hard knocks. Wisdom begins with knowing and depending absolutely on God, who is never stingy when it comes to wisdom for those who seek it. He supplies all the wisdom we need when we ask. Matthew 21:21 (WNT) 21 "I solemnly tell you," said Jesus, "that if you have an unwavering faith, you shall not only perform such a miracle as this of the fig-tree, but that even if you say to this mountain, 'Be thou lifted up and hurled into the sea,' it shall be done.

ADDITIONAL BIBLE READING: PRAYER: James 1:2-7 Lord, please help me to stand firm in my faith as Matthew 17:20 I walk with You. You are my strong tower. I know Romans 8:28 I can trust in You. Guard and renew my mind,

Romans 12:2 body, soul, and spirit in Christ Jesus according to Your will. May each one line up with the Word GO DEEPER of God. May my life be filled with faith and • What are you trusting God for in this expectation that You are working all things for season? good. Give me faith to move mountains, knowing that You have promised to do the impossible so • How can you line up your that You may be glorified. May my life, thoughts expectations with the Word of God and expectations reflect Yours, my King, and my when you pray? God. Find promises in His Word that answer your need and write them down today. Notes: ______

WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021 8 3rd January 2021 Psalm 34:8 (NIV) 8 Taste and see that the

DAY 3 Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes SPIRITUAL FOOD refuge in Him Just like you need physical food for physical strength, you need spiritual food for spiritual strength. The Bible describes itself as spiritual food — the water, milk, bread, and meat of our spiritual lives. It’s everything you need for sustenance. When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, He said, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Psalm 19 says this about God’s words: “They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.” God’s Word is life changing, miracle working, alive, holy, true, perfect, empowering, encouraging, trustworthy and healing. It guides us, gives wisdom, judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart, is a mighty weapon and is to be treasured! Jesus was the Word made flesh, our bread of life. When we open the scriptures, we begin to know Him better. In John 4, we read about Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman. When Jesus met her, His disciples had gone into town to get food. When they returned with the food, they found Jesus’ hunger satisfied. They were confused by this, wondering if He had eaten while they were gone. But Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.” Jesus was sustained spiritually by doing His Father’s will. He then told them in John 6:27, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” We are spiritually nourished by feeding on God’s Word and by doing His will. Ask God to open your spiritual eyes and ears to receive His Word as life-giving and sustaining. Drink deeply from His Word. Listen for His voice. Obey His promptings. Trust Him to sustain you as you pray and fast. Believe that God’s Word is “sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.” He will do more than you can imagine.

ADDITIONAL BIBLE READING: PRAYER: John 4:1-34 Psalm 34:8 Lord, thank You for nourishing me with Your Word. John 6:35 John 6:63 It is life to my body and soul. Help me to realise the

Matthew 24:35 John 1:1,14 power of Your Word in my life. Open my eyes and Psalm 19:7-10 ears to know You better as I spend time in the Ephesians 6:10-17 scriptures. Teach me, renew me and make me Hebrews 4:12 strong in You. Help me to keep Your words in my heart and to do Your will. Show me how to use Your GO DEEPER Word to bring renewal to my life and to bring others • How can you create time to be in to You. I trust You to sustain me. You are more God’s Word? than enough. • Do you believe that it will nourish you and bring life to you? Ask God to meet you personally through this time as you seek Him. He desires to teach you. He delights in you.

9 WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021 Mark 1:12-13 (NIV) 12 At once the Spirit sent th 4 January 2021 him out into the wilderness, 13 and He was in

the wilderness forty days, being tempted by HUNGERDAY FOR 4GOD Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended Him.

Even Jesus disconnected from the world to fast and pray. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke speak of Jesus in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights. They also describe other times Jesus pulled away from the demands of the crowds, His ministry and even His closest friends to pray. There are times that we, too, need to pull away from the things of the world and focus on God. “The things of the world” can certainly include more than just food. In fact, in our world, it is more likely to be television, movies, Facebook, Twitter, cell phones and internet that keep us “tuned in” to the world. None of these things are wrong in and of themselves, but they are avenues for a mental and spiritual “crowd” to gather around us and drown out the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit. Fasting is a means of disconnecting from the distractions of daily life and consciously choosing to bring God into greater focus. Giving up physical nourishment is the first step in engaging that process. If you think about it, though, we nourish our souls as well as our bodies. We do so through reading, talking, socialising, playing and leisure. When we fill our souls up with all those things, we don’t feel a hunger for God. During this time of fasting, we may feel physical hunger, but let’s be intentional about cultivating spiritual hunger towards God.

ADDITIONAL BIBLE READING: PRAYER: Matthew 5:6 Lord, give me a spiritual hunger that I have never Matthew 6:19-21 known. Increase my thirst for righteousness, for 2 Timothy 2:20-22 purity, for holiness, for You! Break the power of sin and worldly habits that keep me from You. Pour GO DEEPER Your cleansing, living water through me and make • Are you disconnected from the me a vessel that You can use to refresh others. things that nourish your body and Make me an instrument of Your healing and soul? compassion. Use me in Your service. Help me to • What do you need to deny yourself remember the brevity of my life and to store up so that this can be a powerful time treasures in Heaven. in your life? Take time to pray and read God’s Word during the time you would normally do what you are fasting from. God will honour your heart and commitment. Notes: ______

WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021 10 Matthew 17:18-21 (NIV) 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and

5th January 2021 it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, DAY 5 “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 20 He replied, “Because you REMOVING have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move UNBELIEF from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. Unbelief is believing something other than what God has said about a situation. You can believe Jesus was raised from the dead, you can believe He is your Lord, you can believe He is coming soon, but if you don’t believe and do what He says, you are operating in unbelief. Why is belief so important? Because “If you can believe, all things are possible” (Mark 9:23, NKJV). And that’s where God wants us to live—in the realm of what is possible through Him, and Him alone. That’s what sets believers apart from a lost and dying world. When we pray and fast, we don’t do so to change God or His will. By praying and fasting, we are the ones changed. Coming into alignment with God helps us curb our doubts and fears. When we pray and fast, one thing that leaves is our unbelief. It is when we have faith to believe, that we can pray with confidence and know that “nothing will be impossible” as we live to bring glory to God. Ask God to strengthen your heart to fully believe Him and believe His word. It is okay to recognise and acknowledge if you struggle with unbelief. It’s the first step in allowing God to strengthen your faith and bring you into alignment with His plan for your life.

ADDITIONAL BIBLE READING: PRAYER: 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 Lord, I confess my unbelief. I am weak, but You are Mark 9:24 strong. Increase my faith. Remind me of the Romans 10:17 relevance of Your Word for my life. I know it is powerful. Help me to use it to strengthen my spirit and to war against Satan and his efforts against me. GO DEEPER Help me to take every thought captive to make it • What is it that you need faith to obedient to Christ. Make me an overcomer as I believe God for? receive in faith the victory You have for me. I do • Align yourself with God’s Word believe. You are not finished with me yet. I praise and will during this fast. Ask the You for Your grace and goodness to me. Holy Spirit to free you from your unbelief. Pray with confidence, knowing “nothing will be impossible for you.

Notes: ______

11 WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021 6th January 2021 Isaiah 40:28-31 (GNT) He never grows tired or weary . . . He strengthens those who are DAY 6 weak and tired . . . those who trust in the LORD RELIANCE ON for help will find their strength renewed. GOD As we near the end of the first week of prayer and fasting, you may be tired. You may be wondering how you will be able to fast for two more weeks. It reminds me of how often in life we feel tired. Physically tired, spiritually tired, emotionally tired. We have so many things pulling at our time and making us tired. There’s an internal war that often wages within each and every one of us. Paul describes this so well here in Romans 7 – we desire to do the right thing, but in our own efforts, we don’t have the power to and we mess up. The good news is that we don’t have to rely on our own strength to make right decisions. We don’t have to be dominated by our sinful nature and end up doing the things we don’t want to do. But the only way we can live this kind of life is by yielding to the Holy Spirit and relying on the strength of Jesus Christ, not our own. When we are facing struggles, we must rely on God’s power alive within us through the Holy Spirit. When we are born again, the Holy Spirit resides in us and places in us the desire to do what is pleasing to God. (Hebrews 10:16) The Holy Spirit always wants to do what is right. He always wants to uphold the perfect will of God, pleasing the Father in every way. It is our job to lay down our stubborn fleshly will and yield to the will of God. In that moment, the Holy Spirit will be there to help us in our time of need. Instead of trusting in our own strength, let’s learn to yield to and become totally reliant upon the Holy Spirit.

ADDITIONAL BIBLE READING: PRAYER: Hebrews 10:16 Romans 7:18-20 Lord, give me the desire to please You in all Colossians 3:12-14 Ephesians 4:22-32 things. I confess I want to do things my way. I Corinthians 13:2-13 Forgive my stubbornness and pride. Help me

GO DEEPER to choose Your way. I humbly ask You for grace and a willingness to yield to the Holy • Are there areas in your life causing an Spirit who lives in me. May my life reflect Your internal struggle? will for me. Help me to put away childish things and to put on love. Help me to stop actions that • Make a decision today that you will are harmful to me and others. Today I put on yield to the Holy Spirit and lean on His compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness strength, not your own, to overcome and patience. Give me grace to forgive as You obstacles of sin and selfishness in have forgiven me. I love You. your life. Surrender and release those areas to God, knowing He will help you. God is faithful. No matter what you’re facing, He will carry you through it. Notes: ______

WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021 12 th 16b 7 January 2021 James 5:16 (NKJV) The effective,

fervent prayer of a righteous man avails DAY 7 much. FERVENT PRAYER

Fervent prayer is a deep, focused, and passion-filled petition to God. Prayer in itself is aligning and communing with God the Creator. A prayer of deep fervour remarkably changes not only circumstances, but the person who prays as well. This is the kind of prayer that Jesus meant when He spoke of faith that can move mountains (Matthew 21:21). Fervency speaks of our level of intensity, passion and persistence. Many times, we can lose our passion in prayer or stop praying for certain things altogether because we lose heart or give up. But God invites us to keep them before Him and trust Him for an answer in His time. (Matthew 7:7-11) The Old Testament prophet, Elijah, practiced a lifestyle of fervent, intense prayer and he witnessed incredible miracles in his lifetime as a result. In 1 Kings 17:17-24, we read of a woman whose only son became ill and died. When Elijah heard the news, he quickly took action and did what he knew best – he fervently cried out to God. Elijah fully believed that God could bring the boy back to life, and he didn’t pray just once. It is recorded that he prayed three times for the boy’s soul to return to him. He prayed fervently, repeatedly and he wasn’t going to give up. Verse 22 reads, “then the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived.” God honoured Elijah’s obedience and fervent prayers and brought the boy to life. God hears your prayers as well and will bring an answer in His perfect timing. But don’t be discouraged or disheartened if the answer is not exactly what you expected. Commit to praying to God with passion and persistence, trusting the answer will come in God’s perfect way and in His perfect timing. ADDITIONAL BIBLE READING: PRAYER: Matthew 7:7-11 Romans 12:12 Lord, teach me to pray. You have given me the gift Matthew 6:9-13 Ephesians 6:18 of partnering with You in prayer. Stir my heart to

Ezra 8:23 Philippians 4:16 prayer and give me ears to listen as You speak to Psalm 141:2 Colossians 4:2 me in the quiet places of my heart. Increase my Matthew 21:22 1 Peter 3:12a faith as I trust You for the answers to my prayers. Acts 2:42 Thank You for hearing me. I seek Your face and humbly, persistently ask that You will do a mighty GO DEEPER work in my life. Use my prayers to bless and As we close out this first week, continue encourage others. Teach me to praise You in my to pray fervently for the main areas of prayers. You are worthy of my praise. concern in your life. Trust God to bring an answer as you journal your thoughts and inspirations through this time. Notes: ______

13 WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021 James 3:5-6 (TLB) The tongue is a small thing, but 8th January 2021 what enormous damage it can do. A great forest can

be set on fire by one tiny spark. And the tongue . . . DAY 8 can turn our whole lives into a blazing flame of SPOKEN WORD destruction and disaster.”

When we lack self-control, we are vulnerable to all kinds of problems. Anything out of control in your life can harm other people and damage your close relationships. Uncontrolled anger, lust, addiction, spending, drinking, or ambition can create enormous problems. But the greatest destroyer of relationships is an uncontrolled tongue. The story of Lazarus’ death and resurrection reflects the power of Jesus’ spoken Word. He already knew in His heart the miracle that was about to take place, but His words spoke the miracle into existence. While prayer is our declaration of our dependence on God, our spoken words can be the manifestation of what’s happening in our hearts. There is power in our spoken words – whether they are used to build up or tear down. It is so important to keep our hearts filled with the truth from God’s Word so that our words will produce good fruit. As you seek God in prayer, ask Him for the words and discernment that may help someone today. Pray that your words would be encouraging, edifying and aligned with the truth of God’s word. Building others up around us with our words allows us to be God’s instrument – a vessel for His good work.

ADDITIONAL BIBLE READING: PRAYER: Isaiah 50:4 John 11:38-44 Father, Thank You that Your Word is life and Ephesians 4:29 Proverbs 18:21 power to me and to others. Your Word brings hope Matthew 12:33-37 Proverbs 12:12 to things that appear to have no hope. May Your words take root in my heart so that I can bring life, GO DEEPER power and encouragement to others who are As God continues to fill us through this weary. Place a deep hunger in my heart for Your season of prayer and fasting, He wants words so that I can memorise and recall Your to take what is now in our hearts and words when needed. May the words of my mouth share it with others. and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, oh Lord, my rock and my redeemer. How can you use the power of your spoken words to speak God’s truth in the lives of others? Notes: ______

WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021 14 9th January 2021 6 1 Peter 5:6 (NLT) So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the DAY 9 HUMBLE right time He will lift you up in honour. YOURSELF

When you are successful, it’s much easier to fall hard than it is to maintain your success. We tend to get proud and forget about God, and success crumbles when we do that. The Bible says, “Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you” (Revelation 2:5 NIV). If you are getting proud, you must repent. Why repent? Because humility is a choice. We are never told in Scripture to pray for God to make us humble. It’s something you choose for yourself. Here’s the difference between pride and humility: Pride is when you accept credit for things that God and other people did through you and for you. Humility doesn’t mean thinking of yourself less. It means thinking of others and God more. If you have experienced some success and are beginning to get prideful, then repent—today! Change your perspective about who you are and where your success comes from. The Bible says, “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12 NIV). Being humble before God is realising our need of Him, submitting to His will, pursuing Him and being confident the outcome will occur in God’s perfect timing. Be encouraged that approaching God with a heart of humility will always position you to find relief in Jesus. Don’t be ashamed to humble yourself before God, even in the midst of others looking on. Offenses and disappointment may come but continue in your pursuit of Jesus. You may not get relief right away but know that God is never late, and His solution is always perfect.

ADDITIONAL BIBLE READING: PRAYER: Isaiah 66:2 Lord, I bow before You realising You are Colossians 3:12-14 sovereign, almighty, and all powerful. I thank You James 4: 6-10 that in Your greatness You still love and care for Matthew 17:14-16 me. Your ways and thoughts are so much higher GO DEEPER than mine, and I acknowledge my need for You. Prayer is a posture of humility. Humble May I have a meek and humble spirit like Jesus. yourself before the Lord each day and Remove pride from my life, for I confess I am bring your cares to Him. You may want nothing without You. I submit my life to You once to consider how you present your body again. I pray You remove disappointment and to the Lord in prayer. Getting down on discouragement from me as I trust in You and Your perfect will. Help me to be humble and our hands and knees or stretching out gentle to those around me. Thank You for working on our faces on the floor puts us in in my heart. I love You. positions of humility that can help us focus. He wants to meet you where you are and answer your every need.

15 WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021 th Romans 8:5-6 (NIV) 5 Those who live according to the 10 January 2021 flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their DAY 10 minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind CLEAN HOUSE governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.

Have you ever looked up at your ceiling lamp shade or in the top of your wardrobe and noticed the filth that builds up over time? Even though we might clean on a regular basis, there are times when we need to go… a little deeper. We realise that what appeared to be clean on the surface was in all actuality, quite filthy. The same thing can happen spiritually. As we go about our daily lives, there are things that can build up over time. Even if we regularly worship, pray and read our Bible, the different pressures and cares of this world can quietly build up, and end up consuming our lives. Without even realising it, we can lose our peace, our joy, and our passion for the things of God. Our service to God, which used to fill us with life and excitement, becomes a duty that we must fulfil. Fasting is the deep cleaning that helps us take our mind away from the things of this world and instead have a refreshed focus on the things of the Spirit. It is an incredibly effective way to get into the nooks and crannies of our soul and bring all those dusty old habits, broken mindsets and rusty attitudes out into the light of God’s truth. In fasting and prayer, our service to God returns to something we want to do rather than something we have to do.

ADDITIONAL BIBLE READING: PRAYER: Psalm 51 Lord, at times I grow tired and lukewarm in my love Psalm 139 and service for You. Forgive me for allowing the Philippians 4:8-9 distractions of the world to take my focus away from You. Please renew the joy of my salvation GO DEEPER and give me a fresh passion for You. I want to love As you pray and fast today, ask God to You more than life. Thank You that You never show you any areas where you could grow weary and that Your passion for me is use a refreshed spiritual focus. always secure. Like David, in Psalm 51:10-12, pray that God will cleanse your heart, renew your spirit, and restore the joy of your salvation. Pray with confidence, knowing that He wants to fill you with His life and peace. Notes: ______

WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021 16 th 11 January 2021 10 Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) For we are God’s DAY 11 workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to ACCEPTING YOUR do good works, which God prepared in ASSIGNMENT advance for us to do. Fasting and prayer is very helpful in helping us in receiving a clear vision of God’s specific path for our lives. Many times, following a season of prayer and fasting we can have a more defined understanding of the part that we play in the body of Christ and a greater sense of our particular spiritual giftings (1 Corinthians 12). This chapter in the Gospel of Luke chapter 4 describes the circumstances surrounding the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. Notice that He went into the desert “full of the Holy Spirit.” However, He returned to Galilee, “in the power of the Holy Spirit.” Being full of the Spirit is knowing God and his character; walking in the power of the Spirit is when we know that we have the God-given strength and authority in our lives to walk out His will. The power of the Spirit is essential for us to accomplish the assignment God has for our lives. God could be leading you to fast so that you can receive His specific instructions for your life. He will empower you, not just to know Him, but to walk in His power to accomplish what He has called you to do. Another thing to remember is the fact that God never asks you to do something without providing what you need to do it. Anointing is a sign of God’s equipping you to fulfil an assignment He’s given you. When He gives you an assignment, a plan, or a strategy, He is going to empower you. “The one who calls you is faithful, and He will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24 NIV). ADDITIONAL BIBLE READING: PRAYER: Psalm 37:3-7 Holy Spirit, thank You that Your power lives within Isaiah 48:17-18 me. I want to live more in Your power, so I ask that

Romans 1:1-2 You come into my soul and fill me again. I do not Luke 4:1-2, 14-15 want any sin in my life to block You, so I ask You cleanse my heart. I know You have a purpose for GO DEEPER my life, but I don’t always know what that is. I ask • Are there areas of your life that for a clear calling and discernment as I desire to need more clarity? live out the assignment You have given me. Thank • Are you walking in the power of the You that when You call me to something, You also Spirit and living in God’s purpose completely equip me. I pray that You alone will for your life? work through me and that others will see You in me. Thank You for choosing me and giving me a • Write down those things God is purpose. May my life shine brightly for You! speaking to you. As you continue your fast, pray that God continually reveals His purpose and gives you ever increasing clarity and strength to walk it out. Notes: ______

17 WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021 6 12th January 2021 Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to DAY 12 7 DON’T WORRY God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds PRAY INSTEAD in Christ Jesus.

If we prayed as much as we worried, we would have a whole lot less to worry about. In fact, God doesn’t just want you to stop worrying. He wants you spend time praying. Prayer is the best cure for worry. In the New Living Translation it says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything” (Philippians 4:6 NLT). Worry seems to be an inescapable fact of modern life. No doubt there is plenty to worry about: our future, the economy, global warming, war, disease, especially during this pandemic … the list could go on forever! Sometimes it might seem that worry has even replaced Jesus as the focal point of our lives. Jesus Himself admonished us several times not to worry. And the great apostle, Paul, tell us in the passage above that there is an antidote to worry…prayer. When we worry about something, we are spending energy on it, wondering what might happen, rehearsing the “if only’s” and “what if’s” in our mind. Why not take that same energy and refocus it on prayer instead? When we worry, we are simply talking to ourselves about our fears, but when we pray, we are taking those fears to God. We can’t control the future, but we know that God is already there! He knows exactly what is going to happen and He promises to be with us every step of the journey.

ADDITIONAL BIBLE READING: PRAYER: Proverbs 3:1-6 Lord, You know how often my mind goes to worry Jeremiah 29:11-13 and not to trusting You. May my thoughts be Isaiah 41:10-13 quicker to turn into prayers to You, my Almighty God, because You know the plans You have for GO DEEPER me, and they are plans to prosper me and not to As we continue this season of prayer harm me. Thank You for Your peace that and fasting, let’s make an effort to surpasses all understanding as I place my convert our worry into prayer. confidence in You and believe You are at work in my life. • Are there things that you consistently worry about? • As you go through your day today, recapture each worried thought and send it up to God as a prayer. See how dramatically your outlook improves when the peace of God is activated through prayer!

WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021 18 36 13th January 2021 1 Kings 18:36 (NIV) At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known DAY 13 today that you are God in Israel and that I am Your PRAYING BOLDLY servant and have done all these things at Your command. The sacrifice referenced above was a declaration that Elijah was a servant of the Most High God. Elijah belonged to God, and he represented God to the people. However, Elijah’s boldness was not a result of who he was; it was the result of knowing God! As children of God under the new covenant of Jesus, we don’t have to be timid or fearful when coming to God in prayer. We can approach God boldly. The Amplified Bible puts it like this: Hebrews 4:16 Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favour] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment]. It’s hard to imagine taking a fearless, confident, bold attitude when coming before God in prayer. Yet this is exactly what we are admonished to do! God has already settled the issue of our access to Him, but we can be assured, our access is not because of our own righteousness. It’s because of what Jesus did on the cross. We can come to the throne in such outrageous boldness because Jesus was outrageously righteous! When we pray, we come to God in the authority of Jesus’ name, and we can be confident that we will find grace, mercy and perfectly timed help.

ADDITIONAL BIBLE READING: PRAYER: Matthew 9:18-26 Father, I thank You that I can approach You boldly Ephesians 3:16-21 and with confidence because I am righteous through Christ. Lord, please give me a boldness in GO DEEPER asking from You. Nothing is too difficult for You, • Do you approach God with timidity and I pray for a renewed revelation of who You are of confidence? today. You hold all things in Your hands and have • Seek God boldly today knowing a perfect plan for my life. Thank You. I love You. you are fully forgiven, and Jesus has made you righteous. When you approach God in prayer, seek a fresh revelation of who He is in your life. Notes: ______

19 WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021 th 14 January 2021 10 Matthew 6:10 (NIV) Your kingdom DAY 14 come, Your will be done, on earth as it is ALIGNMENT WITH in heaven. HEAVEN We have all heard the phrase, “just like heaven on earth.” When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray in Matthew 6:9-13, He provided some insight into what “heaven on earth” might look like. In reality, heaven is a place where God’s will reigns supreme. If we want to have a taste of heaven on earth, then our prayer should be like Jesus’: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done …”. The purest motivation for our prayers is that God will be glorified and that His will would reign supreme in our lives, just like it does in heaven. On a more personal level, we can pray that His will be unhindered in our own lives. Rather than imposing His will upon us, God gives us the choice to surrender to it with trust and gladness. As we yield to the Lordship of Christ over every area of our lives, we come into agreement with Him. We experience alignment with heaven and position ourselves to taste a little bit of heaven here on earth. His will then becomes what we desire and the thing we most seek after. We enter into the incredible adventure of participating in God’s plan to move His kingdom forward on the earth. This is where we find the most fulfilling and joyous life, but it all starts with one, personal “yes, Lord” on our part. ADDITIONAL BIBLE READING: PRAYER: Isaiah 58:1-12 Father, Your word is very clear about what Your James 1:27 will is. You desire for us to reach out to the lonely, oppressed, marginalised and lost. You have great GO DEEPER compassion on them and desire us to be Your • What does God’s will “on earth as hands and feet. Please help my will to line up with it is in heaven” look like in your Yours. Please enable me to care about others life? being lost more than I care about the comforts or • Do the desires of your heart line up problems in my life. May Your kingdom come, with the will of God? may Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And may I be willing to bring Your kingdom to As we seek God together, let’s pray as earth by the way I treat others around me. Please Jesus taught us, “Thy kingdom come, open my eyes to who You want me to bless today. Thy will be done.”

Notes: ______

WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021 20 FOR THE FINAL WEEK OF OUR 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING, WE WILL BE FOCUSING ON THE SACRIFICE CHRIST HAS MADE FOR US THROUGH THE CROSS AND THE VICTORY, WE HAVE THROUGH HIS RESURRECTION.

21 WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021 th 15 January 2021 Ecclesiastes 7:20 (The Message) 20 There’s

not one totally good person on earth, Not one DAY 15 who is truly pure and sinless. CONFESSION God wants you to agree with Him about your sin. He’s not asking you to agree so you’ll feel bad; His purpose is to free you from your sin and guilt so that you can live a life of integrity. Stepping into a life of godliness starts with confession. What is confession? It’s agreeing with God that we’ve failed to live according to His standards, that we’ve ignored His commands, that we’ve broken our promises to Him. Confession is a bridge to God. When you start thinking about your failures, it’s easy to criticise yourself and think you’ll never be able to get things right. You’re not alone in that feeling. We all fail at times, even when we’re trying to live with integrity. God is not surprised by your sin. He knows all about it, yet there’s nothing you can do that will make Him love you less. Instead of condemnation, God gives us grace. This is why Jesus came to die on the cross for us. When we place our trust in Jesus, He is faithful to give us forgiveness. Don’t hide your sin. Don’t excuse it. Confess it. As you read, don’t be limited by what is written here. Add your own words as you are moved to. Father, I confess to You of my pride, impatience, self-indulgence, prejudgment, contempt, cruelty and dishonesty. I confess my exploitation of others, envy of those more fortunate, lust for worldly goods and comforts, negligence in prayer and worship, and my failure to stand firm and be a witness to Your reality. Father, by way of the cross and passion of Your Son our Lord, teach me the joy of resurrection. As the scripture says, “If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong” (1 John 1:9). Now is the time to search our hearts and to be fully known by God. As we focus on the cross and resurrection, we need to be honest with God, hiding nothing. Remember as well that there is no darkness too deep for God: His own Son suffered death on a cross under a greater burden than any have known before or after Him – He descended deeper into the darkness.

SUGGESTION: PRAYER: Try and cut back on, or eliminate, Father, I often find myself buried under the weight TV, the radio, the internet, the of my own dark thoughts, and so fearful of these computer, etc. And finally, whenever thoughts that I cannot even face them. But Lord, you have free time because you You promise that because of what Jesus did, I am have given something up, be sure to not to be punished according to my sin. With this give the time to God. promise and the hope of freedom, God help me to face my own heart: shine Your light inside of me. Read Psalm 51 I want to be known by You. Help me to let You in.

WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021 22 16th January 2021 James 4:5 (GNT) Don't think that there is no truth in the scripture that says, "The spirit that God DAY 16 placed in us is filled with fierce desires." PRIDE AND HUMILITY Our godliness can often be measured by the line between our pride and humility. Pride destroys relationships. It shows up in a lot of different ways, like criticism, competition, stubbornness, and showiness. The problem with pride is it’s self-deceiving. Everybody else can see it in us but us. When you have a problem with pride, you don’t see it in your life. Proverbs 16:18 (NCV) says, “Pride leads to destruction; a proud attitude brings ruin”. I love this verse in the Message paraphrase: “First pride, then the crash — the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.” Pride destroys relationships, but humility is the cure to pride. Humility builds relationships. The Bible says in 1 Peter 3:8 (GWT) Live in harmony, be sympathetic, love each other, have compassion, and be humble. Scripture also tells us that God has placed a spirit of “fierce desires” in us. Pride can ignite these God-given desires into an occasion for doing wrong. Humility, on the other hand, makes room for God, who tempers and directs our desires, and guides us to lasting fulfilment. Scripture tells us that Jesus humbled Himself and was obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (a more humiliating event could not have been imagined). So, we practice humility as a way to follow Jesus, and to cast off all our ineffective, prideful attempts at self- promotion, self-salvation and self-satisfaction. When we remember that Jesus’ death is our only hope, and that all our efforts to save ourselves are at best short-term solutions and doomed to fail, we weep for our condition. But we also need to remember that humiliation and remorse, both appropriate responses to God, are temporary. Through Christ’s resurrection, the humble are lifted up, and those who mourn are comforted with an everlasting comfort. ADDITIONAL BIBLE READING: PRAYER: John 16.19-22 God grant me the ability to see myself as You see Psalm 23 me. Yet protect me from what I find in my own James 4:1-10 heart, for surely it is more awful than I can bear. Ephesians 4:23-24 Forgive me, and carry my burden of grief when I see my failings. And God, don’t let me take credit GO DEEPER for the good things You have given me. In Your • In what area of your life or in what mercy help me to see the pride in my own heart. relationship do you need to ask Heal and renew my spirit; refine the passion of my God to grant you humility? heart; and help me to walk in humility. • Is there someone you need to humbly approach and ask for forgiveness? • Is there an area you need to surrender to God and no longer seek your will, but to trust in Him for His will to be done?

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th 17 January 2021 32 Luke 24:32 (NIV) They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on DAY 17 the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” A BURNING Matthew 5:6 (NIV) 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. PASSION FOR GOD The day Jesus entered Jerusalem before His death and resurrection is known as Palm Sunday. This marks the beginning of the week of Christ’s passion. The word ‘passion’ comes from a Latin word which means ‘suffering’. The suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross has always been referred to as The Passion. There is even a movie by that name. In modern times, we have come to apply the word passion to mean any kind of strong feeling, or commitment, even though it more properly it describes a suffering for some worthwhile thing. In many ways we have lost this sense of the word, in part perhaps, because there is so little of this kind of passion left in the western world. We ascribe the word passion to how we feel about sports teams, music, or our political views. Would you be willing to suffer for those things? Jesus actively chose His path and the sufferings that followed. In Jesus we see not only the full depth of God’s passion for us and the suffering that was a necessary part of it, but also the full depth of one perfect human’s passion for God (in Jesus): obedience that led to death. How do we respond to God’s call to follow Him? Are we passionate? Or passive? To walk with Jesus, who said, “take up your cross and follow me,” we must accept God’s direction and choose to follow the path laid out for us. This is a path of certain passion (suffering), but also certain hope because of the victory we have through Christ’s resurrection. ADDITIONAL BIBLE READING: PRAYER: John 16.19-22 Lord, thank You for Your passionate love for me Psalm 23 that You would die for me. And thank You for Your passionate love for the Father, that You GO DEEPER would obey Him, even to death. Lord, I am so • How are you passionate in your love often harassed and helpless, like a sheep without for the Lord? a shepherd—how can I find my way unless You • In what areas do you actively choose help me? Have mercy on me. Lead me Lord. God’s ways and desire to live for Come, and give me the strength I need to follow Him? You in doing the Father’s will. Bless the time I give to You this week. Pour Your blessing over • In what ways do others look at your me. Give me a passionate love equal to Yours. life and see your passion and consuming love for Jesus?

Ask God to enable you to passionately love and follow Him.

Notes:

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th 18 January 2021 1 Peter 3:18 (NLT) 18 Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but He died for DAY 18 sinners to bring you safely home to God. He THE SUFFERING suffered physical death, but He was raised to life OF CHRIST in the Spirit.

Jesus’ suffering on the cross showed the devastating nature of sin, the wrath of God, the cruelty of humanity, and the hatred of Satan. At Calvary, mankind was allowed to do his worst to the Son of Man as He became the Redeemer of mankind. Satan may have thought he had won a great victory, but it was through the cross that the Son of God triumphed over Satan, sin, and death. God planned from all eternity to save a people by the sacrifice of his Son on Calvary’s cross. Jesus suffered and died in order to secure salvation for all who would believe and repent. The night of His arrest, as Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, He committed His all to the task: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). The cup of suffering was not taken from Christ; He drank it all for us. There was no other way for us to be saved. Jesus did not die in vain. ADDITIONAL BIBLE READING: PRAYER: Isaiah 52:13-15 Father, teach me Your way this week. Teach me Isaiah 53 how to leave my selfish, sinful ways at the foot of 1 Peter 1:3-9 the cross, and teach me how Jesus my Saviour is willing to bear those sins in His own body and be GO DEEPER punished for them. Lord, how can I thank You for • Do you fully realise the blessings this great salvation? I worship You and Your God has given you because of the amazing power: Jesus is greater than death, and offering of Christ? could not be conquered. When He died, I know that my sins were destroyed: it happened “once • Have you claimed the gifts He has for all time.” And when You raised Him three days given you gifts of peace, later, You taught us that we too could be raised. I forgiveness, and righteousness? confess my many sins Lord Jesus: I lay them Jesus Christ has made you righteous down at the foot of the cross. I turn away from and accepted in God’s eyes. Spend them and ask You to give me a new way of living some time thanking Him again for His in the world. Walk with me this week, Father. sacrifice and that your sins are Teach me Your way. completely forgiven, once and for all. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) 21 God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. Notes: ______

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19th January 2021 John 13:34 (NLT) 34 So now I am giving you a new

commandment: Love each other. Just as I have DAY 19 loved you, you should love each other. LOVE At the last supper Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. He also gave them a new commandment, “Love one another as I have loved You.” But the disciples didn’t fully understand how deep Jesus’ love was for them. It took a king on His knees with a towel around His waist to prove to them the loving, servant heart of God. But even so, Peter didn’t understand why Jesus would defile Himself in this way. If that night Peter finds it hard to accept that Jesus His king would humiliate Himself by washing His followers’ feet, he will be even more confused the next day. For there will be another demonstration of God love on Good Friday. When the perfect love of God in Jesus faces the wrath of God against evil, and triumphs in the end. All for the love of us. We as the followers of Jesus Christ, we must love everybody, whether we like them or not. In the same way that Christ loves us. That means we are to accept them completely, love them unconditionally, forgive them totally, and consider them extremely valuable. Loving others in this way will transform your relationships! The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT) 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. This is how God loves you. God never stops being patient with you. God never stops believing in you. God never stops hoping for the best in your life. God never gives up on you. And that’s what God wants you to do with everybody else. ADDITIONAL BIBLE READING: PRAYER: John 13:1-15 Romans 5:8 Wash me clean Lord. I want to receive all You have John 1:14 for me. I am blessed and honoured when You serve me; I am humbled by Your humility. Help me GO DEEPER remember Your healing and cleansing. Don’t let • Are you washed in the love of me forget my salvation. In darkness, help me call Jesus? on Your name. Jesus. In darkness, be the light of • Whose feet do you need to wash my heart; may I never be afraid. I am longing for in humility and love? Your sunrise, Jesus. In Your mercy, give me the gift of hope. And by Your love, help me to love • In what areas of your life and in others. Teach me Your way in the coming days. what relationships do you need Help me to understand how You have loved me, His Spirit of love and humility? and how You love me still.

Notes: ______

26 WCC 21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING 2021

20th January 2021 Mark 15:33-34 (NIV) 33 At noon, darkness came over 34 the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, DAY 20 “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, DARKNESS FALLS my God, why have you forsaken me?”). Darkness falls over the Earth on Good Friday. God’s own Son goes to His death to save us from the darkness in our hearts. God is a God of Light: He can’t tolerate darkness, and darkness cannot survive in His presence. On the cross, He was cut off from His Father. In the midst of humanity’s own darkest hour, and in the face of His followers’ cowardice, selfishness and laziness, God does not cut us off. In His awesome mercy, He sends His own Son into the darkness so that we might live in the light. Take some time to read Mark 14.32-15:37 and meditate on this passage. Please spend some time praying for the following: Our heavenly Father sent His Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved; that all who believes in Him might be delivered from the power of sin and death and become heirs with Him of everlasting life. • Pray for people everywhere according to their needs. • Pray for the Church throughout the world. • For its unity in witness and service. • For all ministers and the people whom they serve. • For all Christians throughout the world. • For those who have never heard the Word of salvation. • For those who have lost their faith. • Pray for all who suffer and are afflicted in body or in mind. • For the hungry and the homeless, the destitute and the oppressed. • For the sick, the wounded and the crippled. • For those who face temptation, doubt and despair. • For the sorrowful and bereaved. • For prisoners and captives, and those in mortal danger. • For those who are enemies of the cross of Christ and persecutors of his disciples. • For those who in the name of Christ have persecuted others. Pray that God would open their hearts to the truth and lead them to faith and obedience. • For the medical workers everywhere. • For the sick and infected by Covid-19. That God would heal and sustain bodies and spirits. • For our vulnerable populations: God, protect our elderly and those suffering from chronic disease. • For those with mental health challenges who feel isolated, anxious, and helpless: God, provide them every necessary support. • For the homeless, who are unable to practice the protocols of social distancing in the shelter system: Protect them from disease and provide isolation shelters in every city. • For Christian missionaries throughout the world. • For the government all around the world.

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21st January 2021 John 11:25-26 (NIV) 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the

resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me DAY 21 will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives VICTORY IN by believing in me will never die. Do you believe CHRIST! this?”

The Resurrection of Jesus changed everything. It literally split history into A.D. and B.C. It is the most important event in human history. And it proves three things. First, it proves that Jesus is exactly who He claimed to be. He repeatedly said He was the Son of God who came to die for our sins. And He did just that. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the most well-documented events in history. Second, the Resurrection proves that Jesus keeps His promises. Jesus told his disciples that He would “be killed and on the third day be raised to life” (Matthew 16:21 NIV). Because Jesus kept that promise, you can trust the other promises in the Word of God. The Bible says, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. . . . [He] set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (2 Corinthians 1:20, 22 NIV). Third, the Resurrection proves that there is life after death. Because of Jesus Christ’s Resurrection, we have HOPE for the future. And it is a hope that will not disappoint (see Romans 5:5). Jesus said, “I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again. He is given eternal life for believing in me and shall never perish” (John 11:25-26 TLB). Where else are you going to get a promise like that? Nowhere! Who else can give that to you? No one! If you don’t get it from Jesus, you won’t have it. That is an amazing benefit that is available for us today. What’s the qualification? You must believe. ADDITIONAL BIBLE READING: PRAYER: Matthew 28.1-10; 16-20 Dear Lord, Thank You for walking with and Ezekiel 36.24-28 sustaining me during this prayer and fasting journey. You have been faithful, and I thank You GO DEEPER for what You have shown me. I ask that you seal • Has this season of prayer and fasting the work You have done in my life and help me strengthened your relationship with to continue to walk more closely with You. Open Christ? How? Your Word in greater ways to me in the days ahead. Teach me, strengthen my faith and give • How will you live more passionately me persistence and boldness in following Your for Him because of His ultimate will for me. Help me to be Your hands and feet in sacrifice? service and blessing to others. You are my risen, Commitments could include acts of ascended, reigning and ruling Lord. I humbly regular prayer, service to others, and thank You and praise Your name. You are personal disciplines in spending more awesome! time with Him.

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As we conclude our 21 days of prayer and fasting, DAY 22 it is important to ask, “Now what?” How can you And Beyond remain committed to seeking Him?

Very simply, decide to love God and seek Him. That’s right, decide. Look for opportunities to spend time with Him and to learn from Him. Daily. Decide to chase after Him and not the things of this life that quickly distract us from Him. • Daily. Give Him your whole heart. • Daily. Look for Him in each day, through people, circumstances, and creation. • Daily. Read His Word. • Daily. It will take intention, effort, desire, and time. But it will be so worth it as your relationship with Him grows, develops, and you fall more and more in love with Him. Hebrews 11:6 (NLT) 6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him. Will you continue to earnestly seek after the God of this universe who loves you completely and desires to walk with you daily? The reward will be great because God is great! LIFE GROUPS: One way to do this is to be part of a Life Group. Life Groups have one simple purpose: to bring people together. We believe God created us to live in relationship with others and only then can we live the full life He intends for us. Sharing life through community is part of our design. You were not designed to do this Christian life alone. Being part of a Life Group will help you go deeper into God and you journey alongside others. NEXT STEP: • Alpha Course – 11 weeks course that starts on 18 January 2021 every Monday, 7:00pm - 9:00pm • Freedom in Christ – 10 weeks course that starts on 26 January 2021 every Tuesday, 7:00pm - 9:00pm. • Grace Course – 6 weeks course that starts on 18 February 2021 every Thursday, 7:00pm - 9:00pm. Please check our website for more details under the ‘Next Step’ section. WCC PRAYER EVENTS 2021: • Every Sunday we have prayer meeting from 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM. • Weekly prayer meeting every Friday 7 PM to 8 PM, except for the last Friday of the month where we will meet from 10 PM to 2 AM. • Our next prayer and fasting for this year will be 7 days of prayer and fasting on Friday 26th of March 2021 - Thursday 1st April 2021.

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Speak, O Lord, Speak, O Lord, as we come to You To receive the food of Your Holy Word. Take Your truth, plant it deep in us; Shape and fashion us in Your likeness, That the light of Christ might be seen today In our acts of love and our deeds of faith. Speak, O Lord, and fulfil in us All Your purposes for Your glory. Teach us, Lord, full obedience, Holy reverence, true humility; Test our thoughts and our attitudes In the radiance of Your purity. Cause our faith to rise; cause our eyes to see Your majestic love and authority. Words of power that can never fail— Let their truth prevail over unbelief. Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds; Help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us— Truths unchanged from the dawn of time That will echo down through eternity. And by grace we’ll stand on Your promises, And by faith we’ll walk as You walk with us. Speak, O Lord, till Your church is built And the earth is filled with Your glory.

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