Prayer and Fasting 2012 PDF
Prayer and Fasting 2012 PDF
Prayer and Fasting 2012 PDF
The Lord our God is really an amazing and faithful God! We prayed to the
Lord that He would enlarge our borders and He did. Looking back at 2011,
we saw several new churches planted, existing frontiers in government,
military, police and the corporate world expanded, and several more new
opportunities opened.
But Pastor Britt Merrick, pastor and author, reminded our leaders during a
recent Leaders meeting that the chief end of man is to love God and enjoy
Him forever. Therefore, ministry for God has to flow from our ministry to
God. We were created to love Jesus and enjoy Him every moment of our
lives.
Because of this, we need to live a life that is intimately dependent on God.
And the most practical way to do this is to make prayer the central activity
of our lives.
Ronnie Floyd says:
Many Christians say that they are dependent on God, but it is in ones daily
prayer life that we see the reality of this. When we become intimately
dependent on God, prayer becomes as natural as breathing. Everything we
do is brought before the Lord, and there is no aspect of life that is outside
the realm of prayer.
As we begin 2012, we have an excellent opportunity to start on the right
foot. This week of Prayer and Fasting will help us develop the attitude. It is
my ardent desire that we use this time, not just as an end itself and try to
experience total dependence on God for one week in a year, but that it will
prime the pump in us to become more and more intimately dependent on
the Lord every day of our lives.
May the Lord grant us success in this!
Pastor Peter Tan-Chi
Table of Contents
Guide .................................................................................................................................................. 2
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................13
Schedule .......................................................................................................................................14
Devotions ....................................................................................................................................16
Thomas a Kempis
Guide
2
James I. Packer
Joel 1:14
Throughout history, God has called on His people to humble themselves
through prayer and fasting. As a spiritual family we practice prayer and
fasting to deepen our intimacy with God. Fasting is a spiritual weapon God
used to advance His kingdom, move nations, spark revival and bring victory
to the lives of His people.
Biblical fasting is not just not eating, but it is abstinence from food with a
spiritual goal in mind. It always occurs together with prayer in the Bible
and is also a form of worship. Luke 2:37c says that fasting is a way of
serving God, while Acts 13:2 says that fasting is ministering to the Lord.
As we begin our fast this year, let us all be reminded that whatever we do,
we do for the glory of God.
Why Fast?
Let fasting be done unto the Lord with our eye singly
fixed on Him. Let our intention herein be this, and this
alone, to glorify our Father which is in heaven.
John Wesley
God expects us to fast.
Matthew 6:16-17
And whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do,
for they neglect their appearance in order to be seen fasting by men. Truly I
say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you fast, anoint
your head, and wash your face.
Jesus said When you fast, not if you fast. This means that fasting, like
prayer, is not an option. Fasting is part of the Christian life.
Jesus Fasted.
Matthew 4:2
And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.
Before He began His ministry, Jesus fasted for forty days. He knew He was
going to need spiritual strength to fulfill His purposes. Fasting may make us
feel physically weak, but we will become spiritually stronger and more
prepared to do Gods work.
The Church fasted for Saul (Paul) and Barnabas whom the Holy Spirit had
set apart for His use. Later, Paul and Barnabas appointed leaders in various
churches, fasting and praying before commending these leaders to the Lord.
Fasting improves our physical condition. Many impurities in the body are
burned up when the body is denied food, thus, clearing the mind, cleansing
and healing the body. Even people who are underweight who fast for
spiritual purposes have been known to gain weight after completing their
fasts. Many Bible teachers say that a three-day fast is especially beneficial
for spiritual cleansing and also for breaking addictive habits.
(What Does the Bible Say About Fasting?, Christ Unlimited Ministries, www.bible.com)
1. Normal fast.
2. Partial fast.
3. Juice fast.
This is the same as normal fast in 1. above, except the one fasting also eats
fresh vegetables or drinks fruit juice.
4. Object fast.
Preparing to Fast
My spiritual drought ended, but this taste for the
majesty of God only made me thirst for more of HIM.
John Piper
1. Set your objective and commit to a type of fast.
Why are you fasting? Is it for spiritual renewal, for guidance, for healing, for
the resolution of problems, for special grace to handle a difficult situation?
Ask the Holy Spirit to clarify His leading and objectives for your prayer fast.
Once you know the reason you have for fasting, you must make a
commitment. Pray about the kind of fast you should undertake.
Choose the type of fast God wants you to undertake (such as water only,
water and juices, what kinds of juice, and how often).
Determine how much time you will daily devote to prayer and Gods Word.
2. Be expectant.
Be reminded that the Lord listens to a prayer from the heart. Be true and
contrite as we expect results from our God.
Limit your physical and social activity during this period. Conserve your
physical energy, and devote more time to prayer and reading the Bible.
6. Be in faith.
Caution
In spite of the absolute safety and benefits of fasting, there are certain
persons who should not fast without professional supervision.
For example:
Consult your doctor before you begin your fast but be aware that many
doctors have not been trained in this area and so their understanding may
be limited.
Albert Haase
Fasting can be a painful admission that I am not free, that my life is
enslaved, obsessed or addicted to external things such as food, drink,
codependent relationships, sex, television, privacy and the like.
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During a Fast
The greater the satisfaction you experience from God
while still in this world, the greater your desire for the next.
John Piper
1. Seek the Lord.
Commit to prayer and Bible reading during the times you usually allocate
for meals. Remain accountable to your small groups, for what you dont eat
physically you should compensate for spiritually. One way is by attending
the daily evening prayers in CCF at 7-8pm. Be ready to respond when you
hear from God.
2. Commit to change.
Whatever God tells you or puts His finger upon, apply it immediately. If you
need to make restitution, immediately contact people you have broken
relationships with. If there are habits that need to change, make the
adjustment immediately. Ask your small group leader to hold you
accountable.
Pray for the items on your prayer list and other items as the Spirit leads. Let
us use this time to intercede for our family, for CCF, our country, the
government, our D-group and D-12 members, Christians around the world,
mission, etc.
We must fill our mind with the Word of God and saturate it fully. Although
our body may hunger, our soul must be filled with the spiritual food that we
crave and that is enough to strengthen us to deny our flesh. Consider a fast
from food as a spiritual feast.
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.
Try to attend the daily evening prayer time at 7-8pm. D-group and D-12
meetings during the fasting period are at the discretion of the D-Leader in
order to give the members the option to attend the evening watches.
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G.B. Shaw
1. End your fast gradually.
Begin eating gradually. Do not eat solid foods immediately after your fast.
Suddenly reintroducing solid food to your stomach and your digestive tract
will likely have negative, even dangerous, consequences. Try several
smaller meals or snacks. If you end your fast gradually, the beneficial
physical and spiritual effect will result in continued good health. You may
start with fruits, fruit juice, salads, and soups, then gradually eat more solid
foods.
Overall, the following four factors represent what we are trying to
accomplish when breaking a fast:
2. Continue to pray.
Dont let your prayer end on the day you finish the fast. Build from the
momentum you gained during the fast. Let it transform your prayer and
devotional life. Carry the newfound passion with you throughout the year.
If you sincerely humble yourself before the Lord, repent, pray, and seek
Gods face, if you consistently meditate on His Word
Psalm 16:11
Thou wilt make known to me the path of life; In Thy presence is fullness of
joy; In thy right hand are pleasures forever.
Let us bask in the fullness of joy in the Lord as we abide in His glorious
presence. When we have denied our flesh, empowered our spirit with
prayer, and solely depend on God for nourishment, there is a joy in the
moment we experience Gods magnificent power.
12
Conclusion
Now to Him who is able to do exceeding
abundantly beyond all that we ask or think,
according to the power that works within us.
Ephesians 3:20
Our seven-day prayer and fasting gives us the opportunity to realign our
lives according to His will and consecrate the rest of the year to Him. As we
humble ourselves corporately before Him in prayer, we can expect Him to
move mightily in our midst.
Gods will is for each and every one of us to grow in our understanding of
Him. Every year we need to experience a greater awe of His inexhaustible
love, power and holiness. So seek Him with all your heart, and the promise
is that you will find Him!
Schedule
14
Day 1. Monday
Day 2. Tuesday
Day 3. Wednesday
Day 4. Thursday
Day 5. Friday
Day 6. Saturday
Day 7. Sunday
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Devotions
16
17
Day 1 Who Am I?
Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house
that You have brought me this far?
1 Chronicles 17:16
Reflection
1. Read 1 Chronicles 17:1-20. Trace the blessings of David from verses 7 to
14 by marking the verbs used to describe Gods actions on David. What
tenses were used? What do the changes in tenses indicate?
2. David wanted to honor God by building a house for Him (v. 1). Instead what
did God do for David (v. 10)? What does this tell about the Lord?
3. Name some of the blessings mentioned (vv. 7-10). Who are the other
beneficiaries of Gods blessings in Davids life?
4. How did David respond to all of Gods blessings to him (vv. 16-20)? How did
David regard himself in verse 17?
Application
1. In accordance to the past, present and future blessings that God gave David,
spend time to write down the blessings that the Lord has given to you
including the future blessings that He has promised you.
2. Despite Davids intimacy with the Lord and his being the leader of Israel, he
didnt have any entitlement mentality. He recognized how God has brought
me this far (v. 16). Reflect on this reality in your own life and spend time
now to humble yourself before God and worship Him.
Anonymous
You aren't loved because you're valuable.
You're valuable because God loves you.
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2 Chronicles 20:12
Reflection
1. Read Isaiah 22:5-13 (preferably from a paraphrase). What situation was
the land of Israel facing in verses 5 8a? Describe what was going on.
2. What was the reaction of the leaders of the land to the problem they were
facing (8b-11)?
3. What was their attitude in facing such a situation (12-13)? In verse 13, what
do the feasting and partying reveal about their attitude?
4. What was the result of their disregard for God in their problems (v. 14)?
Application
1. As you ponder on your own life, how dependent are you on the Lord? On a
scale of 10, 1 being Not at all Dependent on God and 10 being Fully
Dependent how would you rate yourself? In what ways do you express
your dependence on Him?
2. When someone places his dependence on God fully in addressing his
problem, does that make human efforts unnecessary?
E.M. Bounds
Jeremiah 17:7
Reflection
1. Read Jeremiah 17:5-8. The Hebrew concept for cursed, means to
deliver over a transgressor to misfortune. It includes the idea of divine
withdrawal or displeasure such as Gods hiding or turning away the face.
On the other hand blessed is a pronouncement of Gods favor upon a
person. The effect is that the person advances or progresses and therefore
attains success and prosperity. Who are the two persons being contrasted
in this passage (vv. 5 & 7)?
2. To whom are these two persons likened (vv. 6 & 8)? In the two columns of
your prayer journal, write down the words or phrases by which they are
contrasted. Write as many as you can find.
3. Reflect carefully on these differences what they represent in real life
(Consult a paraphrased bible for difficult translations or a dictionary,
preferably bible dictionary, for unclear words).
Application
1. Who do you first run to whenever you have a problem? God? People? Self?
2. When do you depend on God the most?
3. When do you depend on God the least?
Horatius Bonar
Seeing that distance and distrust will do nothing for
you, try what drawing near and confidence will do.
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Psalm 91:1
Reflection
1. Read Psalm 91. What are the names of God used in verse 1-2? Why is He
introduced using these different names? Write the significance of each?
2. Why is it important for us to know His name (vv. 14-16)? Is this mere head
knowledge or does it mean an intimate experiential knowledge?
3. What are the different dangers from which God promises to deliver His
people (vv. 3, 5-6, 10 & 13)? Compare the NASB or NIV with a Bible
translation (e.g. NLT) and identify what are the general areas that each of
those dangers represent?
4. What are the different instruments He uses to protect His people (vv. 4 &
11)?
5. What are the action words in the Psalm which describe our response to God
for who He is (vv. 1, 14, 15)? Reflect on how you can live them out and
develop the habit of doing them.
6. In verse 7, the psalmist recalls the plagues that afflicted the Egyptians in
Exodus 7-12 but not the Israelites. Read Exodus 9:4-6, 9:18-26 and chapter
12. How were the Israelites exempted from the last plague?
Application
1. Shield and buckler in verse 4 are powerful armor pieces for protection.
According to the verse (NIV) what do they represent? How do you
appropriate them in your own life? What spiritual disciplines will you do to
ensure constant protection using this armor?
2. What practical steps will you take to increasingly make God your own
refuge?
3. In number 6 above, from what last plague or curse is the believer in Jesus
sure to be exempted? How is this made possible? Are you sure to be
exempted? What are you basing it on?
Bruce Wilkinson
Dependence upon God makes heroes of ordinary people like you and me!
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Matthew 14:15
Reflection
1. Read Matthew 14:14-21. What situation did the disciples face in verse 15?
3. How many people needed to be fed? According to verse 20 how much did
each of the people eat? In todays economy, how much would such feeding
project cost? (Assume each person needs 50 pesos worth of food).
4. With such a huge task that Jesus wanted His disciples to do, how did He
want them to respond? What was the role of human effort and available
resources in this situation?
5. Does the story teach passivity and do-nothingness? Why are those 2
incompatible with dependence on God?
6. This lesson is so important that Jesus taught this to His disciples again not
long after (Matthew 15:32-38). Did the disciples learn the lesson already
after this (Read Matthew 16:5-11)?
Application
1. What are the needs and concerns in your life that you are convinced to be
Gods will for you for which He is willing and able to help you (check as
many as applies to you):
Joseph Garlingen
The Christian life isn't difficult - it is impossible. If we don't know that, we will
try to do things ourselves. Faith is not necessary when we think we can do it
ourselves. Faith comes along when we realize that we cannot do it on our own.
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Romans 8:11
Reflection
1. Compare Romans 8:9-11 and Ephesians 1:19-20. According to these
verses, what are the things that the amazing resurrection power accomplish
in our own lives as the Holy Spirit lives in us?
3. Read Ephesians 5:18-21 and Galatians 5:16-25. How should we relate to the
Spirit of God in order to be victorious over sinful habits (Eph. 5:18 and Gal.
5:16)? What are the results in our lives as we constantly relate to the Holy
Spirit (Eph. 5:19-21 and Gal. 5:17-23)?
4. Stephen was repeatedly described as a man full of the Holy Spirit. Study
Acts 6:1-7:60 and enumerate the effects of the filling of the Spirit in his life.
Application
1. The word Helper in John 14:16 (NASB) literally means the One called to
3. Walking in the Spirit is attained as we constantly ask for the filling of the
Spirit. This condition will become more and more enduring in our lives as
we develop the habit of spiritual breathing. How do you plan to make this
a regular habit?
Charles Stanley
God is looking for imperfect men and women who have learned to walk
in moment-by-moment dependence on the Holy Spirit. Christians who
have come to terms with their inadequacies, fears, and failures.
Believers who have become discontent with 'surviving' and have taken
the time to investigate everything God has to offer in this life.
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John 15:4
Reflection
1. Read John15:1-17. What is the purpose of Jesus for all disciples in verse 2?
2. If a disciple is already bearing fruit, is God already satisfied (v. 2)? What
does God the Father do to such disciples?
3. What do you think is meant by God pruning His disciples so that they bear
more fruit? What are some possible ways God prunes them?
4. When a disciple is being pruned what should his attitude be (v. 4)?
5. What is the secret to bearing much fruit for the Lord (v. 5)?
6. What are the ways by which disciples, as branches, are to abide in the vine
according to verse 7? According to verse 10?
7. What is the evidence that we are abiding in Christ (vv. 12, 17)?
8. Compare John 13:35 and John 15:8. If we do not love one another what
does this show about us (also 1 John 4:7 & 8)?
9. According to the following verses, what are some fruits of abiding in Jesus?
a. John 15:7 b. Galatians 5:22-23 c. Eph. 5:9 d. Matt. 12:33-37 e. Col. 1:3-8
Application
1. Evaluate your own fruitfulness. Are there fruits that reveal a life of abiding
in Jesus? Ask for feedback from a family member and a co-Dgroup member.
2. When was the last time you felt Gods pruning work in your life? How did
you respond, positively or negatively?
3. Is there any person in the church that you are not in good terms with that
does not show you to be Christs disciple in accordance with John 13:35?
Knowing that the solution here is not prayer but obedience, what
immediate steps will you take to correct this situation?
Phillips Brooks
Feed on Christ, and then go and live your life, and it is Christ
in you that lives your life, that helps the poor, that tells the
truth, that fights the battle, and that wins the crown.
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Prayer List
32
And so on.
A.C. Dixon
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Prayer List
A.
The Philippines
B.
The Church
C.
Israel
D.
Personal Breakthrough
E.
Family
F.
Finances
G.
1.
2.
3.
4.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Spiritual revival
Physical healing
Breaking of bad habits, curses
Christ-like character
1. Restoration of relationships
2. Household salvation
3. Others
1. Freedom from debt
2. Financial blessings
3. Rich generosity
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