Fasting

“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Mark 8:34)

Starting on March 1, we’re devoting 30 days to prayer and fasting at Summerside, and we want you to join us! Now, I’m not asking you to commit to a 30-day fast, but to fasting one day each week for 30 days.

As a church, we’ll be fasting and praying from after supper Tuesday to before supper on Wednesday throughout the month of March. This is an opportunity for us to practice this Christian discipline, grow in our love for God, and cast our burdens, fears, and hopes on God and to find our rest in him.

The purpose of experiencing periods of physical hunger is to increase our spiritual hunger for God himself. Over the five weeks, we’ll be providing a different area of focus, along with some prayer points and scripture verses to meditate on.

How do you do it? Well, it’s pretty simple. Provided you don’t have any health issues that would prevent you from fasting, you simply eat supper on Tuesday night at the normal time and go without eating any food until supper on the Wednesday. Yes, you can drink water. Yes, if coffee is really something you can’t do without, feel free to have a small cup. But if you’ve never done this before, you should know that it’ll be difficult.

Take the time that you would normally spend prepping, eating, and cleaning up from your meals, and devote that time to prayer, meditating on God’s word, and enjoying the presence of God.

We trust that, as we step forward in obedience, God will meet us in this effort. These are difficult and divisive times. Rather than being shaped by the events in our world, we want to be a people who are shaped by God’s Word and our love for him.

Mark it on your calendars. Talk with your spouse, friends, or Community Group. Plan for it and make any adjustments that you need to. Fast and trust that your hunger for God will grow.

Each week, we are going to Focus on a different area we would like to see God work and change us here at Summerside. We will provide selected prayer prompts, and scripture verses to help you in your fasting. Below you can see an overview of the month's Foci. You can download this image (HERE) as well, print it out and post it for your family to look at and reflect before going into our fast each week.

“The ultimate aim of Christian unity is the glory of God.” (John Piper)

Pray that God would protect and deepen our unity in Christ here at Summerside.
Pray that we would love one another as Christ has loved us.
Pray for any strained relationships that you are convicted about and take any action toward healing as God prompts.

For Reflection:

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” (Romans 12:10)
“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3)
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Romans 12:18)
“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God” (Romans 15:5–7)
“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.” (1 Peter 3:8)

Pray that the righteousness of Christ would be evident in our thoughts, words and actions.
Pray that the goodness of God would lead us to worship with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.
Pray for a deeper experience of God’s love that will motivate the laying aside of anything that diminishes your enjoyment of a relationship with Christ.

For Reflection:

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (Titus 2:11-14)
“As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”” (1 Peter 1:14-16)
“Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1)

Father God, we come to you because the people of this nation and everything in it belong to you. We are not here by accident. You are the one who set us in this nation at this particular time for the glory of your name. But people in this country are turning against each other…

Pray for God to pour humility into the hearts of all our leaders, from every tier of government, that their work be compelled by love for people and nothing less.
Pray for a moral and spiritual renewal to help us meet the many problems we face.
Pray for God to raise up an army of prayer warriors to intercede for our country.

For Reflection:

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:1-4)
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.” (Proverbs 14:34)
“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others.” (Daniel 2:20b-21)

Lord Jesus Christ, the church is your beloved bride and we look to you to lead your people.

Pray for the elders and their families that God protect them and lead them in making wise decisions.
Pray for every member to be gaining insight into God’s will, and fully devoted to obedience.
Pray for spiritual discernment and grace as we develop young leaders.
Pray for healthy relationships with other churches and ministries, and potential partnerships to bless the community.

For Reflection:

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” (Colossians 3:16)
“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.” (Romans 12:4-8)
“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,” (Colossians 1:9-10)

Mission begins with a kind of explosion of joy. The news that the rejected and crucified Jesus is alive is something that cannot possibly be suppressed. It must be told. Who could be silent about such a fact? (Lesslie Newbigin)

Pray for God to protect and provide for each of our supported missionary families.
Pray for members of our church to have ears to hear God’s call to local and global mission opportunities.
Pray that God would help you engage with someone whose heart is burdened for outreach, and “catch” some of their passion.

For Reflection:

“For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” (Acts 13:47)
“for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? “ (Romans 10:13-14)
“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. (Acts 13:2-3)
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14)