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P r a y e r p r a c t i c e s t o g r o w i n a n a w a r e n e s s o f H i s p r e s e n c ePrayer &fastingtoolkit12 days of prayer & fasting Consecration“Co n s ecr a t e y o u rse l v es, f or t o mor r o wthe L ord w ill d o w o n der s amo n g yo u . ”“Co n s ecr a t e y o u rse l v es, f or t o mor r o wthe L ord w ill d o w o n der s amo n g yo u . ”J O S H U A 3 : 5J O S H U A 3 : 5

Table of contentsWelcomeWelcomeRecommended resource: BooksRecommended resource: BooksRecommended resource: MusicRecommended resource: MusicContemplative prayerContemplative prayerRecommended resource: Daily podcastRecommended resource: Daily podcastPrayer PracticesPrayer PracticesPrayer that ministers to the LordPrayer that ministers to the LordCultivating presence centred communitiesCultivating presence centred communitiesCultivating presence centred family living Cultivating presence centred family living Becoming aware of His presence in my cityBecoming aware of His presence in my cityPresence centred evangelismPresence centred evangelismEntering into scriptureEntering into scriptureLiving on mission for GodLiving on mission for GodSpiritual transformationSpiritual transformationBeholding JesusBeholding JesusVisio DivinaVisio DivinaC o n s e c r a t i o n - 1 2 d a y s o f p r a y e r & f a s t i n g C o n s e c r a t i o n - 1 2 d a y s o f p r a y e r & f a s t i n g Worship in the in-between momentsWorship in the in-between momentsBecoming aware of His presence in my workplaceBecoming aware of His presence in my workplace

These next 12 days are such a special timein the life of our church. As we pray andfast together, we fulfil the heart cry ofJesus that His house would be a house ofprayer, and we get to experience God indeeper ways as a family.During these 12 days, we are pressing intoexperiencing more of the presence of God. His presence is our priority. In our 12-day podcast, you'll hear various stories of people becoming aware of God'spresence in their lives amid different circumstances, seasons, and spiritual practices.Be ready to receive as they impart from their lives and provide helpful tips on how wecan grow more aware of God’s presence in every area and season of our lives. In Exodus 33:15, Moses cries out to God, “If your presence will not go with me, do notbring us up from here.” This is the echo of our heart as a church; we hunger for thepresence of God. These prayer practices are created to be read daily, either alongside the podcast or bythemselves, and are designed to help us grow in awareness of His presence.Thanksgiving leads us to live from a place of childlike awe and wonder and helps uscultivate hope and joy in our hearts. Why not keep a daily journal of all the new ways –little and big - that you have experienced the presence of God, and give Him thanks; aswe praise Him in the little we often find we are entrusted with more! We want to thank YOU for joining us in these 12 days. As we pray and fast together,we are fulfilling the heart of God that we would be a united community, a family ofGod, seeking after His heart together!We cannot wait to hear YOUR testimony and all that God has done through thisseason of prayer and fasting.P r a y e r & f a s t i n g t o o l k i tP r a y e r & f a s t i n g t o o l k i tWelcome!

W e l o v e t h e f o l l o w i n g b o o k s o np r a y e r , f a s t i n g a n d g r o w i n g i na w a r e n e s s o f H i s P r e s e n c eR e c o m m e n d e d r e a d i n gR e c o m m e n d e d r e a d i n gR e c o m m e n d e d r e a d i n gR e c o m m e n d e d r e a d i n gC h e c k o u t o u r r e s o u r c e c e n t r ef o r a v a i l a b l e r e s o u r c e s

R e c o m m e n d e d L i s t e n i n gS P O T I F Y P L A Y L I S T S T O S U P P O R T Y O U R P R A Y E R L I F EC O N S E C R A T I O N2 0 2 4 P L A Y L I S TS t i l l n e s s I n s t r u m e n t a l p l a y l i s tC u r a t e d S p o t i f y C o n s e c r a t i o n P l a y l i s tR e c o m m e n d e d l i s t e n i n gR e c o m m e n d e d l i s t e n i n gC l i c k o n t h ei m a g e t o l i s t e n

D a i l y P o d c a s tN e u m a . C h u r c h12 days of prayer & fasting 12 days of prayer & fasting D U R I N G T H E 1 2 D A Y S O F C O N S E C R A T I O N , W E H A V E R E C O R D E D D A I L Y D E V O T I O N A LC O N V E R S A T I O N S F O R Y O U T O L I S T E N T O A N DE N G A G E W I T H T H R O U G H O U T Y O U R D A Y .

Contemplative prayerGr o wi n g i n an aw a re n es s of Hi s p re s en c e t hr o ug hC o n s e c r a t i o n - 1 2 d a y s o f p r a y e r & f a s t i n g

Growing in an awareness of his presence throughIn 1 Thess 5:23, Paul talks about us being tripartite beings; he talks about us being made upof spirit, soul (mind, will, and emotions), and body.We can often think of praying as engaging with our soul and spirit, but this prayer alsoengages our body as we lead into the contemplation of God’s word.Our bodies are not just containers for our spirits; they are part of us as beings and can bepart of how we communicate with God. Think of when we may cry tears of intercession whenperhaps you cannot find the right words to say, or when you choose to kneel in a posture ofsurrender to communicate what your heart is saying. In a similar way, ‘Breath Prayers’ bringour body into praying with our soul and spirit. Breath p rayerBreath p rayerIn Jewish thought, breath is closely related toSpirit; the Hebrew word ‘ruach’ meansbreath/spirit/wind. A breath prayer is a prayerstyle that moves in and out on the wind of yourbreath and focuses’ on scripture as you go. Thisis a great prayer to pray quickly at your desk, oryou can take 10 minutes in the morning tocentre yourself on scripture in this way. Find a comfortable position and put awayany distractions like your phone. You mayalso want to close your eyes.1.Take a deep breath in for the count of 4, andrepeat in your mind slowly, “Be still." Holdfor the count of 1, and as you breathe outfor the count of 4, repeat in your mindslowly, “And know I am God.”.2.Repeat this, breathing slowly in and out atleast three times. Or as many times as youfeel led by the Holy Spirit.3.Contemplative prayerC o n t e m p l a t i v e p r a y e rC o n t e m p l a t i v e p r a y e r

C o n t e m p l a t i v e p r a y e rC o n t e m p l a t i v e p r a y e rHelp me rest (breathe in) Make clear my way (breathe in) Out of darkness (breathe in)Fill me Spirit (breathe in) Father, you know (breathe in)Be still (breathe in) You could take something God’s highlighted to you in your devotional reading forthe day, or perhaps a scripture that is appropriate for your situation, or a reflectionon how you are feeling. Give me peace (breathe out)O Holy One (breathe out) Into light (breathe out) With your love (breathe out)What I need (breathe out)And know I am God (breathe out)Breath prayer examples using scripture:

Gr o wi n g i n an aw a re n es s of Hi s p re s en c e t hr o ug h12 days of prayer & fasting Prayer that ministers to the LordGr o wi n g i n an aw a re n es s of Hi s p re s en c e t hr o ug hC o n s e c r a t i o n - 1 2 d a y s o f p r a y e r & f a s t i n g

Thanksgiving: Thank the Lord for His character in your life andfor being practical in your life. Think it andconfess it. Meditate on what you’re thankful for.Praise: Praise the Lord for who He is, His character, andHis unchanging nature. As you go about your day,praise God in your head or out loud for where yousee God in the ordinary.As you posture your heart towards becomingaware of God, remain aware of who He is in yourevery day ordinary activity. Where is he? Whatdoes He feel? What does He think? What would Hesay? How do you embody God in your life becauseof your awareness?Your everyday, ordinary life is poured out assacrificial worship that ministers to the Lord.Live from the third realm. Thanksgiving: Thank the Lord for His character in your life andfor being practical in your life. Think it andconfess it. Meditate on what you’re thankful for.Praise: Praise the Lord for who He is, His character, andHis unchanging nature. As you go about your day,praise God in your head or out loud for where yousee God in the ordinary.As you posture your heart towards becomingaware of God, remain aware of who He is in yourevery day ordinary activity. Where is he? Whatdoes He feel? What does He think? What would Hesay? How do you embody God in your life becauseof your awareness?Your everyday, ordinary life is poured out assacrificial worship that ministers to the Lord.Live from the third realm. Prayer that ministersto the LordGrowing in an awareness of his presence through

Gr o wi n g i n an aw a re n es s of Hi s p re s en c e t hr o ug h12 days of prayer & fasting Cultivating presencecentred communitiesGr o wi n g i n an aw a re n es s of Hi s p re s en c e t hr o ug hC o n s e c r a t i o n - 1 2 d a y s o f p r a y e r & f a s t i n g

Whether around the dinner table or at the start of your LifeGroup gathering, take a moment to still yourself in the presenceof God by finding a comfortable position. You may choose toclose your eyes and take a few deep breaths, allowing yourminds to quiet and your hearts to be open, and become aware ofthe presence of God with you in this moment.Thank God that His presence is here, and ask the Holy Spirit tohighlight someone in this group to you and reveal where Hispresence is evident or has been at work.Growing in awareness of His presence can be something done individually, but we alsohave the gift of community given to us by God, and we can help each other becomeaware of the presence of God together. Whether this is your family or your Life Groupthese two prayer practices invite us to see and bless where the presence of God is andhas been at work in those around us, through the Spirit in others giving witness to theSpirit in us.Growing in an awareness of his presence throughCultivating presencecentred communitiesBeginP r a y i n g i n c o m m u n i t yP r a y i n g i n c o m m u n i t y

Go around the group and invite each person to share whatthey have received from the Holy Spirit.For example:I have been really aware of the presenceof God active in your life, Jess, through the kindnessyou showed me last week.I have been really aware of the presence of God activein your life, Sam, through the increased surrender Ihave observed in you to God’s will for your career, ithas really encouraged me to posture myself in thesame way.I have become really aware of the presence of Godactive in your family, Tom, by the way your family hasgotten closer over the last 6 months.As each person shares, encourage the group to listenattentively and offer silent prayers of thanks giving for themanifestation of the presence of God mentioned. Thispractice helps cultivate an awareness of God's presence inand through one another.Close with one person praying out loud on behalf of the group,thanking God for His presence and asking for Him to continue tomake us aware of His presence, through and in one another. ShareClosing

Cultivating presencecentred family livingGr o wi n g i n an aw a re n es s of Hi s p re s en c e t hr o ug hC o n s e c r a t i o n - 1 2 d a y s o f p r a y e r & f a s t i n g

On the drive home from church, ask them,“Where did you feel the presence of Godtoday?” Push past the ‘I don’t know’ byasking where they felt things that are thenature of God (e.g., where/when did youfeel joy? or kindness? or peace etc) During dinner, why not ask each child,“Where did you sense God today?” pushpast the ‘I don’t know’ and ask them to gothrough what happened in their day andhelp them discern where He was present(eg. in the kindness of their teacher, in thejoy of their music lesson, ...) This helpsthem become aware that His presence wasin places that perhaps they didn’t initiallyrealise.With full lives, it's often easy for parents tothink we need a lot of time to disciple childrenin prayer, but we can choose to live a life ofprayer and allow it to be interwoven into theeveryday moments of our lives. Here are some practical areas where youdon't need an hour to build a prayer culturewith children but can create a culture ofprayerful living in your family:Cultivating presencecentred family livingGrowing in an awareness of his presence throughT h e n c h i l d r e n w e r eb r o u g h t t o h i m t h a th e m i g h t l a y h i s h a n d so n t h e m a n d p r a y . T h e d i s c i p l e s r e b u k e dt h e p e o p l e , b u t J e s u s s a i d , “ L e t t h e l i t t l e c h i l d r e nc o m e t o m e a n d d on o t h i n d e r t h e m , f o rt o s u c h b e l o n g s t h ek i n g d o m o f h e a v e n . ”M a t t h e w 1 9 : 1 3 - 1 5T h e n c h i l d r e n w e r eb r o u g h t t o h i m t h a th e m i g h t l a y h i s h a n d so n t h e m a n d p r a y . T h e d i s c i p l e s r e b u k e dt h e p e o p l e , b u t J e s u s s a i d , “ L e t t h e l i t t l e c h i l d r e nc o m e t o m e a n d d on o t h i n d e r t h e m , f o rt o s u c h b e l o n g s t h ek i n g d o m o f h e a v e n . ”M a t t h e w 1 9 : 1 3 - 1 5P r e s e n c e c e n t r e d f a m i l y l i v i n gP r e s e n c e c e n t r e d f a m i l y l i v i n g

A tummy ache is an opportunity to teach our children how to welcome the healingpresence of God into a situation. Ask a sibling to pray for the child who is not feeling well.On the drive to a play date, take 2 minutes to pray with your child, welcoming thepresence of God into this play date. On the drive home, pray for a need you know theirfriend has. This is an easy way to teach prayers of intercession. At bedtime, put on instrumental worship music for 1–5 minutes, depending on their age,and pray out loud with your child, “Holy Spirit, make us aware of the presence of God."Ask your child what they felt afterwards; encourage them to share (eg. peace, stillness,etc) Even if they share nine things that don’t relate (eg. nothing, wriggly, itchy feet, etc)celebrate the one that pertains to the presence of God. As you press into this, we arehelping them identify what they are sensing in the Lord.KEY TIP:These reflective questions and prayers can be used by little kids or also us adultsKEY TIP:These reflective questions and prayers can be used by little kids or also us adultsP r e s e n c e c e n t r e d f a m i l y l i v i n gP r e s e n c e c e n t r e d f a m i l y l i v i n g

Becoming aware of Hispresence in my cityGr o wi n g i n an aw a re n es s of Hi s p re s en c e t hr o ug hC o n s e c r a t i o n - 1 2 d a y s o f p r a y e r & f a s t i n g

PRAY FOR THE SUBURB OR CITY BY NAMEPray over the meaning of the suburb/state/region, the state's nickname, or the state'shistory. We know that the names we give things are important and can speakprophetically. Do a little research to investigate the meaning. Ask how this reflects whoGod calls this city/state to be and where He has been at work.Then use it’s positive aspects as prayer points. You can declare and call out to the Lordthe good in your state, city, or region.For example, Minnesota, USA, is known as the ‘North Star’ state. 'North': -the biblical symbol of 'moving into spiritual inheritance’ Deut 2:3 'Star': - the biblical symbol of ‘believers of children of God’ Gen 15:5-6We often think of the Holy Spirit working in individual people, but it is also true that He isat work over a city or region, just like in Genesis 1:2, where the Spirit of God washovering over the waters of the Earth.As children of God, we are called to bring heaven to earth. We do this by partnering withwhat God is doing. How do we know what God is doing in a specific suburb, city, orregion if we are not aware of where or how the presence of God is already at work? Andin many cases, it has already been at work for centuries!Here are two prayer practices for your suburb/state/region:Growing in an awareness of his presence throughBecoming aware of Hispresence in my cityP r a y i n g f o r m y c i t yP r a y i n g f o r m y c i t y

Dear Lord,I thank you that your presence has been at work in Minnesota. Thank you for the generations that have come toknow you through the past revivals in this city.Thank you that the presence of the Holy Spirit is againwooing a generation of children to you. I pray thatMinnesota rises’ in truth and honour and becomes thebright North Star for the United States. We acknowledgeand bless where your presence is already active, and weask you to continue to send your Holy Spirit until there is acomplete inheritance ofsalvation for your children of this city.Thank you for your goodness and what you willdo in Minnesota in the coming days. Amen.PRAY ER WAL K YO URSUBU RB/ CIT YPRAY ER WAL K YO URSUBU RB/ CIT YWalk your suburb and ask the Lord to showyou where His presence is already at work;this could be in people, in homes, or inbusinesses in areas.Thank Him for this work, bless it, come intoagreement, and ask Him to continue Hiswork to see the Kingdom come.As you walk, ask Him where His presence isnot yet present. Walk through these areas,releasing the presence of God as you go.Invite the presence of God to come andestablish Kingdom in this area, space, orbusiness.P r a y i n g f o r m y c i t yP r a y i n g f o r m y c i t y

Presence centred evangelismGr o wi n g i n an aw a re n es s of Hi s p re s en c e t hr o ug hC o n s e c r a t i o n - 1 2 d a y s o f p r a y e r & f a s t i n g

Ask, "How can I use my spiritual gifts to bear witness to the presence of Jesus today?" Forexample: pray for someone for healing; ask the Lord for a word of knowledge aboutsomeone's circumstances or a prophetic word to encourage someone. Whenever you walk into a new room or space, ask the Lord, "What are you doing or what doyou want to do in this place?" "Who would you like to minister to?" Ask, "How can I pursue love today?". What practical need can you meet? Maybe you canbring someone a meal, help someone with a task, or bless someone with a gift. Observe how the Lord is working in the lives of people in your world. What is the next stepfor them? Is it an invitation to a dinner party? Is it an invitation to Alpha? Is it an invitation toJesus himself?KEY TIP: Remember, the Lord knows the people you are reaching evenwhen you don't, Holy Spirit will give you what to say! KEY TIP: Remember, the Lord knows the people you are reaching evenwhen you don't, Holy Spirit will give you what to say! Evangelism is much more effective when it is donein partnership with the Holy Spirit. Being aware ofthe presence of Jesus wherever we go is thebeginning of being able to share Him with others. Here are some of the practical ways you can startto grow in awareness and response to thepresence of God through evangelism.Each morning, pray for where you are going thatday...Pray for the places and the people in those places. Pray for opportunities to sharethe love of Jesus. Presence centredevangelismGrowing in an awareness of his presence through

Entering intoscriptureGr o wi n g i n an aw a re n es s of Hi s p re s en c e t hr o ug hC o n s e c r a t i o n - 1 2 d a y s o f p r a y e r & f a s t i n g

Position yourself in a comfortable way.Turn your phone on silent and removedistractions. Take a deep breath in and out, let yourmind be present, and ask God for grace.Invite Him into this moment.Thank God for a redeemed imagination;give Him permission to speak throughyour imagination.Now trust that He will; trust that Hewants to speak to you more than youwant to speak to Him. He wants you toexperience His presence more than youwant to experience His presence. Take three deep breaths in and out usingthe breath prayer (See page 7-9 onBreath prayers): "Jesus, you’re here“ (IN) “I receive you”(OUT)Begin to read the scripture, slowly pauseas you go. Entering into scriptureGrowing in an awareness of his presence throughMark 5:35-43 While he (Jesus) was stillspeaking, there came from the ruler's housesome who said, “Your daughter is dead. Whytrouble the Teacher any further?” Butoverhearing what they said, Jesus said to theruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, onlybelieve.” And he allowed no one to follow himexcept Peter and James and John the brother ofJames. They came to the house of the ruler of thesynagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, peopleweeping and wailing loudly. And when he hadentered, he said to them, “Why are you making acommotion and weeping? The child is not deadbut sleeping.” And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child'sfather and mother and those who were with himand went in where the child was. Taking her bythe hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” whichmeans, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” Andimmediately the girl got up and began walking(for she was twelve years of age), and they wereimmediately overcome with amazement. And he strictly charged them that no one shouldknow this, and told them to give her somethingto eat.Ignation meditation is an ancient prayer practice where through the visualisation ofscripture, we are able to enter into and experience the presence of Jesus.This style of prayer was created by Saint Ignatius of Loyola, who lived in Spain in the16th century, and it guides us to read a gospel story with our five senses in order toexperience the text, and the presence of Jesus.This allows us to be in a place where the scriptures can read us, and we are able toexperience the presence of Jesus through the scriptures in life transforming ways.Enter into scripture - StepsStep 1 Become readyE n t e r i n g i n t o s c r i p t u r eE n t e r i n g i n t o s c r i p t u r e

E n t e r i n g i n t o s c r i p t u r eE n t e r i n g i n t o s c r i p t u r eAs you read, use your senses to see,touch, feel, smell, and hear.What part of the story are youdrawn to?Which character do you identifywith?Or are you a bystander in thestory?Place yourself in the room; whatdid it feel like before Jesus entered,and after?How did the presence of Jesusaffect the girl?What expression does Jesus have?How do the others react to thepresence of Jesus in the room? Visualise the Scripture as you read.Visualise the scene. Visualise Jesus.Visualise yourself in the Scripture. Don’t analyse or study the text forintellectual insights.Instead, stay with the imagery or scene ofJesus and of yourself.As you re-read the Scripture, talk with theLord about how you feel, how the textrelates to your life today, and how you are toexperience His presence today. Pausequietly to listen to what God might be sayingto you.Write down the scripture reference, whatGod has shared with you from this. What did His presence deposit in you? (eg.peace, breakthrough, awe, hope..)What is His invitation?What did He lead you to experience about Him?Step 32nd Reading - Explore the detail Step 43rd Reading - Listen to God Step 5Journal Step 2The 1st Reading of Scripture

Becoming aware of Hispresence in myworkplaceGr o wi n g i n an aw a re n es s of Hi s p re s en c e t hr o ug hC o n s e c r a t i o n - 1 2 d a y s o f p r a y e r & f a s t i n g

H i s p r e s e n c e i n t h e w o r k p l a c eH i s p r e s e n c e i n t h e w o r k p l a c eAs you commute to work, ask Jesus where He is already moving in your workplace.Ask Him to show you where or in whom He is already moving.Behold Jesus at work in your colleagues, yep - even the hard ones! Ask Jesusquestions about your colleagues:"Jesus, who do you say Blake is?”“Who is John to you?”“Where are you working in Jenni’s life?”Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where His presence is absent in your workplace.For example, peace is missing in our creative space, and unity is missing in ourteam meetings. Now pray in partnership with the heart of the Father to releasethat over your workspace.Ask the Holy Spirit where the character of God is already present. Go through theBeatitudes and identify where and in whom you see them being present, thankGod for them, and bless them to grow so that more of the character and presenceof God is present.Example: Jesus, I thank you for Kerry, who always brings a homemade birthdaycake for our team members, Amen.Example: Jesus, I ask you to multiply kindness in the Project Management team,Amen.Growing in an awareness of his presence throughBecoming aware of Hispresence in my workplace

Living on mission for GodGr o wi n g i n an aw a re n es s of Hi s p re s en c e t hr o ug hC o n s e c r a t i o n - 1 2 d a y s o f p r a y e r & f a s t i n g

1 Thess 5:17 Paul instructs the church of Thessaloniki to pray without ceasing. ThePassion Translation puts it like this: “Make your life a prayer.” Prayer is not always sittingstill or in a quiet room, and likewise, we can experience the presence of God through ourlives as we live them prayerfully and on mission for God.So today’s prayer practices are an invitation to experience God while being “on mission”for God, while being His hands and feet. Mother Teresa is said to have prayed daily, asking God's light to shine through her so thatthose she came in contact with would “see no longer me but only Jesus.”.As we grow in awareness of His presence, the beautiful thing is that we can becomecarriers of His presence so that others can also experience Him.Before and while being His hands and feet, ask the Holy Spirit to help you experience Hispresence. This can come in many forms: grace to do things you wouldn’t normally be ableto do, boldness to step out and serve the community in spaces you normally wouldn’t,experiencing God’s heart for someone as you serve them, experiencing the peace of Jesuswhile serving, and His pleasure in the person/city or situation. And many more!Here are some low cost simple mission ideas:Service your community through picking up rubbish at your local park.Serve at a local soup kitchen or homeless shelter in your area.Serve someone in your local church by looking after their children for a night.Serve your community by loving on anyone who seems lonely, instead of rushing by give them the blessing of community and your time.Prayer walk your neighbourhood and be open to the Holy Spirit to be used in any way as you go.Pay forward the next three coffees in your local cafe.Growing in an awareness of His presence throughLiving on mission for GodL i v i n g o n m i s s i o n f o r G o dL i v i n g o n m i s s i o n f o r G o d

That leads to spiritualtransformationGr o wi n g i n an aw a re n es s of Hi s p re s en c eC o n s e c r a t i o n - 1 2 d a y s o f p r a y e r & f a s t i n g

S p i r i t u a l t r a n s f o r m a t i o nS p i r i t u a l t r a n s f o r m a t i o nGrowing in an awareness of His presenceThat leads to spiritualtransformationGIVE THANKSThe Daily Examen is a technique of prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order todetect God’s presence in places that in the moment we may not have been aware of. Themethod below is adapted from the ancient prayer technique described by Saint IgnatiusLoyola in the 1500's; we have a rich church history to draw from in prayer practices! This adaptation helps us not only become aware of where the presence of God has been butalso of the transformative nature of this in relation to us being made more like Christ,according to 2 Corinthians 3:18. This can be a prayer that you pray through at the end of aday or also a week. For the sake of this practice, we will be using ‘day’, but feel free to use itas the Spirit leads your times of prayer and reflection. The Examen can take 5 to 20 minutesto complete.The Examen PrayerSpend a few moments in gratitude for the gifts andblessings of the day. ASK FOR LIGHTAsk God to enlighten you, and show you where He has beenat work, and where His presence has been throughout yourday. He may remind you of specific events, people, places,and even annoying or frustrating situations.EXAMEN THE DAYReview the moments of the day, noticing what has led toconsolation and what has led to desolation, and yourreactions to these events, people, and places (see note onconsolation and desolation).SEEK FORGIVENESSAsk God's forgiveness for the times when you have acted,spoken or thought contrary to His grace and calling for you.RESOLVE TO CHANGEDecide what in your behaviour or attitude you will try toimprove tomorrow, as you grow to become more like Jesus.There are five steps to the Examen Prayer:There are five steps to the Examen Prayer:The concepts of consolation anddesolation are critical to understandingand practicing the examen. Here we are speaking of spiritualconsolation/desolation.Consolation is when something is deeplyand genuinely good for us, good for oursouls, leads us towards God and awayfrom our selfish preoccupations.Desolation is when something is not goodfor us, when we are wrapped up inourselves, and careless of God's gifts andgrace working in us, when we substituteother things in place of God.St Ignatius gives us a quick rule of thumbto 'test' whether something is trulyconsolation or truly desolation: by noticingthe faith, hope, and love in us. Somethingthat is truly consolation will show itself inan increase in faith, an increase in hope,and an increase in love.Consolation & Desolation

Beholding JesusGr o wi n g i n an aw a re n es s of Hi s p re s en c e t hr o ug hC o n s e c r a t i o n - 1 2 d a y s o f p r a y e r & f a s t i n g

B e h o l d i n g J e s u sB e h o l d i n g J e s u sPosition yourself in a comfortable way. Turn your phone off and remove distractions.Bring yourself towards stillness. Take a deep breath in and out.You can do this in many ways. One way is to read through the below list of aspects of Hisdivine beauty and ask the Holy Spirit to show you which aspect of Himself He wants toreveal.Or, you may already have something that Jesus is revealing to you about Himself in thisseason.Or another question to ask is,“Holy Spirit, what aspect of the beauty of Jesus do I need toexperience in His presence today?”Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed intothe same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Spirit of theLord. 2 Corinthians 3: 17-18There are many ways to behold Jesus, and as we are beholding Him, we experience Hispresence. Today we are going to explore experiencing His presence through meditativeprayer by beholding Jesus through His character and nature.Step 1 Position yourself for encounter Step 2What is Jesus inviting you to behold and indoing so, experience in His presence?Growing in an awareness of his presence throughBeholding JesusBehold Jesus’ divinityBehold Jesus’ humanityBehold Jesus as the BridegroomBehold Jesus as the ServantBehold Jesus’ victory Behold Jesus the KingBehold Jesus’ mercy and grace Behold Jesus as RestorerBehold Jesus’ sufferingBehold Jesus’ compassionBehold Jesus the RedeemerBehold Jesus’ obedienceBehold Jesus the SaviourBehold Jesus as the life giver

Close your eyes, and let the Holy Spirit bringto your mind when you have seen this aspectof Jesus in scripture, in another believer, in atestimony, in a moment of worship, ina prophetic word etc. Let your soul be led by your spirit.Now allow your soul (not your mind) toexperience the presence of Jesus in this way;as the restorer, as the servant, as the victory,as grace and mercy.Allow His presence to fill every longing ofyour soul.If you have been feeling alone, allow theintimacy of Jesus that comes in His presenceto wash over you.If you have been grieving, allow the comfortof Jesus that comes in His presence tobreathe on this. Breathe deeply and slowly. No need to striveto “feel something”. He is Immanuel (meaningGod with us); trust Him and allow Him to giveHimself to you.Don’t rush to finish; wait until you feellike you have experienced the fullnessof His presence.Close your eyes, take two deep breaths.Journal any scriptures and revelation soyou can go back to it:How have you experienced Jesus?What truths have you received?What scriptures does this line up with?What has changed as a result of experiencing His presence in this way?Step 3JournalB e h o l d i n g J e s u sB e h o l d i n g J e s u s

Visio DivinaGr o wi n g i n an aw a re n es s of Hi s p re s en c e t hr o ug hC o n s e c r a t i o n - 1 2 d a y s o f p r a y e r & f a s t i n g

Click hereV i s i o D i v i n aV i s i o D i v i n aChoose an image; we have created a few here for you to choose from.Click the button to access, and be led by the Holy Spirit as you choose.Take time to look at the image. As you look at this image, is there a particular aspect or part that standsout?What do you hear? Smell? See? Feel?Let your eyes rest on the different parts of the image: the characters, theobjects, the colours etc.Note your feelings as you examine the image.What part of God’s character and nature do you feel the Holy Spiritinviting you to experience? Let your soul be led by the Spirit.Breathe deeply and slowly. There is no need to strive to “receivesomething.” Allow your imagination to move with ease and trust that theHoly Spirit is guiding you.Visio Divina, - “divine seeing," is a form of prayer deriving from Lectio Divina (divine reading).Instead of Scripture, this form of prayer uses visual elements as the gateway to entering intoprayer and experiencing God. It allows God to speak into our hearts through the image. Thisform of prayer can be a powerful gateway to experiencing God, especially for visual learners,children, and creatives.Step 2Gaze at the imageGrowing in an awareness of his presence throughVisio DivinaPosition yourself in a comfortable way. Turn your phone off and remove distractions.Bring yourself towards stillness. Take a deep breath in and out.Step 1 Position yourself for encounter

Close your eyes and take three deep breaths.Let any concern that you are not “doing it right” evaporate. You are with God in thismoment; that is all you need to do. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you enter into Hispresence, and in doing so, experience this aspect of His character and nature. Gaze again at the image:What scriptures come to mind?What is the invitation from the Holy Spirit?What is God revealing about His presence to you today?Step 3Gaze again and hear.Complete the Visio Divina by offering a prayer of thanksgiving.Journal the scriptures, treasures of truth, what you have learned aboutHis presence, and anything that you have received today.Close your eyes and take two deep breaths to conclude.Step 4Conclude

Worship in the in- between momentsGr o wi n g i n an aw a re n es s of Hi s p re s en c e t hr o ug hC o n s e c r a t i o n - 1 2 d a y s o f p r a y e r & f a s t i n g

Statio Prayer practice can be traced all the way back to the Psalms. The prayermasters who arranged and edited the Psalms just prior to the time of Jesus insertedthe word ‘selah’ 71 times. These ‘selah’s’ are found between verses or even in themiddle of sentences. This may have been a time to change instruments, but for thegathered community, ‘selah’ was an invitation to pause for quiet reflection.Statio is a Latin word for “station,” “position,” or “watch.” It is often described as aholy pause. The practice of Statio Prayer is meant to center us, make us consciousof what we’re about to do, and make us aware of God’s presence. In the 4th century, Jerome (traditionally regarded as the most learned of the LatinFathers) reported that people were going on pilgrimage to walk in Jesus’ steps fromhis condemnation to the cross across along 14 stations. At each prayer station, thepilgrims paused to remember Jesus’ journey and pray.After this pilgrimage, the powerful practice of Statio Prayer in the Stations of theCross was brought back to churches and monasteries, and adapted into their everyday life, like arriving early to chapel services to prepare their hearts in devotion. Statio prayer slows us down; it puts spaces for holy pauses in our schedules.It helps us learn to be consciously present with God and aware of His presencewith us.By using the holy pause of statio to breathe, meditate on scripture, turn ourattention to God, or pray, we can become aware of God in the ‘in between’ parts ofour lives.Statio fills this space with an appreciation of God’s presence and a readiness to joinwith what the Spirit of Jesus is doing.Finding Spaces ‘in between’ for Statio:Before getting out of the car for a meeting or eventWalking outside slowly to appreciate the beauty of nature between meetings or tasksSaying thank you and meditating on this when someone blesses youTurning car travel time into a sanctuary for GodImmediately praying whenever you hear someone has a need (Matt. 11:25)Praying while you’re waiting in lineMeditating on a Bible verse before you get out of bed or fall asleepSinging a praise song to God in the showerWorship in the in- between momentsGrowing in an awareness of His presence throughW o r s h i p i n t h e i n - b e t w e e n m o m e n t sW o r s h i p i n t h e i n - b e t w e e n m o m e n t s

Stop what you are doing for a minute or more.Take a deep breath to be emotionally present in the moment.Observe: where is God, what is on His heart, is thereanything He is saying?Pray about what you need or what you’re doing.STOPThe S.T.O.P acronym identifies four mindfulnesstechniques to help you practice Statio forprayerfulness during your daily activities:W o r s h i p i n t h e i n - b e t w e e n m o m e n t sW o r s h i p i n t h e i n - b e t w e e n m o m e n t s

12 days of prayer & fasting “Con s ecra t e yo u r sel v e s, f o r t o m orr o wthe L ord w ill d o wo n d ers a mon g you . ”“Con s ecra t e yo u r sel v e s, f o r t o m orr o wthe L ord w ill d o wo n d ers a mon g you . ”J O S H U A 3 : 5J O S H U A 3 : 5