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A Week of Fasting and Prayer

1IntroductionThere is nothing more important than our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. However close you currently are to Jesus, He seeks to draw you closer! Since communication is the key to any relationship, our daily interactions with Jesus open the door to a deeper fellowship with Him.The Devil also knows these facts. Therefore, the spiritual forces of darkness constantly seek to distract and divert us away from any relationship with God. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are constantly under attack through spiritual warfare. Someone once said, “Life wouldn’t be so hard if it wasn’t so daily.” Since the devil attacks frequently, we need a daily walk with God to be victorious. During this “Week of Fasting and Prayer,” we will use God’s Word for both morning and evening devotions. Each day will start with a prayer prompt to help you to F.O.C.U.S. on Jesus. Different Scripture will be given daily to help you to pray through His Word and spend quality time with Him. The areas of F.O.C.U.S. each day are as follows:F Feast on God’s Goodness.O Open your Heart.C Confess your Sins.U Unload your Burdens.S Seek His Face.Then, after your morning prayer time, there will be a daily devotion where you will Focus on Fasting.

2Every evening, there will be a devotional thought to help you Focus on Prayer. The morning and evening devotions are organized to give you time to concentrate on God’s Word, and then consider what this means to your spiritual journey. Each devotion closes with a challenge to help you grow spiritually. By focusing on God in prayer and through fasting, not only will we stand against the enemy’s attacks, but we will also move forward in our daily walk with the Lord. In this guide, we will introduce you to the concepts of biblical fasting and prayer. If you have experienced fasting and decide to fast from food for an extended period of time, remember to check with a healthcare professional beforehand to ensure your safety. However, you will discover throughout this week that there are many ways to fast besides abstaining from food. Fasting helps detach us from the world, while God’s Word and prayer reattaches us to His Kingdom! As we reduce the distractions from the culture this week, let us increase our focus on Christ! Copyright © 2023 by Temple Baptist Church. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

3Day 1Prayer FocusF Feast on God’s Goodness.Use the verses below to express your praise to God.Psalm 145:1-71 I will exalt You, my God the King; I will praise Your name for ever and ever. 2 Every day I will praise You and extol Your name for ever and ever. 3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom. 4 One generation will commend Your works to another; they will tell of Your mighty acts. 5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and I will meditate on Your wonderful works. 6 They will tell of the power of Your awesome works, and I will proclaim Your greatdeeds. 7 They will celebrate Your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of Yourrighteousness. O Open your heart.Pray the verses below as you allow the Holy Spirit access to mind, will, and emotions.Psalm 139:23-2423 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

424 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. C Confess your sins.After reading the verses below, spend a few minutes admitting to God in prayer any areas that you are willfully disobeying God’s Word and standards.1 John 1:8-108 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives. U Unload your burdensRead the verses below and think about handing over any cares or concerns you have to your Heavenly Father.Matthew 11:28-3028 “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

5S Seek His FaceRead the verses below and spend 2 minutes in silent reflection on what God is saying to you through this passage.Psalm 27:7-87 Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me. 8 My heart says of You, “Seek His face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek.

6Day 1MorningPersonal FastingFasting is more about replacing than it is about abstaining – replacing normal activities with focused time of prayer and feeding on the Word of God.Gary Rohrmayer1We fast to seek and surrender to God’s Word. We fast to find and follow God’s will.AnonymousFocus on FastingPsalm 42:2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? Matthew 6:16-18 16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

7Concentrate: As we begin this week of fasting and prayer, notice how two pastors define fasting. Tony Evans said, “Fasting is the deliberate abstinence from some form of physical gratification, for a period of time, in order to achieve a greater spiritual truth.”2John Piper described fasting as follows: “Christian fasting, at its root, is the hunger of a homesickness for God...Christian fasting is not only the spontaneous effect of a superior satisfaction in God; it is also a chosen weapon against every force in the world that would take that satisfaction away.”3The purpose of fasting is to draw closer to God so that He can make a greater difference in your life. As you surrender something important over a period of time, spiritual growth will occur as you focus more on Jesus and His prominence in your life. Fasting has a way of reordering priorities, redirecting plans, and redefining your life’s purpose. It is through the struggle of fasting that God can strengthen your cravings for Him. Do you remember taking grammar tests in elementary school? Teachers would make us spell a word and write down the definition. Then, we would have to use that word in a sentence. You might be able to memorize the definition, but the true test was if you understood how to use the word properly in a sentence. Likewise, spiritual disciplines were never meant to just be defined. The test of life will never be passed solely on definitions. It will take applying what you know that will determine how you grow. God intended spiritual disciplines to be put into practice so that they

8could make a difference in our lives. It’s one thing to know the meaning, it is another to live out the message. Hopefully, as you practice the discipline of fasting, it will drive you to a more desperate dependence upon your Savior. Prayer and fasting is less about being disciplined and more about being desperate!Consider:Is there something that is currently keeping Jesus from being the central focus of your life? What is it?What part of your heart is currently closed to God’s will? How can you surrender your heart completely to Him and be open to everything He has for your spiritual life?As you have focused on the meaning and purpose of fasting, what comes to mind as one thing you might consider fasting from? Challenge: This week you will be challenged to give up things so that you can progressively give God more of your time and focus. Pray today that you will pay close attention to everything God says to you during this week with Him.

9Day 1EveningPersonal PrayerOur relationship with God in prayer should look like a consuming addiction in our lives, not a convenient addition to our lives. David Platt2Focus on PrayerRomans 12:11-1211 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.Colossians 4:22 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.Concentrate: God’s Word exhorts us to be faithful and devoted in our personal prayer lives. The New Testament word for faithful in Romans 12:12 is the same word translated devote in Colossians 4:2. This word means, “to persist and persevere” and “continue steadfast in.” This same word is also found in Acts 2:42 where it says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching

10and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” How can we be more persistent and steadfast in our prayer life? The following story may help answer that question.A man's daughter had asked the local minister to come and pray with her father. When the minister arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows. An empty chair sat beside his bed. The minister assumed that the man had been informed of his visit. "I guess you were expecting me, he said. “No, who are you?" said the father. The minister told him his name and then remarked, "I saw the empty chair and I figured you knew I was going to show up." "Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden man. "Would you mind closing the door?" Puzzled, the minister shut the door. "I have never told anyone this, not even my daughter," said the man. "But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it went right over my head. I abandoned any attempt at prayer," the man continued, "until one day four years ago, my best friend said to me, "Johnny, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here is what I suggest. Sit down in a chair; place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith imagine Jesus sitting in the chair. You can experience Jesus daily because He promised, 'I will be with you always'. Then just

11speak to Him in the same way you're doing with me right now.""So, I tried it, and I've liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I'm careful though. If my daughter ever saw me talking to an empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm." The minister was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the elderly man to continue his journey with Jesus. Then he prayed with him and returned to the church. Two nights later the daughter called to tell the minister that her daddy had died that afternoon. “Did he die in peace?" he asked. “Yes, when I left the house about two o'clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him deceased. But there was something strange about his death. Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on the chair beside the bed. What do you make of that?"The minister wiped a tear from his eye and explained to her the rest her father had found in his eternal relationship with Jesus!3I hope this story encourages you to talk to God daily just as you talk to your best friend. In Exodus 33:11, we read these words concerning Moses: “The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man

12speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.” Learn a valuable lesson from Moses. God wants to speak to you as a man speaks with his friend. And learn a lesson from Joshua too. Stay close to God and make sure you never miss His presence! Consider:Distraction hinders our prayer life and disrupts our alone time with God. Identify 3 things in your life that take a higher priority than prayer and time with Jesus. Is your prayer life with Jesus personal? In what ways do you speak with God as a man speaks with his friend? What hinders that kind of intimacy with God in your prayer life?Challenge: Find your chair. Finding your chair means finding a consistent, private place, where you spend time each day meeting with God. Your alone time with God is not about intensity, it’s about consistency. If this is something that you’ve gotten out of the habit of doing, this is a chance to start fresh.

13Day 2Prayer FocusF Feast on God’s Goodness.Use the verse below to express your praise to God for his goodness.Ezra 3:1111 With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD: “He is good; His love to Israel endures forever.” And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. O Open your heart.Pray the verse below as you allow the Holy Spirit access to mind, will, and emotions.Matthew 5:88 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. C Confess your sins.After reading the verse below spend a few minutesadmitting to God in prayer any areas that you are willfully disobey God word and standards.James 5:1616 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

14U Unload your burdens.Read the verse below and think about handing over any cares or concerns you have to your Heavenly Father.Hebrews 4:1616 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.S Seek His Face.Read the verses below and spend 2 minutes in silentreflection on what God is saying to you through this passage.Psalm 24:3-63 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. 5 He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

15Day 2MorningBiblical FastingFasting confirms our utter dependance upon God by finding in Him a source of sustenance beyond food.Dallas Willard1Focus on FastingJoel 2:12-1312 “Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” 13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, . . .”Concentrate: The prophet Joel appealed to the nation of Israel to prepare for the Lord’s return by fasting, weeping, and mourning. Joel knew that if people were to return to God and surrender to Him as the centeral focus of their lives, fasting would be a key factor. Rather than tear their clothes in mourning, Joel challenged them to let God expose their hearts. During this “Week of Fasting and Prayer,” allow God to open your hearts to a closer walk with Him. May He always be the central focus of your life.

16For many people, the question may arise, why fast? Maybe some quick facts will help us see the significance of fasting in Scripture. I don’t know of any believer who would say that baptism wasn’t an important step in their spiritual journey. The word baptize is found 75 times in Scripture. Did you know that the word fast occurs 77 times in God’s Word? However, many baptized Christians have never participated in the biblical discipline of fasting. In any branch of military training, recruits go to the mess hall three times a day. The military knows that three square meals a day is necessary to provide the nutrition that soldiers need for intense training. Scripture tells us in 1 Timothy 4:8, “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” If we are to be in prime spiritual shape, we must work out in our spiritual life. Fasting focuses our spiritual senses. It centers our lives back on our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. There are times in our lives when giving something up challenges us to want something else more. When we learn to prioritize our spiritual growth over our physical cravings, we learn that “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Fasting may sound strange to some people in our culture. However, fasting was a common practice of the early church. In fact, those who walked physically with Jesus would have considered it very strange for someone not to fast.

17It was so much a part of their culture that the disciples of John the Baptist regularly fasted. Notice what happened in Mark 2:18. “Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, ‘How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but Yours are not?’” Again, fasting was a regular part of their journey with God. Now, there was hypocrisy found in some of their practices, but fasting was a spiritual discipline of Jesus’ day. Jesus’ response to the Pharisees in Mark 2:19-20 is enlightening: “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.” Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father. One day He will return to call His children home. Until then, Jesus said, “... they will fast.” So, we are living in “that day” when the bridegroom has been taken away. Therefore, today is a great day to consider fasting as a part of your journey with Jesus.Consider: How was fasting an integral part in the life of Jesus and His first disciples? Be honest with yourself concerning barriers that would keep you from fasting: things like busyness, avoiding hunger, not seeming practical, fear.How much time do you spend watching television, YouTube, or Netflix? How much of your day is spent

18scrolling social media, checking email, or messaging friends? Challenge: Replace one habit that may waste time and repurpose that time for prayer and Bible reading this week. This may mean setting up guardrails in your life around the habit. Example -- having someone else change your password to your most used TV streaming app (Netflix, Hulu, etc.), or remove email or social media from your phone this week.

19Day 2EveningCorporate PrayerThe true church lives and moves and has its being through prayer.Leonard Ravenhill2There has never been a spiritual awakening in any countrythat did not begin in united prayer.Arthur Pierson1Focus on PrayerActs 6:3-43 “Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” Concentrate: In his book, And the Place was Shaken: How to Lead a Powerful Prayer Meeting, John Franklin shares the following story:

20Have you ever been reading the Bible when something happened to you? You suddenly realized that a passage you had been reading all your life does not mean what you thought it meant? Let me tell you how it happened to me early one morning several years ago. I opened my Bible to Acts 6:1-4, my quiet time passage for the day. To be candid I approached it halfheartedly. I knew that chapter recorded what many call the choosing of the first deacons. When I came to verse 4, I was riveted with the truth of this passage. It says “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”All my life I had interpreted that passage to mean the apostles recognized the need to delegate ministry responsibilities to others so that they would be freed up to spend time in prayer and receive a fresh word from the Lord to preach to the people. They realized they couldn’t become so enmeshed in the work of the Lord that their personal relationship with him suffered. Because God knows the importance of prayer and His Word in the life of every believer, He called leaders in the Early Church to mobilize people to prayer and the study of His Word. This “Week of Prayer and Fasting” comes from your spiritual leaders responding to the Word of God to rally believers around what

21matters most – spending time with God through prayer and His Word.Consider:In what ways is corporate prayer (praying with others) important to the church and to your personal prayer life? If Leonard Ravenhill is right when he says. “The true church lives and moves and has its being through prayer,” what needs to improve in your prayer life as part of His Church?Challenge: Begin thinking about what prayer should be like in a group—Sunday Bible Fellowship or a Discipleship Group. Later this week we will challenge you to connect with a group and establish a regular time of prayer together.

22Day 3Prayer FocusF Feast on God’s Goodness.Use the verse below to express your praise to God for his goodness.Psalm 34:8 8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. O Open your heart.Pray the verses below as you allow the Holy Spirit access to mind, will, and emotions.Psalm 34:17-1917 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hearsthem; He delivers them from all their troubles. 18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. 19 A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from themall; . . .C Confess your sins.After reading the verse below, spend a few minutes admitting to God in prayer any areas that you are willfully disobeying God’s Word and standards.

23Proverbs 28:1313 He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.U Unload your burdens.Read the verses below and think about handing over any cares or concerns you have to your Heavenly Father.Psalm 68:19-2019 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Selah 20 Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death. S Seek His Face.Read the verse below and spend 2 minutes in silent reflection on what God is saying to you through this passage.1 Chronicles 16:10-12 10 Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. 11 Look to the LORD and His strength; seek His face always. 12 Remember the wonders He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He pronounced, . . .

24Day 3MorningThe Essence of FastingThe weakness of hunger which leads to death brings forth the goodness and power of God who wills life. Here there is no extortion, no magic attempt to force God’s will. We merely look with confidence upon our heavenly Father and through our fasting say gently in our hearts: “Father, without you I will die; come to my assistance, make haste to help me.”Joseph Wimmer1Focus on FastingDeuteronomy 8:2-42 Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. 4 Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.

25Concentrate:God always leads His children. Whether it is in the wilderness wonderings of life or into the Promised Land of blessings, God walks with His people. It is in the wilderness experiences that God prepares His children to live within His promises. God caused His children to hunger, and then He provided His people with manna to teach them that true sustenance is found in “every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”From his work, The Book of Deuteronomy, Author Peter Craigie writes: Remember the wilderness and God’s presence there. The desolation of the wilderness is in stark contrast to the richness of the promised land. God had led his people through the wilderness, however, for a particular purpose; the forty years were to be a time of testing and disciplining, to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commandments (vs. 2). The wilderness tested and disciplined the people in various ways. On the one hand, the desolation of the wilderness removed the natural props and supports which man by nature depends on; it cast the people back on God, who alone could provide the strength to survive the wilderness. On the other hand, the severity of the wilderness period undermined the shallow bases of confidence of those who were not truly rooted and grounded

26in God. The wilderness makes or breaks a man; it provides strength of will and character. When the people were hungry, God fed them manna; the provision of manna was not simply a miracle, but it was designed to teach the Israelites a fundamental principle of their existence as the covenant people of God. The basic source of life was God and the words of God to his people; every utterance of the mouth of the Lord (vs. 3).Consider:How could fasting remind us of those moments of dependance on the Lord? In what ways has God led you through the wilderness in your own spiritual journey?What lessons did God teach you in those times that you need to remember at all times?Challenge: Instead of scrolling through your phone today during lunch or a break, consider reading Psalm 1 and pray again through the F.O.C.U.S. prayers for Day 3 on pages 22-23.

27Day 3EveningThe Priority of PrayerThe goal of being focused and committed to prayer is relationship, not religion.Chris Hodges1Focus on PrayerMatthew 6:5-85 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Concentrate: Pastor Chris Hodges, in his book, Pray First: The Transformative Power of a Life Built on Prayer, wrote some profound statements concerning the priority of prayer.

28Your prayer life anchors your relationship with God. Yet so many believers seem to struggle with the daily practice of prayer. They consider prayer to be something they know God wants them to do, but it feels awkward and a little scary. After all, how do you talk with the God of the universe? . . . God doesn’t want prayer to be some formal kind of communication that requires particular words and proper phrases. . . God simply wants us to talk with Him, to tell Him everything, to ask for His help, to thank Him for all our blessings, to trust Him with our pain - and all our other emotions too. God is ready to welcome us to an ongoing conversation with Him. He doesn’t want us to be a nervous wreck trying to perform or deliver a monologue. He simply wants our whole hearts to depend on Him and rest in Him.Think about the children in your life and how they communicate with you. Depending on their age and stage, the words they use may vary, but their open, loving, unselfconscious style is often the same. It’s one of the things I love most about being a grandfather, or Papa, as our grandkids call me. “Papa, do you want to play?” or “Papa, look what I drew!” or “Here I come, Papa!” sounds like music to my ears. Their faces light up with bright eyes and wide smiles as if they couldn’t be happier to see me and talk with me.

29I wonder if little ones’ communication style is one of the reasons why Jesus told us that we must be like children in order to know God.. . . God wants to be first. He wants to be the center of our attention, our affection, our attitude, and our actions. When we give God the first of anything - our income, our time, our attention, our energy - we declare that God is first in our lives. What we have - everything we have - belongs to Him and it comes from Him. We honor God by our first practices. . . Praying first honors God.The goal is to make prayer a priority so that you don’t miss out on deepening your relationship with God and enjoying all the benefits that go with it. Making it a priority requires being intentional and deliberate, which involves having a place and making a plan. Keep in mind, however, that the goal of being focused and committed to prayer is relationship, not religion. Prayer is about our personal relationship with a personal God—who is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—not fulfilling a mandatory ritual for its own sake.Making prayer a priority ensures that you won’t minimize it as simply your default SOS. While prayer is not less than turning to God for help in a time of need, we have to remember that prayer is so much more. So often we act first, and only when we experience the consequences or face the unexpected do we ask

30God to bail us out. Prayer is not about living life on your own terms until you realize your limitations and then turning to God.Prayer is about living in connection to God and, through that connection, living out His purpose for your life, which is why it’s important to talk to God before you act, before you decide, before you’re tempted, before you speak, before you risk.Think for a moment: How would your life be different if you were to pray first before everything you do?2Consider: Refer back to Day 1 (pages 9-12) when you made steps to find your chair to meet with God. Have you maintained that distraction free place? How does this build your relationship with Him? How does knowing that “your Father knows what you need before you ask Him” affect how you approach God in prayer?Challenge: Set a 10-minute timer on your phone. Spend these 10 minutes talking to God like you would talk to a friend. If you need help reread the F.O.C.U.S. scriptures from today to help you.

31Day 4Prayer FocusF Feast on God’s Goodness.Use the verses below to express your praise to God for his goodness.Psalm 31:19-20 19 How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You, which You bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in You. 20 In the shelter of Your presence You hide them from the intrigues of men; in Your dwelling You keep them safe from accusing tongues. O Open your heart.Pray the verse below as you allow the Holy Spirit access to mind, will, and emotions.Proverbs 4:2323 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.C Confess your sins.Acts 3:1919 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, . . .

U Unload your burdens.Read the verses below and think about handing over any cares or concerns you have to your Heavenly Father.Philippians 4:6-76 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.S Seek His Face.Read the verses below and spend 2 minutes in silent reflection on what God is saying to you through this passage.Acts 17:26-2826 From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. 28 ‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’32

33Day 4MorningFind the Feast in FastingWhen you can’t get an answer to prayer, even though you have prayed continually, try fasting with your prayer. Fasting demonstrates your sincerity to God: . . .When you give up food—that which is enjoyable and necessary—you get God’s attention.Elmer Towns1Focus on FastingMatthew 4:1-41 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. 3 The tempter came to Him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Concentrate:Even Jesus fasted. Christ was ready to face temptation from the devil because of the power He received from fasting. As He went to the Word to defeat Satan’s first attack, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3. You will remember this Scripture from yesterday’s Focus on Fasting.

34He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.This Old Testament Scripture is a call for the nation of Israel to remember how God led them through their wilderness wanderings. God sent them manna from Heaven not just to feed them, but to teach them He was all they needed. God used His physical provisions to teach His people about their spiritual possession. They were His people. All they needed was Him. God’s Word is sometimes called the Living Word. Deuteronomy 8:3 says His Word is living and active: “We live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Have you ever heard the phrase hang on every word? It means “to hold on tightly.” We need to grasp every Word that comes from the mouth of the Lord because His Word brings life. You and I need God to speak one word into our lives more than we need physical food. God has a feast ready for your soul. Consider this insightful quote from Dr. Tony Evans: What do we do so often? We feed the body, even overstuff it, while starving the soul. But when we fast, we give the soul a higher priority than the body. We are asking God to feed our souls.

35This is the principle of fasting. The question is, “Are you willing to give up your steak and potatoes to gain spiritual riches? Are you willing to sacrifice that which gratifies the flesh in order to make an investment in that which builds up the spirit?” Think about the effort we make to eat when we’re hungry. Most of us will make a way where there is no way when it’s mealtime. We’ll change our route to hit the drive-through window at the fast-food restaurant. We’ll make a sandwich out of stuff in the refrigerator that is “unsandwichable.” Why? Because we are desperate to satisfy our hunger. But when you fast, you are desperate to satisfy a need in your soul. You are desperate to make your voice heard on high.3Consider:How important was fasting and God’s Word to Jesus when He was attacked by Satan?What are some steps you can take to feed your soul with God’s Word as often as you feed yourself physically? Challenge: Today, before you sit down to eat lunch or dinner, read Psalm 119:9-16. As you nourish your soul before your body, meditate on the goodness of God’s Word.

36Day 4EveningPrayer of RepentanceOf all acts of man, repentance is the most divine. The greatest of all faults is to be conscious of none.Thomas Carlyle1In biblical repentance. you change your mind so deeply that God deeply changes you.AnonymousFocus on PrayerDaniel 9:1-191 In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with Him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed: “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with all who love Him and obey His commands, 5 we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from Your commands and laws. 6 We

37have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. 7 “Lord, You are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the men of Judah and people of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where You have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to You. 8 O LORD, we and our kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against You. 9 The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against Him; 10 we have not obeyed the LORD our God or kept the laws He gave us through His servants the prophets. 11 All Israel has transgressed Your law and turned away, refusing to obey You. “Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against You. 12 You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. 13 Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to Your truth. 14 The LORD did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in everything He does; yet we have not obeyed Him. 15 “Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who

38made for Yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. 16 O Lord, in keeping with all Your righteous acts, turn away Your anger and Your wrath from Jerusalem, Your city, Your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our fathers have made Jerusalem and Your people an object of scorn to all those around us. 17 “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of Your servant. For Your sake, O Lord, look with favor on Your desolate sanctuary. 18 Give ear, O God, and hear; open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your Name. We do not make requests of You because we are righteous, but because of Your great mercy. 19 O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people bear your Name.”Concentrate: Daniel dated his prayer in Daniel 9:1. He prayed this prayer, “In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes.” If you remember, Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den after he was found praying three times a day with his windows open toward Jerusalem (Daniel 6:10.) Daniel 6 records that Daniel would not give in to the edict not to worship other gods given by Darius. So many scholars believe this prayer of repentance prayed by Daniel that is found in Daniel 9 is a prayer he prayed before he was thrown into the lion’s den in Daniel 6. Daniel faithfully studied the Scriptures and prayed. Daniel 9:2, stated that, “I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD

39given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years.” Therefore, Daniel studied the Word that he had so that he could discern God’s will that he desperately needed. He also was dedicated to prayer. Before the lion’s den, in the lion’s den, and after the lion’s den, Daniel prayed. Daniel 9 records a key part of Daniel’s prayer life. He prayed specifically for repentance and restoration. And before Daniel could say “Amen,” the angel Gabriel is standing before him. Daniel 9:20-23 records this divine encounter.20 While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the LORD my God for His holy hill— 21 while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. 23 As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the message and understand the vision:Daniel had such a devoted prayer life that God sent a personal angel to deliver the answer to his prayer.Gene Getz, in his book, Men of Character: Daniel, shares the following words about Daniel’s prayer.Daniel took these prophetic words very seriously. This helps explain why he prayed with such intensity and perseverance. He knew the

40seventy-year period was almost over, but he also knew that God's deliverance would be based on fervent prayer. Consequently, he “turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes” (Dan. 9:3).Daniel's humble spirit and attitude as he prayed demonstrates how seriously he took Jeremiah's words. But so does the content of his prayer. What he shared with God reflects sincerity and commitment to the Lord—characteristics that he had demonstrated in Babylon ever since he arrived on the scene at age fifteen. For nearly seventy years, he had maintained his spiritual equilibrium, never compromising his faith.2Getz goes on to outline the specific characteristics of this prayer found in Daniel 9.Adoration (9:4a) - Daniel began his prayer by acknowledging who God really is: “the great and awesome God.” Faith in God's Promises (9:4b) - Daniel next demonstrated his confidence in God's promises and in His unconditional love for His people. Confession of Sin (9:5–16) - Daniel followed his statement of adoration and confidence in God with confession. “We have sinned and done wrong,” he prayed.

41This section in Daniel's prayer is the most elaborate—and rightly so. God's people had “been wicked” and had “rebelled.” They had “turned away” from God's “commands and laws.” They had “not listened” to God's “servants the prophets.”All the way through this prayer, Daniel included himself, particularly in the confession of sin. Four times he specifically said, “We have sinned” (Dan. 9:5, 8, 11, 15). Twice, he confessed, “We are covered with shame” (9:7–8). When Daniel included himself in this confession, he was demonstrating true humility. Petition (Dan. 9:17–19) - Following Daniel's lengthy and detailed confession of sin, he made a specific request. Daniel's petition was for God's help and deliverance.3Consider:How does Daniel’s prayer life encourage you? Does your prayer life currently include a time of repentance? What are some reasons we should include repentance and confession in our prayer time?

42Challenge: In humility, repent of your sins and turn back to God. Live out Acts 3:19 through your time with God in prayer. “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, . . .” Consider praying the following prayer for any sins that have you distant from God.Lord Jesus, I repent from __(tell him your sins)_ in my life. I turn from these sins and turn back to you. Because of your death for me, I know I am forgiven. Now restore to me the joy of being right with you. In Your Name I Pray. Amen

43Day 5Prayer FocusF Feast on God’s Goodness.Use the verse below to express your praise to God for his goodness.1 Chronicles 16:3434 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.O Open your heart.Pray the verse below as you allow the Holy Spirit access to mind, will, and emotions.Psalm 51:1010 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.C Confess your sins.After reading the verses below, spend a few minutes admitting to God in prayer any areas that you are willfully disobeying God’s Word and standards.Psalm 32:55 Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD” - and You forgave the guilt of my sin.

44U Unload your burdens.Read the verse below and think about handing over any cares or concerns you have to your Heavenly Father.John 14:2727 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. S Seek His Face.Read the verse below and spend 2 minutes in silent reflection on what God is saying to you through this passage.Hebrews 11:66 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.

45Day 5MorningOnly by Prayer and FastingJesus answered all their questions in one simple statement: “This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. In a simple formula, Jesus told them that prayer and fasting got answers.Elmer Towns1Focus on FastingMark 9:14-2914 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet Him. 16 “What are you arguing with them about?” He asked. 17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked Your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” 19 “O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.” 20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion.

46He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” 23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, He rebuked the evil spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” He said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. 28 After Jesus had gone indoors, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer and fasting.”Concentrate:After the disciples faltered in their faith and failed at their healing attempt, Jesus stepped in with a miracle. Jesus rebuked and removed the evil spirit and taught everyone there the principle that “Everything is possible for him who believes.”I love the miracle-working power of Jesus Christ. He has the power to cast out demons and cover sins. He has restoration power to pick us up when we fall and set

47us on our feet again. There is nothing impossible for God. After the miracle, the disciples are dumbfounded. They asked Jesus, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?” And Jesus’ reply gives a primary purpose for fasting. “This kind can be cast out only by prayer and fasting.” There are some problems so difficult that we must combine prayer with fasting. The deeper meaning behind this Scripture has more to do with faith than fasting. Matthew’s account of this same story emphasizes this truth. Matthew 17:20 states Jesus’ response to the disciple’s question this way: “Because you have so little faith.” Prayer and faith are intricately interwoven. Prayer without faith is just talking. Faith without prayer lacks the asking. Prayer combined with faith moves mountains. R. Kent Hughes explains the dilemma of thedisciples as follows: They forgot that there had to be radical dependence if God’s power was to flow through their lives. Jesus was teaching them that the faith which brings power is a faith that prays... Power on earth comes through a praying faith in our great Christ... a true test of our spiritual walk is our prayer life.2The disciples attempted to cast out the evil spirit with less than a full reliance on the power of Jesus Christ. When you are desperate for His power, your prayers become more passionate. And when you are truly seeking to focus more on connecting with Christ, you fast and pray.

48Fasting adds a dimension of desperation and dependence to our prayers. Elmer Towns writes, “The greatest benefit of fasting and prayer is that it helps us know God as never before. It helps us become quiet and focus on God so that we can recognize Him when He touches us.”3 Deep faith that leads to prayer and fasting has the capacity to release the miraculous power of our miracle-working God. Consider:In what ways does your fasting and prayer life reflect your dependence on God? How does Hebrews 11:6 from your time of F.O.C.U.S. relate to this morning’s devotion? ‘6 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.Challenge: Try intentionally skipping one meal today. Anytime you are hungry, read Psalm 23 as a reminder that God cares and provides for you, and in Him you lack nothing. Look for ways that God might be teaching you dependence on Him.

49Day 5EveningAsk. Seek. Knock.Prayer is the open admission that without Christ we can do nothing. And prayer is the turning away from ourselves to God in the confidence that He will provide the help we need. Prayer humbles us as needy and exalts God as wealthy.Anonymous1Focus on PrayerMatthew 7:7-117 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him! Concentrate: Our Scripture for today is towards the end of Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount. This was the greatest sermon ever preached by the greatest preacher

50who ever lived – Jesus. During this sermon, Jesus taught the Be-attitudes or “The attitudes that ought to be” in a Christian’s life. Then Jesus continued in Matthew 6 and 7 to give some very difficult and pointed teachings about how a believer is supposed to live out his or her Christian life.Bruce Barton, in The Life Application Biblical Commentary, gives the following explanation of Matthew 7:7-8.Beginning in chapter 5, the Sermon on the Mount has thus far explained to Jesus’ followers the lifestyle and life attitudes that he expected from them. Some may have heard and thought the demands to be impossible. Here Jesus gave the answer to those thoughts and questions—ask, seek, knock. The ability to live for God is only a prayer away. The verbs are in the present tense, indicating continuous activity. Jesus’ followers can keep on asking, keep on seeking, and keep on knocking, indicating the importance of persistent, consistent prayer in their lives. Only through prayer can believers stay in contact with God, know what he wants them to do, and then have the strength to do God’s will in all areas of life. God will answer believers who persistently ask, seek, and knock. Jesus promised, “For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” God had told the prophet Jeremiah, “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). The three

51words (ask, seek, knock) combine to emphasize the truth that those who bring their needs to God can trust that they will be satisfied. All three are metaphors for praying. Sometimes God does not answer our prayers immediately; sometimes we must keep on knocking, awaiting God’s answer. However, if we continue to trust God through prayer, Jesus promised that we will receive, find, and have an open door.Believers, however, must not take Jesus’ words as a blank check; prayer is not a magical way to obtain whatever we want. Jesus had already explained some conditions on this promise: His followers were to show mercy and forgiveness to others (5:7; 6:12), avoid praying in order to get attention (6:5–6), and be willing to persevere in prayer. Our requests must be in harmony with God’s will (“your will be done,” 6:10), accepting His will above our desires.. . . Jesus tells us to persist in pursuing God. People often give up after a few halfhearted efforts and conclude that they cannot find God. Knowing God takes faith, focus, and follow-through, and Jesus assures us that we will be rewarded. Don’t give up in your efforts to seek God, even when the doors seem closed. Continue to ask him for more knowledge, patience, wisdom, love, and understanding. He will give them to you.2Jesus continues in the next few verses, Matthew 7:9-11, to present a startling comparison. He shares illustrations of how even a wicked father gives good

gifts to his children. Then, Jesus states the obvious point of His comparison, “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!” Barton gave these profound words on Jesus’ comparison. “If humans can be kind, imagine how kind God can be. He created kindness!”3Consider:What new insight did you learn today from Matthew 7:7-11? How can you apply what you learned to your prayer time with God?Have you ever given up on praying for a situation? If so, why? Could it be that God desires for us to be persistent in prayer and to grow in our dependence on Him? Challenge: Keep on asking, seeking, and knocking until you experience His answer to your prayers. For example, Jesus said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Tonight before going to bed resist scrolling through your phone. Instead pray and ask Jesus to give you His peace be still in your heart and mind.52

53Day 6Prayer FocusF Feast on God’s Goodness.Use the verse below to express your praise to God for his goodness.Psalm 119:6868 You are good, and what You do is good; teach me Your decrees.O Open your heart.Pray the verses below as you allow the Holy Spirit access to mind, will, and emotions.2 Corinthians 3:16-1816 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.C Confess your sins.After reading the verses below spend a few minutes admitting to God in prayer any areas that you are willfully disobeying God’s Word and standards.Psalm 32:1-31 Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 2 Blessed is the

54man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. 3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. U Unload your burdens.Read the verses below and think about handing over any cares or concerns you have to your Heavenly Father.1 Peter 5:6-76 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. S Seek His Face.Read the verse below and spend 2 minutes in silent reflection on what God is saying to you through this passage.Matthew 6:33 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

55Day 6MorningThe Right Kind of FastingFasting with a pure heart and motives, I have discovered, brings personal revival and adds power to our prayers. . . . Fasting reduces the power of self so that the Holy Spiritcan do a more intense work within us.Bill Bright1Focus on FastingIsaiah 58:5-75 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD? 6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

56Concentrate:In Isaiah Chapter 58, God revealed the right kind of fasting that He requires. The fasting that God desires is the fast that brings about change. The problem in Isaiah 58 is that God’s people were fasting as a religious ritual, but their hearts remained unchanged. They were adding fasting to their daily routines, but they weren’t allowing God to transform their lives. They were practicing their religion so people would notice. They were giving up food, but still living for themselves. And it is possible for us to do the same thing today. The modern church can be just as religious and unchanged as the church in Isaiah’s day. We call Jesus Lord, but we still follow our own selfish desires. With our lips, we say, “God, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” But with our lives, we do only what we want to do. We raise our hands and praise God in church, but don’t lift a finger to help our brother in need. Raymond C. Ortlund, Jr. and R. Kent Hughes, in “Preaching the Word Commentary” vividly describe the scene in Isaiah 58 and give the following present-day application. The people of God have been fasting. They’ve even afflicted themselves. Isn’t that taking sin seriously? But God is still standing off at a distance, still withholding Himself, and they wonder why.But the question “Why?” is not an openhearted request for instruction. It’s a way of dumping their frustration on God. They thought God was being unfair. They were both pious

57toward God and angry at God, and it was their very sincerity that explains their anger. They sincerely believed they could obligate God and pressure God. And when their fasting and praying and self-deprivation didn’t leverage cooperation out of God, they resented Him. What poisoned their souls toward God was not sins like thievery and murder. What poisoned their souls was their religion.Where did they go wrong? The key is “as if” in verse 2: “… as if they were a nation that did righteousness.” The believers Isaiah is confronting were role-playing righteousness. To be people who seek God, and to be like people who seek God—to God, the difference is infinite. In this Scripture, God outlines what would happen if fasting changed our hearts. The list of changed lives includes breaking chains of injustice, freeing the oppressed, feeding the hungry, sheltering and clothing the needy, and being there for your own families.Consider:Have you ever felt like the Israelites in this passage – prayed and fasted and then resented God when the answer wasn’t what you’d hoped? Confess that to the Lord, and ask him to remove any lingering bitterness.

58In what ways are you tempted to use prayer to get God to give you your desires, instead of praying to seek to obey God’s desires? Reflect on how fasting from one meal yesterday helped increase your dependence on God.Challenge: Yield yourself completely to God’s will today. Throughout the day, anytime you think about something you desire, stop and ask for God’s will to be done in that situation. Read Hebrews 13:20-21 and seek to bring glory to Jesus over yourself today.

59Day 6EveningNever Stop PrayingOne should not initiate anything that he cannot saturate with prayer.AnonymousThere is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful than that of a continual conversation with God.Brother Lawrence2Focus on Prayer1 Thessalonians 5:16-1816 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.Luke 18:1-81 Then Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with

60her coming!’” 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”Concentrate:God never intended for us to live life only in the natural realm. He made us in His own image. That doesn’t mean we look like God. We are His image bearers because He created us with a spiritual nature. Not only did God create us with a spirit, but when He saves us, He sends the Holy Spirit to live within us. He wants us to live in the supernatural realm. God has big plans for His children. In fact, God has much bigger plans for your life than you have for your own. For you to live out those plans, you must have His power. And to have His power, you must hear His voice. And to hear His voice, prayer must be a priority in your life. To live out God’s will, you must stay in constant contact with Him. Isn’t it fascinating that God’s plan involves a consistent and persistent communication with Him? God loves you so much that He not only wants to save you for eternity, but He wants to strengthen you for today. His power is forever, but He is personal enough for every second along the journey of life. God hard-wired you to a personal relationship with Him in His plan for your life. Your Christian life and mine will never grow higher or deeper than our personal prayer life with God.

61In his commentary on 1 Thessalonians, Gary Demarest makes some profound statements regarding the command in 5:17 to “Never stop praying”: To pray without ceasing establishes prayer, not as a part of the Christian life, but as all of it... This means to live with a growing awareness that God is always present. It is to grow in our openness to God—to bring consciously all of our words and deeds into His presence... It’s long past time for us to issue an urgent call for unceasing prayer as an object for our attention and discipline. Such prayer means nothing less than practicing the presence of God in everything that we do.3How do you live out the verse “Always be joyful and be thankful in all circumstances”? “Never stop praying.” Keep on practicing daily living in the presence of God. Paul concludes this thought on prayer with these words in verse 18: “... for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” God longs for communication with each of His children. He sent His Son and the Holy Spirit to always keep communication lines open. Just like you want honest and meaningful communication with your family, God wants the same with His. Consider:As this week is coming to a close, what are some steps you can take to continue a consistent prayer time with the Lord each day?

62Refer to Brother Lawrence’s quote above. Prayer is a continual conversation with God – how can you make prayer continual in your life? Consider prayer during car rides, prayer while waiting in the grocery line, etc. Identify some other moments of your day that you could weave in prayer. Challenge: Meditate on these words from Psalm 139. Underline any words that clarify in your heart that God is everywhere and always there!1 O LORD, You have searched me and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; Youperceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue You know it completely, O LORD. 5 You hem me in—behind and before; You have laid your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.

6311 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” 12 even the darkness will not be dark to You; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to You. 13 For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Yourbook before one of them came to be. 17 How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with You. . .23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.Make this prayer the start of an ongoing conversation with God. Talk to Him continually because He is constantly there.

64God, please forgive me for not praying and talking to You more. I am so thankful for all that You have done. I could never thank You enough for sending Your Son. Yet, I get so busy living life in the natural realm that I don’t communicate to You in the supernatural as often as I should. I want a relationship with You that brings fulfillment, joy, and peace. Help me, Lord, to practice living in Your presence by being more consistent in my prayers with You. . .

65Day 7Prayer FocusF Feast on God’s Goodness.Use the verses below to express your praise to God for his goodness.Psalm 143:10-1110 Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. 11 For Your name’s sake, O LORD, preserve my life; in Your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.O Open your heart.Pray the verses below as you allow the Holy Spirit access to mind, will, and emotions.Proverbs 3:5-6 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.C Confess your sins.After reading the verses below, spend a few minutes admitting to God in prayer any areas that you are willfully disobeying God’s Word and standards.James 4:7-107 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your

66hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.U Unload your burdens.Read the verse below and think about handing over any cares or concerns you have to your Heavenly Father.Psalm 55:2222 Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.S Seek His Face.Read the verses below and spend 2 minutes in silent reflection on what God is saying to you through this passage.Psalm 37:4-54 Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this: . . .

67Day 7MorningLove God. Love People. Serve Both. There are two joys for the fasting person: the joy when he breaks his fast, and the joy when he meets his Lord.AnonymousFocus on FastingIsaiah 58:8-11, 148 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and He will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, 10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. 11 The LORD will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. . . 14 then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” The mouth of the LORD has spoken.

68Concentrate:Andrew Davis, in Exalting Jesus in Isaiah, provides the following insight into God’s words through the prophet Isaiah. He entitled his section of discussion, “The True Fast: Mercy Ministry.”This passage is one of the most important in the Bible for understanding mercy ministry: how vital it is to God, what it entails, how it must come from a heart of love for God and neighbor, how costly it must be, and how richly God will reward it. What God demands is more soul-searching than we can imagine: “spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry, and satisfy the needs of the oppressed” (vs. 10). The Hebrew behind this demand implies a long-term, deep-hearted commitment to the poor and needy. It’s not enough to give bread or money occasionally in a coldhearted manner. You are to give yourself first, and then you are ready to give materially. Jesus “spent Himself” on behalf of His people who were infinitely poor and needy. To “spend yourself” means to allow your heart to be knit with the afflictions of others. Fasting is a symbolic affliction, a voluntary refraining from food, which you can choose to end anytime you want. But the hungry have no choice and cannot stop the involuntary fasting they are doing through their poverty.

69So God calls on His people in every generation to learn how to have their souls afflicted with the sufferings of others. The Lord said, “You always have the poor with you” (Matt. 26:11; see Deut. 15:11). He calls on us to break the chains of wickedness and untie the ropes of the yoke of oppression (Isa 58:6). This involves seeking out societal injustice wherever it is and using powerful means to end it: break the chains, tear off the yoke! He calls on us to share our bread with the hungry and our homes with the homeless. God promises abundant blessings on any who, by faith in Him and out of love for others, live this kind of life. He promises that our “light will break forth like the dawn” (vs. 8), and “our light will rise in the darkness, and our night will become like the noonday” (vs. 10). This is glory language: we will shine with the glory of God in this present age, and our deeds will shine with glory for all eternity. We will live a protected life of joy and peace, with our prayers regularly answered from on high.Carefully note the commentary writings of Raymond Ortlund and R. Kent Hughes on Isaiah 58:8-11.Delight in God is the most precious treasure in the world. It opens everything else up. It expels sin, it praises Christ, it studies the Bible, it raises kids well, it works hard for the

70benefit of others, it relieves their sufferings, it builds the church, it goes to Heaven. . . . He loves delight. And He’s calling us to schedule our weekly routines around His great and serious joys, bringing others with us into the atmosphere of holy delight. That means that Sunday is not an extra Saturday. It’s not the end of the weekend. It’s not the day to get caught up for Monday. It’s the Lord’s Day, when we set lesser things aside and replenish ourselves and others with all the fullness of God.That’s the kind of church that prepares the way of the Lord—taking responsibility, correcting wrongs, and choosing delight.3Psalm 37:4-5 is in the “Seek His Face” section of today’s F.O.C.U.S. time. “Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this: . . .” In this Scripture, David encouraged his fellow Israelites to stay in the land that God had blessed them with and live lives that glorified God. Many, during that time, wanted to leave for what they thought were greener pastures. But David said that true delight is found in living in a relationship with God. In this Scripture, delighting in the Lord is a verb. This signifies that we must take action to find joy in the Lord. In order to find joy in our relationship with God, we must be actively take delight in Him. Consider:

71We should find our delight in the Lord. But we need to also realize that God delights in us. Think deeply through the following verses about delight. What types of people do these verses say God delights in? What do these verses teach about God’s delight in His children?Psalm 37:23If the LORD delights in a man’s way, He makes his steps firm; . . .Psalm 112:1Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in His commands.Psalms 149:4For the LORD takes delight in His people; He crowns the humble with salvation. Zephaniah 3:17The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. How do Jesus’ words in John 10:27-30 relate to today’s devotional thoughts?27 “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; no one can snatch

72them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”Challenge: What habit or takeaway from this week has been the most beneficial to you? How do you plan to incorporate that element into your daily life? Take any of the Scriptures from today’s devotion and meditate on His delight over you and your delight in Him.

73Day 7EveningA Lifestyle of PrayerTrue prayer is a way of life, not just for use in case of emergency. Make it a habit, and when the need arises, you will be in practice.Billy Graham1Focus on PrayerJohn 15:4-84 Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples.Concentrate:Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.”2 This is the relationship that Jesus

74refers to as He discusses with His disciples that He is the vine. We are merely branches that have one responsibility: remain in Christ. In other words, stay connected so that we will produce fruit. The essence of Christianity is a relationship with Jesus Christ. And a relationship with God is impossible without prayer. In order to have life in Jesus Christ, you must have a lifestyle of prayer. If you only pray occasionally, you will have a sporadic relationship with Jesus. You can’t expect to pray meaningless words to Him and have a meaningful relationship with Him. Neither can you pray once a week, and still have a strong walk with your Lord. It will take a dedicated lifestyle of prayer to have a life devoted to your Lord. And it will take a desperate and dependent approach to God to fully find Him. God’s word repeatedly states this principle of prayer. In Jeremiah 29:13, God says, “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek me with all your heart.” It will take a whole-hearted prayer life to know Him fully. E.M. Bounds was an American author known forwriting eleven books, nine of which focused on principles of prayer. Consider his thoughts about prayer: “Public prayers are of little value unless they are founded on or followed up by private praying.”“The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early on their knees.”

75“... prayerless men have never been used of Him.”“Prayers are deathless. They outlive the lives of those who uttered them.” “Nothing is well done without prayer for the simple reason that it leaves God out of the account.”4Consider:Hudson Taylor was a great missionary to China. His son, Howard Taylor, once made this statement about his father. “For forty years the sun never rose on China that God didn’t find him on his knees.”5 This example may seem intimidating, but we must start somewhere. How can you begin to establish a consistent prayer life from now on? What have you learned about yourself during this “Week of Fasting and Prayer”?What have you learned about God during this weeklong journey?Challenge: Connect in a Group: Continuing this journey with the encouragement and accountability of other believers. This will enhance your prayer life and challenge you to remain consistent. In your Bible Fellowship or Discipleship Group, how much time is devoted to prayer together?

76Is there time for confession and prayer? Is there a focus on the lost in prayer? The people we are closest to, are the people we pray with! How could prayer change your group? Think about how prayer could be experienced in your group. Be intentional. Invite your group to pray together.Refer back to the F.O.C.U.S. prayers for Day 7. Make them part of your prayers to develop a more consistent walk with the Lord. Use the prayer below as you conclude the week. Ask Him to create in you a desire for Him that involves a lifestyle of fasting and prayer.God, I need a lifestyle of prayer. Please help me to seek You with my whole heart. I have nothing to offer in my own strength. I am nothing without You. But in You, all things are possible. You are my Vine. Help me to remain in You constantly and to rely on You desperately. Give me a deeper hunger for a relationship with You. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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78NOTESDay 1 Morning1 Borgstede, S. (2022, July 12). 35 Christian quotes on fasting and prayer. The Holy Mess. https://theholymess.com/christian-quotes-fasting-prayer/ 2 Tony Evans, Tony Evans Speaks Out on Fasting (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 2000), 7. 3 John Piper, A Hunger for God: Desiring God through Fasting and Prayer (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1997), 14. Day 1 Evening1 Hodges, Chris. 2022. Pray First: The Transformative Power of a Life Built on Prayer. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.2 Roberts, E. (2022, December 15). 15 quotes on prayer and fasting. Radical. https://radical.net/article/quotes-prayer-fasting3 Mary T and Frank L. Hoffman Family Foundation. (n.d.). Daddy’s Empty Chair A spiritual archives story from allcreatures.org. https://www.all-creatures.org/stories/daddys.html Day 2 Morning1 Riddle, C. (2019, October 17). Christian fasting quotes from the Bible, pastors, & authors. Just Disciple. https://justdisciple.com/fasting-quotes/ 2 Ibid.

79Day 2 Evening1 Prayer-meetings. Grace Quotes. (2021, July 7). https://gracequotes.org/topic/prayer-meetings/ 2 Ibid.3 Franklin, John. 2005. And the Place Was Shaken: How to Lead a Powerful Prayer Meeting. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.Day 3 Morning1 Joseph F. Wimmer, Fasting in the New Testament: A Biblical Theology (New York: Paulist Press, 1982), p. 119.2 Craigie, Peter C. 1976. The Book of Deuteronomy. The New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.3 Piper, John. 1997. A Hunger for God: Desiring God through Fasting and Prayer. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.Day 3 Evening1 Hodges, Chris. 2022. Pray First: The Transformative Power of a Life Built on Prayer. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.2 Ibid.Day 4 Morning1 Elmer L. Towns, The Beginner’s Guide to Fasting, Second Edition. (Ventura, CA: Regal; Gospel Light, 2009), 10–11. 2 Franklin, J. (n.d.). Jentezen Franklin quote: Quotefancy.com

80https://quotefancy.com/quote/1771036/Jentezen-Franklin3 Tony Evans, Tony Evans Speaks Out on Fasting (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 2000), 8-9. Day 4 Evening1 Carlyle, T. (n.d.). Repentance quotes - brainyquote.com https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/repentance-quotes =2 Getz, Gene A. 1998. Men of Character: Daniel. Nashville, TN: B&H Books.3 Ibid.Day 5 Morning1 Elmer L. Towns, The Beginner’s Guide to Fasting, Second Edition. (Ventura, CA: Regal; Gospel Light, 2009), 47–48. 2 R. Kent Hughes, Mark: Jesus, Servant and Savior, Vol. 2, Preaching the Word (Westchester, IL: Crossway Books, 1989), 27. 3 Towns, 61. Day 5 Evening1 Chery, F. (2023, September 22). 120 inspirational quotes about prayer (the power of prayer). Bible Reasons | Bible Verses About Various Topics. https://biblereasons.com/prayer-quotes/ 2 Barton, Bruce B. 1996. Matthew. Life Application Bible Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.3 Ibid.

81Day 6 Morning1 Top 25 fasting quotes (of 213): A-Z quotes. azquotes.com. (n.d.). https://www.azquotes.com/quotes/topics/fasting.html 2 Ortlund, Raymond C., Jr., and R. Kent Hughes. 2005. Isaiah: God Saves Sinners. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.Day 6 Evening1 Chris Hodges. “A Lifestyle of Prayer.” Church of the Highlands, Birmingham, AL. Sermon delivered on July 27, 2014. 2 Georgy, Marie, & Bowen, I. (2022, March 1). Christian prayer quotes – pray without ceasing. Turnbacktogod.com. https://www.turnbacktogod.com/christian-prayer-quotes-pray-without-ceasing/ 3 Hodges, Chris. 2022. Pray First: The Transformative Power of a Life Built on Prayer. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.4 Gary W. Demarest and Lloyd J. Ogilvie, 1, 2 Thessalonians /1, 2 Timothy / Titus, vol. 32, The Preacher’s Commentary Series (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1984), 98. Day 7 Morning1 Chrysostom, J. (2022, September 11). Intermittent fasting coffee. Pinterest. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/pinterest--12455336465879521/ 2 Davis, Andrew M. 2017. Exalting Jesus in Isaiah. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference.

823 Ortlund, Raymond C. Jr., and R. Kent Hughes. 2005. Isaiah: God Saves Sinners. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.Day 7 Evening1 Graham, B. (n.d.-a). A quote from Billy Graham in quotes. Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/7485758-true-prayer-is-a-way-of-life-not-just-for 2 Chris Hodges, The Chris Hodges Collection: Fresh Air / Four Cups (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 2017). 3 D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans, 1991), 511. 4 Edward Bounds, Complete Works of E. M. Bounds (WORDsearch, 2003). 5 Charles R. Swindoll, The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart and 1501 Other Stories (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2016), 450.

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