Messiah Community Church. Fasting & Prayer 2019 The Year of Promotion

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1 Messiah Community Church Fasting & Prayer 2019 The Year of Promotion

2 Dear Messiah Family, Each New Year, as a church community, we dedicate a portion of time to the Lord for fasting and prayer. It is our way of committing our hearts, our needs, our families, and the ministry of Messiah Community Church to Christ. It s also our way of demonstrating to the Lord our humility as we acknowledge our full dependence upon Him. Through fasting and praying together, God has shown Himself faithful to the Messiah community throughout the years. He has saved people in our families as a result of prayers prayed during the fasting season. People have been healed as a result of fasting and praying. God has made miraculous provision for individuals and for the ministry. As the Pastor of Messiah Community Church I m committed to helping our church grow stronger in our faith and closer to Jesus through the practice of fasting and prayer. It s a special time in our lives and in our church. I m especially excited to see how God will meet us and respond to us as we seek Him. I invite you to join me from January 13 th through January 26 th for this annual time of focusing on God in prayer. Pastor Rod Hairston Promotion Fast 2019 Our church s theme for 2019 is PROMOTION. We are trusting God to move Messiah Community Church forward and upward, collectively and individually. We are asking God (1) to grow us in our practice of principles that lead to promotion (2) for new levels of influence for His glory (3) for new levels of financial resources that reflect promotion... all so we can reach more people in His name. Our time of fasting will be a 14-day period from January 13 th to January 26 th, We will refrain from certain foods, including sweets, and calorie-rich beverages, in order to seek God. We will gather for corporate prayer the nights of January 14 th through January 18 th, for a special Night of Worship on January 25 th. We are asking God to open doors of promotion for us, individually and collectively, and praying for the ministries, leaders, and people of Messiah. One of the keys to meaningful fasting will be your time for personal prayer, Scripture reading, and journaling. We recommend you reflect on the daily Scriptures provided in the fasting guide and that you participate in the nightly gatherings. Look forward to hearing from God in fresh and clear ways and expect great things from Him!

3 Types of Fasts The Complete Fast A Complete Fast is a fast from both food and drink, for a specified period of time. A Complete Fast is intense as its name implies, it is practiced in Scripture to express an extreme need for God in personal or collective circumstances. Moses, Esther, Elijah, and Jesus all practiced this fast as found in the respective Scriptures: Exodus 34:28, Esther 4:15-17, 1 Kings 19:8, and Matthew 4:1-10. We do not advise beginning complete fast without first consulting your physician and inviting the prayerful support of members of your church family. The Daniel Fast The Daniel Fast is based on Daniel s choice not to defile himself with the royal rations of food and wine. Daniel chose, for a season, to be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. (Daniel 1:8-17 NRSV) In the midst of an attempt to persuade Daniel and his friends to abandon their allegiance to God, they consecrated themselves with a fast and God gave them great favor! The Partial Fast The Partial Fast in contrast to a complete fast, may be for a portion of a day or for portions of several days at a time. E.g. have a light breakfast and fast for the remainder of the day. It is practiced by abstaining from food altogether. (Our partial fast strongly encourages drinking plenty of water in order to stay hydrated.) You may also sip on clear liquids, such as decaffeinated tea, during the period of the day in which we are fasting. Whatever time you choose, maintain the schedule daily. The Financial Fast Author and Washington Post Columnist, Michelle Singletary, is well known for writing about the 21-day Financial Fast. The Financial Fast calls for a moratorium on frivolous and unnecessary spending, but allows for basic life needs such as food, gas, utilities, and debt obligations. Such a fast is meant to break the habit of wasteful spending, deepen our dependence upon God, move us toward debt-free living, and set us on a course to a healthier financial future. Healing, Strengthening, Equipping disciples to impact the world through faith in Jesus Christ.

4 How Can I Participate In The Promotion Fast 2019? Choose A Fasting Option For 14 days, beginning on January 13 th through January 26 th, we will fast as a church community. Please make sure that your fast option includes healthy amounts of water and clear liquids. We want as many people to participate as possible. (The Financial Fast is intended as an addition to a fast from eating. It is not meant to be a stand-alone fast for PROMOTION 2019) Whichever fast you choose, we recommend sticking with it for the entire 14-day period. S.O.A.P. Daily Scripture Readings For each day of the PROMOTION 2019 fast, Scriptures are provided for our daily devotions. S.O.A.P. stands for the following: Scripture. Read the Scriptures reflectively in a quiet place where you can be alone with God. Observation. Write down any observations you make as you reflect on the passage(s). Note any commands, patterns, repeated words, questions, cause & effect relationships, etc. Application. Answer the question: What action should I take as a result of reading the passage(s). Prayer. Take time to talk to and listen to God. Note any impressions from the Holy Spirit. Pray for yourself and for others in light of the passage(s). Come Together Nightly For six special evenings during our fast, from Monday-Friday, January 14 th -18 th and 25 th, the doors of the church will be open at 6:30pm. You may come in to pray quietly, then join us for corporate worship and prayer as we lift up our requests to God. If you cannot make it each night, set a goal of at least 3 of the 6 nights. Shout Out On Social Media Each day share the daily Scripture, something you re learning, an answered prayer, a relevant photo, or some word of encouragement on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Snapchat! Your tweets, chats, & posts will be a huge blessing to someone who needs to be refreshed by God! Who Should Participate? As always, please check with your doctor to make sure your health will not be at risk if you participate in fasting. Pregnant and nursing mothers, please do not participate. If you are medically cleared, age 15 or older, we invite you to join us for this exciting time of seeking God at Messiah! Parents should determine if their children, ages 15-17, may join the corporate fast. What Should I Expect While Fasting? During the fasting season, expect to feel different the first two or three days of the fast, as your body gets rid of toxins and begins to adjust to not having meats, sweets, bread, alcohol, and caffeine. It will be helpful to slow down your schedule for reading, reflection, prayer, and rest as much as may be possible. Eventually, you will feel more energy. You should also expect, as you read Scripture and pray with more focus, to begin to gain clarity in your spirit. Expect to hear from God and to be more spiritually alert. You should also expect to experience spiritual attack from Satan, including temptation to eat the things you re abstaining from, temptation to eat more, and words of doubt sown in your mind. Stand firm by praying the Scriptures and consider having a prayer partner to help you through the tough spots. Can I Fast From Something Other Than Food? There is no biblical precedent for fasting that does not include certain foods or all foods. While there is no prohibition from fasts that include TV, the internet, social media, shopping, etc., we recommend fasting that includes food since it is basic to our daily existence. Food speaks most directly to our urges and appetites in the natural realm, forcing us to discipline our flesh with spiritual means -- i.e., prayer and Scripture. Of course, if medical reasons preclude you from fasting from food, your fasting is between you and The Lord! Another approach, then, is acceptable as God directs you. Are There Books I Can Read About Fasting? In addition to our Messiah Fasting Tool Kit, we recommend the following book resources: The Daniel Plan by Pastor Rick Warren Fasting by Pastor Jentezen Franklin The Fasting Edge: Recover Your Passion. Recapture Your Dream. Restore Your Joy by Jentezen Franklin A Hunger for God: Desiring God Through Fasting & Prayer by John Piper Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough: A Guide to Nine Biblical Fasts by Elmer Towns Daily prayers & scripture reading using the S.O.A.P. method Healing, Strengthening, Equipping disciples to impact the world through faith in Jesus Christ.

5 Days 1 & 8 (Sunday, January 13 th & 20 th ) Scripture: 1 John 1:9-10, Matthew 3:8, 2 Corinthians 2:20-21, Malachi 3:6-18 REPENTANCE, CONFESSION OF SIN, & SPIRITUAL RENEWAL Days 2 & 9 (Monday, January 14 th & 21 st ) Scripture: Luke 14:26-35, Mark 8:35-37, John 13:35, 15:1-17 GROWTH AS DISCIPLES ALL ACROSS MCC & THE RE-LAUNCH OF MESSIAH DISCIPLESHIP CLASSES & GROUPS Days 3 & 10 (Tuesday, January 15 th & 22 nd ) Scripture: Mark 16:15, Joshua 4:1-28, Romans 15:20, Matthew 9:35-38 EFFECTIVE MINISTRY TO OUR MESSIAH ONLINE COMMUNITY & LAUNCH OF ANOTHER MESSIAH LOCATION IN 2019 Days 4 & 11 (Wednesday, January 16 th & 23 rd ) Scripture: Exodus 30:30, 31:1-11, Numbers 11:16-30, Exodus 18:1-27, Luke 6:12-16, Acts 6:1-7 MINISTRY LEADERS: PASTOR ROD & FL SHERI, ORDAINED LEADERS, TEAM LEADERS, VOLUNTEERS & THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW LEADERS AT MCC Days 5 & 12 (Thursday, January 17 th & 24 th ) Scripture: Exodus 36:2-7, Deuteronomy 16:16-17, Nehemiah 12:47; 13:10-13, Malachi 3:10-12 FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOR MINISTRY: TO PAY OFF OUR BUILDINGS, FOR EXPANDED MINISTRY TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, TO SINGLES, MARRIAGES, MEN, WOMEN, & YOUNG ADULTS ($4 million) Days 6 & 13 (Friday, January 18 th & 25 th ) Scripture: Romans 8:1-17, 1 Corinthians 10:13, James 1:12-18, Ephesians 5:18-20 DAILY FILLING WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, VICTORY OVER TEMPTATION CONSISTENCY IN OUR WALKS, OUR WORSHIP, & OUR WITNESS FOR CHRIST Days 7 & 14 (Saturday, January 19 th & 26 th ) Scripture: 1 Chronicles 11:6-9, Psalm 75:6-7, Psalm46, Psalm 113:7-8, Daniel 1-2, Daniel 6:1-5, PROTECTION, PROVISION, & PROMOTION FOR GOD S PEOPLE AT MESSIAH