We’re launching into 2022 with a week devoted to prayer and fasting as a church!  The deepest desire of our heart is to know God,  and the deepest need of our city is to know God.  Prayer and fasting are powerful ways we connect with God personally and together.  We invite you to join in with us and hope this little guide helps you participate.

PRAYER

What is prayer?  Simply put, prayer is communication with God himself.  It involves humility, reverence, friendship, intimacy, honesty, joy, sadness, speaking, and listening, all with the sovereign God of the universe revealed to us in Jesus.

Day 1 – Sunday, January 9

Talk to God and listen to God concerning your intimacy with Him.  Share your desires, fears, requests, and questions with Him.  Read and reflect on Psalm 16.

Day 2 – Monday, January 10

Talk to God and listen to God concerning your Christian friends.  Write down their names.  Maybe it’s City Group friends, Serving Team friends, coworkers, or family members.  Ask God to work in their lives for Jesus’ glory.  Read and reflect on Psalm 34.

Day 3 – Tuesday, January 11

Talk to God and listen to God concerning your friends who are not Christians.  Write down their names.  Ask God to bring them to faith in Jesus.  Read and reflect on Colossians 4:2-6.

Day 4 – Wednesday, January 12

Talk to God and listen to God concerning our church!  Pray for our elders, staff, members, attenders, City Group leaders, serving team members, students in Citylight Kids & Student Ministry & Citylight U and anyone else who calls Citylight Council Bluffs their home church.  Ask for God’s presence to saturate, satisfy, and empower us.  Read and reflect on Acts 2:42-47.

And join us for our all-church prayer gathering @ 6:30PM!  Singing, sharing, prayer in small groups, and enjoying Jesus together!

Day 5 – Thursday, January 13

Talk to God and listen to God concerning boldness!  Ask God for boldness to love and share the gospel of Jesus more than ever in your life.  Read and reflect on Acts 4:23-31; Ephesians 6:18-20.

Day 6 – Friday, January 14

Talk to God and listen to God concerning our church plants.  Pray for Citylight West CB, Southwest Iowa, and Kansas City.  Pray for their leaders, members, City Groups, and missions to multiply disciples and churches. And pray for future church plants! For church planters, core team members, and open doors in the places they’ll plant. Read and reflect on Acts 14:21-23.

Day 7 – Saturday, January 15

Talk to God and listen to God concerning world missions.  Pray for Gospel Community Church in Rwanda, the Hernandez family in Paraguay, and the Hutton’s in the Arab Lands.  Read and reflect on Psalm 96.

Day 8 – Sunday, January 16

Let’s worship Jesus together!  Join us at 9AM or 11AM and let’s feast on Jesus!  Read and reflect on Psalm 122.

FASTING

Is fasting in the Bible?

Yep.  The Old Testament prophets called God’s people to fast (Joel 2:12-15), other leaders led God’s people in fasting (2 Chronicles 20:3; Ezra 8:21-23; Esther 4:15-17), and individuals would fast (Exodus 34:28; Nehemiah 1:4).  Jesus fasted (Matthew 4:2), gave instructions about how to fast (Matthew 6:16-18), and said his followers would also fast (Matthew 9:14-15).  The early church also fasted together (Acts 13:2; Acts 14:23).

What is fasting?

John Piper describes fasting like this: “Fasting is when we abstain from some good gift of God to say to Him, ‘This much I want more of you, O God!’”  Often, fasting means voluntarily going without food.  But some might choose to go without something else, like social media or television or certain comforts.

Should I fast?

We certainly recommend considering it and praying about it, even if you’ve never done it before.

  • Start small. Maybe skip a meal and devote that mealtime to prayer.  Then grow into more fasting, maybe for a whole day or longer, all with the intent of devoting your heart to prayer and feasting on Jesus while you fast from a good thing like food.
  • Remember others.  If you choose to fast, it will most likely affect others.  It might be good to plan ahead meals for your family, coordinate schedules with City Group friends, and plan how to respond to questions from coworkers.
  • Be healthy.  Fasting from food may not be possible for everyone.  You might need to talk with a health professional to be sure it’s safe for you.
  • Don’t blow the trumpet or judge your friends.  Even though we encourage fasting, we’d never require it; nor will we judge anyone who chooses to not fast.  And if you do choose to fast, Jesus is clear to not brag about it (Matthew 6:16-18).
  • You can still ask for prayers and encouragement from others.  Maybe let your City Group know your hopes and plans and ask them to pray for you and cheer you on.  And be ready to do the same for them!

Schedule of Prayer Gatherings in CLK Big Room

Monday through Friday, 6:30AM, 12:00 NOON, 5:30PM

 

Schedule of Prayer Room (CLK Big Room)

Monday, 12:00 NOON – 6:30PM

Tuesday through Thursday, 6:30AM – 6:30PM