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Grace and peace be multiplied unto you, from our great God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

On Wednesday, September 1, 2021, through Friday, September 3, 2021, we will be engaging in our three days of prayer and fasting commencing each day at 6 am - 6 pm.

In Isaiah 58, we read the following,

"1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. 2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. 3 Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours. 4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. 5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? 7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? 8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; 10 and if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day: 11 and the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. 12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in."

The theme for these days of prayer and fasting is "Re-Building the Waste Places". The scripture passage above shows the requirements that must be fulfilled to achieve this objective.

As Chrisitan, we are commissioned to be Ambassadors of Christ. We are the hands and the feet that He uses to proclaim this great gospel. We are told in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 "3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." It is often said that we are the only Bible that the unsaved reads. They may never pick up a Bible to read, however, they look at our lives as called out believers. Our lives will affect them positively or negatively in making a decision for Christ. Therefore, it is of great importance that we live exemplary lives as it relates to holiness and righteoudness. We are told in Isaiah 52:11 that we should be clean because we are the vessels of the Lord. Our life must always be a reflection of Him. So, when unbelievers come in contact with us they should see Him in every area of our lives. We must become the John the Baptist of our times, preparing mankind for the imminent return of Christ. St. Mark 1:1-4 "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; 2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." We are commissioned of Christ to take the gospel to the world. St. Matthew 28:18-20, "18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." If we fail to reach our world their blood will be on our hands. In Ezekiel 3:17-19, we read, "17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. 18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul." We have been given an awesome responsibility to declare Jesus Christ and Him crucified. It is our responsibility to encourage those who are unsaved, backslidden and even those that are saved to walk in accordance to the will of God for their lives.

So, let us endevor to reach our world for Christ no matter the cost. There is a mandate which is laid upon every baptized believer to reach the world with the great gospel. There are sacrifices involved in reaching the world, but the benefits will be out of this world!

So, as we embark upon thse three days of fasting and prayer, let us pray daily with some of these prayer points in mind.

Day 1 (September 1, 2021): evangelize our household and extended families

5 am (Isaiah 58); 12 pm (Joel 1); 8 pm (Joel 2)

  • Pray that we will be intentional in sharing the gospel with our family
  • Pray for boldness when sharing this apostolic truth. Acts 4:12
  • Pray that we declare the plan of salvation as recorded in Acts 2:38
  • Pray that family devotions will be reestablished within our homes (prayer and reading the words of God and discussion of the Word)
  • Pray for backslid in family members
  • Pray for our family to become receptive to the call of God

 

Day 2 (September 2, 2021): Repair the breach within our assembly

5 am (Isaiah 1); 12 pm (Ezekiel 3); 8 pm (Ezekiel 36:17-38)

  • Pray that our leaders will preach the word of God with boldness. Ephesians 6:19, “ and for me, that utterance may be given onto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make a known the mystery of the gospel.“
  • Pray earnestly for those who are backslidden from our assembly for restoration before the time of too late. Jeremiah 3:14
  • Pray for those who are becoming weary in well doing that the faint not.
  • Pray that we will live Godly and sober lives. Titus 2:12
  • Pray that our leaders will preach the gospel without compromise. Isaiah 58:1
  • Pray that we will examine ourselves through the mirror of the word of God. 1 Corinthians 11:31

 

Day 3 (September 3, 2021): Repair and restoration of our community

5 am (Isaiah 52); 12 pm (Jeremiah 3); 8 pm (Jeremiah 6)

  • Pray that God will take away the stony heart of the community and give them a heart of flesh, that’s allowing them to be receptive to the word of God. Ezekiel 36:26
  • Pray that every strong hold of the enemy barricading the mind of every unsafe soul across our harvest field from receiving the Lord be pulled down.
  • Pray that God will give us more passion and compassion for the unsaved.
  • Pray for spiritual revival, repentance, restoration, and a renewed focus for Christ within our communities.
  • Pray for peace and harmony where there is violence and dissent within our communities. 

 

Dear brothers and sisters, we do pray that we will all discipline ourselves and participate as extensively as possible in this endeavor.

Members who are taking medication are encouraged to consult with their doctors before participating in fasting. If your doctor advises you against fasting, we encourage you to get full participation in praying each day for the prayer needs previously stated.

God richly bless you!