Below you’ll find all the resources you’ll need for today. Start by watching Pastor Paul’s teaching on Prayer + Fasting as well as the complete Prayer Guide for the day. You’ll also find zoom links to enter our guided prayer gathering at 12pm. If you’re able, join us tonight at 5pm at the Homecoming Prayer Night at our Quinsigamond Village Campus (46 Greenwood St.), and pack a dinner for us to break our fast together.

INTRODUCTION

Why prayer and fasting?

It’s always a good time for God’s people to fast and pray! If you’re new to the practice or want to learn more about what the Bible says about fasting, the sermon on our Day of Prayer and Fasting webpage is a good start: TheJourneyMA.org/Prayerandfasting.


Fasting for Christians can be an act of humility, lament, surrender, justice, seeking God’s will, presence, and direction—any or all of the above! Our hope is that this practice and all that it entails becomes more and more a regular habit for those of us who call The Journey our church home.

Theme scripture for the day:

2 Chronicles 7:14

 If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  

Background:

The context of this passage is the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem by King Solomon. The temple was to be the center of corporate worship and prayer for the people of Israel. The particular promise of God in 7:14 looks ahead to the future when there will be times of national calamity in Israel, crises of many kinds as a result of their being unfaithful to God. God knew this would happen, and prepared his people far in advance with instructions on how they were to respond, and assurance of how He would respond in turn.

Many of the specific details of this passage, as well as the “If…then” promise of God are specific to the context of biblical Israel and their relationship with God under the Old Covenant. But many of the principles here are relevant and timely for the church today, those whom God has called to himself from every nation, tribe and people. The call of God in 2 Chronicles is a timely one for our specific church as well.

This day is a sort of “dedication” on our part as The Journey Community Church. This Homecoming Weekend kicks off a fresh season of ministry for our community, with many plans, programs and activities. Yet as Psalm 127:1 tells us: “Unless the LORD builds the bouse, the builders labor in vain.” We do not just want to be busy doing good things in the church and in the city, but to have all of these efforts be places of encounter with the Living God, where his power and grace are at work to transform lives.

We are also called to be Christ’s church in a time marked by a number of different crises—political, moral, spiritual, societal, etc. While any of us can name a number of things we would like to see change “out there”, there remains a call on those who bear God’s name to begin with a posture of humility, repentance and prayer as we seek Him first, and to cry out on behalf of the land we live in for the power of God to bring forgiveness and healing of many kinds.

This guide is designed to shape our day of prayer by walking through our theme verse in three parts:

• First is a personal devotional to start the day by reflecting on what it means to be God’s people, called by his name

• Second is a midday prayer guide centered around confession and repentance as we humble ourselves before our Lord who humbled himself on the cross at that hour.  At noon we will have an opportunity to gather on Zoom to pray through this corporately; if you are unable to make it, feel free to use this on your own or with a small group at some point during the day. You’ll find the zoom link on our Day of Prayer and Fasting web page.

• Finally, at 5:00pm we invite you to gather at our 46 Greenwood St. campus to join in a time of corporate prayer and to then break our fast together. If you are unable to attend, we invite you to close your fast by praying hope for spiritual renewal and revival in our lives, in our church, and in our city. The final section of this guide can offer you some direction in doing so.

MORNING DEVOTIONAL:

Find a quiet space and pray

See suggestions below:

• Have your Bible open
• Grab a notebook to write down prayers, reflections and verses or anything the Lord may be saying to you
• Name any distractions or things that pre-occupy your mind and heart
• Listen to worship music to prepare your heart and focus on God

IF MY PEOPLE, WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 

Let us begin the day by considering what our identity as God’s people who have been called by him. Turn to Ephesians chapter 2. Begin by reading verses 1-10.

• What does this passage tell us about how we came to be called God’s own? What does it say about the nature of God? About why and how He brought us into relationship with Himself?

• Reflect on your own journey of being saved by God, and express your thanks to Him.

• Now read the rest of the chapter, verses 11-22. What does this tell us about what it means to be God’s people corporately? What does it say about God? About the reconciliation He accomplished not only with Him but with others?

• Reflect on what it means for you to be part of “God’s household.” What are some gifts you have received as a result? What are some ways that you find it challenging? How might God be inviting you to respond?

Commit your day to God

Invite God to have His way in you as you fast. Perhaps pick one or two verses from this morning devotion to meditate on throughout the day.

NOONTIME PRAYER:

If my people, who are called by my name, will HUMBLE THEMSELVES AND PRAY AND SEEK MY FACE AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 

The noontime hour traditionally marks the center of the time during which Jesus hung on the Cross, laying down his life in sacrificial love for us. As we consider his great suffering and his great mercy, let us humble ourselves before Him and boldly confess our sins.

Let us begin by reading James 4:7-10:

7  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 hands, 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.

• Take a moment of silence to allow God to bring to mind areas of sin in our lives and in our world which would be appropriate to grieve and mourn.

• Now let us take time to confess aloud before God and in the company of our brothers and sisters

Let us pray together in the words of Psalm 51

As we consider Christ on the Cross once more, let us close with the words of Hebrews 9:27-28:

 27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

May the grace of Christ be with us as we eagerly anticipate his coming!

EVENING PRAYER:

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I WILL HEAR FROM HEAVEN, AND I WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN AND WILL HEAL THEIR LAND. 

The promise of God’s response in 2 Chronicles is both for forgiveness of sin, and for healing of the land. The gospel of Jesus is not only a promise of personal forgiveness for any who put their trust in him, but also for his kingdom to come and one day make all things new.

If you are unable to join our in-person prayer gathering, take some time before breaking your fast to cry out to God from the place of your physical hunger.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Matthew 5:4

• Where do you long to see more of the righteousness of God in your own life? In your relational circles?
• Who do you long to see experience the forgiveness of Jesus and the new life that he offers them?
• Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” Jeremiah 29:7
• Pray for our “land”—for QV, Bell Hill, greater Worcester, our nation and world. Where are they in need of healing? How might God be calling us as individuals and as a church to be agents of his shalom peace in the city where he has sent us?

Be sure to make a note of any ways that God met you or spoke to you during this time of fasting and prayer. And tell someone—a friend, small group leader, pastor, etc. It’s important to remember and celebrate what He’s done and to discern His voice in community!