Prayer and Fasting

ABIDE

SUNDAY, MARCH 2 – FRIDAY, MARCH 28

Each year, our church family dedicates a month in the beginning of the year to seek the Lord through prayer and fasting. While fasting is a season of self-denial, it has become a time of joy, breakthrough, and renewed expectation. Scripture reminds us that when we seek God with our whole heart, he meets us in ways beyond what we can imagine. Whether you’ve fasted with us before or this is your first time, we invite you to take this next step with us.

Scripture Reading Plan

This year, we are setting aside time to slowly and deeply reflect on John 15. Beginning March 2, we will read and meditate on one verse per day—allowing Jesus' words to take root in our hearts.

Read it in the morning as you spend time with the Lord.
Reflect on it at lunch.
Dwell on it throughout the day.
Return to it at day's end, letting it settle in your heart and mind.

Spending an entire day on just one verse might feel unusual at first, but it’s an opportunity to let Scripture take root deeply in your heart. Here’s a simple way to engage with each verse throughout the day:

1. Read it Slowly & Repeatedly

Read the verse out loud, slowly, two or three times.
Don’t rush—give the Holy Spirit space to illuminate the words.
Consider emphasizing different words each time you read to notice new insights.

2. Engage Your Imagination

If the verse is descriptive, picture it in your mind.
Sit with each word, asking the Lord to highlight something specific.
Spend a few minutes simply meditating on the words, letting them sink in.

3. Write it Out by Hand

Physically writing Scripture deepens engagement and helps with memorization.
Try writing it in cursive—the slower pace helps with focus.

4. Respond in Prayer or Worship

Write a short prayer of thanksgiving or praise based on what God is showing you.
Pray or even sing the verse back to God, letting it shape your worship.
If you feel led, continue praying beyond what you wrote—let this verse be a springboard for conversation with God.

By practicing this daily rhythm, you’ll abide more deeply in God’s Word, allowing each verse to transform your heart instead of just passing by quickly.

If you’d like to read a little more each day, you can follow this simple plan alongside your daily verse:

Every Monday: John 15v1-4
Every Tuesday: John 15v5-8
Every Wednesday: John 15v9-13
Every Thursday: John 15v14-17
Every Friday: John 15v18-21
Every Saturday: John 15v22-27
Every Sunday: rest or catch up

Prayer Focus

To abide deeply in Jesus and his love.
To bear lasting fruit that glorifies God.
To grow in our love for God, each other, and the world.

Fasting

Fasting is a spiritual discipline often neglected in our culture, yet over the years, our church family has experienced its power in seeking God through this ancient practice. Fasting is not a means to manipulate God. It does not make him love us more. It’s not a way to show off our spirituality. Fasting about humbling ourselves, confessing our desperate need for him, and letting go of anything that keeps us from his presence.

Richard Foster defines fasting as “abstaining from food for spiritual purpose,” while others describe it as “the voluntary denial of a normal function for the sake of intense spiritual activity.” At its core, fasting is about letting go of physical things to create space that allows us to chase after spiritual things of God.

Fasting isn’t just about what you let go of, but what we grab hold of. It’s about combining intentionality and intensity to seek after God.

If you are new to fasting or need a refresher, Revival Starts Here by Dave Clayton offers a practical guide, including a helpful section on choosing your fast.

➡ CLICK HERE TO READ “HOW TO START YOUR FAST

As you seek the Lord in this season, consider these two primary categories of fasting:

Food Fast – For those who are able, prayerfully consider fasting from food in some form.
Digital Fast – We encourage everyone to engage in a form of digital fasting to create space for prayer and reflection.

FOOD FAST

There are several different types of food fasts. Below are three that we have leaned into over the years.

Major Fast — abstaining from food and/or certain drinks for 24 hours or longer, continuing to drink water, juice, and broth throughout.
Minor Fast — abstaining from food and/or drinks for certain periods of time (i.e. sunup to sundown), continuing to drink water throughout.
Partial Fast — abstaining from certain foods (i.e. dessert, alcohol, meat)

DIGITAL FAST

A digital fast means setting aside your phone, TV, tablets, gaming systems, and computers—except for work purposes—to create more space for reading, praying, thinking, and meaningful conversation. It’s an opportunity to deepen your connection with God and the people around you.

➡ CLICK HERE FOR OUR DIGITAL FASTING GUIDE