We are calling for Wednesday, April 29, to be a day of prayer and fasting.
- We are imploring the Lord for our meeting with the SCDOT on May 19.
- This meeting will determine the financial settlement for the eminent domain seizure of our part of our property.
Let us ask our Great God for a just and generous settlement.
“Let us with confidence draw near to the throne of grace (as a church), that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16).
What follows are:
- Scriptural Reflections to Encourage Our Prayer.
- Some Suggestions About the Process of Prayer & Fasting.
- Some Suggested Petitions.
- Some Suggested Places to Meet.
Scriptural Reflections to Encourage Our Prayer & Fasting
1. Prayer is an indispensable means of enjoying God and seeing his purposes advance in the world.
The Lord Jesus told his followers that some things can only be brought about through prayer (Mark 9:29).
James tells us that we have not because ask not, and that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (James 4:2b; 5:16).
Even when we do not have direct commands to pray, we have examples urging us to commit to extended times of prayer together. Here are just a few.
2. The concentrated prayer of gathered saints precedes major decisions and events.
Jesus prayed all night before he chose the Twelve (Luke 6:12–13).
“In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve.”
Prayer precedes the power of Pentecost (Acts 1:14; 2:1–2).
“With one accord [they] were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”
“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.”
3. The concentrated prayer of gathered saints precedes revelation.
Prayer precedes revelation to before kings (Dan 2:17–18, 19).
“Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.”
“Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel. . . . Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.”
Prayer precedes revelation about Christ and his authority (Luke 9:18–19, 20).
“Now it happened that as [Jesus] was praying alone, the disciples were with him.
And he asked them, ‘Who do the crowds say that I am?’ And they answered, ‘John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.’
Then he said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’
And Peter answered, ‘The Christ of God.'”
4. The concentrated prayer of gathered saints precedes major deliverances from governing powers.
Prayer precedes a petition to the king (Neh 1:4; 2:4–5, 8).
“As soon as I heard . . . I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
The king said to me, ‘What are you requesting?’ So I prayed to the God of heaven.
And I said to the king, ‘If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, send me to Judah . . . that I may rebuild it.’
And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.”
Prayer preceded Peter’s freedom from jail (Acts 12:1, 5–7, 12).
“Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. . . . Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.
Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, . . . an angel of the Lord stood next to [Peter], and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, ‘Get up quickly.’ And the chains fell off his hands.
When [Peter] realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John, whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.”
In all such matters, prayer recognizes God’s sovereign power to act and implores him to do so.
Some Suggestions About the Process
There are no set rules for fasting in the Bible.
- Fasting frees us up to focus on pleading with God for requests agreeable to his will.
- Fasting causes us to feel how our souls are as dependent on God for life as our bodies are for food.
- Simply skip the things you normally depend upon and tell the Lord what you want and what you long for.
- Please take your personal health situation into account.
- Maintain a spirit of prayer before the Lord throughout the day, with a specific focus on a just and generous settlement.
- Read Scripture and pray in the place of eating or taking downtime.
- Fast fully from food (or from things like the news, music, social media, etc) all day until we meet Wednesday night. (Drink juice, water, coffee.)
- Fast partially during the day, skipping a meal or going on a walk during a break to pray.
- Follow the A.C.T.S. method of prayer we use in our corporate prayer service.
- Read Scripture and pray in the place of eating or other normal habits.
In general, break from your normal routine (such as the eating of food or other habits) to spend as much intentional time in concentrated prayer alone and with others as you can. Instead of eating or reading another sort of book, pray and read the Bible in a posture of prayer.
Some Suggested Petitions
1. For God to burden and enable our lawyer to argue strongly for our cause.
2. For God to cause the SCDOT officials to fear God and respond with favor, as King Artaxerxes replied to Nehemiah and as King Cyrus performed God’s pleasure (Neh 2:4–5, 8; Isa 44:28 // Ezra 1:1–4).
3. For God to grant supernatural wisdom and the power of his Spirit to Pastor Brad, Pastor Will, and Deacon Norman when we negotiate.
4. For a just and generous settlement.
5. For a happy trusting in God’s will for the outcome (Prov 21:31).
Some Suggested Places to Meet
Connect with some EBC members ahead of time to pray with throughout the day.
- It may be meeting to pray through breakfast or lunch.
- Praying at the park or over a tea or coffee break.
- You could even schedule a phone call to pray with another member.
The following are a few times and places that will be available to gather for prayer.
- The EBC building will be open.
- Please see the email for other places to meet.
The point of this is not to get the mechanics of prayer and fasting right.
The point is to spend concentrated time praying together imploring the Lord to act for the glory of his name and the generations to come after us.
The hunger of physical fasting provokes the spiritual hunger of souls in utter dependence on the Lord.
“Arise, O Lord, Do not let man prevail; Let the nations be judged in Your sight” (Ps 9:19).
“Arise O Lord! O God, Lift up your hand! Do not forget the humble” (Ps 10:12).
“Rise up! Come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!” (Ps 44:26).
Let us boldly cast all our cares on him, for he cares for us (1 Pet 5:7).
