“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.” Matthew 4:1–2
Read Matthew 4:1–2
Lord, thank you for the example of fasting you have set for us. Stir my heart to follow your example and practice this life-giving discipline. Through my fasting, give me a hunger for you that cannot be satisfied. Jesus, you did not say “if you fast,” but “when you fast” (Matt. 6:16–18). You call us to fast and you set the example yourself. The purpose you set for fasting is to draw us closer to you and to refocus ourselves on you through the hunger. Bless my individual fast and feed my hunger with yourself.
May our corporate fasting grow our dependence upon you. May we see miracles because of our prayer and fasting. We are fasting together as a church to pray collectively for this new year. There are a lot of exciting things coming in 2014, but we cannot accomplish any of them without your strength and power. Guide us to pray for the church and for your mission to go forward through our efforts because we have placed our hope firmly in you. Help us to work for your glory, and not our own.
Lead me to pray huge prayers in my own life. God, you call us to do greater things than we can imagine, through your power. You have prepared beforehand good works for us. Show me what good works you have for me. Lord, you created us to live in community with our brothers and sisters and to work together as a body of believers. Give me an opportunity to pray with another believer today, so that we might point each other to you as we enter the fast and prepare for this year.
Amen.
Today begins our church-wide, five-day fast that will end at sundown on January 10th when we gather at our local churches to break our fasts together. For more information about fasting, check out marshill.com/fasting.
Thank you for praying and giving to be a part of our year-end campaign to raise $2 million above and beyond our normal giving. Go here for more information on how Mars Hill is building a legacy to equip the next generation. Visit marshill.com/give to give online and set up a recurring gift for 2014.
