A Time of Prayer and Fasting
David built an altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. THUS, THE LORD WAS MOVED BY PRAYER FOR THE LAND AND THE PLAGUE WAS HELD BACK FROM ISRAEL. 2 Samuel 24:25 (NASB)
Our world and all its inhabitants are in the throes of dealing with a virus for which there is currently no sanctioned vaccine and no authorized cure. But when unusual affliction comes to the people of God, we have the opportunity to respond and to do so together as the body of Christ.
God has so ordered the universe that every created thing responds to the prayers of God’s people. When our prayers incorporate the element of personal sacrifice, abstaining from food and other worldly distractions, the holy power released through sacrificial intercession is amplified. Even as the world around us is taking drastic measures to end this pandemic, we can take heart from the words Moses spoke to the Israelites as they were escaping the plagues in Egypt: “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today…The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” (Exodus 14:13,14) And God parted the Red Sea.
We are inviting every International Church leader to join in a communal fast on Tuesday, April 28, 2020 to seek the mercy of heaven to stop the pandemic!!!
Many of you are familiar with fasting as a spiritual discipline; others may be experiencing it for the first time. As we join together in this communal fast, please also consider unplugging your electronic devices to maximize your ability to hear what God is saying.
We suggest you dedicate three 20-minute segments during this day for specific prayer – morning, noon, and evening – using the time you would ordinarily take to eat a meal to pray.
As we join together in corporate fasting and shared intercession, we are using Psalm 95 as our scriptural focus. Divided into three sections (v. 1-5, worshiping God with songs of praise and thanksgiving; v. 6-7, humbling ourselves before the Lord our Maker and Shepherd; v. 8-11, hearing and obeying His voice as He speaks to us), we suggest you begin the day by reading Psalm 95 aloud, keeping a notebook beside you to record what the Holy Spirit is saying as you worship, bow down, and listen.
Here are model prayers based on the three sections of Psalm 95 to help guide you as you pray. Use them as a launchpad to pray as the Holy Spirit leads you.
Section 1 – Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation! Let us come into His Presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In His hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land. (v. 1-5)
Lord God Almighty, how glorious it is to come together as your children into your courts, singing our hearts out in praise to the One who made us, saved us, and called us His own! Even as we shout our praises and bless your holy name, we know you are alive in each of us, inhabiting our worship! We thank you, Father, that even in the midst of trouble, you are our shelter in place, hiding us under your wing as we rest in your shadow. You are our refuge and fortress, our hiding place where no evil will befall us, no disaster will come near us. Thank you for surrounding us with your holy ministering angels and guiding us by the power of the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead! If you are for us, who can be against us? You have made us more than conquerors through our Lord Jesus Christ! We thank you even in the midst of these daunting circumstances, Abba, knowing you will keep your promise to work everything together for good as we love you and work together as your body to fulfill your purpose. Amen.
Now pray specifically for your corner of the world: family, friends, church, community, leaders, thanking God for His blessings, acknowledging His sovereignty as Creator and Sustainer of all things, and asking for His intervention as He works out HIs purpose in allowing this pandemic. Ask Him to show you how He wants to change any self-focus to a God-focused life. Pray for Him to heal us of our selfish sin sickness in this sin- saturated culture, cleansing our hands and purifying our hearts so we might see God.
Section 2 – Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. (v. 6-7)
Heavenly Father, we humble ourselves before you as the King of kings and Lord of lords, the One before whom every knee will one day bow. We offer to you a sacrifice of praise through the surrender of our own wills, asking that you help us to humble ourselves in obedience to your perfect will. We acknowledge that we all like sheep have gone astray, but you are the Good Shepherd who keeps watch over your flock, desiring that none would perish. Forgive us, Father, for those times we have ventured outside of your will, and thank you that you always receive us back into your fold. Lord, we know that those who love you obey your commands, so help us today to hear your voice clearly and follow you closely as you lead us beside the still waters, restoring our souls even as you lead us in paths of righteousness for the sake of your great Name. Amen.
Reflect on how this pandemic has halted normal activity throughout the nations. How is God speaking through this? As you bow before Him in submission, ask Holy Spirit to reveal any thoughts and attitudes of your own heart that may need correction or redirection and what He wants to communicate to you specifically through this crisis. Ask the Good Shepherd to heal and restore His sheep and bring others into His fold.
Section 3 – Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers put Me to the test and put Me to the proof, though they had seen My work. For forty years I loathed that generation and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways.” Therefore I swore in my wrath, “They shall not enter my rest.” (v. 8-11)
Father God, have mercy on us, for we have sinned just as our Israelite ancestors, clearly seeing your hand of provision and deliverance, yet questioning the reality of your Presence. Forgive us for resisting your instruction, for tacitly agreeing with the sin all around us, for refusing to trust your power to deliver us. Father, forgive us for complaining about these present trials so necessary for change in our sin-sick world. We repent of the selfishness, hypocrisy, and self- righteousness that have overshadowed your presence in us and thank you for taking all of our sin on yourself at the cross. We ask you to cleanse us by the blood of the Lamb and transform us by the washing of water through your Word. Fill us with your Holy Spirit, making every part of us holy and whole. Help us to enter your rest so we might become an oasis for others to find rest in you. We ask that you, the God of hope, would fill us with all joy and peace as we trust in you, so that we might overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit, all to your glory. Amen.
Pray for the International Church, that we will heed what God is saying. Pray that this crisis would cause God’s mercy to fall on the earth, bringing many sinners to the saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Pray that we would all be changed, that what the enemy intended for evil, God will work for great good. Pray for the governments of the nations to work together for common benefit, for guidance in the scientific community as they seek a vaccine, for protection for those who are working in the front lines, for pastors and church leaders to have wisdom and strength to lead and care for their people. Pray that Covid-19 would be the catalyst for the third Great Awakening as the bride of Christ prepares for His return.
If you would like more suggestions for prayer, click here for Additional Prayers to Consider.
Jan de Chambrier
