40-Day Corporate Prayer and Fasting

Prayer and Fasting Help us Maintain Self-Control and Self-Discipline: Prayer and fasting helps to posture our hearts in humility with God. We give the Lord an opportunity to convict us where we have erred or compromised. We choose to draw closer to Him, relying on His grace and strength. The Holy Spirit can begin to communicate with us with greater clarity and direction. The Bible considers self-control to be a fundamental virtue and a fruit of the Spirit. It involves exercising restraint and moderation in various aspects of life, including thoughts, words, actions, and desires.When we incorporate prayer along with our fasting, into your daily routine over the next 40 days, it will help us create a structured framework for your day, helping you develop discipline in other areas of your life. Fasting may help improve emotional regulation, as it can teach you to handle cravings and stress without turning to food for comfort. “As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away” Acts 13:2-3 (NKJV).

The prayer is simple and easy to remember, with the point that you can pray it anywhere, anytime when you want to focus; or during contemplative prayer when you have time to really focus on each word and phrase and its meaning. It is said that this prayer contains the essence of the Gospel, and so praying it continually will help you to remember and realise the great truth that the Son of God came down from glory to be a man and die for us while we were still sinners. Our fasting is as much about living right and conforming ourselves to the mind of Christ, as it is about avoiding certain foods for a time. As Augustine wrote, there are three main things we ought to do in order to live a righteous life, which he deduced from Jesus’ teachings in the Gospels: fasting, alms and prayers. “ But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling” 1 Peter 4:7-9 (NKJV).