We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.
2 Chronicles 20:12
EFCA Call to Prayer & Fasting
We are living in extraordinary times. And so we are inviting our church body to join us and other evangelical Christians around the world into a season of extraordinary prayer.
Why fast?
In the Bible, seasons of intensive prayer among God’s people are often accompanied by fasting (Judges 20:26; Ps. 35:13; Dan. 9:3; Neh. 12:4; Matt. 17:21; Acts 13:12; 14:23). This is because fasting is a spiritual compliment to the discipline of prayer. Wayne Grudem suggests six reasons why fasting compliments our prayer life (Systematic Theology, p. 390-1):
- Fasting increases our sense of humility and dependence on the Lord
- Fasting allows us to give more attention to prayer
- Fasting is a continual reminder that, just as we sacrifice some personal comfort to the Lord by not eating, so we must continually sacrifice all of ourselves to him
- Fasting is a good exercise in self-discipline
- Fasting also heightens spiritual and mental alertness and a sense of God’s presence
- Fasting expresses earnestness and urgency in our prayers
The invitation
For these reasons we are inviting you to:
- Join EFCA congregations around the country and set aside each Wednesday as a day to pray specifically for the COVID-19 crisis
- Specifically set aside Good Friday as a day to pray and fast
Fasting can look differently, depending on the person and their circumstance. Here’s a helpful resource if you’ve never fasted before.
What to pray for
If you’re not sure what to pray for specifically, Walter Kim (President of the National Association of Evangelicals) has written an appropriately concise and helpful prayer for anyone to use.
Trinity family, will you join us as we seek the Lord together?
“Yet even now,” declares the Lord,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and he relents over disaster.
Joel 2:12-13