Join us this January (12-26) as we begin this year with a time of prayer and fasting as a church community—joining with other believers around the world to seek God for the upcoming year!

Here’s a great devotional on Proverbs 9, to begin praying into this next season:

Our time of prayer and fasting is a “time set apart” to personally grow very close to the Lord!

John 10:27
“My sheep hear My voice and I know them, & they follow Me.”

John 15:5
“I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing.”

Keys For This Time:

1. Meditate on all of John 15, and ask the Lord to speak
to you personally and write down what He says to you

2. Every day, look for “what the Lord is doing” & not “what He isn’t doing”!

3. Even if your schedule for the day is pre planned out, there will be several points where you can stop and connect with Him. He really wants to connect with you.

4. Be open to pray with other brothers and sisters if you see them in passing: Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and even so much more as you see the Day approaching.”

5. 3pm daily: stop to pray what the Holy Spirit shows you, with the LH family

__________BASICS OF FASTING

WHAT IS FASTING
Fasting is simply abstaining from something - traditionally food - for the purpose of seeing, savoring, and seeking God more clearly and earnestly. Jesus took it for granted that His disciples would fast and even began sentences with “when you fast…” (Matthew 6:16). Jesus predicted that future believers - us - would fast to draw closer to Him and to testify that we are awaiting our future physical joining with our Savior - “… But someday the Groom will be taken from them and then they will fast…” (Mark 2:20). He also made it very clear that some breakthroughs would only occur in our lives through concentrated prayer and fasting - “This kind only goes out by prayer and fasting…” (Matthew 17:21).  

WHATS THE MAIN GOAL OF FASTING?
The heart of fasting - whether a private fast or a corporate fast - is Jesus. The point is not to get legalistic—but  to seek Him + enjoy Him. The point is not just to not eat. The point is to replace the flesh comforts with prayer, reading more Scripture, journaling, even worship—more time communing with God. It may sound silly but—If we don’t eat and don’t spend time with Jesus, all we have accomplished to starve ourselves both physically and spiritually - and that’s no fun for anyone!  

WHAT KIND OF FAST SHOULD I DO? There are many models of fasting you can follow from Scripture. One popular fast is the Daniel fast - a temporary diet consisting of only water, fruits and vegetables, another consists of only bread and water. Some people simply give up soft drinks or sweets. The point of Fasting is laying something physical down to pick something spiritual up. And like King David we don’t “want to offer a sacrifice that costs nothing.” If you don’t like chocolate, chocolate is not the thing to fast!  

FAST OPTIONS: 
-Complete Fast: drinking only liquids, typically water, with juice as an option.
-Daniel Fast: removing meat, sweets and alcohol from your diet (see Daniel 1:8).
-Partial Fast: sometimes called a Jewish Fast, calls for abstaining from food for a specific part of each day. This might be from sunup to sundown, or 6 am to 3 pm, lunches, or something suitable for you.
-Electronic Entertainment Fast: Not using social media and or all forms of electronic entertainment (movies, TV, video games, etc.). This is also a good fast to combine with one of the food fasts. It’s helpful to refocus areas of life that might be out of balance.  
-Choose 1 thing daily to fast w/ your family or roommates.

WHAT SHOULD I PRAY ABOUT?
The short answer is everything. Pray about anything and everything on your heart. Fasting is a powerful time for targeted, focused prayer. Pray fervently for breakthrough. Pray for personal direction. Pray for a lost child, unbelieving family members. Pray for the poor, the overlooked, and the marginalized around the world. Pray for America. Pray for North America. Pray for Global breakthrough and the kingdom of heaven coming to earth. You can pray for the vision of Lighthouse Church both locally and globally - that more people than ever before will discover and connect to their God-given purpose. Pray for Lighthouse pastors and leadership that they would be filled with the Holy Spirit and New Life. Pray for fresh vision and anointing. And finally, pray for revival (nations + communities + people groups to turn their hearts to God). 

MORE IDEAS FOR PRAYER
-Declare your dependence on God in every area of your lives.
-Pray forgiveness for anyone you’re having trouble forgiving.
-Pray forgiveness for yourself!
-Pray for a closer relationship with God and hearing His voice.
-Pray for our city – that God would draw people to Himself and many hearts would turn to Him.
-Pray for your neighbors – walk your neighborhood several times per week and pray for the people who live in each house.
 -Ask God for guidance in your life for the year.
-Believe God will answer prayers your are praying for specific needs.
 -Victory over areas of sin, and asking for forgiveness for our sins – personally and corporately.
-Inviting God’s presence and power to work in our church and our lives.