We are dedicating the month of October to prayer and fasting. We are asking for all our Seashore Church family to get involved; for everyone to participate at some level. People have varied family and work-life commitments, age and health requirements, and generally, a person’s season in life will affect how a person chooses to participate. For example, we do not want pregnant or nursing mothers fasting!

There are various ways for people to participate. Some of these will be explained below but first:

Why pray? Why fast?

First, prayer is all our communication with God. What an incredible privilege we have been invited into, to be in relationship with Him, where He communicates with us. God makes His heart known to us, and He wants to hear us talk and express our heart back. He listens to us. He longs for true-hearted engagement with us. Through prayer we become assured of His love for us, our calling in Him, and our faith and love grows (John 14:21; Eph 1:17-19; 2Thes 1:11-12; Phil 1:6).

Second, prayer is powerful. Prayer can set off earthquakes and change the weather (Act 4:31; Jas 5:17). Prayer results in people getting healed and being raised from the dead (Act 3:1, 9:40, 28:8; Jas 5:13-16). Angels show up when we pray (Act 10:40). The Holy Spirit prays through us when we give ourselves to prayer (Rom 8:26).

Third, the early church devoted themselves to the Word (apostles teaching), to fellowship (gathering together), and to prayer (Acts 2:42). And Paul commanded us to “be faithful in prayer” (Rom 12:12), to devote ourselves to prayer (Col 4:2), and to “pray without ceasing” (1Thes 5:17).

Fourth, miracles happen when we pray! As a church family, we are giving this month to pray for our nation, the nations, as well as for our own needs. Things like physical healings, healing in hearts, relationships to be restored, family members and friends to come to Jesus, and for the increase of the spreading of the gospel. God will affect great change through our prayer.

As far as fasting is concerned, fasting is not something we do to get God to move. Fasting moves us. It moves our heart closer to His. It is a way to humble ourselves and reminds us of our complete dependence upon Him. When we fast, we become more sensitive to the moving of His heart. We train and sharpen our spiritual senses because, as we set aside the physical and its needs, we emphasize the spiritual and learn to tune in to that realm more, this grows our faith!

Jesus began His ministry with a forty day fast (Matt 4:2; ). During His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus cautioned against making public displays when praying and fasting. That is, don’t do it for the attention or applause of man, do it to and for the honor the Lord (Matt 6:5-18). And there were aspects to spiritual warfare that Jesus said prayer and fasting are required, particularly for deliverance ministry (Matt 17:21; Mar 9:29; ). Later in the Antioch church, the leaders had gathered and after prayer and fasting, commissioned Paul and Barnabus into ministry and sent them on their missionary journeys (Act 13:2-3). Paul then made prayer and fasting his practice with new churches before appointing leaders/elders, and for instructions in ministry and in life, generally (Acts 14:23; 2Cor 6:5, 11:27).

Prayer options:

  1. 30 for 30! Pray in tongues for 30 minutes each day for the first 30 days of October. Then join us on the 31st for our prayer and worship night at the Prayer House. This is a great way to develop the good habit of increasing your prayer life.
  2. If you have not tried this, get up a little earlier than usual in the mornings and enjoy coffee with Jesus early in the mornings.
  3. Join us in one or more of our prayer & worship meetings. Sunday preservice prayer begins at 9am, at Neon House. Then at the Prayer House on Tuesdays at 7:30, Thursdays and Fridays at 7PM. (Please note the difference in time.)
  4. Meet up with a friend to pray at sunrise on a beach, in a park, for a walk, pray in a café, or in your home.

Fasting options:

  1. Fast one meal day for the month of October.
  2. Fast everyday till 5pm for the month.
  3. Fast two or three days each week for the month, like each Tuesday/Thursday or Monday/Wednesday/Friday.
  4. Fast every other day for the month.
  5. First time fasters, maybe do one day each week for the month, no food till 5pm. If you fall off the wagon, don’t sweat it, try again after a couple of days.
  6. Don’t leave the kids out, they need their nutrients, but they don’t need sugar! Maybe bring them in by helping them value fasting by giving up sweets or deserts for a week, or for the month.

Don’t be limited to these. Ask Holy Spirit for guidance. And get creative with your schedule. The end goal is spending time with Jesus and learn to really enjoy it. He loves spending time with you.