21 Days of Prayer & Fasting
Friday, December 11 marks the beginning of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting for the Marsalis Avenue church family. During the 21 day period (which ends on December 31), every member is to join in asking GOD to prepare us for connecting to Him, connection with one another and connecting with the world so that the world can connect to God. A prayer calendar will be made available to help us focus on some specific requests and prayers of thanksgiving. The first seven days are devoted to connecting to God. Days 8-14 focus on connecting to the church, and the last seven days on connecting to the world. You are not limited to those areas that are on the prayer calendar. We encourage you to pray for additional things as the Spirit leads you.
Prayer is an awesome tool in the Christian’s spiritual tool box! Throughout scripture we see that prayer is strengthened by fasting. In Acts 13:3, the church prayed and fasted prior to Barnabas and Saul engaging in a new ministry.
Twenty-one Days of Prayer and Fasting will provide you with an opportunity to strengthen your prayer life and grow in the spiritual disciplines. Fasting is the intentional and temporary giving up of something you crave, need or highly value in order to focus your thoughts, prayers, and energy on a spiritual matter. Traditionally, fasts involve going without food, but there are many other ways to fast. Possible fasts include: giving up meat or a meal a day, giving up sugar or desserts, giving up your favorite food, giving up sodas, giving up television, social media, or gaming, giving up buying new clothes, eating out, going to the movies, and many other possibilities.
As you fast, do so with the purpose of getting closer to God. God rewards those who fast with sincerity (see Matthew 6:16-18). When the people of God come together to pray, don’t be surprised when God does great things among us and through us.
William Lamont Ross
Senior Minister
Prayer is an awesome tool in the Christian’s spiritual tool box! Throughout scripture we see that prayer is strengthened by fasting. In Acts 13:3, the church prayed and fasted prior to Barnabas and Saul engaging in a new ministry.
Twenty-one Days of Prayer and Fasting will provide you with an opportunity to strengthen your prayer life and grow in the spiritual disciplines. Fasting is the intentional and temporary giving up of something you crave, need or highly value in order to focus your thoughts, prayers, and energy on a spiritual matter. Traditionally, fasts involve going without food, but there are many other ways to fast. Possible fasts include: giving up meat or a meal a day, giving up sugar or desserts, giving up your favorite food, giving up sodas, giving up television, social media, or gaming, giving up buying new clothes, eating out, going to the movies, and many other possibilities.
As you fast, do so with the purpose of getting closer to God. God rewards those who fast with sincerity (see Matthew 6:16-18). When the people of God come together to pray, don’t be surprised when God does great things among us and through us.
William Lamont Ross
Senior Minister
MACC 21 Days Prayer & Fasting Calendar
Remember to CONNECT with God + CONNECT with each Other + CONNECT with the World
1st Week (Two Days)
Friday, December 11th:
(1 Corinthians 1:4-9) Pray prayers of thanksgiving to God for:
(Colossians 1:9-12) Pray that God will:
(1 Corinthians 1:4-9) Pray prayers of thanksgiving to God for:
- His grace given to us in Christ Jesus…
- The gift of His Word…
- His Holy Spirit who gifts us and seals us…
(Colossians 1:9-12) Pray that God will:
- Fill us with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding
- Live in a way worthy of the Lord in all respects
- Strengthened with all power
2nd Week
Sunday, December 13th:
(Acts 2:41-42) Pray that God will empower us to:
(Romans 15:13) Pray that God will:
(Galatians 5:22-26) Pray that God will strengthen us to:
(Psalm 42:5-8) Pray that God will empower all of us to:
(Philippians 3:1-3) Pray that God will bless our corporate and private worship so that we may:
(1 Thessalonians 1:2-5) Pray prayers of thanksgiving to God for:
(2 Corinthians 4:6-10) Pray that God will protect the congregation from:
(Acts 2:41-42) Pray that God will empower us to:
- Fortify our personal prayer time
- Be blessed in our private worship time
- Increase individual Bible study time
(Romans 15:13) Pray that God will:
- Continually fill us with joy and peace
- Keep us focused on the hope of our salvation
- Strengthen us to live lives sanctified by the Holy Spirit…
(Galatians 5:22-26) Pray that God will strengthen us to:
- Better understand the nature of the Holy Spirit
- Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit...
- Continually demonstrate the fruit of the Holy Spirit…
(Psalm 42:5-8) Pray that God will empower all of us to:
- Trust Him even when we do not sense His presence or understand Him
- Praise and worship Him at all times, regardless of our circumstances
- Trust Him to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we ask or imagine
(Philippians 3:1-3) Pray that God will bless our corporate and private worship so that we may:
- Worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus
- Eliminate the distractions that hinder our connection to God in worship
- Inspire even the unbeliever among us to bow down before God and worship Him, declaring, "God is really among you."
(1 Thessalonians 1:2-5) Pray prayers of thanksgiving to God for:
- The spiritual and numerical growth of the congregation
- The unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace that has been preserved among us
- Work of faith and labor of love within the congregation
(2 Corinthians 4:6-10) Pray that God will protect the congregation from:
- Forces that will seek to disrupt our unit
- Foes that will seek to attack our character and destroy our reputation
- Fears that will seek to hinder our growth
3rd Week
Sunday, December 20th:
(Romans 12:3-7) Pray that God will strengthen our ability to:
(John 15:12-17) Pray that God will strengthen us to:
(Galatians 6:1-3) Pray that God will strengthen our resolve to:
(2 Timothy 2:20-22) Pray that God will strengthen our homes by empowering:
(Colossians 3:9-15) Pray that God will strengthen us to:
(Romans 1:14-17) Pray prayers of thanksgiving to God for:
(Mark 6:34) Pray that God will strengthen the congregation to:
(Romans 12:3-7) Pray that God will strengthen our ability to:
- Maximize the use of our talents and spiritual gifts…
- Wisely use our time
- Be good stewards of His treasures
(John 15:12-17) Pray that God will strengthen us to:
- Love one another as Christ loves us
- Encourage one another in every good work
- Pray for one another
(Galatians 6:1-3) Pray that God will strengthen our resolve to:
- Restore the fallen in a spirit of gentleness
- Bear one another’s burdens
- Minister to one another
(2 Timothy 2:20-22) Pray that God will strengthen our homes by empowering:
- Youth to flee lusts and follow righteousness, faith, love, and peace
- Singles to stand strong in the Lord and in the power of His might
- Married couples to love and honor one another
(Colossians 3:9-15) Pray that God will strengthen us to:
- Forgive one another as God forgives us
- Be patient and longsuffering with one another
- Live in the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge
(Romans 1:14-17) Pray prayers of thanksgiving to God for:
- The power of His Word that saves the lost
- Those who share the gospel with the lost
- Entrusting us with the gospel message to share
(Mark 6:34) Pray that God will strengthen the congregation to:
- Be committed to being a church with compassion for the lost that moves us to action
- See others through the eyes of Jesus
- Use ministry opportunities to share the gospel
4th Week
Sunday, December 27th:
(1 Corinthians 9:19-23) Pray that God will strengthen our ability and willingness to:
(2 Corinthians 4:1-7) Pray that God will strengthen us to be:
(Matthew 25:34-40) Pray that God will empower us to:
(Matthew 9:35-38) Pray that God will enable:
(Acts 26:16-18) Pray that God will:
(1 Corinthians 9:19-23) Pray that God will strengthen our ability and willingness to:
- Be who people need us to be for the sake of the gospel
- Live lives that point the lost to Jesus
- Identify and remove barriers that prevent the lost from coming to Christ
(2 Corinthians 4:1-7) Pray that God will strengthen us to be:
- Excited about evangelism & discipleship
- Inspired to use our talents and spiritual gifts to reach the lost
- Ambassadors for Christ wherever we are
(Matthew 25:34-40) Pray that God will empower us to:
- Love as Christ loved
- Serve as Christ served
- Give as Christ gave
(Matthew 9:35-38) Pray that God will enable:
- Our ministries to be beneficial to the community
- Our message to be relevant to the community
- Our members to be connected to the community
(Acts 26:16-18) Pray that God will:
- Open our eyes to the opportunities to share the gospel
- Open our mouths at the opportunity to share the gospel
- Open the hearts of others so that they will obey the gospel
