Dear CCBCer
Welcome to IMMOVABLE, a week of prayer and fasting with CCBC. This comes in line with CCBC’s 64th-anniversary theme, ROOTED. It’s a picture of a tree battered by various challenges to its growth–forest fire, strong typhoon, pests, and diseases–yet it has overcome. Now it remains a towering symbol of strength and stability. This is a vision of what CCBCers ought to be: a bastion of strength that comes from being rooted in Christ. One of the ways toward rootedness in Christ is prayer. Just as roots connect with the life-giving nutrients of the soil, prayer connects us with the Spirit of Christ that brings grace and life. Inasmuch as prayer (and fasting) is a very private exercise, we do it as a community of Jesus-followers. Just like individual trees grow deep roots along with the rest, CCBC becomes a forest of faith. Let this week of prayer and fasting be a period when we prepare ourselves as a church for the challenges that will be ahead of us. May we learn to grow in grace, love, and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to encourage you to NOT do this prayer and fasting ALONE. Invite your small group friends or join one in doing prayer and fasting. Through your chat groups or online or onsite meetings this week, share and encourage one another to keep on to their fast. The devotionals in this booklet are based on Ephesians 6:10-20. These are written to stir our minds in our personal meditation. It is a call to “stand firm”--to be immovable in our faith in Christ; to be vigilant and to be ready to engage as soldiers would engage in battle. Join the Breaking of the Fast fellowship on Saturday, July 29, at 7:00 AM at CCBC as we prepare to launch toward a new chapter in the life of CCBC as a church. As the LORD renews each of us, may our whole church community be renewed. God be with you.
Rev. Jorge De Ramos
This week of praying and fasting, may we:
- Be closer to God as we become attuned to our hunger for His Presence,
- Find guidance we need amidst a world of clashing issues we find ourselves in the middle of,
- Break free from spiritual strongholds that hinder us from running after God purposes for our lives,
- Repent from sinful desires, thoughts, and behaviors, and
- Humble ourselves as a CCBC Family before our loving and Holy God.
How to make the most of the devotional guide:
- Set a time and a quiet place for the next six days to meet with God in prayer and devotions for at least 30 minutes.
- Bring your Bible, journal, and this devotional guide.
- Set your mind to worship either by singing or by being quiet in your heart and mind. Follow CCBC’s Spotify for the worship playlist.
- Pray for God to speak to you and as you meditate and pray.
- Read the suggested Scripture passage carefully. Observe and note what words or images resonate with you. Use the reflection questions as a guide.
- Jot down your thoughts. Turn it into prayer. Do the suggested activities and discover other spiritual practices you may not be as familiar with yet may help us connect with God.
- Gather with your family or set time online or face-to-face with your small group to discuss and encourage one another as we journey together one day at a time.
Devotional
The Devotional guide will be your daily companion as we talk through what it means to wear God’s full armor today.
PLAYLIST
Spotify Playlist
Enrich your prayer and fasting journey through meditative worship songs.
Guidelines
Fasting is a vital part of your life as a Jesus-follower. It’s the voluntary abstinence from food or something for a specified duration of time in order to earnestly seek God or to be more intimate with Him as we spend extended time reading His Word and spending time in prayer.
Biblical fasting is not just refraining to eat food but it’s abstinence from food with a spiritual goal in mind. It goes hand in hand with prayer and is also a form of worship. Luke 2:37 says that fasting is a way of serving God, while Acts 13:2 says that fasting is ministering to God.
“Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly; gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord.” -Joel 1:14
Throughout history, God has called on His people to humble themselves through prayer and fasting. As a CCBC Family, we practice prayer and fasting to deepen our intimacy with God. Fasting is a spiritual weapon God uses to advance His kingdom, move nations, spark a revival, and ultimately bring victory to His people.
Prayer and fasting are the only disciplines that fulfill the requirements of 2 Chronicles 7:14.
“If My people who are called by My Name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their land.” -2 Chronicles 7:14
If you fast, you will find yourself being humbled. You’ll discover more time to pray and seek God. As He leads you to recognize and repent of unconfessed sins, you will experience true blessings from God.
Let us begin this fresh season in our CCBC Family life with consecration and being set apart for the Lord and His purposes.
God Expects Us to Fast
“And whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance in order to be seen fasting by men. Truly I say to you, they have their renewal in full. But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face.” -Matthew 6:16-17
Jesus said “When you fast,” not if you fast. This means that fasting, like prayer, is not an option. Fasting is something that is part of the Christian life.
Jesus Fasted
“And after He fasted forty days and forty nights. He then became hungry.” -Matthew 4:2
When He began His ministry, Jesus fasted for 40 days. He knew he was going to need spiritual strength to fulfill His purposes. Fasting may make you feel physically weak, but you will become spiritually stronger and more prepared to do God’s work.
The Early Church Fasted
“Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.” -Acts 13:3 (See also Acts 14:23)
The church fasted for Saul (Paul) and Barnabas whom the Holy Spirit had set apart for His mission. Later, Paul and Barnabas appointed leaders in various churches and then fasted and prayed before commending these leaders to the Lord.
Fasting Demonstrated Humility Before God
“But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer kept returning to my bosom.” -Psalm 35:13 (See also 1 Kings 21:27-29; Ezra 8:21)
Humility allows you to expect the grace of God who delights in answering your prayers. When you humble yourself in prayer and turn from your wicked ways, God promises to hear and answer according to His perfect will.
Fasting Makes Us Sensitive to the Leading and Power of the Holy Spirit
“And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led about by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days; and when they had ended, He became hungry.” -Luke 4:1-2
We are prone to forget our priorities. Fasting is a visible reminder to us that God takes precedence over all our needs. It lifts up the matter at hand to God who is able to bring about awesome works that bring Him great glory.
Fasting Brings About Personal and National Spiritual Revival
“If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” –2 Chronicles 7:14
“I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.” -Daniel 9:3
Fasting prompts revival to an individual and to the country. It brings spiritual and physical healing that will change and prepare us for greater things in God’s kingdom.
Fasting is Good for Our Health
Fasting improves our physical condition. Many impurities in the body are burned up when the body is denied food, thus, clearing the mind, cleansing, and healing the body. Even people who are underweight and fast for spiritual purposes have been known to gain weight after completing their fasts. Many Bible teachers say that a 3-day fast is especially beneficial for spiritual cleansing and also for breaking addictive habits.
Set Your Objective and Commit to a Type of Fast
Why are you fasting? Is it for spiritual renewal, guidance, freedom from spiritual strongholds, repentance, or humility and grace in a difficult season? Ask the Holy Spirit to clarify His leading to know the objectives for your fast. Once you know the reason you have for fasting, you must make a commitment. Pray about the kind of fast you should undertake.
Choose the type of fast you will commit to (e.g., full fast, water-only fast, one meal per day fast).
Determine how much time each day will be devoted to prayer and God’s word.
Be Expectant
Be reminded that the Lord listens to a prayer from the heart. Be true and contrite as you expect results from our God.
Prepare Spiritually
The very foundation of fasting is repentance. Unconfessed sin will hinder your prayers. Seek forgiveness from all whom you have offended and forgive all who have hurt you. Make restitution as the Holy Spirit leads you.
Prepare Physically
Adjust and lessen your food intake on days leading up to the prayer and fasting week. During the week, limit your vigorous physical activities. You need to conserve physical energy and you need to devote more time to prayer and reading the Bible.
Be in Faith
Be strong and vigilant in prayer as you dedicate more time to fellowship with God. Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. Be clear and specific about your faith goals in your personal life, family, finances, church, the country, and the nations. Believe that God is faithful and will answer your prayers.
In spite of the absolute safety and benefits of fasting, there are certain persons who should not fast without professional supervision. The following may opt for other fasting options:
Persons who are physically too thin or emaciated
Persons who are suffering or have a history of anorexia, bulimia, or other eating disorders
Those who suffer weakness or anemia
Persons who have tumors, bleeding ulcers, cancer, blood tissues, or who have heart diseases
Those who suffer chronic problems with kidneys, liver, lungs, heart, or other vital organs
Individuals who take insulin for diabetes, or suffer any other blood sugar problem such as hyperglycemia
Women who are pregnant or nursing
Pre-pubescent children
Full or complete fast
To fast completely from solid and liquid (food and water). Extreme care should be taken, especially if the person has underlying medical conditions.
Liquid fast
To have water, juice, or soup only for a period of time.
Partial fast
To eat only certain kinds of food or have just 1-2 meals a day.
Object fast
To fast from specific items like smartphone, gaming console, apps, social media, watching television or Netflix, etc.
Marital fast
Married couple agrees to abstain from physical intimacy for a period of time. (1 Corinthians 7:5)
Share with Us!
Share with us your prayer and fasting experience!
At CCBC, we believe that stories of God’s work are meant to be celebrated. We also believe that God-stories also build the faith of the Family and encourage them in their own walks. If you experience any of these God-stories during this prayer and fasting week, send us your testimony and we’d love to celebrate and pray for you!
You may also share your story on social media and tag us on Facebook or Instagram and use the hashtag, #CCBCPause.