2020 Corporate prayer & fasting

january 1st - 21st

As an act of putting God first in 2020, we will be spending the first 21 days of the year in fasting and prayer. We will be seeking God to help us surrender our lives more fully to the life and teachings of Jesus; and we will do this while reading through the Gospel of Luke which will be our focus text for the year.

FASTING BASICS

Fasting is the practice of abstaining from something for a spiritual purpose.

Fasting, by definition, is abstaining from something for a spiritual purpose.  It is different from dieting in that the goal is to re-focus and re-align your heart and attention toward God.  According to Matthew 6, Jesus says that fasting - like prayer and giving - grows your relationship with God.  If practiced with humility, fasting will increase your sensitivity to God's voice and allow you to connect more deeply with God's work within and around you. 

Experiencing hunger while fasting is normal; take any signs of hunger as a cue to turn your heart toward God in prayer.  A good way to practice fasting is to pray and read during the times you usually eat or engage with media. 

To learn more about the spiritual discipline of fasting, check out the Resources on Fasting page.

Week 1 – Center our Lives Around Jesus

Weekly Corporate Prayer:  Pray for Hillendale's people.  Pray that we all, as individuals, would grow in surrendering our hearts to the life and teachings of Jesus.

January 1st

Personal Prayer/Reflection:  (Spiritual) 

Am I closer to God today than I was this time last year?

Bible Reading:  Luke 1

January 2nd

Personal Prayer/Reflection:  (Spiritual) 

What is my spiritual growth plan for 2020?

Bible Reading:  Luke 2

January 3rd

Personal Prayer/Reflection:  (Spiritual) 

Have I scheduled my Sabbaths (days of rest) for January?  All of 2020?

Bible Reading:  Luke 3

January 4th

Personal Prayer/Reflection:  (Emotional) 

What drained me emotionally last year?  What fills me emotionally?

Bible Reading:  Luke 4

January 5th

Personal Prayer/Reflection:  (Emotional) 

Is there anyone whose forgiveness I need to seek or anyone that I need to forgive?

Bible Reading:  Luke 5

January 6th

Personal Prayer/Reflection:  (Personal) 

Where is the clutter / disorder in my life?

Bible Reading:  Luke 6

January 7th

Personal Prayer/Reflection:  (Personal) 

How can I correct the clutter / disorder in my life?

Bible Reading:  Luke 7

Week 2 – Center our Families Around Jesus

Weekly Corporate Prayer:  Pray for Hillendale's families, that we would all place Jesus - his life and teachings - at the center of our daily rhythms of home life.

January 8th

Personal Prayer/Reflection: (Relational)

Single Person:  Rate yourself on maximizing your singleness for kingdom impact.  Would I rate my singleness a 10?  Would my closest friends?  If it's not a 10 ask this question, "What would it take in 2020 to make it a 10?"

Married Person:  Would I rate my marriage a 10?  Would my spouse (you might want to ask over a nice dinner)?  If it’s not a 10 ask this question, “What would it take in 2020 to make it a 10?” 

Bible Reading:  Luke 8

January 9th

Personal Prayer/Reflection: (Relational)

Single Person:  Who are the children in my life (natural or spiritual)?  Would I rate my parenting a 10 for each child?  If it's not a 10 ask this question, "What would it take in 2020 to make it a 10?"

Married Person:  Who are the children in my life (natural or spiritual)?  Would I rate my parenting a 10 for each child?  If it's not a 10 ask this question, "What would it take in 2020 to make it a 10?" 

Bible Reading:  Luke 9

January 10th

Personal Prayer/Reflection:  (Relational) 

Single Person:  Have I scheduled my time away for recreation and spiritual retreat in January?  For 2020?

Married Person:  Have I scheduled my date nights for January?  For 2020?

Bible Reading:  Luke 10

January 11th

Personal Prayer/Reflection:  (Physical) 

How much do I weigh?  Is that OK?

Bible Reading:  Luke 11

January 12th

Personal Prayer/Reflection:  (Physical) 

Do I have a Physical scheduled between now and March 31?

Bible Reading:  Luke 12

January 13th

Personal Prayer/Reflection:  (Physical) 

What’s my major physical focus area for 2020?

Bible Reading:  Luke 13

January 14th

Personal Prayer/Reflection:  (Financial)

Are my finances in order?

Bible Reading:  Luke 14

Week 3 – Center our Church Around Jesus

Weekly Corporate Prayer:  Pray for Hillendale to center it's life and mission around the person and priorities of Jesus.  Pray that we represent Jesus in how we live and in what we value as a ministry.

January 15th

Personal Prayer/Reflection:  (Financial)

Are my personal spending preferences being prioritized above my tithes and offerings?

Bible Reading:  Luke 15

January 16th

Personal Prayer/Reflection:  (Financial)

Should I make a new year's sacrificial offering to my church?

Bible Reading:  Luke 16

January 17th

Personal Prayer/Reflection:  (Intellectual)

How am I growing as a thinking Christian?

Bible Reading:  Luke 17

January 18th

Personal Prayer/Reflection:  (Intellectual)

What are my reading goals for 2020?

Bible Reading:  Luke 18-19

January 19th

Personal Prayer/Reflection:  (Calling)

What aspect of my calling caused me the most stress last year?
How am I going to fix that in 2020?

Bible Reading:  Luke 20-21

January 20th

Personal Prayer/Reflection:  (Calling)

What am I pretending NOT to know as it relates to my calling?

Bible Reading:  Luke 22

January 21st

Personal Prayer/Reflection:  (Calling)

What is my calling?

Bible Reading:  Luke 23-24

Resources on Fasting

These resources are provided to help you learn more about fasting so that you can begin practicing the spiritual discipline of fasting both during this fast and during the remainder of the year when you decide to fast on your own.

FASTING BASICS

Fasting is the practice of abstaining from something for a spiritual purpose.

Fasting, by definition, is abstaining from something for a spiritual purpose.  It is different from dieting in that the goal is to re-focus and re-align your heart and attention toward God.  According to Matthew 6, Jesus says that fasting - like prayer and giving - grows your relationship with God.  If practiced with humility, fasting will increase your sensitivity to God's voice and allow you to connect more deeply with God's work within and around you. 

Experiencing hunger while fasting is normal; take any signs of hunger as a cue to turn your heart toward God in prayer.  A good way to practice fasting is to pray and read during the times you usually eat or engage with media. 

Audio Teachings on Fasting

These are clear, fun, and practical teachings on fasting.  Listen, enjoy, and grow!

Books on Fasting