International Day of Prayer and Fasting

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER AND FASTING Monday 6th March Prayer Founded in Relational Intimacy with God A friend of mine shared this Henry Nouwen quote with me: Many voices ask for our attention. There is a voice that says, "prove that you are a good person." Another voice says "you'd better be ashamed of yourself." There is also a voice that says "nobody really cares about you" and one that says, "Be sure to become successful, popular and powerful." But underneath all these often very noisy voices is a still, small voice that says: "You are my beloved, my favour rests on you." To hear that voice requires special effort; it requires solitude, silence, and a strong determination to listen. That's what prayer is. It is listening to the voice that calls us "my Beloved." (Henri Nouwen) This (at times) quiet voice, is of our Father in Heaven. His voice is what we are learning to respond to in prayer and there is no greater gift than to respond to God's voice in prayer. As Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He began with, "Our Father..." (Matthew 6:10). We must understand that prayer, like all things in the Kingdom, begins in relationship with God. When we pray, we must come to God in the way He came to us, through Jesus. Jesus taught us to pray in the confidence and assurance of God's love and favour. Jesus prayed in relational intimacy to His Father, and received what He prayed for. A prayer shaped in the relational intimacy Jesus taught us to pray from draws the attention of your Heavenly Father and the power of His Spirit. Through this relational intimacy, we learn how to hear and respond to the voice that says, "You are my beloved, my favour rests on you." This voice is what every young person (and every person) longs to hear and respond to. I am inviting you to set next Monday apart in prayer and fasting to intentionally pray for the young people in your country. There is a Father, who desires to speak to lost young people. His Son came to rescue them and His Spirit is seeking them. On Monday, will you pray, fast and listen to God's voice on their behalf? My prayer for you is that you would grow in relational intimacy with God your Father, learning to pray like Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit. Adam Shepski Global Prayer Catalyst Youth for Christ International Our mission to reach lost youth is dependent on prayer. We are calling every Youth for Christ staff, volunteer, and partner to pray and fast on the 6th of March, 2017, in two ways: Pray for every young person Pray for more labourers in the harvest (Mark 9:38) Here are some ways to engage our family in our monthly day of prayer and fasting for lost teenagers: As an Individual: Prepare how and what you will fast so that you may intentionally pray Retreat. Plan a day-long retreat with God. Choose a location that has less work/life distractions Read a pre-determined scripture selection and journal what stands out to you Lay out a map of the world, your country, or community and lift the lost before the Lord Create a list of youth you work with and, during your fast, lift these youth to the Lord in prayer Take a prayer walk, reflecting on God's Word and listen to the Holy Spirit's direction to pray Engage with the Lord in ways that produce faith and spiritual hunger. Engage through prayer, scripture, books, music, solitude, personal spiritual examination, praying with a friend(s) Listen for, obey, and record the Holy Spirit's leading and direction CELEBRATE at the end of your fast what God has done As a Staff Team: Appoint a leader to communicate, lead, and call people to prayer and fasting Decide on the length of your team's fasting and prayer time Read a pre-determined scripture selection as a team Gather together. Pray for lost youth, pray for more labourers (Mark 9:38), take a prayer walk Pray for one another, specific youth, or ministry needs Retreat. Plan a day-long spiritual formation team retreat: scripture reading, worship, team discernment Listen for, obey, and record the Holy Spirit's leading and direction Partner. Create ways to invite or mobilize local Christians/churches in prayer for the lost CELEBRATE intentionally and significantly at the end of your team's fast