Stay Alert in Spirit: Fasting and Prayer

Thank God that ever since Pastor Anton Cruz called our entire church to have a 40-day Fasting and Prayer each year for five consecutive years, we have come to the last year now and started the fifth Fast and Prayer on 3rd September, which will end on the Day of Atonement in the Jewish calendar. Although we may be hungry physically during fasting, our spirits are more alert.

We have established the habit of fasting and prayer ever since we started the 611 Church. I regard Pastor Deborah and Pastor Anna as the church’s two major prayer leaders. Over the years, they have risen to pray and have risen up brothers and sisters to become a mighty prayer army. On the way of following God, I deeply understand the importance of praying for a church. So is the importance of fasting. A church needs to fast and pray in order to keep growing. Fasting trains us to grow up spiritually and pleads God to listen to and to fulfill our prayers.

The priests and Levites group particularly need to commit themselves to fasting and prayer. If they are weak in spirit and crave food, how can they lead their teams and our brothers and sisters to follow God? Meanwhile during fasting and prayer, brothers and sisters should not only cry out to God, but also stay alert both in body and soul and keep watch and pray for the priests and Levites, so that they will be Trees of Life and we will reign with Christ together. Moreover, we need to pray for Israel. The Israelites are chosen by God and we need to pray and keep watch for them, so that God’s will will be done and God’s people may turn to Him.

During the 40-day of Fasting and Prayer, I expect every brother and sister to get themselves involved and to become prayer warriors. During this period, let’s not schedule too many activities but try to reduce entertainment in the evenings, so that we will have more time to pray quietly to allow our spirits to calm down and rest, just as Psalm 46:10 says: “Be still, and know that I am God.”

In March, we went to Africa as part of the work of planting Trees of Life. I was very weak and felt like stepping into darkness. In my confusion, I was not sufficiently alert and didn’t specifically ask my coworkers to pray and keep watch for me. However, for the recent trip to Central America, as I had realized how much I needed to be alert in prayer, I continually asked my coworkers and brothers and sisters to keep watch for us in prayers. I felt strong and peaceful physically and spiritually as never before and our trip was filled with the revelations of the Holy Spirit and abundant joy.

I am grateful that our church has many prayer warriors keeping watch for our church, for God’s kingdom, and for Israel. I bless everyone to be filled with a heart for prayer during this 40-day Fasting and Prayer to experience the great power of prayer together!■【2024.09.15】