Why

The leadership of Grace Fellowship has decided to focus on a season of spiritual renewal for 2021. We have recognized our need for MORE of God in our lives, our church and our community. Our focus for the season before Easter is Our Relationship With God. There are 40 days of Scripture reflections plus topics to pray about each day that we hope deepens your relationship with God the Father. The prayers are organized by the acronym ACTS (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication). This acronym is a pattern we can use every day to pray.

What

Historically, a period of time leading up to Easter was used as a time to prepare believers for the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. A tradition of this season is giving something up for a period of time (like Jesus did for 40 days in the wilderness). By choosing to deny ourselves, we are daily reminded to consider the person of Jesus and our need for a relationship with Him, the sufferings of Jesus on our behalf and the hope His resurrection offers us.

How

     • This season will begin 40 days before Easter, not counting Sundays. The tradition of the church to exclude Sundays is based on the idea that each Sunday should be a day of celebrating the resurrection of Jesus.

     • The first day of this season begins Wednesday, February 17th and we will have a special commemorative service at 7pm. This day is traditionally a reminder of our sinfulness and mortality pointing towards the need for Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection.

     • While some people choose to fast from some type of food, others choose to fast from things like a beverage, television, social media, a hobby, an attitude (complaining), something financial, excuses or gossip. Part of the purpose of a fast is to cultivate the spiritual fruit of self-control. Fasting or self-denial is purely voluntary during this season. If you choose to give something up, it’s up to you whether you include Sundays as well.

     • When you have a desire to do something that is off limits during the fast, use that as a prompt to spend time you would have spent in that activity praying or reading the Bible and focusing on your relationship with God.

What to Expect

If you’re like most, you will probably have some ups and downs over the next few weeks — and that is quite alright. It means you are normal. We know this isn’t easy, but typically the best things in life require some effort. We are convinced that the greatest adventures often lay waiting just beyond the edge of our comfort zone.

So here’s some gentle advice on moving through this prayer season: keep going. Keep digging in with God. Keep praying. Keep eliminating anything that has the potential to distract you from the presence of God. If you have a bad day, dust yourself off, get back up, and try again. There is grace for the journey.

40 Day Prayer Guide

Adoration/Praise

1. February 17 - Read Exodus 15:11 Pray and praise God for His holiness and to devote yourself to Him in worship.

2. February 18 - Read 1 Chronicles 29:11,12 Pray and praise God that He is sovereign over your life and to help you submit to Him.

3. February 19 - Read Psalm 25:14 Pray and praise God that He is personal so you can have intimate fellowship with Him.

4. February 20 - Read Jeremiah 32:17 Pray and praise God that He is all powerful so He can help you with anything.

Sunday - Celebrate and rest in the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.

5. February 22 - Read Psalm 139:7-10 Pray and praise God that He is present everywhere so He is always with You.

6. February 23 - Read Romans 11:33,34 Pray and praise God that He is all knowing so you can go to him with all your cares and concerns.

7. February 24 - Read John 18:37 Pray and praise God that He is absolute truth and to help you believe what He says and live accordingly.

8. February 25 - Read Jeremiah 17:10 Pray and praise God that He is just and to know that He will always treat you fairly

9. February 26 - Read Ephesians 3:17,18 Pray and praise God that He is love and unconditionally committed to your well-being.

10. February 27 - Read Psalm 89:8 Pray and praise God that He is faithful and He will always keep His promises.

Sunday - Celebrate and rest in the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.

Confession

11. March 1 - Read 2 Corinthians 7:1 Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to search and cleanse your heart to reveal any unconfessed sin in your life.

12. March 2 - Read Matthew 6:14,15 Pray and seek forgiveness from anyone you have offended and forgive anyone who has hurt you. Make amends where God leads.

13. March 3 - Read Matthew 4:1-4 Pray and ask God to forgive you for anything you use to find ultimate satisfaction besides God.

14. March 4 - Read Matthew 4:5-7 Pray and ask God to forgive you in ways you test God. 

15. March 5 - Read Matthew 4:8-10 Pray and ask God to forgive you for anything you put before God in your life.

16. March 6 - Read 5:23, 24 Pray and if you know someone has something against you, go to them and try to be reconciled in love.

Sunday - Celebrate and rest in the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.

Thanksgiving

17. March 8 – Read Psalm 56:4 Pray and thank God that you can count on Him because of who He is. 

18. March 9 – Read 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Pray and give thanks for the pleasing circumstances of your life. Give thanks to God as you think about them throughout the day.

19. March 10 – Read 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Pray and give thanks for the difficult circumstances of your life. Give thanks to God as you think about them throughout the day.

20. March 11 – Read Colossians 3:15 Pray and give thanks for the peace of Christ that rules in your heart.

21. March 12 – Read James 5:11 – Pray and thank God that because of His mercy, you can be forgiven when you confess your sins.

22. March 13 – Read Proverbs 13:4 Pray and be thankful that the Holy Spirit will guard your heart against complacency and mediocrity in your relationship with God.

Sunday – Celebrate and rest in the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.

Supplication

23. March 15 – Read Luke 9:23 Pray and ask the Lord what you can do differently to grow closer to Him.

24. March 16 – Read Galatians 5:16,17 Pray for the Holy Spirit to strengthen you to refuse to obey your worldly nature.

25. March 17 – Read Galatians 5:22 Pray for the fruit of the Spirit in your life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

26. March 18 – Read John 15:5 Pray that you will abide with Jesus throughout the day. March 19 – Read Isaiah 41:13 Pray and ask God to develop dependence on Him

27. March 19 – Read Isaiah 41:13 Pray and ask God to develop dependence on Him

through submission and humility

28. March 20 – Read Matthew 5:6 Pray that you will hunger and thirst after righteousness.

Sunday – Celebrate and rest in the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.

29. March 22 – Read Matthew 22:37 Pray that you will love God with all your heart, soul and mind.

30. March 23 – Read Ephesians 5:18 Pray and ask for the continual fullness and control of the Holy Spirit by faith on the basis of God’s command.

31. March 24 – Read 1 John 5:14, 15 Pray and ask for the continual fullness and control of the Holy Spirit by faith on the basis of God’s promise.

32. March 25 – Read Colossians 3:16 Pray and ask for God’s help to study, meditate on or memorize God’s holy, inspired, inerrant Word daily.

33. March 26 – Read Romans 12:2 Pray for God’s help and determine to live a holy life of obedience and faith.

34. March 27 – Read Ephesians 4:20-24 Pray for the Spirit to help you put off the old self and put on Christ each day.

Sunday – Celebrate and rest in the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.

35. March 29 - Read Ephesians 5:1,2 Pray to imitate God and do everything in love. 

36. March 30 - Read Ephesians 1:3-5 Pray to be renewed in the truth that you are blessed

with every spiritual blessing in Christ because you have been adopted into His family.

37. March 31 - Read Ephesians 1:15-18 Pray and ask to be renewed in the truth that

you have access to spiritual wisdom and insight in Christ by the Holy Spirit.

38. April 1 - Read Ephesians 2:10 Pray and ask to be renewed in the truth that you are

God’s workmanship - a masterpiece and new creation - in Christ.

39. April 2- Read Ephesians 3:20 Pray and ask to be renewed in the truth that you have

God’s supernatural power at work in you.

40. April 3 - Read 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray that you will develop a lifestyle of ongoing

prayer after Easter as well.

Easter Sunday - Celebrate and rest in the good news of Jesus and the resurrection!