We have received this invitation to join with members of The Salvation Army in the Czech Republic and Slovakia from the Regional Prayer Co-ordinator, Jana Coufalova:
Dear Friends,
We would like to invite you – challenge you - for prayers and fasting on Sunday, February 28th 2021.
We see the urgency of the situation in our country and in Slovakia.
Our countries need God's grace, they need help, they need to be healed.
People in our countries need to be healed. They need God's grace, help and salvation.
Please,
let us pray together and fast according to possibilities of each of us to help ask for God's grace and change.
WE INVITE YOU TO PRAYERS AND FASTING
ON SUNDAY 28th FEBRUARY FROM 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
OR POSSIBLY UNTIL MONDAY 1st MARCH 7 a.m. (i.e. 24 hours)
The prayer of Nehemiah can be a model and motivation for us.
Nehemiah 1: 4 - 11
When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said: “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you.
We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’ “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favour in the presence of this man.” I was cupbearer to the king.
And God's promise:
2 Chronicles 7: 13 - 15
“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.
There are many verses in the Bible that can support our prayers. Here are some more.
James 5, 15; James 5.16; Luke 18: 7-8; Romans 3, 23; Ephesians 6.18
How to fast?
It's up to each of us. Biblical fasting means giving up food for a certain time. For some, this may be a matter of consideration for health reasons. But each of us can choose the method and length of our fast.
The vast majority of us can handle a limited time with just bread (bread roll) and water / tea.
The basis of fasting is to humble oneself before God, to seek His will and to pray, to ask for what is needed.
A beautiful example is in the story of Jonah. And the king of the city clothed himself in rags, and did not eat or drink, and cried to God for help.
What to pray for?
• Districts severely affected by the disease in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
• for health care professionals, so that the Lord God may give them strength, ability, endurance
• also for medical equipment, oxygen , beds,…. whatever is needed
• Let us also pray for mayors and in these cities. They have a great responsibility, but they have very limited powers and resources.
• for the police, fire brigade and other "helpers"
• for families of seriously ill and mourning families. Let us pray for God's strength and comfort for them, for God's grace.
• Pray for our governments, for those who have the powers to decide, for the courage to solve the problems rather than promoting themselves
• Pray for discipline and wisdom for all of us so that we do not take unnecessary risks, but also so that we do not allow ourselves to be controlled by fear and oppression.
• Let us pray that the people of our lands will begin to seek God… .. then the promise in 2 Chronicles may come to pass.
Let's do something together to ask for help for our country, our countries.
You can certainly invite friends from other Churches to fast and pray with us.
The Church of Christ united in prayer is what we need.
