Prayer

Prayer is an opportunity to spend time with God. To really understand the heart of God, you need to pray. In John 15:15, Jesus says He no longer calls us his servants, but calls us His friends. Talking with God develops a deeper relationship with Him. During lock down this day has become an entire day of prayer with someone praying every hour.

Prayer is one of the most powerful weapons God has given us. We turn to prayer because it is the most personal way to experience God, to encounter Him and to grow in knowledge of Him. We encourage everyone to make prayer a part of your daily life.

Fasting

Fasting is an essential part of this special day.

Fasting is a deliberate abstinence from physical gratification, usually going without food for a period of time in order to achieve a greater spiritual goal. Fasting is intentionally denying the flesh in order to gain a response from the spirit; it means renouncing the natural in order to invoke the supernatural.

We urge everyone to fast for the day and put aside the time saved for God. You don’t have to fast from food, you can fast from TV or Netflix, social media or even your phone.

All we ask is that the time you would normally spend doing this activity is actually spent seeking God, listening for His voice and giving Him your undivided attention regularly throughout the course of the day.

 Day of Prayer and Fasting

On the 1st day of each month, we encourage the whole church to join in a day of
prayer and fasting.

Prayer and fasting is a sign of our desire and hunger to seek God. Through prayer and fasting, we develop a passion for God that supersedes everything else. When this happens, the Holy Spirit begins to flow into us, allowing us to live above our circumstances and low self expectations.

To help plan our day of prayer, we use a 24-7 prayer room and publish notes to help you pray for the hour you choose. You can book an hour prayer slot through the newsletter link the week before or by clicking on the button below.To book and hour slot during our day of prayer and fasting, please click on the button below.

Notes for Day of Prayer
March ’26.

Preparation

Pause for a moment: think of 3 things which you are thankful for.

Write them on your phone, on your hand or a knot in your hanky. Give thanks for those things whenever you remember to! 

Pause for a moment: ask the Holy Spirit to point out an area or situation where he’s asking you to repent (be sorry, turn around). See if there’s anyone you need to apologise to or reparations to make. (John 16:8... sin, righteousness and judgement) 

Do that. 

Pause for a moment: ask the Holy Spirit to point out any areas where we are trusting self, or, other person, situation, ‘thing’ more than him, or have idols which dominate our time, resources and trust. Decide to put your trust in Jesus, say sorry for not always doing so, sit for a moment and ask forgiveness.

Turn to Psalm 27:1, read the whole Psalm. 

The Lord is my light - Psalm 119:130 ‘the entrance of your words give light, it gives understanding to the simple. ‘ 

Thank the Lord for His word. Try and remember some bible verses you have learned, speak them out.

Pray about any situations for now, or the future; for yourself, your family or NBC. What verse from the bible might God be pointing you to? What is the ‘light’ he is showing you through it?

Read Romans 1:20-23.  

Use this as a prayer for our family, our nation, NBC and also ourselves. Think about where we are with our application of the bible and prayer into our daily understanding of the world. 

The Lord is my salvation - think about how you were saved. Even if brought up in a church background.  When did ‘the penny drop, or was your heart strangely warmed’, how and when? On a piece of paper, write down a list of things you were saved from; both in spiritual general terms, and also specific sins/behaviours which stopped upon you becoming a Christian. Pray that the church might know with Wesley ‘that all need to be saved, all can be saved, all can know they are saved, and all can be fully saved.’

Whom shall I fear.  

Write a list of your fears, or of those fears that you’ve conquered. Write a list of the things people fear, pray for people that you know, or generally, pray that ‘perfect love casts out fear’ in each situation family and life. Pray that the spirit of fear (Romans 8) would be broken off of each member of the church at NBC.

The Lord is the strength of my life.

Think about what your strengths are, what are you good at, what gifts do you have, natural or spiritual, give thanks to God and ask him to help you use them fully. 

What are the weaknesses you struggle with, how might God help you in times of temptation, or deliver you from evil? 

How might you know and experience the strength of the Lord, ask him, and pray to receive and know the Lord’s strength. Be specific in each situation likely to happen. 

Think about what strengths or gifts NBC has; and what weaknesses we have, give thanks, ask for strength. Also ask for the church to experience the Lord strengthening us in the Holy Spirit, in our worship life, our outreach, our discipleship and our resources; that we might trust in the Lord with all our heart as we seek a new pattern for leadership, and direction in the physical practical issues the church faces. Proverbs 3:5-6. 

Pray for those who came to faith at Alpha to come into the fulness of God’s love for them.

Of whom then shall I be afraid?  

This is a rhetorical question. Who is bigger than the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth; who then should we be afraid of?

Write down any people that you might be afraid of, ask yourself why and for the Lord’s help in overcoming that fear. Maybe chat to someone when you realise who and why. Get some help and prayer so that you no longer need to live in fear! 

Find a version of Psalm 27:1 on Spotify or YouTube; let the words sink into your soul and spirit as you go about your day.

Breakthrough Prayer Clinic

If you would like to have someone pray for you, please email prayerministry@northchurch.com to book an appointment in person or online.

Alternatively, you can check out our Prayer Clinic Page.

Spiritual Rhythm

We believe that a regular spiritual rhythm plays a key role in our walk with God. That's why on Tuesdays we have our rhythm of prayer throughout the day. We would encourage people to get involved with prayer.

To see all our prayer meetings, just click Spiritual Rhythm.