21 days of Prayer and Fasting
January 8th-January 28th, 2024
At Kalos, we advocate a 21-day fasting period annually during January and August. The intention behind this fasting practice is to deepen our spiritual connection with God and realign our focus and priorities towards Him.
We've curated a structured outline for these 21 days, featuring various prayer topics, corresponding Bible verses for guidance, and insightful 2-3 minute videos delivered by members of our church community. Our aim is to provide a comprehensive guide to accompany you throughout your fasting journey, aiding in prayer and reflection.
Step 1: Select something you can abstain from for the fast (food, social media, spending, etc.)
Step 2: Select something to help you connect with God (time of prayer, reading Scripture, etc.)
Step 3: Prayer these topics with us [click here for 21 prayer topics & videos] to help guide you in your prayers
MORE RESOURCES ON PRAYER AND FASTING BELOW
Liturgy for Prayer
Address
Father God, Creator of heaven and Earth, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God of Israel, God and father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, True and Living God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Have mercy and hear our prayer.
First Prayers
O Lord, open our lips, And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. (Hallelujah)
O God, make speed to save us. O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. (Hallelujah)
Jesus Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me [a sinner].
Confession of Sin
Most merciful God, We confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word and deed, By what we have done, And by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, Have mercy on us and forgive us; That we may delight in your will, And walk in your ways, To the glory of your Name. Amen.
Psalm for the Day
(go to day of the year and sing corresponding psalm)
https://www.epochconverter.com/daynumbers
Gospel Reading
http://wolc.com/what-we-do/the-journey-for-adults/worship/christian-disciplines/scripture-for-the-week/
Apostles' Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty. Creator of Heaven and Earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and Born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, The Holy Universal Church, The communion of saints, The forgiveness of sins, The resurrection of the body, And the life everlasting. Amen.
Jesus Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me [a sinner]
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside the still waters. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not be afraid, for You are with me.Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies. My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all of my days. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 91:1-2
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most HighWill rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,My God, in whom I trust.”
Psalm 103:1-5
Praise the Lord, my soul; All my in most being, praise his Holy Name. Praise the Lord, my soul,And forget not all his benefits - Who forgives all your sins And heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, Who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be your Name. Your kingdom come, your will be doneOn earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, And forgive our sins As we forgive those who have sinned against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, And the power, And the glory Forever. Amen.
Jesus Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me [a sinner].
Prayer to the Crucified Christ
Lord Jesus, you stretched out your arms of love upon the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace; so clothe us in your spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your name. Amen.
The Beatitudes
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Prayer for Peace
O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near; grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer of St. Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy.O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; To be understood, as to understand; To be loved, as to love.For it is in giving that we receive. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. Amen.
Prayer for the Week
http://wolc.com/what-we-do/the-journey-for-adults/worship/christian-disciplines/prayer-for-the-week/
Prayer for Grace
Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Almighty God, Father of all mercies,We, your unworthy servants give you humble thanks For all your goodness and loving kindness to us and all whom you have made. We bless you for your creation, preservation and all the blessings of this life; But above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world By our Lord Jesus Christ; For the means of grace and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, That with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, Not only with our lips, but in our lives, By giving up ourselves to your service, And by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; Through Jesus Christ our Lord, To whom, with you and the holy Spirit, Be honor and glory through all ages. Amen.
Lord Have Mercy, Christ Have Mercy, Lord Have Mercy
Confession of the Mystery
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Jesus Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me [a sinner].
FASTING
The goal of fasting is to draw near to God.
It hits the reset button of our soul and renews us from the inside out.
Fasting enables us to celebrate the goodness and mercy of God. It prepares our hearts for all the good things God desires to bring into our lives.
When deciding on a fast, we encourage you to seek God in prayer and follow what the Holy Spirit leads you to do.
Scripture References About Fasting
Matthew 6:16-18
Matthew 9:14-15
Luke 18:9-14
Acts 27:33-27
Nehemiah 9:1-3
Types of Fasts
Selective Fast
This type of fast involves removing certain elements from your diet. One example of a selective fast is the Daniel Fast, during which you remove meat, sweets, and bread from your diet and consume water and juice for fluids and fruits and vegetables for food.
Partial Fast
This fast is sometimes called the “Jewish Fast” and involves abstaining from eating any type of food in the morning and afternoon. This can either correlate to specific times of the day, such as 6:00 am to 3:00 pm, or from sunup to sundown.
Complete Fast
In this type of fast, you drink only liquids, typically water with light juices as an option.
Soul Fast
This fast is a great option if you do not have much experience fasting food, have health issues that prevent you from fasting food, or if you wish to refocus certain areas of your life that are out of balance.
For example, you might choose to stop using social media or watching television for the duration of the fast and then carefully bring that element back into your life in healthy doses at the conclusion of the fast.