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As we begin each calendar year, we use the first week as a way of orienting ourselves towards God in prayer as way to remind ourselves that we are completely dependent upon Him for everything that we have and everything that we long for.
As the schedule would have it, we will be starting our Luke sermon series back in Luke 11, which is Luke’s section on the Lord’s Prayer. This is how Jesus taught his disciples to pray and has been the blueprint for Christian prayer ever since. As such, the Lord’s Prayer is going to frame our week of fasting and prayer. Each day, you will be given a different focus to guide your personal prayers, with prayer points, scripture passages, and reflections.
On Wednesday the 7th, we will gather for an evening of Prayer and Worship to encounter God and petition heaven for the coming year.
Prayer is not simply talking to God; it’s responding to God. It’s not a monologue, it’s a dialogue. It’s what the poet George Herbert calls “God’s breath in man returning to his birth”, and even more provocatively, “Reversed Thunder” (Prayer, in a quite mysterious way, appeals to God with God’s own power. It speaks God’s promises back to God and trusts in His power to bring it to pass). This is why prayer should always be accompanied with meditation on God’s Word. As you engage in personal prayer, consider what God might be saying to you through His Word, and he might be calling you to respond with praise, adoration, thanksgiving, confession, and petition.
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Monday, January 5th
Focus: ADORATION
Scripture Passage: Matthew 6:9 “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.”
Prayer Points:
- Worship God for who He is—holy, sovereign, loving and near.
- Thank God for the privilege of calling Him Father.
- Pray for a deeper reverence for God’s name in your life, speech and actions.
- Ask God that He might “implant in our hearts a comforting trust in His fatherly care”.
Other Texts:
- Psalm 29:2
- Isaiah 6:1–3
- Psalm 103:1–5
Reflections:
God invites us to begin prayer with adoration, not requests. This shapes our hearts and reminds us of His greatness before we consider our needs. When we adore Him, our perspective shifts, anxieties settle, and we are reminded that the One we approach is both transcendent and tender. Today, let your heart be lifted by the truth of who God is, and who you are ‘in Christ’. Through Jesus’ work we have received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!
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Tuesday, January 6th
Focus: SUBMISSION
Scripture Passage: Matthew 6:10 “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Prayer Points:
- Pray for God’s purposes to prevail in your life, your family, and in our church community.
- Ask God to align your desires with His will.
- Pray for God’s kingdom to advance in our lives and in our city.
- Surrender any areas where you have struggled to trust God’s direction and submit to His will.
Other Texts:
- Romans 12:1–2
- Psalm 37:4–5
- Matthew 6:33
Reflections:
To pray “Your kingdom come” is to reorient your life away from yourself and toward God’s mission. His kingdom is one of love, justice, and righteousness. As we invite God’s will to be done, we choose obedience even when it is costly. This prayer is both an invitation and a surrender—inviting God to reign and surrendering our own agendas so His purposes can work in and through us.
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Wednesday, January 7th
Focus: PROVISION
Scripture Passage: Matthew 6:11 “Give us this day our daily bread,”
Prayer Points:
- Bring your practical needs before God—financial, physical, emotional.
- Pray for contentment and trust in God’s timing and provision.
- Intercede for those who are in need.
- Ask for wisdom in stewarding God’s provision.
Other Texts:
- Philippians 4:19
- Psalm 23:1-6
- Matthew 6:25–34
Reflections:
Daily bread reminds us of our need for daily dependence on God. God desires that we trust Him not only for spiritual needs but for everyday sustenance. This petition echoes the faith of Israel receiving manna in the wilderness— relying on God for daily provision. In a world filled with anxiety about tomorrow, Jesus invites us into a daily rhythm of trust, where we are reminded that we have a Father in heaven who knows what we need before we ask, and who provides faithfully and generously for everything we need.
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Thursday, January 8th
Focus: CONFESSION
Scripture Passage: Matthew 6:12 “and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
Prayer Points:
- Confess personal sins and receive God’s forgiveness.
- Pray for a heart free from bitterness or resentment.
- Ask God for grace to forgive those who have hurt you.
- Pray for healing in strained relationships.
Other Texts:
- 1 John 1:9
- Colossians 3:12–14
- Ephesians 4:31–32
Reflections:
Forgiveness is central to the gospel. As God freely forgives us, we are called to extend that same grace to others. This prayer is both vertical (between us and God) and horizontal (between us and others). Unforgiveness imprisons the heart, but mercy releases it. God uses forgiveness to restore us and shape us into Christ’s likeness.
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Friday, January 9th
Focus: PROTECTION
Scripture Passage: Matthew 6:13 “And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.”
Prayer Points:
- Pray for strength to resist temptation in all forms.
- Ask God to guard your heart and mind from the enemy’s schemes.
- Pray for deliverance from harmful patterns, influences, or spiritual attacks.
- Intercede for God’s protection over your family, church, and our city.
Other Texts:
- 1 Corinthians 10:13
- Ephesians 6:10–18
- Psalm 91
Reflections:
Jesus acknowledges the reality of spiritual warfare and our need for divine help. Temptation is part of the human experience, but God provides strength and escape. Praying for deliverance reminds us that victory is found not in our own power but in God’s. He is our defender, our refuge, and the One who keeps us from falling.