JANUARY 6TH (EPIPHANY) – MARCH 29TH (GOOD FRIDAY), 84 DAYS PRAYER AND FASTING.

Welcome to the 2024 Call to Personal Renewal from Epiphany to Good Friday. January 6th, the actual date for Epiphany, is the traditional end of Christmas as we remember the magi arriving with their gifts for Jesus Christ. The name Epiphany comes from the Greek epiphaneia, meaning “appearance” or “manifestation,” and refers to the manifestation of Jesus Christ to the world. In the New Testament, Epiphany refers to the first and final comings of Jesus (Titus 2:11, 13). 

The annual Call to Personal Renewal from Epiphany to Good Friday is a spiritual pilgrimage through Lent, reflecting on the miracle of Jesus’ manifestation through His Divine power in our preparation for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. We pray that Jesus, our Light of Faith, will guide us. As the Father revealed His Son, Jesus Christ, to the nations by the guidance of a star, may we be led to experience God’s glory by Jesus Christ, the Light of faith in the power of the Holy Spirit,

In an era of home breakdown, the church becoming captive to the state’s liberalism, divisions, corruption, war, fake news, and fake theology, we need the Light of Faith to counter the global darkness. God is not unaware of the high spate of demonic hostilities. Hence, the Holy Spirit continues to release prophetic revelations on the need for global intercessory prayers in these end times. 

It is important to note that sin, selfishness, pride, and doubt hinder prayer. “If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear” (Ps 66:18, Jam 4:3,6; 1:6). We all sin, but do you have unconfessed and unrepented sin in your life? If so, confess your sin, repent as we are commanded in Acts 17:30, and continue witnessing and praying.

Healing of home and marriage: There is a serious spiritual warfare against Christian home and marriage. The devil is doing everything to destroy the very principal seat of nurturing discipleship. Arise and let us pray for healing of home and marriage. We free the church, home and marriage from the state’s liberalism and captivity.

A poor husband and wife relationship hinders prayer. A proper relationship with your spouse is vital for spiritual and physical breakthroughs and development. Prayers could be hindered if there are problems because of unbelief, selfishness, pride, argument, anger, unforgiveness, or any other multitudinous obstacles that can develop in marriage. How are you doing with your spouse? (Matt 5:23-24, 1Pet 3:7). Let us pray for healing at home.

A Call to Epiphany: Epiphany is about changes in our latitudes and attitudes like the 3 Wise men. A renewed Christmas and active expectation of fresh and future possibilities suggest that we do not need to cling to the familiarity of 2023. The Year 2024 stretches before us like a blank white piece of paper, and a clean slate allows us to set some goals to work toward. Prayerfully set your personal goals before God.

Let us collectively use the following headings as prayer guides for the next 84 days. Please plan to join our weekly online corporate on Saturday by 11:00 pm (UK Time). Watch out for additional prayer points.

WORLD EVANGELISM: (1) Let us repent of leaving God’s mission to a few. Let us pray for brothers and sisters who suffer for the faith. Let us rejoice that the Spirit is waking us to see our mission in God’s world.

(2) Thou shall not be afraid of the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day (Ps 91:5). Let us take authority over anti-gospel activities and agendas in Jesus’ name.

(3) The Church’s primary goal in 2024 and in the new decade is to advance God’s kingdom, including reversing Christmas and other Christian celebrations shaped as “a festival of consumption” that proclaims the material goods we buy and sell.

There is a need to observe the entire Advent-Christmas-Epiphany-Easter season as an ‘antidote to the powerful distractions of the market.’ To overcome the war on Christian traditions, break the yoke of our consumer mentality, making it difficult to recover the theological riches of Christmas and other Christian celebrations.

(4) Here I am, Lord; send me (Isa. 6:8) – ‘Not for yourself, O church, do you exist, any more than Christ existed for himself. His glory was that he laid aside his glory; the glory of the church is when she lays aside her respectability and her dignity and counts it her glory to gather the outcasts and her highest honour to seek amidst the foulest mire the precious jewels for which Christ shed his blood’ – Charles Spurgeon.

Let us pray that the church will no longer exist for self-honour, glory, and respectability.

(5) In a world estranged from God, where millions face confusing choices, God’s mission is central to our being, for we announce the one name – JESUS that saves. Let us pray to God to give us His heart for the nations. O Lord, let us be light to the world; use us to declare your salvation to the people of the earth. May we be moved by compassion; let us know your love for the lost. Lord, use me to lead others to the cross.

(6) Let us pray for more people with a desire to witness for Christ (Matt 9:37-38). What is the field? It is the world of sinners. Who are the workers? They are people like you and me. Pray for boldness, for the courage to step out in faith and speak up for Christ. (2 Tim 1:7-8). Let us break the hierarchy of demons seeking to hinder the Gospel witness and steal the seeds of the Gospel being planted. In Jesus’ name, we bind Satan and his angels.

Personal: (1) Like Herod, there are parts of us that are threatened if we “pay homage” or surrender our lives to God. The reflection is, what parts of yourself play the role of Herod when you think of complete surrender to God? O Lord, deliver me from my Herod. (2) Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? (Ps 2:1) – Lord, let every rage and every vein imagination of the enemy against me amount to nothing, in Jesus’ name. (3) The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed … (Ps 2:2-3) – O Lord, let every spiritual king and ruler taking counsel against me be dethroned, in Jesus’ name. (4) Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us (Ps 2:3) – Lord breaks every band of barrenness and destroy every demonic cord tying me, the church, and nation down, in Jesus’ name.

PRAYING FOR DEEPER INTIMACY WITH GOD Psalm 27:4 One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple. – 

Joshua 24:14-15: 

Luke 10:41-42: And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. However, one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

PRAYING FOR A GREATER SENSE OF DEPENDENCY ON GOD – Ps 20:7

. Isaiah 40:31: But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, run and not be weary, walk and not faint. 

Isaiah 41:10: Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

PRAYING FOR A GREATER PASSION FOR HOLINESS – (2 Timothy 2:24-26; 1 Peter 2:9-12; 2 Peter 3:10-15). Holiness attracts God’s manifest presence, which changes the atmosphere and people (Ephesians 5:8- 9;14-15; Acts 1:1- 41).

PRAYING FOR GREATER BROKENNESS FOR LOST PEOPLE – Matthew 9:36-38: When he saw the crowds, he was compassionate because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he told his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field.”

PRAYING FOR A BROADER DESIRE TO ENGAGE IN DISCIPLE-MAKING RELATIONSHIPS – Luke 6:40: A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.

Read and Pray: Acts 1:8, II Timothy 2:2:

PRAYER FOR REVIVAL – Ps 85: 1-3 points toward the mercy of God: “You, Lord.” Ps 85:4-5 tells us to remember: “Restore us.” Ps 85:6 is about restoration: “Revive us again.”

Hymns – 1. Lord, I hear of show’rs of blessing

2. God is here, and that to bless us