Whether you have fasted before or this is your first time, here are some tips to help you out:✔️ Adhere to all physician-assigned dietary restrictions. Please do not hurt yourself.✔️ If you wish to do this, make sure to get plenty of water and sleep.✔️ Pray! Fasting is not just giving up food.✔️ Fasting is for prayer, reflection, confession and meditation of the Scriptures. Get alone with God and talk to Him

Theme: A HEART FOR THE KINGDOM.

Nehemiah is a book of new beginnings. Really, a book of re-beginnings. Jerusalem was in terrible shape. The great city of David where God chose to put His name had become a dump. The people living there were in distress and disarray. When Nehemiah heard the news, a deep burden was born in his life to do something about it. His prayers changed his life and transformed the nation.

We all have moments like Nehemiah had. Perhaps you look at your life and know exactly what’s lacking. Perhaps you’ve struggled in the same area for many years. Perhaps your trouble is relational, social, professional or spiritual. THIS year, through prayer and fasting, it’s time to pursue a supernatural breakthrough, a re-beginning deep in your heart. As we explore the good and bad in Nehemiah’s leadership, we learn how God works through us even when we aren’t perfect to accomplish eternal things. Beginning the year with fasting and prayer will absolutely set your life up for leaps forward in your faith journey.

More than that, our church family is taking on great challenges and we want to be ready for them, expecting the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish them. I covet your commitment during this fast to lift us up to the God of heaven! Church family, YOUR prayers will make the difference, an eternal impact for hearts! Let’s pray that God gives us VICTORY and FRUITFULNESS in 2025 like we have NEVER seen before!
– Pastor Tim
Schedule

• Fast days: Tuesday Dinner, January 7th, through Tuesday Breakfast, January 14th.
• Join us daily at 12:30 for a time of prayer with the Pastors and Elders of our church. Visit our YouTube page here!
• Prayer & Reflection: All Sanctuaries will be open on Monday, January 13th, from 6-7 p.m. for prayer and reflection.
• Tuesday, January 14th: First Tuesday Prayer Night – Join us for prayer, worship, and the Word.
  • Prayer at 5:30 PM
  • Worship at 6:30 PM
  • Word Celebration of the Lord’s Supper at 7:00 PM

Tuesday, January 7th: Preparing My Heart – Repentance and Seeking God. 

📖 Bible Meditation 🔗 Nehemiah 1:1-10; Psalm 51:10-12

🔹 Nehemiah began his mission with deep repentance, fasting, and prayer for the sins of Israel. He confessed not only the sins of the nation but also his own sins and those of his family. His humility and dependence on God laid the foundation for his leadership.

Focus: Take time to repent and seek God’s grace over areas of your life where you need forgiveness and freedom. Seek a clean heart and a renewed spirit for kingdom work. Pray for sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s conviction.

Wednesday, January 8th: Protection for God’s people – Building a wall of Prayer

📖 Bible Meditation 🔗 Nehemiah 1:3, 2:17; Psalm 91:1-2

🔹 Nehemiah rallied the people to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls, ensuring the city was physically and spiritually protected. When opposition arose, he responded by posting guards and leading the people in prayer. Nehemiah trusted God to fight for them while taking practical steps to ensure their safety.

Focus: Pray for God’s protection over our church leadership and members of the Church, yourself included! Fasting and prayer is WINNING the battle in the unseen realm before we see victory in the natural realm. Take time today, during what will be a hard day of hunger to pray for victory against spiritual opposition and strongholds. Consider your physical pains as a picture of the spiritual struggle against sin, lethargy, apathy or even addiction. If you feel so led by the Spirit, intercede for members of your and coworkers, even your community. Remember the enemy attacks constantly. Be constant in prayer. Pray for favor with authorities as we seek to do God’s will. 

(Don’t GIVE UP. Today will be “temptation” day. You can do this and you’re NOT ALONE. Press on). 

Thursday, January 9th: A Burden for Those Who Have Yet to Know Christ.

📖 Bible Meditation 🔗 Nehemiah 1:4; Romans 10:1

🔹 Nehemiah wept and mourned upon hearing about Jerusalem’s ruins. His grief for the people’s suffering and spiritual state moved him to fast and intercede for them, demonstrating a burden for the lost and broken.

Focus: Prepare. Your hardest battle with food will be today; tomorrow will be easier! Seek God over friends/family members who don’t know Christ. Maybe they aren’t even interested in knowing Him. Pray the Father draws them to Christ. Seek God for spiritual renewal in our church and our nation. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s anointing to proclaim the Gospel boldly. Pray over the incoming President and his Cabinet that God’s will would be done, Christ would be magnified, and the works of our government would be just.  

Friday, January 10th: Expanding the Kingdom in an Age of Selfishness. 

🔹 Nehemiah boldly approached King Artaxerxes, seeking permission and resources to rebuild Jerusalem. His faith in God’s favor enabled him to secure provision for kingdom expansion. Nehemiah sacrificed his comfortable position as cupbearer to take on the work of rebuilding.

Focus: Pray for the Lord to bless your endeavors this year. Pray for clarity as to what He has in store for you to do in His kingdom. Perhaps during this time of prayer, the Lord will begin to open your heart to a burden for some ministry or undertaking in life you never thought of before now. Ask the Lord to open doors for this.

For our church: Pray for the Lord to make a way for a permanent church building for Woonsocket, the new construction of a new church building for Apollo Beach, the opening of the church in Greenville, SC, the opening of the church in Orlando, FL, and expansion and growth of Waters Academy. Ask for God’s help to commit to Him financially, to support His work with your resources and to see giving as an act of worship.

Saturday, January 11th: Unity and Stirring of Spiritual Gifts 

📖 Bible Meditation 🔗 Nehemiah 4:14-20; 1 Corinthians 12:4-7

🔹 Nehemiah inspired the people to work together, assigning specific portions of the wall to different families and groups. Despite opposition, he unified them under God’s mission, encouraging courage and perseverance. His leadership stirred their faith and action.

Focus: Pray over your connection to the Church. How has that been lately? Have you been drifting away or are you drawing close? When you think of heaven, it will ONLY be filled with God’s people. Therefore, having healthy and close relationships with your church family is preparation for eternity. Perhaps the Lord has exposed some vain attachments to this world/age. Ask for cleansing in the heart over those things. Pray the Lord detaches you from things
below and unites your spirit and heart to things above.

Pray for the Body of Christ to unite in purpose and mission. Intercede for courage and strength to face opposition. Pray for the church body and our Pastors to become strongholds of faith.
Believe in God for something greater.

Sunday, January 12th: True Worship and Revival Through the Word

📖 Bible Meditation 🔗 Nehemiah 8:1-8, John 4:23-24

🔹 After the wall was completed, Nehemiah gathered the people to hear Ezra read the Law of God. Their understanding of Scripture led to worship, repentance, and a renewed covenant with God.

Join us as we gather together for church services. Pray for a heart of worship and renewal based on God’s Word. Ask for a hunger for righteousness and renewal in your own life. Pray for the Church to seek God in sincerity and truth.  

Monday, January 13th: Faith, Obedience, and Love for God’s People 

🔹 Nehemiah ensured that the people lived in obedience to God’s Word. He took bold steps to confront sin, restore proper worship, and reinforce covenant faithfulness. His actions demonstrated his love for God’s people and his commitment to their spiritual growth.

Focus: By today, you should feel like your relationship with food is now different. Reflect on what this says about your spiritual life, thanking God for the new desires He has birthed in you for the True Food that comes from Heaven. Capitalize on what you have experienced during the fast. Don’t just look at today as an ending but as a beginning. God has deposited new burdens, dreams, and ambitions in your heart that come from Him. Now ask that He open your eyes to see the doors He will open. Expect a powerful 2025 as you have put Him and His kingdom first! The best is yet to come!

Tuesday, January 14th: Victory through the Lord – Come Expecting 

📖 Bible Meditation 🔗 Nehemiah 6:16; Psalm 100:4-5

🔹 The completion of the wall in just 52 days was a miraculous achievement that testified to God’s power and favor. Nehemiah led the people in celebrating God’s victory, giving Him all the glory.

Have a late Lunch or early Dinner, and come expecting breakthrough and spiritual victory tonight. Join us any time after 5:30 p.m. for First Tuesday prayer, with Worship at 6:30 p.m. and the Word at 7:00 p.m. We will also be celebrating the Lord’s Supper.

🔹 Join us daily from 12:30-1:00 pm on Waters Church YouTube for live prayer and chat with the Pastors and Elders of our church. 

Notes Section:

Do you have a testimony to share from the fast? Let us know!

Submit your testimony videos 🔗 https://waterschurch.org/submit