A CALL TO FAST AND PRAY FOR THE ELECTIONS
	Dear Readers We've experienced a heavy burden for some time that we need to call out a 3-day fast and prayer for our country before the elections. Please consider participating prayerfully. Yes, it is not easy, but it is a very small price to pay for God's moving and working in our country! WHY: Fasting is primarily acknowledging our weakness and God's strength, our utter helplessness, our need of God, our desperate plea for His almighty intervention, and our total dependence on Him. For God to mightily intervene in our country we must especially pray that the Holy Spirit will convict our people of their sin: greed, lust, immorality, hate, lies, false gods, witchcraft, etc., which has become the norm - accepted and approved everywhere. HOW: This is a complete fast, drinking water only. If you suffer from any medical condition, please consult your medical practitioner concerning fasting and follow his/her advice. WHEN: The week of Passover weekend, e.g., Thursday evening (18 April) 18:00 until Sunday (21 April) 18:00. Every church or cell group or individual may move it a day or two earlier or later to fit into their programme, but once you've decided to commit, PLEASE stick to it. 1. Firstly, we need to prepare our own hearts before praying for others or the country. This may take a few minutes or all of the first day. Please consider the following in your own heart and life: Mark 11:25 - "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in Heaven may also forgive you your trespasses." Repent and lay down before the Lord any hate, disgust, frustrations against any individual leaders / parties / organizations in the country. Ask Him to reveal the truth of the above verse in your heart. 2 Chronicles 7:14 - "If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." Proverbs 28:13 - "He that covered his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy." Proverbs 28:9 - "He that turned away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination." Psalm 51:10 - "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." This means to let go of our own opinions (about Christianity, church, politics, values, etc.), and be willing to let God replace it with His own. 2. Secondly, we need to understand Ephesians 6:12: "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." John 10:10 - "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." 1 John 3:8 - "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil." 2 Corinthians 10:4 - "The weapons of our warfare are not physical. Our weapons are divinely powerful [that means stronger than nuclear!] for the destructions of fortresses. We are destroying sophisticated arguments, and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the (true) knowledge of God and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ." 3. Lastly, in all our prayers, we need to pray the Word. The Word is the Will of God. If you pray the Word, you cannot go wrong. The Word is the sword, the only weapon of attack (all the others are for equipment or defense). - [Ephesians 6:17]. Isaiah 55:11 - "So will My Word be which goes out of My mouth; it will not return to Me void (useless, without result), without accomplishing what I desire and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it." Isaiah 58:6 - "Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke." Hebrews 4:12 - "For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Matthew 24:35 - "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away." Psalm 130:5 - "I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in His Word do I hope." - I Steyn We wholeheartedly support this initiative. We encourage our readers to take action and become part of a mighty move of God in our country! If for some reason, you cannot fast, it is still good to pray during this time of intercession for our country. God bless you as you stand in the gap with other prayer warriors during this crucial season! - Editor, Good News