40 Days of Prayer, Fasting, and Repentance:
Meeting the Threat of the Coronavirus

Wed, Mar 18 -  Sun, Apr 26, 2020

Join fellow Christians across America in a 40-day initiative of prayer, fasting and repentance. Participants will follow the example of men and women of Scripture who humbled themselves and sought the Lord through fasting. Our country needs the spiritual renewal that only God can bring. May He hear our cry and answer! The potential health and economic impact of the coronavirus is not fully known yet, but could be devastating. We desire that God has mercy.

In times of crises, God desires that His people examine themselves and repent of everything displeasing to Him. We are to repent on behalf of ourselves and American Christianity which is largely self-indulgent and does not seek the Lord in holiness or wholehearted devotion. First-century Christians prayed and read the Scriptures every morning and evening, and fasted twice a week. Meanwhile, American Christians spend little energy seeking God and the church is therefore largely powerless. Most Christians don’t give at least ten percent of their income even though we are the richest country in the history of the world, and we pollute ourselves through movies and our own engagement with sexual immorality. 

Starting Wednesday, March 18, 2020, participants will seek God through the Biblical practice of fasting, prayer and repentance. You may choose to fast from all foods for the entire 40 days—drinking only liquids—or you may choose to fast by eating only one or two meals each day. For some, health limitations will require a different type of fast (see fasting resources). However God leads you, we desire to have you be a part, and God will reward you.

Please sign up below to participate. As a participant, you will receive a special devotional by email each morning of the fast offering encouragement as you devote yourself to the Lord in humility and repentance.

May God draw near and bring healing, comfort, and protection to our nation as we seek Him through prayer, fasting and repentance.

Join the Fast

Confronting Casual Christianity

Sunday, March 29, 2020
Devotional for Day 12

“And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation.

“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” - Revelation 3:14-22 (ESV)

The story is told that an Apathy Club was formed on a college campus. The officers for the club advertised a meeting of membership. Not one person showed up! Now that might make you laugh. Too apathetic to attend. Yet that same attitude is not all that funny when we consider the dead and listless form of Christianity. The dictionary defines apathy as “lack of feeling or emotion; impassiveness; lack of interest or concern; indifference.” Maybe you've heard it summed up in the expression: “whatever.”

The background to this passage is helpful in understanding its application. The city of Laodicea was founded in the middle of the third century B.C. and was situated about forty miles southeast of Philadelphia and Colossae in modern day Turkey. Under Roman rule, Laodicea had become wealthy and had a profitable business coming from the production of wool cloth. When destroyed by an earthquake about A.D. 60, it was able to rebuild without outside help. Its self-sufficiency lulled the church to sleep spiritually. The church was mentioned in the late fourteenth century, but the city today lies in complete ruin.

It seems a lot like the North American church, or even you and me. During this time of the coronavirus pandemic, the nations of the world have been brought to their knees by a little unseen disease. As a people, we pride ourselves in our ability to solve our problems by ourselves. We may even become apathetic to outside help from any person and even God. 

As we see in this passage the Lord is asking the church in Laodicea to pick a temperature. Either be hot or cold in your love for Me. He wants the church to be committed! Not lukewarm, which translates to “tepid water.” Have you drunk lukewarm water on purpose? You want to spit it out! 

You see, at times in our lives we are cold to the things of God. We're in that “whatever” stage. When we trust Christ in our lives it’s like we’re on fire, or hot, for the things of the Lord. Remember the first time you read the word of God, or when you were excited by His “yes” answers to your prayers. Or when you told someone about Christ and they trusted Him for salvation. You see, that's a hot spiritual life. How do we get back to that heat? The passage says “so be zealous and repent.” In this time of fasting, ask Jesus where you are lukewarm, and repent. Maybe it’s in your finances, your relationships, your daily time spent with Him. Could it be that you are lukewarm in trusting the Lord to take care of you and your family during this pandemic?

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us when we’re not so lovely. Help us to confront the lack of desire to know You and love You back. Give us the strength to pursue our relationship with You as we would someone we love deeply. May we all be committed.

Cameron Garven, Ph. D.
Ministry Fellow, Christian Union Nova

4,573 People Fasting

Join with the believers who have committed themselves to fasting for 40 days.

Why Fast?

Fasting was practiced in the Old Testament, New Testament and in church history to engender humility and entreat God for Him to move in extraordinary ways. We need God in the U.S. now more than ever.

Moses fasted 40 days, Nehemiah fasted 120 days, and large numbers of Jews in Esther's time fasted for 70 days in their time of need.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says that when we humble ourselves and confess our sins, God intervenes in history to heal our land. In Psalm 35:13 King David humbled himself through fasting and many others in the Scriptures have done the same to gain favor from God. Moses fasted 40 days, Nehemiah fasted 120 days, and large numbers of Jews in Esther’s time fasted for 70 days in their time of need. Jesus fasted 40 days, Christians in the book of Acts fasted regularly, and believers for 2000 years have sought God through fasting, prayer, and repentance. Thousands of American Christians humbling themselves through an extended fast will be very meaningful to God and will help move Him, according to His Word, to bring change to the U.S.

How to Fast

This initiative of prayer, fasting, and repentance lasts for 40 days, beginning Wednesday, March 18 through Sunday night, April 26, 2020. As a signed-up participant, you will receive an email each morning, featuring a devotional to encourage and motivate you as you fast.

You may choose to fast from foods for the entire 40 days—drinking only liquids—or you may choose to fast by eating only one or two meals each day. However God leads you, we are glad you are a part.

Don't be afraid to take on this biblical challenge to draw closer to God and see Him exalt you as you humble yourself through fasting.

If you don’t have a lot of experience fasting, this may be a challenging endeavor. Christians throughout the centuries have sought God through fasting and have found Him in wonderful ways as a result. Don’t be afraid to take on this biblical challenge to draw closer to God and see Him exalt those who humble themselves through fasting.

Fasting Resources

American Christians are often unfamiliar with the practice even though fasting was common for Christians through the centuries and is regularly done in the international Church. For more information check out this FAQ for Fasting and this curated list of resources.

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God's Next Move in America

America’s Christian heritage is among the greatest of all the nations in the world. God’s Kingdom has thrived here through the 1700s, 1800s, and 1900s, largely due to nationwide moves of God’s Spirit. We need another history-making move of God. By His sovereign grace, God ensures that we play a part in Heaven’s work. He draws near to us when we draw near to Him (James 4:8). We must ask, seek, and knock for an outpouring of His Spirit (Luke 11:5-13).

“Whenever God is about to do something truly great,
He first sets His people praying!” Matthew Henry, 1662-1714