In January, we take some extra time to dedicate our year to the Lord. Throughout these 21 days, we increase our commitment to three things:
During this time, we want to collectively increase the amount of time we spend with the Lord each day, both in speaking to and hearing from Him in prayer as well as Bible reading. We have our 2026 Bible Reading Plan and resources below to help you maximize your time. You may also want to consider one or two additional times to “check in” with God throughout your day, such as 5-10 minutes of prayer and personal reflection during your lunch break or before you go to bed at night. Lastly, you could consider a personal prayer retreat (Spanish version here) to practice the pattern we see in Jesus’ life of getting away to pray.
The early church was “devoted to prayer” (Acts 2:42), not just in formal gatherings but in their homes and close relationships. So, who can you pray with more frequently this week? Maybe it’s your family members or close Christian friends. Maybe it’s your Church Group members. Maybe it’s with a specific prayer partner, having a daily a set time to pray together. Whether it’s in person or on FaceTime, think through your schedule and the people in your life, and make a plan to pray with others more frequently.
Fasting is abstaining from things like food, distractions or activities and instead spending that time focusing on God. In the Bible, fasting was also often part of seeking answers or wisdom from the Lord.
During these 21 days, choose particular days and times to fast (e.g. Thursdays from 9 am – 3 pm) as well as what to fast from. Plan to be intentional about prayer, reflection and Bible reading during your fast.
Since prayer reflects our relationship to God, prayer can look many different ways, just as communication in a human relationship can look many different ways. However, we often use an acronym, P.R.A.Y., to help us think through how we come to God in prayer.
The P.R.A.Y. acronym is especially helpful when combined with reading the Bible. After reading a passage in God’s Word, consider what from the passage encourages you to praise God, what brings up areas of your life which require repentance, what stirs up requests you’d like to ask for, and what challenges you to yield various parts of your life to God.
Even if you’ve never fasted before, we’d encourage you to incorporate fasting into your 21 Days of Prayer, whether once a week or on another rhythm that works well for you. In the Bible, fasting is often used for seeking God in special times—times when there is a special need for closeness to God, for repentance of sins, for discernment of God’s will, or for God’s answer to prayer.
As with prayer, we have an acronym, F.A.S.T., to help us understand biblical fasting.
People with certain medical conditions may choose to fast from something besides food, like your phone or social media. If you intend to fast for an extended time, you may want to research nutritional advice for longer fasts.