Week Four Fasting & Prayer Guide

Week Four Prayer Guide

Walking With the King to the Cross:  The King Crucified

Read

John 19: 16-24; Matthew 10:38, 16:24;  Luke 9: 23, 14: 27

Consider

The benefits of the cross are many.  They are infinite.   They are eternal.  Like the repentant thief on the cross (Luke 23: 39-43), if we look to Christ and believe Christ will take our sins upon Himself.  We gain life simply by faith.  Our sin is removed; God’s wrath is diverted; reconciliation is accomplished; salvation is received; heaven is gained. 

The cross also makes demands of us.  Christ, by virtue of His reign on the cross Christ rightfully makes demands of His followers.   Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.   (Matthew 16:24 )

Pray

As you fast and pray consider what it means to daily take up your cross and follow Jesus. 

How is Christ calling you to deny yourself?   We must realize how incredibly heinous and ugly our sin is.   We must realize the battle that is raging within us.  We must truly and intentionally deal with sin in our life consistently.  This is what it means to ‘deny’ myself. 

How is Christ calling you to “…take up his cross”?  Jesus bore the weight of not only that cross beam on his back as he walked to the cross, but also, and more importantly, the weight of my sin and shame. The question, then, that confronts me is, “Am I willing to bear the weight of my Lord in following him and his gospel demands?”  Consider the following:

How is Christ calling you to come “…and follow me”?  Read Hebrews 13:10-16.   That is the location we should have in mind as we consider Jesus’ charge to follow him.  Are we willing to follow his call out of this world’s system and philosophies to a place where we will surely bear his reproach? 

** For further consideration and application **

refer to this week’s  Life Group discussion guide.