At this time of year, our church community once again embarks on a journey of prayer and fasting, acknowledging our dependence on God. This guide will unite us in prayer, love, and faith through the Holy Spirit. By engaging in this spiritual discipline, we renew our spiritual walk day by day. During this week, let us reflect on the great sacrifice of Christ through His death and resurrection. As we pray together, we can seek God's blessings for our church, families, communities, and nation.

The guide includes daily devotionals taking advantage of our RightNow Media resource. We will follow along with Francis Chan’s “Jesus’s Farewell Message”. Included are questions to ponder, and prompts to guide your prayer. I encourage you to use this tool to renew your spiritual walk day by day. On Resurrection Sunday, we will culminate our fasting together. Please come prepared to participate in this wonderful time of corporate prayer, worship, and spiritual renewal.

Fasting

Fasting is a ritual where people abstain from food and/or drink for a predetermined period. In the Old Testament, it was most commonly associated with suffering or disaster, often in conjunction with other mourning rituals. And in the New Testament, fasting was seen as a means of expressing reliance on God during times of temptation or spiritual warfare

As John Piper eloquently puts it: "The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie. It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world" (A Hunger for God, 18).

There are two "routes" that one may take to participate.

  • Complete Fast: From March 30 to April 1, abstain from snacks; April 2-3, eat only breakfast & lunch; April 4, eat only breakfast. You will fast for a little over 24 hours until Easter.

  • Partial/Alternate Fast: From March 30 to April 4, eat only one or two meals each day. Or, fast from something that you "consume" regularly. For example, you may try fasting from the internet or your digital devices, coffee, or certain types of food (ie. Daniel's vegetable-only diet).

Prayer & Fasting Guide

2026 Holy Week

  • The following devotionals require a Right Now Media Account. If you have not created an account yet, you may sign up for free here. This is GCF Toronto’s gift to you!

  • Read: Isaiah 53

    Watch: Jesus Storybook Bible - Operation No More Tears

    Main Idea: This story from the book of Isaiah is the foundation for the entire "Rescue Plan." Jesus is the Secret Rescue Plan made before the world began—a King who wins by losing and lives by dying. Because Isaiah promised Jesus "won't stay dead," we see that the Resurrection was always the core of God's plan to make "everything sad come untrue."

    1. God’s secret plan is called "Operation No More Tears." Looking at what you know about the world, why do you think we need a King who knows how to wipe away tears?

    2. Isaiah says this King will be a "servant" who "suffers and dies" like a lamb. How does that change what you think of when you hear the word "King"?

    3. God promised that this King "won't stay dead." How does this promise from the Old Testament give us a "spoiler" for what happens later in the Resurrection story?

    Prayer Prompt: Pray for a heart that "watches and waits" for Jesus, thanking God that His promise to rescue the world was planned long ago and that He is powerful enough to make even death die.

  • Read: Luke 7:36-50

    Watch: Jesus Storybook Bible - Washed with Tears

    Main Idea: While the important leaders followed all the rules but had hard, cold hearts, the woman was honest about her mistakes and showed how much she loved Jesus by giving him her most precious treasure. She understood that she needed a Savior, and Jesus showed that anyone who trusts him and realizes they need him is fully forgiven and loved.

    1. The woman gave Jesus her most "precious thing in all the world." Why do you think she was willing to break her expensive jar for him instead of keeping it safe on a shelf?

    2. The leaders followed all the rules and "looked good" on the outside, but Jesus said their hearts were cold. What is the difference between just acting good and truly loving someone?

    3. Jesus said the woman loved him so much because she knew she needed him to rescue her. Why is it actually a good thing to realize we can't be perfect on our own?

    Prayer Prompt: Pray for the honesty to admit your need for a Rescuer and the courage to offer Jesus your "most precious treasure" as an act of love, rather than just trying to look good on the outside.

  • Read: John 13:1-17

    Watch: Jesus Storybook Bible - The Servant King

    Main Idea: Jesus redefined kingship by stooping to the lowest place, showing us that being "clean on the inside" is a gift from a King who serves, rather than a reward for those who rule.

    1. Why do you think the disciples were surprised that Jesus, their King, was the one who knelt down to wash their "stinky feet"?

    2. Jesus said that being clean on the inside is more important than being clean on the outside. What do you think "dirt on the inside" of a heart looks like?

    3. Jesus told his friends to "do this for each other." What is one way you can act like a "servant king" to someone in your life this week?

    Prayer Prompt: Pray for a heart that is willing to serve others without pride, thanking Jesus for being the "Lamb" who died so that we could be forgiven and healed.

  • Read: Luke 22:39–71

    Watch: Jesus Storybook Bible - A Dark Night in the Garden

    Main Idea: Jesus’ ultimate victory was won through absolute surrender. He was not a victim of a "bad plan," but a willing Servant who accepted the "poison" of sin and the agony of separation from his Father to fulfill a rescue mission planned before the world began.

    1. Jesus described sin as "poison" that had to be poured into his own heart to heal ours. Why do you think he was willing to take that poison for us?

    2. Even though Jesus was the powerful Son of God, he chose not to use an army to stop the soldiers. What does this tell us about his mission

    3. Jesus told his Father, "I trust you... whatever you say I will do." How can we trust God even when we are facing something scary or difficult?

    Prayer Prompt: Pray for the strength to trust God's plan even when it's difficult, thanking Jesus for willingly taking the "poison" of sin so that our hearts could be healed and brought back to God.

  • Read: Luke 23

    Watch: Jesus Storybook Bible - The Sun Stops Shining

    Main Idea: Jesus’ death was not a defeat, but the successful completion of God’s "greater rescue." He stayed on the cross not because of the nails, but because of his love, allowing himself to be punished so that sin could be destroyed without destroying his children.

    1. The people at the cross said Jesus couldn't rescue himself, but the story says he could have called for angels or just said a word to make it stop. Why did he choose to stay?

    2. When Jesus was on the cross, the sun stopped shining and the earth shook. Why do you think the world reacted that way to what was happening to Jesus?

    3. Jesus shouted "It is finished" right before he died. What do you think he had finished doing?

    Prayer Prompt: Pray for a deeper understanding of how much Jesus loves you, thanking him for staying on the cross and taking the darkness of sin so that you could live in his light.

  • Read: Luke 24:1-35

    Watch: Jesus Storybook Bible - God’s Wonderful Surprise

    Main Idea: The Resurrection is God’s "wonderful surprise" that proves Jesus has defeated death forever. It shows that God is powerful enough to make every sad thing come untrue and that because Jesus is alive, the whole world is being made new.

    1. The angel asked the women, "What are you doing here? This is a tomb, and tombs are for dead people." Why is it so important that Jesus wasn't in the tomb anymore?

    2. Mary didn't recognize Jesus until he called her by name. Why do you think hearing her name made her realize exactly who he was?

    3. At the end of the story, Mary feels like the whole world is being "made a new." What are some "sad things" in the world that Jesus being alive helps make "untrue"?

    Prayer Prompt: Pray with a heart full of joy, thanking Jesus for being alive today and asking him to help you see the ways he is making "everything sad come untrue" in your own life and in the world.

  • Read: Luke 24:36–53

    Watch: Jesus Storybook Bible - Going Home

    Main Idea: Jesus’ return to heaven was not a "goodbye," but the beginning of a new way for him to be with his people everywhere. His ascension proves that he has opened the way for us to live with God forever and serves as a promise that he will one day return to finish making all things new.

    1. Jesus ate fish and let his friends touch him to show he had a real, physical body. Why do you think it matters that Jesus didn't just come back as a "ghost"?

    2. Jesus told his friends to go everywhere and tell everyone that "God loves his children." Why is this message called the "happy news"?

    3. Jesus promised to be with his friends "always and forever," even though they couldn't see him anymore. How can Jesus be with us today even when he is in heaven?

    Prayer Prompt: Pray for the excitement to share the "happy news" with others, thanking Jesus for his promise to never leave you and for the hope that he is coming back one day.

  • While the complete fast from food does not begin until Wednesday, you may want to consider starting to reduce your food intake several days before.

  • If you are doing the complete fast, please do not abstain from beverages like juice and water. But please be aware not to over indulge.

  • If you are doing a partial fast, please take care not to overeat. As Ptr. Marc Sosmena puts it: "Strive for self-control. This is the most important because it corresponds to the purpose of the exercises: the conquest of self, to be able to restrain cravings and other compulsive behaviors are evidences of spiritual growth."

Tips for Fasting:

  • If you have a medical condition which prevents you from fasting, please do not feel guilty about not fasting from food, and do an alterative fast instead. The principle is to avoid consumption in order to turn our attention to God.

  • If you are going to do a "digital" fast, please consider how this may affect your work. For example, if you work from home on your computer, it may not be a good idea to fast from the internet; rather, fast from the television or social media instead.