First Things First -- Prayer and Fasting
“Expect great things from God; Attempt great things for God.”
--William Carey
“Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers . . . While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So, after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.”
(Acts 13:1-4)
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January 15, 2025
Dear Friends,
In 2025, we are expecting great things from God and attempting great things for God! We expect to see churches multiplied and trailblazed among the least reached. But there is only one way to do it—by doing first things first. The world missions movement began 2000 years ago by doing first things first—through gathering to pray and fast. Global missions began when the leaders of Antioch church gathered to worship and fast. The result was that God "opened a door of faith to the Gentiles" (14:27). The result was that the gospel proliferated, signs and wonders pervaded, and churches multiplied through the region.
We are expecting the same great things from God in 2025! We as a global family are going to fast and pray continuously for three days, January 19-22. Details, sign ups, and training resources have been sent via Signal and email. If you haven't received this, please reach out and reply to this email with your correct email and signal number. Additionally, the International Leadership Team (ILT) and hub leaders will fast and pray weekly for our global family every Wednesday sunset to Thursday sunset. We invite you to join us!
As the leaders of the Antioch church fasted,
The Holy Spirit spoke, giving specific directions.
The Holy Spirit set apart specific workers for specific assignments.
The Holy Spirit sent specific people to specific places.
This is how the world missions movement began!
Therefore, as we launch 2025, let’s join together to experience the Holy Spirit speaking, setting apart, and sending! May we ride on the waves of the global missions movement, especially from the Global South (non-Western world).
On this mission journey, Paul and Barnabas encountered many obstacles—stoning, persecution, rejection, and near-death encounters. Yet they concluded, “We must go through many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God” (14:22). Therefore, knowing the perils you all encounter both personally and corporately, we’ve identified three themes to focus on in these three days of fasting: unity among us, protection for each of us, and reset for each of our lives.
In 2025, let’s join together as a global family to expect great things for God and attempt great things from God—starting with prayer and fasting. First things first!
Happy 2025!
Mary
Dr. Mary Ho, DSL
All Nations International, Inc. | International Executive Leader
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