Today is a day of fasting and prayer at Bethany.

In light of the unfolding military conflict in Iran and the growing uncertainty across the Middle East, we’ve invited our church family to pause, set aside some of our normal routines, and seek the Lord together. To help guide that time, we’ve prepared an hour-by-hour prayer guide with Scripture, prompts, and songs to focus our intercession throughout the day. When events in our world begin to move quickly and beyond our ability to control—or even fully understand—it’s good to return to something that grounds us in the power and sovereignty of God: prayer. Christians may see the political dimensions of these events differently, but we can all agree on the call to pray.

Which brings us to fasting.

I should probably confess something up front: I’m not very good at it.

Fasting simply wasn’t part of the spiritual tradition I grew up in. It wasn’t emphasized, explained, or practiced much. So when the topic comes up, I sometimes feel like I’m still figuring it out alongside everyone else. I’m not exactly a seasoned guide in the discipline.

Still, even if it’s unfamiliar to some of us, fasting is clearly biblical. When Jesus spoke about it, He didn’t say “if you fast,” but “when you fast” (Matthew 6:16), suggesting that it would be a normal rhythm in the lives of His followers. The early church certainly thought so. Throughout Scripture, fasting shows up during moments when God’s people were seeking clarity, expressing repentance, or interceding in times of crisis.

In other words, fasting tends to appear when people realize they need God.

That’s important to keep in mind, because fasting isn’t about earning God’s favor or somehow twisting His arm. Jesus warned about the Pharisees who used fasting as a way to look spiritual in front of others. They wore their hunger like a badge of honor. But Jesus made it clear that the outward act isn’t the point. The posture of the heart is what matters.

At its simplest level, fasting creates space for us to hear God’s voice. It loosens our grip on the material world and refocuses our attention on what is eternal.

Doctors and nutritionists sometimes talk about the physical benefits of fasting. It can sharpen focus, clear the mind, and reset the body. Spiritually, something similar happens. When we set aside something as ordinary as food, it disrupts our routines and reminds us how dependent we really are. Hunger has a way of doing that.

It exposes how quickly we reach for comfort, habit, or distraction. And in that interruption, there’s an opportunity to turn our attention back toward God. Fasting slows us down long enough to listen. It creates room for the Spirit of God to speak into the noise of our lives. It reminds us that our deepest needs aren’t ultimately physical.

Which brings me to a small dilemma sitting on my desk right now.

There’s an apple sitting on my desk. Just sitting there… like the forbidden fruit from the garden. It’s left over from yesterday’s lunch, and to be honest, it’s looking pretty good right now. When you decide not to eat for a while, even the most ordinary food suddenly becomes fascinating. But that apple is also serving as a reminder.

Jesus once said, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). In other words, there are deeper hungers in life than the ones that send us to the refrigerator. James writes something similar when he says, “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8). Fasting can be one of those simple ways we intentionally draw near.

And if there were ever a moment when we need to draw near and hear our Father’s voice, it’s now.

In recent days the Middle East has once again been shaken by military conflict. Civilian communities are facing uncertainty. Soldiers are in harm’s way. Entire regions are bracing for what might come next. The Bible reminds us that behind the visible movements of nations there’s  an unseen enemy who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. Prayer reorients us in moments like this, reminding us that God alone is sovereign over history.

So today at Bethany, many of us will go without food for part of the day. Others may fast from media, news, or the constant stream of distractions that fill our attention. However you choose to participate, the goal isn’t the fast itself.

The goal is to seek the Lord.

And later this evening, when many of us gather for a simple meal of soup and bread to break the fast together, my guess is that the food will taste pretty good. But my deeper prayer is that something else will have grown stronger throughout the day—a renewed awareness of our dependence on God and a deeper hunger to know Him.

As Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)

Below is the prayer guide, if you care to use it again or forward it to someone who might be interested.

Wednesday | March 4 | Prayer & Fasting
Intercessory Prayer Guide
6 AM – 6 PM

Summary (as of March 2 | Noon)

In the early hours of Saturday, February 28, 2026 (around 1:40 AM Eastern), the United States and Israel launched coordinated military strikes against Iranian military and leadership targets. Iranian state media later confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the initial attacks. Iran has since responded with ballistic missile and drone strikes against Israel, U.S. military bases, and neighboring Gulf states, widening the conflict. ΩIranian-aligned militias, including Hezbollah, have launched attacks from Lebanon into northern Israel, prompting further retaliation. U.S. casualties have been reported, and civilians throughout the region are facing displacement, trauma, and infrastructure disruption. Of particular concern is the safety of vulnerable civilians — including the Iranian Christian community — along with U.S. troops and civilians stationed in neighboring Arab states.

How to Use This Guide

We invite you to fast on Wednesday as you are able. For some, that may mean fasting from food. For others, it may mean stepping away from social media, constant news, or other distractions to create space for prayer. This is not about checking boxes. It is about united, humble intercession. Pause briefly each hour if you can. Pray through the prompt provided — or as the Spirit leads. If you miss an hour, keep going. The goal is not perfection. The goal is faithfulness.

6 AM — Begin with Stillness

Psalm 46:10 (NIV) “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Prayer Prompt: Quiet your heart before the Lord. Release fear, anger, and anxiety. Acknowledge that God is sovereign over nations and rulers. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your prayers today.

Song Meditation: Be Still and Know That I Am God

7 AM — Civilians in Harm’s Way

Psalm 34:18 (NIV) “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Prayer Prompt:  Lift up families sheltering from violence. Pray for children, the elderly,

medical workers, and those grieving sudden loss. Ask God to make His nearness real in the

middle of fear.

Song Meditation: He Will Hold Me Fast

8 AM — The Iranian Church

Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Prayer Prompt: Intercede for house churches, pastors, and new believers facing pressure. Ask God to protect and strengthen them. Pray for bold faith, unity, and gospel growth in Iran and throughout the Middle East.

Song Meditation: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

9 AM — Leaders and Decision Makers

James 1:5 (NIV) “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Prayer Prompt: Ask God to give wisdom, restraint, and clarity to political and military leaders on every side. Pray against pride, miscalculation, and rash escalation. Ask that wise counsel would prevail.

Song Meditation: Be Thou My Vision

10 AM — Military Personnel

Psalm 91:1 (NIV) “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the

Almighty.”

Prayer Prompt: Pray for protection, moral clarity, and emotional strength for service members in active engagement. Remember their families waiting anxiously at home.

Song Meditation: Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)

11 AM — The Wounded and Grieving

Matthew 5:4 (NIV) “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

Prayer Prompt: Bring before the Lord those injured or grieving on all sides of the conflict. Pray for hospitals and first responders. Pray for wounded soldiers, civilians and all those suffering loss that they would find comfort in God and find a relationship with Him.

Song Meditation: Hymn of Heaven

12 PM — Restraint and De-Escalation

Proverbs 16:32 (NIV) “Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.”

Prayer Prompt: Pray for patience and restraint when retaliation feels inevitable. Ask God to slow escalation and open space for wisdom and diplomacy. Pray for both side to look for “off ramps” towards peace. Pray for minimal destruction of life and property.

Song Meditation: Lord, I Need You

1 PM — Peacemakers and Diplomacy

Matthew 5:9 (NIV) “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

Prayer Prompt: Intercede for negotiators and mediators working behind the scenes. Pray for ceasefires, humanitarian corridors, and wise agreements. Ask God to use His church in the region as instruments of peace.

Song Meditation: The Blessing

2 PM — The Iranian People

Micah 6:8 (NIV) “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Prayer Prompt: Pray for everyday Iranians — students, workers, parents, and elders — many of whom have little influence over geopolitical events and have suffered greatly under the current regime. Ask that God would create a hunger in them for justice, peace and stability.

Song Meditation: God of This City

3 PM — The Church’s Witness

Ephesians 4:3 (NIV) “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Prayer Prompt: Pray for unity within the global church and within our own congregation. Ask God to guard hearts from partisan bitterness and that the fruit of the Spirit would be evident even in dealing with those we disagree. Invite Him to teach us how to love our enemies and extend grace to others.

Song Meditation: Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me

4 PM — Displaced and Disrupted

Lamentations 3:22 (NIV) “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.”

Prayer Prompt: Pray for refugees, evacuees, and communities disrupted by conflict. Bring before the Lord schools, businesses, and families whose routines and livelihoods have been shattered. Ask Him to provide daily bread through neighboring nations, churches, and aid workers.

Song Meditation: WayMaker

5 PM — Justice with Mercy

Psalm 85:10 (NIV) “Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.”

Prayer Prompt: Pray that justice would be tempered with mercy and guided by righteousness. Ask God to protect the innocent and restrain cruelty. Pray for “what is next” in Iran and for peace rather than endless cycles of violence & revenge.

Song Meditation: Holy, Holy, Holy

6 PM — End with Hope

Revelation 21:4 (NIV) “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Prayer Prompt: Remember the promised future where Christ reigns and suffering ends. Ask the Lord to anchor your hope in His coming kingdom. Allow Him to stir endurance, compassion, and continued prayer beyond this single day.

Song Meditation: In Christ Alone