One Desire Fast is HMCC’s annual fast so we can start off the year hearing from God, both individually and as a church. This year’s theme is Simple Pursuit.
Acts 4:32 ESV “Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.”
These past few days, we’ve explored how the Holy Spirit empowers and intercedes for us. Some of us may have received various gifts or talents, or felt burdened to minister to different people. As God’s people are so diverse, how can we truly unite in faith and align ourselves with God’s heart to move forward together?
The Holy Spirit unites us in one mission as God’s people despite our diverse giftings, callings, and even personal struggles. Unity is not the absence of differences, but it takes place when all God’s people lean into the power of the Holy Spirit. When we are tuning into the Holy Spirit and obeying God in faith, He can use us together for His mission in ways we can’t even ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20-21).
Take a moment to reflect on your relationships and investments in our church (e.g., LIFE Group, Ministry Teams, etc.). Are there people you need to reconcile with? Are there hesitations that keep you from fully serving? Allowing conflicts or doubts to persist creates barriers to love and grace, hindering us from living out what the Holy Spirit is empowering us to do. Our personal struggles can cloud our understanding of God’s character and lead us to shame and isolation. Sometimes, by focusing outwardly instead of inwardly, we are able to see breakthroughs in our personal struggles and God’s power in our ministries.
That’s why we have been fasting as a church, a whole body of Christ, and not just individually alone. Throughout the fast, has it been easy or challenging to pursue God? Were there challenges that tempted you to give up? In such times, did you seek community or accountability to walk with you, pray for you, and encourage you along the way? Have you supported others around you, too? Our accountability does not end here; it’s just the beginning as we continue to pursue after God.
We believe that the Holy Spirit is guiding us forward together toward the Saturate Vision – To saturate Hong Kong with the knowledge of God’s glory by living out the Kingdom lifestyle and proclaiming the Gospel, so that we can make more disciples of all nations, locally, regionally, and globally for the spread of Jesus’s fame. To move toward uniting people in our regions and cities, we can start by building unity in our LIFE Groups. One way we can do that is to meet and keep each other updated about the happenings in our lives, while praying together. As we pray, let’s invite the Holy Spirit to give us unity in our mission and remind each other the privilege of being a spiritual family. By doing so, we can be expectant of the ways God will work in and through our community!
Reflection and Application
- Reflect on some relationships we need to seek reconciliation in, or hesitation to commit and fully be rooted in a community. Pray for vulnerability and courage to share and open up to your accountability. Therefore, when you feel ready, meet up with your accountability, invite them to pray for you and understand that you are never going through things alone.
- Pray for the Saturate Vision within your LIFE Groups, focusing on your specific campuses/life stages. As we pursue this church vision from January 2024 to December 2029, how can we ensure we are united in heart, mind, and spirit?
Prayer Requests – Building Blocks
- For existing families to build deeper relationships with one another and gain a heart of evangelism so they can partner together to reach out to the families around them.
- For open opportunities for our ministry to be a blessing to families and more in Kwun Tong district.
- For the Building Blocks kids to share Jesus’ love and shine His light.
Click here for full devotional link and for PDF version