Author: Southside Church

Thursday – The Idol of Control
As we begin our time of prayer and fasting today, let’s pray as David did in Psalm 139:

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Today, we confront one of the most deep-seated idols of the human heart: the idol of Control.

The desire for control is the desire to be our own god. It’s the belief that if we can just manage our circumstances, orchestrate outcomes, and direct the people around us, then we will be safe, successful, and happy. It’s the grip we have on our plans, our finances, our relationships, and our future. But this relentless pursuit of control is built on an illusion, and it directly opposes a life of faith.

The Heavy Burden of Control

Reflect on the areas where a desire for control might be undermining your walk with God:
- Faith: True faith is about surrender. It’s about trusting God’s sovereignty even when we cannot see the path ahead. When we worship at the altar of control, we struggle to let go. Our prayers might sound more like a list of demands and instructions for God rather than a humble submission to His will. We want God’s help, but on our own terms. This creates anxiety and restlessness because we are trying to carry a burden we were never meant to bear.
- Relationships: The need to control often spills over into our interactions with others. It can manifest as manipulation, a critical spirit, or an inability to trust others. We might try to control our spouse’s decisions, micromanage our children’s lives, or dominate situations at work or in ministry. This not only damages our relationships but also robs others of the freedom to be who God created them to be. It prevents us from loving people with the selfless, trusting love of Christ.
- Peace: The constant effort to manage every detail of our lives is exhausting. Worry becomes our constant companion, and anxiety is the air we breathe. We are always planning for the worst-case scenario and trying to prevent any possible negative outcome. The Bible promises a “peace that surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7), but this peace is inaccessible to a heart that refuses to release its grip and trust in the One who holds all things together.
Prayer and Reflection

Today, as you fast and pray, make your primary spiritual act one of surrender. Intentionally open your closed fists and release your plans, fears, and desires to God.

Take time to pray about these questions:
1. What area of your life are you trying to control the most right now?
2. What are you afraid will happen if you let go and trust God completely with this area?
3. In prayer, consciously name what you are surrendering to God. Verbally release it into His capable hands. You might pray something like, “God, I release my need to control my children’s future to you. I trust that You love them more than I do and that Your plan for them is perfect.”
May today be a day of profound release. Trade the heavy yoke of control for the light and easy yoke of Jesus (Matthew 11:30). Let’s find our rest not in our ability to manage our lives, but in the perfect, loving, and sovereign control of our Heavenly Father.
2025-10-16
Wednesday – The Idol of Consumerism
As we begin our time of prayer and fasting, pray as David did in Psalm 139

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

Point out anything in me that offends you,

and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Today, we tackle the Idol of Consumerism.

Consumerism isn’t just buying things. It’s a mindset that ties our identity and happiness to what we own. It constantly tells us we need more to be content. Our culture fuels this desire, making it hard to see when possessions start to control us.

The Impact of Consumerism

Consider how consumerism affects our faith:
- Distracts Worship: Our hearts are for God. Consumerism redirects this to material things. We focus on getting, maintaining, and wanting more, shifting our attention from God’s kingdom.
- Hurts Generosity: Jesus taught generosity. Consumerism funnels our money, time, and energy into ourselves. This leaves less for the church, missions, and helping others.
- Kills Contentment: The Bible calls us to be content. Consumerism breeds discontent. It tells us we’re not enough, and what we have isn’t enough, robbing us of peace and joy in God’s provision.
- Corrupts Stewardship: Everything is God’s gift. We are called to manage it well. Consumerism leads to wasteful spending and debt, prioritizing fleeting desires over wise financial choices.
A Call to Prayer and Reflection

As you fast today, step away from the grip of consumerism. Fast from online shopping, ads, or even just thinking about future purchases. Re-evaluate your relationship with material things.

Pray about these questions:
1. Desires: What am I constantly craving for temporary satisfaction? Is my identity in Christ or in possessions?
2. Spending: Does my spending reflect God’s priorities or the world’s?
3. Contentment: Am I content with what I have, or do I always feel I need more?
May today be a reminder that true treasures are found in God, not in possessions. Let’s pray for hearts satisfied in Him, free from consumerism’s pull.
2025-10-15
Tuesday – The Idol of Convenience
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Today, as you begin your time of prayer and fasting,  pray like David:
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                    "Search me, God, and know my heart.
                                      Test me and know my worries.
                     Show me anything in me that offends you,
                                      and lead me to everlasting life."
```
Psalm 139

We often don’t notice it, but convenience can become a hidden master in our lives. Our world makes everything easier and faster. While comfort isn’t bad, when convenience controls our spiritual life, it stops us from truly serving God.

How Convenience Can Hurt Your Faith:
- Time with God: Do you cut prayer short to scroll on your phone? Skip reading the Bible for more sleep? Listen to a quick podcast instead of really studying a sermon? Convenience can make us take spiritual shortcuts, choosing easy over deep.
- Serving Others: Serving God and others often means stepping out of our comfort zone. It might mean waking up early for an event, staying late for ministry, or going out of your way to help someone. If convenience is your main goal, you might avoid volunteering or only pick easy tasks. True service often requires giving your time and energy.
- Commitment to God: Being deeply committed to God means sticking with it, even when things are hard. Convenience teaches us to quit when challenges appear. When life gets busy, is it easy to go to church? To join a small group? To give generously? If convenience guides you, your commitment can weaken, making your faith journey inconsistent.
Pray and Think Today:

As you pray and fast today (from food, technology, or other distractions), think about how convenience might be affecting your walk with Christ.

Ask yourself:
1. Daily Life: Where do you choose ease and comfort over intentional time with God?
2. Serving: Is God calling you to serve in ways you’ve avoided because it’s inconvenient? What might you need to give up?
3. Commitment: When life gets tough, do your spiritual habits slide because it’s easier to let them go? How can you recommit to staying strong?
Let today be a chance to let go of convenience and find joy in serving God and growing closer to Him. May your time of prayer and fasting clear your mind and heart, helping you see and remove this hidden trap, so that God can truly be first in everything.
2025-10-14
Monday – Prayer and Fasting
How can we most effectively engage in this week’s prayer and fasting?

Firstly, we can learn from three things that Jesus did …

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed (Mark 1:35).

CONSIDER:
- A CERTAIN TIME
  - Jesus got up very early in the morning to spend time with his heavenly Father. Choose a certain time in which, guided by your booklet, you commit to prayer this week.
- A CERTAIN PLACE
  - Jesus had a prayer place. Your prayer place needs to be in a distraction-free environment where you can pray out loud and, perhaps, have some worship music playing in the background.
- A CERTAIN PLAN
  - Go into your prayer time with a plan. Use this prayer guide and engage with its content. As part of preparing your plan, read our suggestion for starting each day with the serenity prayer and our explanation of fasting so that you can include it in your week of prayer.
Understanding fasting as a follower of Jesus

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:1-4

Jesus’ response to the devil was that he would not rely solely on human sustenance for fullness of life, but beyond the provision of the flesh, place his trust in God first, even if it meant sacrificing his own will. This is what fasting communicates, and placing our trust in God as we fast makes room for His presence in our hearts.

“Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.” Eph 3:17

Fasting is a form of giving up to go up

What sustains your flesh is rooted in spiritual provision. Fasting makes us focus on the spiritual provision of God over the sustenance received by the flesh.

Fasting removes “static” from the line of our busy lives, guiding us, and aligning our focus toward God (see Acts 13:2; Daniel 9:3-23; Joel 2:12).

In Mark 2:18–20 it tells us:

Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”

Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.

Jesus was referring to the time of his crucifixion, then His resurrection that gave way to the great commission that could only be achieved through prayer and fasting.

Prayer and fasting keeps us close to the one who has commissioned us.

Pastor, author and speaker, John Mark Comer, explains:

“In fasting, you are literally praying with your body, offering all that you are to God in worship. As you yield your body to God, you are breaking the power of the flesh to control you and opening up to the power of the Spirit in its place.”

You may choose to fast food or screen time. The key is that you give up something that usually feeds your flesh and use that time to focus on God in prayer. This would be part of your plan as you find a certain place and time for prayer this week. As you make room, may God lead you into the fullness of resurrection life. (See John 10:10.)

Starting Each Day with Psalm 139

In this week of prayer and fasting, we are going to explore the unseen internal idols in our hearts that seek to replace our unwavering devotion to God, because we recognise that idols aren’t just statues but inward allegiances.

“Anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, and anything that you seek to give you what only God can give.”

Tim Keller

And this will require our willingness to let God work in our hearts. Paul writes in the Letter to the Colossians:

So put to death and deprive of power the evil longings of your earthly body [with its sensual, self-centred instincts] immorality, impurity, sinful passion, evil desire, and greed, which is [a kind of] idolatry [because it replaces your devotion to God].

Colossians 3:5 (AMP)

This week, as you engage in your daily devotional during this time of prayer and fasting, I encourage you to begin each day by slowly praying to to God, Psalm 139:23-24
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 Search me, O God, and know my heart; 
           test me and know my anxious thoughts. 
  Point out anything in me that offends you, 
           and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
                                               Amen.
```
2025-10-13