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FOLLOW ME:
21 Days of Prayer for a Disciple-Making District – NWIL
Prayer Challenge – March 1 – 22, 2026
WEEK ONE: THE CALL TO BE WITH JESUS

Focus: Personal surrender and intimacy with the Savior.

Day 2 — LEAVING THE NETS BEHIND

Scripture: Matthew 4:20 — “At once they left their nets and followed Him.”

Today’s Devotional: Nets represent more than fishing gear; they represent security, identity, and the "predictable" life. To leave the nets was to leave the known for the Providential. We all have "nets"—things we cling to because they make us feel in control. It might be a comfortable habit, a certain way of doing ministry, or a fear of the unknown. However, you cannot carry your old life into your new calling. The "at once" in this scripture is vital; it suggests that delayed obedience is a form of disobedience. To embrace the future God has for the Northwestern Illinois District, we must be willing to drop some things to follow His calling on us right now.

Response & Prayer Guide:

  • For Your Heart: Ask the Holy Spirit: "What net am I still holding onto?" Listen for the answer and physically open your hands in a gesture of release.
  • For Our District: Pray for our pastors to have the courage to leave "the way we’ve always done it" if the Spirit is leading them toward a new harvest.

Church Prayer List:

  • Bridgeway – Pastor Darin Fowler
  • Canton First – Pastor Matt Oost

The Challenge & Next Steps:

  1. Release: Write down your "net" (a fear, habit, or tradition) on a piece of paper. Pray a prayer of release, then tear it up as a symbol of your freedom.
  2. Intercede: Specifically pray for Pastor Darin and Pastor Matt by name today. Ask God to give them "net-leaving" courage.
  3. Worship: Listen to "I Surrender All" by All Sons & Daughters.
  4. Pray Boldly for NWIL, your Church, your Pastor and you as a disciple maker this year,

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we acknowledge the "nets" of comfort and security that we often cling to, fearing what might happen if we truly let go. Give us the "at once" courage of the first disciples to drop our heavy burdens and our safe routines to follow You into the unknown. We release our need for control today, trusting that Your Providential path is better than our predictable one.