40 Days for Life is a community-based campaign that draws attention to the evil of abortion through the use of a three-point program:
- Prayer and fasting
- Constant vigil
- Community outreach
40 Days for Life takes a determined, peaceful approach to showing local communities the consequences of abortion in their own neighborhoods, for their own friends and families. It puts into action a desire to cooperate with God in the carrying out of His plan for the end of abortion in America.
The 40-day campaign tracks Biblical history, where God used 40-day periods to transform individuals, communities ... and the entire world. From Noah in the flood to Moses on the mountain to the disciples after Christ's resurrection, it is clear that God sees the transformative value of His people accepting and meeting a 40-day challenge.
Prayer and fasting:
Christ told us that some demons can only be driven out by prayer and fasting. The two go hand in hand. Prayer keeps us rooted in the fact that it is our desire to carry out God's will. Fasting is a sacrifice that helps us reach beyond our own limitations with God's help. Fasting is not a Christian diet; it is a form of physical prayer. You can fast from food, TV, alcohol ... anything that separates you from God.
Constant vigil:
The most visible component of 40 Days for Life is a constant prayer vigil outside a place where children are aborted. It is a prayerful witness to the clinic's patients and employees, and to the entire community, that evil is in our midst and that with God's help, it will be defeated. It is the hope that the vigil can be maintained 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Community outreach:
During 40 Days for Life, the pro-life message is proactively taken to the community through a focused, grassroots educational effort. A door-to-door petition and education drive reaches out. Informational flyers raise awareness about abortion. People are given the opportunity to visibly show their support for 40 Days for Life. This outreach can include church involvement, media contact and campus outreach.