Day 20 Victory In Christ

The darkness of Good Friday ends with a flame of light on Easter Sunday. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Matthew 28.1-10; 16-20 (TEV):

After the Sabbath, as Sunday morning was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. Suddenly there was a violent earthquake; an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled the stone away, and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid that they trembled and became like dead men. The angel spoke to the women. “You must not be afraid,” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has been raised, just as he said. Come here and see the place where he was lying.

Go quickly now, and tell his disciples, “He has been raised from death, and now he is going to Galilee ahead of you; there you will see him!’ Remember what I have told you.” So they left the tomb in a hurry, afraid and yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Peace be with you.” They came up to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. “Do not be afraid,” Jesus said to them.

... The eleven disciples went to the hill in Galilee where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him, even though some of them doubted. Jesus drew near and said to them, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age.”

Ezekiel 36.24-28 (NRSV):

I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

prayers for the resurrection:

Rejoice now, heavenly hosts and choirs of angels, and let your trumpets shout salvation for the victory of our mighty King! Rejoice and sing now, all the round earth, bright with a glorious splendor, for darkness has been vanquished by our eternal King. Rejoice and be glad now, Oh Church, and in radiant light, resound with the praises of your people.

It is truly right and good, always and everywhere, with our whole heart and mind to praise You, the invisible, almighty, and eternal God, and Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord; for He is the true Lamb, who at the feast of the Passover paid for us the

debt of Adam’s sin, and by His blood delivered Your faithful people.

This is the night, when all who believe in Christ are delivered from the gloom of sin, and are restored to grace and holiness of life. This is the night, when Christ broke the bonds of death and hell, and rose victorious from the grave. How wonderful and beyond our knowing, O God, is your mercy and loving-kindness to us, that to redeem a slave, You gave a Son. How holy is this night, when wickedness is put to flight, and sin is washed away. It restores innocence to the fallen, and joy to those who mourn. It casts out pride and hatred, and brings peace and concord. How blessed is this day, when earth and heaven are joined and humankind is reconciled to God! May the light of Jesus shine continually to drive away all darkness. May Christ, the Morning Star who knows no setting, find His light ever burning in our hearts—He who gives His light to all creation, and who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

• Has this season of prayer and fasting strengthened your relationship with Christ? How?

• Please take the time to write a letter to Jesus about your love for Him and any new revelations He has revealed to you. Also include new commitments you are making.

• How will you live more passionately for Him because of His ultimate sacrifice?

• Commitments might include acts of regular prayer, service to others, and personal disciplines in spending more time with Him.

• Put your letter in an envelope with two dates: today’s date and six months from now. Place the envelope in your Bible and open it in six months.

Day 19 Passion for God

The day Jesus entered Jerusalem before His

death and resurrection is known as Palm Sunday. This marks the beginning of the week of Christ’s passion. The word ‘passion’ comes from a Latin word which means ‘suffering’. The suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross has always been referred to as The Passion. There is even a movie by that name. In modern times, we have come to apply the word passion to mean any kind of strong feeling, or commitment, even though it more properly it describes a suffering for some worthwhile thing.

In many ways we have lost this sense of the word, in part perhaps, because there is so little of this kind of passion left in the western world. We ascribe the word passion to how we feel about sports teams, music, or our political views. Would you be willing to suffer for those things?

How different is the passion of Jesus: directed by God and willingly accepted. Jesus actively chose His path and the sufferings that followed. In Jesus we see not only the full depth of God’s passion for us and the suffering that was a necessary part of it, but also the full depth of one perfect human’s passion for God (in Jesus): obedience that led to death.

How do we respond to God’s call to follow Him?

Are we passionate? Or passive? To walk with Jesus, who said, “take up your cross and follow me,” we must accept God’s direction and choose to follow the path laid out for us. This is a path of certain passion (suffering), but also certain hope because of the victory we have through Christ’s resurrection.

Verses to read and meditate on:

Matthew 10: 24-32, 38-39 (TEV); Psalm 130 (NLT)

Day 18 Humble yourself

Matthew 17:14-16: “And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”

What a great example of humility – this man approached Jesus and knelt before Him in the midst of a crowd. As the father approached Jesus, he believed that Jesus would bring his son relief. But even in his belief, his approach was humble and submitted to what Christ would choose to do. Looking further into the story, we find the father was also persistent and resisted taking offense. Though the disciples were not able to help him, he set aside his temporary disappointment in their failure and continued to seek after Jesus – the solution to his circumstance, the source of relief through his trial.

Being humble before God is realizing our need of Him, submitting to His will, pursuing Him and being confident the outcome will occur in God’s perfect timing.

Be encouraged that approaching God with a heart of humility will always position you to find relief in Jesus. Don’t be ashamed to humble yourself before God, even in the midst of others looking on. Offenses and disappointment may come but continue in your pursuit of Jesus. You may not get relief right away but know that God is never late and His solution is always perfect.

Prayer is a posture of humility. Humble yourself before the Lord each day and bring your cares to Him. You may want to consider how you present your body to the Lord in prayer. Getting down on our hands and knees or stretching out on our faces on the floor puts us in positions of humility that can help us focus. He wants to meet you where you are and answer your every need. Is there discouragement in your heart today? Write it down and release it to our perfect God.

Verses to read and meditate on:

Isaiah 66:2 ; Colossians 3:12-14; James 4:6-10;

Day 17 What’s your assignment?

Luke 4:1-2, 14-15: Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days He was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them He was hungry...Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised Him.

Fasting and prayer are helpful to receiving a clear vision of God’s specific path for our lives. Many times following a season of prayer and fasting we can have a more defined understanding of the part that we play in the body of Christ and a greater sense of our particular spiritual giftings. (1 Corinthians 12)

This chapter in the Gospel of Luke describes the circumstances surrounding the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. Notice that He went into the desert “full of the Holy Spirit.” However, He returned to Galilee, “in the power of the Holy Spirit.” Being full of the Spirit is knowing God and his character; walking in the power of the Spirit is when we know that we have the God-given strength and authority in our lives to walk out His will.

The power of the Spirit is essential for us to accomplish the assignment God has for our lives. God could be leading you to fast so that you can receive His specific instructions for your life. He will empower you, not just to know Him, but to walk in His power to accomplish what He has called you to do.

• Are there areas of your life that need more clarity?

• Are you walking in the power of the Spirit and living in God’s purpose for your life? Write down those things God is speaking to you.

• As you continue your fast, pray that God continually reveals His purpose and gives you ever increasing clarity and strength to walk it out.

Verses to read and meditate on :

Psalm 37:3-7; Isaiah 48:17-18; Romans 1:1-2;

Day 16 Alignement with Heaven

Matthew 6:10 (KJV): “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”

We have all heard the phrase, “just like heaven on earth.” When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, in Matthew 6:9-13, He provided some insight into what “heaven on earth” might look like. In reality, heaven is a place where God’s will reigns supreme. If we want to have a taste of heaven on earth, then our prayer should be like Jesus’: “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done...” The purest motivation for our prayers is that God will be glorified and that His will would reign supreme in our lives, just like it does in heaven.

On a more personal level, we can pray that His will be unhindered in our own lives. Rather than imposing His will upon us, God gives us the choice to surrender to it with trust and gladness. As we yield to the Lordship of Christ over every area of our lives, we come into agreement with Him. We experience alignment with heaven and position ourselves to taste a little bit of heaven here on earth. His will then becomes what we desire and the thing we most seek after. We enter into the incredible adventure of participating in God’s plan to move His kingdom forward on the earth. This is where we find the most fulfilling and joyous life, but it all starts with one, personal “yes, Lord” on our part.

• What does God’s will “on earth as it is in heaven” look like in your life?

• Do the desires of your heart line up with the will of God?

• As we seek God together, let’s pray as Jesus taught us, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done.”

Verses to read and meditate on:

Isaiah 58: 1-12; James 1:27

Day 15 Don’t Worry- Pray Instead

Philippians 4:6-7 (MSG): Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Worry seems to be an inescapable fact of modern life. No doubt there is plenty to worry about: our future, the economy, global warming, war, disease... the list could go on forever! Sometimes it might seem that worry has even replaced Jesus as the focal point of our lives. Jesus Himself admonished us several times not to worry. And the great apostle, Paul, tell us in the passage above that there is an antidote to worry...prayer.

When we worry about something, we are spending energy on it, wondering what might happen, rehearsing the “if only’s” and “what if’s” in our mind. Why not take that same energy and refocus it on prayer instead? When we worry, we are simply talking to ourselves about our fears, but when we pray, we are taking those fears to God. We can’t control the future, but in the words of Anne Graham Lotz, God

is already there! He knows exactly what is going to happen and He promises to be with us every step of the journey.

As we continue this season of prayer and fasting, let’s make an effort to convert our worry into prayer. As Paul says in the verse above, “let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers,” and you will find that the peace of God will guard your heart.

• Are there things that you consistently worry about?

• As you go through your day today, recapture each worried thought and send it up to God as a prayer. See how dramatically your outlook improves when the peace of God is activated through prayer!

Verses to read and meditate on:

Proverbs 3:1-6; Jeremiah 29:11-13; Isaiah 41: 10-13

Day 13 Cultivating Spiritual Hunger

Psalm 34:8: Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the one who take refuge in Him.

Your Bible, God’s Word, is life-giving, spiritual food. When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, He said, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Psalm 19 says this about God’s words: “They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.” Proverbs 4:22 says, “For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.”

God’s Word is life changing, miracle working, alive, holy, true, perfect, empowering, encouraging, trustworthy and healing. It guides us, gives wisdom, judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart, is a mighty weapon and is to be treasured! Jesus was the Word made flesh, our bread of life. When we open the scriptures, we begin to know Him better.

In John 4, we read about Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman. When Jesus met her, His disciples had gone into town to get food. When they returned with the food, they found Jesus’ hunger satisfied. They were confused by this, wondering if He had eaten while they were gone. But Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” Jesus was sustained spiritually by doing His Father’s will. He then told them in John 6:27, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.”

We are spiritually nourished by feeding on God’s Word and by doing His will. Ask God to open your spiritual eyes and ears to receive His Word as life-giving
and sustaining. Drink deeply from His Word. Listen

for His voice. Obey His promptings. Trust Him to sustain you as you pray and fast. Believe that God’s Word is “sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.” He will do more than you can imagine.

• How can you create time to be in God’s Word?

• Do you believe that it will nourish you and bring life to you?

• Ask God to meet you personally through this time as you seek Him. He desires to teach you. He delights in you.

Verses to read and Meditate on:

Matthew 5:6; Matthew 6:19-21; 2 Timothy 2:20-22 (NASB)

Day 12 Spiritual Food

Psalm 34:8: Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the one who take refuge in Him.

Your Bible, God’s Word, is life-giving, spiritual food. When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, He said, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Psalm 19 says this about God’s words: “They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.” Proverbs 4:22 says, “For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.”

God’s Word is life changing, miracle working, alive, holy, true, perfect, empowering, encouraging, trustworthy and healing. It guides us, gives wisdom, judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart, is a mighty weapon and is to be treasured! Jesus was the Word made flesh, our bread of life. When we open the scriptures, we begin to know Him better.

In John 4, we read about Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman. When Jesus met her, His disciples had gone into town to get food. When they returned with the food, they found Jesus’ hunger satisfied. They were confused by this, wondering if He had eaten while they were gone. But Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” Jesus was sustained spiritually by doing His Father’s will. He then told them in John 6:27, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.”

We are spiritually nourished by feeding on God’s Word and by doing His will. Ask God to open your spiritual eyes and ears to receive His Word as life-giving
and sustaining. Drink deeply from His Word. Listen

for His voice. Obey His promptings. Trust Him to sustain you as you pray and fast. Believe that God’s Word is “sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb.” He will do more than you can imagine.

• How can you create time to be in God’s Word?

• Do you believe that it will nourish you and bring life to you?

• Ask God to meet you personally through this time as you seek Him. He desires to teach you. He delights in you.

Verses to Read and Meditate on:

John 4:1-34 ; John 6:35; John 6:63 ; Matthew 24:35 ; John 1:1, 14 KJV; Psalm 19:7-10 ; Ephesians 6: 10, 11, 17 Hebrews 4:12

Day 11 Spoken Word

John 11:38-44 

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

The story of Lazarus’ death and resurrection reflects the power of Jesus’ spoken Word. He already knew in His heart the miracle that was about to take place, but His words spoke the miracle into existence.

While prayer is our declaration of our dependence on God, our spoken words can be the manifestation of what’s happening in our hearts. There is power in our spoken words – whether they are used to build up or tear down. It is so important to keep our hearts filled with the truth from God’s Word so that our words will produce good fruit.

As you seek God in prayer, ask Him for the words and discernment that may help someone today. Pray that your words would be encouraging, edifying and aligned with the truth of God’s word. Building others up around us with our words allows us to be God’s instrument – a vessel for His good work.

As God continues to fill us through this season of prayer and fasting, He wants to take what is now in our hearts and share it with others. How can you use the power of your spoken words to speak God’s truth in the lives of others?

Verses to read and Meditate on:

Isaiah 50:4 ; Ephesians 4: 29; Matthew 12: 33-37; Proverbs 18:21; Proverbs 12:18

Day 10 Take Every Thought Captive

2 CORINTHIANS IO:4-5

In the passage above, we are reminded that our weapons and the war we fight are not of the flesh or in the physical world. Instead, they are of the Spirit and in the spiritual realm. The Word of God points us to the Kingdom of God-a reality that surrounds us and that is in us! It's a totally new way of thinking, different from the way our carnal, fleshly minds think. So as we work to move our flesh and our minds toward Kingdom dom living, we must align every thought with the Word of God. Over and over again every day, we should ask ourselves,

What does God have to say about this? Every thought that is contrary to God's way must be "taken captive." Then we can toss that thought out and replace it with God's truth. His truth then becomes our activation point or our weapon. • When a fearful thought comes into our minds, we take that lie, turn to the Word, find the promise, and then declare the truth. • When the enemy tells us we're no good or defeated, we take that lie, turn to the Word, find the promise, and then declare the truth. • When all the circumstances around us scream defeat and failure, we take that lie, turn to the Word, find the promise, and then declare the truth.

Taking every thought captive is a discipline. We must guard our hearts and minds. We must be alert to every notion that enters our thinking and measure it against God's Word, which wins the contest every time! I once heard a pastor say, "Whenever you are confronted with a circumstance, you need to ask yourself three questions: What does God say about it? What does the enemy say about it? What are you going to say about it?" I ask myself those questions all the time. It's a simple way to take every thought captive and choose Christ's way every time!

I like the way this popular prose puts it: Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny. Our thoughts are important. So important that Paul gave us clear guidelines: "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever ever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of

good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy- meditateon these things" (Philippians 4:8). Your thoughts have power. Consider the things you are thinking ing about. Test them against the Word of God and then make the necessary changes. You will be amazed at the changes in your life as your thoughts become more like the thoughts of God.

Verses to read and Meditate on:

2 Corinthians 10:4 ; Philippians 2:5; Philippians 4:8

Day 9 Unwavering Faith

James 1:2-7: Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 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. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

What do you expect when you pray? When we pray with earnest expectation, we are exercising our faith. The earnest prayers of people walking in step with God can produce powerful results, and the most earnest prayers come from us recognizing our need for God.

There can be a natural tendency to shrink back when praying for the seemingly impossible, but we must remember that nothing is impossible with God. If we know the promises that God has given us, and understand His character and the principles by which He works, we can pray with confidence and trust Him for the answer. The Kings James Version of the Bible refers to it as being “unwavering in your faith.” What has caused you to waver in your expectation with God? James reminds us that faith and wavering are actually contradictory – he says “nothing wavering”. Know that God never wavers in His love for you. You can trust Him completely.

• What are you trusting God for in this season?

• How can you line up your expectations with the Word of God when you pray?

• Find promises in His Word that answer your need and write them down today.

Verses to read and Meditate on:

Matthew 17:20 ; Romans 8:28 ; Romans 12:2

Day 8 Fervent Prayer

James 5:16b: The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Fervency speaks of our level of intensity, passion and persistence. Many times, we can lose our passion in prayer or stop praying for certain things altogether because we lose heart or give up. But God invites us to keep them before Him and trust Him for an answer in His time.(Matthew 7:7-11)

The Old Testament prophet, Elijah, practiced a lifestyle of fervent, intense prayer and he witnessed incredible miracles in his lifetime as a result. In 1 Kings 17:17-24, we read of a woman whose only son became ill and died. When Elijah heard the news he quickly took action and did what he knew best – he fervently cried out to God. Elijah fully believed that God could bring the boy back to life, and he didn’t pray just once. It is recorded that he prayed three times for the boy’s soul to return to him. He prayed fervently, repeatedly and he wasn’t going to give up. Verse 22 reads, “then the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived.”

God honored Elijah’s obedience and fervent prayers and brought the boy to life. God hears your prayers as well and will bring an answer in His perfect timing. But don’t be discouraged or disheartened if the answer is not exactly what you expected. Commit to praying to God with passion and persistence, trusting the answer will come in God’s perfect way and in His perfect timing.

As we close out this first week, continue to pray fervently for the main areas of concern in your life. Trust God to bring an answer as you journal your thoughts and inspirations through this time.

Verses to read and meditate

Matthew 7:7-11 ; Ezra 8:23 ; Psalm 141:2 ; Matthew 21:22 ; Romans 12:12 ; Colossians 4:2 ; 1 Peter 3:12a

Unwavering Faith

James 1:2-7: Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 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. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

What do you expect when you pray? When we pray with earnest expectation, we are exercising our faith. The earnest prayers of people walking in step with God can produce powerful results, and the most earnest prayers come from us recognizing our need for God.

There can be a natural tendency to shrink back when praying for the seemingly impossible, but we must remember that nothing is impossible with God. If
we know the promises that God has given us, and understand His character and the principles by which He works, we can pray with confidence and trust Him for the answer. The Kings James Version of the Bible refers to it as being “unwavering in your faith.”What has caused you to waver in your expectation with God? James reminds us that faith and wavering are actually contradictory – he says “nothing wavering”. Know that God never wavers in His love for you. You can trust Him completely.

• What are you trusting God for in this season?

• How can you line up your expectations with the Word of God when you pray?

• Find promises in His Word that answer your need and write them down today.

additional reading:

Matthew 17:20: He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 12:2: Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Help Me overcome My Unbelief

Has it ever occurred to you to be faced with a complex situation, and as a believer you know that the only way to get this situation resolved is to come to Jesus. Unlike that disciples in Jesus’ time, our only way to reach Jesus is through prayer, and pray you do. But as you pray the situation doesn’t even move an inch, at times it even becomes worse. Some of us have given up and have been convinced that it’s the “will of God”, others have just stopped even asking for it, even others have gone and found solutions elsewhere or at least attempted to, and others have plainly given up on faith and God altogether.

This reminds me of a story in the Bible where a father brought his son possessed with an evil spirit that robbed him of speech, to the disciple to drive out the spirit but they were not able to. Then, when Jesus came and found them in full argument, He inquired about the matter at hand he was told that the disciple were not able to do anything (or whatever they tried didn’t work). So, the father pleaded and begged Jesus if He could do anything, to take pity on them and help them. How many of us have approached God with the attitude that says well, God if you can please do. Or even better, I’ve tried this before elsewhere, or at a different time, but this time around if something can be done I’ll be greatly appreciate that God, please do something!

Jesus’ response to the father is His response to us today, “What do you mean, If I can’?” Do you believe or are you just trying your luck like the lottery, crossing your fingers that this will be my lucky time. Or some of us don’t even believe any longer because we’ve been down that road before. This father cried out from the bottom of his heart, I know I bought him here but I’m not sure something can happen, I do wish it does but I’m just “praying”. After Jesus’ response the father opened up and say "Lord, help me overcome my unbelief!"

When we pray and fast, we don’t do so to change God or His will. By praying and fasting, we are the ones changed. Coming into alignment with God helps us curb our doubts and fears. When we pray and fast, one thing that leaves is our unbelief. It is when we have faith to believe, that we can pray with confidence and know that “nothing will be impossible” as we live to bring glory to God. It is okay to recognize and acknowledge if you struggle with unbelief. It’s the first step in allowing God to strengthen your faith and bring you into alignment with His plan for your life.

• What is it that you need faith to believe God for?

• Align yourself with God’s Word and will during this fast. Ask the Holy Spirit to free you from your unbelief.

• Pray with confidence, knowing “nothing will be impossible for you.

Verses to read and meditate on

Matthew 17:18-21; Mark 9: 23-24; Romans 4:20

Day 4 First Love

In his letter to the church of Ephesus, John describes what he heard the Lord say to him. Jesus stars his address to this church by reassuring them that He knew their works, Jesus knew they worked hard for the Lord and had godly patience and endurance. This church was one that could not hear evil and those who were evil. This Church had patience and they worked hard for the Lord and had not become weary. This church was solid, they had a great outreach ministry and wonderful teaching and held on to sound doctrine. By all outward appearances, this was a solid church. Every one would want to be part of that church.

Now this can apply to an individual as we are the church and the Bible calls us the body of Christ. I’m sure you know someone like this, if this isn’t you. A solid christian, that works hard, dedicated and always ready to serve. A person that loves teaching based on sound doctrine, a person in whom there is no evil and who is downright, patient and outgoing, you see what I mean…

Jesus took into full account all the good in this church, yet despite all that he had something against them, something seriously wrong that nothing they did good could cancel it out. What Jesus had against that church was that they had left their first love. I want you to pay attention at this particular word that Jesus used “Left” he did not say lost, but rather Left. This distinction here is very important: something can be lost quite by accident, but leaving is a deliberate act, though it may not happen suddenly (it’s a process little by little). When we lose something we don’t know where to get, but when we leave something we sure know where it is and where to find it. Everything on the outside looked great, but on the inside it was not so.

Is that the condition of many of us ? Are we so preoccupied with the “work” of God that we have lost the passion for the God of the “work” ? Have we lost the zest, the fire, the desire, the passion, that trill that we had when we encountered God and The love of God for the first time? God speaking to Israel in the book of Jeremy and says “ I remember how eager you were to please me (the devotion of your youth), your loyalty, and how you loved me when we were first married (your love as a bride)…”

What happened to you ? What got in the way of that love and passion ? Where have you left your first love ?Are you so preoccupied with what you do for “God” than who God is to you ? It’s time to remember and go back to the first love. It’s time to come back like David, where our deepest desire is to dwell in the house of The Lord and to marvel at his goodness, gaze at his beauty and seek Him in His temple. It’s time to repent, to change direction, to change our attitude and conduct before it’s too late, and go back to the first works. Remember how you used to spend time in His Word ? Remember how you used to pray? Remember the joy in getting together with other believers ? Remember how excited you were about telling others about Jesus ? Come back to your first love.

Verses to Read and Meditate on:

Revelation 2:1-7; Jeremy 2:2; Psalm 27:4; Luke 2:37

Day 3 Go and Sin No More

Paul in his letter to the romans starts the eight chapter with an important and simple declaration, “There is now therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” He does not stop there but proceeds and state that “… Those who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” A believer is not condemned just because he is in Christ Jesus, but when he is in Christ and doesn’t walk according to the flesh (Human nature prone to sin and opposed to God)

This reminds me of the woman who was brought to Jesus after being caught in adultery. After dealing with those who brought her, Jesus looked back at her and say. “Neither do I condemn you…” The woman knew the goodness of having no condemnation. She passed from sin and a death sentence to forgiveness and life. Yet, Jesus did not stop at that, he proceeded to tell her to sin no more.

In another incident after Jesus had healed a man who had an infirmity for thirty eight (38) years, he gave him a stern warning after he was restored back to health, “Sin no more or something worse may happen to you. We see that this man’s thirty eight years of illness had apparently been brought by self indulgence. It was a sin of the flesh, avenged in the flesh, that had given him that miserable life. Sin does not only separate us from God, but it also brings death, illness and problems of all sort.

It seems that at times it is hard for a lot of us to rid ourselves of sin. We often find ourselves back to where we were after having been forgiven by God. Paul says “There is a law at work at work in me, waging war against the law my mind and making me prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. Although I want to do right, evil is right there with me.” Sin is at war within us and it’s often hard to stop sinning. By ourselves we cannot overpower the influence of sin and the works of the flesh. Paul encourages us to look outside ourselves and unto Jesus. Jesus works through us, not instead of us in the battle against sin, this battle will be an ongoing one and the only way to prevail and live out a life of no condemnation is to look to Christ Jesus and not live according to the flesh, but after the Spirit. Because, the desires of the flesh are contrary to the spirit and the Spirit desires are contrary to the flesh. There are in constant conflict so that you will not do whatever you want.

What sin do you need to rid yourself of ? In what capacity do you need to stop sinning ? What is it that you need to trust Jesus with ? Fasting put our flesh under subjection to the desire of the Spirit and though prayer and trusting Jesus we are able to Sin No More because we have surrendered and walk according to the Spirit.

Verses to Read and Meditate

Romans 8:1-3 ; John 8:11 ; John 5:14 ; Galatians 5: 16-24 ; Hebrews 12:1 Romans 7:21-25

Day 2 Search Me and Know Me

Let me ask you something, have you ever looked under a couch or under a bed and notice the filth that builds up over time ? Even though we might clean on a regular basis, there are times when we need to go a little deeper. We realize that what appeared to be clean on the surface was in all actuality, quite filthy. The same thing can happen spiritually. As we go about our daily lives, there are things that can build up over time. Even if we regularly worship, pray and read our Bible, the pressures and cares of this wold can quietly build up, and end up consuming our lives. Without even realizing it, we can lose our peace, our joy, and our passion for the things of God. And our service to God, becomes nothing more a duty we must fulfill.

This makes me think of David as he wrote the Psalm, in Psalm 139: 1 O Lord you have searched me [thoroughly ] and you know me! There’s a commentary that says, You have examined into all my thoughts and feelings and arrived at a full knowledge of my spiritual condition. On verse 23 and 24 David says, “ Search me and know my heart, try me and know my anxious thoughts. One might wonder why David is asking God to search him if he started with, you have searched me and know me. I want you to understand that David is simply stating, keep on always searching me out and trying my heart. He continues and say, And see if there is any wicked way in me (if there is any offensive way; point out anything in me that offends you) and lead me in the way everlasting (the way of righteousness).

David with all his faults hungered and thrusted for righteousness (right standing with God). As scriptures tells us “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled.” See, being in right-standing with God fills our live with all of God’s goodness. But iniquity or perversity separates us from God and sin hides His face from us.

Fasting is the deep cleaning, it’s an incredibly effective way to get into the nooks and crannies of our souls and bring everything out into the light of God. As you pray and fast today, ask God to search you, and like David pray that God cleanse your heart, renew your spirit and restore the joy of your salvation.

Verses to Meditated on

Psalm 139:1, 23-24 ; Isaiah 59:1-2 ; Psalm 51

Day 1 TUNE IN "Here I am"

Have you ever been searching for a radio station only to be frustrated by finding static rather than music ? You then focus to fine tune the dial again, and suddenly you hear a clear signal. The fact is, the signal always existed on the airwaves; the only difference is that now you have adjusted your runner to the right frequency.

In our hectic lives, there are so many signals bombarding our senses that it can become difficult to distinguish God’s voice from the deafening “static noise” of life. Fasting enables us to tune out the world’s distractions and tune in to God. As we fast, we deny our flesh. When we deny our flesh, we become more in tune to the Holy Spirit and can hear God’s voice more clearly.

There is something I want you to consider, and I love how Stovall Weems says it, “ Prayer is connecting with God; Fasting is disconnecting ourselves from the world”. For the next 21 days we have to set this time aside to respond to God’s invitation, to connect to Him, to tune into His frequency through prayer and fasting. We’re disconnecting ourselves not only from food, but anything that keeps us connected to the world, the things that we are accustomed to. Social media, entertainment, tv, anything that will take up time away from connecting to God.

On our first day we want to Tune In and say, Here I am God. ew want to disconnect to connect. A time to disconnect from our habits in order to connect more closely to God. So, don’t let what you eat or do not eat become the focus of your fast. Our goal and focus is to tune in, to draw closer to God and connect with Him.

• In this time of fasting, what is your mind tune to ?

• What distractions do you need to remove so that you can focus on God ?

• Prepare your heart to hear the voice of God, and ask God to help you remove distractions that keep you from focusing on Him and hearing Him clearly.

Verses to read and meditate over

2 Chronicles 20:3; Ezra 8:21; Daniel 9:3