For most people on this 21-day journey, it’s the end of the final week and you are at the end of your fasting time. I believe you will see results that continue to happen throughout the rest of the year and even into next December as we have witnessed every year from so many people.
The fast isn’t just about what happens during these 21 days. I’m going to pray for you today and for your family and for your life as you’re fasting and as you’re praying. Just release your faith now. Make up your mind that this is going to be a year of prayer. I have been fasting right along with you every step of the way and have felt the things you have felt physically and worshipped right along with you under that same set of stars.
I never regret one single second I have fasted and the rewards have been too many to count. I will be praying that the Lord gives you extra strength these last few hours until the fast ends.
What If Your Purpose was Everything You Can Imagine? Trust Your Kingdom Desires.
I have a question for you. What if the very thing God has for your life is exactly what you would love to do the most? The problem with that for so many people is that they really don’t know what that is. What about you? When you dream a dream, what do you see? Who is there with you? What kinds of things are you doing? Who are you helping?
Psalm 37:4 says to “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” What are the desires of your heart? I believe that God wants us, as New Testament believers, to establish this year in prayer. Drive a stake down and say I will pray this year! You need a place of prayer and you need a time of prayer if you’re going to have the power of consistency in prayer. So just make up your mind that you’re going to have a time of prayer and a place of prayer this year.
The thing about prayer is that even if you don’t feel like praying, when you have an appointment with God, you can go and be silent. Your very presence says, “I’m here for you, Jesus. I’m here to be with you. I’m here, just in the silence.” Sometimes when I go to my prayer place, I pray out loud. Sometimes I don’t talk at all. I just walk and think. I just say, “I’m here, Lord, and I worship you.” Sometimes I’ll put on some music in my ears and just listen to worship and walk and give God praise and give God thanksgiving. You decide in those moments what you will do – but make that appointment – pick that place and designate that time. He will meet you there every time.
Too often we wrestle with the question, “Is this from the Lord or from my own mind?” But I have come to learn that when I am walking with Jesus, I can trust the desires I have as seeds He is planting in me; desires He is giving me just like the passage says. But I also believe that God helps us by confirming what we think we have heard from the Lord through His Word, His people, or by revelation.
Today's Bible Reading
Psalms 20:4
4May He grant you according to your heart’s desire,
And fulfill all your purpose.
Psalms 37:3-7
3Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
4Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
5Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
6He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.
7Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
Proverbs 3:1-7
1My son, do not forget my law,
But let your heart keep my commands;
2For length of days and long life
And peace they will add to you.
3Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart,
4And so find favor and high esteem
In the sight of God and man.
5Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
7Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
Matthew 6:33
33But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Matthew 7:7-11
7“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.8For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.9Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?10Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?11If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Romans 8:28
28And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those 2 Tim. 1:9who are the called according to His purpose.
Prayer:
Lord, from this powerful place of prayer, I humbly acknowledge You, Jesus, as Lord. And I praise You. I pray this prayer over the people who have fasted and prayed for 20 days. Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation in this year, deliver us from the evil one in this year. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.