Over these past 21 days of prayer and fasting, we have set aside our comfort to seek something more valuable. It is impossible to spend time calling on God, asking Him to bring Heaven down, and there be no change because God is faithful, and His Word promises that He responds to the prayers of His people.

Throughout these past few weeks, God has shown up and moved in an extraordinary way. People have been saved, set free, and miraculously healed. There’s so much to celebrate, but the exciting reality is that this is only the beginning. There is still more that God wants to do!

In Ezekiel 47, we see an interesting story. The prophet Ezekiel has a vision where he sees a river flowing from God’s temple. As the water flows from the temple, it grows deeper and deeper. It starts ankle-deep, then becomes knee-deep, then continues to deepen until it is uncrossable. On either side of the river, there are many trees, and in the water, there are swarms of fish. The most extraordinary part is that at the place where the river reaches the Dead Sea, the salt water becomes fresh water. The place that was once dead and unlivable was changed so that it was fresh and full of life.

This story serves as a beautiful illustration of what we can expect in the days ahead. This season of prayer and fasting has been incredible and full of life, but the water is only ankle-deep. We have seen only the beginning of God’s work, not the end. There are more miracles that God wants to do. There are more people that God wants to save. As we have fasted and prayed, we can have confidence that Heaven is coming and our best days are still ahead!

Scriptures

Ezekiel 47:1-12 (NIV)

The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side.

As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross. He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”

Then he led me back to the bank of the river. When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”

As we approach the end of this fast, you are probably sensing that over the last few weeks God has begun uniquely moving in your heart. Fasting has a way of quieting our hearts so that God will not only start to work in the situations we have been praying for, but he often works deeply in our hearts as we draw close to him.

Leviticus 6:9 gives us a clear picture of God’s presence in our lives. God had descended on the Tent of Meeting and kindled a fire. God’s instructions to his people were to keep the fire burning. God told Moses: “Give Aaron and his sons this command: ‘These are the regulations for the burnt offering: The burnt offering is to remain on the altar hearth throughout the night, till morning, and the fire must be kept burning on the altar.’”

God would say that every day a burnt offering would be offered in the morning at 9:00 a.m. and in the evening at 3:00 p.m. It was a reminder that devotion to God was to be continual and ongoing.

The idea behind the burnt offering is that of total devotion to God. It was a symbol of the commitment of the worshiper. Nothing would be left of the sacrifice; it would have been totally consumed on the altar in the presence of the Lord.

God has started a fire inside of us through this fast, and it is our responsibility to keep what God has sparked in each of us burning. That will require total devotion to him because it is spiritually deadly to stop what God has started in you.

This fast has given us the opportunity to give up certain things to seek God on a deeper level. While our seeking God may look different after this fast is over, the commitment and intentionality of spending time with him should remain the same.

God has started a powerful work in your life; keep the fire burning.

Scriptures

Leviticus 6:9 (NIV)
“Give Aaron and his sons this command: ‘These are the regulations for the burnt offering: The burnt offering is to remain on the altar hearth throughout the night, till morning, and the fire must be kept burning on the altar.

Leviticus 6:13 (NIV)
The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.

Imagine this. You are going about your day like usual until you hear tragic news. A family that you know well has come across a devastating financial loss and needs $100,000 to make up for their debts. You are heartbroken for them and want to do something to help. A friend of yours who also knows the family hears about the news and decides they will help them by covering the $100,000. They want to keep the gift anonymous, so rather than paying the family directly, they ask if you would be willing to deliver the funds personally. You are thrilled with the news and have decided to give the funds as quickly as possible. You meet with the family and hand over the money they need to cover their debt. They are thrilled and so grateful to receive such a generous gift. Even though it wasn’t your money, you were still able to be a part of making a massive difference in their lives.

This perfectly illustrates what it looks like for a believer to operate in the power of the Spirit. When it comes to healing the sick, raising the dead, and casting out demons, we are not the ones who are doing it. Instead, we are just delivering the resource that has been given to us by God. That’s why when Jesus is teaching the disciples how to minister to others, he says, “Freely you have received; freely give.”

As believers, we don’t have to worry about whether or not we have the power to impact the lives of those around us. Jesus has the power, and He has freely given it to us! Our responsibility is to go out and share with others the power that God has made freely available through the Holy Spirit.

As you go throughout your day, look for opportunities to minister to those around you. You have freely received, so go out and give!

Scriptures

Matthew 10:5-8 (NIV)

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of Heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

If you’ve been fasting food at any level, you’ve more than likely been hungry at this point in the fast. When we come to John 4, we see the disciples in a similar situation that we have found ourselves in. They were hungry! It was time for lunch, so they went into a nearby village to find something to eat. After successfully securing their meal, they return to find Jesus and offer him some food. Unexpectedly, Jesus denies their offer and tells them that he has food they know nothing about.

At this moment, the disciples are confused and are asking themselves if someone else brought Jesus food while they were gone. Jesus continues to say that his food is to do the will of the one who sent him. And as if the disciples aren’t confused enough, Jesus goes on to tell them a proverb about harvesting. It’s safe to say that the disciples were completely clueless about what was happening at this point.

The problem that the disciples had, which caused them to miss what Jesus was talking about completely, was that they were looking at the whole situation from their natural point of view. All that the disciples could see was their immediate need that they were hungry and needed food to eat. Jesus, on the other hand, was looking at the situation from a supernatural perspective. Jesus was not concerned with eating lunch. Jesus was concerned that the village they got lunch from was filled with lost people who needed to be saved.

So often in our lives, we can miss what Jesus is doing because we are looking at our situation with physical vision rather than spiritual vision. Like the disciples, we can find ourselves going through a place filled with people who don’t know Jesus, and our primary concern is not sharing the Gospel; it is getting something for lunch.

That’s why a season of prayer and fasting is so refreshing. We become less concerned with what we need and more concerned with what God wants to do in us and through us. When we take our eyes off ourselves and set them on doing God’s will, we start to see what Jesus meant that the “fields are white for harvest.” We begin to see opportunities to pray for people and see them healed. We start to notice people who are down and give them an encouraging word. We see lost people all around us and choose to step out in boldness to share the Gospel.

The opportunities are endless because the harvest is now. Resolve to step out in faith and obedience today and watch what God will do!

Scriptures

John 4:27-38 (NLT)

Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?” The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” So the people came streaming from the village to see him. Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, “Rabbi, eat something.” But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.” “Did someone bring him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other. Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.”

One of the most encouraging aspects of fasting is that it invites God’s favor in our life. We desperately need God’s favor because there are times when life’s circumstances are out of our control. And when we are hit with an unforeseen difficulty, the results can be tragic. Although we may not be able to control our situation, we can dictate our response to them.

A great example in the Bible of why we need favor is Nehemiah. Nehemiah was confronted with catastrophic news and was desperate for God to intervene. “Things are not going well for those who returned. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.” (1:3)

This news was shocking, but Nehemiah’s righteous response would garner favor from God, which would bend the will of an enemy king and change the course of Israel’s history. What did he do? Nehemiah fasted and prayed, believing that God’s favor can turn around even the most hopeless situations! “When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of Heaven.” (v.4)

His prayer was simple, “Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.” (v.11), but his faith was profound, and God went above and beyond all Nehemiah asked.

God gave Nehemiah supernatural favor with the king. God took a king that was in opposition to Israel and turned his heart to be gracious to them. Through prayer and fasting, a seemingly impossible situation was turned around by God’s favor.

Be encouraged today that no matter what situation you may be facing, God can turn it around by imparting His favor on your life. As we are fasting and praying, we can be confident that God is on the move in our lives and is more than able to do the impossible in our situation!

Scriptures

Nehemiah 1:3-11 (NLT)
They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”

When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of Heaven. Then I said,

“O Lord, God of Heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses.

“Please remember what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.’

“The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your servants. O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.”

In those days I was the king’s cup-bearer.

Nehemiah 2:8 (NLT)

And please give me a letter addressed to Asaph, the manager of the king’s forest, instructing him to give me timber. I will need it to make beams for the gates of the Temple fortress, for the city walls, and for a house for myself.” And the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me.

Has this ever happened to you? It’s 2 AM, and suddenly, you are wide awake. You try falling back asleep, but it’s not working out. You decide to head to the kitchen to grab a drink of water, hoping that will help. You don’t want to wake anybody up, so you decide to go covert and not turn any of the lights on. It becomes quite the journey of feeling for walls, quietly tiptoeing, and making sure you don’t step on any Legos. You make it to the kitchen, get your drink, and head back to bed. You completed your midnight mission, and the water was just what you needed to get back to sleep.

It’s funny that turning on the lights in this scenario would make everything easier. You choose not to turn on the lights because you don’t want it to disturb anyone. Light can’t help but impact its environment. When a light is turned on in the dark, it gets peoples’ attention. That being the reality, it is very fitting that Jesus is the “light of the world.” Jesus came into a broken world and revolutionized it with his teachings and miracles.

What’s interesting about Jesus saying that he is the light of the world is that it can seem to come in opposition with what he says in Matthew that “we are the light of the world.” So, which is it? Is Jesus the light of the world, or are we the light of the world? The answer is yes. We are the light of the world because Jesus, who is the light of the world, lives in us.

This means that we are able to live in a way that radically impacts our environment, just like Jesus did. So how do we do that? We do it by letting His power operate through us. We take time to stop and pray for someone to be healed. We share an encouraging word with that person God places on our hearts. We step out in boldness to share the Gospel with a stranger. As we walk in obedience, we will see God do the extraordinary in us and through us.

During this season of prayer and fasting, God is going to give you opportunities to shine His light. Be bold, step out in faith, and watch God do the supernatural through you!

Scriptures

John 8:12 (NLT)
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

Matthew 5:14-16 (NLT)
“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your Heavenly Father.

There is nothing quite like going to a large family gathering or family reunion. You get together and reconnect with cousins, aunts, uncles, and other family members that you may not have seen for years. There is also the occasional moment of not knowing who certain individuals are, but you still know that they are family. No matter who is there, you know that because of relationship or bloodline each person is family – gathered from different locations, with different physical traits, different names – yet all part of the same family.

The same can be said for your spiritual life. Because of relationship through Jesus, each and every believer is grafted into the amazing family of God. Romans 8:14 puts it like this, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

What an amazing reminder! When we surrender our lives to Christ, it’s as if God says, “Welcome to the Family!” and His Spirit comes to live in us and unite us with the body of Christ.

This family we are part of, just like your physical family, is filled with different personalities, perspectives, and giftings, but what we all have in common is the fact that we are all led by the same Spirit. The Spirit who is at work in us and through us to do more through us united than we could ever accomplish on our own.

As you continue in this fast, pray that your hunger to be led by the Holy Spirit outpaces your physical appetite. Be reminded today that many others in your spiritual family – your brothers and sisters in Christ – are right there with you, desiring and pursuing the same. As we are seeking God together, He is going to work powerfully in our lives and in His church to change the world around us!

Take some time today in your prayer and fasting to remember those that are a part of your spiritual family. Let them know that you are praying for them and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you in what to pray for them.

Scriptures

Romans 8:14 (ESV)
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Ephesians 2:19-22 (ESV)
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

John 1:12 (ESV)
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

Whatever you are seeking the Lord about during this time, be careful about only coming to Him with a narrow perspective of just wanting your needs met. Instead, come to the Lord with the kind of faith and passion to see your prayers answered in a way that ultimately brings glory to God and has Kingdom impact.

A great way to help shift your perspective on this is by taking the time to pause and reflect on the goodness and richness of God.

In the book of Psalms, you find at various times the word “Selah.” This term means to slow down, pause, and recognize the moment. We see in Psalm 67:1 that the writer inserts this word right after stating a very powerful and significant request – a prayer for the Lord’s grace, blessing, and favor.

Psalm 67:1, “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah”

And after this Selah – this time of reflection – we find a shift in perspective and the motive behind such requests in the following verse. Psalm 67:2 says, “that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.” The psalmist desired the favor and blessing of God so that many others would know of God’s power for themselves.

The psalmist realized that our God is powerful and personal, and what He does is never supposed to be kept private. Believing in God’s favor in your life is significant, and the Lord’s goodness and blessing are not only on display for others to see but also must be declared for others to hear.

Your testimony is powerful, so let your story be known. Talk to others about the goodness of God in your life. When you do, it not only brings glory to God for all He has done but also builds faith in those who hear it. Your testimony could be what God uses to spur someone else to believe for breakthrough and ultimately experience the miracles God intends for them to have.

Scriptures

Psalm 67:1-2 (ESV)

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah  that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.

In Matthew 16:13-19, we find an interesting and powerful story. As Jesus and His disciples approached the region of Caesarea Philippi, with Mt. Hermon looming in the distance, Jesus turned and asked them, “Who do people say that I am?” They gave various answers they had heard in their travels with Jesus; some said He was John the Baptist come back to life, and others said, Elijah or Jeremiah. But then Jesus quickly turned the conversation personal, “Who do you say I am?”

Seemingly without hesitation, Peter blurted out, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Out of that one statement, Jesus made a profound declaration that has since shaped the course of history, “…On this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

The “rock” on which Jesus declared he would build His Church was Peter’s realization of exactly who Jesus is. Once they knew and understood who he was, Jesus could begin using them to build his kingdom. Since then, Jesus has been building his Church, and nothing has been able to stop it.

Interestingly, the unstoppable force required to build the Church was not a unique church growth strategy or highly trained and influential people. The unstoppable power of the Church lies in ordinary people realizing who Jesus is and joining Him in His mission.

This is such a profound realization because when we understand who Jesus is and what he has done for us, the only logical conclusion is to serve him wholeheartedly. And the true power of that understanding is not our dedication to a cause but the empowerment Jesus promised would accompany anyone who chose to confess Him as Lord. He said he would give us the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, that we might bind the powers of darkness and set people free from the chains that bound them!

We have been given the keys to the kingdom; our prayers are powerful and effective. As we fast and pray, we are locking up the enemy and setting people free. Jesus is building his Church, and he is using us to do it! Nothing in all of Heaven or earth will be able to stop it!

Scriptures

Matthew 16:13-19 (NLT)
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in Heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in Heaven, and whatever you permit^[i] on earth will be permitted in Heaven.”