7 Days of Prayer & Fasting 2022

Monday, January 10, 2022 – January 16, 2022

It is imperative that we pray at least (3) times daily throughout this week of Prayer & Fasting (Daniel 6:10). It’s not just about abstaining from foods; it’s about developing a “listening ear” through prayer unto God.

We will be praying for our world, our nation, the Church (Body of Christ), lost souls, families and then our own personal relationship with Christ .

Fasting

Fasting is one of the most powerful weapons God has ever given us for our daily lives.

We all go through times when we feel like we are not living up to our full potential. Sometimes we lose our energy and our spiritual sharpness . . . this causes us to lose our edge.

What does it really mean to lose your edge?

When a lumberjack keeps swinging away at the tree without sharpening his ax, the ax will soon become dull and ineffective. In much the same way, that can happen to us.

Going through our daily routines in our own strength wears us down. Little by little, we lose our closeness to God. Without that closeness, we become ineffective for the purposes His has for us.

Fasting can help you get back your passion! It can recharge you!

Although fasting lasts for a short season, it brings long-term results, which sharpens us, enabling us to face the challenges of life in His strength. Through fasting, you can experience spiritual renewal and direction for your life . . . restoration of relationship . . . healing . . . release from bondages . . . and so much more!

We begin year 2022 with 7 days of fasting. Fasting in January is much like praying in the morning to establish the will of God for your entire day. I believe that if we will pray and seek God and give Him our first and best at the beginning of the year, He will honor that sacrifice and bless our ENTIRE year! “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Mathew 6:33).

But when you make fasting a way of life, you get even closer to God and grow in your spiritual walk like never before. Making fasting a lifestyle is like a lumberjack who takes time to rest and sharpen his ax periodically to be able to effectively finish the job set before him.

Fasting can help you Recover Your Passion, Recapture Your Dream and Restore Your Joy!

Fasting is a principle that God intended for everyone to practice. It is not a punishment; it is a privilege!

Make fasting a “lifestyle”! Join us, and thousands from around the world, in the Fasting Movement .

What Is Fasting?

Biblical fasting is refraining from food for a spiritual purpose.

Prayer and fasting is defined as voluntarily going without food in order to focus on prayer and fellowship with God. Prayer and fasting often go hand in hand,You can pray without fasting. When Prayer and fasting are combined and dedicated to God’s glory they reach their full effectiveness. Having a dedicated time of prayer and fasting is not a way of manipulating God into doing what you desire. Rather, it is simply forcing yourself to focus and rely on God for the strength, provision, wisdom you need and gain a deeper fellowship with God. By taking our eyes off the things of this world through prayer and biblical fasting, we can focus better on Christ.

 

 

 

Fasting has always been practiced by true believers.

Fasting helps subject our bodies to our spirits. (I Cor 9:27)

Fasting is disciplining the body, mind, and spirit. (Prov. 25:28)

Fasting is subordinating our flesh-desires to our spirit-desires. (Gal 5:17)

Fasting helps set the priorities in our lives. (Mt 6:33)

Fasting is longing after God. (Ps 63:1-2)

Why Should We Fast?

1.Honor God – Mt 6:16-18, Luke 2:37, Acts 13:2, Mt 5:6

2.Humble Yourself – 2 Chron 7:14-15, Ps 35:13

3.Discerning Healing – I Cor 11:30, James 5:13-18, Isaiah 59:1-2

4.Deliverance from Bondage – Mt 17:21, Is 58:6-9 (loose bands of wickedness)

5.Revelation – God’s vision and will – Dan 9:3, 20-21, Dan 10:2-10, 12-13

6.Revival – personal and corporate – Acts 1:4, 14 / 2:16-21, Joel 2:12-18

7.Repentance – personal failures – Psalm 51: Jer. 29:11-14, James 4:8-10

8.Jesus fasted 40 days before He started His ministry. (Matt 4:12; Lk 4:14)

9.Fasting helps us become sensitive to the Holy Spirit. (Acts 13:2)

10.Helping us to deny our own flesh and crucify the carnal mind.

11.Fasting brings spiritual revival. (Dan 9:2,3)

12.Helping us to prevail in prayer and intercession.

13.Fasting is God’s Providence to give us a healthy lifestyle and it cannot be substituted by any other way. It is the privilege of the children of God.

14.To fellowship with God, have intimacy with Him and knowing Him.

15.To be made whole, healed and restored spiritually, physically, emotionally and psychologically. (Hos 6:1-2)

 

There are several types of Fasting. The one you chose is between you and God. He will honor your best sacrifice.

Full Fast

Drink only liquids (you establish the number of days).

The Daniel Fast

Eat no meat, no sweets and no bread. Drink water and juice. Eat fruits and vegetables.

3-Day Fast

This fast can be a Full Fast, Daniel Fast or give up at least one item of food.

 

Partial Fast

A partial fast is from 6:00 am to 3:00 pm or from sun up to sundown. You can select from three types of fasting —a Full Fast, Daniel Fast or give up at least one item of food.

Relation to Prayer and Reading of the Word:

1 Samuel 1:6-8, 17-18, Nehemiah 1:4, Daniel 9:3, 20, Joel 2:12, Luke 2:37, Acts 10:30, Acts 13:2

Corporate Fasting:

Examples of Corporate Prayer & Fasting

1 Samuel 7:5-6, Ezra 8:21-23, Nehemiah 9:1-3, Joel 2:15-16, Jonah 3:5-10, Acts 27:33-37

1 Samuel 7:5-6 5 Then Samuel said, “Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the Lord for you.” 6 When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” Now Samuel was serving as leader[a] of Israel at Mizpah.

 

Ezra 8:21-23 21 There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. 22 I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, “The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.” 23 So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.

Nehemiah 9:1-3 The Israelites Confess Their Sins

9 On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads. 2 Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors. 3 They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God.

 

Joel 2:15-16

15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast,call a sacred assembly.16 Gather the people,consecrate the assembly;bring together the elders,gather the children,

those nursing at the breast.Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.

 

Jonah 3:5-10 5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

6 When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 7 This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh:

“By the decree of the king and his nobles:

Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”

10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

 

Acts 27:33-37 33 Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything. 34 Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” 35 After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. 36 They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37 Altogether there were 276 of us on board.

 

Remember that it is the attitude of a heart sincerely seeking Him to which God responds with a blessing (Isaiah 58, Jeremiah 14:12, 1 Corinthians 8:8). May God greatly bless you as you fast!

 

When you eliminate food from your diet for a number of days, your spirit becomes uncluttered by the things of this world and amazingly sensitive to the things of God. As David stated, “Deep calls unto deep” (Ps. 42:7). David was fasting. His hunger and thirst for God were greater than his natural desire for food. As a result, he reached a place where he could cry out from the depths of his spirit to the depths of God, even in the midst of his trial. Once you’ve experienced even a glimpse of that kind of intimacy with our God—our Father, the holy Creator of the universe—and the countless rewards and blessings that follow, your whole perspective will change. You will soon realize that fasting is a secret source of power this is overlooked by many.

 

A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. —Luke 6:40

During the years that Jesus walked this earth, He devoted time to teaching His disciples the principles of the kingdom of God, principles that conflict with those of this world. In the Beatitudes, specifically in Matthew 6, Jesus provided the pattern by which each of us is to live as a child of God. That pattern addressed three specific duties of a Christian: giving, praying, and fasting. Jesus said, “When you give…” and “When you pray…” and “When you fast.” He made it clear that fasting, like giving and praying, was a normal part of Christian life. As much attention should be given to fasting as is given to giving and to praying.

 

Solomon, when writing the books of wisdom for Israel, made the point that a cord, or rope, braided with three strands is not easily broken (Eccles. 4:12). Likewise, when giving, praying, and fasting are practiced together in the life of a believer, it creates a type of threefold cord that is not easily broken. In fact, as I’ll show you in a moment, Jesus took it even further by saying, “Nothing will be impossible” (Matt. 17:20).

Could we be missing our greatest breakthroughs because we fail to fast? Remember the thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and hundredfold return Jesus spoke of (Mark 4:8, 20)? Look at it this way: when you pray, you can release that thirtyfold return, but when both prayer and giving are part of your life, I believe that releases the sixtyfold blessing. But when all three—giving, praying, and fasting—are part of your life, that hundredfold return can be released!

If that’s the case, you have to wonder what blessings are not being released. What answers to prayer are not getting through? What bondages are not being broken because we fail to fast?

 

Matthew tells the story of a father who had a demon-possessed son. For years he watched helplessly as his son suffered severe convulsions. As he grew older, the attacks became so severe that the boy would often throw himself into an open fire or a trench of water. A suicidal spirit tormented him constantly; the situation became life-threatening.

 

Having exhausted every attempt to cure the boy—even talking him to the disciples with no avail—the father’s plight seemed impossible. Then he heard that Jesus was near. Going to the Master, he cried, “Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for often times he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him” (Matt. 17:15, KJV).

When the boy was brought to Jesus, the Bible ways He “rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour” (v. 18, KJV). But what made the difference? After all, Matthew 10:1 records that Jesus had already given the disciples power to cast out evil spirits and to heal every disease. So why couldn’t the disciples cast out the demon and cure the boy?

That’s what they wanted to know, too, so later that night, when they were alone with Jesus, they asked Him. Jesus replied, “Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting” (Matt. 17:20–21, KJV).

 

Long before this incident, the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness, where He spent forty days and forty nights, taking no food. “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” For Jesus, casting out that stubborn demon wasn’t impossible.

 

If Jesus could have accomplished all He came to do without fasting, why would He fast? The Son of God fasted because He knew there were supernatural things that could only be released that way. How much more should fasting be a common practice in our lives?

Fasting Is for Everyone

Perhaps you’re thinking, “I still don’t know how fasting can really be for me.” According to the words of Jesus, it is the duty of every disciple and every believer to fast. When addressing the Pharisees as to why His disciples did not fast, Jesus replied, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days” (Luke 5:34–35).

Then they will fast. Jesus didn’t expect His disciples to do something He hadn’t doen as well. Jesus fasted, and according to the words of Peter, Jesus is our example in all things (1 Pet. 2:21).

-Fasting brings rewards.

There’s another vital point that I want you to see in Matthew 6: God delights in giving rewards. Not only that, but He says that when giving, praying and fasting are practiced in your life, He will “reward you openly.”

A good example of such open reward can be found in Daniel. While in Babylonian captivity, his fasting—even partial fasting of certain foods—brought about the open reward of God, who blessed Daniel with wisdom beyond that of anyone else in that empire.

 

Later, in chapter 10, Daniel was grieved and burdened with the revelation he had received for Israel. He ate no choice breads or meats and drank no wine for three weeks. Then he describes the angel that was sent to him—which had been delayed by the prince of Persia for twenty-one days—with the answers Daniel sought. His fast broke the power of the delayer and released the angels of God so that God’s purpose could be revealed and served.

 

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Do you desire to know God’s will for your life, whom you should marry, or what you should do in a critical situation? Fasting brings you to a place of being able to clearly hear God’s will.

 

Fasting demonstrates repentance.

Joel prophesy of judgment upon unfaithful Israel was followed by a divine call to ward off judgment through a fast of repentance. The Lord beckoned, “Even now,?declares the LORD, Return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.? Quote; (See Joel 2:12-13.) Similarly, James exhorts New Testament believers with these words: “Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (See James 4:8-10.) Fasting demonstrates the brokenness of a heart that is truly repentant for sin.

The Daniel Fast

Step 1: Be Specific
Daniel was not vague in his objection to the Babylonian diet. He defined the problem immediately.

  1. The king’s food was against dietary laws.

  2. Daniel and his friends had vowed against wine.

  3. The king’s food had been offered up to idols/demons.

Step 2: Fast as a Spiritual Commitment
The Daniel Fast involves a spiritual commitment to God. “Daniel proposed in his heart that he would not defile himself” (Daniel 1:8).

Step 3: Reflect Inner Desire by Outer Discipline
Many people have an inner desire for better health, but they can’t discipline themselves to avoid junk food, and other foods that are not good for their health. The physical health you seek from God may be more than an answer to prayer. Your physical health can be linked to any of the following factors:

  1. Your food choices.

  2. The level of your spiritual commitment as reflected in constant prayer during the fast.

  3. Your time commitment. If you determine to fast for a certain time, keep it. For example, if you determine to fast 10 days, don’t stop on Day 9.

  4. Your testimony commitment. Your fast is a statement of faith to God that you want Him to heal your body, and faith is foundational to the Daniel Fast.

Step 4: Pray to Perceive Sin’s Role in Poor Health
Notice James 5:13-16:

  • Sin is something related to the cause of sickness.

  • Lack of health/healing may be the result of spiritual rebellion.

  • Lack of health/healing may be due to sin of wrong intake, i.e. drugs, pornography.

  • Repentance is linked to health according to James.

  • Elders have a role in healing both spiritual and physical health.

  • Sick people must desire to be well

  • The anointing oil could mean

  1. Medicine for healing,

  2. Symbolic of the Holy Spirit, or

  3. It could be baptism

  • Prayer alone may not gain healing, faith is the major factor.

  • In Greek there are several words for “sick”. James uses “Kanino”, which not only includes disease, but also means weak or weary.

  • Attitude is important. James said, “are there any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.”

Step 5: Fast as a Statement of Faith to Others
Daniel was making a statement of faith when he asked for only vegetables to eat and water to drink, then dared the overseer to compare the appearance of the four sons of Israel with the young men who ate the king’s food.

Step 6: Learn the Effects of the Food You Eat
Why are some foods good for us, and other foods not? What does certain food do to your body? If we really knew, there would likely be some things we would never eat again.

Step 7: Yield All Results to God
Daniel said, “as you see fit, deal with your servants” (Dan. 1:13).
FOOD GUIDELINES FOR A DANIEL FAST

Daniel 1:12
“Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.”

Daniel 10:3 KJV
“I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.”

When going on a Daniel fast, or any type of fast, if you have questions outside of what Scripture says, prayerfully seek the Lord and be led by the Spirit for the specifics for your personal fast.

Whether you are beginning a Private Fast or Fasting Corporately as we do here at Gospel Outreach Center every year, I believe you will find these tips helpful.

 

FASTING TIPS

1) Preparing to Fast (Esther 4:16)

  1. a) Get your heart and mind ready, set your mind clearly on the objective of fasting, and maintain a thankful heart.

  2. b) Write down the clear objectives for fasting; add a clause of flexibility, so that God may speak His objective.

  3. c) Pray and commit to a type of fast, asking God for grace to remain determined.

  4. d) Plan your calendar

Conserve your energy and devote more time to prayer and reading God’s Word.

  1. e) Prepare spiritually

Fine tune your mindset, make known to God that you desire to weaken the flesh so as to be close to the Lord spiritually. Allow the Spirit of God to direct the mind, to direct the body for renewal action, meaning: getting ready to change.

  1. f) Prepare physically

  2. h) Pray daily and read the Bible.

Don’t overeat before fasting. On the contrary, reduce food intake gradually until the day of fasting. Avoid food that is high in calories. Eat only salad and fruits three days before fasting.

Preparing Spiritually

Confess your sins to God. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas of weakness.

 

Forgive all who have offended you and ask forgiveness from those you may have offended (Mark 11:25; Luke 11:4;17:3-4).

 

Surrender your life fully to Jesus Christ and reject the worldly desires that try to hinder you (Romans 12:1-2).

Deciding What to Fast

The type of fasting you choose is up to you. You could go on a full fast in which you only drink liquids, or you may desire to fast like Daniel, who abstained from sweets and meats, and the only liquid he drank was water. Remember to replace that time with prayer and Bible study.

Deciding How Long

You may fast as long as you like. Most can easily fast from one to three days, but you may feel the grace to go longer, even as much as 21 to 40 days. Use wisdom and pray for guidance.

Beginners are advised to start slow.

What to Expect

When you fast your body detoxifies, eliminating toxins from your system. This can cause mild discomfort such as headaches and irritability during withdrawal from caffeine and sugars. And naturally, you will have hunger pains. Limit your activity and exercise moderately. Take time to rest. Fasting brings about miraculous results. You are following Jesus’ example when you fast.

Spend time listening to praise and worship. Pray as often as you can throughout the day. Get away from the normal distractions as much as possible and keep your heart and mind set on seeking God’s face.

 

During the Fast (Mat 6:16-18)

  1. a) Read the Word of God and fellowship with God

b)Talk with and listen to God; try to hear the voice of God, once

you hear, verify with the Holy Bible. Then wait for a season to confirm. Once confirmed, put it into action and let no one stop you.

c)Seek the Lord

Pray and read God’s Word during meal times. Join at least one prayer meeting.

Be ready to respond when you hear from God.

Whatever God makes known to you, make restitution immediately. Change any habits immediately. Be accountable to someone for your renewal.

 

Practical tips

  1. Avoid medical and even natural herbal drugs

  2. Limit your physical activity and exercise

  3. Rest as much as you can

  4. Maintain an attitude of prayer throughout the day

  5. Allow for temporary bouts of physical weakness, impatience, irritability and anxiety as your body adjusts.

 

Fasting is not recommended:

The following are among groups fasting is generally not recommended:

  • People who are pregnant or breast-feeding,

  • Children and teenagers since they are still growing and developing (in the bible only adults are known to have been permitted to fast),

  • People in their senior or elderly years since their body organs need a consistent flow of body fluids and nutrients,

  • People who are recovering from illness, injury or surgery (operation),

  • People who are highly underweight,

  • People who have diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, heart disease, and other chronic health problems.

The rest of us with healthy bodies it’s merely a choice we make – to fast or not to fast. As far as God is concerned health limitations are the only worthy excuse, not busy careers, family obligations or environmental factors.

How to End-Breaking the Fast (Acts 14:23)

  1. One hour before- pray harder and thank God for such grace of the opportunity to have intimacy with God through fasting.

  2. Reintroduce solid food gradually in small portions throughout the day. Start with fruits, juices and salad.

  3. Continue praying-Let the momentum you gained during the past transform your prayer and devotional life.

  4. Expect Results

Persevere in prayer. Keep a copy of your prayer points, giving thanks to God as you see how He answers your prayers at the end of the year.

 

Bible Characters Who Fasted

  • Moses fasted twice for 40 days-Following his first fast, Moses received the Law. The second was to turn God’s wrath away from God’s sinful people. Deuteronomy 9:9,18,19

 

  • Hannah, for a child. She was barren and deeply distraught. God gave her release from inner turmoil. Then He gave her a baby boy, Samuel, who grew into a mighty man of God. I Samuel 1:7,8

 

  • Elijah fasted for 40 days while fleeing in fear from wicked Jezebel, who threatened to have him killed. God gave him comfort, boldness and instructions to go back the way he came and anoint new prophets. 1 Kings 19

 

  • King David for seven days that God might heal his dying, infant child, conceived illegitimately with Bathsheba. The baby died, yet David experienced God’s wonderful peace through this incredible trauma. 2 Samuel 12:16-23

 

  • Proclaimed by King Jehoshaphat – When he and his army were surrounded by enemies and destruction seemed imminent. After proclaiming the fast, they rejoiced with praises and God destroyed their enemies. 2 Chronicles 20

  • Proclaimed by Ezra – Prior to a very perilous journey to Jerusalem. Ezra 8

 

  • Nehemiah – For restoration of the city he loved (Jerusalem). Nehemiah 1:4

 

  • Proclaimed by Queen Esther – For the entire nation to fast for three days without food or water. They were on the brink of annihilation. Esther 4

 

  • Daniel‘s partial fast of 21 days – He received a vision and revelation of end times. Daniel 9

 

  • Proclaimed by the King of Nineveh– With national repentance to avert disaster through God’s wrath. Jonah 3

 

  • Jesus for 40 days. If God in human flesh fasted, how much more ought we? Matthew 4:2

 

  • John the Baptist – He and his disciples fasted often, as did the Pharisees. Matthew 9:14,15

 

  • Anna – A widow who dedicated herself to prayer and fasting and is honored in the eternal Word of God. Luke 2:37

 

  • Paul the Apostle– He fasted for three days after meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus (while still known as Saul of Tarsus). Acts 9:9 He later wrote in 2 Corinthians 11 that he fasted often.

 

  • Isaiah 58 is the fasting chapter. Read and study it to discover the many benefits of fasting when done God’s way.

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Scriptural Teachings& Examples of Prayer

  • using it to overcome temptation. Genesis 3:1-6;Matthew 26:40-41

  • does it change God’s mind? Genesis 18:20-33

  • ask God anything but expect anything. Genesis18:33

  • don’t be afraid to ask. Genesis 25:21

  • why God may withhold an answer. Genesis 25:21

  • turn your worries into. Genesis 32:9-12;Philippians 4:6-7

  • balancing prayer with action. Exodus 14:15

  • instead of complaining. Exodus 17:2

  • changes attitudes and events. Exodus 32:9-14;Acts 12:5

  • make sure you really want what you ask for. Numbers 11:4-9

  • helps us remember God’s goodness. Deuteronomy 8:10

  • of Joshua. Joshua 7:7-9

  • why God may not be answering yours. Judges 13:18; 1 Samuel 28:15; 2 Samuel 7:8-16

  • don’t let guilt feelings keep you from praying. Judges 16:28-30

  • when discouraged. 1 Samuel 1:10

  • be careful what you promise God in prayer. 1Samuel 1:11

  • is failing to pray for others a sin? 1 Samuel 12:23

  • how David responded to God’s “no” answer. 1Chronicles 17:16-20; 1 Chronicles 22:7-10

  • lessons from Solomon’s dedication prayer. 2 Chronicles 6:19-42

  • what to request of God. 1 Kings 8:56-60

  • don’t always expect immediate answers. 2 Chronicles 7:12

  • Hezekiah saved a nation. 2 Kings 19:1-7

  • how Hezekiah approached God. 2 Kings 19:15-19

  • Jabez remembered. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

  • serious prayer. Ezra 8:23

  • what it clarifies for us. Nehemiah 1:5

  • spontaneous prayer. Nehemiah 2:4

  • combining prayer with preparation. Nehemiah 4:9

  • for your children. Job 1:5

  • assurance of answered prayer brings peace. Psalm3:5

  • God hears every one. Psalm 4:3

  • the secret to a close relationship with God. Psalm5:1-3

  • pray even when God seems far away. Psalm 10:1

  • moving from prayer to praise. Psalm 54:3-4

  • a weapon against evil. Psalm 55:17

  • can release tensions of emotional stress. Psalm62:3-6

  • places our focus on God. Psalm 77:1-12

  • Psalm 122:6-9

  • Why many are afraid to talk with god. Isaiah 7:12

  • Can change events. Isaiah 38:1-5

  • In the midst of panic. Daniel 2:16-18

  • How do you react to answered prayer? Daniel2:19-23

  • Daniel’s disciplined prayer life. Daniel 6:10

  • We can pray anywhere anytime. Jonah 2:1

  • Using it to look holy. Matthew 6:5-6

  • Shallow repetition. Matthew 6:7-8

  • Matthew 6:7-8; Colossians 4:2

  • The lord’s prayer. Matthew 6:9

  • Discernment to ask for the right things. Matthew7:9-10

  • God’s attitude toward ours. Matthew 7:11

  • Importance of praying alone. Matthew 14:23

  • Relying on the holy spirit. Matthew 18:19-20

  • Can we ask for anything? Matthew 21:22; mark10:38-40

  • Finding time to pray. Mark 1:35

  • Keys to effective prayer. Mark 9:29

  • Mark 11:22-23

  • Jesus’ prayer in the garden. Mark 14:35-36

  • How and when god answers. Luke 1:13

  • Should precede important decisions. Luke 6:12;james 5:16-18

  • Puts us under god’s control. Luke 6:19

  • Important to evangelism. Luke 10:2

  • What “constant” prayer means. Luke 18:1

  • Lessons from Jesus’ longest prayer. John 17:1

  • Jesus prayed for us too. John 17:20

  • Using it to make decisions. Acts 1:12-13

  • Early believers’ prayers are a model for us. Acts4:24-30

  • Don’t be surprised when god answers. Acts12:13-15; Romans 1:9-10

  • God responds at the right time. Galatians 4:4

  • How to pray for others. Colossians 1:9-14

  • 1 timothy 2:1-4

  • Pray for government leaders. 1 timothy 2:2

  • What hinders prayer. 1 timothy 2:8

  • With reverence yet bold assurance. Hebrews 4:16

  • Christian leaders need our prayers. Hebrews13:18-19

  • Most common problems. James 4:2-3

  • Part of god’s healing process. James 5:15

  • Rather than revenge. 1 peter 3:9

  • Praying in god’s will. 1 john 5:14-15

Word of the Day

The Power of Prayer

 

And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”

Never underestimate the power of prayer. When you are praying according to God’s will, your prayer is unstoppable. And how do we know what God’s will is? By careful study of Scripture.

Jesus made this promise: “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7).

If we are walking in fellowship with God and studying the Word of God, then we will start praying according to the will of God. And then we will start seeing our prayers answered.

First John 5:14–15 says, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”

Therefore, we should never give up or back down. We need to keep praying. That is why Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7). In the original language there is an ascending intensity to the terms. It is like starting off with some politeness. Then you get more aggressive. And then you are not letting go, like Jacob, who wrestled with the Lord and refused to let go until He blessed him.

 



Word of the day

Don’t follow fickle feelings; follow God.

Webster’s Dictionary defines “fickle” as “Not fixed or firm; liable to change; unstable.” Your emotions and how you feel are unstable and liable to change. So, if you follow your feelings, then your life, your choices, and your actions will sway like a tree in strong wind.

Because your feelings can be unstable, it is important not to follow them exclusively. For example, there will probably be some days when you don’t feel like being nice to your spouse. If you follow your feelings and act impulsively, then your marriage will have problems. Because feelings are unstable and unpredictable, someone who lives based on their feelings will also be unstable and unpredictable.

Indeed, James 1:8 says that someone who follows his feelings “is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.”

Instead of following our feelings, we need to follow God, for He is the only source of true stability. We need to take the same attitude as an old hymn, which says, “On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand.”

In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus says, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

That “rock” is God’s Word. If we want to live solid, stable lives, they must be built on the rock—God, himself. Therefore, don’t follow fickle feelings; follow God.



Word of the day

Not every good idea is a God idea.

What God may tell your friend to do might be a terrible thing for you to do. For example, say you start doing something because someone else says it is a good idea, but you find it a struggle. In that case, you may be struggling because God hasn’t given you the grace to do what your friend told you to do. In other words, just because other people tell you to do “good” things, doesn’t necessarily mean you should.

Furthermore, if God instructs you to do something, be assured that His plan is better than any other plan you could have. For example, God’s plan for Jonah was for him to “go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it” (Jonah 1:2). However, Jonah didn’t like that, and so he came up with his own idea: Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish (Jonah 1:3). To Jonah, running away to Tarshish seemed like a much better plan than traveling to Nineveh. But it wasn’t God’s plan. And so Jonah’s plan failed miserably as will any plan that is against God’s plan. Jonah ended up in so much trouble as a result of his plan that he realized he should have followed God’s plan in the first place (Jonah 3:1-3). In short, Jonah’s “good” idea was anything but a God idea.

In your life today, don’t do what sounds “good” to you; instead, do what God tells you to do. Stop following “good” plans and start following God’s plans.



Scripture of the day

I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. 
1 Corinthians 1:10 


Word of the day

Immeasurable Impact on generations
 

 “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

In

2 Chronicles 7:14, God says, “If my people…” Do you know what it takes to be God’s people? You have to first be God’s person. Be the person who will begin something that will bring generations of change.

But it begins with humbling yourself.
David prayed, “But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth;

I humbled myself with fasting” (Psalm 35:13 emphasis added). Ezra needed to cross a dangerous territory with a large group of people and little children. So he said, “I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God …” (Ezra 8:21

Fasting embraces emptiness and starves haughtiness. It is a form of withdrawing from normal life in the regular world that we live in, emptying ourselves of not just food, but anything else that we “seek, crave and require of necessity” other than His face. We should fast not just food, but entertainment, media and worldly junk—delicacies from the world’s table—things that contaminate and limit the power of a fast.

Fasting is our ‘body language’ to God. When we fast, we are expressing our heart hunger for Jesus, and how serious we are about hearing His voice and following His ways. From a place of humbleness when we pray and seek His face, we position ourselves to be ‘lifted up’ to see how He sees, to hear what He wants us to hear and to learn the sound of His whisper guiding our steps.

When we seriously commit to humble ourselves, pray and seek His face and turn from wickedness, He promises to hear us! He promises to forgive our sin and heal our land. One person alone cannot stop the sin of abortion in our land, but God can when we humble ourselves and seek Him. One person alone cannot stop the tide of immorality sweeping America, but God can forgive our sin and heal our land.

This promise is for all of us, every day: If we will—He will. When you fast and pray in this way, it will affect generations!

When you lay a solid foundation of humbling yourself in fasting and in prayer and in turning from wickedness, the impact will be immeasurable

.


Word of the day

SPEAK WORDS OF LIFE AND HEALTH

 “Gentle words cause life and health.” Pr 15:4 TLB

James writes, “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless” (Jas 1:26 NIV). The poet wrote, “Oh I say the things that I never should, just want to be heard or I never would. Talk on and on and know it’s wrong; the trouble is, my tongue’s too long.” So how can you control your tongue’s negative propensity? Engage it positively. How? (1) Be an encourager! “Gentle words cause life and health.” Your words can help a hopeless person keep on living and motivate a sick loved one to fight illness and become whole. Encouragers are God’s frontline against defeat, despair and depression! (2) Speak the truth in love. Saying what needs to be heard is often hard, but being a friend requires saying difficult things. “Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy” (Pr 27:6 NLT). Truth spoken in love can release people from their delusions, misperceptions and inflexibility to live free, productive lives. (See Jn 8:32). (3) Ask God for the right words. “The lips of the righteous bring forth what is acceptable” (Pr 10:32 NAS). How do you know what words the hearer will accept? Let God be your guide. (4) Make your words life-giving. “The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death” (Pr 13:14 NIV). The people you meet need words that turn them from spiritual death to eternal life. So today, speak words of life and health.



Baptism Sunday

Baptism Aug 21 2016



Word of the day

                             Nothing steals your joy like thinking, “I will enjoy my life when …”

 
It’s very tempting to think that happiness will come to me once I get something: “I would be happy if I just had a bigger house, another car, a better job, more money, a nicer family, a new TV….” But such thoughts are very deceptive. In truth, 
all those things we want actually make us miserable; we fight and quarrel about what we want, and then we’re upset when we don’t get it (see James 4:1-4). Don’t get caught up in things that you want or need. Instead, you should not worry about getting what you need; rest assured your heavenly Father will take care of what you need (see Matthew 6:30-32). It’s foolish to make your enjoyment of life hinge upon anything. There will always be one more thing for you to acquire before you can “enjoy life.” The more you have, the more you have to worry about, which makes life that much harder to enjoy. Instead of expecting possessions or circumstances to give you joy, seek the only source of everlasting joy—Jesus. Jesus says he came to Earth “so that [you] may have the full measure of my joy within [you]” (John 17:13). Similarly, Jesus said, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete (John 15:11). Jesus offers to make our joy complete and to give us the full measure of his joy. Since Jesus is wholly God, His joy is complete and whole joy. That Jesus offers us such joy is astonishing. Therefore, find your joy in God for in his presence is fullness of joy (see Psalm 16:11). Don’t let your joy depend on getting all the things you want because there will always be more things that you don’t have, and therefore there will always be more things that will prevent you from enjoying life. Let Jesus be your joy, rather than waiting to enjoy life “when….”


Word of the day

What’s New?

 

 “His compassions…are new every morning.” Lam 3:22-23 NIV

Are you going through a hard time at the moment? You’re not alone! Things were so bad in Israel that when Jeremiah wrote one of the books of the Bible he called it Lamentations.
In a positive-thinking, feel-good world, that’s not exactly a best-selling title. Jeremiah describes God’s people as a “widow” and a “slave,” and says, “All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; they have become her enemies” (Lam 1:2 NKJV).
As you move through the book verse by verse, things just keep going from bad to worse as God’s people reap what they have sown. Then suddenly in the middle of all his lamenting, when you think things can’t get any worse, Jeremiah writes, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lam 3:22-23 NIV).
Isn’t that wonderful? God’s love, compassion and faithfulness have been placed in an account that cannot be overdrawn, that you don’t have to contribute to, and that’ll last as long as you live. In a world that doesn’t seem to care, where only the fittest survive, that’s good to know.
Next time somebody says to you, “What’s new?” tell them, “God’s love, compassion, and faithfulness.”
The dictionary defines compassion as “tenderness of heart that disposes a person to overlook injuries or to treat an offender better than he or she deserves.” So when you wake up each day, be like the lady who prayed, “Lord, I’m glad Your mercies are new every morning, because I sure used up all of yesterday’s.”


Word of the day

Have Little Foxes

 “Catch…the little foxes that spoil the vines.” SS 2:15 NKJV

Michelangelo once sculpted a figure out of marble while a friend watched. Later his friend went away on business and when he returned he said, “I see you haven’t worked on your sculpture.” The great artist replied, “I’ve been working constantly on it since you left.” His friend asked, “How’s that possible?” Michelangelo replied, “I’ve softened a line here, straightened the lip there, defined the muscles more clearly, polished this and sharpened that.” His friend said, “But those are trifles!” Michelangelo replied, “Trifles they may be, but trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle!” Solomon writes, “Catch…the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes.”
 
One Bible teacher put it this way: “Small things that seem unimportant can spoil ‘tender grapes,’ like a relationship, a career, or a life dedicated to Christ. How many marriages fail because spouses paid no attention to the little things? How many athletes lost competitions because of tiny missteps? Many of us can see the big picture of our lives and our relationship with God, but we neglect the details necessary for bringing it all into focus. We must attend to ‘trifles’ if we hope to succeed. As we act faithfully in the little things God will bless us with greater opportunities. We’ll develop the faithfulness and obedience to conquer the great issues in life.” Only when you’re faithful in small things will God entrust you with greater things (See Mt 25:21). So, what “little foxes” do you need to catch today? Little resentments, little habits, little areas of dishonesty? Nip them in the bud. Deal with them, and watch how it changes your life.



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