Questions Along The Way

“What if I stumble, what if I fall?”

“What if I mess up and eat something not on my plan?”

“What if I just can’t go without something—like caffeine—as I had planned to?”

“Will God still honor my fast?”

I remember the time a few years ago when someone asked me if I had ever “messed up” on a fast. I had to laugh because, of course, the answer was a huge yes. It has actually taken me  years of developing a lifestyle of fasting to build up to where I am now. Over time, fasting does get easier, but this is a spiritual activity  where it’s easy for condemnation to try and take root. Don’t let that happen!

Choosing to start a fast is quite similar to setting goals in life. It is good for us to challenge ourselves and set the bar high. Each time I prepare for a fast, I set goals that are typically beyond what I did the last time, and they’re always beyond what I know I can do on my own strength. When we set the bar high, sometimes the natural result is failure to meet the goal. But that should never stop us from trying to reach as high as we can. So what if you mess up? What should you do then? Proverbs 24:16 says, “For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity” (NIV). 

This “fall down, get back up” idea has been a formative principle in my life in so many areas, and it’s no different in the arena of devotion to God. What matters is not that we stumble, but that we get back up! True failure only occurs when we let adversity keep us down.

Maybe you have tried to participate in this fast but have found yourself stumbling along the way. I want to encourage you to try it again during this last week. Don’t be discouraged by looking at the times you gave in to hunger or messed up. But be encouraged by this: when we draw near to God, He draws near to us (James 4:8). He wants to draw near to you, so keep it up! I am confident that you will be rewarded and blessed for your perseverance.

Awakening – Day 15

Day 15 – The Spoken Word

When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”                                       John 11:43, NIV

 The story of Lazarus’s death and resurrection reflects the power of Jesus’ spoken word. Jesus was so in tune with the will of His Father that 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 important to keep our heart filled with the truth from God’s Word so that our words will produce good fruit.

While prayer is our declaration of our dependence on God, our spoken words can be the manifestation of what’s happening in our hearts.

As you seek God in prayer ask Him for discernment to know a need and the words to 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 to accomplish His good work.

The key to praying with power is to become the kind of persons who do not use God for our ends but are utterly devoted to being used for His ends. —John Piper

I am persuaded that love and humility are the highest attainments in the school of Christ and the brightest evidences that He is indeed our Master. —John Newton

Bible Reading Plan: Genesis 16

Prayer Focus: As God continues to fill you through this season of prayer and fasting, He wants to take what is now in your heart 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?

Awakening – Day 14

Day 14 – Alignment with Heaven

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10, KJV

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 as it does in heaven.

On a more personal level, we can pray that His will be unhindered in our own life. 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.

The purest motivation for our prayers is that God will be glorified and that His will would reign supreme in our lives, just as it does in heaven.

God’s 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.

All that God is, and all that God has, is at the disposal of prayer. Prayer can do anything that God can do, and as God can do everything, prayer is omnipotent. —R. A. Torrey

Our prayers lay the track down on which God’s power can come. Like a mighty locomotive, His power is irresistible, but it cannot reach us without rails. —Watchman Nee

Bible Reading Plan: Genesis 15

Prayer Focus: 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.”

Awakening Day 13

Day 13 – Cultivating Spiritual Hunger

Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him. Mark 1:12–13

Even Jesus disconnected from the world to fast and pray. Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell of Jesus going to the wilderness for forty days and forty nights. They also describe other times when Jesus pulled away from the demands of the crowds, His ministry, and even His closest friends to pray.

There are times that we, too, need to pull away from the things of the world and focus on God. “The things of the world” can certainly include more than just food. In fact, in our world they are more likely television, movies, Facebook, Twitter, cell phones, and the Internet. None of these things are wrong in and of themselves, but they are avenues for a mental and spiritual crowd to gather around us and drown out the Holy Spirit’s voice.

Fasting is a means of disconnecting from the distractions of daily life and consciously choosing to bring God into greater focus. Giving up physical nourishment is the first step in engaging that process. If you think about it, though, in day to day life we nourish our souls as well as our bodies. We do so through reading, talking, socializing, playing, and entertainment. When our souls are full of those things, we often don’t hunger for God.

Fasting is a means of disconnecting from the distractions of daily life and consciously choosing to bring God into greater focus.

During this time of fasting, we are sure to feel physical hunger, but let’s be intentional about cultivating spiritual hunger as well. Let’s draw away from the crowd and lay aside for a season the activities we use to nourish our souls. Instead let’s enter a state of spiritual hunger, a craving for righteousness. Jesus said that being spiritually hungry is a blessed state, because there we can be sure of being filled with food that truly satisfies our deepest needs (Matthew 5:6).

Prayer is reaching out and after the unseen; fasting, letting go of all that is seen and temporal. Fasting helps express, deepens, confirms the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves, to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God. —Andrew Murray

Bible Reading Plan: Matthew 6

Prayer Focus: During this time, you will find that being still before the Lord will set you in a place of increased strength, peace, and hunger for God. Are you disconnected from things that nourish your body and soul? What do you need to deny yourself to make this a powerful time in your life?

 

Awakening – Day 12

Day 12 – Praying Boldly

And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant.”

—1 Kings 18:36

The sacrifice referenced above was a declaration that Elijah was a servant of the Most High God. Elijah belonged to God, and he represented God to the people. However, Elijah’s boldness was not a result of who he was; it was the result of knowing God!

As children of God under the New Covenant, we don’t have to be timid or fearful when coming to God in prayer. We can approach Him boldly.

Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well­timed help, coming just when we need it]. (Hebrews 4:16, AMP)

It’s intimidating to think about taking a fearless, confident, bold attitude when coming before God in prayer. Yet this is exactly what we are admonished to do! God has already settled the issue of our access to Him, but we can be assured our access is not because of our own righteousness. It’s because of what Jesus did on the cross.

We can come to the throne in such outrageous boldness because Jesus was outrageously righteous! When we pray, we come to God in the authority of Jesus’ name, and we can be confident that we will find grace, mercy, and perfectly timed help.

Fasting is not an end of itself; it is a means by which we can worship the Lord and submit ourselves in humility to Him. We don’t make God love us any more than He already does if we fast, or if we fast longer. Fasting involves God in the problem. Then in the strength of God, victory is possible. —Elmer L. Towns

Bible Reading Plan: Genesis 14

Prayer Focus: Do you approach God with timidity or confidence? Seek God boldly today knowing you are fully forgiven and Jesus has made you righteous. When you approach God in prayer, seek a fresh revelation of who He is in your life.

 

Awakening – Day 11

Day 11 – Prayer and the Process

Seven times Elijah told him to go and look. Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, “I saw a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea.” Then Elijah shouted, “Hurry to Ahab and tell him, ‘Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don’t hurry, the rain will stop you!’”                 1 Kings 18:43–44, NLT

“How do I know God is going to say yes to my prayers?” This is a common question many people have as they seek a confident prayer life. However, it’s important to recognize that prayer is not just about the answer; it’s also about glorifying  God in the process of waiting for the answer. It is our responsibility to check our motives and believe God hears us. We see an  example of the process of prayer in this story of Elijah (1 Kings 18). Elijah climbed to the top of the mountain to pray for rain to come. As he waited for the rain, he continued to pray, believing  God would answer. When he finally saw a small cloud, he told Ahab to get ready because the  rain was coming. Elijah knew what to pray for, and God heard him the first time he prayed. But there was preparation that needed to take place in order for Elijah to receive the answer to his prayer.

Prayer is not just about the answer; it’s also about glorifying God in the process of waiting for the answer.

It is no mistake that God waited until Elijah had prayed seven times before He answered. In the Bible, seven represents completion. In this story, seven represents the completion of God’s process regarding Elijah’s prayer request.

God does not want merely to answer our prayers; He wants to spend time with us to prepare us for the answer that will come. Many times we want to skip over the process involved in engaging God in prayer as we wait for our answer. But it is this very process that works maturity in us and prepares us for the answers our prayers bring (James 1:4).

The reason why many fail in battle is because they wait until the hour of battle. The reason why others succeed is because they have gained their victory on their knees long before the battle came.… Anticipate your battles; fight them on your knees before temptation comes, and you will always have victory. —R. A. Torrey

Bible Reading Plan: Genesis 13

Prayer Focus: What prayers of yours are still awaiting an answer? Throughout this fast, thank God for His process at work in you…and trust Him.

Awakening – Day 10

Day 10 – Unwavering Faith 

                             But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. James 1:6, KJV

What do you expect when you pray? When we pray with earnest expectation, we are exercising our faith. The earnest prayer of righteous people produces powerful results (James 5:16, NLT), and the most earnest prayers come from us when we recognize 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 (Luke 1:37).  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 most earnest prayers come from us when we recognize our need for God.

What has caused you to waver in your expectation with God?  James reminds us that faith and wavering are actually contradictory James says “nothing wavering.” Know that God never wavers in His love  for you. You can trust Him completely.

There is no way that Christians, in a private capacity, can do so much to promote the work of God and advance the kingdom of Christ as by prayer. —Jonathan Edwards

When we depend upon organizations, we get what organizations can do; when we depend upon education, we get what education can do; when we depend upon man, we get what man can do; but when we depend upon prayer, we get what God can do. —A. C. Dixon

Bible Reading Plan: Matthew 5

Prayer Focus: 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.