Begin your fast here! Each day, read the selected scripture focus, the devotional, and then spend time in prayer. There is a written guided prayer but please don't stop there! This is only meant to get you started. Continue to pray as the Spirit leads for as much time as you need. Ideally, this time is spent in your "secret place" (see FAQ - Before the Fast Begins) at the same time each day! This is a really great way to start the day!
Day 1 February 3rd, 2023
“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. Psalm 143:8 (NIV)
May this season of fasting begin with this scripture as a prayer of surrender and devotion! As we begin to fast and pray together we remember that His Mercy and Grace are new every morning. His love is something that we can put our complete trust in. But why? Ask Holy Spirit to reveal to you more of who He is. Ask Him to show Himself to you more. When we get these clear glimpses of who the Father is, we get to better understand and experience a Loving Father - A loving Father that wants to take you deeper and further into relationship with Him. Begin this season of fasting and prayer steadfast in faith, seeking Him, and expectant to be lead into a greater intimacy with Him. He WILL show you the way you should go. Are you willing to follow Him there?
"Father God, I submit these next 21 days to You. I am trusting in Your unfailing love and believing that You will show me the ways to go. Thank you Lord for what you will reveal in my life in the next three weeks. Show me the sin that remains that I may repent and receive Your forgiveness. With each new morning I receive Your love. Give me strength and presence of mind as I fast and pray for revival. (Continue to pray here) In Jesus Name, Amen.
Day 2 Februrary 4th, 2023
"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV)
Fasting with the goal of deeper intimacy with the Father will short circuit our flesh. Fasting is a powerful way to bind our selfish ambitions and conceit as we approach the Father with humility. These verses have two distinct parts, self awareness and others awareness. It is important that we have the self awareness of our own spiritual conditions. Holy Spirit will help us identify, understand, and navigate our spiritual condition in pursuit of holiness. When the Father is growing us in holiness and convicting us of righteousness, we are in a healthy position to consider the interests of others - regarding them as more significant than ourselves.
Father, thank you for the ways in which you convict my spirit toward righteousness. Reveal any selfish ways in my heart that I may repent and be free from them. I ask that I would understand and be able to walk in true humility and consider the needs of others before my own. I know that YOU consider my needs so I do not need to be afraid. Thank you for the ways you love me, Lord. (Continue your prayer here) In Jesus Name, Amen.
Day 3 February 5, 2023
I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:1-2 (NIV)
Revival is what we are fasting and praying for. This verse is a powerful call to resurgence. "To live a life worthy of the calling that you have received." What is the calling? Our calling is to live by faith and go out into all the world and share the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Jesus commissioned the disciples and through inheritance of the testimony of Jesus, it is our commission too! There are some who know the commission (to share the Gospel) but they miss the importance of the HOW. Share the Gospel in complete humility and gentleness, being patient, and enduring together in love. What would our homes look like if we all endured in love? What would our churches look like? Our cities?
Father, thank you for pursuing me. Lord, help me to live up to the calling that you have placed on my life. In You, I have purpose and importance and because of what You have done, I want to honor that with all of my life. Help me to grow in humility, gentleness, and patience so that I may endure in love to those around me. Thank you for the people that I am surrounded with. Thank you for my brothers and sisters in Christ. I pray that we may endure together and walk out the Gospel to those who have not yet heard of Your goodness. Make me a better witness to Your great love. (Continue to pray for the breakthrough) In Jesus Name, Amen.
Day 4 February 6th, 2023
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14 (NIV)
Forgiveness. Often times, unforgiveness is the roadblock that keeps someone from their breakthrough or healing. Being in a place of unforgiveness is a certain way to shipwreck your faith. There is a clear command in this passage: "Forgive." But WAIT, THERE'S MORE! "as the Lord forgave you." Too often we don't actually realize how much we've been forgiven. We've heard the command to forgive plenty of times in church. We know how important it is. We may even feel compelled to do it. But it seems so hard. We find excuses as to why we can hold on to our unforgiveness, our hurt, and our pain. We feel entitled to the very heart condition that will kill us. If we can ask the Lord to reveal to us how much we have been forgiven, and WHAT we've been forgiven of, our entitlement will fade away.
The Lord, through His death and resurrection has forgiven us of ALL our sin and we are then called to extend that same offering to those around us, without excuse, and without holding anything back. Let us not forget how much we have been forgiven so that it will lead us to forgive others to the measure that He has forgiven us.
Thank you, Lord for your forgiveness. You have given the immeasurable gift of forgiveness and I pray that I would not take that gift for granted. Lead me into repentance for any sin that remains, including any unforgiveness that I am still harboring in my heart. Help me to extend forgiveness to those that have hurt me. Help me to seek forgiveness and restoration for those I have hurt. Clothe me in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. May my life be marked with Love and the persuit of unity. (Pray as the Spirit leads) In Jesus Name, Amen.
Day 5 February 7th, 2023
Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
Focus: Noun, 1. the center of interest or activity. Paul is trying to convey the focus of our thought lives. Think about the things that fall into these categories. If we focus on the things that are excellent or praiseworthy and they are from God, we won't have the time or interest to consider anything less. If we are fixed on the Truth of God, or the purity of holiness, the the lies of the world and the stains of sin will be so far from our minds. Worry, anxiety, fear, and a multitude of other less-than-excellent thoughts will fall away when we replace their influence with the things of God. As we fast and pray, remind your heart that He is faithful, true, present, and loving and He is abiding with you as you abide in Him. Do not be troubled by the troubles of this world but be transformed by His excellence. Think about such things.
Father, you are worthy of all honor and praise. You are the source of all goodness and truth. Help me to refocus my thoughts on You when my flesh tries to distract me. Your Word is true, fill my mind with your Word. Jesus is the Pure and spotless lamb, so let my mind dwell on Him. You are Love, I want to focus on being in love with You. May my mind and my heart be continually and increasingly fixed on everything that You are. (lift your prayers to Him) In Jesus Name, Amen
Day 6 February 8th, 2023
Do not conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 (ESV)
Conform and transform are remarkably similar words. One could ALMOST switch them in this verse and it might go unnoticed. There is a very distinct difference between conform and transform. To conform is process of acquiescence to and/or agreement with something, while transformation is to change from one thing into another. What Paul is writing here is that our flesh's natural tendency will be to carry us into agreement with the world; the carnal, selfish, and sinful ways of the world. Rather, we are to be transformed by the Word of God. The greatest transformation that a Christian has experienced is from being dead in sin to alive in Christ. That Transformation MUST continue by the renewing of our minds in the Word, in communion, in the intimacy of prayer and the discipline of fasting! When we are hungry for the Word of God we will become less and less satisfied by the ways of the world. From here we can know and trust the discernment of the Spirit to walk out the Will of God in our lives, our families, our churches, our cities, and to the ends of the earth.
Wonderful Counselor, renew my mind with Your Word and the presence of Your Spirit. Let the ways of the world become unsatisfying. I desire a deeper transformation and renewing of my mind. May Your Word dwell in my heart and mind more and more. (Talk with your Heavenly Father) In Jesus Name, Amen.
Day 7 February 9th, 2023
With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:10-22 (ESV)
Wandering Christianity is not a healthy Christianity. there are many scriptures where God strongly encourages His people to not wander from the path. Joshua 1:7 is God saying to Joshua, "Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go." Then again in Isaiah 30 the prophet Isaiah is warning the people about departing from the ways of God and he reminds them that the Lord is gracious and merciful and if they will repent they will be blessed and, "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'" (Verse 21) King Solomon writes in his book of wisdom called Proverbs, "Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil." (4:27) All of these examples remind us that God has revealed Himself, His ways, and His Will in His Word and He has made a way for us to walk with focus, purpose, and clarity if we would "store up Your Word in my heart." We simply cannot afford to wander through this life and this faith and expect to experience His Fullness. With our whole heart and whole focus we must walk in the Word.
Jesus gives us a sobering warning about what that road looks like. Jesus says in Matthew 7, "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." We cannot afford to wander to the left or to the right.
Lord, I long to be on the straight and narrow. I know that it is through no work of my own. YOU have made a way. You have shown us how to follow You. I want to recommit my heart to following the straight and narrow road that leads to life no matter how difficult it may seem. In times of hunger I will feast on Your Word, in times of thirst I will drink of your Living Water. In times of temptation, I will be comforted by Your presence. I want to live a life of obedience to Your Word and Your Spirit. (Lift up your voice to the Lord) In Jesus Name, Amen.
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