21 Days of Prayer & Fasting - Day 8

Destiny Church

21 Days of Prayer & Fasting - Day 8

January 15, 2024 • Deuteronomy 30:16, 1 Timothy 4

Week Two

This week’s focus is on Stepping Into an Open Heaven. We see what it looks like to step into an Open Heaven when Jesus obeyed God and came to John the Baptist to be baptised before beginning His ministry. The heavens opened above Him and the Spirit of God came down and rested on Him. And the Father’s voice thundered out of heaven declaring His affirmation and love for His son.

What triggered this awesome event? It was Jesus’ earnest desire to obey His Father in whatever was required of Him, and it must be the same with us. To step into an Open Heaven, we must obey what He tells us to do. When we obey, we enjoy deeper intimacy and a closer walk with Him. We can then hear His voice more clearly, know our identity as children of God, and step boldly into the plans He has for us.

Today’s Bible Reading:

Deuteronomy 30:16, 1 Timothy 4

Obeying God’s Call

“Love is a verb.” To know if someone loves us, we need to see it put into action so we can feel and experience it. This is true of a child’s relationship with his parents, where an expression of love is his obedience. What a joy it is for a father when his child chooses to obey not out of compulsion, but because of love and trust that his father has good intentions for his life!

Today, God is calling us to love Him and walk in His ways. He does not compel us but gives us a choice. Deuteronomy 30:16 says “If you do this…” because God wants us to respond to His call to love Him by choosing to obey Him. This verse was written as a promise to the children of Israel that He would bless them if they would obey His commands. Our obedience is the key to unlock the promises of God over our lives!

We can show our obedience to God in the choices that we make today. Saying ‘Yes’ to God is a tangible way to show that we trust in His love. We can choose to put a stop to an ungodly relationship or forgive someone who has offended us, or take a step of faith to serve Him in a ministry. We can set aside some time everyday to communicate with Him by reading His word and building a consistent prayer life. Whatever the Holy Spirit is saying to us today, choose to obey and say ‘yes’ to Him.

God wants to lead us to walk under an Open Heaven because He loves us. When we love and obey Him, we embark on an adventure with Him, and can expect a great reward for it!

Response

Make a list of the ways God has blessed you in the past when you obeyed. Remembering God’s goodness gives you the courage to trust Him more.

Write down some things that might be holding you back from obeying God. Talk to Him about it and let Him assure you that what He has for you is greater than any of these things.

Prayer

Dear God, I thank You because Your plans for me are always good. Help me to trust in Your love for me and love You in return by obeying You. I want to receive Your blessings and experience the abundant life You have planned for me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

21 Days of Prayer & Fasting - Day 21

January 28, 2024 • Luke 4:19, 2 John

Today’s Bible Reading: Revelation 4:1, 3 John Possessing Vision For The Guture Today marks the last day of our 21-day journey towards an Open Heaven. Heaven is open wide over your life and God is pouring out His blessing, anointing and power on you. But these 21 days are just the beginning of something new. To go the distance, we must have vision for the future! Success in God’s kingdom begins with a God-inspired vision. As we walk under an Open Heaven, God gives us vision for our lives and for His kingdom. A vision is a picture of where God wants to bring us. It gives us an aim and guide on how we should invest our time and effort, make decisions, and set our priorities. If you want your life to be significant, let it be built around a God-given vision. We must possess God’s vision in every season of life. Joseph in the Old Testament was given dreams of greatness as a boy. Years later, this dream was fulfilled. Even in his older years, he nurtured a dream of his bones being re-buried in the promised land. In whatever season you’re in right now or are walking into, ask God for a clear and compelling vision of what He wants to do in and through you! Vision must be nurtured by focusing on it and declaring it. Vision needs to be kept alive by keeping it at the centre of our attention. When God told Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, he was declaring something that did not seem possible. Abraham had to keep his eyes on the vision and declare it by faith, even though its fulfilment did not come until many years later. Likewise, we must remind ourselves of the vision God has given us and continually declare its fulfilment. Don’t end these 21 days without a vision from God for your future! Ask Him to give you a vision for your life, family and ministry. Live with great faith and expectation that God will fulfil the vision as you walk under an Open Heaven! Response What is the vision you feel God is giving you for your life? Take time to write it down and share it with someone. What will you start doing to turn that vision into reality? Prayer Dear God, thank You for giving me a vision for the future. Help me to keep my eyes fixed on You, and to run wholeheartedly in the direction of Your plans for me, even when it is uncomfortable or difficult. I know You will be faithful in helping me accomplish Your will. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

21 Days of Prayer & Fasting - Day 20

January 27, 2024 • Luke 4:19, 2 John

Today’s Bible Reading: Luke 4:19-19, 2 John Receiving A Fresh Anointing The Bible tells many stories of how Jesus performed miracles, signs and wonders wherever He went. The Bible also tells us that He did them as a man, just as we are. But because He had the anointing of the Holy Spirit, He moved in power to bring healing, breakthrough, and freedom to others. Under an Open Heaven, God pours out this same anointing on us, so we can be just as effective as Jesus was in His ministry. When God calls us, He anoints us for His work. He anoints us to bless those around us through ways that are beyond our natural abilities. You can boldly preach the gospel to your family and friends and see them saved, pray for sick people and see them healed, and minister to the broken-hearted and see their joy restored. The Holy Spirit works even through our weaknesses. God declares, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” God has freely given you the anointing sothat you may serve Him in power. Even if you feel unqualified, the Holy Spirit anoints you to touch the world in a unique way that only you can! Be encouraged - it isn’t you, it’s the Holy Spirit working through you! We can do greater works as we operate in His anointing. Shortly before Jesus went to the cross, He left these words: “...anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works because I am going to be with the Father.” This same promise holds true for you today. The best way to experience God’s anointing flowing through you is to go to where the needs are and begin ministering God’s love and grace. Start believing you are anointed. Start now, and see a greater manifestation of His power in and through your life. Response What are some feelings, thoughts, or things in your life that hold you back from moving in the anointing? Ask God for a fresh anointing! If we are to do new things for the kingdom, we cannot just rely on what we have received in the past. Prayer Dear God, thank You for anointing me to serve You and to bless those around me. By faith, I receive a fresh anointing to do the extraordinary things that You are calling me to. Let me be a channel of Your love and power to this world. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

21 Days of Prayer & Fasting - Day 19

January 26, 2024 • Ephesians 3:20, 1 John 5

Today’s Bible Reading: Ephesians 3:20, 1 John 5 Being Filled With God’s Power When you think about powerful people, some that might come to mind are billionaires, superheroes or heads of big companies. They often share common traits - being successful, confident, and having influence. Sounds attractive? Here is a truth: as God’s child, you have access to power that comes from God himself, which accomplishes much more than what money, position or influence can. In Ephesians 3, Paul says that the power that comes from God enables us to effectively fulfil everything that He has called us to. It is supernatural, giving us strength beyond our human capacity and accomplishing things of eternal value! Here’s how we can experience more of His power flowing through us: Attempt greater things for God. Think about the times when you avoided God’s plans because of your own limitations. It may be a time you held back from sharing the gospel because you feared rejection, or a time when you said ‘no’ to discipling or mentoring a newer believer because you felt inadequate. From today, decide that you will step out boldly to do these things, because it is God’s power working within you that enables you to do them! Ask for bigger things with boldness. He is able to do much more than we can ask or imagine! God is creative, strong, powerful and able to do the impossible. He can go way past the limitations we face, and we are only limited by what we are willing to ask and expect. So have faith and ask God for bigger things, and experience His power in action! Be constantly filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:8 says that you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you! The mighty power that works within us is the power of the Holy Spirit. Ask God to baptise you in the Holy Spirit. As he does, His power overflows in us and gives us strength and boldness to accomplish His will. Living under an Open Heaven gives us full access to God’s power, so let us walk boldly in it! Response What can you do to remind yourself of God’s power in your difficult situations? Think of a difficult situation you’re going through. How would you respond differently now knowing that you have God’s power within you? Prayer Dear God, thank you for empowering me to accomplish Your will and to overcome difficult situations. Give me the faith to believe that as I set out to do Your work, You will give me the power I need. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.