VICTORY FAST 2010 - April 11 thru May 16

"What is the purpose of a Fast?"

A Fast is designed to put your physical body under subjection to your Spirit Man.  It is a chance to "die to self" in order to "live to Christ" (Rom. 8:13,14).

A Fast is a time for intimate communion with God, and is a way of focusing every aspect of your being on Him; Spirit, Soul, and Body.

A God-ordained Fast can have a profound impact on the life of a believer.  It can draw you closer in to the Father, and it encourages a more focused spiritual walk.  For a listing of the different types of fasts, please scroll down to the bottom of this page.

Use this Fast as an opportunity to achieve Victory in your life!

DAY ONE (April 11th)

When we make the things of God a priority in our life, it opens the door for God to pour out all of the blessings that He desires us to have.  Fasting is one way of committing to seek a deeper relationship with God, and to hear His voice.  Fasting serves the function of placing our physical bodies under subjection, so that we can truly focus on the things of God.  Jesus tells us in Matthew 4:4 that "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God." 

Today, declare the VICTORY that you are seeking!  Seek the Kingdom of God, understand that you were made Righteous by the Blood of Christ, and all the things that you desire, according to the words of Jesus, will be yours!  These words are not a myth, or some religious saying...these are the words of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Bright Morning Star, the Rose of Sharon, the Lamb who takes away the sin of the World!!! 

Fill yourself with the Word of God during this fast.  It will sustain you while you deny your flesh the things that it craves.  Let your physical body know who is really the boss in your life.  Don't use your will power to get you through this fast, use your faith.  Whatever it is that you are fasting, replace that with the Word of God.  If you are fasting a specific meal, then use the time that you would have eaten that meal to read your Bible.  If you are fasting a specific food or drink, then dedicate the time that you would have used partaking of that thing to reading your Bible.

Don't let the enemy convince you that this is something that you can't do.  Remember, you can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens you!   

DAY TWO (April 12th)

Is this the fast that you have chosen?  If it is, then rejoice!  When we declare a fast, it works to loose the bands of wickedness, undo heavy burdens, and set free those that are oppressed. 

We all have things in our lives that we desire to improve.  Declare those things unto the Lord during this time.  Speak them out.  If you are oppressed by sickness, then speak out your healing.  If you feel that you are burdened, then speak out that those burdens must depart.  If you feel that you are surrounded by wickedness, then command that wickedness to be removed from your life.

The Word of God tells us in this passage of Scripture that when we choose and call a fast, then certain things WILL happen.  The last verse tells us that our light shall break out as the dawn, our health shall spring out quickly, our righteousness shall go before us, and the Glory of Jehovah shall gather us.

What does that mean?

"Your light shall break out as the Dawn" - Watch a sunrise, and pay attention to the way that the event unfolds.  The light begins to grow and spread across the horizon.  Where darkness had reigned, light begins to infiltrate.  It gains in power until it becomes difficult to look directly at it.  The same thing will happen with you.  As believers, we are admonished to "Let our light shine before men, that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven."  (Matthew 5:16)

"Your health shall spring out quickly" - That healing that you are believing for will come more quickly when you call a fast.  Fasting causes you to build your faith.  Why?  Because you are focusing on the things of God.  When you replace the wants and the desires of the flesh with the Word of God, your faith will grow.  "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing, by the Word of God." (Romans 10:17)

"Your righteousness shall go before you" - Have you ever heard the phrase, "Your reputation precedes you"?  That is what this promise means.  Your righteousness will precede you.  It goes before you to light your way and to prepare your path.  It serves notice to every demon in Hell that you are a force to be reckoned with.  The righteousness that goes before you is the EXACT SAME righteousness that Christ walked in. 

"The Glory of Jehovah shall gather you" - This is the icing on the cake right here.  If anything was left out in the previous verses, then it gets picked up right here in this simple phrase.  The Glory shall gather you.  It doesn't say that you will find the Glory, or that you will search for the Glory; it says that the Glory of Jehovoah will find YOU!!  It will gather YOU!!  How amazing is that?  The Glory of Almighty God, Maker of Heaven and Earth, the Alpha and the Omega will search YOU out and gather YOU to Him. 

WOW!

DAY THREE (April 13th)

The Word of God is perfect in its accuracy, and sure in its dependability, and this passage of Scripture confirms it.  Let's look at each section and explore what it is telling us. 

"The Law of Jehovah is perfect, converting the soul" - The 'Soul' is our mind, will, and emotions.  The Law of Jehovah will convert our souls, so that our mind, will, and emotions can line up with what the Word of God says.  We can begin to think like God thinks.  Romans 12:2 tells us, "be ye not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God."  Imagine that.  Between these two Scriptures, we have assurance that we can know what God's will is for our lives. 

"The Testimony of Jehovah is sure, making the simple wise" - When you speak the Word of God (His testimony), you are speaking truth that supercedes any and all circumcstances that you may be experiencing.  There are 'earthly' facts, but there are also spiritual 'truths'.  For example, it may be an 'earthly fact' that you have a sickness in your body.  You can go to the doctor and he/she can show you the test results or x-ray, and it is a 'fact' that the disease is present in your body.  But wait, there is a spiritual 'truth' that tells us that "BY HIS STRIPES, WE WERE HEALED".  You see, the 'truth' supercedes the 'facts'.  You don't have to be a Bible Scholar, a rocket scientist, or a neurosurgeon to operate in truth.  It may take a neurosurgeon to recognize some 'earthly facts', but all it takes to understand 'truth' is a believer who has the faith of a child.

"The Precepts of Jehovah are right, rejoicing the heart" - The Word of God causes our hearts to rejoice, because we can see in them the things that God wants for our lives.  3 John 2 tells us that God desires that we "prosper and be in health".  That is a cause for rejoicing!  Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has big plans for our lives, plans that are GOOD.  That is a cause for rejoicing!  Genesis 1:26 tells us that we were made in the image and likeness of God Himself.  That is definately a cause for rejoicing!

"The Commandments of Jehovah are pure, giving light to the eyes" - The Word of God serves as a directional beacon for our lives.  It helps us to see the path that God has chosen for us.  God doesn't tell us to do things just to see us do them.  No, each commandment that God makes is done so to ensure that we move in the direction that has the most benefit for us.  Psalms 119:105 says, "Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."  If we hearken unto the Commandments of the Lord, then we will clearly see what His plans are for us. 

"The Fear of Jehovah is clean, enduring forever; the judgements of Jehovah are true and righteous altogether" - That word "fear" that is used there does not mean be being scared of God.  We don't have to afraid of our Father in Heaven.  The word means to honor, esteem, hold in high regard.  When we honor, esteem, and hold in high regard what God has already done for us, then we are clean.  Clean of what?  We are washed clean of all our sins and all of our weaknesses by the Blood of Jesus Christ.  That clean-ness is our Righteousness.  Romans 5:19 tells us, "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous."

All of these things are better than anything that the world has to offer.  They are truly sweeter than honey. 

DAY FOUR (April 14th)

What is so amazing about this passage of Scripture is that God makes a Blood Covenant with Abram.  The Blood Covenant was, and is, the hightest contract that exists.  The significance of dividing the animals into two halves is that the person entering the Covenant is saying, "Let my fate be the same as these animals if I break my part of this Covenant."

Do you understand what that TRULY means?

God walked through the middle of the animals.  He was saying to Abram that if He, Jehovah, didn't live up the promises that He had made, then His fate should be as the animals.  God was saying that if He broke His Word, He should cease to exist, and if God should cease to exist, then EVERYTHING would cease to exist!!

That is how seriously that God takes His own Word.  He makes the same promise to us, through the Blood Covenant of Jesus Christ.  The Blood Covenant assures us that every promise from the Word of God is true, without exception.  

DAY FIVE (April 15th)

When we accept Christ into our lives, we then become his disciples.  This is important to remember when you look at this passage of Scripture.  He called His disciples to Him, and then gave them power and authority.  He has called us to Him, and He has given us power and authority, as well.  He gave to His disciples the ability to cure diseases.  He has done the same for us.

He sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God, and He gave them the tools necessary to complete that task.  What were the tools that Jesus thought were necessary to proclaim the Kingdom of God?  Power and Authority over demons, and the ability to CURE DISEASES!  Don't let anyone tell that healing is not for today, because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

It is time for the Body of Christ to rise up and understand that it has been given power over all the works of the Devil.  Sickness and disease DO NOT come from God, otherwise Jesus would have been operating in disobedience to the Father every time that He healed someone.  And, He would have been teaching his disciples to disobey God when He sent them out with the power to heal.

As disciples of Christ, it is our responsibility to proclaim the Kingdom of God.  How do we know that we are given the same power as the disciples were?

 Mark 16:17-18 KJV And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; (18) They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

DAY SIX (April 16th)

Don't ever underestimate the power of Prayer.  When God's people call upon Him, He listens.  No matter how bad the situation seems, no matter how overwhelming the circumstances may appear; God can fix it.  Peter was imprisoned, and the power of Prayer moved into the situation and he walked out a free man. 

What things have "imprisoned" you?  What things have attempted to hold you captive?  You can be free!!  Pray for your deliverance.  Speak it out!  Don't spend another day under the dominion of things in your life.  We have been given the right to claim dominion OVER the things in our life.

And don't stop there.  Start speaking out against the things that are enslaving the people that you love.  Lift them up in prayer to the Father, and then speak deliverance into their lives. 

DAY SEVEN (April 17th)

We reap what we sow.  It is a spiritual truth that even the world understands to some extent.  You have heard the phrase "What goes around, comes around".  As believers, we need to understand that this Spiritual Truth gives us power to control what happens in our lives.  We don't have to be the victims of circumstance. 

God gives us a blueprint on how to reap "life everlasting".  It is our choice to make.  We choose to sow to the flesh, or we choose to sow to the Spirit.  Only one way leads to "life everlasting".  Deuteronomy 30:19 confirms this: "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live."

What a wonderful promise from God!  We have the power to choose life over death.  We have the power to reap what we sow!

If we want to have more friends in our lives, then we sow friendship and friendship has to come.  If we want joy in our lives, then we sow joy and joy has to come.  If we want financial prosperity in our lives, then we sow money and money has to come!

God is not mocked, this is TRUTH! 

DAY EIGHT (April 18th)

When the Bible talks about God wanting to bless us, it is sometimes easy to focus on just ourselves in the equation.  If we are not careful, we can forget that God wants to bless us, so that we can be a blessing to others.  While it is certainly true that God takes pleasure in the prosperity of his people, there is a deeper truth that this particular verse teaches us.

Notice that is says that it is God who gives us the power to get wealth.  Then it tells us why God has given us the power to get wealth.  It is so that He can CONFIRM HIS COVENANT.  The blessing that God wants to pour into our lives is PROOF of the Covenant that He has made with His people.

It wasn't the health that was the proof of His Covenant.  It wasn't the forgiveness of sins that was proof of His Covenant.  WEALTH IS THE PROOF OF HIS COVENANT.  The non-believer doesn't understand the concept of forgiveness and redemption of sins.  The non-believer doesn't understand the concept of Divine Health.  EVERYONE understands the concept of WEALTH.

Surely those other things are important too, very important, but the outward sign of God's Covenant is the ability to get wealth.  And not just so that we can sit there and roll around in our money.  No, it so that we can be a blessing to those around us. 

How amazing it will be when we have the financial means to do GOOD in the world.  Someone is about to have the bank foreclose on their house, and we are able to swoop in and pay the house off and present it to the person...debt-free.  That would certainly be a blessing.  How amazing it will be when we have the financial means to fund the building of new churches and schools, not by going to the bank; but by going to the believers.

Hallelujah, that day is coming!

DAY NINE (April 19th)

When the Kingdom of God enters your life, miraculous things happen.  Simon (who would later be called Peter) allowed the work of Jesus' ministry to continue by letting Him use his boat to teach the people, and a financial windfall followed immediately after.  It was such a miraculous occurence that it forever changed Simon, and James and John.  They abandoned EVERYTHING to follow after Jesus. 

Don't let people ever tell you that prosperity draws people away from God.  These fishermen had just been given a huge financial blessing and it didn't cause them to become 'lovers of money'; no, it caused them to drop everything that they had to follow Jesus.  Jesus blessed them for helping the work of His ministry, and that blessing was a financial one.

This confirms what we are told in Matthew 6:33 - "But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you".  The fisherman gave Jesus the right to use their worldly possessions, and Jesus multiplied those worldly possessions.  He revealed Himself to the fisherman in that multiplication.

God takes pleasure in the prosperity of His people.  He is not looking to take things away from us, He is looking to get things TO US.  When we yield what we have to His purpose, He multiplies what we have and displays His power in miraculous increase in our lives.   

DAY TEN (April 20th)

God is constantly working on us to bring us closer to how He sees us.  You would be amazed if you could see yourself the way that God sees you.  He sees you clothed in Righteousness.  He sees you mighty and strong in the Spirit of the same power that raised Christ from the dead.  He sees you operating in signs and wonders.  He sees you perfect!!

That can be hard for us to understand, because we can still see all of our imperfections, all of our faults.  This is precisely why we are admonished to "walk by faith, and not by sight".  God is not a quitter!  He is not going to start something and not finish it.  When we yield ourselves to Him, He lays out the ultimate make-over for us.

You have to understand that God is not moved by circumstances.  He declares the end from the beginning, and it doesn't faze Him one little bit that your present circumstances don't line up with the plan that He has for you.  It shouldn't faze you either.  Yield your life to Him and let Him keep His promise to complete that which He has started.

You can't think bigger or better than God.  The plans that He has for you far exceed the ones that you have for yourself. 

DAY ELEVEN (April 21st)

It is so important for us that we learn to submit to Spiritual Authority.  Those in Authority have been tasked with teaching us and directing us in the things of God.  They have an awesome responsibility, and they give must give an account to God for our spiritual development.  Our responsibility is to make their job joyful.

How do we do that?  We do that by listening to what they tell us, by following their direction.

When we are submitted to our leaders, we are operating in what is called "Divine Order".  This gives us a spiritual covering because we are operating under the Kingdom Principles that this passage of Scripture outlines.  We are putting ourselves in position to be profitable and to "bear much fruit".  Those men and women of God who have been places in Authority over us are put there for our benefit; not to "hold us back" or to "restrict our calling".  They are put there to develop our spiritual gifts and to be an example for us.

Ours is certainly the EASIER assigment. 

The enemy (the Devil) does not want you to get a hold of this principle.  He will taunt you with things like, "you are called to be a leader, why are you following someone?", or "what's so special about Pastor ----, you know how to read the Bible too, you know how to hear from God"  These are attacks that are aimed at getting you to become filled with PRIDE, and to keep you from submitting to AUTHORITY.

You see, the enemy knows that if the Body of Christ learns to submit to Authority, that it will become stronger.  When the children of God operate according to how the Word tells us to operate, then we become very, very dangerous to the plans that the Devil has.  

This is why He tempted Jesus the way that he did.  He tempted Christ by trying to get Him to do things His own way, rather than the way that the Father wanted Him to do them.  Jesus was sumbitted to the will of the Father, even unto the Cross, and it gave Him power and dominion, and the ability to destroy the works of the enemy.

We have access to that same power and dominion.  We have access to that same abiliity to destroy the works of the enemy.  When we submit to Spiritual Authority, we are putting ourselves in a position to operate in those things and to become profitable to the Kingdom of God.   

DAY THIRTEEN (April 23rd)

David is praising the goodness and mercy of God, and with good reason.  God has done so much for us, that it exceeds our ability to comprehend it sometimes.  Think about it, every single wrong thing you have done has been wiped away FOREVER!  It tells us in Psalms 103:12 "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us."  That is pretty amazing.

The Scripture says here that God is "ready to forgive", so that gives us hope that forgiveness is not a "one-time" thing.  God is ready to forgive any of our future transgressions as well.  This doesn't mean that we should abandon all attempts to live a holy life, no, it gives us comfort to know that when we do make mistakes, God is ready and willing to forgive us so that we can move on with our walk with Him.

What an amazing God we serve!

If He is so ready and willing to forgive us each and every time that we make a mistake; then shouldn't we be just as ready and willing to forgive those that have wronged us? 

Jesus, when He was teaching the disciples to pray, told them to ask God to forgive them of their trespasses, even as they forgave those who trespassed against them.  Forgiveness is freely given to us...we should be freely giving it to others.  There are few things more harmful to a believer than an unforgiving heart.

An unforgiving heart, over time, will turn into a bitter heart.  Bitterness is a cancer that will eat away at both your body and your mind.  It will kill your spiritual walk because it interferes with your ability to accept God's forgiveness.  It builds a wall between you and the mercy and goodness of God.  God's goodness and mercy NEVER CHANGE; but when we let unforgiveness and bitterness into our lives, it separates us from God and all of His blessings.

Make a conscious effort to forgive anyone who has wronged you.  Purpose in your heart to let the Lord show you if you have bitterness lurking around inside of you, and let Him take it away once and for all.  He will do so joyfully!  God loves it when His children seek His face, and He has plans for you that will need you to be a forgiving person. 

Just let those old hurts go!  Give them up to God!  Don't carry around that extra weight.  You are not harming the person that you are bitter or unforgiving towards.  Chances are that they don't even know that you feel that way.  The only person you are hurting is yourself.

DAY FOURTEEN (April 24th)

This passage of Scripture lays out the "basics" of how to act like a Christian.  It gives us guidelines for what our behavior should be.  There is so much good teaching in these verses; but for the sake of time, we will focus on just one aspect.  Verse 20 is a familiar verse to most of us, it tells us that when we treat our enemies with kindness we will "heap coals of fire on his head".

Many times, this verse has been taught as the proper way to get "Christian Revenge" on our enemies.  Just treat them with kindness and that will teach them a lesson!  How many times have you heard the phrase "Kill them with kindness"?  That phrase comes from this passage of Scripture, but that is not what these verses are teaching us.

For starters, the first verse tells us to "let love be without hypocrisy".  If we are loving someone with the intention of hurting them, then we are being dishonest and hypocritical.  It also tells us to bless those who persecute us, and heaping coals of fire on someone's head is NOT blessing them.  Furthermore, it tells us to give no place to wrath, because vengeance is God's and He will repay. 

So what does it mean when it talks about heaping coals of fire on the head of our enemies?

We have to look at this verse from another angle.  Ask yourself these questions:  Who is the head of the church?  That's easy, the head of the church is Jesus.  Should our brothers and sisters in Christ be our enemies?  Absolutely not.  The Word gives us clear instruction that we are to love one another and that we are all one body in Christ.  So, we can see that Christ is the head of the church and that our fellow Christians are not to be our enemies.  So that means that our enemies that are treating us with evil can only be unbelievers. 

If Christ is the head of the church (believers), then who is the head of the unbeliever?  

Jesus tells us here that the head of the unbeliever is the Devil himself.  That is who we are hurting when we repay evil with good.  We are heaping coals of fire on Satan's head!  Don't use goodness as a weapon against our mortal enemies.  That is not what God wants us to do, He wants us to love them into the Kingdom.  When you are persecuted, and you respond in love, it drives the Devil crazy; and your love will prove the goodness of God to those who are doing evil to you.

DAY FIFTEEN (April 25th)

When faced with insurmountable obstacles, the children of Israel were instructed to trust in the Lord, and to not be dismayed.  Why?  Because it wasn't their fight to begin with, it was God's.  The people were told that God was going to fight for them!

The king, Jehoshaphat, was a man who understood the power of having God on your side.  He instructed the people to believe in God and in His prophets, and he appointed singers to praise Jehovah.  Picture that!  The Israelites were facing THREE different armies, and Jehoshaphat didn't appoint Battle Commanders, he didn't appoint Generals, and he didn't appoint Strategists.  Jehoshaphat appointed SINGERS!

That is a man of faith!

Notice how the story plays out.  When the Israelites lifted up praises to Jehovah, Jehovah defeated the armies that were coming against them.  It says explicitly that "Jehovah set ambushes".  WOW!  God LITERALLY laid ambushes for the enemies of the children of Israel.

When we listen to the voice of God, and heed the words of His prophets, and lift our voices in praise; then God moves on our behalf.  He fights our battles for us.  All that is required of us is to BELIEVE and to STAND!

What a mighty God we serve! 

DAY SEVENTEEN (April 27th)

There is not a whole lot that could be added to these verses to make them any clearer.  Jesus is pretty straightforward.  He tells us explicitly in verse 24 that whatever we ask, believe we've received it, and it will be ours.  There is no way of getting around it.  If Jesus said it, then it must be true.

And yet, so many churches deny the power of this verse.  They try to put stipulations on what Jesus said.  They try to diminish the scope of what Jesus said.  They say things like "that was just for the disciples" or "that was just for the early chuch".  Why would they do this?  Why would anyone not want to believe that what Jesus promised us is true?

Because this verse also carries with it a huge responsibility for the individual believer.  

Our lives are a product of what we say and what we believe; whether it is good or bad.  Everything that we have in our lives, we have it because we have believed for it and spoken it out loud.  The same things goes for the things that we DON'T have in our lives.  We haven't believed for them and we haven't spoken them into existence.

That puts ALL the responsibility for where we are at in life squarely on our own shoulders.  It takes away all the excuses that we have become so accustomed to using.  Things like, "Well, I've never been good at ------" or "I've always had a problem with ------".  We say these things as a way to deflect responsibility from ourselves, and make it seem like we are hapless victims of circumstance.

Jesus tells us that we ARE NOT victims of circumstance, that we are the architects of our lives!  What we say about ourselves, and what we believe about ourselves is EXACTLY what we will have. 

We understand this on some level instinctively.  Any decent parent would never call their child "stupid", because they don't want the child to believe that they are stupid.  Parents know that what a child feels about themself will manifest.  Why don't we treat ourselves the same way?  Why do we say negative things about ourselves?

We have to re-train ourselves to consider our words for what they are:  Words of Prophecy!  Speak only the things that you WANT to come to pass.  Speak only the things that line up with what the Word of God says about you.  Then you will see your life begin to change.     

DAY EIGHTEEN (April 28th)

You really have to pay attention when the Bible says that something is impossible.  It doesn't happen very often, so we really need to understand why the Word of God would say that.  Notice that it doesn't say without love, it doesn't say without forgiveness, it doesn't say without righteousness.  It says without FAITH it is impossible to please Him.

Everything in your walk with God is based upon Faith.  It takes Faith to get born again.  It takes Faith to believe that the Word of God is true and flawless.  It takes Faith to operate in the gifts of the Spirit.  Everything is built on Faith, that is why you can't please God without it.  So what is Faith then?

The second part of this verse tells us precisely what Faith is.  Faith consists of believing that God exists AND believing that He rewards those who seek Him.  It is not enough to just believe that He exists.  Even the Devil believes that He exists.  We have to believe that He is a rewarder.  Or in other words, that He keeps His promises.

Psalms 35:27 tells us that God takes pleasure in the prosperity of his people.  Deuteronomy 28 (the first part) tells us all of the blessings that God wants to bestow on us.  Mark 11:22-24 tells us that if we believe what we are saying, we will have it.  Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has good plans for our lives.  3 John 2 tells us that God wants us to prosper and be in health.  Exodus 15:26 tells us that God will keep His people free from diseases if they obey His commandments.

Faith consists of believing that GOD MEANT WHAT HE SAID WHEN HE MADE THESE PROMISES!

If we don't believe that God keeps His promises, then it is impossible to please Him.  Have you ever had someone who would not take you at your word?  No matter how hard you tried to convince them, they just didn't believe you?  How did that make you feel?  Did you not get upset at the fact that they were basically calling you a liar?  No imagine how that must feel to God, who has NEVER LIED!!!  

It is so important for the believer to understand that God keeps His Word.  If we don't, then we are calling God a liar, and there can be no relationship between us, at all.  

DAY NINETEEN (April 29th)

Nobody likes to be thought of as a fool.  These verses tell us how to avoid it.  To avoid being a fool, we should walk circumspectly, redeem the time, and understand what the will of the Lord is.  Let's examine each point of this three-part plan.

1. To walk "circumspectly" simply means to be aware of circumstances and possible future consequences.  Simply put, it means that every action has a reaction.  Circumstances are the catalyst, they require action.  The action that we choose to take will have consequences.  That is what the Word is telling us here.  Think BEFORE you act.  

2. The Word tells us to redeem the time.  What does that mean?  It means that we are to never squander the opportunities that God gives us.  Each day, we have a chance to improve our lives, and to advance the Kingdom of God.  Each day, we are given a new opportunity to draw closer to God and the blessings that He has planned for us.  The days (times we live in) are evil, but not our days; we have the power to redeem our days, and consecrate them to God.

3. The final point is that we need to understand what the will of the Lord is.  It is not enough to just KNOW it, we have to UNDERSTAND it.  You can know that rockets fly up into space and put satellites into orbit.  All you have to do is watch the news.  It is another thing entirely to understand how the physics and mechanics make that possible.  The same goes for the will of the Lord.  We can hear someone say that it is God's will to heal, and we can believe it; but if we don't understand that our healing was already sealed 2,000 years ago, then we won't experience it in our lives.

Here is an example of how these three points can play out in a real-world situation:

"Maria" goes to the doctor for an annual check-up.  The doctor comes back with "bad news".  Maria is told that she has been diagnosed with an incurable disease.  Maria now has a choice to make.  Her mind begins to race with different questions:  "What will happen to my children and my husband when I die?", "Why did this happen to me, I am a Christian?", "did God give me this disease to teach me something?"

Maria decides that all of these questions miss the mark.  None of the answers to these questions line up with what the Word has taught her; namely, that God loves her and only wants good things for her.  Now, it would be easy for Maria to give into the temptation of feeling sorry for herself, or even blaming God for what the circumstances are telling her.  She decides not to do that.

Maria begins to dive into the Scriptures to find out what God says about healing.  She spends countless hours reading the Word of God, and focusing on the verses that promise her long life, that promise her health, that tell her that God is a good God and that disease is a tool of the enemy.  She doesn't waste any time at all.  Her life becomes a mission to find out what God says about healing.

Now, as she envelops herself in the Word of God, she begins to see something.  She begins to see that the Word of God says that "by His (Jesus) stripes we are healed".  She begins to see "Beloved, I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health".  She begins to see "I am the Lord that healeth thee".  She begins to UNDERSTAND what the will of the Lord is concerning healing.

She has the made the choices that allow her to avoid the foolish trap that the enemy had laid for her.  It would have been foolish for her to simply give in to fear and despair.  It would have been foolish because she has been promised life and health by the Creator of Heaven and Earth.  It would have been foolish for her to waste her time feeling sorry for herself because the author and finisher of our faith bore stripes on His body 2,000 years ago to pay for our healing.  It would have been foolish for her to listen to any teaching that contradicts the Word of God because the Word tells her over and over again that it IS GOD'S WILL TO HEAL.

Maria makes the WISE choice, and lives to tell about it. 

DAY TWENTY (April 30th)

Christians should be the most loving people around; however, sadly that is not always the case.  We find ourselves caught up in petty doctrinal bickerings, and disputes over minute details of the Christian faith.  These things should not be. 

When we fight with each other, we run the risk of consuming each other.  Paul tells us here that we should not let our liberty be an opening for the flesh.  Some might say that he is referring to allowing sin into our lives and calling it liberty.  That is certainly true, but it is not the point that he is trying to make.

This whole passage, he is talking about love.  He says that all the LAW is fulfilled in "loving your neighbor as yourself".  What he meant by "an opening for the flesh" was letting our own egos and selfishness get in the way of loving our neighbor.  Our flesh doesn't know how to love properly.  The only love that our flesh knows is "eros", where we get our word erotic.  Our flesh doesn't know anything about "agape" love. 

We need to guard our liberty and make sure that we do not let it become an occasion to stop the flow of "agape" love in our lives.  We are all one body, and we should be acting as such.  We will always have differences between us.  People are, and will always be, different in the way they do things.  This should be celebrated and not used as a wedge to create division among us. 

DAY TWENTY-ONE (May 1st)

Some have said that politics is a four-letter word.  Right now, in America, we have become more idealogically divided, in terms of politics, than we have been at any point in recent history.  As believers, it can be easy to get swept up in the political maelstrom.  This is counter-productive for us.  Granted, we have the freedom to vote as our conscience dictates, and we should absolutely do so.

But regardless of which party is in control, we are commissioned to pray for the leaders of our country.  It doesn't matter if you believe what they believe, it doesn't matter if you share the same political idealologies, it doesn't matter if you think that they are doing a good job of leading; OUR JOB is to pray for them.

All authority is given from God.  

The reason that we are commissioned to pray for our leaders is that this is the only way that we can assure ourselves that they will act in our best interest.  Power corrupts.  So to counteract that corruption, the church needs to be in constant prayer for those in authority.  We need to pray that God reveals Himself to our leaders; regardless of what party affiliation they profess.     

DAY TWENTY-TWO (May 2nd)

When

DAY TWENTY-THREE (May 3rd)

When we take Communion, we are reaffirming the Blood Covenant that Christ has made with us.  This is an act that Christ commanded us to do, in "remembrance of Him".  We do this as a way to remind ourselves of the sacrifice that Jesus made to ensure our eternal life. 

It also reminds us that we are One with Him.  And where He is, there we are also.  Jesus told us that we would have the ability to do greater works than He did.  We are joint-heirs with Christ, and we are called the sons of God.

Only through His death and resurrection has this become possible.  Only through His sacrifice and His willingness to do the will of God are we made righteous.  Communion reminds us of these things. 

DAY TWENTY-FOUR (May 4th)

Sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming when we think about all the things that God has done for us.  He has chosen us, blessed us, and brought us closer to Him.  He has made us Priests and Kings.  Why did He do it?

The first answer is because He loved us.  John 3:16 says "for God so loved the world".  God's love for us defies our ability to even comprehend it.  It is so complete and so unchanging that we often fail to grasp its true extent.  His love isn't even based upon whether or not we love Him back.  It is amazing.

However; there is another reason for all of the things that God does for us.  It is a means to draw more people to Him.  This verse shows us that.  Peter says that it is so we will speak the praises of Him.  When God blesses us, it is an example to the world of the goodness of God.  

The blessing of God, and all the gifts of God are meant to show the world that God is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.  Our blessed lives are intended to make the world sit up and take notice.  Christians should be the happiest, healthiest, wealthiest people on the planet. 

Not just for our own benefit, but for the benefit of the broken-hearted, disease afflicted, and poverty stricken masses that long for a return to their Creator.  Our lives are to shine the way to Him who brought us out of darkness and into His marvelous light.   

DAY TWENTY-FIVE (May 5th)

When

DAY TWENTY-SIX (May 6th)

God is looking for men and women who will stand in the gap and intercede for the people.  When we pray, God hears our prayers, and answers them.  When we pray for our loved ones, our leaders, and even our enemies; things begin to happen. 

While it is true that each person has their own free will, and God will not violate their free will; when we intercede for them, God manages to find a way to make Himself seem so real and so attainable to them that they lose the ability to tune Him out.  That is what it means to stand in the gap for them.  We are praying for them, because they don't know how to pray for themselves.

You can absolutely pray someone into the Kingdom!  Be steadfast in your prayers and see the power of God be revealed to whomever you are praying for. 

DAY TWENTY-SEVEN (May 7th)

The tithe (10% of our income, before taxes) opens the windows of Heaven so that God can bless us.  The Word is very plain and direct about this.  These verses lay out exactly what the Word of God says about tithing.  It says that it is robbing God when we don't do it.  You can't get much plainer than that. 

But that is only half the story!  The really exciting things are the benefits of tithing.  God says that He will rebuke the devourer so that he cannot decay the fruit of your ground, or miscarry your vine against you in the field; and all the nations shall call you blessed.  That sounds great, but what does it mean?

The fruit of your ground is the result of what you sow.  If you sow bananas, then the fruit of your ground is bananas.  The devourer will not be able to make your bananas decay.  Do you understand what that means?  If you let bananas sit for too long, they will begin to turn brown and nasty; and, eventually, you will have to throw them out.  The ones that you have to throw out have served no purpose for you.  They are a waste, an unfruitful harvest.  

What God is telling us is that when we are tithers, He will rebuke the devourer so that he CANNOT decay the fruits of what you have sown.  That means that your sustenance will last longer than it does for those who do not tithe.  Your bananas will stay fresher longer, your vehicles will need less repairs, etc.  God will protect the fruits of what you sow.  If you sow friendship, then God will protect the fruits of your sowing.  If you sow money, God will protect the fruits of what you sow.

The Scripture goes on to say that the devourer will not be able to make the vine miscarry against you in the field.  That means that once you have sown, and as that harvest is coming in, it will come in exactly the way that it was supposed to.  There will be no sorrow with it!  It will be a bountiful harvest!  

God is not a man that He should lie.  If His Word says something, then that is truth that cannot be superceded by any circumstance; as long as we believe what He said.  God has given us a sure-fire way to make sure that our fields and our harvests are blessed.  That sure-fire way is being obedient to the Word of God, and bringing our tithe into the House of God.

Money can be a touchy subject for some people.  It is a very personal thing and most people don't like someone telling them what to do with their money.  We have to understand that God is not trying to take things away from us, He is trying to get things TO US!!  These verses tell us that God is basically "daring" us to prove Him.  He wants so passionately for His children to blessed!  Here, He gives us the blueprint for how to make that blessing a reality in our lives.    

DAY TWENTY-EIGHT (May 8th)

When

DAY TWENTY-NINE (May 9th)

Sometimes the things that God asks us to do can seem a little crazy.  This story is the perfect example of that.  This woman was literally preparing her last meal for herself and her son, and the prophet came to her and told her to feed him first.  That sounds crazy to me.  But it isn't crazy to God.

When we are obedient to the Word of the Lord, then miraculous things begin to happen in our lives.  It defies our own logic and reason, but God has a better plan for us than we could ever come up with on our own.

When the woman in these verses put God first (by feeding the prophet), then all of her needs were met, and not just hers; all the members of her house were blessed as well.  All it takes is one person to listen to the Word of the Lord, and God's blessings can begin to flow out upon the earth.  Her "house" didn't submit to God, only she did, and her "house" was blessed because of it.

YOU CAN BE LIKE THIS WOMAN!

You can be the one who brings God's blessings to your family, friends, and all those around you.  All it takes it to do those things that God asks you to do, regardless of how crazy they sound.  Remember, God is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him.       

DAY THIRTY (May 10th)

In this verse, God tells His chosen people that He is a healing God.  He sets out a pattern for how His people can receive that healing.  Look at the things that God tells them to do.  "Listen to the voice of Jehovah", "do what is right in His sight", "give ear to His commandments", and "keep all of His laws".

First we must hear the voice of God, then we are told to do something.  He says it twice, so it must be important.

In order to do what is "right in His sight", we must first "listen to His voice".  In order to "keep all of His laws", we must first "give ear to His commandments".  We have to hear before we act; but it is just as important to remember to act after we have heard.

Too many times, we become lazy in acting upon what we have heard.  We tend to become hearers of the word and not doers.  THIS LEADS TO DECEPTION!  We are told here that Jehovah is the God who heals us, we "hear" it.  Now, in order to receive that Word, we need to apply action to it.  We need to actively pursue that healing that is promised to us.

How do we do that?  By speaking healing into every part of our lives.  Speak the Word over sickness and disease and take authority over them.  GOD DOES NOT LIE.  If He says that He is the God that heals us, then HE IS THE GOD THAT HEALS US!  If anyone tells you that God is not the God that heals us, then they are calling God a liar.  

DAY THIRTY-TWO (May 12th)

There was a reason that Joshua commanded the people to be quiet when they were walking around Jericho.  God had told him that the city would be taken; but how it would be taken was unusual to say the least.  Put yourself in the shoes of the average Israelite.  You are coming up to take the city of Jericho, you get a look at the huge walls around the city, and your leader tells you that you are going to walk around it and the walls are going to fall down.

That might seem a little odd to you.  It doesn't make much sense.

But Joshua knew that doubt would creep into the camp and that is why he commanded the people not to speak until it was time to shout.  He didn't want the people speaking negative.  God was about to move on behalf of the Israelites, and Joshua did not want the people to stop that move by speaking doubt.  

Our words are very important.  We have to be so careful of what we speak.  God wants to do miraculous things in our lives, but we have to make sure that we are not speaking words of doubt and unbelief.  We have to speak the Word!  When we speak things, we are prophesying over our own lives.  Don't let your words interrupt what God is trying to do for you.

Joshua told the people to be silent until the appointed time, so that they would not interfere with the miracle that God was preparing to do.  When they did finally give the shout, the walls of Jericho fell down in front of them.  The Battle was the LORD'S!  

When we face "walls" in our lives, it is important that we never speak negative.  Speak the Word to the "walls" in your life, and give a shout of victory, and watch the "walls" come tumbling down.     

DAY THIRTY-THREE (May 13th)

God has plans for you, and they are good plans.  It is humbling to consider that the Creator of all Heaven and Earth has you (and me) on His mind.  That is the point that "religion" misses so often.  "Religion" puts so much emphasis on what we think of God, and how we serve God, and how we obey God; it forgets that God thinks about us more than we could ever think about Him. 

We certainly ought to be thinking about, serving, and obeying God; but we also need to realize that God doesn't tell us to do things just because He likes arbitrary rules.  No, He tells us to do those things because they are the steps we need to take in order to make His plan for our lives a reality.

We have been so conditioned to think of God as a God who is always telling us "thou shalt not".  Those are the sermons that get preached the most often in "religious" churches.  While it is true that there things we ought not to be doing; there is so much more that we OUGHT TO BE DOING.

We ought to be living victoriously.  We ought to be healthy.  We ought to be happy, prosperous, free, loving life, living large, overcome by blessings, a light unto the world, the hope of a planet that is crying out to know their Creator!  These are the plans that God has for us.  These are the things that He wants to see in our lives.  If we spent as much time DOING those things that we ought to be doing, and spent less time worrying about those things that we ought NOT TO BE DOING, then we would see revival break forth!

And to think that God has these plans for each and every one of us.  God is not a respecter of persons.  When the Word of God says that God has plans for you, then that means that God has plans for YOU!!!!  That means YOU.  

The enemy wants you to think that, for whatever reason, this verse doesn't apply to you.  Maybe he tells you that you are too old, or too young, or you have made too many mistakes, or you don't know enough, or you're not "holy" enough.  LIES!!  God wants to bless YOU!  He has plans for YOU!

Any thought that comes through your mind that is contrary to that truth is a lie from the pit of Hell.  God has an expected end for you.  He laid out a plan for your life before you were even born.  That is how much He loves you.       

DAY THIRTY-FOUR (May 14th)

We have got to understand that God wants good things for us.  It is mind-boggling to hear Christians talk about how God gave them sickness to teach them a lesson, or to draw them closer to Him.  It just doesn't make sense.  Let's look at the logic of that mindset and see how absurd it is.

For starters, to assume that God has to use sickness as a way to draw people close to Him is basically saying that God is not omnipotent (all powerful).  To say that He has to resort to using sickness is saying that He doesn't have the ability to use something else.  Sickness is His last resort.  If God is omnipotent then why doesn't He have the ability to use HEALTH as a way to draw people closer to Him?  He can do anything, right?

If God can do anything, and He still chooses to use sickness to draw people to Him, then He must not be omnibenevolent (all good).  Health is better than sickness, right?  Nobody would choose being sick over being healthy.  So if God COULD use health, and instead uses sickness, then He must not be good.

Maybe God just doesn't know any other way to draw people to Him.  Maybe He just isn't omniscient (all knowing).  Perhaps God just doesn't know any better and that is why He uses sickness to draw people to Him.  Maybe if God could just learn some new tricks, then He might be able to figure out a way around using sickness, but evidently He doesn't have the know-how to do that.

Absurd.

We know that God is omnipotent, omnibenevolent, and omniscient.  The Word tells us so.  The Word tells us that God loves us and that He is the God that heals us.  The Word tells us that God wants good things for us, and that He takes pleasure in our prosperity.  To believe that God gives you sickness is to believe that the Bible is a lie, and that God is NOT GOOD.

Don't ever believe that for one second.  Sickness and disease are from the enemy (and our own choices), and they are not sent from our Father in Heaven.  But do not be dismayed, God has promised us health.  Jesus bore countless stripes in His body so that we don't have be sick.  "By His stripes, we were healed".   

DAY THIRTY-FIVE (May 15th)

When

SUNDAY, MAY 16th -

DECLARE YOUR VICTORY

TYPES OF FASTS

* PARTIAL FAST
Sometimes referred to as the "Daniel Fast".  This type of fast generally refers to omitting a specific meal from your diet or refraining from certain types of foods. Daniel 10:2-3 says, "At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over." In Daniel 1:12, they restricted their diet to vegetables and water: "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink."

* REGULAR FAST
Traditionally, a regular fast means refraining from eating all food. Most people still drink water or juice during a regular fast. When Jesus fasted in the desert, the Bible says, "After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry." This verse does not mention Jesus being thirsty.

* FULL FAST
These fasts are complete - no food and no drink. Acts 9:9 describes when Paul went on a full fast for three days following his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus: "For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything." Esther also called for this type of fast in Esther 4:15-16: "Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 'Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.'" It is recommended that this type of fast be done with extreme caution and not for extended periods of time.