Intimacy With God:
40 Days of Fasting & Prayer
Theme: Intimacy with God
February 26th – April 8th
Fasting Until 3-6PM
Featured WeekLY DEVOTIONAL
The 40 Days of Intimacy with God
1. FROM THE TIME YOU WAKE UP TO ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TIMES YOU CHOOSE TO BREAK YOUR FAST: 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM or 6:00 PM
– Physical Cleansing: From the time you wake up until THE TIME YOU BREAK YOUR FAST, do not eat any food. You can drink water. No beverages with sugar or caffeine. (If you’re on medication, please check with your doctor before joining this fast)
2. From 2:30pm – 3:00pm – Spiritual Cleansing: Preparing for effectiveness:
⁃ Seek the presence of God,
⁃ Repent and confess all your sins, including the transgressions you and anyone in the household may have committed.
⁃ Forgive others who have wronged you
⁃ Commit to living holy and righteous for the rest of the night.
3. From Building Your Engagement 3:00pm – 6:00pm
⁃ Read scriptures that pertain to God as your First Love; Find your prayer closet again.
⁃ Meditation and memorize one scripture per week
⁃ Prayer: Spend quality time in prayer. Pray prayers that elevate and exalt the Lord. Pray prayers of faith, anticipatory prayers that envision your situation is solved. Afterward, pray prayers of thanksgiving
4. From 6:00 pm to wake up: Commit to living holy the next 24 hours. Become conscious and purposeful of your decisions, your actions, reactions, and your interactions in your relationships.
Mullery Jean-Pierre
Senior Pastor
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
WEEK # 1
REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
-Psalm 51:1-5 (NIV)
As we embark on 40 days of fasting and prayer as a church, your devotion time with the Lord must be sacred and purposeful. In order to go deeper with God we must turn away from sin. We must repent.
Repentance is often looked at as remorse, being sorry for your actions. The Oxford Dictionary defines repentance as “sincere regret or remorse.”
Teshuvah is the Hebrew word for repentance. Teshuvah literally means “to return.”
The process of repentance isn’t a single-stop mumbling of “I’m sorry” to get it over with. It isn’t a quick confession to absolve yourself from guilt in the moment, only to go right back and repeat what you did wrong. That’s not the biblical concept of teshuvah. In Jewish tradition, teshuvah is embraced as a return to the path of righteousness.
Estera Wiera, a writer whose work focuses on Israel, Jewish history and Judeo-Christian culture wrote “To repent means to rearrange your entire way of thinking, feeling and being in order to forsake that which is wrong…it is returning to innocence…returning to the original plan of God.”
An apology is the first step. It’s a powerful step. Intentionally surrendering yourself to the Word of God to renew your mind is another. Repentance requires honesty and vulnerability to recognize and admit that your way of doing things interrupted God’s way of unfolding things in your life.
As you repent and return, know that God is waiting for your return in the same way that the father of the prodigal son longed for his son to come home. God is faithful and just, and will forgive us and purify us. That is His promise. You may prayerfully consider going to those you have wronged and asking their forgiveness or attempt to repair a situation, if possible (Luke 19:18). A key factor in rearranging your thinking in your return to innocence is to remain accountable to others. Choose a few trusted friends or ask your small group to pray for you to stay rooted in God’s original plan for your life.
-Beraca Baptist Church
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer: WEEK # 1
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer: WEEK # 1
WHAT’S BEHIND DOOR NUMBER ONE?
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer: WEEK # 1
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer: WEEK # 1
JUST ONE MORE
The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. -2 Peter 3:9 (NIV)
In 1993, director Steven Spielberg’s critically acclaimed film Schindler’s List featured Liam Neeson in the titular role, portraying German businessman Oskar Schindler. The historical drama (based on true events) has been touted as one of the best films ever made and one of the best historical films about the Jewish Holocaust.
Oskar Schindler arrived in Krakow, Poland in 1939, poised to make a fortune. He was a member of the Nazi political party, serving under their military intelligence before acquiring a factory in the Krakow ghetto. His political ties afforded him privilege and the trust of the Nazis. During World War II he employed over a thousand Jewish workers. His affection for power and wealth drastically shifted after he witnessed a massacre of Jews in the city and discovered that thousands more were seized and being forcibly taken to a concentration camp. Schindler was moved with compassion, wanting to save as many as he could from their looming demise. He used his influence and ultimately, bribery, to obtain permission to transport his workers from his Krakow factory to another factory in what is now known as the Czech Republic. The list of people Schindler compiled was responsible for saving approximately 1,100 – 1,200 Jews from the harrowing atrocities of the camp in Auschwitz.
Schindler’s repentance brought him great remorse but propelled him to action. In one of the film’s most gripping scenes, he is overwhelmed with grief and guilt, realizing that the life of wealth he chased after for so long meant nothing in light of the good he could he could have done with it. He is pained by thoughts that he could have saved more lives. In agony, he reflects on how he could have used his money differently, repeating that he didn’t do enough and that “I could have got more.”
It is not God’s will that anyone should perish. Schindler knew what lay ahead in Auschwitz, so he wanted to rescue as many people as he possibly could. God knows what the depravity of life without Him brings. He knows what lies ahead; that there is a fate worse than death for those who will spend eternity apart from Him, so He sent His Son so that any who would receive Him could escape the emptiness, pain and suffering of eternal separation. God urges us to repent so that He can welcome with open arms just one more into His Kingdom.
In The Magician’s Nephew, author C.S. Lewis writes “All get what they want, but they do not always like it.” The same can be said of Hell. God knocks on the door of our hearts throughout our lives, inviting us to experience life with Him. Hell is where those who refuse get what they wanted. As you reflect and repent, who can you urge to do the same? Who can you share the gospel with to help them avoid a fate worse than death? Pray today that you will continue to reflect, repent, recognize and reach out to them over the course of this fast. Just one more soul depends on it.
-Beraca Baptist Church
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer: WEEK # 1
HOW DID WE GET HERE?
Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. -Rev. 2:5 (NIV)
The work of marriage and family therapists prove to be vital for thriving, healthy relationships. Yet many couples, while dedicated to annual medical and dental check-ups, will either avoid therapy altogether or only seek out a counselor prior to their wedding or when a crisis hits.
A crisis can often reveal issues that have been swept under the rug for a long time. Therapy can be an eye-opening, vulnerable process that allows a family to backtrack and pinpoint what went wrong or why the breakdown in communication happened to begin with.
Romantic comedies and dramas often depict couples trying to give therapy a chance. The scenes are very similar: a dark couch with the couple seated at opposite ends of the couch, a large gap in between them, symbolic of the circumstance that has pulled them apart. Across from them sits the professional, notepad in hand, ready to listen or intervene in case a shouting match erupts.
“You don’t look at me the way you used to.”
“Me? How can I even look at you if you’re not here? All you do is work!”
“At least at work I matter.”
“So what are you trying to say?! You don’t want to be here anymore?”
“There you go again, jumping to conclusions like you always do! Never mind.”
“See?! See what I mean?! You always shut down. You don’t talk to me anymore!”
And so the counselor listens, observes, and offers skills and strategies to help the couple navigate effective communication. If the sessions are consistent throughout the film or series, the husband and wife will eventually lessen the shouting, actively listen, and start talking to each other instead of at each other. The marital issues may have stemmed from lack of knowledge on how to handle unexpected loss or change, but quite often it’s a series of little things that grew over time into a massive problem that no one can remember exactly how it started.
Too often, spouses drift apart when they stop doing the small, significant things that meant so much to them in the beginning. A morning kiss. Eating dinner together. Praying together. Having date nights. They begin to take each other for granted. Life becomes routine, and they live more like roommates than husband and wife.
John is the resident counselor, so-to-speak in the Book of Revelation. He’s dishing out critical advice to seven churches in Asia Minor. He’s writing to the early church after their honeymoon stage. To the church in Ephesus, he lists all of their positive attributes before confronting them with the truth: they’ve fallen from their first love. They aren’t doing the small, significant things anymore. In your walk with God, how many times have you had an Ephesus experience? You show up to church every Sunday, recite a Psalm daily, you speak in Christian-ese but something is missing. Your connection to the house of God is deeper than to God Himself. How did you get here? How do you get back?
Our hearts should long to know God more and more. If there is a disconnect, it may mean that we are not spending time with Him the way we did when we first came to Christ. If you find yourself delighting more in things contrary to God’s Word than to God or that you have lost interest in prayer, worship, reading scripture or fellowship with other believers, this season of fasting is an opportune time to rekindle the fire and prioritize. Take a step back to repent and return. Don’t wait for Sunday to express your praise and worship. In your room, in your car, have a solo worship session. Start thanking Him for what He has done for you, sing songs that focus on who God is. Find ways to serve (Nehemiah 8:10) and watch your heart and mind for others change to reflect His heart for the world. This brings you closer, because you are working with God to fulfill His work. Return to fellowship at church and in your small group to be inspired to stay at Jesus’ feet always.
-Beraca Baptist Church
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer: WEEK # 2
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer: WEEK # 2
OUR WEAPONS…
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer: WEEK # 2
GOD ALWAYS KEEPS HIS WORD
Keep in mind that the LORD your God is [the only] God. He is a faithful God, who keeps His promise and is merciful to thousands of generations of those who love Him and obey His commands. -Deut. 7:9 (GOD’S WORD Translation)
Have you ever had someone make a promise to you, only for them to back on their word and break their promise down the road? It’s a horrible feeling to be on the other side of a broken promise. Trust is shattered. Faith is depleted. Disappointment is magnified. It’s an experience we don’t wish on our worst enemy.
But do you realize, if you are a follower of Jesus and you’ve surrendered your life to Him, you have someone in your corner who will never break His promises? That’s right. The Lord can always be trusted. He never goes back on His word. He is faithful every single time.
You don’t have to worry about God being unable or unwilling to keep any promise. God doesn’t change His mind. He says what He means and He means what He says. When He says He will do something, He will do it, and He will do it every single time.
There are going to be times when you find yourself in the middle of a dark and stormy night. You are going to be drowning in a sea of trouble. You are going to be facing waves so big you can’t see any way over them. At that moment, you remember these things. God has already promised He will fulfill His plan for you, He will achieve His purpose for you, and He will work everything out for your good.
These promises, as well as so many more, can be found all throughout the pages of Scripture. I would encourage you during your time with the Lord this week to intentionally search for God’s promises in His Word. Write them down in your journal. You can even Google a list of God’s promises and their corresponding verses if you’d like. However you find them, I hope you will read them. memorize them, and meditate on them, all the while remembering that God will never break a single one of those promises because He can always be trusted.
Dear Lord, thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for being a trustworthy God. And thank you for always keeping your word. I pray that you would bring to my attention the promises in Scripture you want me to meditate on and that I would find hope, peace, and comfort in knowing you will always keep these promises to me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
-Excerpt from the Touching Lives with James Merritt devotional by Dr. James Merritt
Prayer is like oxygen to our spiritual lives, it propels everything we do as believers, it allows us to interact intimately with our heavenly father. God has strategically chosen to establish and utilize prayer as part of His sovereign plan for us. Prayer is a big deal to God and should be a big deal to us. It is simply too wonderful and important not to do it. But, if we are honest, we would admit that praying isn’t always easy. It can feel very counterintuitive to pause when we have so much to do and humble ourselves before an Almighty God we cannot see or hear with our physical senses. So, we tend to put it off and save it as an emergency parachute during times of crisis.
Approaching a holy and sovereign God in prayer is something we should prize and never take for granted. Ephesians 6:18 says: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.”
Prayer should be the first thing in the order of things; it should never be an add-on or an afterthought. We need to be intentional in moving prayer to a place of priority in our families, schedules, and church life. There is no greater legacy we could embrace or leave behind us than one of faithfulness in prayer. John Calvin once said “We do not rightly pray unless we are surely convinced in our hearts that God is our father.” Beraca, we have a loving father who is eager to listen. This week, as we commit ourselves to prayer, let’s stop relying on our wisdom, strength, energy, and ideas. Let’s prioritize prayer and devote ourselves to it wholeheartedly. May prayer become as natural to us as breathing, and may God work through our prayers to help bring about His kingdom and His will in our heart, our home, our church and the next generation. Pray on, family! Pray on!
-Beraca Baptist Church
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer: WEEK # 2
INTIMACY: “IN-TO-ME, SEE?”
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)
We are wired to connect with one another by design. Intimacy is sought by individuals who are attracted to one another. Is such a connection with God something you desire? What does it mean to be intimate with God to you? What would that look like? When it comes to intimacy, in order to get closer to the other person, an individual will do just about anything.
Are you willing to do just that to get closer to God? Are you carving out that personal relationship with your Creator? The good news is that you’ve acknowledged your interest in Him. The feeling is in fact mutual. However, you either don’t know how to deepen your relationship with Him or you are too busy with life’s hustles & bustles to fully commit to a relationship. Perhaps you’re scared that He might reject you because of your past. You feel your excesses are too much for Him to undertake. Your circumstances are too overwhelming.
Well, there’s no need to continue to distance yourself from Him. In fact, you need to draw closer to Him. Has He ever ignored your calls? Do you remember a time when He disappointed you? Did He ever make you feel unworthy of His love? Are your needs not being met? It is obvious that He is interested in you when He displays those signs. He has and will continue to chase after you. And yes, He is aware of your imperfections. Your so-called excesses are not secrets to Him. God made us. He knows us on an intimate level. The ball is in your court. He is more than ready to establish a meaningful relationship with you. Having an intimate relationship with God is indeed possible. It’s time for you to take this courageous step, to get to know God intimately. Your life will be filled with joy once you experience that level of connection with Him. Establishing that level of intimacy, however, requires you to spend quality time with each other and be vulnerable.
Being committed to prayer is a part of my pledge of commitment to Him. To avoid being committed to One who is after my well-being, who will never disappoint me, mistreat me, leave me or cheat on me, would be foolish. There is no greater love than this! The commitment I have to Him is not just sincere, it’s complete. In other words, I am focused on Him and He is on me. Being in a committed relationship means to change your relationship status. The status of a mere Christian no longer applies to me. My status is now a fully committed Christian who is not only seeking God’s will, but also to tell the world that I am no longer on the market. I am taken! My new goal is to show Him off to others. Because of my commitment to Him, others can see how much I value him. The commitment I have made to Him means that my life now revolves around Him.
Remember! He will neither leave nor forsake you. It’s easy to reconnect with your soulmate. You will strengthen your bond with God if you seek a deeper relationship with Him by praying regularly. He will make the load of walking the earth a little lighter. Avoiding God is exhausting. Developing intimacy with God is easier than you think. Your exhaustion can be cured by pledging your loyalty to the redeemer and building a solid foundation of communication through prayer. You can’t have a healthy relationship with anyone without communicating. We can’t have intimacy with God without prayer.
-Beraca Baptist Church
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer: WEEK # 3
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer: WEEK # 3
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. -James 5:16 (NIV)
Sometimes you and I seem to forget that we have all that it takes to live a lifestyle that is committed to praying together. A community that prays together, stays together, and grows together. A community that prays together will bear the fruit of the Spirit together: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
At times we may try to identify ourselves with other believers, writers, mentors, or coaches’ life experiences to model our daily devotions after them. When we think that we owe others our gaze and attention in order to meet a level of closeness to God we are underestimating the role of the Holy Spirit and prayer itself. There’s nothing wrong with being inspired by the writings of others in the faith–God gave them to the Body of Christ as gifts. The passionate songs of praise from choirs and worship bands; the classic devotions of revered, old-fashioned preachers or the relatable works of contemporary ministers are there to encourage our time with God, but they are not substitutes for our time with God. Many times, all we need is the presence of the Holy Spirit and our mouths open. This is bare bones prayer and connection to God.
In the midst of busyness, hectic schedules and/or turmoil in life, we can pray for the Holy Spirit to fuel us with more faith, more power, and certainly more endurance to commit and recommit ourselves to a prayerful life.
You will feel the same way after you catch up with God and share what’s on your heart. Let’s be obedient to God’s command: “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.” -Romans 12:12.
The word of God calls us to intentionally devote ourselves to prayer and intercession without ceasing. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” -Philippians 4:6
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
WEEK #3
A SACRED TIME
One day he was praying in a certain place. When He finished, one of his disciples said “Master, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” -Luke 11:1 (MSG)
Prayer is sacred. It is how we commune with God and offer our adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication.
Even though Paul was an apostle chosen by Jesus Himself, He recognized how important it was for him to pray while on his journey. He never stopped asking the believers in Ephesus to pray for him (2 Thessalonians 3:1-5). Paul knew without commitment to prayer, his work for God would be impossible. That is why in 2 Corinthians 12:7 Paul prays to God, asking Him to remove the thorn in his flesh because it was affecting his effectiveness in ministry. God answers him in verse 9: “My grace is sufficient for you,” knowing that He had given Paul what he needed to endure. God is there for us and Has provided what we need, but without prayer being central to our lives, we don’t take advantage of the help He has for us. Although prayer is sacred, it doesn’t require a ritual or extensive formula to open up the line of communication. Jesus gave us a model in The Lord’s Prayer to make it less complicated and yet, we still fall short in consistent, heartfelt time with Him.
Do you pray to God only when things are going wrong, or do you pray to Him both in good times and bad? Prayer is too often seen as a last resort when it should be our first choice. Our Heavenly Father is ready to listen to our petitions and answer our prayers according to His will.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 lets us know that these sacred times can happen in everyday moments: “Pray without ceasing. Even when you are weary, disappointed, excited, and frustrated.” You can commit to pray to God anywhere, anytime of the day about anything and everything.
Prayer Challenge: Take advantage of some of the “sacred seconds” you might have throughout the day. It could be in the car on your way to work or waiting for the train on the subway platform. Use the ACTS prayer model (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication) and quickly say in your heart one thing you adore about God, one thing you want to confess to Him and repent from, something you thank Him for, and one thing you want to ask. By embracing these seconds you are inviting God into the mundane and making something as simple as a commute, an errand or task a sacred moment.
-Beraca Baptist Church
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” -Matthew 26:36 (NIV)
We often hear the phrase “prayer is powerful,” but have you ever given thought to what prayer can actually do? Prayer is powerful but for many, it’s severely underutilized. If you’ve lost sight of how life-altering prayer can be, going back to the word of God will refresh your memory.
The Bible is filled with stories of answered prayers, where people went to God with all kinds of requests to fix their mess, take care of their enemies, heal their bodies, receive wisdom, deliverance and protection. Nothing was off limits. Here are three stories from The Bible of men and women of God who were persistent in prayer.
Hannah prayed to the Lord weeping bitterly, and she made a vow, saying Lord Almighty look on your servants misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head. -1 Samuel 1:10-11
God heard the prayers of Hannah and granted her request. Next, Hannah did something not many of us would even think about doing. She made a promise to give back to God the same son she prayed to have! Imagine giving up something you prayed for that you wanted so badly. Hannah trusted, believing that if God would answer her the first time, He would do it again. He did. Hannah was blessed with three more sons and two daughters.
That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. Now, Lord God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?” -2 Chronicles 1:7-10
One of the powers of prayer is that it gives God open access to our hearts for Him to ask us what He can do for us; it gives us the ability to ask God for what we want Him to do for us.
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. -Ephesians 3:14-21
The apostle Paul persisted in prayer even while in prison. This prayer in Ephesians was specifically for Gentile believers. At a time when he needed all the prayers he could get, Paul was praying for others. He didn’t let his circumstance hinder him from praying. Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like you couldn’t pray? Paul could’ve let his status of imprisonment be that time. One minute, Paul was doing what he loved (sharing the gospel) and before he could catch his breath, he found himself locked in a prison without any visitors. He was isolated from everything and everyone he knew, yet his prayers persisted. That was the one thing that couldn’t be taken away from him. His prayer is an example of how we should pray for each other. When he was most vulnerable, he decided to be prayerful and lift up others. His prayer was for the Body of Christ to know and understand the love of Christ. If he were praying for believers today, I think Paul would be praying that we know and understand the significance of prayer and the power it holds. I think he would pray for us to persist in prayer like he, Solomon, and Hannah did.
Pray this prayer for today’s prayer challenge: Lord, I come to you like Hannah, asking you to remember your servant and grant my request. Like Solomon, I ask you to give me wisdom and understanding to make the best decisions for my current circumstances. Like Paul, I pray for my small group, my ministry team members, my church family, and others I know who belong to the Body of Christ to have power through your Spirit, and grasp how high and deep is your love. In Jesus’ name, amen.
-Beraca Baptist Church
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
WEEK #3
HOW TO BE STEADFAST IN PRAYER
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison…. -Colossians 4:2-3
To be steadfast is to be “resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering.”
If you’ve ever tried to get a guard outside Buckingham Palace to blink, you’ve seen a picture of what it means to be unwavering. That same level of conviction and resolve is what Paul tells the church to have toward prayer.
Our prayers are powerful. Conversations with God change us and the world around us. Pastor Louie Giglio once said, “If we only knew what was happening when we pray, we would never cease to pray.”
We won’t know the full extent of how our prayers are answered on this side of eternity. But one day, we will. So don’t give up. Keep praying. Keep watching. And celebrate as you see God at work around you.
- Is there anything you’ve given up praying for? If so, what?
- One way to practice praying without ceasing is to make God our first call. Try this for the next 24 hours: Whenever something gets you excited, frustrated, confused, or worried, tell God about it before you tell your spouse, best friend, or coworker. Talk to Him like you would a friend and ask for His help.
Father, you want to hear from me about anything and everything, and I love that about you. You have the power to change the things that frustrate me, and you empower me to tackle the things that fill my day. Thank you for reminding me what a powerful gift you’ve given me in prayer!
-selected from NewSpring at Home: A Study on Colossians, (C) 2023 NewSpring Church (Anderson, SC)
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seats of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
WEEK # 4
WALK IN WORSHIP
Guide me in your truth and teach me. Show me your paths, oh Lord. These are the words of comfort we find in Psalm 25. We are never without direction, wisdom and deliverance.
Even when it feels that we have lost our way, that the road is too long, or that the path has too many turns, God provides every step and always reveals the right way.
It is often said, “It’s not about the destination but the journey.” What I am learning is that it’s not about the journey, but more about the direction. The Israelites wandered in a circle for forty years. You can call that a journey, but it had no direction.
When we seek His wisdom, He blesses us on His path. We give Him thanks and praise; along the journey, we walk in His worship.
May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. (2 Thes. 3.5)
Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. -Psalm 119:35
Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. -Psalm 119:133
Pay attention and turn your ear to sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, -Proverbs 22:17
…having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. -2 Timothy 3:5
-selected from The Path of a Worshiper devotional by Branon Dempsey
HIS HEART/OUR FORTRESS
King David’s troop of Israel was fooled by a naysayer and avenged David’s army. (2 Samuel 20:1-2) This passage represents the call of evil that tries to sway us away from God – a troublemaker. However, we call on the name of the Lord to fortify the city of our hearts, to let no evil reside.
By walking in the Spirit, we derail the enemy and troublemaker of our flesh. (Galatians 5:16-17)
When we learn to walk in His ways we develop listening ears that hear the Lord’s call above any other voice. Only God can fill what our souls cry out for – to be purely and entirely satisfied by Jesus. His heart is our fortress.
My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. (Psalm 84:2)
Better is one day in His courts, than a thousand elsewhere…
Then a troublemaker named Sheba, son of Bicri, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, blew a trumpet and shouted, “We have nothing to do with David. We want no part of this son of Jesse. Come on, you men of Israel, let’s all go home!” So the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba. But the men of Judah stayed with their king and escorted him from the Jordan River to Jerusalem. -2 Samuel 20:1-2
A mocker seeks wisdom and never finds it, but knowledge comes easily to those with understanding. Stay away from fools, for you won’t find knowledge there. -Proverbs 14:6-7
There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death. -Proverbs 14:12
Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but those who help the poor honor Him. -Proverbs 14:30
So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict. -Galatians 5:16-17
-selected from The Path of a Worshiper devotional by Branon Dempsey
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
The Lord loves those who seek Him and His goodness. Not only do we learn to acclaim Him, but to learn how to acclaim Him as One Body.
When we walk together in unity, we model the prayer that Jesus prayed. To be One in the Father, Son and Spirit, just as He is One, is the calling of the Church.
These are not just pretty words we read, but words we are to speak, live and act. As we do, others will know us by our love, and not by our divisions. May the Gospel guard our lips as we promote the bond of peace.
Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord. (Psalm 89:15)
Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin. -Proverbs 13:3
My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. -John 17:20-21
I in them and you in me–so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and then have loved them even as you have loved me.
-John 17:23
-selected from The Path of a Worshiper devotional by Branon Dempsey
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
WEEK # 4
THE VICTORY OF SURRENDER
The Almighty and Sovereign Lord, possesses all the glory. No plan can succeed without Him, and no plan can fail with Him. When we surrender ourselves to Jesus, He empowers us with meekness to do His will. He does all things wonderfully in His time.
As worshipers, we are to follow Him first, stay sharp, sing a new song, and worship Him alone. We are to do good and be ready for the day ahead. Victory rests with the Lord.
The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD. -Proverbs 21:31
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” -1 Corinthians 3:19-20
Prayer: Jesus, teach me to follow Your paths and Your ways. Forgive me for trailing off the road You laid before me. Thank You for Your grace and mercy that dwells within me. I cannot fathom the gravity of Your love. Do well with me as You always do with Your servants. I bless You this day. Amen.
-selected from The Path of a Worshiper devotional by Branon Dempsey
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
WEEK # 4
WORSHIP ALONG THE WAY
There will never be another day like this again. The things God has called you to accomplish will be completed. The things God has done through you, showcases His faithfulness. Yesterday will never be the same because what He does tomorrow will be better.
Isaiah 43:18-19 encourages us: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”
Ministry does not depend on you. Rather, God wants you to depend on Him. He has given us faith, ability and wisdom. We can always rest assured that He is able and will complete His plans through us – in every given situation.
No matter what lies ahead, He goes before us. He blazes the trail ahead and calls us to follow Him.
“The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)
Keep your eyes fixed on Christ and allow Him to provide the right steps to take in your walk.
Yesterday’s vision belongs to yesterday’s calling; today’s calling belongs to God’s word today.
The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. -Deuteronomy 31:8
Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. -Matthew 15:24-26
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. -Hebrews 12:1-2
-selected from The Path of a Worshiper devotional by Branon Dempsey
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
WEEK #4
IN THIS MOMENT
Lead in the present. God does not want you to go back to the way things were– to worry over yesterday. Nor does he want you to worry about the things of tomorrow. It’s easy to get caught up into thoughts like: “What will the future bring?” “What can I do now?” “How can I stay fresh?” “How long will things last?”
When these thoughts come to me I try to reflect on the present moment – where God has me now.
Jeremiah 17:7-8 offers this encouragement: “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream and does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
God understands our thoughts better than we do. He desires us to put our trust in Him. He holds our time; He provides for our needs; He covers us with His protection.
We must ask the Lord to work through us, by faith and trust. In leading our ministries, our churches, and, most of all, our households, God wants us to be in the here and now.
For the remainder of this year, commit to being rooted like a tree planted by the water. In His blessings, He will give strength and replenishment to help you stay vital and green. Even through the tough times, no matter the season, we are able to bear fruit if we abide in Him.
His love never fails, and neither should our dependence upon Him. He is faithful. In this moment, live in the assurance and dependency of Christ.
-selected from The Path of a Worshiper devotional by Branon Dempsey
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”
-Galatians 5:13 (NIV)
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
PRESSED INTO NEW MINISTRY
A few years ago our church began to mentor at risk-children who attend a nearby school. After a while some of the mentors began to invite the kids to our church’s boy’s and girl’s programs.
We went to pick up one of the girls once and were surprised to find two little girls waiting for us (a cousin had been invited to come along). The following week there were four little girls waiting for us (two friends wanted to join the fun)! The volunteers who ran our church’s boy’s and girl’s programs had to make room for the unexpected guests who came. You might say that God’s blessing in one of the church’s ministry pressed another part of the church into new ministry. Sometimes God presents new opportunities for ministry in surprising ways.
God can be pushy sometimes. He doesn’t mind using even persecution as an opportunity to do more ministry. Have you felt any divine nudges lately?
-David Den Haan, ReFrame Ministries
SUPPORTING JESUS’ MINISTRY
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
the Lord.”
love. How we do that might look different from person to person and day-to-day. We each
receive specific assignments, invitations to join God at work in our everyday lives. It may be
having a neighbor over for dinner, praying with someone, or meeting in a small group.
quickly and purposefully, or do we allow ourselves to become distracted by other things around
us? Do we continue until we complete what we’ve been tasked with, or do we get discouraged
and give up?
your priorities.” Let’s prioritize fulfilling the ministry God has given us.
any distractions that keep me from following through. Give me a renewed sense of purpose as I continue in the ministry I’ve received from you.
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
MINISTRY MORE IMPORTANT THAN LIFE
advancing other people’s faith and holiness to the glory of God.
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
David, on the other hand, was dancing before God as the ark entered his city (2 Samuel 6:14-16). David and his people were shouting and blowing horns as they carried the ark. It was bigger than a college homecoming celebration. It was previously seized by the Philistines and finally came home to Jerusalem. This was a time to rejoice and celebrate because the Ark of the LORD symbolized the presence of God.
Two different, opposite situations led to praising the Lord. It doesn’t matter what you are facing today, my brothers and sisters. Praising God does not depend on our
circumstances. It is not a choice. It is a command that we must obey. Psalm 150:6 says it well:
“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” If you are reading this message, you can breathe and you can give praise.
Let’s not let life’s circumstances define who we are. Let’s trust God and
continue to praise Him in all that we do. Psalm 146:5 says “Blessed are those whose hope is in
the Lord their God.”
As the psalmist says in Psalm 146:2, “I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.”
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
MINISTRY WITHOUT BIAS
Serving in ministry is not an easy task, but it makes an extraordinary impact in other believers’ lives.
Each one of us is made for ministry and has a place to serve in the church. Ministry shouldn’t merely be viewed as a job but a commitment to God. As believers, we should always have eyes that look out for others in the church but we should look out for those in the world as well. Jesus was looking out for those who followed Him and those who did not when He died on the cross. Considering all of mankind was part of His ministry so that we would have eternal life. Jesus came to the world and served others with humility and kindness by healing the sick. In return, He got a gruesome death on the cross.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for giving us eyes to see the needs of those around us and how to show love and support during difficult times. Help us so that we do not take for granted the gift of helping, sharing, and caring for others. May we learn to love beyond measure, without expecting anything in return to those who need our help. In Jesus’ name, amen.
-Beraca Baptist Church
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
READY FOR A BREAKTHROUGH
may the God of peace . . . produce in you through the power of Christ all that is pleasing to him . . .
—Hebrews 13:20,21 (TLB)
When I was a boy, radio was just coming of age. We would gather around a crude homemade set and twist the three tuning dials in an effort to establish contact with the transmitter. Often, all the sound that came out of the amplifier was the squawk of static; but we knew that somewhere out there was the unseen transmitter, and if contact was established and the dials were in adjustment, we could hear a voice loud and clear. After a long time of laborious tuning, the far distant voice would suddenly break through and a smile of triumph would illuminate the faces of all in the room. At last we were tuned in!
In the revelation that God established between Himself and us, we can find a new life and a new dimension of living, but we must “tune in.” There are higher levels of living to which we have never attained. There is peace, satisfaction, and joy that we have never experienced. God is trying to break through to us. The heavens are calling. God is speaking! Let man hear.
PRAYER FOR THE DAY: Lord, help me to be so attuned to Your will that I will experience all that You so lovingly wish to bestow.
–Billy Graham, © Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
WEEK #6
WAITING FOR BREAKTHROUGH
“[Jesus] said to him, ‘Do you want to be healed?’ The sick man answered him, ‘Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Get up, take up your bed, and walk.’ And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.” John 5:6b-9 (ESV)
I have been praying for healing now for over 20 years — more than half my life.
And to be honest, I get tired of praying the same prayer over and over, asking the Lord to heal me from a medical condition. It’s emotionally exhausting and spiritually defeating. I’ve prayed. I’ve fasted. I’ve seen doctors and counselors — you name it, I’ve probably tried it. But here I am, 23 years later, still struggling.
Some days I wonder — what’s the point? Why keep praying? Why keep hoping? Why keep asking the Lord to heal me?
I know the Lord is more than able to heal me, but He hasn’t — at least not yet. So I wonder: Is it really worth it to keep pouring my heart out to Him? To risk feeling vulnerable again? To hope again?
The invalid we see in John 5:2-9 probably wondered the same things. He had been an invalid for 38 years. Thirty-eight! For nearly 40 years of his life — perhaps all his life? — this man had been unable to walk or move on his own, and so he spent his time waiting by the pool of Bethesda.
Why? Because occasionally the waters of the pool were stirred, and the first person into it after the stirring would be healed. While it seems like a crazy hope — to wait an indefinite amount of time for just the opportunity to receive a miracle — that’s what everyone around the pool was doing. Waiting. Hoping. Praying that today might be the day when the water was stirred and they could be the first one in. Praying for breakthrough.
But this man had been waiting for a long, long time without being able to claim the miracle as his own. Imagine how discouraging it must have been for him to see others healed — over and over — without receiving that healing for himself.
We all have areas in our lives where we feel that same defeat. The struggle we’ve been begging God to fix for years and years remains unresolved. The job we want slips through our grasp, the relationship we long for never materializes. We look around, and it seems that everyone else is getting what we are aching for — and there’s nothing we can do but wait.
Waiting is immensely painful at times. It reminds us we aren’t in control … and it is impossible for us to change our own circumstances. We need the Lord to move on our behalf. We can’t get ourselves into that pool. We can’t heal ourselves.
The good news is that Jesus always shows up. It’s not usually in our way or in our timing, but He doesn’t leave us alone — and He never ignores us.
The invalid waited 38 years, but the truth was Jesus knew his story and met him at just the right moment. As we see in John 5:6b-9, “[Jesus] said to him, ‘Do you want to be healed?’ The sick man answered him, ‘Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Get up, take up your bed, and walk.’ And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.”
I’m not healed yet, but Jesus knows my story, and He has good for me up ahead — even if my healing doesn’t come until heaven.
Jesus knows your story, too. Whether you’re waiting for healing in your body, your mind, your relationships, your finances or something else — you’re not alone. Christ is with you. He isn’t ignoring your prayers. We might never fully understand His timing, but we can trust in His love for us — a love that took Him all the way to the cross for our ultimate healing and wholeness.
PRAYER:
Lord, Your timing is difficult for me to understand sometimes, and I’m tired of waiting for a breakthrough. But I choose to trust You again today. I believe You are at work in my life … and You will bring about the answer to my prayer in Your perfect timing. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
TRUTH FOR TODAY:
John 6:29, “Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.’” (NIV)
REFLECT AND RESPOND:
How can you actively choose to trust God today in the middle of your waiting?
-Ann Swindell, © Proverbs 31 Ministries
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
WEEK #6
PRAYER WHEN YOU NEED A BREAKTHROUGH: KEEP IT URGENT
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
-Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV)
When this blind beggar realized that Jesus was passing by, he began to shout for him right away. This sense of urgency seems worth noting for us as well. In other words, don’t wait. If you need healing, ask God to heal you right now. Bartimaeus could’ve continued to sit there, hoping that Jesus might notice him as he walked by. Or he could have thought, I’m just a poor beggar. He won’t hear me call out to Him. And even if He did, He wouldn’t stop for me.
If any of these thoughts went through Bartimaeus’s head, he tossed them aside because Scripture says, “He shouted.” He was desperate! He couldn’t, he wouldn’t wait! He was going to ask, even in front of the large crowd. He yelled, wanting his voice to be heard above the noise of the crowd. He was doing everything he could to get the attention of Jesus.
Note too that Bartimaeus asked for healing more than once. He understood the need to be persistent, to do whatever it took. Bartimaeus didn’t ask once and stop when Jesus didn’t acknowledge him. He continued to cry out, even above the noisy roar of the crowd. They apparently didn’t think he was going about getting the visiting Rabbi’s attention in an appropriate manner. But Bartimaeus continued to cry out until he got what he was after.
Jesus heard his cry, recognized it, and said to Bartimaeus, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
Now that was worth the stick-to-itiveness. The blind beggar wanted Jesus’ attention and he got it. Jesus finally asked him what he’d been aching to hear, “What can I do for you? What’s your need?”
Many times, we reach the end of our rope, and we’re desperate enough to call out to God to rescue us. We call out to God — once — but then we give up. Or maybe God doesn’t show up for us the way we want Him to. Perhaps you’ve heard the old joke about the guy stranded on his roof during a flood. He turns down offers to be rescued three separate times — first by someone with a life jacket, then a boat, and finally a helicopter — all because he was waiting for God to rescue him. He drowns. When the man meets God in heaven, the man complains that God didn’t rescue him. God replies, “Hey, I sent you a life jacket, a boat, and a helicopter — what’d you expect?”
We have to let go of our narrow, limited expectations and open ourselves up to what God wants to do in the way He wants to do it. We have to keep asking Him to notice us, to hear our prayer, to meet our need. When I say, “Be persistent,” I’m not talking about… oh, you went to church once, you prayed a time or two, you read a Bible verse. We live in a microwave society and expect everything to happen as soon as we push a button, but sometimes, you simply have to keep pushing the button. Be persistent.
I know you may have grown up in church and done the Sunday school thing. Maybe you were even in church this past week — but please realize, my friend, this is not about church attendance. This is about an encounter with God. It’s about opening up your heart, opening up your mouth, opening up your soul. Paul met God while traveling. I was in a locker room. Bartimaeus was in a crowd on the side of the road. No matter where you are, God can meet you.
When you’re shackled to something that won’t let you go, you’ve got to keep going, taking the next step. Don’t call out once and quit!
Jesus taught,
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. — Matthew 7:7-8
You know you need a breakthrough. If it doesn’t happen today, then get up tomorrow and ask again. keep asking! Be persistent. Jesus will hear your cry and ask you the same question He asked Bartimaeus: What do you want Me to do for you?
-Excerpted from But God by Herbert Cooper, (C) Herbert Cooper.
Intimacy with God 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer
For I am about to do a brand-new thing. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway in the wilderness for my people to come home. I will create rivers for them in the desert. -Isaiah 43:19 (NLT)
There are many different ways to pray. But among prayers for comfort, peace, and healing, there is a type of prayer that often comes up: a prayer for “breakthrough.” What is a breakthrough and how do we pray for one?
The loose definition of a “spiritual breakthrough” pertains to a new level of spirituality being reached. The definition of “breakthrough”, in general, is a sudden, dramatic, and important discovery or development or achieving success in a particular sphere or activity. Some examples of a breakthrough are when a person gets saved, gets a deeper understanding of Biblical truth, receives an answer to prayer, or has victory over sin.
Examples of Breakthrough in the Bible
Although the words “spiritual breakthrough” are not mentioned specifically in the Bible, there are instances of what we call breakthrough. The book of Acts is full of these examples. Saul had a spiritual breakthrough—a literal eye-opening experience—when he sees who Jesus really is (Acts 9). Peter had a breakthrough in Joppa when he realized the gospel is meant for everyone, not just those who follow Christ (Acts 10). In both of these situations, there was a struggle that finally got to the breaking point and was resolved.
Kinds of Breakthrough
There are many kinds of breakthrough that we pray for. Things like a breakthrough in our jobs and our side hustles, breakthrough in treatments for illnesses and diseases, and breakthrough for our children when they choose to go a different way. We pray for friends and relatives who have all kinds of struggles: from depression to anxiety to mental illness. We also pray for them to have breakthrough in either their relationship with the Lord or the renewing of that relationship. And we pray for breakthrough in our own relationship with the Lord in all different seasons.
Praying for Breakthrough
Many times we pray for general breakthrough and wait for something to happen. We never think about asking for the specific breakthroughs that we need. Still, it can be incredibly hard to know what to pray, how to pray, or what to ask for. One of the easiest ways to rectify this is to pray God’s word back to him. When we do this, we align our desires and perspectives with His, which brings spiritual breakthrough.
For example, I have a friend who struggles with a lot of different issues. When I pray for him I include the passage from Isaiah 43:19, “For I am about to do a brand-new thing. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway in the wilderness for my people to come home. I will create rivers for them in the desert.”
Why do I pray this verse specifically? Because I believe with all my heart that the Lord is working in my friend’s heart and life. I truly believe that his breakthrough is coming and that his relationship with the Lord will be renewed. I think that believing in breakthrough is just as important as praying and asking for it. From there, we need to listen closely and walk in obedience to what we are told in regards to the breakthrough that is coming.
Remember Matthew 7
Matthew 7:7-8 (NLT) reads: “Keep on asking and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who seeks receives. Everyone who seeks finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” Therefore, we should ask specifically for the breakthrough that we need.
Prayer for Personal Breakthrough:
Drawing Near to God
Fasting and prayer bring about more than just personal transformation. When God’s people practice biblical fasting and prayer, God hears from heaven and can heal our lives, our churches, our communities, our nations, and our world. Fasting and prayer can bring about revival—a change in direction.
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