21 Day Fast Day 1

Today is day 1 of our 21 Day Fast, January 8, 2024. “Fasting is the biblical practice of abstaining from something as a spiritual discipline meant to help us focus on spiritual matters.” Usually this is done with food, but can be anything that accomplishes an awareness of self-deprivation. It’s not meant to be easy, but rather to awaken the consciousness of our need for the presence of God in our lives. Ask the Lord what he would have you fast. Pray about that and step out in faith as we believe together for God to speak to us individually and corporately. It’s not meant to be easy. That would not accomplish in us what the Lord would like to do.
 
The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. It accomplished just what God had intended. Luke 4:14-21 (NIV) 4 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. 16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21 and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
 
God wants us to be filled with his Holy Spirit and do the things that Jesus did. That doesn’t happen through our own will-power. It comes as we participate in his divine nature. We cooperate with him. He said, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” But with him, nothing is impossible to the one who believes.
 
We believe that God is bringing a fresh anointing to his church. He wants it to be a genuine demonstration of his very life. Souls saved! Lives touched! Miracles confirming his presence. We’ve been saying that we are not to sell ourselves short. We are to take God at his word and become the people he’s called us to be. The word to Zerubbabel in Zechariah 4:6 I believe applies to us as well 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.
 
God’s word strengthens us, inspires us, equips us and motivates us. I have listed 7 inspiring scripture verses that I’d like you to meditate on every day this week. Think of them as inspired Mottos. “A motto is a short expression of a guiding principle.” The Marine Corp’s motto is Semper Fidelis, Always Faithful. The Coast Guard’s motto is Semper Paratus, Always Ready. Let’s take the verses I’m listing and incorporate them into our lives. Memorize them. Jesus is the living Word of God. Let’s make them our own.
 
Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous
 
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding

Psalm 34:6 Taste and see that the Lord is good
 
Ephesians 6:2   "Honor your father and mother"
 
Philippians 4:1 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
 
Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
 
Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.