Devotional Day 20

“Day 20: His Will, Not Yours

By now, your fast has led you through many different emotions and levels of God’s presence. You are beginning to see the reward of the humbling of your flesh that can only take place during a fast. You are dying to your own will and desires, and sensing the desires of His heart filling you and prompting you to great things. Continue on this journey!

God’s priorities are seldom our priorities. That is the difference in the nature of man and the nature of God. He even said so: “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:9, NIV). So, how do we position ourselves to hear from God? How do we free ourselves from our own desires, to know His will? Well, I can tell you from firsthand experience that fasting causes you to take that sword of God’s Word and separate what you “want” from what you “need.”

“When you fast and sanctify yourself unto God, it moves you off the bank and into the miracles! There are too many people on the edge of what God is doing, and not enough of us standing firmly in the middle of His will. Do you want things to change in your home? You are the priest of your home—fast, sanctify yourself, and take a firm stand in the middle of God’s will! When your family sees you stepping off the edge of mere “Sunday morning religion” and getting right into the middle of what God is doing, they will follow and find God’s direction for their lives.

You should be attached to a local body of believers instead of just trying to find your own way. If ever there was a time where we needed to be crossing together, taking a firm, united stand against sin in this nation, it is now. We need each other. We need a spirit of togetherness. We need a spirit of trust. We need a spirit of unity. We need a spirit of compassion for one another.”

“We desire to be in the will of God and to walk according to His plans. Sanctification is the key to being in God’s will. As Paul said, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thess. 4:3). Fasting is an essential means of sanctifying yourself, pulling yourself away from the world, and getting closer to God. Fasting allows you to filter your life and to set yourself apart to seek the Lord.

Fasting is what prepares you for a new anointing (Mark 2:20). God can’t put that kind of wine in old skins. If you want new wine, new miracles, new closeness, new intimacy with Him, then it’s time to call a fast and shed that old skin for the new.

On your twentieth day of fasting, remember:”

• “Pray and stay in God’s Word.

• Worship God through music and praise.

• Cravings are apparent, but you’ve lasted this long!

Thoughts for your journal:

(Write your thoughts in a separate journal.)

• Take some time today and go back to read your journal entries from the start of the fast to this twentieth day.

• What do your journal entries tell you about your own personal journey these last three weeks?

• Take a moment and journal about the breakthroughs you have experienced or key things the Lord has shown you during the fast. Spend time in prayer and thanksgiving.

Prayer Focus Day 20: Laborers Into the Harvest Field”

“God said, “Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession” (Ps. 2:8). Jesus told us, “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matt. 9:38, NIV). On this twentieth day of your fast, focus your prayers on these two key instructions from heaven. Cry out to God to save multitudes in the valley of decision. Cry out for the lost and hurting, the poor, the addicted. Ask Him to send missionaries, ambassadors of His Word, into the earth.

(Write your thoughts in a separate journal.)

The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.

—MATTHEW 4:16”