Day 20: Defeating The Enemy
Have you ever wondered why Jesus fasted? Jesus is called the Son of Man and the Son of God. He was all man and all God in one form. Even though He was God’s Son and He and the Father were “one,” we also know that before Jesus began His earthly ministry, He was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert on a forty-day fast.
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. Suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying,
“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.“
Matthew 3:17–4:2
With the water of the Jordan River still running down His face and clothes, God’s voice was heard declaring Jesus to be His Son, in whom He was well pleased. What better time to launch a public ministry than when Jesus went into total isolation for forty days and nights, eating nothing and being tempted by the devil the entire time. I wonder if Jesus would have succeeded over the enemy in that wilderness if He had not fasted. The Bible does not detail the temptations Jesus endured during the fast, only those that came at the end of it. I would imagine most of the temptations during the fast were intended to get Him to quit the fast.
Jesus was led by the Spirit to fast and pray in that desert before He ever preached one sermon, healed one cripple, freed one captive, or called one disciple. All the while He was sharpening His edge for what was yet to come. At the end of those forty long days and nights in the desert, Satan tested Jesus in three specific areas intended to get Jesus to compromise the path to our redemption. Satan did not want Jesus to succeed at taking back what Adam and Eve had turned over to him when they gave in to their appetites and ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
If you are born again, Satan knows who you are in Christ. He knows the covenant that was made with the blood of Jesus. He knows that you have authority over all of his power. He does not have to recognize who you are in Christ as long you do not recognize who you are in Christ. All he has to do is tempt you and lead you by your fleshly appetites. We are driven by our flesh far more often than we should be. We want what we want when we want it, and we want it now! Fasting “dethrones” the rule of our demanding fleshly appetites so that we can more easily follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.

The wisdom of coming away with the Lord and sharpening our edge indeed brings success. We see it modeled in the life of Jesus more than once. If Jesus needed the power of the Holy Spirit in His life and ministry on Earth, then you and I need that same power all the more. The days are not getting any easier. The church desperately needs to regain the edge for the battles ahead.

Day 20: Defeating The Enemy
Have you ever wondered why Jesus fasted? Jesus is called the Son of Man and the Son of God. He was all man and all God in one form. Even though He was God’s Son and He and the Father were “one,” we also know that before Jesus began His earthly ministry, He was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert on a forty-day fast.
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. Suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying,
“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.“
Matthew 3:17–4:2
With the water of the Jordan River still running down His face and clothes, God’s voice was heard declaring Jesus to be His Son, in whom He was well pleased. What better time to launch a public ministry than when Jesus went into total isolation for forty days and nights, eating nothing and being tempted by the devil the entire time. I wonder if Jesus would have succeeded over the enemy in that wilderness if He had not fasted. The Bible does not detail the temptations Jesus endured during the fast, only those that came at the end of it. I would imagine most of the temptations during the fast were intended to get Him to quit the fast.
Jesus was led by the Spirit to fast and pray in that desert before He ever preached one sermon, healed one cripple, freed one captive, or called one disciple. All the while He was sharpening His edge for what was yet to come. At the end of those forty long days and nights in the desert, Satan tested Jesus in three specific areas intended to get Jesus to compromise the path to our redemption. Satan did not want Jesus to succeed at taking back what Adam and Eve had turned over to him when they gave in to their appetites and ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
If you are born again, Satan knows who you are in Christ. He knows the covenant that was made with the blood of Jesus. He knows that you have authority over all of his power. He does not have to recognize who you are in Christ as long you do not recognize who you are in Christ. All he has to do is tempt you and lead you by your fleshly appetites. We are driven by our flesh far more often than we should be. We want what we want when we want it, and we want it now! Fasting “dethrones” the rule of our demanding fleshly appetites so that we can more easily follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.

The wisdom of coming away with the Lord and sharpening our edge indeed brings success. We see it modeled in the life of Jesus more than once. If Jesus needed the power of the Holy Spirit in His life and ministry on Earth, then you and I need that same power all the more. The days are not getting any easier. The church desperately needs to regain the edge for the battles ahead.

Day 19: Pressing Forward
The last three days of the fast are upon us. I pray that this journey has held great meaning for you. Your life matters to God. You were His idea, and He loves you more than you could ever imagine. There is another called Satan who comes to steal, kill and destroy. His primary mode of operation is deception and distraction. Like Peter walking on the water, his attacks can come at the times of your greatest success.
You may be experiencing miraculous things in your life; seeing God bless you and move in mighty ways. I want to warn you, many times that is exactly when the storms come. It’s the enemy’s job to get your eyes off of Jesus and distract you; to stop you from doing what God has called you to do.
Because he was distracted on the water, Peter began to sink. You see, if you’re going to hold on and assure the victory, you have to keep your eyes on Jesus, and keep walking.
Notice that Peter was distracted, not by demons and devils, not by hordes of hell; he was distracted by the wind. The wind is a natural thing. The devil used it for containment, limitation and restraint . . . for restriction. The devil is not going to destroy you, but he will attempt to distract and deceive you day after day.
The wind is nature’s greatest natural force. What hinders us the most sometimes are simply natural distractions. It’s things like paying bills, running all over the place doing the busy stuff of life. It’s the cares of life. It’s the places we have to go. It’s the peeling paint on the house. It’s the flat tire on the car. We have to be careful not to allow natural things to distract us from spiritual things.
It’s so easy to let natural things distract us from spiritual things and as soon as this fast is over, the distraction battle will begin again. The moment we get our eyes off of the Word of God, which is Jesus, and what He’s saying, we begin to focus on natural things. We lose spiritual power. It’s in the wind. The wind is what the enemy uses to distract.
Be encouraged today as we race to the finish line of our 21-day fast.  Keep your eyes on the finish line and don’t find yourself being distracted by life.

Day 18: Knowing Your Assignment
“Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”
But the Lord said to me, Do not say, ’I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 1:6-8
If you look hard enough, you will find that there are clues to your assignment everywhere. Finding your assignment in the kingdom is critical. You are treasured. You are valued. If it was true for Jeremiah, it’s true for you. Before you were in your mother ’s womb, He knew you, called you to an assignment, had a plan and a purpose for your life. We all become pretty good at believing in other people’s call and other people’s assignments and other people’s potential, but we don’t see it in our self. We call it humility, when, in reality, it’s the spirit of intimidation and fear that causes us to feel unimportant. In God’s eyes, you are treasured and valued. He knew you before you were in your mother’s womb.
The first step in finding your assignment is understanding God can talk to you. We need to know that God is still speaking today, and He is still calling people to be a part of His kingdom purpose. He speaks through church services, through preachers; He will speak through circumstances, and through other people. He always speaks through His Word. You’ve got to learn to listen and hear God’s voice. That’s how He puts dreams in you! He will speak to you.
I get amused hearing people say, ’’I’m going to take a course on how to hear God’s voice.“ When I call my mother and hear her voice on the other line, I know it’s her. I don’t have to take a course on recognizing her voice. When you know God, you know His voice. It’s that simpleand it is important. You get to know Him by spending time with Him and listening. The more you listen, the easier it will be to recognize His voice. Jeremiah begins chapter one saying, “The word of the Lord came to me saying ... “The Word spoke to Jeremiah, and The Word is still speaking today. Listen for Him. He knows how to talk to you.
A true assignment from God will showcase your inferiority and your limitation. It will be bigger than you are and make you feel incapable of achieving it. Don’t focus on your weakness, God gets glory out of what happens in spite of your weaknesses. God said, “My power is made perfect in weakness” 2 Corinthians 12:9.
You’re not here by accident. You were created for purpose and for His glory. Start believing your assignment is so much less about your ability and so much more about your availability. It’s not your

responsibility ... it’s your response to His ability.
Don’t be afraid of your weaknesses but embrace them knowing that God will show up in His strength and bring you into your fullness.

Day 17: Half Empty Or Half Full
Something in our nature cries out to be loved by another. Isolation is devastating to the human psyche. That is why solitary confinement is considered the cruelest of punishments. At the heart of humankind’s existence is the desire to be intimate and to be loved by another. Marriage is designed to meet that need for intimacy and love. That is why the biblical writings spoke of the husband and wife becoming “one flesh.” That did not mean that individuals would lose their identity (this I taught on Sunday): it meant that they would enter into each other’s lives in a deep and intimate way.
If love is important, it is also elusive. I have listened to many married couples share their secret pain. Some came to me because the inner ache had become unbearable. Others came because they realized that their behavior or the misbehavior of their spouse was destroying the marriage. Some came simply to inform me that they no longer wanted to be married. Their dreams of living happily ever after had been crushed against the hard walls of reality. Again and again I have heard the words “Our love is gone, our relationship is dead. We used to feel close, but not now. We no longer enjoy being with each other. We don’t meet each other’s needs.” Their stories bear testimony that adults as well as children have “love tanks.”
Could it be that deep inside hurting couples exist an invisible “emotional love tank” with its gauge on empty? Could the misbehavior, withdrawal, harsh words, and critical spirit occur because of that empty tank? If we could find a way to fill it, could the marriage be reborn?
With a full tank would couples be able to create an emotional climate where it is possible to discuss differences and resolve conflicts? Could that tank be the key that makes marriage work?
I am convinced that keeping the emotional love tank full is as important to a marriage as maintaining the proper oil level is to an automobile. Running your marriage on an empty “love tank” may cost you even more than trying to drive your car without oil.  Whatever the quality of your marriage is now, it can always be better. I don’t want people to just “Love”…I want people to “Love” with longing.

Day 16: Stay In The Zone!
I find it very interesting: When God wanted to fill believers with the Holy Spirit, the most amazing filling of all, He didn’t ask them to think it all through and figure out how that was going to happen. He also didn’t force it upon them. He revealed what was in store for them and asked them to be ready, but then He asked them to create a space where it could happen. 

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:3-4, 6, 17-18 how we can create space. In these verses He doesn’t say, “if.” He says “when” you do these things. He assumed that, as His children, we would want to create spaces in our lives for Him to fill with His rewards. When you give, pray, or fast, you are creating space for God to do amazing things in your life.

For many, week three feels like a breakthrough week. As your body has become used to less food, you are more than likely experiencing fewer hunger pangs. Since your body has detoxified, you are most likely also experiencing less achiness and headaches. Because your body is not using as much energy to digest food, it can devote more energy into the restorative processes. During the last week you may also find you are sleeping better too. Spiritually speaking, this week can be really powerful as you find yourself in your fast zone, and your mind has made the leap to focusing more on God. 

Make a choice to finish your fast strong, and ask God to help you keep your momentum (or even strengthen it) as your year goes on.

Day 15: Come Together Right Now Over Me
“May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. May they also be one in Us, so the world may believe You sent Me”   John 17:21
All of us want to see more of our prayers answered, don’t we? That’s why we should be praying for more of the same things Jesus prayed for…because as John the apostle said, “This is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him”  1 John 5:14–15
As you can see around us today, so many people groups are not getting along.  Beyond the evidence you might see on television and in the media, you most likely see it within people you go to church with, perhaps even among members of your family. Jesus’ prayer in John 17:21 is for an end to this kind of division. He prayed that His followers “may all be one, just as You, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us”
If this was our prayer too…that we would all be one in Him…we could expect to start seeing some changes in the troublesome situations around us. More importantly, if this was our prayer, we could expect to start seeing some changes inside our own hearts.
Whatever humility we might need to practice, He will help us do it. Whoever we might need to make things right with, He will help us do it. Wherever we might need to let go and say, “Hey, it’s fine, I sure don’t want to lose relationship with you over this,” He will help us do it.  Whatever situation we find ourselves in He will help us through it. Oneness is that important to Him. It should be that important to us.
That’s because there’s a clear motivation behind this prayer of Jesus. He gave us a biblical example for why it affirms His will. His reason for wanting us to live in unity as believers is, as He said to the Father, “so that the world may believe that you have sent me” 17:21. Or as
He’d said shortly beforehand to the Twelve, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” John 13:35.
As we take this week to “Declare Our Love” to one another let it be more than just words but words with actions.   Let’s be believers of what we say and what we do.  Love is the most powerful weapon we possess…let’s use it!

Day 14: Trust Love
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends (1 Corinthians 13:4–8a, ESV).
What does real love look like? The Apostle Paul tells us…
“Love is patient.” It waits for people to change. It’s long-tempered. It accepts people as they are, not as we want them to be.
Love is “kind.” This doesn’t mean passive perseverance but active goodness. Not just passively accepting people but actively accepting people. Not just standing on the other side of the room, thinking, I can’t stand that person and I’m going to stand clear of her, but actually going across the room and finding ways to engage or embrace that person. Love looks for ways to express acceptance to people whom we might otherwise be critical towards.
“Love does not envy or boast.” Love is not jealous. Even when those around us seem to prosper and succeed more than we do, love isn’t jealous.  Love does say; “I am happy for your successes and will not let jealousy distort my love for you,” and “I am for you. I have always been for you, and I will always be for you.”  Love says I want the best for you.
Love “is not arrogant or rude.” Love chooses not to make another feel uncomfortable by boasting about personal success or highlighting your own life in a way that would embarrass or belittle a friend.
Love is accepting. “Love bears all things, believes all things.” Love bears the weight of misunderstanding and defends the heart of the other. Love gives the other the benefit of the doubt.  
Love always believes the best about people. “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things.” Love sees people not as they are, but as they will be someday.  
Love “endures all things.” Endure is to continue to exist; to last.  Love does that. Love won’t retreat or back away. Love will be there for the other person and will be there in the end.  
“Love never ends.” Love will never fail to accomplish God’s highest and best purposes. If a relationship unravels, it wasn’t because of love. Love always takes things to a better place. If you love others wholeheartedly and embrace the people in your life as they are,

even when they hurt you, God will use that. Love never fails—not at home, at work, or in the church. That’s an absolute, condition-free guarantee: “Love never ends.”
I just don’t want people to “Love”…I want people to “Love Well!”

Day 13: Speak The Word
Do you spend time reading God’s word each day? Each week? Once a month? Ever? If you read the Word of God far less than you would like there are two things that I know are true:
1.   You are not alone
2.   You are not receiving all the Lord has for you
When the Spirit of God is in a place and when the anointed Word goes forth, it’s not to be taken lightly! We are to tremble at His Word. The spiritual condition of hundreds of thousands of believers is lukewarm. Lukewarm means it was hot but now it’s cold. We grow cold. We allow ourselves to be religious on Sunday and live without Jesus the rest of the week. We barely think about the Lord while we go about our business. Little by little the enemy draws us away from His Presence. Just as the locust eats the leaves, the caterpillar eats the fruit of the tree, the cankerworm eats the bark and the palmerworm eats the roots we are drawn away.
We must repent so the Lord can restore the years that have been eaten away; years the enemy has taken. True repentance, not regret or remorse for getting caught, is the key to restoration. We must go back to our roots, to the passion of when we first believed. We must acknowledge His anointing on our lives to cast out evil spirits, give the devil no place, heal the sick, and to live a holy and separate life.
The cares of this life will cause us to lose the fire, but we need the fire of the Holy Spirit in our hearts! We need it desperately!
Scripture tells us:
"Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Joshua 1:8
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”  Psalm 119:11
Don’t hide yourself from God’s word but have it in your heart for the moment you need it.  The word of God is better than life for without it there is no life.

Day 12: And My Heart Says Yes

King Solomon said, “A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man’s heart directs him toward the left.” (Ecclesiastes 10:2). Just as your heart can direct you toward hatred, lust, and violence; it can also be driven by love, truth, and kindness. As you walk with God, He will put dreams in your heart that He wants to fulfill in your life. He will also put skills and abilities in your heart that He wants to develop for His glory (Exodus 35:30-35). He will give you the desire to give (2 Corinthians 9:7) and worship (Ephesians 5:19). As you put God first, He will step in and fulfill the good desires of your heart. The Bible says, “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). The only time you can feel good about following your heart is when you know your heart is intent on serving and pleasing God.
Because our hearts are so subject to change and so utterly untrustworthy, the Scriptures communicate a much stronger message than “follow your heart.” The Bible instructs you to lead your heart. This means to take full responsibility for its condition and direction. Realize that you do have control over where your heart is. You have been given power by God to take your heart off one thing and to set it on something else. The following verses communicate a message of leading your heart:
Proverbs 23:17   “Do not let your heart envy sinners.”
Proverbs 23:19   “Direct your heart in the way.”
Proverbs 23:26   “Give me your heart, my son, and let your eyes  delight in my ways.”
1 Kings 8:61         “Let your heart therefore be wholly devoted to the Lord our God.”
John 14:27           “Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”
James 4:8           “Purify your hearts.”
James 5:8           “Strengthen your hearts.”
So don’t let your heart envy others but direct your heart in the direction of the Lord.  Give you heart to Jesus letting Him enlighten your path.  A life totally devoted to God will leave your heart not untroubled and without fear.  Walk with a heart that is pure; that is strengthened because of His love for you.

Day 11: Coming Into Alignment
Today we’re taking a deeper look at returning to our first love, and discussing something many people struggle with, authority. Independence, stubbornness and wanting to be your own boss can create a separation-intended or not. Luke 7 sheds light on what it means to surrender; one of the greatest miracles God can give you. It only comes when you are willing to submit to God-given authority at any cost.
 
“Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof Therefore, I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word , and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, ’Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ’Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ’Do this,’ and he does it.
 
When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And those who were sent, returning
to the house, found the servant well who had been sick” Luke 7:6-I0 NKJV
 
A lot of people don’t receive God’s best because they have authority issues. We know that the original sin had to do with authority. Lucifer was in heaven, and he, along with one third of the angels, rebelled against God and tried to overthrow Him. Satan was number two in Heaven! He wanted to be number one, and he was not willing to stay under the authority of God. According to Scripture, Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden and had everything they could ever want or imagine. God was going to supply it as long as they stayed under His covering ... under His authority. God said, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden-except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die” (Genesis 2:16-17 NLT). Adam and Eve chose to come out from under the authority of God.
 
If you will remain under what God has put over you, then God will put under you the many things that you’re supposed to have authority over.
Something to Ponder
1.     Have you had issues with submitting to authority figures in your own life?
2.    Are there any current issues with authorities you feel may be hindering your relationship with God?

Day 10: Blessed And Highly Favored

There is a powerful story in Numbers 22. Balaam was hired to curse God’s people, but he could not do it. He refused to curse what God had blessed. He was offered a handsome reward, yet still he refused. He said, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace,” he would still refuse to curse those who were blessed by God.
 
We must realize God’s people are protected-we are blessed! And this story of Balaam tells us the enemy cannot curse what God has blessed. He will try to sneak in with a subtle approach, undetected, and pull you out from under the covering of the blessing of the Lord. This is why it is so important to not only walk in God’s ways, but to walk in community with His people. You cannot go it alone.
 
God will put you in a place where He can bless you. The enemy knows that as long as you stay under the covering of the Father’s house, then the enemy cannot destroy your life. When you come out from under the authority God has appointed for your life, that’s when the enemy will release his attack.

Psalm 91:1-13 The Message (MSG)
“You who sit down in the High God’s presence, spend the night in
Shaddai’s shadow, Say this: “ God, you’re my refuge. I trust in you and I’m safe!”  That’s right—he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards.
His huge outstretched arms protect you—under them you’re perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm.

Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night, not flying arrows in the day, Not disease that prowls through the darkness, not disaster that erupts at high noon.  Even though others succumb all around, drop like flies right and left, no harm will even graze you.

You’ll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance, watch the wicked turn into corpses. Yes, because God’s your refuge, the High God your very own home, Evil can’t get close to you, harm can’t get through the door. He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go.  If you stumble, they’ll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling.  You’ll walk unharmed among lions and snakes, and kick young lions and serpents from the path.”

Day 9: Jesus Over You
Did you know joy is your right as a believer and follower of Jesus Christ? In fact, it says in Nehemiah 8:10, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” Your STRENGTH! The enemy wants you to feel beat up and condemned for things you have done in the past. He wants to rob you of your God-given right to joy. We all have to hide in the wounds of Calvary. We have all fallen short of the standard. We have ALL rebelled against God’s authority over our life. We are also blessed because our sins have been forgiven.
 
Psalm 32 is a great example of the powerful grace of God and the price He paid:
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity ... I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,… And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.” Psalm 32:1-2, 5
 
A lot of Christians don’t understand the power of God’s grace. They are forgiven and they are on their way to heaven; but they think they have to pay for what they did by being sad and beating up on themselves. Many feel condemned for the rest of their life, when nothing could be further from the truth. Grace wins! Until you acknowledge and accept that, you will allow the enemy to steal your joy. Psalm 51 takes it to a whole new level:
Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Psalm 51:8-12
Walk in the truth and freedom of God’s word.  There’s nothing like being free!
JOY = Jesus Over You

Day 8:  A Look In The Mirror
Each of us desires to understand love and have stronger relationships. We long for healthy marriages and Godly courtships, but still something seems to be missing. In a world where the relationships we seek seem to be fleeting, the good news is God wants to help! He has much to say about love and relationships.  
As you walk through the week here are a few thoughts to ponder as we move into our second week of prayer and fasting before the Lord:
1       As it relates to attraction, our culture has overemphasized the wrong things. We’ve placed physical attraction before all else. Think about the things we should be attracted to before the physical.
2       What it means to be spiritually attractive. What does it look like for a Godly man to be spiritually attractive? A Godly woman?
3       The strongest relationships are founded on a strong friendship. When Solomon spoke to his “darling,” it literally meant his “best friend.” What can you do to develop a friendship with your spouse or the person you’re dating before it goes further?
4       Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you how you can become more attractive. What can you do to gain spiritual attraction? What can you do to become more emotionally attractive?
5       Take time to clearly define Godly standards and boundaries. Think of practical ways you can use your words to become more emotionally attractive to your spouse.

Day 6: What’s Love Got To Do With It
Today I want to leave you with a few thoughts on “Your First Love.”  What exactly does this mean?   When you study this out most conclusions point to those who have lost their first love.
Maybe it has to do with how you really feel about Jesus, how passionate you pursuit after him or even possibly your lack of focus/ attention given in His direction.  

In Matthew 22, Jesus was asked to identify the greatest
commandment. He responded, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (vs 37).

If you are like most people, you live a life full of multitasking.  You’ve got a dozen things going on at the same time and each one seems to demands the highest priority.  The enemy is the master distractor, and he knows exactly which string to pull to stop everything you are doing and causes you to jump through a hoop. As you fast, allow each hunger pang and each thought of food to be a reminder to shift your focus back to the Lord rather than a distraction from your purpose. He is your Living Bread.
Remember to put first things first.   You might have to stop, refuse and begin again; but I promise putting Jesus first will always be to your benefit.  Scripture says He is a jealous God and He wants to be at the top of your list.

Day 5: A Fresh Perspective
Helen Keller was once asked, “Can you think?” She was a blind woman that achieved greatness. She was once asked, “Do you think there is anything more tragic than to be born blind?” Her answer was, “Yes. To be born with sight but no vision.” What a powerful and profound statement. There are a lot of people who have lost their vision. There are a lot of people who don’t know where they’re going. Do you know where you are going?
In the book of Mark there is the story of another person who was blind, and in that story we find a very rare event takes place: “They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”
He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”
Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus
sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”  Mark 8:22-26
He had vision, but the Bible says he saw men as trees. He had been touched, but could not see clearly. His vision was dim, cloudy and uncertain. All of a sudden, Jesus did something that I can’t find He did anywhere else, He touched him a second time. There was a second touch. When Jesus put His hands on the man’s eyes a second time, the Bible says, “he saw everything clearly.”
If you’re not careful, you will be satisfied with a touch that gives you vision, but not clarity about what you’re supposed to do. You find yourself asking, “Why am I here? What is God’s plan for my life, and for my family? What is God’s purpose for my life?” You have a vision but it’s unclear; it’s unfocused. You don’t know where you’re going and you’re not sure where you’re ultimately supposed to be.
There will always be “divine misery” before there is “divine change.” You may get to a place where your toleration for a particular situation has been reached and you’ve had all that you can handle. Many times it takes going through misery before the situation can change. Are you in a season of divine misery? You may be asking today, “God, why won’t that child ever change? Why won’t this marriage ever change? Why doesn’t my financial picture ever change?” God has you right where He wants you. He has you in divine misery because He’s about to bring divine change.
There is something called “The Second Touch” and the key is that you become so hungry that you say, “Lord, I appreciate the first touch. I appreciate when you saved me and I appreciate when You gave me light that I’ve never seen before. Now I’m serving You, and I need You to touch me a second time and clarify my vision.”
So I encourage you today to come before the Lord and allow Him to touch you again. Saying; Lord give me vision to see beyond myself and see what you have for me.

Day 4:  Skills To Understand
We are now going into our 4th day of fasting and it’s my prayer that your body has begun to adjust to the change and that your spirit has begun to sore to new heights.  For those who might have not yet started fasting or still have reservations about fasting I wanted to shed some light on some specifics of fasting in hopes that all might finish this journey with us.
What is Fasting? Biblical fasting is, very simply, denying oneself food for the sake of seeking God and drawing closer to Him.  Prayer is connecting with God. Fasting is disconnecting ourselves from the world. That’s a great way to describe how prayer and fasting work so powerfully together.
Why should I fast? Fasting is like hitting a reset button, both physically and spiritually. As we go about our daily lives, there are things that can build up over time and we can start to lose our spiritual focus. Fasting is like a deep cleaning, both spiritually and physically that helps us take our minds off the things of this world and instead gives us a fresh spiritual focus. It’s all about drawing closer to God.
How do I fast? There are several different ways that you can fast. For the most part, fasting involves abstaining from food or certain types of foods. You can also fast from specific activities or habits, or from other things that keep you connected to the world. Things like TV, video games, social networking, etc. Ask the Lord what your fast should look like and commit to it.
It’s my prayer that all of the Remnant Family will join us in some capacity during this time of fasting.  I’ve always said this, “It’s not how much you do but how consistent you are in what you are doing.” It’s never to late to jump on board.

Day 3:  Hidden Away With Him
Today I want you to focus on hearing what the Lord is saying about you and the path He has for your life.  As you set apart these three weeks to seek God, know that God has already heard your prayer. He is already at work on your behalf.   I encourage you to get away in that secret place with Him so that He has your undivided attention.

Psalm 91 (KJV)
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”

That is the picture the psalmist is painting in Psalm 91. God has a secret hiding place and He invites each of us to join Him there. Notice that He does not invite us to visit. The promise is to those who “dwell” there. To “dwell” means we live there. It becomes our address. God invites us to pack up and move to His secret place. To do so we must walk away from the clamor and enticements of the world. We must be willing to quiet our hearts before Him and allow Him to speak into those inner places we reveal to no one else. Secret places imply honesty and trust. We cannot join God in His secret place unless we are willing to be transparent and honest with Him.
Sit with Him…..Listen to Him…JUST BE!

Day 2: Taking Control Of Your Day

2 Corinthians 10:5
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

As you engage in today’s events remind yourself of this, the world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair; but we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.

Day 1: A New Way Forward
For many of you this will be your first time embarking on such a journey but for others this will be something you have embraced for many years.   Day one typically brings excitement and vision, yet by day 3 we are ready to drop the ball and go back to our daily grind.   My encouragement to you is to determine in your heart today that
I’m not going to quit and I’m not “going back”.  Be reminded this is not just a Physical challenge but a Spiritual Journey.  This battle will go on day after day and each day you will be confronted with a choice for where you will place your focus. Will you focus on your physical hunger or on your spiritual thirst?

Each day I will be sending out a posting with a scripture focus and study.  Today is our first full day of fasting together.  Remember you are not alone and we walk life together.  

Ephesians 5:1-2 The Message (MSG)
“Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.”