Strong
Day sixteen. We've been praying and fasting for sixteen days. The goal is twenty-one, not sixteen, but twenty-one.
It is possible as this new week begins that our strength is fading. We are starting to have internal conversations about quitting. We do not call it quitting. We re-label it in a more positive fashion. One way we do this is to convince ourselves that we have accomplished what we hoped to get out of the fast. Maybe our long-held prayer has been answered. Maybe we've experienced a significant spiritual break-through. Maybe we have a sense of peace and satisfaction that has not been present for a long time, and we feel content.
I love Philippians 1:6. It has been a guiding verse for me since I was in my teens.
Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it. He, not me. We are not the primary workers in our fasting and prayer. Our Trinity God is the worker, and we are cooperating with His good work. He's not done yet. He has more work to do.
The biblical impetus for a twenty-one day fast is found in Daniel 10. Daniel receives a disturbing vision. To understand the vision, he fasted and prayed for three weeks.
Daniel 10:2
At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.
Three weeks into the fast an answer came through an angel. The angel reveals the activity of spiritual beings taking place beyond the veil:
Daniel 10:12-14
Then [the angel] continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.”
His prayer was heard on day one, but the answer was held up by an evil being for twenty-one days. Is it possible that we still have a response from the heart of God on the way? How do we know what God plans to bring to pass on days nineteen, twenty and twenty-one.? We will only know if we stay strong.
Another verse that has guided me since I was young is found in Galatians.
Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
You have come so far. A little more than two-thirds of the fast is behind you. Stay strong!
Today's Prayer
Fix your mind on a friend who you know is fasting and praying. Raise them before God today. Pray for their endurance. Pray that they will realize God's purpose for their twenty-one day experience. You can send them a quick text of encouragement or keep it between you and God.
Final Thoughts
Read and/or listen to Daniel 10:1-21. Read Here. Listen Here. I hope you are as inspired by his story as I am.
A Song
If you can, watch the lyrics while listening.