Open Heaven: 21 Days of Fasting and PrayerSample

SEEK GOD IN FASTING AND PRAYER Daniel was a leader whose heart was for his people. Knowing that Israel would be taken captive by Babylon for seventy years, his first response was to seek the Lord through prayer and fasting. As he gave up food and set aside time to pray, he humbled himself and magnified God. He repented for the sins of Israel, and cried out for God’s deliverance. When we fast, we abstain from food and direct our attention to God. We choose to seek Him with greater focus and commitment. We demonstrate that we desire spiritual things more than natural things, and are willing to forgo something important to us because God is more important. We humble ourselves and align our hearts and motives to His, and invite him to speak to us and move in our lives. When we fast and pray, we make God bigger than everything else. We turn our eyes to Him rather than our problems, and believe that He is able to bring breakthroughs in our lives. Like Daniel, there are situations that are beyond our control where we need God to intervene. Fasting and prayer magnifies God above all of these situations and raises our faith to believe that nothing is impossible for Him. As you fast and pray over these 21 days, choose to deny the flesh and live by the Spirit. If you haven’t decided what to fast yet, make that decision today! Start with one meal a day and use that time to seek God in prayer. As you intentionally pursue God, He will build your faith and deepen your intimacy with Him. As you empty yourself, He will come and fill you up with every good thing. And as you make Him bigger in your life, God will work on your behalf and open up heaven over your life! Response: What are you choosing to fast these 21 days? Take time to humble yourself before God. Acknowledge that He is God and we are not, and invite Him to come move in our hearts and work on our behalf as we seek Him in fasting and prayer. Prayer: Dear God, help me to have the right heart and motives and to be sensitive to Your voice as I take the time to fast and pray. I believe that I will grow as I choose to set aside my time and desires to seek You. I know that You can bring a breakthrough in my life as I humble myself before You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.