Open My Eyes: A 21-Day Fasting Devotional from Jentezen FranklinSample

Fasting Day 18: How You Win Everyday The final weekend is at hand and so is food around every corner. You’ve come too far to turn back now. Don’t settle for anything less than the full 21 days. Remember also that if you slip up here or there, jump right back in. You are never disqualified from setting yourself apart to be with Jesus. If you have learned anything by now, I pray you have learned that advancement in the kingdom is a spiritual process – not a physical one. Greater is He that is in you then he that is in the world – and most importantly, we win – not by might and not by power, but by His Spirit in us. Today I want to focus on staying sharp through the daily disciplines of the faith. In some parts of the country there are lumberjack competitions where the biggest and strongest compete by chopping down trees and sawing through thick logs. In one such competition, there was a match between a young, strong ax man and an older, slimmer one. By the end of the day of competition, the old man had cut down double the amount of trees that the young man had cut down. Frustrated the younger ax man finally confronted the older and said, “I don’t understand. I never stopped swinging. I never stopped. You know, I never stopped cutting down trees and yet you took two breaks every hour. How could you cut down more trees?” The older man, with humble eyes and a kind reply said, “Every time I stopped, I sharpened my axe.” A lot of people are swinging, but they don’t have the edge. You can chop all you want, but if you’ve lost the edge, it won’t matter. You will feel defeated and worn out, swinging as hard as you can, all day every day, only to feel defeated with winning always just out of reach. Your Enemy Isn’t Human – Your Weapons are Not Carnal (man-made) If there was any one point I would want you to walk away knowing, more than anything else, it’s that because you are a Christian there will be attacks on your life and the lives of your loved ones. I would want you to know that your enemy does not wear a human face because he is a spirit and because he is a spirit, no man-made weapon can help you. I would ask that you be able to see the many weapons at your disposal, but they are not instruments you can hold in your hand. Your weapons are your testimony and scripture, to stand and not fall. The battle belongs to the Lord. Just like Jesus did when tempted by Satan in the wilderness, He responded with scriptural reminders about the God He served rather than engage in debate or argument. According to II Corinthians 10:4 the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. The attacks of the enemy are real, but no weapon formed against you shall prosper. (Isaiah 54:17). Prayer: So Father, I just pray for every person who is reading this today, that You would give them their edge back. Give them that spiritual power, not just swinging the ax, not just a dull blade, but give them that sharpness back in their walk like never before. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray. Amen.