Purloining Pizza!

This is Day 6 of our 21-Day 'Daniel Fast' and I‘m really loving the fruit of this fast (I mean that both literally and figuratively)! We've determined (we began last year) that we will start out our year with prayer and fasting so as to set the tone for the rest of the year. We are also reading through the book of John, one chapter a day for 21 days, and I’ve been getting e-mails from people in our church, highlighting things that the Lord is showing them as they read the book of John and prayerfully seek God during this season. As I've said to them, I want to reiterate for all of you out there who are praying and fasting as well, that it will undoubtedly set the tone for the rest of your year and you’ll look back on this time and be grateful that you didn’t purloin pizza, but eschewed eggs and sacrificed sugar to start off the year!

For each day of our fast we have adopted a theme and today’s theme is: Pray for courage and perseverance. One of the hardest things about going through any kind of difficulty or trial is staying the course. Often times we opt for the path of least resistance, and who can blame us? After all, it’s called the path of “least resistance” for a reason! But though it is the easier path, it is more often not the right path (think about exercising and body building. It’s impossible to do it successfully taking the path of least resistance. To build more muscle you must add greater weight resistance).

In Mark 9: 28 Jesus’ Disciples were expressing frustration at the fact that they had tried to cast a demon out of a man and met with no success whatsoever. Jesus, in verse 29, informs them that:

“This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” (NKJV)

While that may seem to mess with some of our theology a bit, the truth is there are some spiritual breakthroughs that will not occur without an intense season of prayer and fasting. Remember that the Scriptures tell us that we are not in a battle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, wicked spirits, and rulers of darkness. The key here is to remember that though we are not in a battle against “flesh and blood” we are in a battle, and it is fought with spiritual weapons such as prayer and fasting. Pray today that the Lord will give you courage and perseverance to stay the course and fight the battles that need to be fought.