DAY 2 Sanctified by Truth
They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.-JOHN 17:16-18
You and I are people set apart with a commission from Christ to do the business of God, which is to reconcile the world to Him. He has equipped us with unseen powers and tools to accomplish this task. He's given us everything we need. We are His army, His chosen people.
DAY 3 What Do You Want Jesus to Do for You?
Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" -MARK 10:51
It was obvious that Bartimaeus was blind. So why did Jesus not just heal him? I think this question was to test Bartimaeus's faith. He could have asked Jesus for money or for food. That would be the typical request of a beggar. But instead, Bartimaeus demonstrated his faith in Christ's ability to heal him and asked for the impossible: "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight."
DAY 4 Five Smooth Stones
David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, "I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them." So David took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherds bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine. -1SAMUEL 17:39-40
humble young shepherd had a giant to fight. One that seemed overpowering and had already proved to be a threat. we could identify with David's position. Our giants aren't exactly the same, but are still both very imposing!
Maybe you have a giant in your life, also. I encourage you to go to the Living Word of God and select your five smooth stones (five verses), they should all have to do with faith, God's provision, and our position with Christ. Allow God to lift you up to victory and success!
Ephesians 6:12 tells us, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." It is in this realm where my five smooth stones are effective!!
[some ideas to help some, these are not limited to what I’m giving you. * Isaiah 54:17, *Colossians 2:13-16, * Philippians 4:13, *2Corinthians 12:9, * Isaiah 29:8, *Isaiah 41:11-14, * Isaiah 66:5, * Malachi 3:18... and the list goes on, take time to find your own five stones]
DAY 5 Take Every Thought Captive
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. -2 CORINTHIANS IO:4-5
The Word of God points us to the Kingdom of God. a reality that surrounds us and that is in us! It's a totally new way of thinking, different from the way our carnal, fleshly minds think. So as we work to move our flesh and our minds toward Kingdom living, we must align every thought with the Word of God. Over and over again every day, we should ask ourselves, What does God have to say about this?
Every thought that is contrary to God's way must be "taken captive." Then we can toss that thought out and replace it with God's truth. His truth then becomes our activation point or our weapon.
“Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
DAY 6 The Kingdom of God
Jesus answered and said to him, `Most assuredly, I say to you unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. " -JOHN 3:3
`The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, "See here!" or "See there!" For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."'
the Kingdom of God is a reality within us- a belief system or a way of thinking. It is different from the way the world thinks and can only be accessed through our faith in Christ and our willingness to operate our lives according to His ways. When we shape our lives around God and His way of doing things, we live according to Kingdom principles and Kingdom laws.
DAY 7 Please Lord, Take This Fear Away
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. -JOSHUA r.9
The immediate response to feelings of fear, worry, or anxiety should be the Word of God. Instead of asking God to remove fear from us, we need to follow His instructions and fill our spirits and souls with the Word-the proven antidote for fear.
The immediate response to feelings of fear, worry, or anxiety should be the Word of God. Instead of asking God to remove fear from us, we need to follow His instructions and fill our spirits and souls with the Word-the proven antidote for fear.
The process is rarely instantaneous, so we must keep on keeping on.
DAY 8 Are You Politically Correct?
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. -Philippians 3:20
while most of us proclaim Christ, we are not living as fully in Him as we can. Too much of the world distract us from the glorious life we could have if we were sold out for the Kingdom of
God. That doesn't mean we should be living in monasteries or communes. But it does call us to a life of faith that is different from what we have known before.
We should be so bright and so attractive that flocks of unbelievers are coming to us and nesting in our branches to hear the Good News of our King and His Kingdom!
DAY 9 Why, Lord, Why?
Gideon said to Him, "0 my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us?"- Judges 6:13
Do you ever find yourself wondering about why you're going through such a rough time when God's promises are supposed to protect you? You've prayed, you've read your Bible, you attend church, you give your tithes ... and yet the pressure doesn't seem to lift.
"Why are you acting this way? Don't you know who you are? You are a child of the Most High God!" As the account continues, Gideon learns that because he hadn't recognized his position, he was allowing the enemy to steal and destroy what was rightfully his! He had the power of the Lord with him.
DAY 10 Set Your Mind for Good Things
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. -ROMANS 8:5
One thing I know for sure: God only has victory in mind for us. He always has a sure way out of any trouble, just like Jesus said: "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the
world" (John 16:33). So what do we do to be "in Him"? We study His Word and meditate on it so it becomes our truth.
Jesus is saying to you, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31-32). To abide is to live or dwell. Jesus wants us to live in Him through His Word. He wants us to choose a Spirit-led life over a flesh-led existence. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life!
DAY 11 Living Water
If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. -JOHN 7:37-38
Water is a primary element in the Daniel Fast. It is the only beverage we consume. Even when we aren't fasting, the human body depends on safe water for life.
Instead of turning to the world for solutions or getting stuck in fear and doubt, I turned to my High Priest. I cried out to Him and asked for His advice, His comfort, and His peace. Oh, our Lord is so faithful. He hears our cries and comforts us.
As you proceed through the Daniel Fast, consider the source of the water you pour into your heart. Is it the living water of Jesus or the contaminated water from the world? Choose life! Choose the living water. It is safe, sweet, and it truly quenches your thirst. And once you are full, the living water will overflow from your life so that you can help quench the thirst of others. Amen!
DAY 12 Set Your Mind on Things Above
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:1-2
Setting our minds is making a decision, and once the decision is made, sticking with it. There are so many things that we can make conscious decisions about that would save us so much pain and anguish.
There are other areas in our lives where we need to "set our minds on things above" or on the commands of the Lord. For example, throughout Scripture, we read that we should never come before the Lord empty-handed.
We are called to set our minds on things above. What does that mean for you and your life? Is the Holy Spirit nudging you to take a stand in an area and make a quality decision to change ... and then stick with it?
DAY 13 I Know the Plans I Have for You
`For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." -JEREMIAH 29:11, NIV
So how do we discover the plans our Father and Creator has just for us? We tap into God's best for us when we start dreaming and planning while staying sensitive to His voice. Getting quiet before the Lord, submitting yourself to Him, and seeking the Holy Spirit's help is a powerful experience. Ask the Holy Spirit to work through you and reveal the Father's plans for you.
Establishing short- and long-term goals will boost your success and lead you toward those dreams and accomplishments that the Lord plants in your heart. For every good work, He calls you to do, your Father will provide the tools to succeed. But you need to search your heart and discover what may be forgotten hopes and dreams ... and then develop goals to reach them.
DAY 14 Lose the Shackles
Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it." -NUMBERS 13:30
Whom did the masses believe? What picture did they accept as their vision for the future? The slave-minded Israelites were accustomed to hardship. That was their comfort zone. Even when God blessed them with good things, they still grumbled. Even though they were out of Egypt, the Egyptian mindset was not out of them.
Are we not shackled by beliefs that are just as paralyzing and just as damaging? How many of us are following the actions of our ancestors that keep us bound in traditions disguised as truth? How many of us are weighed down with fear and anxiety so we don't take risks to trust in an unseen God who decrees lofty promises?
DAY 15 Be Rooted and Built Up in Christ
As you, therefore, have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. - COLOSSIANS 2:6-7
How do we get rooted and built up in Christ? It's by bringing Him into the number one position in every part of our lives. That includes our marriages, parenting, friendships, careers, work, finances, entertainment, volunteerism, study, and plans for our future.
Being rooted means going deep! It means investing the time and energy into getting to know God and His ways and devoting time to be with Him so we can have an intimate relationship with Him. And the deeper those roots dig down, the more stable we will be. We won't be knocked off-center when storms enter our lives. We will know what to do and where to go.
We can become stable in all our ways, firm in faith, and confident in the ways of God. Take a few minutes and ask yourself these questions:
• How can I become more rooted in Christ?
• What are three things I can do to increase my knowledge of Him and His ways?
• What time am I willing to set aside for the sole (or soul) purpose of studying the Word of God so that I can become firmly established in His truth?
DAY 16 Not by Bread Alone
Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." -MATTHEW 4:3-4
We can also become more aware of what we feed our spirits and our souls. Are they well nourished? Are we feeding them wholesome food and not contaminated goods?
Jesus teaches us that we don't live only by physical bread, but instead-and even more important the spiritual food found in God's Word. Just as our physical bodies need to be nourished each and every day, so do our spirits. The mainstay of that nutrition is the Bible, then we can have what I call "side dishes" from Christian books, sermons, Bible studies, and Christian television. But we need to make sure we have time every day in God's holy Word so He can speak to us and minister to us.
DAY 17 It Wasn't about the Money!
And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. -MATTHEW 19:24
Basically, Jesus is saying that it's nearly impossible for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God. But it isn't the money that keeps a rich man from entering; it is where the rich man places his dependence. Jesus is saying that people with money often rely on their wealth to solve all their problems.
Thus the teaching in 1Timothy 6:10: "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." It's not the money. It's the love, trust, and dependence on money that is evil and makes it so difficult for people to enter into the Kingdom of God. The priorities of the world are easily observed by just flipping through a magazine, clicking on Yahoo pages, or switching the television channel. The absence of God is very apparent, and the love of money is manifested in an explosive way.
DAY 18 Who Do You Say That I Am?
When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I the Son ofMan, am?" So they said, "Some say john the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" - MATTHEW 16:13-15
This isn't a question for our minds or our intellects or even our traditional beliefs. Today this question is directed to our hearts: "Who do you say that I am?"
James 4:8: "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."
Is Jesus a priority in our lives, or do we wait until we have time? Is He a person with whom we can have an intimate and caring relationship? Or is He someone who lived a long time ago and we will wait to see Him in heaven?
DAY 19 Going Deeper with the Word of God
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. -PROVERBS 3:5-6
make the Lord my refuge and my secret place for every part of me. That means the way I think, the way I feel, the way I behave, the way I approach life. I am to set aside my own thinking, which has been trained by the world and is so deficient when compared with the almighty God. In everything I do, big or small, I need to seek the Lord by coming to Him in prayer and meditating on His Word. Then He will direct every step I take. He will move heaven and earth to make my way successful.
DAY 20 If Jesus Is the Firstborn, What Does That Say about You?
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. -COLOSSIANS 1:15
"For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, `Abba, Father." Romans 8:15
Do you really see yourself as a younger sibling to Jesus? He is the Son of God. You are a child of God also. You are a joint heir with Christ. Not because I said it or because of a denominational perspective. You are a child of God and a joint heir with Christ because God says so!
You and I are joint heirs with Christ!
Then the next time you feel lowly and hopeless, remember who you are: you are a loved, cherished, esteemed joint heir with Jesus, the firstborn of all creation! Be blessed in your identity!
DAY 21 Do You Still Feel Like You're in the Fire?
And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, andAbed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, 0 king." "Look!" he answered, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."-DANIEL 3:23-25
"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6). Even before they were out of the fire, they were free, and the Lord was there standing by them. The same should be true for us. Even if you've faithfully fasted for three weeks, you still may be in the midst of fiery circumstances. But even though you haven't realized the victory with your eyes, you are free.
If we have faith in the victory, it is already ours. Jesus said in Mark 11:24: "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego had already received what was theirs. They weren't out of the fire yet. But they were free to walk around in a furnace that was seven times hotter. And I pray that when you look back over these past weeks you are encouraged to see how your loving Father has worked in your life. Amen!
Susan Gregory. The Daniel Fast: Feed Your Soul, Strengthen Your Spirit, and Renew Your Body.