6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. – Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)
Today is the last devotional of our 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting and it’s now that the real journey of faith begins. Some of you have not yet seen answers to the prayers you’ve been praying. Some of you read your Bible and the daily devotionals and aren’t really sure any of it sunk in and made a difference. Some of you didn’t have a mountain-top experience and instead have felt like you’ve been wandering in the desert for the past 21 days. But don’t let any of that discourage you – you came and sat at the feet of Jesus in faith; it’s up to Him to produce the fruit and perform the miracles. Don’t let a lack of immediate results cause you to waiver from the faith that brought you into this 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting.
Hebrews 11 is often referred to as the “faith chapter” or the “hall of faith” because the author showcases the examples of faith that so many people of God lived out in actual practice. Through crazy circumstances, difficult journeys, and even death, these men and women believed that God is who He said He is and that He would do what He promised to do.
Noah built an ark by faith because God said He was going to send a flood. Abraham was an old man who set out for a new land that he knew nothing about (and didn’t even know where he was going!) in faith because God said He was going to bless all people through him. Moses freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt by faith. Joshua had faith and the walls of Jericho fell. The prophets carried the messages of God that one day He would send the Messiah to save people from their sins, and they delivered them in faith. And the list goes on and on.
Could it be that simply showing up in faith was the very thing Jesus wanted to use during this 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting to reveal himself more deeply and begin to mold you into a new wineskin? Is it possible that your small steps of faith during the 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting will prove to be the giant leaps that were necessary to get you out of your comfort zone and into the abundant life He intends for you? Could it be that before God unlocks the promises He has in store for you, He wanted you to have the key – the key of faith – first? Is it possible that God wanted to see you respond in faith with a little bit before He hands over a lot of blessings in your life? Maybe this 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting was an opportunity to have your faith tested so that perseverance could be produced in your life, which will ultimately lead to you being mature, complete, and not lacking in any way (James 1:3-4).
As we heard toward Day 22 and beyond, may an increased faith be one of the “new things” Jesus does in your life so that you can please Him and become the mountain-mover He promises you can be.