Day 5 - Finding strength

For the joy of the Lord is your strength. -Nehemiah 8:10

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This week, we have spent time considering the STRENGTH God gives us when we seek His presence.

Strength in weakness as we look to God to be our strength.

Strength in temptation as we put on the armor of God.

Strength in courage as we know that God is with us.

Strength in testimony as we remember the wondrous works of the Lord.

Throughout our lives, as we seek the presence of the Lord and the joy that comes from being in His presence, we are made strong. As today’s scripture says, the joy of the Lord IS our strength!

We are made strong knowing the person of Jesus, our savior. It is only Jesus that satisfies the longing in our hearts for freedom. The longing in our hearts for joy. And the longing we have for strength in our weakness.

The strength we find in Jesus is unlike any other. Remember to continue to seek Jesus and His presence in His Word, in prayer and fellowship. Find freedom, joy, and strength as you look to Him. He loves you. He is with you.

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Today’s Prayer:

God, I praise and worship You today for who You are. Thank you for saving me, for bringing me to this moment in my life where I can look to You again to be my strength. Help me continue to seek You and Your presence all the days of my life and to find freedom, joy, and strength in You alone. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Day 4 - Strength in testimony

Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered…  -Psalm 105:4-5

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How quickly we forget the good things God has done in our lives. The little ways He shows us He is with us, and the mighty works He has done throughout history to demonstrate His strength, His power, and His love for His people.

But we are called not only to SEEK the Lord, but to REMEMBER the wondrous works he has done! We can easily begin to feel defeated, afraid, lonely, and hopeless when we forget the God we serve is mighty, personal, and loving. We must look back and remember the works God has done. Look to scripture to recall His miracles, His promises fulfilled, the life of Jesus Himself as He gave Himself up for us.

Take time to consider your own personal testimony. Your story with God—how has he saved you, redeemed you, strengthened you, restored you, answered you, and loved you? The faithfulness and goodness of God in each person’s life is their testimony. It is what this scripture calls, “the wondrous works he has done.”

Today, set aside time to write down and remember your own story. How has God worked in your life? How has He worked lately? Let this strengthen your faith as you recall the glory of God in your life.

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Today’s Prayer:

God, as I look back, I don’t want to forget the ways you have worked in my life. I want to remember the wondrous things you have done. Help me recall the ways you’ve answered my prayers, set me free, and worked mightily in my life. Help me to speak of You and your works for all of my life and live to bring you glory. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Day 3 - Strength in courage

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” -Deuteronomy 31:6

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If you see a small child holding their dad’s hand while crossing the street, there is no fear for that child because they are protected by the presence of their father. Or if a child is standing on a ledge, but they are held firmly by a loving father, there is no fear of the child accidentally slipping and falling. The father is there, ready and aware of dangers that the child is most likely unaware or ignoring completely as they take in the world around them.

It’s not a child’s job to keep himself safe, worrying about every possible danger that could harm him—that is the father’s job. It is the child’s job to listen to his father and obey him.

In the same way, we can trust in our strong, loving heavenly Father to care for us in any and all situations in our lives. We need not fear. We don’t need to summon up courage and strength in ourselves. We can be strong and have courage by simply looking to our Father, knowing He doesn’t ever leave us. Our courage doesn’t come from our abilities or resilience. It comes from our trust in God.

We can be strong, without fear, when we remember Who is holding us in His hands. He is near.

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Today’s prayer:

Thank you God for never leaving me. Thank you for walking with me and allowing me to rest knowing You are in control. Help me remember you are with me when I am feeling afraid or alone. Help me live my life with courage because You are with me. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Day 2 - Strength in temptation

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. -Ephesians 6:10-11

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Be strong in the LORD and in the strength of HIS might. When God tells us to be strong and courageous, it is never meant to summon our own strength and courage. Rather, as the above scripture says, it is HIS might and strength that we need to stand against the devil’s schemes.

Because it is not our own might and strength that help us to be spiritually strong, God has given us spiritual armor that all comes from HIM to both protect and guard us but also to defeat the attacks of the enemy against His Church.

The strength of the armor is not in the one wearing it;  armor is useless if it is never put on. Just because God has given us His strength and power to stand against darkness does not guarantee our victory in every battle we face. We must choose to put on the armor of HIS strength.

God’s armor (which you can read more about in the rest of Ephesians 6) includes salvation, righteousness, truth, faith, readiness for the gospel, the Word of God and prayer. These are all freely given to the believer but if we never put our faith in Him, we will be fighting unprotected in our own might.

Be encouraged today that if you feel you’ve been fighting your battles alone and losing, God has given you everything you need for life and godliness and wants you to be armed with HIS strength and might! Put your trust in Him and the armor He’s given us to guard your heart and mind in Jesus.

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Today’s Prayer:

Thank you God that you don’t want me to fight my battles alone. Thank you for the armor you’ve given me, and help me to remember to lean on You and Your strength when I am facing opposition in my life. I pray that you would guard my heart and mind as I put my faith in You, today.

Day 1 - Strength in weakness

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. -2 Corinthians 12:9

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We don’t need to hide our weakness. From God or from those around us. In fact, in the passage above, the apostle Paul said he boasted gladly of his weaknesses! The reason for this being that when people knew how very weak he was, they would know that it was God working in and through Paul when they saw the great things God did in his life.

When we spend time in the presence of God, pursuing Him, we inevitably become more aware of our own weakness. We may feel strong and capable, totally in control—until we sit at the feet of Jesus and realize that He is the One holding our very lives in His hands. It is in this place of honest self-reflection that we are able to see our utter need for God’s strength in our weakness.

It is when we recognize our need for the power of the Holy Spirit within us, that we are able to see God work in and through us as He created us. When we insist on going at it in our own strength, apart from surrender to Jesus, we will burn out and run out eventually.

So praise God because we are ALL weak without Him! And we don’t need to pretend to be any other way. God loves weak people. And He uses us to show the greatness of HIS glory at work in our lives.

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Today’s Prayer:

God, I thank you today for reminding me that I am weak without You. Help me to remember to stop trying to control things on my own and to surrender to You. Help me see my need for Your strength and to turn to You when my strength fails. I need you. Thank you that I can sit in Your presence and be reminded of Your great power and love for me. Thank you for Your love. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Day 5 - Choosing joy

And Mary said,“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name. -Luke 1:46-49

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This week, we have been looking at the topic of the JOY we find as we are in God’s presence.

Joy in suffering as we know Jesus understands our suffering and will use it for good.

Joy in gratitude as we remember the goodness and mercy of God all around us.

Joy in salvation as our Heavenly Father restores us.

Joy in serving as we live our lives for others like Jesus did.

Even knowing much of what the Bible has to say about joy, we still must make a conscious choice if we want to choose to rejoice or not. Like Mary, the mother of Jesus, we can embrace what God allows into our lives and choose to trust in Him or not. As Mary said in the above passage,

“For He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant.”

Mary had the choice to mourn the new state she found herself in when she conceived Jesus as a virgin or to consciously choose to rejoice in who God was and that he was mindful of her. And though she must have dealt with many conflicting feelings and emotions her ultimate choice was in a place of surrender and rejoicing.

Rejoice that God is mindful of you today! God knows you. He sees you. He loves you. He is with you. Rejoice in Him.

And when it is hard to choose joy, remember to sit at His feet. Be in His presence. In His presence, there is fullness of joy. He can restore your joy today.

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Today’s Prayer:

God, thank you for all the ways you’ve blessed me throughout my life. Thank you, Jesus, for your example of living for others and finding joy in serving. Thank you for your promises and the hope I can find in coming to you to restore my joy. Help me continue to choose to rejoice in who You are and what you’ve done in my life. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Day 4 - Joy in serving

…looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. -Hebrews 12:2

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Jesus endured a life of hardship and suffering for the joy that was set before Him. It was for others (us and all of mankind) that he endured the cross.

We are called to look to Jesus as our example. The founder and perfecter of our faith set an example for us of what it looks like to live a life that is all about serving others. And He demonstrated the joy that is found in putting others before yourself. May we find joy in the same way that Jesus did—by humbly and intentionally living for the good of those around us.

Serving others goes against the natural desires we have, and it requires us to choose to deny ourselves like Jesus did Himself in order to serve. Jesus said that He came not to be served but to serve. Of all people who have ever lived, Jesus was certainly the most deserving of being served than anyone else would ever be. But He CHOSE a life of serving others. In the same way, we need to choose a life of others first. Only then can we experience joy in the same way that Jesus modeled for us.

Today, consider how you might experience joy by serving those around you. This may look like serving those in your family at home (without expecting anything in return), serving in your church, or serving in your local community. Ask God to direct you to those around you that He would have you serve. And watch how living like Jesus in this way brings tremendous joy!

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Today’s Prayer:

Jesus, thank you for the sacrificial life you lived and for enduring the cross for my sake. Thank you for the example you are for me of what it looks like to live sacrificially for those around me. Help me to serve others as you did, and help me to love as you love. Help me know what it’s like to find joy in putting others first, and give me the strength of your Holy Spirit to walk in Your ways today. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Day 3 - Joy in salvation

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. -Psalm 51:10-12

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As we have been pursuing Jesus and His presence, a prayer like the one we read in Psalm 51 is a good way to ask God to show us what is truly in our heart. It is also a place to be reminded of who our God truly is in all His glory.

In verse 12 of Psalm 51, King David asks God to restore the joy of His salvation and to uphold Him. There are times in our lives where we need to ask God to restore our joy and give us strength to keep going.

God is a God who restores. He renews, redeems, and restores. He brings things back to life and makes beauty from ashes. The more you get to know the God of the Bible, the more you see His restorative and healing nature at work in the lives of His children.

If you are in need of restoration today, you can know that you are not alone. And it is a Biblical response to go to our Heavenly Father and simply ask Him to do what only He can do in your heart both to heal and to restore. Whether you’ve simply forgotten the wonder of salvation and the joy that comes from being in His presence or if you’ve simply been walking through a time of mourning and loss, you can ask God to restore what’s been lost.

And as the final words this verse say, “Uphold me with a willing spirit.” God is willing to lift us up, to hold us with His righteous right hand, to be strong when we are weak. Don’t be afraid to come before Him today in earnest prayer and ask for His restoring work in your heart.

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Today’s Prayer:

God, create in me a clean heart today. Show me what is in my heart that is not pleasing or honoring to You, and help me to rely on your Spirit within me to walk in Your ways. I pray that you would restore the joy of my salvation today and help me remember who You are. Give me opportunities to remind those around me of the joy of knowing You, and being loved and saved by You. Thank you for being strong when I am weak. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Day 2 - Joy in gratitude

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! -Psalm 95:2

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If we are lacking joy in our lives, chances are we may be struggling to find reasons to even give thanks. Giving thanks and being grateful can come easily during times where we’re already feeling happy and things are going great. But when things are hard, coming up with a reason to be thankful can feel impossible.

The Bible tells us that God is the Giver of all good gifts (James 1:17). And when we understand that the very air we breathe is a gift to us from God, our perspective may start to change. God surrounds us with signs of His grace. Even in the most painful seasons, God continues to follow us with his mercy and goodness (Psalm 23:6). We can read in the gospels of the many times Jesus Himself gave thanks to His Heavenly Father in the midst of a life we know to be filled with difficulties.

As we enter into God’s presence, remember to offer up a song of praise and thanksgiving for His many blessings in your life. God designed us for gratitude. It creates a pattern of thinking that fosters a mindset of joy regardless of circumstances. And if you are struggling to find joy in your life this moment, give thanks in spite of your feelings. Do it in faith. And trust that as you give a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to God, the fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, and peace.

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Today’s prayer:

God, I want to give thanks for all of the many blessings you’ve given me today and throughout my life. Help me to see all the ways your goodness and mercy are all around me. Forgive me for forgetting to be thankful. Help me find joy in all the little things around me and the ways you provide and care for me. And thank you for continuing to help me grow in my relationship with You. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Day 1 - Joy in suffering

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. -Romans 5:3-5

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We all go through suffering. It’s a hard truth, but one that Jesus didn’t shy away from during His time here on earth. The Bible talks a lot about suffering because it is a very real and difficult part of life. Even as a Christian, Jesus said that we would all experience hardship and loss.

Jesus Himself experienced tremendous suffering during his life, and not just in his death. He experienced hunger, fatigue, betrayal, and grief. He was misunderstood, gossiped and plotted against, slandered, beaten, and unjustly put to death. And yet, Jesus lived with joy. Jesus saw a greater picture. He lived in complete surrender and trust to the good will of His Heavenly Father. But this doesn’t mean that He didn’t feel sorrow and pain.

We can look to Jesus, not only as an example of how to rejoice in suffering, but we can also come to Him freely, knowing that He truly understands us. And when He tells us we can trust that God will use our suffering, we can believe Him.

Today’s scripture tells us that our suffering produces endurance, character, and hope. It also reminds us of the presence of the Holy Spirit and His love which has been poured into our hearts. We cannot forget that as we endure suffering, relying on the power and comfort of the Holy Spirit, God promises to use our suffering for good. Sometimes, when we look back, we can see how God has used the hard seasons in our life for good. And sometimes, we may not get to see this during our lifetime, but we can trust that God is with us. And He is faithful to His promises.

As we endure suffering, we can find joy knowing who God is. And as we spend time in His presence, we will experience true joy that only comes from knowing the goodness of God and the hope we have in Him. We will still walk through pain and hardship just like Jesus did, but we can rest in the joy of knowing Him.

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Today’s prayer:

God, thank you for walking with me through every season of my life. As I go through seasons of suffering and hardship, please remind me of your promises. Help me remember who You are and that I can come to you with all of my pain and sorrow. Help me remember the joy I can have in you as I hope in You. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Day 5 - Walking in freedom

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” -John 8:36

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This week, we have focused on the FREEDOM we find in God’s presence.

Freedom in righteousness as we are set free from sin.

Freedom in identity as we are free to be exactly who God made us to be.

Freedom in fellowship as we can be our true selves in the family of God.

Freedom in relationship as God’s love for others is within us through the Holy Spirit.

There is so much more that can be said about the freedom we find in Jesus. And throughout our lifetimes, we may never fully comprehend the true depth of all this means for us.

This is why the Word of God is such a vital part of the life of a believer—no matter how much we may read, listen, or even preach the Word of God; the depth, and height, and length, and breadth of God’s amazing love for us only grows greater. Likewise, the freedom we’ve been given only grows as we come to understand it more fully.

If Jesus has told us we have been set free, then we can know that this freedom is for real. We have been set completely free from sin, fully freed from any and all false beliefs we may have held about ourselves or the world around us. We are free to experience life abundant as Jesus promised, and we have the guarantee that this freedom leads to eternal life!

Today, as you reflect on all that freedom in Christ means to you, consider what the Word of God says about this freedom and how you can walk in the freedom He’s promised. You have been set free, indeed!

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Today’s prayer:

God, thank you for the freedom I’ve found in You. Help me to walk confidently in this freedom. Help me continually go to Your Word so I am reminded of all the ways You have set me free. Thank you that I can trust You to patiently and gently walk with me as I grow in faith and freedom. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Day 4 - Freedom in relationship

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”  -Galatians 5:13

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Today, we are looking at freedom in relationships. We all have many different relationships, and each one is unique. Some relationships are easy and natural and others are difficult and challenging. But God’s Word tells us that we can have freedom in every relationship to lovingly serve one another.

Relationships can be very complicated, and certainly there are times when we need to create boundaries that allow safety and security for each person. However, God’s Word tells us that we were called to freedom, including in our relationships with others! This does not mean freedom to say and do whatever we please in our relationships, but freedom to love and forgive as we ourselves have been loved and forgiven!

When Jesus sent His disciples to do ministry in Matthew 10, He told them that as they had received freely from God, they were now to freely give unto others. When we experience the deep, profound, undeserved love we have been given by God, we are able to give this same type of love freely to others whether we feel they deserve it or not. And the true miracle is that it is not based on our own desire or ability to do it—God’s Spirit within us fills our hearts with HIS love and HIS power to freely love all people.

Today, let’s ask God to help us walk in freedom in our relationships to let go of the things that keep us from freely loving and serving as Jesus did. And let’s remember to rely on HIS strength to do it!

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Today’s Prayer:

God, I know I need your help to love and serve the people in my life. Please help me to remember the love and mercy you’ve shown me and to show this same love to others. Thank you for the freedom I have to let go and just love people the way you love them. I know I need the power of your Spirit to walk in freedom in my relationships, so fill me fresh with your Spirit today. Show me the relationships in my life where I need to surrender to you and receive the freedom you’ve promised. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Day 3 - Freedom in fellowship

“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” 1 Peter 2:16-17

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Once we know how fully known and loved we are by God, we can begin to see God’s heart for all of us as His children, His Church. We are meant to live openly with one another—honestly confessing our struggles, lifting one another up, walking side by side in true fellowship.

As a child of God, you have been placed in a family with brothers and sisters in Christ. None of us are perfect, and we all need each other! But when we do not feel freedom to be ourselves, we hide our sin, pain, and true selves and end up feeling bound in isolation.

This is the opposite of God’s design for us! As Peter writes in today’s scripture, we are to live as people who are FREE as servants of God. We don’t need to pretend to be perfect. We don’t need to pretend to have it all together. We don’t need to pretend at all! If we are honoring one another and loving each other, we create a safe place in God’s family to live in freedom!

Today, let’s ask God to help us live out this scripture practically with those around us, both as a safe place for others and also allowing others into our lives as well.

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Today’s Prayer:

Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of your Church. Thank you for the people you’ve placed in my life to help me grow in my relationship with you. Help me to live freely as today’s scripture says. Help me to not cover up my own sin and struggles but to trust You enough to open up honestly to the believers you’ve placed in my life. Show me how I can love those around me and create a space for people to freely be themselves around me. Thank you for my brothers and sisters in Christ and help me walk in freedom as a child of God today. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Day 2 - Freedom in identity

“I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.” -Psalm 119:45

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We all love the freedom we feel when we’re able to just be ourselves. Being in the comfort of home, of people who really know and love you—these things allow us to let our guard down, relax, and just be who we are.

God designed us with this in mind—we are all so different, so uniquely created. The freedom we find when we are in the presence of God allows us to be wholly who God made us to be because God sees us for who we truly are and LOVES us! He loves us, knowing us fully and completely. There is no need to pretend to be anything other than who we truly are.

This is freedom!

As we seek Jesus and His heart, we are able to let go of the pressure to be or act differently than who we truly are. What a weight lifted when we know that we are at home when we are in His presence. We are allowed to be our truest selves and walk confidently knowing we are known and loved. We are accepted, forgiven, gifted, and cherished by our Heavenly Father.

Today, remember that God made you who you are, He knows you completely, and loves you.

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Today’s prayer:

God, I am so thankful for the freedom I have to be myself with you. I know that you see my heart, my thoughts, my deepest joys and suffering. Help me to walk confidently as the person you made me to be. Help me to see the ways I have not been walking in this freedom and surrender it to you. Help me to look to You and remember who YOU say I am. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Day 1 - Freedom in righteousness

”But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” -Romans 6:22-23

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The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord—how often do we truly quiet our hearts to consider our salvation and all that it means for us? If you are a follower of Jesus, you have been brought from death to life! From darkness to life! From slavery and bondage to freedom and hope! And it is not our own doing, but God Himself descended to take on the penalty for our sin upon Himself to give us this incredible new life for all of eternity.

This week, as we are spending time in God’s presence through prayer and fasting, take time to ponder the freedom you have been given by God through Jesus. When Jesus took the punishment for our sin on the cross, the Bible says that not only did Jesus take our sin upon Himself, He put HIS righteousness in us! We were forgiven of our sin, set free from bondage, and given HIS righteousness and FREEDOM!

No longer do we carry the weight, condemnation, guilt, and burden of our sin—those have been taken and paid for on the cross! And though we may struggle to walk in this truth at times, God Himself declares us blameless before Him in Christ! We can boldly come to our Heavenly Father, knowing that we have been freed from the weight and slavery of sin and are covered in the perfect righteousness of Jesus.

Today as you spend time in God’s presence, thank Him for the incredible gift of salvation and enjoy the freedom you have been given through Jesus!

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Today’s Prayer:

Jesus, thank you so much for the incredible sacrifice you made on the cross for me. Thank you for taking on the weight and penalty for my sin and for giving me freedom! I want to walk in the righteousness that You have given me and remember the joy of my salvation. Help me to see the miracle of what You’ve done for me and to be bold in sharing it with others. Thank you for the free gift of eternal life and the promise of eternity spent with You. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Week 3 - Strength

As we enter our final week of the 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, our focus this week is on STRENGTH. We are all weak in and of ourselves. You may have found yourself more aware of this as you’ve taken time to fast and pray. But God promises us that when we are weak, He will show Himself to be strong. We don’t have to rely on our own determination, our own efforts and energy. God Himself will supply the strength that we need to follow Him, to live in obedience to Him, and to walk in the plans He has set before us!

“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

When you find yourself lacking strength, remember that when we wait on the Lord and put our trust in Him, God promises to renew our strength! As humans, we continually need to be going to the Lord to RENEW our strength because we will always find our own strength running out. This is why this promise is so encouraging! We don’t need to feel bad or shameful when we find ourselves feeling weak and tired. Just remember to turn to God and spend time in His presence where His Spirit can strengthen you. It is in that place of surrender that we find God gives us the strength that only comes from Him.

This week, we will be looking more closely at what the Bible has to say about the STRENGTH we find when we pursue Him in our daily devotionals, so follow along by clicking the links below.

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Week 3: Strength

“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

Click here to read Day 1 - Strength in weakness

Click here to read Day 2 - Strength in temptation

Click here to read Day 3 - Strength in courage

Click here to read Day 4 - Strength in testimony

Click here to read Day 5 - Finding strength

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Join us for our COMMUNITY PRAYER AND WORSHIP NIGHTS each Friday throughout the 21 Day Fast where we will focus on the theme for that week and spend time in worship and prayer together. This week’s gathering is hosted by Coastal Chapel at 1510 High Ridge Rd. Lake Worth Beach, FL 33461 Register and join us Friday, January 27th at 7pm.

Week 2 - Joy

This week’s focus is on JOY. The Bible tells us that joy itself is a fruit of the Holy Spirit—joy is a promise from God for those who follow Jesus! There are many times in our lives where we may not feel happy; we all experience grief and sadness in our lives, but God’s promises remain the same. We can still find joy in the midst of hardship and suffering when we spend time in His presence.

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

This week, as we look more closely at the joy we find in Christ, let’s remember to take time resting in God’s presence. Let’s ask God to help us to see Him for who He is. The joy that comes from simply being with God is unlike any other pleasure we may experience—and we all need this kind of joy—what the Bible calls “fullness of joy.”

This week, we will be looking more closely at what the Bible has to say about the JOY we find when we pursue Him in our daily devotionals, so follow along by clicking the links below.

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Week 2: Joy

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

Click here to read Day 1 - Joy in suffering

Click here to read Day 2 - Joy in gratitude

Click here to read Day 3 - Joy in salvation

Click here to read Day 4 - Joy in serving

Click here to read Day 5 - Choosing joy

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Join us for our COMMUNITY PRAYER AND WORSHIP NIGHTS each Friday throughout the 21 Day Fast where we will focus on the theme for that week and spend time in worship and prayer together. This week’s gathering is hosted by Gospel Fellowship at 138 SE 27th Ave. Boynton Beach, FL 33435. Register and join us Friday, January 20th at 7pm.

Week 1 - Freedom

As we begin our 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, we want to remind you that this year’s theme is PURSUING HIM. We want our hearts and minds to be set on Jesus and the focus of this time to be about seeking Him. As we do this, we have 3 areas where the Bible tells us we will see God respond to us! When we pursue Him, we find FREEDOM, we find JOY, and we find STRENGTH.

Each week throughout the 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, we will be focusing on one of these areas, beginning this week in the area of FREEDOM.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17

What an amazing truth that wherever the Spirit of God is, we find freedom. As believers in Jesus, the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit Himself comes and lives within us. The very same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in our hearts. What a miracle! And as He is living and working within us, we can celebrate the promise that He is bringing freedom into our lives. Where God’s Spirit is, there IS freedom!

Whatever your life may look like today, this week, or this year, you can KNOW for certain that God’s Spirit is living within you when you’ve put your faith in Jesus, and He promises freedom in His presence.

This week, we will be looking more closely at what the Bible has to say about the FREEDOM we find when we pursue Him in our daily devotionals, so follow along by clicking the link below. Remember that God’s Spirit is with you this week as you spend time seeking Him.

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Week 1: Freedom

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17

Click here to read Day 1 - Freedom in righteousness

Click here to read Day 2 - Freedom in identity

Click here to read Day 3 - Freedom in fellowship

Click here to read Day 4 - Freedom in relationship

Click here to read Day 5 - Walking in freedom

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Join us for our COMMUNITY PRAYER AND WORSHIP NIGHTS each Friday throughout the 21 Day Fast where we will focus on the theme for that week and spend time in worship and prayer together. This week’s gathering is hosted by The Avenue Church at 400 N Swinton Ave Delray Beach, Fl 33444. Register and join us Friday, January 13th at 7pm.