31 DAYS OF FASTING & PRAYER WEEK 4 October 22 to October 31, The Secret Place of Power

Transcription

1 31 DAYS OF FASTING & PRAYER WEEK 4 October 22 to October 31, 2017 The Secret Place of Power

2 SUMMARY: This devotional guide completes our final 9 days of the 31 Days fasting period. For this reason, I will like to sum up what the LORD has invited us to do these 31 Days period. Lets go back to Nehemiah and recap the first and second chapter. The end of chapter 1 records the other horn of the dilemma. Nehemiah tells us he was cupbearer to the Persian emperor, Artaxerxes, the most powerful man in the world. Cupbearer was a very high station, an influential political position. Nehemiah had regular access to the king and would have been counted on to give advice. He surely had the status and wealth that went along with having such a position. His two identities pulled at him: brother to the exiles and cupbearer to the king. Many of us are familiar with this tension. There are certainly other kinds of tensions as well. It may be that you're overcoming some pattern in your life that has ruined and hurt you, and this struggle is the pattern of stress you're called to live with. Or it may be that there is some other pressure upon you, a family crisis or medical emergency. Nehemiah's prayers and growing faith can be an encouragement in these circumstances as well. But those who have dual identities as Nehemiah did will find this chapter especially helpful. We might note that others in the Bible faced the same problem Nehemiah did. Joseph had risen to the highest station of the land in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh, and he had to resolve the question of his identity as a Jew and his identity as an Egyptian, how he would serve God having the place and opportunity that he did. David had the same problem when he was running for his life from Saul. He lived for a time among the Philistines, and was accorded a position of respect among them. Daniel was Nebuchadnezzar's most important advisor. Esther served as queen in a Persian court. Her uncle Mordecai spoke to her at a crisis moment and said, "...Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14.) She was a Jewish believer, and she was queen in Persia. How would she resolve the dual responsibilities? There are a couple of ways that most of us tend to react when we feel this sort of tension. Some of us, and I think this would have been Nehemiah's natural response, tend to fire off in all directions at once. If there are people suffering, somebody ought to do something about it. "I'm going to make some phone calls, issue a series of edicts, plan some strategies, and make something happen!" A lot of activity is generated, but nothing gets changed. The other natural inclination when we feel this vise of conflicting pressures is to look at how hard it will be to do anything. It's such a long way from Susa to Jerusalem. The people have been there a long time, and they've got it tough, but what can be done? There's so much inertia to overcome, so many complexities and questions that need to be answered. So we decide to start a committee to do a study and issue a report. And in the end, we conclude that probably somebody else ought to do it anyway. It's easy to be impressed with how difficult the problem is and just give up. 2

3 But Nehemiah didn't choose either of those natural options. He didn't fire off in all directions at once, and he didn't do nothing. What he did was enter into the presence of God in a profound way, and that's what we want to consider again as we end our 30 Days Fasting & Prayer. Spending time in the presence of God Chapter 1 verse 4: When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Nehemiah didn't know what to do. The answer was not obvious to him. God had put him where he was. He was cupbearer to the king, not for bad reasons but for good reasons. There was no sinful process that had led to his success in the empire. His family had been taken there as exiles and slaves. They had no choice in the matter. He was raised there under circumstances that were dealt to him. And he had succeeded. The problem was, now he knew there were people to whom his heart was knit, with whom his destiny was cast, who were beaten down by the circumstances in Jerusalem. After he was made aware of their suffering, then he knew that the report had come to him for reasons that his heavenly Father had chosen as well. And he didn't know how to proceed. "For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven." That period of "some days" is probably four months. In 1:1 he says, "In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year..." In 2:1, when he begins to take action, he refers to the month of Nisan, four months later. He went back time and again to be with God. He didn't understand and he wanted answers. He didn't take the easy way out. As Jacob wrestled with the angel and said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me" (Genesis 32:26), Nehemiah wrestled with God and said, "I need some answers from you. The burden is heavy. The direction is not obvious." For four months he spent time with the Lord in this way. Verse 6 says he prayed "day and night." Five verbs are used in verse 4 that may help us see Nehemiah in God's presence. It says, first of all, "...I sat down and wept." When it matters to you that someone else's experience is difficult, when you love somebody, you make yourself vulnerable to their pain. Paul clearly describes the church that way in the New Testament: "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." (1 Corinthians 12:26.) We're part of each other too much to not feel others' pain. I much prefer to let layers of distance exist between myself and other people so that I can know of their circumstance and maybe even wish them well, but not have the hardship of whatever it is they're dealing with enter my heart. But I'm not successful at keeping the wall up, and God won't let any of us be. There are times when somebody else's misery or sorrow descends on you, and your body reacts. Tears fall, sobs break loose, your shoulders sag. That's the first and second thing that happened to Nehemiah. He took a seat in the presence of God, and went into a state of grief (wept) for his people. Throughout this 3

4 fasting season, we have spoken much on restricting our own affections, emotions, desires, and passions, so we can know God s agenda. If we can discover what is on God s heart, and do it; He will also take care of what is on our heart. The third thing we're told in verse 4 is that he mourned. Mourning is a thoughtful response to the hard circumstances. Weeping is emotional, often involuntary. But mourning is a deliberate, thoughtful entering into the problem. It includes taking off the masks, if you will. It acknowledges that there is not only pain but guilt, that things are not only hurtful but wrong. We'll see in a bit his acknowledgment in this prayer: "We did this to ourselves. The reason life is so hard is that we resisted God." There's an awful sense in which we are reaping what we sowed. Again, we learnt throughout our fasting period that mourning involves a feeling too deep to express with words or utter. Some of us come admit that we have been in this situation during our fasting period, when we wish we had more words to say to God but we lacked such utterances. Rather, we were overwhelmed with so much grief beyond weeping. In fact, in such cases, we can t weep as much as we desire to weep because the pain of our soul is so deep, we can sob and mourn uncontrollably for God to have His way with us. The fourth thing Nehemiah refers to in this process is fasting. Now, that certainly includes choices to restrict one's diet for the purpose of paying attention to God. But in the ancient world meals were not like ours. We can have a sandwich with us or quickly grab something to eat and be talking on the phone and typing while we eat it, so that the experience of eating happens almost without our knowing it. In the ancient world meals were communal events. The whole family would be together. It took a long time to prepare. It was expected that you would enter into extended conversation and be part of the social network. So fasting was a deliberate attempt not only to keep from eating but to withdraw from the whole network, to stop listening to all the voices, to not attend to all the responsibilities. Fasting was stepping away from the world and all its entanglements in order to spend time with God. If that was the way it was in the ancient world, think of how much more difficult it is in the modern world to make time for God. Think of how many ways we can be contacted and demands can be made on us for response: meetings, phones, message machines, mail, , unnecessary demand for television, and recreational activities. It was more than just not eating food. He was saying, "I'm stepping back. God will have space in my life; no intruders are allowed." The fifth thing mentioned in verse 4 is prayer before the God of heaven. That's a broad, inclusive term for communication with God. Knowing he had a problem, he spoke with and listened to the God of heaven, the Lord of all. His heart would not let him rest. He didn't know what to do, and so he spent these four months wrestling with God, calling on God, appealing, listening, returning, not settling for easy, obvious answers, but wanting to know what his Lord would do with his life, what his future should be. 4

5 Now we come to what I believe is a distillation of the prayer that occurred during those four months. A prayer to the God who keeps his promises Verses 5-11: Then I said: "O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father's house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. "Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, --If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name. "They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man." I was cupbearer to the king. I want to urge upon us that we can know what the Lord wants from us. When things seem confusing, when pressures pull us in more than one direction regarding where we should be and who we should be and how we should use our gifts and what ministry we should have and how and when the way to find out answers to these questions is the pattern of Nehemiah: to spend this focused, honest, lengthy, serious time with God. His choice was to say, "Lord, direct me. Make of me what you want. I'm willing to invest myself in pursuing you to find out." If you're experiencing the same longing to know what God would make of your life, are you willing to do what Nehemiah did? Are you willing to spend this kind of time with God with this level of passion, this level of love and expectancy? 5

6 DEVOTION GUIDE: OCTOBER 22 ND TO 31 ST 2017 Day 22 Sunday, October 22 nd 2017 HOLY GROUND Then the Lord said to him, Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. Acts 7:33-34 What is holy ground? Holy ground here is the place of God s presence, the place where Moses encounters God. Here he heard God and questioned God. God called Moses by name and the first thing God said to Moses was to remove his sandals because he was standing on holy ground a reminder that this was an awesome, holy, significant encounter, probably the most significant encounter of Moses life, although he would have many other encounters with God. The sandals represents where we have been with our life or stood in life that was ungodly: Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. (Psalm 1:1) God talk Moses not to come closer, until he is willing to part with his past. Taking off the sandals is parting with things he walked into or stood with in the past. You and I have also been invited to the burning bush. We ve been attracted by his presence, but before we can come closer, we must take off our sandals. We must give up on certain things that hinders our relationship with God. There are some past guilts, failures and mistakes that we must do away with if we will stand before the LORD. Moses has arrived in a place in his spiritual life, where his natural life can t go. Take off the sandals. Holy ground is not a physical place; it is a spiritual place. As you enter prayer today, remember that God can t use a man until He gets him on holy ground. God can t do much with you, until He can get you to remove those sandals and meet him on the holy ground. A holy God must have a holy man or woman on a holy ground. The presence of God is holy ground. LOG-ON: Morning Prayers Enter and make these declarations over your life (pray each point at least 5 minutes or as time permits). 1. Lord, I declare, the ground around where I pray as Holy Ground, because you are present here with me now. Heavenly Father I come before You in praise, worship and adoration. Thank you for sending me Your Son Jesus to give me life, to give me 6

7 forgiveness, to give me a place in your family. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to guide me and empower me in my daily life. 2. I place myself now under the cross of Jesus Christ and cover myself with the precious blood of Jesus. 3. I surround myself with the light of Christ and say in the mighty name of Jesus that nothing shall interfere with the Lord s work being accomplished in my life. 4. I put on God s armour to resist the devils tactics. I stand my ground with truth buckled around my waist and integrity for a breastplate. I carry the shield of faith to put out the burning arrows of the evil one. I accept salvation from God to be my helmet and receive the Word of God from the Holy Spirit to use as a sword (Ephesians 6) 5. Heavenly Father please show me any way that satan has a hold of my life. I let go of all those ways now. Any territory I have handed over to satan I now reclaim and place under the Lordship of Jesus Christ 6. In the name of Jesus Christ I bind all spirits of the air, fire, water, ground, underground and netherworld. 7. I bind the spirit of Jezebel (1 Kings 16:30-33) and Ahab (1 Kings 21:25). I bind the spirits of senility, drug abuse, occult worship and witchcraft, illicit sexual sins, terror, psychic nights and astrology. 8. I bind the spirit of the antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). 9. I bind the dark angels of death and hell (Revelation 6:8) and all spirits of sickness, pain, guilt and condemnation. 10. I bind all control spirits which deny the truth, the spirit guides and spirit masters masquerading behind the relaxation and healing practices which have evolved from eastern religions and occult practices. 11. I bind all forces of evil and claim the blood of Jesus over all of them. In the name of Jesus I seal this room and all members of my family, relatives and associates. I thank you Lord Jesus that you have disarmed all principalities and powers (Colossians 2:15). In the name of Jesus Christ I forbid every spirit from any source from harming me in any way. 12. In the name of Jesus Christ I reject the seductive lure of evil in all its forms and refuse to let sin have dominion over me. 13. I reject satan and all his works and all his empty promises. Heavenly Father, I ask forgiveness for myself, my friends, relatives and ancestors for calling upon powers that 7

8 set themselves up in opposition to Jesus Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom of Heaven. 14. I renounce all openness to the occult, all false worship and benefits from magical arts. 15. I renounce every power apart from God and every form of worship that does not offer true honour to the one true God, I AM WHO AM, Yahweh, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 16. I specifically renounce (For example, astrology, psychic nights, crystals, lucky charms, tarot cards, horoscopes, ouija boards or any occult games, reiki, yoga, reflexology, transcendental meditation, new age visioning, divination) 17. In the name of Jesus I now break any curses that may be coming against me or my family, and stop the transmission of those curses through my ancestry. 18. In the name of Jesus Christ, I bind you spirit of (Ask the Lord to reveal the name. If you aren t sure about the name identify it by its negative fruit: anger, unforgiveness, fear, insecurity, illness, trauma.) 19. I bind you away from me now, in Jesus name. (Satan s kingdom is controlled by fear, God s Kingdom is controlled by God s love.) 20. Lord Jesus fill me with your love to replace the fear; fill me with your strength to replace the weakness, fill me with your understanding to replace confusion. (Ask the Lord to fill you with the positive opposite of the negativity you remove doubt/faith, despair/hope, illness/health, weakness/strength, sadness/joy, unrest/peace, impatience/patience, unkindness/kindness, distrust/trust, anger/gentleness) 21. Loving Father, let the cleansing healing waters of my baptism flow back through the generations to purify my family line of contamination. 8

9 LOG-OFF: Evening Prayers Enter and make these declarations over your life (pray each point at least 5 minutes or as time permits). 1. Loving Father, I choose to forgive everyone in my life, including myself, because You have forgiven me. Thank You, Lord, for this grace. 2. I forgive myself for all my sins, faults and failings, especially 3. I forgive myself for not being perfect, I accept myself and make a decision to stop picking on myself and being my own worst enemy. 4. I release the things held against myself, free myself from bondage and make peace with myself today, by the power of the Holy Spirit. 5. I forgive my MOTHER for any negativity and unlove she may have extended to me throughout my life, knowingly or unknowingly, especially For any abuse of any sort I do forgive her today. For any way that she did not provide a deep, full, satisfying mother s blessing I do forgive her today. I release her from bondage and make peace with her today. 6. I forgive my FATHER for any negativity and unlove he may have extended to me throughout my life, knowingly or unknowingly, especially For any and all abuses, unkind acts, hurts, and deprivations I do forgive him today. For any way that I did not receive a full, satisfying father s blessing I forgive him today. I release him from bondage and make peace with him today. 7. I forgive my SPOUSE for any negativity and unlove extended throughout our time together, especially For all the wounds of our relationship I do forgive my spouse today. I release my spouse from bondage and make peace between us today. 8. I forgive my CHILDREN for any hurts, especially I release them from bondage and make peace with them today. Bless them, Lord. 9. I forgive my SISTERS and BROTHERS for any negativity and unlove, especially 10. I forgive my BLOOD RELATIVES for any abuses, especially 9

10 11. I forgive my ANCESTORS for any negative actions that affect my life today and make it harder for me today to live in the freedom of a child of God. I release them from bondage and make peace with them today, in Jesus name. 12. I forgive my FRIENDS for any actions of negativity and unlove, especially For any time they abused our relationship or led me astray, I do forgive them. I release them from all bondage and make peace with them today, in the power of the Holy Spirit. 13. I forgive my EMPLOYERS of the present and the past for any negativity and unlove, especially I release them from all bondage and pray a blessing on them today, in Jesus name. 14. I forgive all SCHOOL TEACHERS for any negative, abusive actions, especially. 15. I forgive LAWYERS, DOCTORS, NURSES, and other professionals, especially 16. I forgive MINISTERS and all representatives of the church, especially I release them all, in Jesus name. 17. I forgive every member of SOCIETY who has hurt me in any way; those who have hurt me by criminal action or who have harmed my family. 18. I forgive all in public life who have passed laws opposing Christian values. 19. I forgive all the unfair, anonymous sources of pain and annoyance in my life. 20. Heavenly Father I now ask for the grace to forgive the ONE PERSON IN LIFE WHO HAS HURT ME THE MOST,. The one who is the hardest to forgive, I now choose to forgive, though I may still feel angry and hurt. 21. Lord, is there anyone else I need to forgive? (pause for silent reflection) 22. Thank You, loving Father, for setting me free. 23. I now pray a blessing on those who have hurt me. Lord, do something special for each of them today. 24. Thank You, Lord. I praise You. Amen. 10

11 DAY 23: Monday, October 23 rd 2017 "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground..." (Exodus 3:5). Holy ground is a place of no reputation: Moses had decreased to zero point. Once he had been held in high esteem, respected in high government places, great in reputation and prestige. He moved among the wealthy and the influential, probably the best known man of his time. He was counselor to potentates. But God couldn't use him until He tore him away from his popularity and esteem. Who knew him now? Hidden away, out of sight - silenced and without influence. He had no outlet for his great energy. No one now hung on his every word. What world leader would listen to such a man - an isolated shepherd, a has-been? But the very moment Moses reached zero point - when his reputation was totally lost and there was nothing left of the old, self-promoting Moses - he was on holy ground! How long did God wait by that bush, ready to break forth in a glorious new revelation? Only until that final, breaking moment when Moses truly no longer cared about his work or his reputation. When he gave up the last scraps of reputation, he found revelation. The Lord Jesus stood on this same holy ground. The scriptures say, "He made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant..." (Philippians 2:7). It was a willful choice - to shun reputation and become a servant. Thank God for those who once again are being called to such holy ground, seeking to decrease that He may increase. Are you ready to enter the holy ground with God? It s time to ask God to humble you, decrease you; even if it means becoming a mockery to some and an embarrassment to many. Pride is a great obstacle to swallow if you will enter the throne room of God and have that encounter with Him. May we all decrease! May He alone increase! God help us to get back to this holy ground. 11

12 LOG-ON: Morning Prayers Enter and make these declarations over your life (pray each point at least 5 minutes or as time permits). 1. Lord Jesus, I thank you for your love and kindness towards me and my household may your name be glorified forever in the name of Jesus. 2. Father Lord, forgive me of any sin that may cause blockage to my prayers, in the name of Jesus. 3. Holy Spirit of the living God, come upon my life and make my life your dwelling place, in the name of Jesus. 4. Like the breaking forth of waters: I break loose from the hold of every power that waste efforts in life, in the name of Jesus. 5. O God arise in your power and strike my enemies in your wrath, in the name of Jesus. 6. My father, you re the great deliverer: arise do not allow the wicked men to triumph over me, in the name of Jesus. 7. My father: arise bring down the pride of the enemy to nothing, in the name of Jesus. 8. Where ever I have been knocked down by the power of the wasters, mighty hand of The Lord lift me up, in the name of Jesus. 9. Every arrow of the wasters fired into my life, back fire by fire, in the name of a Jesus. 10. Any power, evil authority, wicked personality, smiling with me in the day time, wasting my efforts at night time, your time us over fall down and die, in the name of Jesus. 11. Any power anywhere, any wicked personality anywhere, delegated by satan to waste my efforts in life, be wasted by fire, in the name of Jesus. 12. I claim divine immunity against every wicked arrow, in the name of Jesus. 13. Any power using the seed of my womb to waste my efforts, be wasted by thunder, in the name of Jesus. 14. Every hole in my pocket be sealed by the blood of Jesus, in the name of Jesus. 15. I withdraw by fire the comfort of my enemies, in the name of Jesus. 16. Evil instructor manipulating the brain of my children, where ever you are, be silenced forever, in the name of Jesus. 17. Satanic giant blowing away my harvest, fall down and die by the order of Goliath, in the name of Jesus. 18. Satanic road block to my achievement in life, be removed by fire, in the name of Jesus. 19. I decree upon my life and my entire family; we shall not be wasted, in the name of Jesus. 12

13 LOG-OFF: Evening Prayers Enter and make these declarations over your life (pray each point at least 5 minutes or as time permits). 1. Loving Father, I choose to forgive everyone in my life, including myself, because You have forgiven me. Thank You, Lord, for this grace. 2. I forgive myself for all my sins, faults and failings, especially 3. I forgive myself for not being perfect, I accept myself and make a decision to stop picking on myself and being my own worst enemy. 4. I release the things held against myself, free myself from bondage and make peace with myself today, by the power of the Holy Spirit. 5. I forgive my MOTHER for any negativity and unlove she may have extended to me throughout my life, knowingly or unknowingly, especially For any abuse of any sort I do forgive her today. For any way that she did not provide a deep, full, satisfying mother s blessing I do forgive her today. I release her from bondage and make peace with her today. 6. I forgive my FATHER for any negativity and unlove he may have extended to me throughout my life, knowingly or unknowingly, especially For any and all abuses, unkind acts, hurts, and deprivations I do forgive him today. For any way that I did not receive a full, satisfying father s blessing I forgive him today. I release him from bondage and make peace with him today. 7. I forgive my SPOUSE for any negativity and unlove extended throughout our time together, especially For all the wounds of our relationship I do forgive my spouse today. I release my spouse from bondage and make peace between us today. 8. I forgive my CHILDREN for any hurts, especially I release them from bondage and make peace with them today. Bless them, Lord. 9. I forgive my SISTERS and BROTHERS for any negativity and unlove, especially 10. I forgive my BLOOD RELATIVES for any abuses, especially 13

14 11. I forgive my ANCESTORS for any negative actions that affect my life today and make it harder for me today to live in the freedom of a child of God. I release them from bondage and make peace with them today, in Jesus name. 12. I forgive my FRIENDS for any actions of negativity and unlove, especially For any time they abused our relationship or led me astray, I do forgive them. I release them from all bondage and make peace with them today, in the power of the Holy Spirit. 13. I forgive my EMPLOYERS of the present and the past for any negativity and unlove, especially I release them from all bondage and pray a blessing on them today, in Jesus name. 14. I forgive all SCHOOL TEACHERS for any negative, abusive actions, especially. 15. I forgive LAWYERS, DOCTORS, NURSES, and other professionals, especially 16. I forgive MINISTERS and all representatives of the church, especially I release them all, in Jesus name. 17. I forgive every member of SOCIETY who has hurt me in any way; those who have hurt me by criminal action or who have harmed my family. 18. I forgive all in public life who have passed laws opposing Christian values. 19. I forgive all the unfair, anonymous sources of pain and annoyance in my life. 20. Heavenly Father I now ask for the grace to forgive the ONE PERSON IN LIFE WHO HAS HURT ME THE MOST,. The one who is the hardest to forgive, I now choose to forgive, though I may still feel angry and hurt. 21. Lord, is there anyone else I need to forgive? (pause for silent reflection) 22. Thank You, loving Father, for setting me free. 23. I now pray a blessing on those who have hurt me. Lord, do something special for each of them today. 24. Thank You, Lord. I praise You. Amen. 14

15 DAY 24: Tuesday, October 24 th 2017 Based on Exodus 3 "He forsook Egypt... choosing rather to suffer with God's people than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season..." (Hebrews 11:25-27). Nothing saps the power and authority of a man of God quicker than materialism. A true servant cannot set his heart on God and the things of this world simultaneously. Materialism is not "things" in themselves, but the pursuit of things. Material things are the fuel that fires our lust. Christ wanted us to be so detached from this world and its things that we would be ready to depart and be with Him momentarily. What a shame we prefer the physical blessings of the old covenant to the spiritual ones promised by Christ! God is calling the church off from this covetous chase for the things of this world, because He knows the vanity and vexation it causes. What a sad day, when our Lord shows us how contemptible the things are that we struggle for, pray for, and worry about. Paul said: "Even to this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place... being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it - we are made as the filth of this world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day..." (1 Corinthians 4:9, 11-13). Why is it that God gives so much of worldly success and riches to the vilest and most wicked of men? God pours riches and fame even upon His worst enemies. The ungodly get the greatest portion of this world's goods. You can tell how little God values worldly things by the way He gives them so freely to the damned. The Arabs today have most of this earth's wealth. The despisers of God have been inundated with so much money, they can't enjoy or use it all. Christ exalted the excellence and superiority of spiritual values over physical. Christ also knew the total unsatisfaction and disappointment of those who had all their hearts could want. It left them empty and unfulfilled. Too, He knew the stupidity of men who had their security in material things. I once prayed for a muslim man who was left dead on his bed, and could barely catch his breath. He was miraculously healed instantly by the LORD. He came out of his bed that day, spoke to me about his admiration for the gospel; and how he believes Jesus can heal. Then he said these words to me: I know Jesus can heal, but I can t leave my Allah for your Jesus. Allah made me rich. And there are many Christians who will likewise choose material things over a relationship with Jesus. 15

16 To get on holy ground, one must cut the cord of materialism. I have not yet come to that place, but that is my goal. To have no place here on earth, but to give all time and energy in pursuing the revelation of Christ. Then perhaps we can say with our fathers, "Take this whole world, but give me Jesus." God - get us back on holy ground. LOG-ON: Morning Prayers Confessions: Make these confessions to establish your identity in Christ Jesus 1. I am not what the world thinks or says I am. I am not what the devil or the kingdom of darkness says, imagines or has designed me to be. 2. I am not the picture of what my idolatrous forefathers wished I should be. 3. I am not what the unregenerate mind of any friend thinks I am. 4. I am not what my father and mother think or want me to be. 5. I am not what my village wickedness, household wickedness and environmental wickedness want me to be. 6. I am not a picture of what the national economy and institutionalized wickedness has restructured the people to be. 7. I am not what I think I am. 8. I am what the Word of God says I am. 9. I am an express image of Jehovah God on earth. 10. I am fashioned after the likeness of the Creator of the heaven and earth. 11. I am regenerated by the blood of Jesus. 12. I am ransomed from the powers of death and hell. 13. I am blood washed. 14. I am redeemed. 15. I am justified by Christ. 16. I am made to be the righteousness of God through Christ. 17. I am a believer of the Word of Truth. 18. I am born again. 19. I am heaven-bound; my citizenship is in heaven. 20. I am seated with Christ in heavenly places far above principality and powers. 16

17 21. I am a priest and a king ordained by Christ to rule here on earth. 22. I am the fear and the dread of God against the kingdom of darkness. 23. I am a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit of God. 24. I am built up together and attached with other children of God into a holy habitation of God. The word of God says, I am a royal priesthood, I am a holy nation, I am a chosen generation, and a peculiar person to the nation. 25. I am special in the sight of God. 26. The Bible says because I believe and receive Jesus Christ, power has been given to me to become a son of God, and I am empowered to trample upon serpents and scorpions and all the powers of the enemy. 27. I am empowered to use the name of Jesus to cast out demons and heal the sick. 28. I am empowered to bind, to loose and to decree things and the Bible says wherever my voice is heard no one can ask me why. 29. I do these things for my voice is the voice of a king that is full of authority. 30. I am commanded and empowered by my God to subdue and to exercise dominion. For I am made a little lower than the angels and God has crowned me with glory and honor and has also made me to have dominion over all the works of His hands. 31. The devil that was against my authority as a God's representative on earth has been destroyed by Christ and once again; the keys of the kingdom of heaven are given to me and because I am a member of the body of Christ, which is the Church, the gates of hell cannot prevail against me. 32. I am a branch in the vine; Jesus Christ is the true vine because I abide in Him. 33. I am full of the fruit of the Spirit. 34. I am full of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, selfcontrol. 35. Because the grace of God is upon my life as the light of His glory, I am full of divine favor; I am a partaker of all heaven's spiritual blessings. 36. I am an overcomer; the Bible says whosoever is born of God overcomes the world, and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even my faith. 37. In faith I overcome ungodly worry, anxiety, heaviness of spirit, sorrow, depression, lust of the eyes and lust of the flesh. 38. In faith I have overcome all the tricks of the devil, for it is written, greater is Jesus Christ that dwells in me than the devil that is in the world. 39. No weapon that is formed against me shall prosper. 40. In righteousness I am established; I am far from oppression, for I shall not fear and from terror for it shall not come near me. 41. The Lord shall cover me with His feathers, because I have made Him my dwelling place. 42. Evil shall not befall me; I shall tread upon the Lion and the Cobra and surely the Lord will always deliver me from the snare of the fowlers. God has made me a beneficiary of divine health through the stripes that were laid on Jesus Christ. 17

18 43. Through Jesus Christ I have right standing with God. 44. Through Jesus Christ I have access to the throne grace of God, to find peace with God. 45. I have prosperity for God will no longer withhold any good thing from me. 46. I have spoken with the tongue of the learned and as it is written, I shall be justified by the words of my mouth. 47. I ask that the word of God I have confessed begin to transform me to the original image God designed me to be in His book. 48. I ask that the blood of Jesus wipe away every mark of reproach whether physical or spiritual. 49. I ask for the blood of Jesus to erase every evil and negative name I was ever called. 50. I nullify every negative report ever made about me. 51. I cease to be a picture of failure. I cease to be abased, rejected, forsaken, desolate and downcast. 52. I begin to manifest expressly every good thing God has written about me in book. 53. I begin to look fearfully and wonderfully made. 54. I begin to operate at the head and not the tail. I begin to be a true worshiper of Jehovah El shaddai and I begin from now to continually praise Him and confess positively. 18

19 LOG-OFF: Evening Prayers Enter and make these declarations over your life (pray each point at least 5 minutes or as time permits). 1. Loving Father, I choose to forgive everyone in my life, including myself, because You have forgiven me. Thank You, Lord, for this grace. 2. I forgive myself for all my sins, faults and failings, especially 3. I forgive myself for not being perfect, I accept myself and make a decision to stop picking on myself and being my own worst enemy. 4. I release the things held against myself, free myself from bondage and make peace with myself today, by the power of the Holy Spirit. 5. I forgive my MOTHER for any negativity and unlove she may have extended to me throughout my life, knowingly or unknowingly, especially For any abuse of any sort I do forgive her today. For any way that she did not provide a deep, full, satisfying mother s blessing I do forgive her today. I release her from bondage and make peace with her today. 6. I forgive my FATHER for any negativity and unlove he may have extended to me throughout my life, knowingly or unknowingly, especially For any and all abuses, unkind acts, hurts, and deprivations I do forgive him today. For any way that I did not receive a full, satisfying father s blessing I forgive him today. I release him from bondage and make peace with him today. 7. I forgive my SPOUSE for any negativity and unlove extended throughout our time together, especially For all the wounds of our relationship I do forgive my spouse today. I release my spouse from bondage and make peace between us today. 8. I forgive my CHILDREN for any hurts, especially I release them from bondage and make peace with them today. Bless them, Lord. 9. I forgive my SISTERS and BROTHERS for any negativity and unlove, especially 10. I forgive my BLOOD RELATIVES for any abuses, especially 19

20 11. I forgive my ANCESTORS for any negative actions that affect my life today and make it harder for me today to live in the freedom of a child of God. I release them from bondage and make peace with them today, in Jesus name. 12. I forgive my FRIENDS for any actions of negativity and unlove, especially For any time they abused our relationship or led me astray, I do forgive them. I release them from all bondage and make peace with them today, in the power of the Holy Spirit. 13. I forgive my EMPLOYERS of the present and the past for any negativity and unlove, especially I release them from all bondage and pray a blessing on them today, in Jesus name. 14. I forgive all SCHOOL TEACHERS for any negative, abusive actions, especially. 15. I forgive LAWYERS, DOCTORS, NURSES, and other professionals, especially 16. I forgive MINISTERS and all representatives of the church, especially I release them all, in Jesus name. 17. I forgive every member of SOCIETY who has hurt me in any way; those who have hurt me by criminal action or who have harmed my family. 18. I forgive all in public life who have passed laws opposing Christian values. 19. I forgive all the unfair, anonymous sources of pain and annoyance in my life. 20. Heavenly Father I now ask for the grace to forgive the ONE PERSON IN LIFE WHO HAS HURT ME THE MOST,. The one who is the hardest to forgive, I now choose to forgive, though I may still feel angry and hurt. 21. Lord, is there anyone else I need to forgive? (pause for silent reflection) 22. Thank You, loving Father, for setting me free. 23. I now pray a blessing on those who have hurt me. Lord, do something special for each of them today. 24. Thank You, Lord. I praise You. Amen. 20

21 DAY 25: Wednesday, October 25 th 2017 Based on Exodus 3 "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground..." (Exodus 3:5). Holy ground is the place of God s presence. What happens after a holy encounter with God? For the rest of our sessions, we ll dissect Moses encounter with God and how it affected his experience. God is identified If you encounter God, you will discover God. He is revealed to you in a way that He was never revealed to anyone. Divine encounter is a unique experience. It is a singular, exclusive and dynamic experience with God. It cannot be duplicated or transported. Your yesterday s encounter, will never be the same as today s encounter. Someone s encounter may be similar to yours but it ll not be the same. God has a unique way of revealing Himself to each and every one of us. God revealed Himself to Moses in a unique way: In verse 6, I am the God of your father. In verse 15, I am that I am which is to say, I will be, what I will be. To Abraham, He revealed himself as Jehovah-Jireh (the LORD my provider). To David, He revealed himself as Jehovah-Raah (The LORD is my shepherd). To Ezekiel, He revealed hijmself as Jehovah-Shammah (the God that is there). To Jeremiah, He reveals himself as Jehovah-Tsidkenu (the LORD my righteousness). The list can continue, but for the lack of space we ll stop here. God has no name. His name is not Yahweh (which is by interpretation I AM or I will be, What I will be). God is what you want Him to be. That is why He says to I AM. In other words, I AM what you want me to be in a presence situation. Your encounter will determine how God reveals Himself to you. Abraham saw him as El-Shaddai after an encounter, because God proved to be all-sufficient for him even at an old age. David knew Him as a Great shepherd because as an illegitimate son relegated to by backside of the desert, no one cared for him. But God remembered him and blessed him. If you encounter God, He will tell you who He is. And you will know Him by a name that no one else ever did. Let your encounter define God to you. 21

22 LOG-ON: Morning Prayers Enter and make these declarations over your life (pray each point at least 5 minutes or as time permits). 1. God, arise and increase the speed of my progress, in Jesus name. 2. Lord, make me a blessing to my generation, in the name of Jesus. 3. Lord, make me a reference point to my generation, in Jesus name. 4. My Father, my Father, my Father, let people know that I serve a living God, in the name of Jesus. 5. My wasted years and efforts, hear the word of the Lord, be converted to blessings, in the name of Jesus. 6. My buried potentials, hear the word of the Lord, MANIFEST BY FIRE! in the name of Jesus. 7. I clear my goods from the warehouse of the strongman, in Jesus name. 8. I receive uncommon wisdom to excel, in the name of Jesus. 9. All destiny robbers, vomit what you have stolen, die, in Jesus name. 10. Every evil appointment against my destiny, PERISH NOW! in the name of Jesus. 11. Every evil assignment against my destiny, PERISH NOW! in the name of Jesus. 12. Every evil agreement against my destiny, PERISH NOW! in the name of Jesus. 13. Every evil arrangement against my destiny, PERISH NOW! in the name of Jesus. 14. Every evil enchantment against my destiny, PERISH NOW! in the name of Jesus. 15. Every evil bewitchment against my destiny, PERISH NOW! in the name of Jesus. 16. Every power of failure assigned to my destiny, PERISH NOW! in Jesus name. 17. Every power of get and lose assigned to my destiny, PERISH NOW! in the name of Jesus. 18. Every evil tongue speaking failure against my destiny, PERISH NOW! in the name of Jesus. 19. My destiny, arise, shine, in the name of Jesus. 20. My star, arise, shine, in the name of Jesus. 21. Thank God for this session. 22

23 LOG-OFF: Evening Prayers Enter and make these declarations over your life (pray each point at least 5 minutes or as time permits). 1. Loving Father, I choose to forgive everyone in my life, including myself, because You have forgiven me. Thank You, Lord, for this grace. 2. I forgive myself for all my sins, faults and failings, especially 3. I forgive myself for not being perfect, I accept myself and make a decision to stop picking on myself and being my own worst enemy. 4. I release the things held against myself, free myself from bondage and make peace with myself today, by the power of the Holy Spirit. 5. I forgive my MOTHER for any negativity and unlove she may have extended to me throughout my life, knowingly or unknowingly, especially For any abuse of any sort I do forgive her today. For any way that she did not provide a deep, full, satisfying mother s blessing I do forgive her today. I release her from bondage and make peace with her today. 6. I forgive my FATHER for any negativity and unlove he may have extended to me throughout my life, knowingly or unknowingly, especially For any and all abuses, unkind acts, hurts, and deprivations I do forgive him today. For any way that I did not receive a full, satisfying father s blessing I forgive him today. I release him from bondage and make peace with him today. 7. I forgive my SPOUSE for any negativity and unlove extended throughout our time together, especially For all the wounds of our relationship I do forgive my spouse today. I release my spouse from bondage and make peace between us today. 8. I forgive my CHILDREN for any hurts, especially I release them from bondage and make peace with them today. Bless them, Lord. 9. I forgive my SISTERS and BROTHERS for any negativity and unlove, especially 10. I forgive my BLOOD RELATIVES for any abuses, especially 23

24 11. I forgive my ANCESTORS for any negative actions that affect my life today and make it harder for me today to live in the freedom of a child of God. I release them from bondage and make peace with them today, in Jesus name. 12. I forgive my FRIENDS for any actions of negativity and unlove, especially For any time they abused our relationship or led me astray, I do forgive them. I release them from all bondage and make peace with them today, in the power of the Holy Spirit. 13. I forgive my EMPLOYERS of the present and the past for any negativity and unlove, especially I release them from all bondage and pray a blessing on them today, in Jesus name. 14. I forgive all SCHOOL TEACHERS for any negative, abusive actions, especially. 15. I forgive LAWYERS, DOCTORS, NURSES, and other professionals, especially 16. I forgive MINISTERS and all representatives of the church, especially I release them all, in Jesus name. 17. I forgive every member of SOCIETY who has hurt me in any way; those who have hurt me by criminal action or who have harmed my family. 18. I forgive all in public life who have passed laws opposing Christian values. 19. I forgive all the unfair, anonymous sources of pain and annoyance in my life. 20. Heavenly Father I now ask for the grace to forgive the ONE PERSON IN LIFE WHO HAS HURT ME THE MOST,. The one who is the hardest to forgive, I now choose to forgive, though I may still feel angry and hurt. 21. Lord, is there anyone else I need to forgive? (pause for silent reflection) 22. Thank You, loving Father, for setting me free. 23. I now pray a blessing on those who have hurt me. Lord, do something special for each of them today. 24. Thank You, Lord. I praise You. Amen. 24

25 DAY 26: Thursday, October 26 th 2017 Based on Exodus 3 "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground..." (Exodus 3:5). Second reason why you must encounter God by the end of these 30 days: God reveals His heart to you If you can discover what is on God s heart for your life and destiny, and you can do what is on His heart God will take care of what is on your heart. The secret is to discover His heart, and your problem shall be solve. Moses discovered what was on God s heart God says to Him: In verse 7 I have seen.i know In verse 9b I have also seen. In these two cases, God revealed to Moses that He has seen the affliction of His children in Egypt. And He also revealed that He knows how the Egyptians are treating His children. God is ever aware of our situation. Whatever state you re in right now, you will not have to worry, should you get a revelation of God telling you, I have seen or I know However, such revelations will not come until someone finds themselves in the presence of God for a divine experience. We need to not worry again, once we get an assurance that our Father in Heaven has seen and He knows what s going on. Oh God! Reveal your heart unto us in these difficult times. 25

26 LOG-ON: Morning Prayers: Enter and make these declarations over your life (pray each point at least 5 minutes or as time permits). 1. I ask forgiveness for sins against purity; lust, fornication, adultery, unclean TV and Videos, unclean internet access, foul thoughts and sexual fantasies, especially. 2. I turn away from all these activities and turn to You. 3. I deeply regret having an abortion or encouraging someone to have an abortion. Forgive me Lord. I ask forgiveness for blasphemous thoughts and ideas, blaming God for confusion and aridity, doubting God, impatience with God, even anger and resentment towards God, and especially. 4. I repent of being involved with any spiritual power not of God and any form of worship that does not offer true honour to the one true God, I AM WHO AM, Yahweh, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 5. I specifically renounce (For example, astrology, psychic nights, crystals, lucky charms, tarot cards, horoscopes, ouija boards or any occult games, reiki, yoga, reflexology, transcendental meditation, new age visioning, divination) 6. I repent of any compulsive, addictive behaviour: drinking, drugs, gambling, sex, food, and all addictions, especially 7. I repent of not taking care of my emotional health: lack of balance in nutrition, rest and exercise; any unhealthy suppression of emotions. I make a commitment today to take care of myself. 8. I repent of any unhealthiness in relationships with those closest to me, especially with my spouse. 9. I repent of the need to be in control. 10. I repent of any unhealthy need to seek reassurance or affirmation about myself. 11. I repent of not putting my partner or others first before my needs. 12. I repent of not being patient, of not bearing with them in love. I especially repent I am sorry for the times I have hurt other people. 13. I repent of stealing, lying, deceiving and defrauding. 26