Philippians 2:1-4
“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
We come together during our fast for the purpose of seeing people healed, delivered, and set free. Coming into agreement with one another before the Lord moves the heart of God. It allows us to combine our faith, our anointing, and our authority. It is easy to get lost in our personal narrative, praying only for the things that directly affect you. But as a part of the body of believers, fasting together, let us also collectively pray for the needs of our group as a whole. We are designed to work in relationship with God and with one another.
God likes to work in agreement. Throughout scripture, his covenants were set up as agreements between God and man to establish what their relationship would look like. They laid out the terms of the relationship: who will fulfill what and the blessings and the consequences of meeting or breaking those agreements. When we look at the new covenant, we see that Jesus agreed to uphold our end of the covenant for us. He took on all our failings and shortcomings so we wouldn’t have to suffer the consequences of life apart from God. His death and resurrection also bought us some benefits: salvation, healing, deliverance, freedom.
God upholds those agreements and he loves when we walk in our birthright and come into agreement with what Jesus purchased for us. God always follows through on his agreements so our job is to partner and align with him. As we fast, we are not just bringing a list of needs, placing them at his feet, and waving our arms, saying look at what I’m giving up so you do what I want. God is not manipulated by our deprivation. Rather, our fast removes distractions. It exposes and removes the things we rely on that we put in God’s place. It is a conscious decision to come out of agreement with our flesh, with our selfishness, and our own solutions. We reject the world’s perspective and the lies of the enemy. It is a time for being humble, getting low before the Lord, and recognizing he is holy. He is righteous. He knows best. His ways are supreme. We re-align ourselves with intentional time spent with him, just for the purpose of relationship. We enter in with nothing to gain, no list of needs. It’s being in awe of the majesty of God who is worthy of everything.
From this place, in God’s presence, and in his Word, we begin to recognize what is the will of God. As we empty ourselves, he in turn cleanses us afresh by his blood, he fills us anew with his glory, immerses us once again in his love. In his presence is everything. We come into agreement with HIM. We view things through the lens of HIM. Our perspective shifts to HIM. Our desires align with HIM. From alignment and agreement we can effectively intercede for the needs of those around us both on a personal level, for our church family, and beyond.
Listening Prayer:
Holy Spirit, what are the things you want me to come out of agreement with that are hindering my connection with you? What things am I relying on to be my source and my strength that you want me to set aside? Write down what you hear and respond to him.
Prayer:
Loving Father, I confess that there have been times I have come into a fast with a laundry list of requests desiring for you to come into agreement with me. I confess that I have relied on my own wisdom, my fleshly desires, and my will to guide my prayers and my expectations. I no longer want to operate that way. Teach me how to align with you. I choose to come out of agreement with the things that do not serve you or your purposes. I desire to be in agreement with your will and your ways. Lord, I acknowledge that I see in part and you see in whole. I recognize that your ways are higher and better than mine. Lead me, correct me, guide me, and teach me so that I can partner with you, aligned with you, for your glory and for your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Resource: Bible verse on Agreement:
John 14:12-14
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”
1 Corinthians 1:9-10
“God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.”
Acts 1:14
“All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”
1 John 5:14
“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”