Hebrews 12:1-2
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 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.”
I am a creative. I love seeing something that inspires me to create. It gives me great pleasure to research an idea, gather the tools I need, and venture into making something, sometimes just to see if I can do it. As a creative, the process can be exhilarating, but it can also get overwhelming. I have a handful of projects in process that are gathering dust in my home because I initially got caught up in the idea but did not follow through to the finish. Whether I needed to pack things up because I needed my creative space (a.k.a. my dining room table) for something else, other priorities arose, or I just lost interest, I have not crossed the finish line with all of my creative ventures. Maybe for you, it’s a project you started in your home or the yard. You may be the one who has a stack of half-read books on your nightstand that you intend to finish with a new book that just arrived from Amazon in your mailbox. How many of you set out to read the Bible in a Year but lost momentum back in March? Or are you the one who embarked on an exercise program, started strong, and then lost all motivation as soon as the summer heat kicked in? There is a lot to say for motivation vs discipline. Motivation gets us started and discipline sees us through. Anything done in our own strength will work for a while, but when we invite God and community into the process with us, our potential to follow through and finish strong greatly increases.
All that to say, today is the final day of our fast! Many of you are dreaming of engaging in the thing God prompted you to give up and others may be opting to continue without it. Either way, let’s press through to the finish line together. A 40-day fast is not a sprint, it’s more of a marathon. We want to complete what we started and receive the fullness of what God has for us during the fast. As we look back over the past 40 days, let’s reflect on what God has shown us, how he has transformed us, and press in for what he wants to do in and through us moving forward. Additionally, let’s pray for each person coming to WPHG tonight to be prayed for.
Listening Prayer:
Holy Spirit, what are the things you want me to remember from this fast? What areas have you transformed me? How do you want me to transition out of the fast? Is there anything I have given up that you want me to continue to leave behind? What have you prepared me to do moving forward? Write down what the Holy Spirit reveals.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for the opportunity to set aside time and attention with my church family to focus on you, to bring our needs before you, and to allow you to do a transformative work in us. We praise You for designing the spiritual discipline of fasting so we could partner with You to remove the things in us that prevent us from experiencing the fullness of who You called us to be. Thank you for your kindness that corrects us. Thank you that you hear our prayers and petitions, that you see our tears as we intercede in the night hours, and that you are with us every step of the way. We praise you that your strength carries us through in our weakness. We rejoice in you, who has an abundant supply to meet our every need. We thank you that there are enough miracles, power, healing, and deliverance to meet every request and more. God, we marvel at who you are and delight in your word.
Lord, we recognize the needs we bring before you today and in the days to come are great. We declare nothing is impossible for you! We pray that every person you have called to be at WPHG would come. We pray every hindrance, every excuse, every obstacle is removed for each person who is supposed to be ministered to tonight. Lord, would you make a way, provide transportation, and give them the courage to be present. We pray for healing, miracles, deliverances, and salvations. Lord would many come tonight wanting to be healed would they leave with their miracle AND get saved. Lord, we long to see many come to know you tonight. We pray that you would partner with the right intercessors to the right needs. Lord, you know exactly who you want to pray for each person tonight. You know how to connect people in ways we could never orchestrate. God, we look forward to seeing divine connections and partnerships. May each person needing a touch from you feel seen and touched by you.
Father, we recognize without you we have no ability to heal, deliver, or set people free. We ask that you anoint and empower your prayer team. Fill them with your power and authority to heal all diseases and cast out all demonic spirits. Bring to mind scriptures. Motivate them with your love. We plead the blood of Jesus over each person on the prayer team. We ask you to cover them in the armor of God and release angels on assignment to assist each one as they minister tonight.
We ask for you to be in all the details of the event. Would you protect every aspect of our building from the plumbing, to the air conditioning, to the electric wires, to the internet and technology we need for live streaming and sound. God, we want to glorify you and represent you well. We want to walk out the mandates you have given us in your word and be the hands and feet of Jesus to all we encounter. Help us, Lord! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Resource: Bible Verses For Finishing Strong
Galatians 6:9-10
“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
James 1:2-3
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”
Philippians 3:13-14
“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”