Lately, we have been teaching and preaching about the Holy Spirit. We are living in the epoch of time or dispensation known as the Church Age. It was inaugurated by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) and will continue until the rapture of the church (1 Thess. 4:13-18). The key feature of the Church Age is the working of the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirt. So understanding who He is, what He does and is doing is paramount.

We live in a world which is broken, hurting, in pain, suffering, whether it is physical pain, like cancer, arthritis; or emotional pain, like the loss of a loved one, divorce, job loss; or whether it is the greatest of all brokenness, the spiritual pain of being separated from God because of our sin. Many times this hurt and pain is intermixed together. Whatever the pain and suffering, out of love for us, the Lord wants us to be whole people. He desires to mend our broken bodies, fix our wounded heart, restore our relationships, and forgive our sin.

The women who came on that first resurrection morning sought to perform their duties by anointing the dead body of Jesus. Yet as they came near the place of burial, the practical difficulty of moving the heavy stone that sealed the tomb brought them unnecessary anxiety. Our key verse today tells us how God rolled away the stone from the tomb of Jesus. That stone was a wheel of granite, eight feet in diameter and one foot thick. It was rolled into a groove and perhaps weighed more than 4 tons which is over 8,000 lbs. The women’s fears were groundless; it had already been moved.

One of the best ways for us to grow in purity is by reading the scriptures. His Word is alive and a guide for us to learn how to live a life that is not only pleasing to Him but also best for us.

Welcome to Day Twenty One of the 21-day Fast of this year. You made it! You did it and I’m so proud of you! I believe God is saying, “I’m well pleased and I’ve received your fast and I’ve received your prayers,” and God is opening your eyes to the wonderful things, to the mighty things. I pray you have experienced God’s presence in ways you will never forget. I pray that the Lord has opened your eyes to things you never saw before. I pray that you have been changed forever and that the ramifications of this 21 days will be felt all around the globe.

For most people on this 21-day journey, it’s the end of the final week and you are at the end of your fasting time. I believe you will see results that continue to happen throughout the rest of the year and even into next December as we have witnessed every year from so many people. The fast isn’t just about what happens during these 21 days. I’m going to pray for you today and for your family and for your life as you’re fasting and as you’re praying. Just release your faith now.

It’s Day Nineteen of the Fast. By now, you’re craving a hamburger, you’re craving some steak, you’re craving a lot of things. For some people these past 18 days have just been normal days. The question is: Will the normal days do for them what these 18 days of sacrifice did for you? Will putting God first for this season of your life, and this year of your life matter? What will it do for you? His Word says in Matthew chapter 6, “If you seek me first, I’ll add all the rest that you will ever need.” And that’s exactly what we’re believing for.

The final weekend is at hand and so is food around every corner. You’ve come too far to turn back now. Don’t settle for anything less than the full 21 days. Remember also that if you slip up here or there, jump right back in. You are never disqualified from setting yourself apart to be with Jesus. If you have learned anything by now, I pray you have learned that advancement in the kingdom is a spiritual process – not a physical one. Greater is He that is in you then he that is in the world – and most importantly, we win – not by might and not by power, but by His Spirit in us.

It always amazes me to see people get so worked up about the evil that exists in the world. Don’t get me wrong, the Bible says that we are to hate evil…and I do, but not as one who lives in fear that evil might win. The victory for all time was won at Calvary and the deal was sealed with the empty tomb. The end result has never been in doubt in God’s eyes. That’s a perspective far too many overlook. If you will allow the Lord to open your eyes to what’s true about the enemy Satan you will see a desperate being who knows his time is short and his final end is near.

I pray that you are experiencing the Lord in amazing ways. You have His attention so press in. Ask your questions and allow Him to reveal His plans for you. Write everything down that He shows you so you have a reminder when this season of fasting is over. Press in, friend. Worship Him and tell Him you love Him and allow Him to fill your room, car or wherever you are with His presence.

Here we go! The third and final week! While this could be your greatest breakthrough week ever, I do want to warn you about a few things. Every commercial you see on television will be a pizza commercial. It will seem as though there are one thousand more restaurants in your city and cheeseburgers will be on every billboard. So you have to be like Peter when he got out of that boat. Don’t look! Keep your eyes on Jesus.

Welcome to the 14th day of fasting and prayer. You’re headed into your final week now, the final seven days. I’m believing for breakthroughs like you’ve never dreamed or seen. Please know I’m praying for you today that God would open your eyes like never before and give you the power of a firm stand. The Bible said in Joshua chapter 4, “After they crossed over the Jordan into the promised land, that they stood in the middle of the river bed to gather the rocks to build an altar.” You’re going to be standing in the middle of your miracles this year as you fast and as you pray. Don’t be shocked at where you end up.

Today, we’re talking to you about the “Incense of Prayer.” The Bible said in Psalm 141:2 that our prayers rise before God as incense. In Jerusalem there is a very special place of prayer called the Wailing Wall. If you go to the Wailing Wall anytime – 24 hours a day – there’s prayer going up…prayer going up like incense. When we pray and when we fast we believe that we can affect change for the good. There’s something about praying that God would release His help, His love, His mercy and His grace on our families, our lives, on our nation, and on the nation of Israel.

What an amazing thought that the God of the universe thinks about me. And He thinks about you…a lot. So many people see their relationship with God as all one way – praying to God, worshiping God, and learning from His Word. But there is a whole other dimension when you consider that God wants to speak to you about you. Like any other relationship, it’s a two-way communication.

Today we’re focusing on eyes that are open to seeing resolved conflicts in our life. Are there conflicts on your job? Are there conflicts in your family? Are there conflicts with friends? Maybe somebody said something, did something, that has really offended you or hurt you.