Day 11: Because There’s More
It’s not only about us. We need to be free. We need to be close to Jesus for our own wellbeing, but also for others. Because there’s more … is why we fast and pray.
What are God’s purposes on the earth today? Are people in bondage, desperate for freedom, crying out to a God they don’t even know? Does He desire to use us to break their chains? Yes and yes! The real question is whether you and I will interrupt our lives and our routines to help.
If you read Isaiah 58 carefully, you see that the chapter actually begins with God rebuking the people who were fasting because their form of fasting was merely a mundane outward display to demonstrate their religiosity. God is looking for the real deal!
Men, women and children desperately cry out for help every day, all over the world, perhaps even right down the street. They are abused, oppressed, misused, hungry, alone, forgotten, and crushed. That is why the fast God desires is not an empty, passionless religious act that bears no fruit.
God has a specific purpose for fasting and prayer.
Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday. The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. —ISAIAH 58:6–11
January 16, 2013 | Permalink28 Responses to Day 11: Because There’s More
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Andi says:
Amen
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Edith says:
amen
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cfrias757 says:
Amen
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Rosalinda Rodriguez says:
God is good, the best way to combat selfishness is to serve others.
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pat says:
Praise the lord I am fasting for people who are not save at work and in my family. And I believe to see a change in all of their lives. Amen
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Dani says:
Bless God, just want I needed to hear. Thankful to God, more than words can express, for JF ministries.
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Barbara Reese says:
Praise God…day 11!
This fasting has continued to bring me closer to our Lord! He has shown me new meaning to scriptures of old! His Word has come alive again to me like never before! Oh how important fasting is to a Christian’s life!!! Continue to cleanse and teach me Lord!!! -
Greg says:
Lord, may we be like a well watered garden filled by the Holy Spirit. Praise be to God!
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My fast is going well, it is much easier to do this because of the teaching I have received from Pastor Franklin. I want to encourage others to continue strong and put what we have learned from the books Pastor Franklin has written into practice. Thank God for using his servant.
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Sandra says:
Praise the Lord! Amen!
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Juju says:
It is true we need to find our edge back from where we lost it. We shall never lose passion for God, otherwise we will lose passion for life and do not know what is the meaning of our lives. May God show us the way to find our edge back through fasting and paying! Amen!
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Grace says:
Thanks Pastor, it is so important to let your light shine, you are never sure who may be looking. I often pray the God will let my light shine, so that when I come into contact with anyone,I am not seen, but the Christ light in me is seen.
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Dee says:
Thank you heavenly Father for letting the oppressed go free and beaking their yoke, especially those that are in bondage because of their faith in You. Amen!!!!
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Yemi says:
Thank you lord for this grace, use me and mold me to carry out your work. With this reading i know this fast is not just about me and my family but to remember those in need , pain and deliverance for those that are in bondage. Dear Lord give me the Grace to remember those even those that are not closer to me.
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anointedchild says:
Greetings in the name of Christ all my brothers and sisters. It is encouraging to be able to journal with my family of faith. i am in total agreement with pastor Franklin. There is more… more to life, more than daily routines, more than our own abilities and desires and I want it. I want it for you, for my family, friends, the loss, etc. And only God knows and has that more, continue to the end we will see his goodness as we obey. Praise God!!
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stacey says:
Father…continue to guide and direct during this time of fasting. Open my ears Lord…and teach me to…..Listen.
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sathya anantharaman says:
Oh how wonderful when we hear God comforting and Assurring me..when I know and keep asking for His Will to be done and Is presence in my Life. For if God is my partner , then I know, what and when He is talking to me…. Because u don’t say He is ur partner when u don’t listen and believe His will for u is the Best . He has spoken again Exodus 33:14. I read this day and here I have a confirmation.. all of me I surrender and submit. For He is fighting my battles.. I will wait nd remember His presence goes before me and He is with me and. He is our ,my ALL SUFICIENT GOD..EL shaddai….. Adonai…..Jehovah God.my Good Sheperd..My Lord.. My saviour my King. … Jesus Hallalujah hallalujah.. The God Almighty Reig ns.. Holy Holy the Lord God Almighty Reigns. Amen
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Titilia says:
Praying Isaiah 58 over my family, neighbourhood, community, city & country; both Australia & Fiji.
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guibithja says:
Thank Lord for today’s message saying God’s Purpose is to see me free and other people free endeed.That why humbly we fulfill God’s purpose by fasting and praying so that our chains and burdens will be broken and the blessing of the Almighty will be poured into our lives.Thank you one more time Man of God for this encouragement by reinforcing the reason of our 21 days.I believe God and all Chapel that all chains are loose,sicknesses and deseases are gone, yokes are broken,blessings take place and worship and praise are coming out of our mouth to confirm what God is doing. Glory to our LIVING FATHER for the Amizing tool given to the Church.
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Ros says:
New International Version (©1984)
Where is everybody today. No comments at all. I know that this journey seems long, but let us not forget- Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.-
PC says:
Thank you for your encouraging words. I thought i would check in today because day 11 has always been a tough fsting day.
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Jo Ann Carter says:
Men, women and children desperately cry out for help every day, all over the world, perhaps even right down the street. They are abused, oppressed, misused, hungry, alone, forgotten, and crushed. That is why the fast God desires is not an empty, passionless religious act that bears no fruit.
I myself has been in darkness crying out to God for help. My husband left me in Nov. I lost my job after 14 year in Jan. I chosen to fast and prayer to be closer to Jesus.
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Nathalie If. UK says:
What a Mighty God we serve!
Draw us close to You Lord,
Search us, break us down O’ Lord
Teach us to worship You in Spirit and in Truth.
Let our ‘ego’s die, and You, God, rise within us. Fill us with the power of Your Holy Ghost. May, us be soaked with Your Glory O’ Lord of host!
As the water cover the sea, cover the earth Father.
Have Mercy, Lord of all those who don’t know You yet, to confess that You are Lord!
May every knee bow at the sound of Your Name.
May this prayer be read and bring people on their knee in adoration O’Lord!
We worship You Father,
We adore You,
We magnify Your Name,
We amplify Your Name, that the World will know that You are God.
Blessed be the Name of the Lord, Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us! Amen!!! -
Kerine Simms says:
Jo ann I will be praying for you. Life can be really tough sometimes but God is tougher and greater than our problems! Tough times don’t last only tough people do! Be encourage the Lord will see ou through and will be victorious just keep fasting and praying and trusting!
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Bless N Highly Favored says:
Ever since I started this fast, my mind has been in turmoil. I don’t recognize who I am. I hope it is God’s brokenness for the purpose of my life in his kingdom. O Lord please search me and know my heart and my thoughts. Lord here I am before you standing in the gap for all those that are so deep in sin, that can not hear nor recognize your voice. Please don’t give up on us. Only you can touch our hearts, so break us and have your way with us. O God humble us, break us, make us the instrument of your peace, use us for your kingdom, send us Lord to heal the sick, clothe the naked and feed the hungry. We magnify your name. Thank you Lord for all you have done in the past, what you are doing right now, and what you plan to do for us in the future. Clear my mind Lord so I can hear from you and in your will I want to be. May my fast and my prayer be acceptable in your sight, o Lord my God.
I love you Lord!!!!!! -
Christine says:
The power of fasting is imeasurable. Prayer and fasting humbles us to the point where we do not think of ourselves at all. We look to be a blessing to the next person. We are sensitive to people’s needs. This opens us up to caring for the needy, less fortunate etc as the Lord our God commands. let us continue and encourage one another to fast because great things are ahead.
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elizabeth says:
1 Timothy 2:1..First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,
Ezekiel 22:30-31..I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.
Psalms 106:23..So he said he would destroy them— had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him to keep his wrath from destroying them.
Lord make me your instrument to stand in the gap and intercede for others.
I thank God for this purpose of prayer and fasting I now have burden for friends in bondage to stand in the gap for them. What peaceful world we would live in if all Christians prayed and fasted for their own people to be free? After these 21 days of prayer and fasting alot I belief will have been done for the kingdom of God. I love you all.