You are invited to join us for the Celebrate to Accelerate fast! Please review Celebrate to Accelerate and other words for the reasons behind the fast as well as daily encouragement.

Now, we are so close to the end. The end is in sight.  Do not give up or surrender to the enemy. Press on and obtain the prize of knowing Jesus in a greater way.  The 40 has been a special time of sowing seed, and we will fully complete it together if we do not lose heart!

Today, as we press on toward the end. I was reminded of something that needs to be shared.  Lou Engle, a man who is known for fasting and praying as a lifestyle, has said that often, we do not see the fruit of 40 days of fasting until afterwards.  My wife and I have been seeking the Lord diligently for a long time with varying degrees of success in hearing and seeing.  However, it seems that during The 40, many times there there are few dreams, visions, or life-changing words.  I want you to know that if you are experiencing this, others are as well. It can be discouraging to be in this place, but know this, you are not alone, and the best fruit takes a little longer to grow.  

As we look at faith and patience partnering together to bring forth fruit, we must recognize the entire book of Hebrews was written for this purpose. I encourage you, the last few days of The 40, I encourage you to read through Hebrews a couple chapters at a time.  This book was written to Jewish people that had converted to Chrisitanity, but were not seeing the benefits and blessings they had been told about.  Because of this, they were considering returning to religious Judaism which they were more accustomed to and familiar with.  

Hebrews 6:12 “…do not become sluggish [lazy], but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

In this chapter the writer of Hebrews reveals that the great fathers of the faith, such as Abraham, inherited the promises of God by faith and patience.  The promises that God gives are not received by a one time prayer and here you go.  The greatest promises took years of enduring faith for the people of God to see take place.

Vs. 15 “And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.”

Abraham being the example here, had to wait until he was well past the normal point of having children to receive the first fruit of his promise Isaac. God promised to give him more than the stars in the sky multitude of descendants, and he had to patiently endure just to see Isaac.  Through faith and patience, he obtained and inherited the first part of an amazing promises that is still being fulfilled today!

Over in Hebrews 11 is the other half of the story:

Hebrews 11:11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.

Sarah also had to have a persevering faith to believe that what God said he would bring forth through her would take place. The good thing that we see here is her unbelief, she laughed at the word of The Lord, is not recorded.  Only the faith and patience that inherits the promise is recorded in the history of heaven.  

Even after Abraham and Sarah received the primary fulfillment of their promise Isaac, God tested them to see if they would still have faith that would be supernaturally obedient and enduring to give God glory through the seed.  This is what is recorded about Abraham’s faith:

Hebrews 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

Abraham had such an assurance in the faithfulness of God to bring about the promise that He had spoken Abraham believed God would raise Isaac from the dead to complete it. This faith was that much more incredible, because no one was recorded to have ever been raised from the dead before this time.  This is just one of the fathers of our faith who is a great example of inheriting the promises of God by faith and persevering patience.

My encouragement for us today is to stand strong, never give up and never lose heart. Maybe you have seen some fruit already from The 40, maybe not.  Look to the faithfulness of God to bring forth the seeds that have been sown and grown during this season to bring them forth at exactly the right time.  Give glory to God and testify of His goodness in the smallest of hopeful blessings, knowing this: “God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all you can ask for, hope for, or imagine…”  (Ephesians 3: 20).  Look for the fulfillment of your prayers, big or small, and let them spur you on to faith and patience in obtaining the promises of God and never giving up on what God has spoken!

Jesus, I desire to truly be one of Your children of faith. No matter what I may see with my eyes, I will look to You to fulfill Your promises. Help me to have continually increasing faith and patience in You that You may bring forth all that You have for me and want to do through me. May I never give up on You because You are faithful!!!

Practical –

• Read through Hebrews over the next week
• Ask Holy Spirit to reveal promises that God has spoken to you
• Ask for an increase in faith, patience, and obedience
• Walk out all God has called you to do

Be blessed today to stand strong and be the person of faith you were created to be!  May you stand strong in faith and persevere through every obstacle to lay hold of the promises of God as The Kingdom is accelerated in and through you!

Jeremiah, Man on Fire!!!