One of the realities of life is the uncertainty each day holds. Uncertainty surrounds us – in the challenges we face, what the weather will be like, the fluctuation of the economy, and so much more. The truth is we can approach uncertainty with either fear or faith. Faith allows us to step into all life can bring with the Word of God as our foundation in every situation.

God speaks through the prophet Isaiah about the holy confidence we can pray with every single day, “Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and He will say: Here am I.” (Isaiah 58:9) There is never a time we call on God and He doesn’t answer. He is a God who responds to His people and answers our prayers.

Isaiah says further, “The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” (Isaiah 58:11)

When we call on God, He responds and provides direction for our lives that will be refreshing, strengthening, and lead us to success. Jesus emphasized the certainty we can pray with in Mark 11:24: “I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.” We see this theme throughout all of Scripture – when people call on God, He answers and does big things in our lives.

You can have confidence today that as you fast and pray, God hears your prayers and He will answer. Though we are uncertain exactly how He’ll answer, our certainty remains in the fact that He is good and He does good!

Scriptures

Isaiah 58:9-12 (NIV)
“Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and He will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”

Greater things are coming!
Joshua 3:14-17

Joshua 3 records one of the great miracles in the Old Testament as God’s people prepare to enter the promised land. Due to the unbelief 40 years prior, the Israelites failed to enter the land, but now Joshua, who had believed God would deliver them the first time, would be the one to lead them into the promised land four decades later. God is about to do a miracle for this generation of Israelites, but it’s a miracle that accomplished something even greater than they anticipated.

Joshua 3:15-16 says, “But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river’s edge, the water above that point began backing up a great distance away at a town called Adam…” Instead of the water splitting into two sides as it did for Moses at the Red Sea, Scriptures say the water began backing up “a great distance away,” which commentators believe was several miles upstream at the town of Adam.

The people watched the priests and the ark of the covenant step into the water like God had instructed, but nothing seemed to change. If we allow our expectations of how God is going to do a miracle overshadow our faith, it will ultimately lead to disappointment and we’ll struggle to believe God at all.

But God had something greater in mind than just a sea crossing. Biblical scholars write that many nations Israel would need to conquer lived near the Jordan River and would see this miracle themselves since the water was stopped upstream. God was demonstrating His supreme power to the nations so they would know there is a God in heaven who is all-powerful and in whom nothing is too difficult!

The Israelites would cross on dry ground and a testimony of God’s power would be seen by the nations living in that area. God wants to do something even greater through every battle we face and every miracle we are believing for. Whatever you’ve been praying and fasting for, believe that God will exceed your expectations and do even more than you could ask, think, or imagine.

Greater things are coming!

Ready for Awakening
Acts 19:1-21 

One of the greatest revivals in the early church took place in the city of Ephesus. It is interesting that of all places, Ephesus is where God chose to do one of the most significant revivals in the Bible. History tells us that this was a city where sorcery and witchcraft were widely practiced, sexual immorality was rampant, and many other issues.

The story of how this revival started is recorded in Acts 19. When the Apostle Paul first arrived in Ephesus, he and his companions happened to find some fellow believers. Paul’s first question to them was if they had received the Holy Spirit. They responded, “We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit” (Acts 19:2). Moments later we are told, “When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying” (Acts 19:6).

Paul understood that if the city of Ephesus were going to experience a spiritual awakening, the people of God would need to be full of the Holy Spirit.

Over the next two years, Paul would preach powerfully in the synagogues and throughout the city. However, Paul’s sermons were not just wise words or persuasive speech; they were accompanied by the power of God. We are told in verse 11 that God did “extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul”, and that the fear of the Lord descended on the entire city (v.17).

The results were stunning. People began coming to faith in Jesus in a tremendous way. Those practicing dark arts were convicted of their sin and dramatically gave their hearts to Christ. Verse 19 tells us, “And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver”. By today’s standards, this would equate to several million dollars that were burnt up, along with the darkness those texts represented.

The insights of Acts 19 provide an important blueprint for revival. If we want to experience a great awakening in our nation today, we must be believers who are full of the Holy Spirit, boldly proclaiming the power of God, not just with words but also with deeds. We must be people who are marked with compassion for the lost, broken, and hurting; but also a people who carry the power of God to do something about it.

God wants to do greater things through each of us, and this corporate fast is paving the way for that to happen. Our country is ready for a great awakening! God is preparing His people for something historic, so get ready!21 Days of Fasting & Prayer: Greater Things | James River Church

He is Close
James 4:8a 

“I never signed up for this!” Perhaps this thought has crossed your mind a time or two. On this side of heaven, we are faced with all kinds of challenges. What is your response when you are unsure what to do or when facing a circumstance that seems overwhelming?

One of the great promises we find in Scripture is recorded in James 4:8, which tells us, “Come close to God, and God will come close to you.” What a promise! The God of all creation desires to come near you today. Here are some practical ways Scripture encourages us to draw near to the Lord each day:

PRAISE HIM. In Psalms 100:4, the psalmist writes, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.” Praise turns our attention from the difficulty of our circumstances to the wonderful power of the Lord. Entering God’s presence should always be filled with thanksgiving and praise.

SEEK HIM.  In Matthew 6:33, Jesus says, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Every revival in history has come through people committed to seeking God and making Him the top priority in every part of their lives. Jesus promises that when He becomes our greatest priority, His power will take care of all other areas of our lives!

LISTEN TO HIM. Matthew 17:5 says, “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!” The Lord speaks when we read His Word, when we listen to the preaching of His Word, and through other believers we surround ourselves with. As we draw near God and listen to His words, we will see His power work through every situation.

OBEY HIM. Psalm 34:8-9, 10b says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh the joys of those who take refuge in Him! Fear the Lord, you His godly people, for those who fear Him will have all they need . . . but those trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.” Favor follows obedience. As the Lord speaks to you and you respond with an obedient heart, you will experience the blessing of the Lord in your life and in your family in greater ways!

There is no doubt God wants to take care of every situation you face, but even more, He wants His presence to fill your life in greater ways than ever before. So as you come near the Lord today, pray for more of His presence, more of His peace, and His power on your life than ever before because His promise is true that as you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you!