Our church begins every new year with 21 days of fasting and prayer. I am sensing that the season of prayer in 2013 will be perhaps the most significant of them all. Our Lead Pastor has asked the congregation to join him in a Daniel fast. We are also going to be participating in a church-wide Bible study campaign called The Circle Maker.
Last night I received a call about yet another death in our congregation. Maybe it’s just my vantage point but it seems that all our world is shaking. I sense deep in my heart it is not going to stop. Prayer is our solid ground. Let me encourage you to find your secret place of prayer with Jesus as 2013 dawns! For He is our hope and a mighty source of strength! As Robin Mark has written “Though these are days of great trials, of famine and darkness and sword, still we are the voice in the desert crying “Prepare Ye the way of the Lord.” Days of Elijah
I appreciate those of you who have commented about praying for this season of mourning for our church. I sense the power of those prayers. Here’s the thing! I am determined to claim victory in the face of every enemy that confronts the church in Winchendon. In this mighty battle we have the high ground for we have Jesus. Our Savior has defeated even Satan’s greatest weapon which is death. Those who have passed from this realm in the last months have gone onto glory according to their Christian testimony. Theirs is a mighty overcoming. In the light of that, though Satan’s weapons sting in the moment of their release our shield of faith quenches every fiery dart.
In 2013 let the church raise up a constant praise to silence the foe and the avenger wherever he may gather against us to battle! Be brave my friends! Be brave and advance against this present darkness!
Reinventing the We'll 
Good Morning
Psalm 119:108 (NIV) Accept I beseech thee, the free will offering of my mouth – I confess my confidence in Your Promise. I praise You because It is done.
I will pray for the families grief and I totally agree with you we must continue to pray and praise to keep evil at bay.
May we all gather together in 2013 for a common goal to give Our God praise!
God Bless
Amen! By our praise of His great name the enemy will be silenced!
We all need to pray the prayer of protection every day and sometimes every moment
We must stand firm
God Bless
Yes indeed. It is in the moments we choose to remain or fall. May we stand firm from one moment to another.
Thank you, Pastor J for so many of us need to know that with Him we can be brave. I pray that many will continue to draw their strength from Him and that they claim VICTORY over any attacks from Satan!!! We need to remember God already won the war!!! I pray that many will put their hope in Him and Him alone. A-men and A-men!!!
Amen Deb! I am learning that bravery is not about feeling but about taking steps one at a time even when we are afraid.
Thank you for rallying us and encouraging us to pray and have faith in the One who Overcame. God bless you as you stand firm for Him!
Amen Deb! Standing firm is the key and we can be immovable onyl as long as we stand upon the solid rock, Jesus Christ!
Pastor J, thank you for this great message today and from a distance I am committing to join you all in fasting and prayer, great start to the new year and I was needing this encouragement and motivation! I have been reading a great book titled Living Free in Enemy Territory – Christ’s Triumph over Satan … your message today reinforces “while the Devil barks, God simply stands beside us saying, “He cannot harm you. He is not in charge. I am”.
Loved that last sentence Deb. It will be an awesome fast this year!
“Raise up a constant praise”–YES! I’m with you on that, Pastor J–God bless you and show you abundant favor in 2013. love, sis Caddo
God bless you, Pastor J
Someone sent me an email to the effect that there are times when all we can do is pray and praise …. I’m climbing on-board.
Blessings,
ann
It is so true Ann. There are so many circumstances we are facing right now for which we have no proper answer except to pray…and oh what a powerful answer that is!
I believe, more than ever before, that time is rapidly running out. If so, we need to pray more; we need to reach out to others more; we need to ‘get serious’ about shining Light into the dark world.
It is up to each individual blood-bought, adopted child of the living God to pray, pray, pray – and then pray some more.
Amen!!!