Isaiah 58:6 – ‘Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?’

DAILY READING Acts 11:1-18; Joshua 11-12; Job 26

At the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Gabby Douglas became the first African American in Olympic history to be an individual all-around champion. She also became the first U.S. gymnast to win gold in both the individual all-around and the team competitions at the same Olympics.
However, Gabby Douglas’ journey to stardom was laid on a foundation of God’s Word and constant prayers. On the footage of any of her competitions, you’ll see her lips moving in prayers. In an interview with CBN News,
Gabby said she knew the road to the Olympics would not be an easy one. So she made prayer and Bible study a priority. She said those foundations kept her on track in her most difficult times. A time came when the odds seemed so great that she almost wanted to quit. But she had to rely heavily on her faith, praying fervently and meditating on scriptures. As a result of her spiritual commitment, she became so fired up with faith to succeed that her coach said he could almost see fire in her eyes.. Thereafter, she was able to win in the US Championship that qualified her for the Olympic games in London. Though she had a lot of doubters, who said she could never win gold, Gabby continued to rely on God’s help to prove them wrong. As the competition unfolded, to many people’s surprise, Gabby did not only clinch the gold but also made Olympic history.
Today, Gabby’s achievements has turned her into an athletic celebrity, but she believes it has all been made possible by God’s grace released through prayers.

Though achieving Olympic gold had seemed like an impossibility, through prayers Gabby Douglas engaged divine help. Indeed God specializes in doing the impossible. But that will happen when we embrace the required spiritual responsibility. Nothing of value is free. There is indeed a price to pay for us to achieve our desired results..
This year, great prophecies have gone forth concerning us, but we have to pay the price of spiritual warfare to see their manifestations.

1 Timothy 1:18 says, ‘This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare.’
We do not wait for prophecies; we war with them. Actually, if you wait, you may waste. You have to fight your way into the fulfillment of the prophecies spoken over you. You have to fight the good fight of faith to enforce a change in your situation.
God has called us unto glory and virtue, and not to shame. You are a candidate for a glorious life. Therefore, anything that does not look like glory around you has to be dislodged through fervent spiritual warfare.
And one key price we pay to see the manifestation of glory is fasting and prayer.
Isaiah 58:6, 8 says, ‘Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily…the glory of the LORD shall be thy rearward.’
When we pay the price of fasting, the resultant effect is glory.
When Jesus paid the price of fasting at the beginning of His earthly ministry, Luke 4:14 says He “returned in the power of the Spirit” and His fame spread abroad.
Fasting may seem unpalatable but it is a necessary cost for glory. Certain barriers may not be broken except by fasting and prayer. Jesus said some kinds do not go out except by fasting and prayer. Certain forces holding you bound may never give up except by prayer and fasting. May we therefore receive the grace not to sell off our birthright of glory to a morsel of meat like Esau did. This year, by God’s grace, our story must change for the better.
With God’s help, nothing you imagine for your life will be impossible. Has God not said that to him that believes nothing shall be impossible? Therefore, do not limit what God can do in your life by limiting your spiritual responsibility. In this season as we pray the price, we shall indeed see the glory of God manifested like never before in our midst in Jesus Name.
PRAYER
Father, I am grateful that nothing is impossible with You. Thank You for granting me the grace to become spiritually responsible.. Surely, as I pay the price of prayer in this season, I know I shall see Your glory manifested in my life in Jesus’ Name.
QUOTE
Until you cry out in the place of prayer, certain things won’t happen.
– WORDBITE 222.