BEFORE YOU RETIRE FOR THE EVENING - PRAY THE PRAYER. CONSECRATE THE FAST.

Lord Jesus Christ, I offer you this fast for your glory and my good. All I am and all I have I offer to you for your purposes in the world and my progress in your grace, Amen.*

Read Scripture- Ezekiel 37: 1-14 (NIV)

The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”

Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath[a] enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”

*Prayer from Seedbed Fasting

Morning - upon waking up

Lord, as I begin this time of fasting, fill me with your strength. Help me to use this as a time of growth, renewal, and healing. Calm my anxiety about what I might be giving up or times of discomfort that I might face. Provide me with assurance that You will strengthen me during the difficult times and meet me for sweet moments of spiritual growth and surrender. Help me focus not on what is being taken away, but what I’m gaining as I use this as a spiritual discipline. With you leading, Holy Spirit, I am ready. I dedicate this fast to You, Lord, and to Your glory. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.*

Read Ezekiel 37: 11

Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’

Take time to reflect and journal on this passage.

Start your day

https://theholymess.com/prayers-fasting/

Open time with this prayer

Lord, I am in the middle of a fast. There have been moments that were easier than I expected. My desires weren’t as strong as I thought they would be. The temptations that I was dreading…weren’t so bad. Other times, I’ve been caught off guard by moments that I thought would be no problem, and instead, they have proved incredibly difficult.

Right now, I still have a ways to go, and the end feels far off. Give me the supernatural strength to keep going by Your power, Lord. Grow me in the fruit of the spirit that I need to endure this, like patience, peace, and self-control.

In Your holy name, I make these requests, Amen.*

Read Ezekiel 37: 11

Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’

From Vain Grandeur to Humble Beginnings

Indeed, these bones are your bones and these bones are my bones. Yes, let awakening begin with the house of God. But how? Many millions of Jesus' faithful followers feel cut off from he great movement of the church Jesus founded. We faithfully go to church yet feel distant from the global movement of the Holy Spirit. We want to jump into the current of the great river of god but we are bound in a valley of dry bones. What matters most now?

Obedience matters -- a lot. The waves of awakening will ride on the churn of humble, bold obedience. Dr. Dennis Kinlaw, a great man of faith, witnessed a profound awakening at Asbury College in 1970 (one whose waves have not ceased). Reflecting decades later on what preceded the great outpouring of God's spirit, he remarked. "God never does anything in a big way that he doesn't first do in a small way."

Our minds readily turn to big things. In reality, awakenings mostly begin when a few ordinary people, often in obscurity, band together and move boldly in the ways of small steadfast obedience. 

The world will know awakening is afoot when hundreds and then thousands and then hundreds of thousands of small circles of threes and fours and fives band together for the long haul to sow for a great awakening.

The Prayer - Father, I pray for the audacity to prophesy; to breathe deep of the Holy Spirit and declare the promising, powerful Word of God over the lives of others. I want to be one who humbly prophesies awakening. Teach us to prophesy to the bones and prophesy to the breath for the sake of one another. I pay in your name, Jesus. Amen**

*https://theholymess.com/prayers-fasting/

** From The Awakened Life by JD Walt - Published by Seedbed

Read Ezekiel 37: 11

Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’

Reflect - How has today's fast gone for you? If you are journaling, take a moment to write down your reflections of the day.

Closing Prayer

God, the time of my fast is coming to an end.

Thank you for giving me the strength to carry this out. I have grown in strength and in my relationship with You. I know I could never have done this by my own power.

As this time of restraint finishes, lead me in my next steps. Help me move slowly and gently back into a regular pattern of behavior. Help me not to go crazy with pent-up desire but instead, move with grace and intention.

I trust Your guidance, Lord.

In Jesus name I ask this, Amen.*

*https://theholymess.com/prayers-fasting/