21 Day Daily Devotion -Day 9

The Stretching of Faith

I was recently given my own room in my office. Previously, I worked in a shared space where my table was next to my colleague’s and having any private conversation was nearly impossible. However, when I moved into my new room, I was at a loss as to what to do with all the space! I started sourcing for furniture, making plans on how to best utilise the space, and dreaming of how I wanted my room to look and feel. 

With every new season, God wants to give us new room to grow. However, sometimes we enter a new season still planning and dreaming within the same limitations and boundaries as in the previous season. We find it hard to imagine anything beyond the limitations we had previously known. Just like Israel, we need to receive a revelation in our hearts that God is stretching our capacity, and that we can expect Him to do greater things!

Ephesians 3:20 says that our God is able to do “infinitely more than we might ask or think”. God is able to do even more than whatever we can imagine right now! Do we dare to ask God to remove our past limitations, and to give us greater things? We can start by asking God for the faith to ask for greater things!

We should prepare ourselves for the new things that God wants to bring. Let there be a ‘yes’ and a willingness in our hearts to go beyond our present, in line with what God is saying to us.

I believe responding in faith and in practical ways to what God is saying to us is the key to the increase in fruitfulness that is coming to us.

Reflection

What is the greatest thing you can imagine God giving you in this season? It could be for your own walk with Him, your family or ministry. Write it down in a journal.

Are there old limitations you can identify in the way you are making decisions today? 

Prayer

Father, thank You that You always have greater things in store for me. Please remove the limitations I have towards these greater things. Reveal to me what You want to do in my life in this season, and grant me faith to receive it.

Fasting

9. **Preparation for Spiritual Encounter**: Christians fast to prepare themselves for spiritual encounters or significant events, as seen before important decisions or missions in Acts 13:2-3.

ISAIAH 54

2“Enlarge the place of your tent,

stretch your tent curtains wide,

do not hold back;

lengthen your cords,

strengthen your stakes.

3For you will spread out to the right and to the left;

your descendants will dispossess nations

and settle in their desolate cities.

EPHESIANS 3

God’s Marvelous Plan for the Gentiles

1For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—

2Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

7I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 13I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

A Prayer for the Ephesians

14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.