40 Days of Fasting - The Devotionals

Watch the devotionals from 40 Days of Fasting
Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Transcript:
Hi, Matt Bennett here. It's Tuesday, March 21st. It's Day 37 of the 40-day fast. Thank you for staying with me. Thanks for doing this with hundreds of others across the country so that this nation will be changed. God is blessed because of what you're doing. He is hearing your prayers.

I want to read a very, very simple verse in the Bible that is powerful in its simplicity. It's from James Chapter 4. It says—very, very simply—it says "You do not have, because you do not ask." That's it. That's all it says. That's so plain. It's so out there. It's so easy. God wants us to know how plain it is and how important it is that we ask. We must verbalize, we must say what matters to us. If we want to see our cities changed, if we want to see our families changed, if we want people to love, honor, and obey the Lord Jesus Christ, if we want the Spirit of the Living God to be poured out everywhere and there to be life and abundance and joy, then we must ask for it. We have to ask. So much does not happen simply because we do not ask.

Thank you for joining with me these 37 days so far, asking God that he will change this nation, asking God that he will give us the greatest revival in the history of the nation. Thank you so much and God bless you.

Saturday, March 18, 2017

Transcript:
Hi, Matt Bennett here. It is Saturday, March 18. It is the 34th day of our 40-day fast and we're going strong. Just a few days left with this. Thank you for being part of this journey. We are fasting and praying for the United States to be radically changed.

Let me read this passage to you from Deuteronomy 8. This is two little devotionals I've done from Deuteronomy 8, not something you see every day. Verse 17 says, "Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish."

The beginning of that passage I read is so powerful. It's so easy to think, when things go well—if we're wealthy or we have doors open, if we're athletic or in good health or whatever it is—that we've done it. How great we are. But it's God who provides for all of this. He's the one who gives us the ability to do all of these things. Everything we have is from Him.

And so part of this fast we're doing is to humble ourselves through the fasting and going without food, but to realize doctrines like this. That everything we have, even the strengths that we have, God has supplied all the ingredients and even the willpower to bring it about.

If this hasn't been your mindset, I encourage you to repent of that, to devote yourself to the Lord. Thank him. Everything you have, everything I have, God has given us. Thank you for joining in this fast. God bless you.

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Transcript:
Hi, Matt Bennett here. It is Wednesday, March 15^th. The Ides of March, Day 31 of our 40-day fast. Today I want to read to you the first fast we know of in the Bible. Jesus Himself quotes from this passage in Deuteronomy 8.

It says here, starting in verse 2, 

"And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.”

This is the purpose of fasting. To help humble us, to help us know who God is, that He provides, that He is all that we need. This practice of fasting that you've been going through has been fantastic for your own spiritual well-being, for your own strengthening, to deepen your love and devotion to God. You want spiritual strength. You want to be able to stand strong in tempting situations or hard situations. When things go bad, fasting helps you to be that kind of man or woman that you want to be. So God is rewarding you for your humbling before Him with your fasting. You can take confidence in that.

Thank you for joining with me to pray for the well-being of this nation, for your own spiritual strengthening, for the well-being of this nation. Thank you so much and God bless.

Sunday, March 12, 2017

Transcript:
Hi, Matt Bennett here. It's Sunday, March 12th, Day 28 of the Fast. It has been four weeks. Thank you for joining with me and joining with others to see God change the course of this nation based on our prayers.

Some people say, “Prayer doesn't change God, it changes me.” Don't believe it. It is not true. Sure, He does change us too, but it changes God. It changes what He'll do. There's this amazing account in Genesis 18 where Abraham bargains with God over what He'll do in the city of Sodom. I'm going to read a couple of verses here. It says in Genesis 18:22, "So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked.”

And the Lord relents, if you know the passage. They go back and forth. It gets down to ten. Abraham talks God into sparing the city if there are only ten righteous people in the city. Unfortunately, they were still destroyed because there wasn't even that. But it's amazing that God changed what He was going to do based on Abraham's favor with Him. It is the exact same today.

Elijah was a man just like us. The Lord hears our prayers as we draw near to Him. As you put your request before Him, He does things that He otherwise would not do. Thank you for fasting and humbling yourselves and praying for God to change this nation. He will deliver us and many, many will come to faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you.

Thursday, March 9, 2017

Transcript:
It is Thursday, March 9th, the twenty-fifth day of our 40-day fast. Thank you for being a part. I'm going to read today what we call the “mack daddy” verse of revival in the Bible. Everyone loves these verses because of this. I'm going to read for you here, from 2 Chronicles 7, starting in verse 12. It says, "Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

That's an incredible passage and something we can depend on. We're into the new covenant, not the old covenant, which means that the promises given us are different and the promises given us are more amazing. We are promised more fullness of the Holy Spirit when we seek the Lord. And so we do these same things. As we humble ourselves, pray, turn from our wicked ways, the Lord hears. The Lord draws close and gives us Himself, His power and presence through the Holy Spirit to change our communities, to change our nation, to change our families. This is what it means to have the Holy Spirit come upon us all in power. Thank you for joining with me in this fast. The Lord is hearing your prayer, hearing our prayers, to change this nation. God bless you.

Monday, March 6, 2017

Transcript:
Hi, Matt Bennett here. It's Monday, March 6, day 22 of the fast. We are more than halfway done. Praise the Lord. He is hearing our prayers and it's so important that we continue to persevere in prayer. We have a hard time in the United States of really focusing in and praying for all the requests that need praying for. Our faith needs to be lifted to know that it really makes a difference.

This is what it says in Ephesians 6 about our need to pray. It says, 6:18, "praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel."

That was the apostle Paul speaking there. You noticed how he talks about praying for all the saints and all kind of occasions with all kind of supplications. We need to do this in our prayers. We need to keep coming before the Lord. We need to pray broadly. Let's list and pray for all of our family members. Let's pray for all those that we work with. Let's pray for all the people in our neighborhood or apartment building or wherever we are. The Lord hears all these prayers.

Pray for all the states, let's pray for our cities, let's pray for spiritual strengthening. Let's pray for evangelism. Pray for everything. Glorify the name of the Lord with praise, just telling Him how wonderful He is. There's so much to do in prayer and verses like this help us to expand the need to show us what we need to do to draw close to the Lord. Thank you for praying with me during this time and fasting during this 40 day fast. God bless you.

Friday, March 3, 2017

Transcript:
Matt Bennett here. It's Friday, March 3rd. It's day 18 of the fast. Thank you so much for joining with me and so many others to seek the Lord during this 40 days of Fasting. We need our Heavenly Father to work in this nation and in our lives.

Let me read to you from James chapter four, starting in verse six: "But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."

These verses here are a great summation of what we're trying to do during the fast. We're coming before the Lord with humility, with deep groaning, with deep passion, sometimes even weeping for the sake of this nation. We're examining our lives, making sure we have clean hands, that we're living a righteous and devout life. This is important. We're humbling ourselves, resisting the devil, and drawing near to God.

That's what fasting does. That's why we do it. It's important that we do this regularly, especially in a time of need like we are now in this nation. We want to see America experience the greatest revival it ever has, and that's why we are fasting.

Thank you. The Lord hears your prayers. Thank you for joining with us.

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Transcript:
Hi, Matt Bennett here. It is Day 16 of the fast, Tuesday, February 28th. Thank you so much for participating in this. So many are joining in seeking the Lord for wonderful change in our nation.

I'm going to read a passage to you from John chapter 12, starting in verse 42. It says, “Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God."

This is why we are fasting. We are fasting for this country. We are fasting for a nation of Christians who love the glory that comes from God more than the glory that comes from man. A lot of fear has enveloped Christians in this nation and we need the Lord's help.

We need a heart big enough to love and cherish and want the glory that comes from God more than what anyone would do to us. Even if it means social repercussions or financial or whatever else. This is what we need the United States, these kind of Christians. Let's pray and ask God to help us to see a nation of many millions of Christians like this. Thank you.

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Transcript:
Hi, Matt Bennett here. It is Saturday, February 25th. It's the 13th day of the fast. Thanks for joining with us. We have 300 people joining in this 40-day fast across America, and almost 2,000 who signed up to join for 15 minutes a day to pray for revival for February. Thank you so much. We need America that has Christians who are devout for Christ and are willing to labor for Him. That's why we are fasting and seeking God.

Let me read from Matthew 9, starting in verse 35. “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Would you join me today? Would you pray for God to send out laborers into His harvest? Men and women, Christians who love Jesus Christ so much they will make sacrifices and go out to bless, encourage, to teach, and to evangelize, and share about the Kingdom of God. That's what we need in this country. Not merely people who are willing to call themselves, but Christians willing to be laborers for the purposes of God. Thanks for joining with me in this fast. We're so grateful to you.

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Transcript:
Hi, Matt Bennett here. Thank you so much for joining in the fast. I'm going to read this passage from Psalm 85. It says in verse 4: "Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us! Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?"

That is the cry of our heart during this 40-day fast. Thank you for joining in with us on this. It's February 22nd, Wednesday. Many of us are seeking the Lord and fasting and calling on Him to do this very thing, that He would forgive us, that He would have mercy on us, that we would see the greatest revival in the history of the United States and the West.

I'm so glad you're doing this with us. The Lord is with you as you're doing this. Let's persevere, and hang in there. God bless you.

Sunday, February 19, 2017

Transcript:
Hi, Matt Bennett here. It's Sunday, February 19th. Thank you for joining on this 40-day fast. The Lord is working. He is hearing your prayers. I want to read something from the book of 2 Chronicles. It says here, verse 1, chapter 12, "When the rule of Rehoboam," and he was the son of King Solomon, "was established and he was strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord and all Israel with him."

Now that is the temptation. When things are going good, we abandon the ways of God. This is a problem with America and the West. Things have gotten good, we're doing pretty fine, but our heart and desire to follow the ways of the Lord has grown cold. When this happens, the answer is always the same: to humble ourselves, repent, fast, and seek the Lord. That's what Rehoboam did. He humbled himself and drew close to the Lord. The Lord heard his cry. This is the message of the scriptures: that when we draw near to the Lord, He'll draw near to us.

Your efforts are worth it. As you confess your sins on your behalf, on behalf of the whole nation, of the West, of Christians, that we have not sought the Lord as we have and should have. It makes a difference. Thank you for joining in with me and so many on this. The Lord's hearing your prayers. Thank you and God bless.

Thursday, February 16, 2017

Transcript:
Hi, Matt Bennett here.

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

That's what it says in Hebrews 11:1, and that's what this fast is all about. As we fast and as we seek God, as we pray, pray, pray, we believe God will hear our cries. He will respond. He will bless this nation. He will answer our prayers in every way. Today is the third day of the fast. It's Thursday, February 16th. I'm so glad you're doing this with me and many others. Please, I encourage you to get the most out of this time with God. He hears your prayers, it matters to Him. It's a wonderful, glorious thing to seek the living God. He loves it. We put energy and effort into seeking His face. We are telling Him that He matters to us more than our hunger, more than our need for food. He matters to us, and the Lord loves it. Thanks for being a part.

Monday, February 13, 2017

Transcript:
Matt Bennett here. Today is the first day of the 40-day fast. It's Monday, February 13th. I'm so glad you've joined with me and many others to seek God during these next 40 days. Whatever way the Lord has called you to be a part, whether it's one day a week or the whole 40 days - liquids only, or one meal a day for the 40 days or one day a week…Whatever it is, we're glad that you're with us. The Lord says in Hebrews 11:6 that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. He's a rewarder. As we seek Him, as you seek Him, the Lord hears your prayers.

As you humble yourself through fasting, the Lord is hearing, and He will be responding. We are praying for national change, for national revival. We're praying for God to pour out His spirit across the country. We're also praying for family needs and other different things, but we're doing this together for the sake of this nation and mostly because we love our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for joining in with me. You'll be getting regular email updates during these 40 days. God bless.