“…Then the Lord shut him in.” – Genesis 7:16 (NIV)
This month, our theme centers around ‘victory,’ which is my prayer for you and your family during this month of fasting and prayer. I pray that you reap a bountiful harvest as you lock yourself into Christ.
I was recently ‘shut in’ at a washroom due to a faulty lock. I panicked since no one else was around, and I had no phone to call someone. My son heard my cry and rescued me. This incident was accidental! But glory be to our God who does nothing by accident and does hear our cry.
God was intentional about shutting Noah into the ark. Genesis 7:1 (NIV) reads: “The LORD then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.” Then verse 16 tells us that “… the Lord shut him in.”
Noah did not panic at being ‘shut in’ because he was prepared with great faith in God and detailed instructions. Like Noah, we are encouraged to prepare correctly to enter into this period of fasting and prayer with a focus on God, His will, and His purpose for us. God wants to shut us in a spiritual womb for incubation, intercession, and transformation. So,
- Pray that the incubation of ideas and solutions will manifest in your life according to God’s will. Be sure to write down your prayer points for family, community, church, and our nations with confidence (1 John 5:15).
- Allow your intercession (Psalm 141:2) to be as sweet incense to the Lord, and that you will not cease in consistency after the fast. Find happiness in reading God’s Word and meditate on it day and night (Psalm 1:2).
- Believe God for a transformation (Romans 12:2) of your personal habits, your family, community, and nation during the 21-day period. Trust Him for agreement (Matthew 18:19).
Your situation today might appear like a flood, but time spent ‘shut in’ with God will transform your circumstance. If you are already on the proverbial Mount Ararat, you need God to sustain you. Either way, He gives a guarantee of victory in His edict to us all:
“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest,…will never cease.” (Genesis 8:22 – NIV).
Thank God in advance for the harvest that is to come. Amen!
Read: Genesis 49:25; Matthew 6:6
Bible Reading Guide: Proverbs 1:8-19; Matthew 6:25-34; Matthew 7:1-23; Genesis 17; Genesis 18
