“The biggest reason for why God asks us to pray – a reason we can’t avoid – is this: Scripture insists that God has hard-wired the universe in such a way that He works primarily through prayer. God has set up creation so that the way He does His work is through the prayers of His children. At the moment we pray, we become subject to the most powerful force in the universe.”

DAVID JEREMIAH, THE PRAYER MATRIX, p. 44 

Daily Devotionals: Ascent’s Mission – Loving God, Loving People and Impacting Our World. Each day’s devotional will guide us through a scriptural thought based on the mission God has called us to follow. 

We want to encourage you to grab a journal or a notebook – something to write on as you walk through each prayer guide or devotional. Yes, it will add a few minutes to the time it takes to do the devotion, and it will also deepen your experience and shape your walk with God for years to come. This journal or notebook will be a keepsake to remind you of God’s faithfulness during this challenging season for all of us. Each devotion will take less than ten minutes of your time. 

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Engage the Word

Read Psalm 18:1-6

¹    I love you, O Lord, my strength.

²    The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,

my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

³    I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,

and I am saved from my enemies.

⁴    The cords of death encompassed me;

the torrents of destruction assailed me;

⁵    the cords of Sheol entangled me;

the snares of death confronted me.

⁶    In my distress I called upon the Lord;

to my God I cried for help.

From his temple he heard my voice,

and my cry to him reached his ears.

Connect the Heart

Psalm 18 is a thanksgiving song for a royal victory, penned by the psalmist David after being rescued from the hands of his enemy, King Saul. Saul wanted David dead, and he relentlessly pursued David, his eventual successor. The psalmist begins by expressing his love for his strong God (v. 1) and offers a series of metaphors of divine protection (v. 2). David illustrates God’s strength and protection by rehearsing his rescue in the face of an onslaught of difficulties, dangers and challenges

Rather than beginning with an account of his rescue, David opens with an affirmation of his love for God. Usually, the verb translated love in verse 1 is used only to refer to the mercy and compassion God demonstrates towards humans. Here, however, the term expresses the psalmist’s deep feelings towards God, as he reflects on God’s acts of protection and provision. Though King Saul was incessantly pursuing the future king David to kill him,  David’s love for God never wavered, in spite of his often dire circumstances.

Reflect on the Truth

1. Think about a time – either in the past or present – when you could say it felt like you were being pursued by an enemy (real or perceived). Remember the circumstances. Remind yourself of the feelings and emotions. Now, re-read Psalm 18:1-3 reflectively, two more times, in light of these feelings and circumstances. How has God been your deliverer?
2. Are you able – like King David – to say “I love you, O LORD, my strength” even in the face of these circumstances? Why or why not?
3. The Bible says we are able to love because He first loved us. What is the basis for your love for God?

Depend on the Spirit

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see the deeper longings, desires or motives in your heart that those thoughts are pointing to. (For example: you may write down, “My life circumstances always seem to be getting the best of me. I want to be able to say ‘I love you, Lord’ – but I need to sense you’re near me and walking with me in this.”) The Lord can help us discern the path forward – through His word, His Spirit, His people.

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For Prayer:
Today, pray for our Ascent Church family – that each man, woman, student and child will grow deeper spiritually in this season as we seek the heart of the Father together

Fasting
Please read the first blog post entitled “Why Fast?” This explains what fasting is and why we follow Jesus in this spiritual discipline as together we seek the heart of God.

 

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 Some parts of our 21 Days devotionals are adapted using various resources on scripture and prayer like Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, The New Bible Commentary, Logos Bible Software and other resources.