Day 11, Thursday: The Destroyer Of Death

by Pastor Brian Petak

“In His praying, as well as in every aspect of life, Jesus was consciously seeking the glory of His Father. That is why He could say at the end of His ministry, ‘I have glorified You on the earth’ (John 17:4).“

~ Henry Blackaby, Experiencing Prayer With Jesus, p. 135

Meditation

Think about what Jesus did for you as you read this out loud:

He was laid down upon that rocky floor; but only to rest there for a day. For that tomb was his first earthly resting-place; all before that was weariness. Having rested there for a short season, he rises; and with renewed strength, into which hereafter no element of weariness can enter, he resumes his work.

He has not been carried off, either by friend or enemy;
he has been raised by the Father, as the righteous One;
the fulfiller of his purpose; the finisher of his work;
the destroyer of death; the conqueror of him who has the power of death;
the Father’s beloved Son, in whom he is well pleased.

This true temple has been destroyed, only to be rebuilt in greater and more undecaying magnificence. This true Siloam has only for three days intermitted the flow of its missioned waters, that it might gush forth in larger fulness. This true Sun has only for three days been darkened, that it might be relighted in its incorruptible glory.

Horatius Bonar, 19th Century Scottish Pastor & Hymnwriter – Edinburgh, Scotland.

Call to Worship

Hear God call you to worship through his word:

 ²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength^[b] of my heart and my portion forever.

Psalm 73:25-26

Adoration

Pray this praise to God:

None other Lamb, none other Name,
None other hope in Heav’n or earth or sea,
None other hiding place from guilt and shame,
None beside Thee!

My faith burns low, my hope burns low;
Only my heart’s desire cries out in me
By the deep thunder of its want and woe,
Cries out to Thee.

Lord, Thou art Life, though I be dead;
Love’s fire Thou art, however cold I be:
Nor Heav’n have I, nor place to lay my head,
Nor home, but Thee.

~ Christina Georgina Rossetti, 19th Century English Poet & Devotional Writer – London, England

Confession of Sin

Confess your sins to God:

“I cast myself at the foot of the cross, bewailing my exceeding sinfulness and unprofitableness deeply, most deeply aggravated by the infinity of my mercies. I plead your precious promises, and earnestly pray to you to shed abroad in my heart more love, more humility, more faith, more hope, more peace and joy; in short, to fill me with all the fullness of God, and make me more worthy to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light. Then shall I also be better in all the relations of life in which I am now so defective, and my light will shine before men, and I shall adorn the doctrine of my Savior in all things. Amen”

~ William Wilberforce, 18th Century British Parliamentarian & Abolitionist – London, England

Assurance of Pardon

Receive these words of comfort from God:

⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, ⁴⁶ and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, ⁴⁷ and that repentance for^[c] the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Luke 24:45-47

Prayer of Intercession

As you make your requests to God, pray this prayer:

“Lord, we ask You to impress upon us a deep sense of the importance of eternity. May we be looking continually to the end of our course, and, remember how soon all in which we here delight shall pass away forever, may we prepare to give our account of all things done in the body; and day by day may we have our conversation in heaven, moderating our affections toward the things of this world, and living here below a life of faith in the Son of God. Amen.”

~ Henry Thornton, 18th Century British Parliamentarian & Abolitionist (with William Wilberforce)

Further Petition

Pray for:

• Personal: pray that the Lord will continue to guide you in Christ-like humility and dependence on the Father.
• Church: pray for those who are using Ascent’s facility today, like Bible Study Fellowship, Tri-Lakes School Ministries, Al Anon and several Bible studies.
• Community: pray for those in our community struggling with emotional stress and mental health issues – that they would turn to the only real source of hope in this world, Jesus Christ.
• World: pray for those around the world struggling in poverty and hunger, and that the church worldwide would care for those within their reach with the hope of the Gospel.

Connect the Heart

Consider the following questions to better connect your head and your heart:

1. What did God show you about Himself through today’s devotional?
2. What did God show you about yourself through today’s devotional?
3. What is something you need to surrender to God today as you pursue greater intimacy with Him?

Benediction

As you close your time of meditation and devotion, receive by faith this blessing from God:

¹⁴ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

2 Corinthians 13:14

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_{Content for our 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting devotionals is adapted from several sources, books on prayer, meditations and liturgies, drawing heavily from O Sacred Head, Now Wounded by Jonathan Gibson (copyright 2024 by Crossway)}