Facing Your Future Boldly: A Challenge Not Only to Pastors, but to Everyone

Every pastor is concerned about his future. Some of this concern is due to a deep desire to be where God can use us greatly. At other times, our concern is motivated by fear.

Regardless if one is the pastor of a local church or a committed Christ-follower, the future is always unknown. We are intrigued about the future and always want to know as much as we can about it.

Scripture teaches us that when we come to the end of ourselves, God is ready to step in powerfully and supernaturally with spiritual breakthroughs. This reality gives us boldness, even in uncertain and troubling times. How can you face your future boldly?

Facing the Future with Humility

1 Peter 5:6 says, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time” (italics added). This call from God concerning humility means that we are to lay ourselves low before God, to become insignificant and weak before God. Within the context of the entire Scripture, I believe we do that through prayer and fasting. A decision to fast is a decision to humble yourself before God. If you want to face your future boldly, nothing creates holy, humble boldness more than prayer and fasting.

Facing the Future in Desperation

Ezra 8:21–23 says, “I proclaimed a fast by the Ahava River, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us, our children, and all our possessions… So we fasted and pleaded with our God about this, and He granted our request” (italics added). Desperation is not bad. In fact, I believe God creates it at times within our hearts and lives. I want to challenge you to face your future with desperation for God to work in your life. I believe God will meet you at the point of your desperation for Him.

Facing the Future against All Odds

The drama recorded in 2 Chronicles 20 speaks of how King Jehoshaphat proclaimed a fast so the people would seek the Lord for guidance, direction, and, most of all, protection. They were surrounded by their enemies but against all odds, they prayed and fasted, requesting God to move miraculously. God answered their prayer and saved them by His mighty power. They needed a breakthrough and God gave them one! When you are up against all odds, pray and fast. Do not shy away when the circumstances seem hopeless. That is exactly the kind of situation God loves to move in among us.

Facing the Future with Good Company

King David fasted. God filled him with hope. Jonah fasted. God gave Nineveh a revival. John the Baptist fasted. He preached with power and fire! Jesus fasted. Everywhere He went and everyone He touched were never same. The apostle Paul fasted. No one, other than Jesus, had a greater influence on the church of Jesus Christ not only in his generation but in the generations following. What more do I need to say? If fasting and prayer were good enough for these men, how can you walk away from them? You cannot dismiss prayer and fasting. God calls everyone to practice prayer and fasting, often in different ways and for different times. The issues are not how long, or should I, but when. God wants us to pray and fast.

Facing the Future with Power

In Matthew 17, Jesus told His disciples that if they wanted to move mountains, they would have to believe. Then He shared with them that demonic forces and major obstacles cannot be overcome without prayer and fasting! What an incredible statement. Special power for a specific need comes only through prayer and fasting. What a superb statement and reality taught to us through Jesus’ life. Therefore, when we pray and fast, we face the future with supernatural power! I challenge you right now: face your future with God’s power! Practice it. Do it! When you pray and fast, the powerful presence of God will accompany you and wake up in you like never before.

Now What?

It is more than obvious that God wants you to face your future boldly. In my book The Power of Prayer and Fasting, I share how you can face the future boldly with God.

Whether you read my book or not is not important. But reading God’s book, the Bible, is imperative. You best walk toward your future when you have a Word from God in your heart and a prayer proceeding out of your mouth that stands on this eternal Word of God. This is called faith.

Now is the Time to Lead,

Ronnie W. Floyd