Day 2: Clean Hands, Pure Hearts | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026
Day 2: Clean Hands, Pure Hearts On Day 2 of our prayer and fasting journey, we turn to Psalm 24. Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? We explore why true spiritual authority comes not from fame or gifting, but from clean hands and a pure heart.
Day 2: Clean Hands, Pure Hearts
Week 1: Awakening & Consecration
“Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.”
Our verse for today speaks about access to the presence of God. The "mountain of the Lord" and "His holy place" are pictures of intimacy, worship, and spiritual authority. David asks a simple question: Who can stand there? The answer is surprising. It is not "the most gifted" or "the most famous," but the one with clean hands and a pure heart.
Outward Actions and Inward Motives
Clean hands speak of outward actions. Pure hearts speak of inward motives. Much of modern Christianity focuses on gifting and platform, but Scripture focuses on holiness and integrity.
In his book Pigs in the Parlour, Frank and Ida Mae Hammond emphasise that deliverance and spiritual warfare are not just about casting out demons; they are closely linked to repentance, forgiveness, and obedience. Dirty hands and divided hearts give the enemy room to operate. Clean hands and pure hearts close the door.
Honesty Over Perfection
This is not a call to perfectionism. It is a call to honesty. A pure heart is not a heart that never struggles; it is a heart that refuses to hide. It is quick to repent, quick to forgive, and quick to obey. A person with clean hands is not someone who has never sinned, but someone who keeps bringing their life under the blood of Jesus and walks in the light.
In his book Shaping History Through Prayer and Fasting, Derek Prince shows how nations shift when God’s people humble themselves, confess their sins, and pray from a place of integrity. He writes that God is looking for "men and women with clean hands and pure hearts" who can stand before Him on behalf of their land. That is what I long for in ANCC.
A Safe Place for Restoration
We say we are a church of refuge and restoration, a place where people find a relationship with God instead of religion. That means we must be willing to live openly before God ourselves. As He cleanses our hearts and hands, we become safe people for others to open up to. Consequently, our prayers for Britain carry greater weight in the Spirit.
Let Us Pray
Holy Spirit, search me. I do not want to live with dirty hands or a divided heart. Show me any sin, compromise, or idol I have tolerated. I bring it into the light and ask for cleansing through the blood of Jesus.
Teach me to live honestly before You and before others. Make ANCC a house of clean hands and pure hearts, so that we can stand in Your presence and pray with authority for our families, our town, and our nation. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Day 1: Wake Up, Church! | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026
Day 1: Wake Up, Church! Join us as we begin our 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting. Today, we answer the urgent call to wake up from spiritual slumber. It is time to move beyond comfort and autopilot living to embrace a holy alertness for the sake of our church and our nation.
Day 1: Wake Up, Church!
Week 1: Awakening & Consecration
“This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
The verse Paul quotes here acts like a trumpet blast into a sleepy church. It is vital to note that this is addressed to believers, not unbelievers. It is entirely possible to belong to Jesus yet spiritually doze off. We can carry the Holy Spirit within us yet live as if the most important things in life are comfort, entertainment, and success.
The Danger of Spiritual Sleep
In his book The Pursuit of God, A. W. Tozer writes that God is always present, yet many believers are "unaware of His presence" because they are dulled in heart. That is precisely what spiritual sleep looks like. We still attend church and we might still serve, but our inner fire is low. We are more moved by a football result or a social media notification than by the Word of God or the lostness of people around us.
The Holy Spirit is calling ANCC to wake up. This is not a call to panic; it is a call to holy alertness. Ephesians 5 continues by discussing how to live wisely, how to make the most of every opportunity, and how to understand the Lord’s will.
What Does "Waking Up" Mean?
Waking up requires a shift in perspective.
Recognising the Time: It means acknowledging that time is short, eternity is real, and our lives matter.
Understanding the Battle: It means understanding that Britain is not just in a political crisis; it is in a spiritual battle. Families, young people, schools, and workplaces are contested ground.
Responding to the Spirit: In his book Why Revival Tarries, Leonard Ravenhill points out that the greatest tragedy is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer.
Many revivals throughout history stalled simply because the church became content with less of God. We must not let that happen to us. I believe the Lord is igniting a fresh cry in us to say, "Revive us again."
A Call to Refuge and Restoration
ANCC is called to be a place of refuge and restoration. We must be a house that is hungry for God and righteousness, not merely a sleepy religious club. When we wake up, others will find a place to wake up too.
As we begin these 21 days, let us invite the light of Christ to shine on us. Let us not focus just on "the nation" or "the church out there," but on ourselves. Let Him show us where we have drifted into spiritual autopilot. Let Him wake us up to prayer, to His Word, to the needs around us, and to the reality of spiritual warfare.
Let Us Pray
Lord Jesus, I hear Your call. Wake me up from spiritual sleep. Forgive me for living on autopilot and for treating eternal things as if they are optional. Shine Your light on my heart and expose anything that dulls my hunger and silences my prayer.
Let these 21 days mark a turning point in my life and in ANCC. Wake us up as a church family so that Your light can shine through us to Britain and the nations. In Your precious name I pray. Amen.