The Danger of Second-hand Armour: Be Yourself
When David prepared to fight Goliath, he had to take off the king's heavy armour because it didn't fit. Discover why God cannot use a fake version of you, but He can do amazing things when you are simply yourself.
“Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. ‘I cannot go in these,’ he said to Saul, ‘because I am not used to them.’ So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.”
We all know the story of David and Goliath. We know about the giant, the stone, and the victory. But before David ever stepped onto the battlefield, he had to win a different kind of battle. He had to win the battle for his own identity.
When David volunteered to fight, King Saul tried to help. He dressed David in his own royal tunic and put a bronze helmet on his head. It must have looked very impressive. After all, it was the King's own gear. It was shiny, expensive, and powerful. But there was one big problem. It wasn't David.
David walked around and realised immediately that he couldn't fight in it. It was too heavy. It was clunky. As Mark Batterson writes in Soulprint, "David could have gone into battle dressed like a king... But David said, 'I cannot go in these, because I am not used to them.' So he took them off".
If David had walked into that valley wearing Saul’s armour, he likely would have lost. He wasn't trained as a swordsman. He was a shepherd. He would have been tripping over the tunic while Goliath moved in for the kill. To win, David had to be David.
I wonder if you are wearing someone else's armour today.
We do this all the time without realising it. We put on the heavy expectations of other people. Maybe you are trying to live out a career path your parents chose for you, but it doesn't fit your heart. Maybe you are leading a team at work and trying to copy your boss's loud, aggressive style, even though God made you a quiet, thoughtful encourager. Maybe you are scrolling through social media, feeling the pressure to dress or act like the "perfect" people you see online.
This is what Batterson calls living a "second-hand life". It is exhausting. It wears us out because we are carrying weight we were never designed to carry. We think that if we just act like someone more successful or more spiritual, God will use us more. But the opposite is true.
God cannot use a fake version of you. He can only use the real you.
Batterson puts it brilliantly when he says, "God isn’t going to ask, 'Why weren’t you more like Billy Graham or Mother Teresa?'... God is going to ask, 'Why weren’t you more like you?'".
It takes a lot of courage to take off the armour. It feels safer to hide behind a mask or a title. When David took off the armour, he felt vulnerable. He was just a boy with a shepherd's stick and five smooth stones. It didn't look like much to the world, but it was exactly what God needed. God didn't need a second-rate soldier; He needed a first-rate shepherd.
What is in your hand today? It might seem small. It might seem simple. But if it is who God made you to be, it is enough. You owe it to the One who designed you to be yourself. So, take a deep breath. Unbuckle the heavy expectations of others. Put down the mask.
Be you. That is who God loves, and that is who God will use to bring down giants.
Prayer of the Day:
Dear Lord, thank You for making me unique. Forgive me for the times I have tried to hide behind a mask or wear armour that doesn't fit me. Help me to put down the heavy weight of other people's expectations. Give me the courage to be the person You created me to be. I trust that what You have given me is enough for the battles I face. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Day 9: Cry for Mercy | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026
Day 9: Cry for Mercy On Day 9, we focus on the famous promise of 2 Chronicles 7:14. We learn that national healing starts with the Church, not the government. We explore the four steps God requires of His people: humility, prayer, seeking His face, and turning from sin.
Day 9: Cry for Mercy
Week 2: Intercession & Warfare
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
This is one of the most quoted verses on revival and national healing, yet it is easy to miss the depth of what God is saying. Notice that the focus is not first on "the world," but on "my people." The key to national healing does not start with parliament; it begins with the Church.
Four Movements of the Heart
There are four specific movements found in this verse:
Humble themselves: We recognise that we cannot fix ourselves, our churches, or our nation. We renounce pride and self-reliance.
Pray: We speak to God about our condition instead of just complaining to each other.
Seek my face: We pursue God Himself, not just His blessings. It is about the relationship rather than just the results.
Turn from their wicked ways: We repent of any sin and compromise, both personally and corporately.
The Promise of Healing
Then there is a threefold response from God: He will hear, forgive, and heal. Derek Prince often pointed out that this verse is a conditional promise. If we do our part in humility, prayer, seeking, and turning, God stands ready to do His part. Prince highlighted that God’s "healing" includes spiritual, moral, and even national restoration.
In his book Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, Jim Cymbala shares how his church discovered that if they would truly seek God together, He would come and do more than they could ever organise. The key again and again was honesty, humility, and desperate prayer. Revival did not come through clever ideas, but through broken hearts crying for mercy.
Standing for the Nation
As ANCC, we love our nation. We also see its brokenness. There is confusion in identity, crisis in families, pressure on mental health, and deep spiritual emptiness. It is easy to feel overwhelmed or cynical.
But God is still the same. He still hears. He still forgives. He still heals. Our job is to humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from any wicked ways in our own lives and in the Church.
Let Us Pray
Father, we come before You as Your people, called by Your name. We humble ourselves. We admit that we cannot fix ourselves or this nation. We confess our pride, our prayerlessness, and our compromise.
We seek Your face, not just Your hand. We turn from our wicked ways. Have mercy on us. Hear from heaven, forgive our sin, and heal our land. Start in us at ANCC, then move across Britain and the nations. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Day 8: Watchmen on the Walls | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026
Day 8: Watchmen on the Walls On Day 8, we step into Week 2: Intercession & Warfare. Isaiah 62 calls us to be watchmen who give God no rest until His promises are established. Learn what it means to stand on the spiritual walls for your family, your church, and the nation.
Day 8: Watchmen on the Walls
Week 2: Intercession & Warfare
“I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.”
God Himself says He has posted watchmen on the walls. Watchmen are people who stay spiritually awake. They are positioned to see what others do not see and to respond before danger arrives. In ancient cities, the watchman’s job was a matter of life and death. If they slept, the city suffered.
Giving God No Rest
In these verses, God speaks of watchmen who "never be silent day or night." He invites them to "give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest." This is a powerful picture of intercession. God is actually asking His people to bother Him, to keep coming, and to keep reminding Him of His promises until what He has said is fully established.
Books on intercessory prayer remind us that this is not nagging a reluctant God. Dutch Sheets writes that intercession is partnering with God, adding our "amen" to His heart for people and nations. Wesley Duewel speaks of "mighty prevailing prayer" as prayer that refuses to let go. This is not because God is hard, but because the battle is real and persistence matters.
A Call to Arise
At the "Battle for Britain" conference, we heard a call for watchmen to arise across this land. This was not just a call for famous intercessors, but for ordinary believers in local churches to watch over their towns, schools, families, and churches in prayer.
I believe ANCC is called to be such a watchman church. Our declaration says we are "committed to prayer and dependent upon the Holy Spirit." That must be more than a line. It must be a lifestyle.
Accepting Responsibility
To be a watchman is to accept responsibility in the Spirit. It is to say, "Lord, I will not be silent over my family. I will not be silent over my street. I will not be silent over Britain. I will keep lifting my voice until Your will is done."
This is not about praying 24 hours a day; it is about living with an ongoing readiness to pray and a consistent commitment to stand on the walls in the Spirit.
Let Us Pray
Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the One who posts watchmen on the walls. I offer myself to You today. Make me a faithful watchman, not a sleepy one.
Wake me up to what You are doing and to what the enemy is trying to do. Teach me to stand my ground in prayer for my family, my church, my town, and this nation. Make ANCC a watchman church that will not be silent until Your purposes are established. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Day 7 – Hungry for More | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026
Day 7: Hungry for More On Day 7, we reflect on the promise in Matthew 5:6 that those who hunger for righteousness will be filled. We explore why spiritual appetite is a sign of health and share a personal lesson on how true hunger is proven in the quiet moments, not just on the public stage.
Day 7: Hungry for More
Week 1: Awakening & Consecration
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
Hunger is a sign of health. When a child loses their appetite, we worry. When a believer loses their spiritual appetite, something is wrong. Jesus does not say, "Blessed are those who have it all together." He says, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness." In other words, the blessing is not only in arriving, but in longing. God calls the hungry blessed, not the self-satisfied.
The Danger of Being "Too Full"
One of the greatest dangers for us as believers is losing our hunger without even noticing. We still come to church. We still say the right words. We still serve. On the outside, nothing looks wrong, but on the inside, the fire has gone low. We are full of other things.
Leonard Ravenhill used to say that the problem in many churches is not that people are too hungry, but that they are too full of the world.
A Lesson from Zambia
When I was on holiday in Zambia, God used that time to ignite a different kind of hunger in me. There was no stage, no microphone, and no conference lights; there were just peaceful moments with a collection of audiobooks and e-books on prayer, spiritual warfare, and deliverance.
As I read and listened to authors like John Ramirez, Derek Prince, Dutch Sheets, and Wesley Duewel, I realised that the more I listened, read, and prayed, the more I understood how much more there is of God than what we often experience each day. In those quiet hours in Zambia, God did more in me than any big meeting ever has. He showed me that true hunger is proven when no one is watching.
Hunger for the Everyday
That same hunger is what I am praying for in ANCC. It is not just about emotional moments in a conference or during a song, but a steady, growing desire for God that follows you into Monday, into your kitchen, your workplace, your college, and your bedroom at night. It is a hunger that says, "Lord, I want You to be first in my life. I want Your presence more than the distractions that used to satisfy me."
Our declaration says we are "hungry for God and righteousness" and "hungry for revival to sweep the world." That begins with hunger in you and in me. Revival does not fall on people who are bored with God. It falls on those who know they cannot live on yesterday’s bread and yesterday’s encounters.
The Promise of Filling
The promise is beautiful: "They will be filled." When you truly hunger and thirst for righteousness, God does not leave you empty. He fills. He satisfies. He draws near to those who draw near to Him.
So, if during these 21 days you become aware of your dryness, do not be discouraged. That awareness itself is a gift. It is God waking you up and saying, "There is more. Come closer." Let that holy dissatisfaction push you towards Him, not away from Him.
Let Us Pray
Lord Jesus, thank You for the promise that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled. I confess that I have been dull and easily satisfied with little.
Stir a deep hunger in me for more of You, Your character, and Your Kingdom. Let ANCC truly be a church hungry for God and righteousness, a house where people are continually filled and transformed. Fill me again and keep me hungry. In Your precious name, Amen.
Day 6: The Fire Must Not Go Out | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026
Day 6: The Fire Must Not Go Out On Day 6, we look at the responsibility of the priest to keep the altar fire burning. God lights the fire, but we must tend it with fresh wood and sacrifice. Discover practical ways to maintain your spiritual passion and why consistency is key to personal and national revival.
Day 6: The Fire Must Not Go Out
Week 1: Awakening & Consecration
“The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat of the fellowship offerings on it. The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.”
When God first lit the fire on the altar in Leviticus, it was supernatural. However, from that moment on, the priests were responsible for tending it. They had to add wood every morning, remove the ash, and stay alert. If they neglected their duty, the fire would die down. This was not because God had changed, but because they had stopped responding.
Tending the Flame
In the same way, many of us can point to times when God lit a fire in our hearts. It might have been a conference, a youth camp, a Sunday service, or a season of breakthrough. The real test is not whether the fire once burned, but whether we have learned to tend it.
In his book Why Revival Tarries, Leonard Ravenhill warns that much of the church has grown "content with a neat little blaze" rather than contending for a holy fire of God’s presence.
How Do We Keep the Fire Burning?
Leviticus hints at two specific requirements.
1. Fresh Wood For us, this looks like daily prayer, daily Word, daily obedience, and daily worship. This is not about legalism; it is about rhythm. Just as a fire needs constant fuel, our spirits need constant input from the Holy Spirit.
2. Sacrifice The burnt offering speaks of surrender. In his book The Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozer speaks of the "blessedness of possessing nothing," which means laying everything on the altar so that nothing competes with God in our hearts. Where there is ongoing surrender, there will be ongoing fire.
Rebuilding the Altars
At the "Battle for Britain" conference, there was a strong sense that God is rebuilding altars of prayer across the nation. ANCC is meant to be one of those altars. Our public gatherings, our prayer meetings, our Life Groups, and our personal lives are all fire points.
The enemy will always try to extinguish the fire through distraction, division, discouragement, and sin. Our job is to resist him and keep putting logs on the altar.
Let Us Pray
Heavenly Father, thank You that You lit the fire in my heart. I do not want it to go out. Forgive me where I have neglected the altar and where I have let ashes build up and logs run out.
Teach me, by Your Spirit, how to build a daily rhythm of seeking You. Help me to offer myself afresh as a living sacrifice. Let ANCC be a house where Your fire burns day and night, a refuge for the weary, and a sending place for the called. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Day 5: Holiness Unto the Lord | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026
Day 5: Holiness Unto the Lord On Day 5, we explore the call to be holy as God is holy. We discover that holiness is not a heavy burden but an invitation to belong. Learn how being set apart protects us in spiritual warfare and why practical holiness is vital for the life of our church.
Day 5: Holiness Unto the Lord
Week 1: Awakening & Consecration
“For it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am Holy.’”
In today's verse, the apostle Peter quotes from Leviticus. He reminds believers that holiness is not an Old Testament idea we can now ignore. It is rooted in the very nature of God. He is Holy. That means He is utterly pure, set apart, beautiful in character, and completely free from sin. When He saves us, He does not just forgive our past; He calls us to share His character.
Belonging and Desire
In a world that mocks holiness, this call can feel heavy. But holiness is really about belonging. To be holy is to be "set apart" for God. In his book The Pursuit of God, Tozer notes that the pure in heart are those who have "one supreme desire" that rules all other desires. Holiness is not about never enjoying anything. It is about wanting God more than anything and letting that desire shape our choices.
Protection in Warfare
Holiness also protects us in spiritual warfare. In his book Demons and Deliverance, Hammond points out that Jesus could say, "The prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me." There was nothing in Jesus that agreed with the devil’s nature.
In Christ, we are declared righteous, but we are also called to live out that righteousness in practice. When we stubbornly cling to sin, we give the enemy footholds. When we walk in holiness, those footholds are removed.
Practical Holiness at ANCC
Holiness in ANCC must be practical. It affects every area of our lives:
How we speak to our spouses and children.
How we handle conflict.
How we steward money.
How leaders lead.
How members behave when no one is watching.
What we watch, how we joke, and what we applaud.
Our vision is to be a place where people are always growing in their faith, aiming to improve every aspect of their lives, and getting closer to God. Holiness is at the heart of that growth.
Empowered by Grace
This call is not meant to crush you. God never commands what He is not ready to empower. The Holy Spirit lives in you to write God’s law on your heart and to produce fruit like love, joy, peace, and self-control. He is there to help you say "no" to sin. When you fail, you run to the cross, not away from it. When you stand, you thank His grace.
Let Us Pray
Heavenly Father, thank You that You are both holy and full of love. You do not call me into cold religion, but into a life that reflects Your character. I ask You to make me holy in my thoughts, words, and actions.
Where I have treated sin lightly, convict me. Where I have felt condemned and hopeless, encourage me. Let ANCC be a holy church, not self-righteous, but honestly set apart for You. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Day 4: Purge the Compromise | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026
Day 4: Purge the Compromise On Day 4, we address the subtle danger of compromise. 2 Corinthians 6 calls us to "come out and be separate" not to isolate us, but to draw us closer to the Father. We explore the need for spiritual discernment in a culture of trends and how to keep our hearts distinct for God.
Day 4: Purge the Compromise
Week 1: Awakening & Consecration
“Therefore, ‘Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.’ And, ‘I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.’”
In today’s verse, the apostle Paul is writing to believers in a very spiritual city. Corinth was full of idols, temples, and immorality. The danger for the church was not that they would suddenly deny Jesus, but that little by little they would blend in. God’s people have always faced this same danger. The enemy rarely starts with open rebellion; he usually starts with a subtle compromise.
To be separate does not mean we move out of the world or cut off from people. It means we live differently in the middle of the world. Our values, our choices, our loves, and our loyalties belong to Jesus. We do not play with what God calls unclean and then expect to walk in clear authority.
The Need for Discernment
In his book Armed and Dangerous, John Ramirez talks about a demonic ceremony he once took part in where a bucket of ice-cold water was poured over a person from head to toe as part of sealing a spiritual contract. Years later, when the Ice Bucket Challenge exploded worldwide, he was shocked at how closely it resembled that ritual and by how quickly many of us in the Church joined in without even asking the Holy Spirit.
I must be honest; we did the same at home. Our children took part, we laughed, filmed it, and shared it, thinking it was just harmless fun for a good cause. At the time, I never stopped to ask, "Lord, what is behind this, and does it honour You?" Reading Ramirez’s story really challenged me. It was a wake-up call about how easily the enemy can slip things into our lives through trends and viral challenges.
Living Awake
That story does not mean we live in fear of everything. It does remind us that we must live awake. There is a real spiritual battle, and the devil is happy to dress things up as charity, entertainment, or tradition, as long as they slowly dull our discernment and open little cracks in the walls of our lives.
At the "Battle for Britain" conference, there was a strong call to "divorce" unholy alliances and practices that have become normal in our culture. That might be involvement in:
Horoscopes and fortune telling
Occult games
Pornography
Unforgiveness
Entertainment that glorifies darkness
Many of these things are laughed off in society, but they grieve the Holy Spirit. When we "touch" them, we cannot expect to walk in clear authority.
The Promise of Intimacy
God’s call is strong, but look at the promise attached to it. When we choose separation from what is unclean, He says, "I will be a Father to you." Separation is not God pushing us away. It is God drawing us closer. When we let go of what grieves His heart, we experience more of His love, His nearness, and His fatherly care.
As a church that wants to be a place of refuge and restoration, we must take this seriously. People should be able to walk into ANCC and find a different atmosphere. A clean house. Not perfection, but a people who are willing to repent, to learn, and to let the Holy Spirit put His finger on anything that does not belong.
A Challenge for Today
There may be things God starts to highlight to you in these 21 days. Certain habits, music, films, parties, traditions, or spiritual practices that you have never really questioned. Do not respond with fear or stubbornness. Ask Him honestly, "Lord, does this honour You, or is this a place of compromise in my life?" He is a good Father. He will show you.
Let Us Pray
Father, I thank You that You love me and You want me close. I hear Your call to come out and be separate. I do not want to live in mixture. Holy Spirit, shine Your light on any area of compromise in my life.
Show me where I have allowed the culture to shape me more than Your Word. Give me courage to say no to what is unclean and yes to Your ways. Draw me close as Your child and make ANCC a clean, safe house for Your presence and for people who need refuge and restoration. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Day 3: Repentance Brings Revival | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026
Day 3: Repentance Brings Revival On Day 3, we look at Joel 2 and the powerful connection between fasting, repentance, and restoration. Fasting is not merely a diet; it is an altar where we rend our hearts before God. Discover how true repentance reopens the flow of the Spirit in our lives and our church.
Day 3: Repentance Brings Revival
Week 1: Awakening & Consecration
““Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.”
In our verse for today, Joel speaks into a time of national crisis. The land is devastated, the people are shaken, and God calls them not just to fix their behaviour, but to return to Him "with all your heart." He connects this return with fasting. Fasting is a way of saying, "Lord, I am taking this seriously. I am humbling myself. I am making room."
An Altar, Not a Diet
Jentezen Franklin calls fasting a "discipline God expects". We see in Joel 2 that when God’s people fasted and returned, restoration and revival followed. However, the key was not the outward act alone. God says, "Rend your heart and not your garments." He is not impressed by religious performance. He looks for hearts that are genuinely broken over sin and genuinely hungry for Him.
These 21 days are not a diet. They are an altar. As we fast, we are not trying to twist God’s arm; we are letting Him soften our hearts. We are saying, "Lord, I do not want to live on the edge of Your will. I want to return with all my heart." This includes repentance for personal sin, as well as standing before God on behalf of our church and our nation, admitting where we have drifted from His ways.
The Doorway to Intimacy
Repentance is not a harsh word. It is a beautiful word. It is the doorway back into intimacy. In his book Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, Jim Cymbala shares how the Brooklyn Tabernacle saw God move dramatically as people repented and cried out to God together. He notes that the church did not need better programmes first; it needed humility, honesty, and a return to seeking God in prayer. That pattern runs through every true revival.
Clearing the Pipes
At ANCC, our mission is to help people connect, grow, and use their God-given potential to make Jesus known. That mission is crippled when we live in unrepentant sin or quiet compromise. Repentance reopens the flow of grace and power. It clears the pipes so the water of the Spirit can run freely again.
Let Us Pray
Gracious Father, thank You that You call me to return, not to run away. I come back to You with all my heart. I repent of my sin, my pride, my compromise, and my unbelief. I also stand in the gap for my family, for ANCC, and for Britain.
We have not honoured You as we should. Please have mercy on us. Let true repentance mark these 21 days. Where there has been dryness and devastation, bring restoration and revival. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
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.
Day 25: God With Us, God in Us
Happy Christmas! Today we celebrate the arrival of Jesus, but the story doesn't end in the stable. On Day 25, we unwrap the mystery that changes everything: Christ in you.
The Best Gift of All: From the Manger to the Heart
Pastor Rasol Manouchehri Ardakani - 25 December 2025
“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Merry Christmas!
We have finally arrived. The waiting is over. The candles are all lit, the carols are being sung, and hopefully, you are surrounded by the warmth of the season. Whether you are reading this amidst a pile of wrapping paper, in a quiet moment before the turkey goes in the oven, or perhaps feeling a bit lonely on this big day, I want to wish you a truly blessed Christmas.
For the last twenty-four days, we have been tracing a single thread through history. We started in the garden with a promise. We walked with Abraham, waited with the prophets, and stood in the stable with the shepherds. The theme has been constant: God is with us.
But today, on Christmas Day, I want to take you one step further.
The Apostle Paul talks about a "mystery" that was hidden for ages but is now revealed. This mystery is the climax of the entire Christmas story. It isn't just "God with us." It is "Christ in you."
This is a breathtaking shift.
"God with us" is amazing. It is the comfort of a friend walking beside us. It is the security of a Shepherd leading us. But "God in us" is transformational. It means that the baby born in Bethlehem didn't just come to live among us; He came to live within us.
When you put your trust in Jesus, the Spirit of the Living God takes up residence in your heart. You become the stable. You become the place where His glory dwells.
This changes how we face tomorrow. The decorations will come down. The tree will be packed away. January will arrive with its grey skies and routine. But you will not be facing it alone, or even just with a helper standing nearby. You will be facing it with the power of the Risen Christ living inside you.
Paul calls this "the hope of glory."
Hope in the Bible isn't wishful thinking. It isn't crossing your fingers and hoping for the best. It is a solid, concrete assurance. Because Christ is in you, you have the guarantee of a future that is glorious. It means that no matter what this next year throws at you, you have an inner resource that can never be depleted. You have His peace, His strength, and His love woven into your very DNA.
So, as you celebrate today, enjoy the gifts. Enjoy the food. Enjoy the company. But remember that the greatest gift isn't under the tree. The greatest gift is the One who has made His home in your heart.
The distance is gone. The separation is over. God is with us. God is for us. And, most miraculously of all, God is in us.
Have a wonderful Christmas.
Prayer of the Day:
Lord Jesus, we praise You today as our Saviour, our King, and our Friend. Thank You for the journey we have been on this Advent. We are blown away by the truth that You chose to live in us. May this reality change us from the inside out. As we celebrate today, fill us with Your deep joy and help us to carry the light of Christmas into the coming year. We love You, Lord. Amen.
Day 24: God With Us Forever
Christmas Eve is full of anticipation, but the best gift is one that will last forever. On Day 24, we open the ultimate promise of God’s eternal presence.
The Promise That Never Expires: A Christmas Eve Assurance
Pastor Rasol Manouchehri Ardakani - 24 December 2025
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”
Happy Christmas Eve!
We have made it. The chocolates in the calendar are almost gone. The presents are (hopefully) wrapped and under the tree. The fridge is stocked, and there is a hum of excitement in the air that you can almost touch. For children, tonight is the longest night of the year as they wait for morning. For adults, it is often a moment to finally sit down, breathe, and look at the lights.
On this holy night, as we stand on the edge of Christmas, I want to leave you with a promise that will last long after the decorations come down.
Throughout this series, we have looked at how God was with His people in the garden, in the desert, and in the manger. But the question that often haunts us is: "Will He stay?"
We live in a world where "forever" is a rare thing. People leave. Sometimes they move away for work. Sometimes relationships break down. Sometimes, tragically, death separates us from the ones we love. We are used to things ending. We are used to saying goodbye.
Because of this, many of us carry a deep, often unspoken fear of abandonment. We worry that if we mess up, or if we aren't interesting enough, or if life gets too hard, we will be left on our own.
But the writer of Hebrews gives us a promise from God that acts like an anchor for our souls: "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
In the original Greek language, this sentence is packed with double negatives. It is emphatic. It is like God is saying, "No, I will not leave you; no, never, ever." He wants to remove every single shred of doubt from our minds.
It is interesting that this promise is linked to contentment. The verse starts by telling us not to love money. Why? Because money offers a false sense of security. We think that if we have enough in the bank, we will be safe. But money can disappear. Markets can crash. Wallets can be stolen.
God offers a better security. He offers His permanent presence.
This means that the "God With Us" we celebrate at Christmas is not a seasonal visitor. He doesn't just turn up for the festivities and then disappear when January hits and the credit card bills arrive. He is committed to you. He is with you for the highs, the lows, and the boring bits in between.
As you go to bed tonight, perhaps with the excitement of tomorrow bubbling away, let this truth settle deep in your heart. You have a Friend who sticks closer than a brother. You have a Father who will never pack His bags and walk out on you.
Tomorrow we celebrate His arrival, but tonight we celebrate His staying power. He is here, and He is not going anywhere.
Prayer of the Day:
Father God, on this Christmas Eve, we are so grateful for the gift of Your presence. Thank You that You are not a temporary guest in our lives but a permanent resident. We praise You for the promise that You will never, ever leave us. As we sleep tonight, quiet our hearts with the knowledge that we are safe in Your hands, now and forever. Amen.
Day 22: God With Us in Salvation
Jesus didn't come to start a club for perfect people. On Day 22, we find out who He was really looking for and why that is such good news for us.
Lost and Found: The Mission of the Messiah
Pastor Rasol Manouchehri Ardakani - 22 December 2025
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Welcome to Day 22.
We are getting very close to Christmas now. As we look at the nativity scenes in our churches and homes, it is easy to get distracted by the "how" of Christmas. We marvel at how the star moved, how the angels sang, and how the virgin conceived. But today, Jesus tells us the "why."
Why did He come? Why did He leave the comfort of heaven for the dust of earth?
He gives us His mission statement in one short sentence: He came to seek and to save the lost.
He speaks these words in the house of a man named Zacchaeus. If you went to Sunday School, you probably remember Zacchaeus as the "wee little man" who climbed a sycamore tree. But to the people of Jericho, he wasn't a character in a children's song. He was a traitor. He was a chief tax collector who grew rich by cooperating with the Roman occupiers and ripping off his own neighbours. He was likely the most hated man in the city.
When Jesus walked through Jericho, He could have chosen to stay with the mayor, or the local rabbi, or a respected business leader. Instead, He stopped at the tree, looked up, and invited Himself to Zacchaeus’s house for tea. The crowd was horrified. They muttered, "He has gone to be the guest of a sinner."
They didn't get it. They thought the Messiah came to congratulate the righteous. Jesus had to explain that He came to rescue the unrighteous.
Think about the feeling of losing something valuable. Maybe you have lost your keys, your wallet, or—God forbid—you have momentarily lost sight of your child in a busy supermarket. In that moment, your heart stops. You don't casually look around; you search frantically. You retrace your steps. You ignore everything else because the mission to find what is lost becomes the only thing that matters.
That is how God feels about you.
The Bible doesn't describe us as "rebels" who need to be crushed, but as "lost" things that need to be found. Being lost is a terrible feeling. It means you are disconnected from where you belong. You are vulnerable, confused, and unable to find your way home.
The beauty of the phrase "God With Us" is that He didn't wait for us to find our way back to Him. We couldn't. We were too lost. So, He came on a search and rescue mission. He entered the enemy territory of sin and death to track us down.
Salvation is not about us climbing a mountain to find God. It is about God coming down the mountain to find us.
So, if you feel far from God today, or if you feel like you have made too many mistakes to be welcome at His table, please read Luke 19:10 again. You are exactly the kind of person Jesus came for. He didn't come for the people who think they have it all together. He came for the lost. And if you let Him, He will find you, just like He found Zacchaeus.
Prayer of the Day:
Lord Jesus, thank You that You are the great Seeker. Thank You that You didn't come for the perfect, but for the lost. We admit that we have wandered away from You and tried to live life on our own terms. We are so grateful that You came to find us. Please come into our hearts today and bring Your salvation, just as You did for Zacchaeus. Amen.
Day 21: God With Us in Peace
The world defines peace as the absence of trouble, but Jesus offers something far better. On Day 21, we learn how to stay calm when the storm is raging.
The Gift You Can't Buy: Finding Peace in the Chaos
Pastor Rasol Manouchehri Ardakani - 20 December 2025
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Welcome to Day 21.
We are now in the final few days before Christmas. By this stage, "peace" might feel like a distant dream. The shops are frantic. The traffic is terrible. Our to-do lists are longer than our arms. We often sing carols about "Silent Night" and "heavenly peace," but our reality is usually noisy, rushing, and slightly stressed.
In our modern world, we tend to define peace as the absence of something. We think we will be at peace when the noise stops, or when the arguments end, or when the bank balance is healthy. We view peace as a fragile vase that sits on a shelf; it looks beautiful, but the slightest knock will shatter it into a thousand pieces.
But in today’s verse, Jesus offers us a very different kind of peace.
He calls it "my peace." This is not a generic sense of calm. It is the specific, robust peace that Jesus Himself experienced. Think about His life. He was constantly surrounded by demands. Crowds pressed in on Him. Religious leaders plotted to kill Him. Even the weather threw storms at Him. Yet, through it all, He remained completely unruffled. He even slept in the back of a boat during a hurricane.
That is the peace He offers to give us. It is not the absence of trouble; it is the presence of God in the middle of the trouble.
Jesus makes a clear distinction: "I do not give to you as the world gives." The world gives peace conditionally. It says, "If everything goes your way, then you can relax." The world’s peace is temporary and external. It depends on everything outside of you being perfect.
Jesus gives peace unconditionally. It is internal. It is a deep, settling anchor for the soul that holds firm regardless of what the weather is doing on the surface.
This is why He commands us, "Do not let your hearts be troubled." That sounds almost impossible, doesn't it? But He isn't telling us to ignore reality or pretend that bad things aren't happening. He is telling us that we have a choice. We can choose to focus on the trouble, or we can choose to focus on the One who is with us.
If you are feeling anxious today, or if your heart is racing with all the things you need to do, stop for a moment. You don't need to escape to a desert island to find peace. You just need to receive the gift Jesus has left for you.
God is with us in peace. He offers a calm that doesn't make logical sense to the people around us. It is a peace that allows us to breathe deeply even when the deadline is looming. It allows us to smile even when the plans fall apart.
So today, stop chasing the world's version of peace. It will always slip through your fingers. Instead, open your hands and accept the peace of Christ. It is yours for the taking.
Prayer of the Day:
Lord Jesus, we are so desperate for Your peace. The world around us is loud and chaotic, and our hearts often feel troubled. Thank You that You offer us a peace that is different from anything the world can give. Please anchor our souls in You today. When the storms come, help us to sleep in the boat like You did, trusting completely in the Father’s care. We receive Your peace now. Amen.
Day 20: God With Us in His Presence
John doesn't give us shepherds or kings; he gives us a cosmic explosion of truth. On Day 20, we explore what it means that God pitched His tent among us.
The God Who Moved In Next Door: Glory in the Ordinary
Pastor Rasol Manouchehri Ardakani - 20 December 2025
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Welcome to Day 20.
We are now into the final stretch of our Advent journey.
If you have been reading through the Gospels during this season, you might have noticed that John is very different from Luke or Matthew. He doesn't mention shepherds, he doesn't mention wise men, and he doesn't even mention a manger. Instead, he starts with a cosmic poem. He zooms right out to the beginning of time and then zooms in on one earth-shattering fact: The Word became flesh.
This is the central mystery of Christmas. God, who is spirit, infinite, and invisible, took on skin and bone. He became fragile. He became touchable.
But I want to focus on the phrase "made his dwelling among us."
In the original Greek, this phrase literally translates to "he pitched his tent among us." To a Jewish reader, this would immediately bring to mind the Old Testament, when God’s presence dwelt in the Tabernacle—a literal tent that travelled with the people through the desert. Where the tent went, God went.
John is telling us that in Jesus, God has done it again. But this time, He hasn't moved into a tent made of fabric; He has moved into a body made of flesh. And He hasn't just visited us; He has moved into the neighbourhood.
Imagine if the King or the Prime Minister decided to move into the house next door to you. Not a palace down the road, but the semi-detached house right next to yours. Imagine seeing them taking the bins out or walking to the local shop. It would change everything about how you viewed them. They would no longer be a distant figure on the news; they would be a neighbour.
That is what Jesus did. He didn't stay in the "palace" of heaven. He came down and lived right in the middle of our messy, noisy, complicated humanity. He ate our food, walked our dusty roads, and laughed at our jokes. He made Himself completely accessible.
Verse 14 tells us that He came "full of grace and truth."
We often find it hard to balance these two things. We tend to be either all "truth," which can be harsh and unyielding, or all "grace," which can be soft and permissive. But Jesus is the perfect blend of both. He speaks the truth about our sin and our brokenness, yet He offers the grace to forgive and heal us. He is the only one who sees us exactly as we are (truth) and loves us completely anyway (grace).
So today, as you prepare for the final few days before Christmas, take comfort in this reality. God is not hiding from you. He is not locked away in a distant heaven where you cannot reach Him. He has pitched His tent right here. He is "With Us" in the most physical, tangible way possible.
You don't have to shout across the universe to be heard. You just have to talk to the One who moved in next door.
Prayer of the Day:
Lord Jesus, thank You for becoming flesh. Thank You for pitching Your tent among us and moving into our neighbourhood. We are amazed that You chose to live in our broken world rather than staying distant in glory. Thank You for being full of grace and truth. Help us to see Your glory today, not in the spectacular, but in the nearness of Your presence. Amen.
Day 18: God With Us in Humility
We expect kings to be born in palaces, but God chose a feeding trough. On Day 18, we look at the manger to understand the true humility of Jesus.
The Throne of Straw: Meeting the Humble King
Pastor Rasol Manouchehri Ardakani - 18 December 2025
“and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”
Welcome to Day 18.
If you have ever been to a children's nativity play, you will know that the manger is usually the centrepiece. It is often a nice, clean wooden box filled with bright yellow straw. It looks rustic and charming. We sing "Away in a Manger" and think about how sweet the scene is.
But if we strip away the Christmas card glamour, the reality of Luke 2:7 is actually quite shocking.
Mary placed the Son of God in a manger. A manger is not a cot. It is not a cradle. It is a feeding trough for farm animals. It is the place where donkeys and cattle slobber over their food. It is dirty, it smells, and it is full of germs.
This is where God chose to enter the world.
If we were writing the script, we surely would have done it differently. We would have booked the finest room in the finest hotel. We would have ensured there were silk sheets, a team of doctors, and a press conference ready to announce the arrival. Kings are supposed to be born in palaces, surrounded by luxury and power.
But God is a different kind of King. He didn't come to dominate us with His power; He came to woo us with His humility.
Theologians call this the "condescension" of God. That sounds like a negative word to us, but it actually means "to come down to the same level." God descended from the highest heights of heaven to the lowest depths of a stable. He went to the bottom of the ladder.
Why? I think it is so that no one would ever feel excluded.
If Jesus had been born in a palace, the shepherds would never have been allowed in to visit. The poor and the outcast would have been kept away by security guards. But because He was born in a stable, the doors were wide open. The lowest of the low were welcome at His bedside.
This manger scene shows us that God is "With Us" in our humility. He is not impressed by our status, our bank accounts, or our job titles. He is comfortable in the grit and grime of real life.
This challenges our own pride. We spend so much of our lives trying to climb up. We want to be important, respected, and comfortable. We want the best seat at the table. But Jesus, who deserved the very best seat in the universe, willingly took the lowest place.
St. Paul later wrote that Jesus "made himself nothing" for our sake. The manger is the first step on a journey that would lead all the way to the cross. It is a visual reminder that true greatness in the Kingdom of God is not found in how many servants you have, but in how many people you serve.
So today, as you look at your Christmas decorations, take a moment to really look at the manger. Let it remind you that we serve a humble King. And let it challenge you to look for ways to be humble today, perhaps by serving someone else when no one is watching.
Prayer of the Day:
Lord Jesus, we are humbled by Your humility. It is hard for us to grasp that You, the King of Glory, would choose to sleep in a feeding trough. Thank You for coming all the way down to reach us. Please strip away our pride today. Help us to stop trying to be important and instead follow Your example of serving others with a humble heart. Amen.
Day 17: God With Us in Our Worship
The Magi travelled hundreds of miles just to bow down. On Day 17, we learn that true worship is not about the songs we sing, but the posture of our hearts.
Bending the Knee: What True Worship Looks Like
Pastor Rasol Manouchehri Ardakani - 17 December 2025
“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”
Welcome to Day 17.
When we hear the word "worship," most of us immediately think of music. We think of a church band, a pipe organ, or perhaps our favourite carol playing on the radio. We tend to associate worship with the things we do with our voices.
But in today’s reading, the very first act of worship in the New Testament doesn't involve a single note of music. It involves a posture.
We are looking at the arrival of the Magi, often called the Wise Men. We don't know exactly how many there were, but we know they were significant figures. They were scholars, astronomers, and likely men of great wealth and status in their own country. They were used to people bowing to them. They were used to being the most important people in the room.
Yet, when they find Jesus, they do something shocking. They do not stand tall and shake His hand. They do not offer Him some advice. The text says they "bowed down."
In the original language, this implies falling prostrate on the ground. Imagine that scene for a moment. These dignified, wealthy, grown men are face-down in the dust before a toddler. They completely abandoned their own dignity to acknowledge His.
This is the heart of worship. It is a "bending of the knee." It is the decision to make ourselves small so that God can be big.
Sometimes we struggle with worship because we are holding onto our pride. We are worried about what we look like or what others might think. But the Magi teach us that you cannot truly worship Jesus while standing on your own pedestal. You have to step down.
The second thing they did was open their treasures. They didn't just give Jesus a polite token; they gave Him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These were gifts fit for royalty. They were incredibly expensive.
This challenges me. So often, I give God the leftovers of my life. I give Him the spare change of my time or the last dregs of my energy after a long day at work. I fit Him in when it is convenient.
But true worship always costs us something. It might cost us our time, our money, or our reputation. As King David once said in the Old Testament, "I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing."
God is with us in our worship. When we bow our hearts and offer Him our best, we are connecting with the very purpose we were created for. We are acknowledging that He is the King and we are not.
So today, think about what you are bringing to Him. You probably don't have a chest of gold, and that is fine. He doesn't need your money. He wants your heart. He wants your attention. He wants you to bow your will to His. That is the most precious gift you can lay before the King.
Prayer of the Day:
Lord Jesus, we bow before You today. We acknowledge that You are the King of Kings and that You are worthy of all our praise. Forgive us for the times we have given You our leftovers. Like the Wise Men, we want to open the treasures of our hearts and give You our very best. We surrender our pride and our plans to You today. Amen.
Day 16: God With Us in Joy
We often confuse joy with happiness, but the angel’s message offers us something much deeper. On Day 16, we discover the "good news of great joy" that is available to everyone.
More Than Just Happiness: A Joy That Lasts
Pastor Rasol Manouchehri Ardakani - 16 December 2025
“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.’”
Welcome to Day 16.
We have passed the halfway point of December. By now, the Christmas season is in full swing. The radio is playing upbeat songs, the shops are bustling, and we are constantly being told that this is the "most wonderful time of the year." We are under a lot of pressure to be happy.
But if we are honest, happiness can be quite fragile.
Happiness usually depends on "happenings." If the sun is shining, if the traffic is light, and if our team wins the football match, we feel happy. But if the car breaks down, or if the turkey burns, or if a family member makes a snide comment, that happiness can evaporate in seconds. Happiness is like a thermometer; it goes up and down depending on the atmosphere.
The angel in Luke 2 does not offer the shepherds happiness. He offers them joy.
There is a massive difference. While happiness is a feeling based on circumstances, joy is a state of being based on truth. Joy is like a thermostat; it sets the temperature regardless of the weather outside.
Look at who received this message first. It was the shepherds. They were not living easy lives. They were out in the cold, working the night shift, likely tired and smelling of sheep. They were on the bottom rung of society's ladder. Yet, the angel tells them that this good news will cause "great joy."
This tells us that joy is not just for those who have their lives together. It is not just for the wealthy or the comfortable. It is for "all the people."
The reason this news brings joy is because of what it solves. The angel wasn't announcing a tax break or a holiday. He was announcing a Saviour. The deep ache in the human heart, the separation between us and God, was finally being fixed.
This means we can have joy even when we are not necessarily happy. You can be grieving a loss this Christmas and still have deep joy because you know that death is not the end. You can be worried about your finances and still have joy because you know God is your provider.
God is with us in joy because He is the source of it. C.S. Lewis once said that joy is the serious business of heaven. When Jesus was born, heaven touched earth, and that joy spilled over into our world.
So today, do not feel guilty if you don't feel "happy" every second of the day. You don't need to force a smile for the sake of the season. Instead, try to tap into the deep well of joy that comes from knowing Jesus. The circumstances of life change like the wind, but the "good news" the angel announced is a solid rock.
You are loved. You are rescued. God is with you. That is a reason for joy that no bad day can ever take away.
Prayer of the Day:
Lord God, thank You for the good news of great joy. We confess that we often chase after fleeting happiness instead of Your lasting joy. Please help us to tell the difference. When life is hard and our smiles feel forced, help us to find our strength in the deep knowledge that You are with us. Fill us with the joy of the Lord today. Amen.
Day 15: God With Us in the Supernatural
We all face situations that look like dead ends. On Day 15, we remember that the word "impossible" is not in God's dictionary.
Day 15 Advent Reflection: God With Us in the Supernatural
Pastor Rasol Manouchehri Ardakani - 15 December 2025
“For no word from God will ever fail.”
Welcome to Day 15.
We are now deep into the story of the nativity. Yesterday we looked at Mary’s brave surrender. Today, we are looking at the reason why she could be so brave. It wasn't because she was naive or because she didn't understand how babies are made. She knew perfectly well that what the angel was describing was biologically impossible.
She asks the angel, "How will this be since I am a virgin?" It is a fair question. It is the question of logic. It is the question of science.
The angel Gabriel doesn't give her a lesson in biology. Instead, he points her to the supernatural character of God. He tells her about her cousin Elizabeth, who is pregnant in her old age, and then he drops this incredible truth: "For no word from God will ever fail."
You might know this verse from older translations as, "For nothing is impossible with God." Both phrases get to the same heart-stopping reality. God is not bound by the laws of physics. He wrote them, so He can edit them whenever He pleases.
We often live our lives within the boundaries of the "possible." We look at our bank accounts, our medical reports, or our broken relationships, and we calculate the odds. We are very good at spotting dead ends. We say things like, "That person will never change," or "This situation is beyond repair."
But the message of Advent is that God loves to work in the supernatural.
The entire Christmas story is a catalogue of impossibilities. A virgin conceiving. A star moving across the sky. God becoming a baby. None of this makes sense on a spreadsheet. If you take God out of the equation, the Christmas story falls apart. But once you factor Him in, the impossible becomes possible.
When the angel says that "no word from God will ever fail," he is reminding us that God’s power is linked to His promise. If God has said it, reality has to rearrange itself to make it happen.
Perhaps you are facing a brick wall today. Maybe you are looking at a situation in your life that seems completely hopeless. The doctors have shaken their heads. The bank has said no. The relationship seems dead.
In those moments, logic tells us to give up. But faith invites us to look up.
God is with us in the supernatural. He is not just a comforting presence for the easy days; He is a miracle-working God for the impossible days. He can make a way where there is no way. He can bring life to a womb that was closed, and He can bring light to a life that feels dark.
This doesn't mean we treat God like a vending machine for miracles. But it does mean we stop putting a full stop where God has put a comma. We can bring our "impossibles" to Him with confidence, knowing that He is the God of the breakthrough.
Prayer of the Day:
Lord God, we confess that we often limit You with our limited thinking. We look at our problems and think they are too big for You. Please forgive our lack of faith. Thank You that You are the God of the supernatural. Thank You that no word from You will ever fail. We bring our impossible situations to You today and ask for Your miracle-working power to break through. We choose to believe that with You, all things are possible. Amen.
Day 14: God With Us in Our Surrender
Surrender often sounds like defeat, but Mary shows us it is actually the path to victory. On Day 14, we witness the moment that changed history forever.
Day 14 Advent Reflection: God With Us in Our Surrender
Pastor Rasol Manouchehri Ardakani - 14 December 2025
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.”
Welcome to Day 14.
Today we are looking at one of the most pivotal moments in the entire Bible. It is the moment the door was unlocked from the inside.
We often see paintings of the Annunciation that make Mary look very passive. She is usually depicted sitting quietly, looking down, perhaps with a halo and a gentle smile. It all looks very serene and safe. But if we strip away the artistic gloss, we see that this was actually a moment of terrifying courage.
Mary was a young girl, likely a teenager. She lived in a culture where a pregnancy outside of marriage was not just a scandal; it was a crime punishable by death. When the angel Gabriel told her she was going to conceive a son, she knew exactly what that could cost her. She risked losing her reputation. She risked losing her fiancé, Joseph. She even risked losing her life.
Yet, in the face of all that fear, she spoke words of total surrender: "May your word to me be fulfilled."
In our modern world, "surrender" is not a very popular word. It usually implies losing a battle. It means waving a white flag, giving up territory, or admitting defeat. We are taught to be strong, to be in control, and to make things happen for ourselves.
But Mary teaches us that spiritual surrender is different. It is not about giving up; it is about opening up.
God had a plan to save the world, but He chose not to force it upon humanity. He waited for a partner. He waited for someone to say "yes." Mary’s surrender was not an act of weakness; it was an act of incredible strength. She was willing to let go of her own plans for her life to make room for God’s plans. She was willing to trust Him with her reputation and her future.
This is often the hardest part of our walk with God. We want Him to be "With Us," but we often want Him to be with us on our terms. We want Him to bless the plans we have already made. We want Him to fix our problems without changing our hearts.
True surrender means handing over the pen and letting God write the next chapter. It means saying, "Lord, I don't know where this is going, but I trust You enough to follow."
Perhaps God is asking for your surrender in a specific area today. Maybe it is a relationship you are holding on to too tightly. Maybe it is a career path that has become an idol. Or maybe it is just the need to be right in an argument.
It is scary to let go. It feels like falling. But remember who you are surrendering to. You are not surrendering to a tyrant; you are surrendering to a loving Father who knows you better than you know yourself.
Mary’s "yes" brought Jesus into the world. I wonder what beautiful things God could birth in our lives if we were brave enough to pray that same prayer today?
Prayer of the Day:
Lord God, we are amazed by Mary’s courage. We confess that we like to be in control and that surrender frightens us. Please give us the faith to trust You with our whole lives. We echo Mary’s prayer today: "I am the Lord’s servant." May Your will be done in my life, in my family, and in my future. We open our hands and our hearts to You. Amen.