The Danger of Second-hand Armour: Be 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.”

— 1 Samuel 17:38–40

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 22 – And Beyond | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026

Day 22 – And Beyond

Carrying the Fire Forward

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

— Colossians 2:6–7 (NIV)

We have reached the end of our 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, but we have not reached the end of what God wants to do. The Bible does not say, "Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, once had a good January and then relaxed." It says, "continue to live your lives in him."

The word "continue" is essential. These 21 days have been a holy push, a reset, but they are also a doorway into a way of life.

You have fasted. You have prayed. You have repented. You have stood in the gap for your family, ANCC, Britain, and the nations. You have declared, "I see a church…" again and again. Some of you have felt obvious breakthroughs. Others have felt mainly weak, hungry, and aware of your own need. Both are valuable. God honours the seeking heart, not just the dramatic moment.

Now comes the real test. What will you do next?

Rooted, Built Up, Overflowing

Paul gives us three pictures in Colossians 2:

• Rooted in Him: Like a tree, your roots need to keep going deeper into Jesus. That happens through the Word, prayer, obedience, and staying planted in the life of the church.

• Built up in Him: This is a construction picture. God is building something in you. These 21 days have been like laying fresh foundations and putting up new scaffolding. Do not walk off the building site now.

• Overflowing with thankfulness: Gratitude keeps your heart soft. It reminds you that all of this is grace.

Revival is not just a season we pass through. It is meant to become the climate of our hearts. Authors like Tozer and Ravenhill often warned that many people love the idea of revival more than the daily cost of walking with God. Revival is sustained not only by big meetings, but by ordinary believers who keep saying yes to Jesus when no one is watching.

Carrying It Forward: Staying Awake After the Fast

Here are some simple ways to live out "Day 22 and beyond":

1. Keep the altar of prayer burning Set a realistic daily time with God that you can actually keep. It might be first thing in the morning, lunchtime in your car, or late evening once the house is quiet. Guard it. Treat it as an appointment with the King, not an optional extra.

2. Keep a fasting lifestyle You may not be in a full 21-day fast, but you can build regular fasting into your life. Consider fasting one meal a week, or one day a month, or setting aside special fasts when you face big decisions or battles.

3. Stay in the Word Do not close your Bible now that the booklet is finished. Choose a reading plan, a Gospel, or a New Testament letter and work through it slowly. Ask the Holy Spirit to keep washing you in the Word, just as we read about the Bride being cleansed by the washing of the Word.

4. Stay plugged into the family Revival does not grow well in isolation. Stay planted in the ANCC family. Commit to Sunday gatherings, Life Groups, prayer meetings, and serving somewhere. We are a church where everyone is inspired to connect, grow, and use their God-given potential. Staying connected will help you keep going.

5. Keep declaring “I see a church…” Do not drop the declaration now. Use it privately in your prayer time. Use it with your family. Pray it over ANCC and over our future. Let it shape how you speak about our church. Speak life. Speak faith. Speak in line with what God has shown us.

6. Make room for testimony Take time to write down what God has done in you during these 21 days, even if it feels small. Share your story with someone. It might encourage them more than you realise. Testimony is part of the "sound" of revival.

New: Monthly Testimony Service

Starting next year, we will introduce a new monthly testimony segment on the last Sunday of each month. This will be a regular space in our Sunday gatherings to hear what God is doing among us: salvations, healings, restored relationships, provision, freedom from addiction, breakthroughs in mental health, fresh encounters with the Holy Spirit, and answered prayers in everyday life.

My heart is that this will not be a "filler" slot, but a worship moment, a "refuge and restoration" moment, and a faith-building moment. When you hear someone else share, you realise, "If God did it for them, He can do it for me."

So, I want to encourage you:

• Start keeping a simple record of what God is doing in your life.

• Be ready to share, whether on a microphone or in a smaller setting.

• Pray about which testimony you might bring to one of those last Sundays.

When Normal Life Returns

You may already feel the pull of "normal life" returning. Work, school runs, emails, deadlines, and chores. Do not be surprised if there is spiritual resistance in the days after the fast. Often, the enemy tries to steal the seeds God has just planted.

When that happens:

• Do not panic and think the fast "did not work." Seeds take time. Roots grow underground.

• Do not swing to the other extreme and give yourself permission to drift. Instead, keep one or two key commitments from these 21 days and protect them.

• Remember, holiness, hunger, and prayer are still your call even when life feels busy and ordinary.

If you fall, get back up quickly. If you miss a day or a week of prayer, do not stay in shame. Return to the Lord with all your heart. These 21 days have not been about proving how strong you are, but about discovering again how gracious and faithful He is.

A Final Pastoral Blessing

As your pastor, I want to say this from my heart: I am proud of you. I am grateful for you. I am expectant for what God will do in and through you.

I see a church hungry for God and righteousness. I see a church that provides a place of refuge and restoration. I see a church that never stops searching for lost people, because God never stopped searching for us. I see a church so full of the presence of God that it cannot help but overflow into families, streets, schools, workplaces, Britain, and the nations.

My prayer is that what God has begun in you during these 21 days will grow, deepen, and multiply. That your personal walk with Jesus will become more real and steady. That our life together as ANCC will become more united, more prayerful, more holy, more hungry, and more fruitful.

Final Prayer

You might want to pray this out loud today, and come back to it in the weeks ahead:

Lord Jesus, thank You for all You have done in these 21 days of prayer and fasting. I give myself to You again. Let the hunger You have stirred in me not fade away.

Help me to keep the altar of prayer burning, to stay rooted in Your Word, to walk in holiness, and to remain planted in the ANCC family. Use my life to make Jesus known in my home, my workplace, my community, and the nations. Let what You have started in me continue and increase. Let what You have started in ANCC become a movement that touches many. For Your glory alone. Amen.

And now we step forward together.

Day 21: This Is Not A Moment, It Is A Movement | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026

Day 21: This Is Not A Moment, It Is A Movement

Week 3: Identity, Unity & Glory

“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”

— Habakkuk 2:14 (NIV)

We have reached the final day of our 21 days of prayer and fasting. The temptation is to think, "We did it," and then quietly drift back to old rhythms. But God’s vision is much bigger than a 21-day event. He is after a movement.

Habakkuk sees a day when the whole earth is filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. Not just occasional meetings where God moves, but a world where people everywhere know what God is really like through Jesus. The word "knowledge" here is experiential, not just information. God wants people to experience His glory, His presence, His goodness, His holiness, and His power.

Tending the Altar

Every revival, every prayer movement, and every local church that seeks God is a small part of that big picture. Books on revival remind us that no move of God is meant to end in nostalgia, where we say, "Wasn’t that wonderful," and settle. It is meant to propel us into mission, generosity, holiness, and ongoing prayer.

For ANCC, these 21 days have been a fresh beginning. God has awakened hunger, exposed compromise, deepened repentance, stirred intercession, clarified identity, strengthened unity, and revealed His glory.

The question now is, what will we do with it? Will we let the fire die down, or will we keep tending the altar? Will we return to comfortable Christianity, or will we continue as a church hungry for God and righteousness?

A Church on the Move

Our declaration pictures a growing, refreshing church, so full that the building can hardly contain the people, a church planting other churches, and a church where Jesus is famous and all the glory goes to God. That is movement language.

We are determined to be a people who do not just have a moment, but who carry a movement.

Let Us Pray

Heavenly Father, thank You for all You have done in these 21 days of prayer and fasting. Thank You for every whisper, every conviction, every breakthrough, and every hidden work of Your Spirit.

I give myself to You again. Let what You have begun in me and in ANCC continue and grow. Do not let this be a spiritual "moment" that fades, but the continuation of a movement of revival in our lives, our church, Britain, and the nations. Let the knowledge of Your glory fill our homes, our communities, and the earth. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Day 20: Revival in Every Generation | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026

Day 20: Revival in Every Generation

Week 3: Identity, Unity & Glory

“The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

— Acts 2:39 (NIV)

When Peter finishes his message on the day of Pentecost, he does not limit what has just happened to that moment or that crowd. He looks ahead. The promise of forgiveness, the Holy Spirit, and new life in Christ is not just for the people standing in front of him. It is "for you and your children and for all who are far off."

In other words, what God has started is meant to touch every generation and every nation that He will call to Himself.

The Age of the Spirit

This means something very important. Pentecost was not a one-off spiritual explosion that we can only admire from a distance. It was the beginning of a new era—the age of the Spirit. The Church was born in fire and is meant to continue in that same fire until Jesus returns. Every generation is invited into this promise.

God Has No Grandchildren

At ANCC, our vision and mission include every age. We want to be a place where children are not just entertained but discipled, where youth are not just "kept busy" but set on fire for God, and where older saints are not sidelined but honoured as carriers of wisdom and intercession. Our declaration sees a church where everyone is always growing in faith and using their God-given potential. That only happens when we think generationally.

One writer on revival once said that God has no grandchildren. Each generation must meet Him for themselves. Our children and young people cannot live off second-hand stories alone. They need their own encounters with the presence and power of God, their own moments of surrender, and their own discovery that Jesus is real.

At the same time, God often uses the prayers, example, and sacrifices of parents, grandparents, and older believers to pave the way.

A Multi-Generational Fire

So, as we pray for revival, let us refuse to have a narrow picture in our minds. Revival that only touches one age group is not enough.

• We want toddlers to encounter Jesus in simple ways.

• We want children to learn to hear His voice.

• We want teenagers to stand firm in flooded schools.

• We want young adults to choose holiness in a confused culture.

• We want older saints to run well to the finish line, cheering on those coming behind.

Let Us Pray

Heavenly Father, thank You that Your promises are not limited to one age group or one era. I thank You for those who prayed and sacrificed so that I could hear the gospel.

I ask You to move in every generation in ANCC. Touch our children with real encounters of Your love. Set our youth on fire for Jesus. Strengthen adults and older saints to live as examples and mentors. Make us a truly multi-generational revival family. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 19: Pour Out Your Spirit | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026

Day 19: Pour Out Your Spirit

Week 3: Identity, Unity & Glory

“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”

— Joel 2:28–29 (NIV)

Joel’s promise is breathtaking. God says He will pour out His Spirit on all people, not just a special class of prophets or priests. Sons and daughters, old and young, servants, men and women—all are included. Peter stands up in Acts 2 and declares, "This is that." The outpouring has begun.

A Generous Flow

The language of "pour out" suggests abundance. It is not a drip or a drizzle, but a generous flow. In Revival Fire and similar books, you see seasons where communities were drenched in the presence of God.

We read of people walking past buildings and being convicted, children weeping under the power of the Spirit, and hardened sinners melted in minutes. These are foretastes of what God longs to do.

The Fruit of the Outpouring

Notice the fruit of the outpouring. People prophesy, dream dreams, and see visions. In other words, they hear and see what God is saying and doing. They move from dry religion into living relationship.

In his book Intercessory Prayer, Dutch Sheets points out that when the Spirit moves, prayer rises. The Spirit is the Spirit of grace and supplication.

For the Whole Family

For ANCC, this promise is personal. It is for our children and youth, for our older saints, for our men and women, for those in obvious ministry and those who feel hidden.

I long to see a church where the Holy Spirit is not a theory, but a daily reality. I long for a house where people expect Him to speak, guide, convict, comfort, empower, and send.

Let Us Pray

Holy Spirit, thank You for the promise of Joel and for the fulfilment that began at Pentecost. I ask You to pour Yourself out on me again. Fill me afresh with Your presence and power.

Pour out Your Spirit on my family and on the whole ANCC family. Let our sons and daughters prophesy, our young people see visions, and our older saints dream dreams. Let no one be left out. Make our church a place where the activity of the Holy Spirit is welcomed, honoured, and normal. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Day 18: Britain Belongs to Jesus | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026

Day 18: Britain Belongs to Jesus

Week 3: Identity, Unity & Glory

“Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.”

— Psalm 2:8 (NIV)

Psalm 2 shows nations in uproar, plotting against the Lord and His Anointed. Yet heaven is not panicking. God laughs at the rebellion of kings because He has already installed His King on Zion. In the middle of this psalm, the Father speaks to the Son and says, "Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance."

The Inheritance of the Son

Jesus has already died and risen. He is already seated at the right hand of the Father. The nations belong to Him legally. The mission of the Church is to see that legal reality become visible in people’s lives. When someone bows to Jesus, the King receives more of His inheritance.

This Includes Britain

This includes Britain. No matter how secular or hostile our culture may seem at times, Britain is not beyond the reach of God. Britain does not belong to the enemy. It belongs to Jesus. The same is true of every nation represented in ANCC. Our role is to agree with this in prayer and mission.

Shaping History Through Prayer

In his book Shaping History Through Prayer and Fasting, Derek Prince shares how God led him to pray in specific, informed ways over nations and how he saw remarkable changes that lined up with those prayers.

In Rees Howells, Intercessor, we see an even more dramatic example, where a small group in Wales prayed with such clarity that they sensed they were standing in the gap for entire nations during times of war.

From Wythenshawe to the Nations

When we say as ANCC, "We work together to make Jesus known in all nations," this is not a slogan. It is our response to Jesus’ inheritance rights. We start where we are—in Wythenshawe, Manchester, Greater Manchester, England, Great Britain—and from there we look out to the nations.

Let Us Pray

Heavenly Father, thank You that Jesus is King over every nation. I declare by faith that Britain belongs to Jesus. I ask You to move in power in this land. Pour out Your Spirit, save many, heal divisions, and restore righteousness.

Use ANCC as part of Your plan for Britain and for the nations. We also lift before You the nations represented in our church family. Let the knowledge of Your glory cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Day 17: Arise, Mighty Ones | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026

Day 17: Arise, Mighty Ones

Week 3: Identity, Unity & Glory

“Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the fighting men draw near and attack. Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weakling say, ‘I am strong!’ Come quickly, all you nations from every side, and assemble there. Bring down your warriors, Lord!”

— Joel 3:9–11 (NIV)

God issues a call: "Rouse the warriors." Wake them up. Stir them. Call them into position. Then He says something remarkable: "Let the weakling say, 'I am strong!'" In other words, He calls people who feel weak and tells them to agree with His strength, not their own feelings.

Overcoming Intimidation

In spiritual warfare, one of the enemy’s greatest strategies is intimidation. He tells believers they are too weak, too sinful, too ordinary, or too late. Many believers disqualify themselves before they even join the battle.

Yet Scripture paints a different picture. God uses Davids, Gideons, fishermen, and former persecutors like Paul. He delights to take the weak and make them mighty in Him.

As I was on my holidays and reading books like Armed and Dangerous, it reminded me that the believer who understands their authority in Christ, their position seated with Him, and the power of the blood and the name of Jesus, is a real threat to darkness, even if they feel naturally timid. Strength is not a loud personality. Strength is inner confidence in who Jesus is and who you are in Him.

Repurposing the Ordinary

The command to "beat your plowshares into swords" speaks of re-purposing ordinary things for battle. Your daily life, your job, your parenting, your studies, and your conversations can become weapons in God’s hands.

• When you pray at work, you are wielding a sword.

• When you share Jesus with a friend, you are advancing.

• When you stand against temptation at home, you are in the battle.

A Call to the Family

At ANCC, we need every believer to arise. This is not just for a few "spiritual" people. We are a family of warriors—young and old, men and women. Those who feel strong and those who feel weak. All are called.

Let Us Pray

Heavenly Father, I hear Your call to awaken the warriors. I admit that I often feel weak and inadequate, but I choose to agree with Your Word, not my feelings. In Christ, I am strong. You are my strength.

Use my everyday life, my responsibilities, and my relationships as part of Your purposes. Raise up an army in ANCC, a company of mighty ones who know who they are in You and who stand firm in the day of battle. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Day 16 – The Warrior Bride | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026

Day 16: The Warrior Bride

Week 3: Identity, Unity & Glory

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”

— Ephesians 5:25–27 (NIV)

The Church is called many things in Scripture: a body, a temple, an army, a family. Here she is called a Bride. Christ loves the Church. He proved His love by giving Himself up for her. He is not indifferent or easily bored with His people; He is deeply committed, tender, and jealous over us.

His goal is to make us holy and radiant. He is washing us "by the water through the word." Every time we sit under the Word of God with a soft heart, Jesus is cleansing and beautifying His Bride. He is removing the stains of shame, the wrinkles of compromise, and the blemishes of wrong thinking. He is preparing us for Himself.

Cherished and Commissioned

Yet this Bride is not weak or passive. In other passages, we see the people of God as an army. In the book of Joel, God calls His people to battle. In Revelation, we see the Bride making herself ready and the Lamb conquering. We are both cherished and commissioned. We are loved deeply and enlisted in a real war.

In books on spiritual warfare and deliverance, like those of John Ramirez or Frank Hammond, a recurring theme is identity. People remain bound when they see themselves only as victims or distant sinners. Freedom begins when they see themselves as forgiven, loved, and seated with Christ, yet also called to stand in His authority.

Fighting From Acceptance

ANCC, I want us to see ourselves as the Warrior Bride. We are not a crushed, defeated people barely hanging on. We are a deeply loved, Spirit-filled, battle-ready church.

We do not fight for acceptance; we fight from acceptance. We are not trying to win the love of Jesus; we are responding to it.

Let Us Pray

Lord Jesus, thank You that You loved the Church and gave Yourself up for us. Thank You that You are washing us with Your Word and making us radiant. I receive Your love again today.

Help me to live as both loved and enlisted, as part of Your Warrior Bride. Remove shame, fear, and passivity from my life. Clothe me in Your armour and fill me with Your Spirit. Let ANCC shine as a holy, courageous, and radiant church that stands for You in this generation. In Your precious name, Amen.

Day 15 – We Are Family, We Are One | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026

Day 15: We Are Family, We Are One

Week 3: Identity, Unity & Glory

“That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

— John 17:21–23 (NIV)

These are some of the most intimate words Jesus ever prayed. Just before the cross, His focus was not only on our forgiveness, but on our unity. He prayed that we would be one in a way that reflects the oneness between Him and the Father. This is not superficial agreement; it is a deep relational unity rooted in shared life with God.

Unity in Diversity

Unity is not sameness. The Trinity is three Persons, yet one God. In the same way, the Church includes many cultures, personalities, and callings, yet we are one body.

At ANCC, we see this every Sunday. People from different nations, backgrounds, and stories worship together. This is not accidental. It is part of our call to make Jesus known in all nations and to be a place where everyone is welcomed and loved.

Jesus links unity with mission. He prays for unity "so that the world may believe that you have sent me." Our relationships in the Church are part of our evangelism. When people walk into ANCC and sense genuine love, honour, and reconciliation across differences, they taste something of the Kingdom. Conversely, when they see bitterness, gossip, and division, our message about Jesus loses credibility.

A Pastoral Challenge: Being Planted

There is another side to this that I need to speak into as your pastor. In our church, we have an issue that we need to address with love and clarity. Some of us are trying to belong to more than one church or ministry family at the same time. We listen to different leading voices, treat more than one pastor like our primary shepherd, and move between different houses as if that is normal. This is not healthy.

The Bible talks about being planted in the house of the Lord, not visiting many houses all the time. Sheep need a clear flock and a clear shepherd. Hebrews 13 speaks of leaders who will give an account for the souls under their care. That is very hard to do if a person is half here and half somewhere else. It can also create confusion in your own heart because you are hearing different instructions and visions and trying to follow them all at once.

Deciding Where You Belong

Let me be clear. I am not saying you cannot listen to other preachers, attend a conference, or be blessed by wider ministries. I do the same. We thank God for what He is doing across the Body of Christ. What I am saying is this: it is not healthy to live with two or three "home churches" and different pastoral coverings at the same time. At some point, you need to decide where God has planted you.

If God has planted you in ANCC, then be fully here. Embrace the vision, the pastoral covering, the family, and the correction when needed. Bring your gifts, your time, and your heart. If the Lord is calling you elsewhere, then go with our blessing and be fully planted there. Staying in the middle will keep you from growing and affect the unity of the church.

A Family of Reconciliation

In our declaration, we declare: "I see a church where everyone is welcomed and loved." That means we cannot allow cliques, prejudice, or grudges to take root. We are a family, and families have disagreements, but in a Kingdom family, we choose forgiveness, humility, and reconciliation.

Let Us Pray

Heavenly Father, thank You that in Christ I am part of Your family. Thank You for ANCC and for the love, care, and covering You have given me here. Forgive me for any way I have contributed to disunity through my words, my attitudes, or by trying to stand in more than one place at the same time.

Show me clearly where You have planted me and give me courage to commit fully. Heal any hurts that have made me hold back. Knit ANCC together in a deep, Jesus-centred unity that reflects Your heart. Let our love for one another be a clear sign to Wythenshawe and to the nations that Jesus is real. In His precious name, Amen.

Day 14: The Roar of the Lion | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026

Day 14: The Roar of the Lion

Week 2: Intercession & Warfare

“The lion has roared, who will not fear? The Sovereign Lord has spoken; who can but prophesy?”

— Amos 3:8 (NIV)

In our verse for today, Amos paints a vivid picture. When a lion roars in the wild, every creature pays attention. In the same way, when God speaks, something in us should tremble and respond. He connects the roar of the lion with the voice of the Sovereign Lord and with prophecy. When God roars, His people prophesy.

The True Lion vs. The Counterfeit

In spiritual warfare, we must never forget that Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The roar of the enemy is only a counterfeit of the real Lion. The enemy roars to intimidate. Jesus roars to awaken, to warn, and to declare victory.

When we allow the Word of God to fill our hearts and mouths, we are joining our small voices to His great roar. We speak His truth into situations, and the spiritual atmosphere must respond.

Speaking God’s Heart

Prophecy is not fortune-telling. It is hearing God’s heart and speaking it in line with Scripture. In his book Intercessory Prayer, Dutch Sheets describes prophetic intercession as listening to what is on God’s heart and praying it back to Him. In revival contexts, the prophetic often carries a "roar" that breaks complacency and calls people back to holiness, mission, and intimacy.

At the "Battle for Britain" conference, there was a sense of God roaring over the nation, calling the Church out of fear and compromise and into boldness and purity. That roar is not meant to stay at a conference. It is meant to echo in local churches. It is a roar over a sleeping church, a roar over confusion, fear and compromise, and a roar over families and young people.

Breaking the Silence

The enemy would love to keep the church quiet. If he cannot stop you from believing, he will try to mute you. He will try to make you feel embarrassed to pray out loud, ashamed to sing with passion, scared to share Jesus, or too tired to declare the Word of God over your home.

Our culture tells us to keep our faith private, to be reserved, and to keep our voice down. Yet the same culture can fill stadiums and pubs with shouts and songs for football. There is something wrong if the loudest roar in our lives is for a match, not for our King.

Today, ask God to awaken His roar in you. Not to make you noisy for the sake of it, but to make you bold, clear, and full of fire in this generation.

Let Us Pray

Lord Jesus, Lion of Judah, I thank You that Your voice is stronger than any other voice over my life and over this nation. Thank You that when You roar, darkness trembles, chains shake, and hearts are awakened.

I confess that at times I have allowed fear, shame, culture, or comfort to silence me. Forgive me for the moments where I have been quiet when You were calling me to speak, to pray, to praise, or to share. Let ANCC carry a clear, pure prophetic sound that points people to Jesus and pushes back darkness in this nation. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Day 13 – Taking Territory | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026

Day 13: Taking Territory

Week 2: Intercession & Warfare

“I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates all the Hittite country to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so that I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.”

— Joshua 1:3–6 (NIV)

Joshua and the people of Israel were standing on the edge of a new season. The wilderness was behind them, the promised land was in front of them, and the Jordan River lay in between. God had already promised the land, but they still had to cross over and put their feet on it. Promise and obedience had to come together.

God tells Joshua, "I will give you every place where you set your foot." That is a powerful picture. The land was already given in God’s plan, but it became theirs in experience as they walked. If Joshua had refused to move, they would have stayed on the wrong side of the promise.

Our "Jordan Moment"

At our Crossover Service, when we walked through our "Jordan moment" together, we were acting out this same truth. We were saying, "Lord, I am not staying stuck where I have been. By faith, I am crossing over into what You have for me."

As we prayed, declared, and physically walked, God laid it on my heart that this year, for all who faithfully move forward and keep crossing their Jordan, both spiritually and in practical life, they will witness breakthroughs. That service was not the full journey; it was the doorway. These 21 days of prayer and fasting are part of the same movement. God is teaching us how to live as people who take territory.

Practical Steps of Faith

For Israel, taking territory meant facing giants, walls, and battles. For us, it can look like confronting fear, rejecting compromise, forgiving where it hurts, stepping into new assignments, starting that ministry, applying for that job, or enrolling on that course you have kept putting off.

It can also look very practical in the area of money. For some of us, taking territory this year will mean choosing to honour God with the tithe, returning the first ten percent to Him, and trusting that He really is our Provider and not our employer, our bank account, or the government. That is a big step of faith, especially when things feel tight, but it is also a powerful way of saying, "Lord, my finances belong to You, and I believe You when You say You will open the windows of heaven."

Taking territory can also mean finally sharing Jesus with that person you have been praying for, praying over your street by name, stepping into leadership where God is nudging you, or laying down something that has kept you circling the same wilderness again and again.

Moving Forward Together

As ANCC, our vision is to work together to make Jesus known in all nations. We declare that we see a church that never stops searching for lost people, a church that plants churches, and a church so full that the building can hardly contain the people. That is the language of taking territory.

God is inviting us, as a family, to keep moving forward. We must refuse to go back to Egypt in our thinking and take hold of what He is giving us in this season. Listen again to the tenderness of God’s promise: "As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will never leave you nor forsake you." The command to be strong and courageous is not a shout at us to try harder; it is an invitation to trust His presence.

Let Us Pray

Heavenly Father, Lord, thank You that You promised Joshua, "I will give you every place where you set your foot," and that You promised to be with him wherever he went. Thank You for our Crossover "Jordan moment" as a church and for every step of faith we have already taken.

I bring my life before You again. Show me where You are calling me to take territory this year, in my heart, my family, my work, my neighbourhood, my finances, and my ministry. Give me courage to keep moving forward and not to stay on the wrong side of my Jordan.

Today I choose obedience. Where You say go, I will go. Where You say stop, I will stop. Where You say give, I will give. I choose to trust You with my money and honour You with the tithe and with my offerings. Even when it feels tight or uncertain, I declare that You are my Provider, not my job, my bank account, or the government.

Teach me to handle my finances in a way that pleases You and makes room for You to move. Lord, as I step out in faith, let every step be a footprint of trust in Your promises. Be with me as You were with Joshua. Let ANCC be a church that does not camp on the edge of promise, but crosses over, takes ground, and makes Jesus known. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Day 12: Our Praise Is A Weapon| 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026

Day 12: Our Praise Is A Weapon

Week 2: Intercession & Warfare

“May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, to carry out the sentence written against them. This is the glory of all his faithful people.”

— Psalm 149:6–9 (NIV)

These verses use strong warfare language. We need to understand them through the lens of the New Testament. Our enemies are not people. We do not fight against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of darkness. Yet the imagery is powerful for us as believers. The praise of God in our mouths and the sword of His Word in our hands are pictured as weapons that bind and restrain the enemies of God.

Praise Is Not a Warm-Up

Praise is not a "warm-up" before the real stuff. Praise is part of the battle. In his book Armed and Dangerous, John Ramirez, who came out of deep occult involvement, talks about how genuine worship and praise are deeply disturbing to the demonic realm.

When we lift high the name of Jesus and magnify His victory, we remind the enemy of the cross and the empty tomb. We shift the atmosphere from one of fear and oppression to one of faith and freedom.

A Spiritual Strategy

Praise also lifts our eyes. Instead of staring endlessly at the problem, we look again at the greatness of God. This is why Jehoshaphat put singers at the front of the army. This was a spiritual strategy. As they praised, God fought.

In a similar way, when Paul and Silas worshipped in prison, chains fell and doors opened. Praise is often the key that unlocks prison doors in our lives and in the lives of others.

Faith Expressed in Song

In his book Revival Fire, Wesley Duewel records how seasons of revival were often marked by simple, powerful worship where Jesus was exalted above all. This was not emotional manipulation. It was faith expressing itself in song and declaration. In that environment, demons fled, hearts melted, and people surrendered to Christ.

A House of Freedom

At ANCC, we want to be a church where praise is wholehearted, Christ-centred, and faith-filled. We want to be a church where we sing not only because we like the song, but because we know praise is a weapon. We long to be a church where people walk into worship and sense chains breaking off them.

Let Us Pray

Heavenly Father, thank You that praise is not just music; it is a weapon. Forgive me for times I have treated worship lightly or allowed my feelings to dictate my praise.

Today I choose to lift up Your name over my life, my family, ANCC, and this nation. Let our praise bind the work of the enemy and release the atmosphere of heaven. Teach us, as a church, to wield the weapon of praise with understanding and faith. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Day 11: The Sound of Revival | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026

Day 11: The Sound of Revival

Week 2: Intercession & Warfare

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly, a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

— Acts 2:1–4 (NIV)

Before the crowd saw anything on the day of Pentecost, they heard something. There was "a sound like the blowing of a violent wind" from heaven. That sound drew people together and signalled that God was doing something new. The disciples were all together in one place, in obedience and unity, and heaven responded with wind, fire, and languages that reached the nations.

The Pattern of Revival

This is the birth of the Church, but it is also a pattern for revival. Wherever God moves in power, there is a sound. Sometimes it is the literal sound of people crying out in prayer or worship. Sometimes it is the sound of repentance, people calling on the name of the Lord for salvation. Sometimes it is the sound of testimony, stories of deliverance and healing spreading through a community.

In his book Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, Jim Cymbala describes how the midweek prayer meeting became the engine of their church. The "sound" was not fancy music, but desperate people crying out to God. As they did, God sent His own wind and fire in changed lives. In Holy Ghost Fire, Ray McCauley speaks about the dynamic power of the Spirit at work in believers who yield themselves fully. The point is the same: when God sends His Spirit, something is heard and seen.

A Runway for the Spirit

As ANCC gathers in these 21 days, and especially when we gather with Pastor James Aladiran today, I am praying for the sound of revival. We do not want hype, but hungry hearts. We do not want performance, but presence. My prayer is that our worship, prayers, and unity would create a welcoming runway for the Holy Spirit to come in wind and fire.

Remember, at Pentecost the Spirit filled "each of them." Revival is corporate, but it is made up of individual fillings. Do not just come as a spectator. Come as someone saying, "Fill me, Lord. Use me. Make me part of the sound."

Let Us Pray

Holy Spirit, thank You for Pentecost. Thank You that You still fill believers today. I ask You to fill me afresh with Your presence and power. Let the sound of revival rise in my life, in my home, and in ANCC.

As we gather in these 21 days, and as we host James Aladiran, let our unity and hunger welcome Your wind and fire. May the sound that goes out from this house carry the gospel to Britain and the nations. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Day 10: Fervent Prayer Shifts Atmospheres | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026

Day 10: Fervent Prayer Shifts Atmospheres

Week 2: Intercession & Warfare

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.”

— James 5:16–17 (NIV)

In today's verse, James brings together honesty, community, and power. He calls us to confess our sins to one another and to pray for one another so that we may be healed. Then he makes this strong statement: the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

What Does "Righteous" Mean?

"Righteous" here does not mean sinless. It means someone who is in right standing with God through the blood of Jesus and who chooses to walk in the light. This person’s prayers carry weight.

Wesley Duewel often wrote that God does more in "five minutes of real prayer" than in hours of human effort. The challenge is that many of us do not believe that about our own prayers.

Elijah: A Man Like Us

James then points to Elijah. He says Elijah was "a human being, even as we are." That is important. Elijah was not a superhero. He had emotions, weaknesses, and fears. Yet when he prayed earnestly, the heavens responded. He prayed, and it stopped raining. He prayed again, and the heavens gave rain.

One man in right standing with God, praying in alignment with God’s will, shifted the atmosphere over a nation. Sincere and faith-filled prayer can transform families, churches, cities, and nations.

Prayer as a Weapon

In spiritual warfare, we sometimes focus more on the enemy than on prayer. Yet one of our greatest weapons is simple, honest, persistent prayer.

• When we confess sin instead of hiding it, the enemy loses ground.

• When we pray for one another instead of gossiping, the atmosphere changes.

• When we speak the Word of God over situations instead of repeating the enemy’s lies, light breaks in.

A Culture of Breakthrough

As a church of refuge and restoration, ANCC must be a place where confession is possible and prayer is normal. It must be a place where people can say, "I am struggling," and find someone who will stand with them in faith. We must be a place where we believe that our prayers, together, shift atmospheres over homes, schools, workplaces, and this region.

Let Us Pray

Lord, thank You that, in Christ, I am righteous in Your sight. Forgive me for underestimating the power of prayer. I choose to bring my life into the light, to confess my sins, and to pray for others.

Let my prayers be powerful and effective because they are rooted in Your Word and offered in faith. Make ANCC a house where honest confession and faith-filled prayer are normal, and where healings and breakthroughs become common. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Day 9: Cry for Mercy | 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting | 2026

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.”

— 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)

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:

1. Humble themselves: We recognise that we cannot fix ourselves, our churches, or our nation. We renounce pride and self-reliance.

2. Pray: We speak to God about our condition instead of just complaining to each other.

3. Seek my face: We pursue God Himself, not just His blessings. It is about the relationship rather than just the results.

4. 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

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.”

— Isaiah 62:6–7 (NIV)

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

Week 1: Awakening & Consecration

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

— Matthew 5:6 (NIV)

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

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.”

— Leviticus 6:12–13 (NIV)

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

Week 1: Awakening & Consecration

“For it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am Holy.’”

— 1 Peter 1:16 (NIV)

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

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.’”

— 2 Corinthians 6:17–18 (NIV)

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.