It is estimated that around 100 students on campus are participating in The Burning Heart Contract: A 21-Day Challenge To Ignite Your Passion and Fulfill Your Purpose. Participant Anthony “AJ” Swies talks about his experience with the 21 Day Challenge and prayer.
Why do we pray? We pray because prayer changes things. When we spend time and talk with Jesus the more intimate our relationship becomes with him. The more intimate we are with Him the more we are aware of his presence. The more we are aware of his presence the more aware we are of how the Holy Spirit is moving. When we are aware of how the Holy Spirit is moving lives are changed forever because we are living in the presence of God. When we live in the presence of God, people will notice and will desire the joy and freedom we have by living in His Spirit.
I am so incredibly blessed to have been introduced to The Burning Heart Contract: A 21-Day Challenge to Ignite Your Passion and Fulfill Your Purpose written by Becky Tirabassi this last summer. I started my first 21-day journey on July 1, 2013 and since then I have seen God work more clearly than I have ever seen Him work in my entire life. I have witnessed revival in my own life and lives of others because people are sold out to prayer, purity, and purpose. Since July 1, 2013 I have seen friends who were struggling with drug and alcohol problems rededicate their lives to Christ. I have seen friends lead their own parents to Christ, as well have seen friends have incredible Holy Spirit encounters where the Holy Spirit revealed their spiritual gifts. When we are sold out to prayer and spend time with Jesus we develop an intimate relationship with Him and in return we experience His incredible power and love by seeing what he is doing in and around us.
There is no question that there is revival happening at Point Loma right now. Is it because of the 21-day challenge? No. It is because people are spending time with the Holy Spirit and living in the Spirit through prayer. God wants to talk to us. He wants to answer our prayers but if we are not praying then how are we going to notice that He is moving? Jesus wants us to feel delivered from our sins. He doesn’t want us to feel bound down by chains that are lies from Satan. He desires for us live in His freedom and love. Psalm 103: 3-5 states “He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s”.
The 21-day challenge is simply a way to help people develop an intimate relationship with Jesus. Gods hand is on this thing right now as people all over are experiencing revival in their lives and on their campuses. The love I have experienced through spending time with Jesus is something I want to share with everyone because it is a precious gift from God. Prayer is a gift, purity is freedom, and purpose is joy.
Grace Gaines