Day 20 of 21 Days of Prayer. Extended Stay. Stay as long as you want to; no fixed contract; check-out when you’re ready. On the surface this sounds good, but for the children of Israel the vision for an 11-day journey took 40 years. As if being in Egypt for 400 years was not enough. Grumbling, complaining, and sin extended their stay in the wilderness. “The Lord said to Moses, I have seen these people, and they are a stiff-necked people (hard headed) (Exodus 32:9).” For that reason, sin took the Israelites on a road that they never wished they had gone. They were far away from God in their hearts. Their bodies crossed the Red Sea but their minds remained in Egypt.

Grumbling, complaining, and sin are the syllabi for extended stay. Those who grumble, stumble. Complainers are remainers. And, sin separates us from God. The Israelites had difficulty moving forward because they allowed their mouths to extend seasons in their lives.

Your tongue can extend your stay in the wilderness or you can speak life and choose God’s perfect and tried way. Your mouth has the power to authorize things in your life. Your mouth has the power to authorize places in your life. Hanging out with the wrong people in the wrong places will extend your stay in the wilderness.

If your mind is set on grumbling, your mouth will release seeds of grumbling. If your mind is set on murmuring, your mouth will release seeds of murmuring. Seeds take root and grow.

We all have grumbled, complained, and sinned, but God offers forgiveness for our sins (I John 1:9). Don’t extend seasons in your life by authorizing your mouth to speak hell and damnation over yourself and your family.

Earlier in my career as an educator, I reported to work one day only to be released within 10 minutes after my arrival. I was escorted to the director’s office when I entered the building. My boss told me they no longer needed my services. I thanked him for the opportunity to work at the community center. When asked what was I going to do, my response was unexpected. I said, “I walk by faith and not by sight”. Of course, my response startled the director. So, I had to repeat it for him. As I packed my things from the computer lab, an elderly gentleman escorted me to my automobile. He asked, “What are you going to do?” My response was, “I walk by faith and not by sight”. And, I had to repeat it for him, too.

My response in this situation, I believe, determined the length of my stay in the unemployment wilderness. I spoke faith in the face of my wilderness season. Within two days, I was hired to teach in the computer science department at one of the local universities. I went from teaching at a community center to teaching undergraduate students at a university. I did not extend my stay in the unemployment wilderness by murmuring and complaining about being displaced. Instead, I used words of faith to authorize new things and new places in my life. And, God was glorified in this situation.

Set you mind on things above (Colossians 3:2). Taste your words before you speak. Are they words of faith? Or, are they words of damnation to you and your family?

Surrender your vision to God so that an 11-day journey won’t take you 40 years. Ask the Lord to watch the door of your lips (Psalm 141:3). Use your mouth to speak life to your vision.

DECREE AND DECLARE DAILY (SAY ALOUD)

I decree and declare I have divine order in my life.

I decree and declare glorious and divine connections in my life.

~inspiring hope & seasoning faith, Dr. Regina M. Daigre

P.S.: BIBLE READING: Read the book Exodus.