Romans 1:16
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes…”
The Greek word Paul uses here for salvation is ‘sōtēria’, meaning deliverance, preservation, safety, wholeness. It speaks of the full restoration of a person - body, soul, and spirit - back to God’s original intent.
Salvation is an absolute miracle! It’s total reclamation of what hell tried to destroy.
When Paul declared that he was “not ashamed of the gospel,” he was writing to believers living in the epicentre of worldly power - Rome. A city obsessed with status, image, and dominance. To follow Jesus there was dangerous, even humiliating. Yet Paul writes with fiery conviction: “I’m not ashamed.” Why? Because he had experienced the ‘dynamis’ (the explosive power) of the gospel himself. That same word dynamis gives us “dynamite.” The gospel still carries that same force today.
As we fast, it positions us to begin to feel what God feels. His heart breaks for those who are far from Him.
The early Church lived with this awareness. In Acts 4 and Acts 8, the believers didn’t wait for ideal conditions - they preached Christ wherever persecution scattered them. Every time they opened their mouths, people were saved.
Wherever believers were, people were finding salvation. Let our prayer today be: “God wherever I am, people will find salvation there.”
The same spirit that softened your heart can soften others too. Do you believe it?
The hardened heart of that friend, the hopelessness of that relative, that person you know who is stuck in addiction, the indifference of that colleague - they are not impossible cases. They are miracles waiting to happen!
Maybe you’ve prayed for someone for years and nothing seems to change. Keep praying. Keep believing. You never know which prayer becomes the one that breaks the ground.
This is the time to prophesy salvation over names and households, to declare that the lost will be found, the prodigals will come home, that whole households will be saved, and that your city will see Jesus lifted high!
Let’s be the generation that refuses to be ashamed. The gospel is STILL powerful enough to save the most unlikely heart.
Who in your world feels “too far” from God right now?
PRAY BOLD
“Jesus, thank You for rescuing me. Fill me again with Your compassion for the lost. Let my heart burn for souls the way Yours does. I pray for salvation to sweep across my family, my friends, and my city. Break chains of unbelief. Draw prodigals home. Give me courage to speak Your name without fear or shame. Let the gospel explode in power wherever I go - in homes, classrooms, offices, and streets - until revival fills the earth. Use my life as a living invitation to Your grace.”
EQUIPPERS EVERYWHERE
Today we are praying for Fiji!
(As part of this fast, we’re lifting up our Equippers family and churches around the world. Each day, take a few moments to pray for the country we list and our church/es there - praying for the pastors and people, and believing for God’s presence, power, and provision to move in that nation.)