Topic: Faith That Grows Under Pressure
Main Bible Verse
2 Thessalonians 1:3 “We are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers, even as it is appropriate, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of each and every one of you towards one another abounds;”
Thursday, 15 October 2026
Day 1 of Fasting Prayer · Month of God’s Open Heavens.
Introduction
Beloved, welcome to the first day of our fasting and prayer. This is the Month of God’s Open Heavens, and today we come hungry. We are not only setting food aside. We are asking God to come near.
The church in Thessalonica was young. They were new in the faith, and they were hurting. People spoke against them. Some lost their jobs, some lost friends, and some lost peace in their own homes. Yet when Paul wrote to them, he did not say, “You are failing.” He said, “Your faith grows exceedingly.”
Think about that. Their faith was not growing in comfort. It was growing under pressure. A seed does not grow sitting on top of the ground. It grows when it is buried in dark soil. Maybe today you feel buried by bills, by sickness, by waiting, by loneliness, or by tears no one sees. Hear me: you are not buried to die. You are buried to grow.
Fasting is our way of saying, “Lord, I need you more than my daily bread.” When we fast, the noise grows quiet, and we begin to hear heaven opening. Over these three days, God will speak to us from this short letter. Today, open your heart. Let go of fear. God sees you, God loves you, and the heavens over your life are not closed.
Subtopic 1: Faith That Grows in the Storm
Paul says their faith grew “exceedingly.” Notice when this happened. It happened while they were suffering. Listen to the next verse.
2 Thessalonians 1:4 — “so that we ourselves boast about you in the assemblies of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which you endure.”
Some of us think faith grows when everything goes well. But the Bible shows us the opposite. Faith is like a muscle. It becomes strong when it lifts something heavy. The storm is not proof that God has left you. The storm is the place where your faith learns to stand.
The Thessalonians did not have easy lives. Yet Paul says he boasted about them in other churches. Think of that. Your quiet patience at the hospital bed, your faithful prayer in the night, your “I will still trust Him” through tears: heaven is talking about you. Heaven is proud of you.
Someone here is tired of believing. You prayed, and nothing changed. You fasted before, and the answer did not come. Let me tell you gently: your faith is not dying. It is growing roots. Roots grow deep where no one can see, and then one day the tree stands tall in the wind.
When Jesus was baptized, the Bible says heaven opened over Him, and then He walked into the wilderness. Open heaven and hard places often come close together. Do not be afraid of the hard place. The same Father who opened heaven over His Son is with you in the wilderness.
So today, do not ask only, “Lord, take me out of this storm.” Ask also, “Lord, grow my faith in this storm.” A faith that grows under pressure cannot be shaken by small winds. Let us ask God to make our faith strong, simple, and deep.
Subtopic 2: God Sees Every Tear
When we suffer, the heart cries out, “Does God see? Does anyone care?” Paul answers this with great comfort.
2 Thessalonians 1:5–7 — “This is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, to the end that you may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which you also suffer. It is a righteous thing with God to repay affliction to those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted with us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire,”
See the promise: “relief.” God does not forget the weary. He is a righteous Judge, and He keeps a record of every unfair word, every hidden sorrow, and every night you cried alone. Nothing is lost with Him.
Jesus said, “Your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.” This is for those who fast and pray in secret. When you close your door and bring your hunger to God, you are not alone. The Father sees. He sees the tired mother, the worried father, the nurse who goes home with a heavy heart, the young person who feels forgotten. He sees you.
And notice the words, “when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven.” Heaven is not far or closed. Heaven is where our help comes from, and one day it will open wide for all to see. But even today, heaven moves toward those who cry out in faith.
Maybe you have been waiting for justice, for healing, for a door to open. Do not be bitter. Do not take revenge into your own hands. Give your pain to the Judge who never sleeps. He will repay. He will restore. He will give relief in His time and in His way.
Put your hand on your heart and say, “Lord, You see me.” Let that truth warm your soul. You are not forgotten. You are not invisible. You are seen, known, and loved by the God of heaven.
Subtopic 3: Worthy of the Calling
Now Paul turns to prayer. This is the heart of our fasting. Hear how he prays for them.
2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 — “To this end we also pray always for you, that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire of goodness and work of faith with power; that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Paul does not only say, “May your troubles end.” He prays, “May God count you worthy of your calling.” God has called you. You did not choose yourself. He chose you, with all your weakness and your story. A calling means He has a purpose for your life, and no storm can cancel what heaven has written.
He also prays that God will “fulfill every desire of goodness and work of faith with power.” Do you have a good desire in your heart? A desire to serve, to heal, to teach, to give, to raise a godly family, to walk in love? God put that desire there. Fasting brings that desire before Him, and He answers with power.
The goal is not only our blessing. The goal is that the name of Jesus is glorified in us. When open heavens come, people see Jesus in our homes, our work, our words, and our love.
So today, let us pray the way Paul prayed. Do not only ask, “What can I get?” Ask, “Lord, make me worthy of my calling. Fulfill the good work You began in me. Let my life glorify Jesus.” When we seek His name first, heaven opens wide over us.
Self-Examination Time
Let us be still before God. Close your eyes if you can. Do not rush. God is not here to shame us. He is here to heal us. Pray softly with David:
Psalm 139:23–24 — “Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.”
Ask yourself these questions slowly, and let the Holy Spirit answer.
- Is my faith growing, or have I become tired and cold?
- Am I complaining more than I am praying?
- Is there someone I have not forgiven? Am I holding bitterness?
- Do I love my brothers and sisters, as Paul said the Thessalonians did?
- Is there a secret sin I keep hiding from God?
- Do I pray only when I am in trouble, or every day?
- Am I living worthy of the calling God gave me?
If the Spirit shows you something, do not run from it. Bring it to Jesus.
1 John 1:9 — “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Say quietly: “Lord, I confess. I was wrong. I turn back to You. Wash me clean.” Take a moment now. Weep if you need to. Heaven opens over a humble heart. When you finish, thank Him, because you are forgiven. The old weight is gone. You stand clean before the Father.
Altar Call
Beloved, there is a person here today who feels far from God. Maybe you once walked closely with Him, but life pushed you away. Maybe you have never given your life to Jesus at all. Tonight the door is open, and Jesus is calling you by name.
Revelation 3:20 — “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me.”
He is not angry. He is knocking gently, with love. He does not ask you to fix your life first. He asks you to open the door.
Romans 10:9 — “that if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
If you want to come back to Jesus, or give Him your life for the first time, or if you need Him to restore your faith, please step forward now, or lift your hand where you sit. Do not be ashamed. Heaven rejoices over every person who returns home.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I come to You through Jesus, just as I am. I confess my sins and I believe You died for me and rose again. Forgive me, cleanse me, and make me new. Come into my heart today. Make my faith grow, and make me Yours forever. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Deliverance Session and Prayer
Beloved, Jesus did not only come to forgive us. He came to set us free. Some of us carry chains that are not ours: fear, shame, sickness, anger, addiction, bad dreams, family patterns, and a heavy spirit that will not lift. Today, by the blood of Jesus, we say: no more.
John 8:36 — “If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”
Luke 10:19 — “Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will in any way hurt you.”
James 4:7 — “Be subject therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Notice the order. First we submit to God. Then we resist the enemy. We do not fight in our own strength. We stand in the name of Jesus, who already won.
If you are ready, place your hand on the part of your life that feels bound: your chest, your head, your stomach, or your hands. Now pray out loud with faith:
Prayer of Deliverance:
Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I submit myself to You. I surrender my mind, my body, and my family to You.
Every spirit of fear, discouragement, and unbelief: I resist you in the name of Jesus. Leave me now.
Every chain of sickness, shame, and bitterness: be broken by the blood of Jesus.
Every evil word spoken over my life, every curse, every agreement with darkness: I cancel you today. I am redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
Every hand that holds back my open heaven: be removed in Jesus’ name. The Son has made me free, and I am free indeed.
Holy Spirit, fill every place that has been emptied. Fill me with love, joy, peace, and strong faith. I receive my freedom. I receive my healing. I receive my open heaven. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Now take a deep breath. Release what you have carried. Say, “I am free.” Do not go back to pick up what God has taken from you. Walk in your freedom.
Now let us seal this freedom with faith. Deliverance is not only about what leaves you. It is also about who fills you. Jesus taught that an empty house is not safe, so we ask the Holy Spirit to fill every room of our hearts. Lift your hands and pray:
Heavenly Father, send Your Holy Spirit to come and live in me. Fill my mind with Your peace. Fill my mouth with praise. Fill my home with Your presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Now speak to your own life: I am not bound. I am not defeated. I am not forgotten. I am a child of God.
If tears come, let them fall. Tears are not weakness. They are the sound of chains breaking. Some of you will feel lighter. Some will feel warm. Some will feel nothing yet, and that is fine too. Freedom is not a feeling. It is a promise from Jesus, and His promise is true. Stay thankful, stay in the Word, and keep walking in your freedom.
Encourage One Another
Now turn to the person beside you. You may not know their name, but you know they have come here hungry and hoping, just like you. Freedom is meant to be shared. When one person is set free, God often uses that person to lift another.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 — “Therefore encourage one another, and build each other up, even as you also do.”
Some of the people around you have been fighting alone for a long time. They have not heard one kind word this week. A simple “God loves you” or “I am praying for you” can warm a cold heart. Never think your small word is small. Heaven can turn one sentence into a whole new beginning.
So take a moment. Look at someone near you, or think of someone in your family who is hurting, and speak this blessing over them: You are not alone. God sees you. You are loved. Your breakthrough is coming.
If you are praying alone, lift one name before God. A son, a daughter, a friend, a neighbour. Say their name out loud. Ask heaven to open over them. Let us stand together as one body and pray for each other:
Heavenly Father, thank You for setting us free. Now use us to bring freedom to others. Let every weak hand be strengthened, every tired heart be lifted, and every lonely soul be comforted. Open the heavens over every person in this place and over every family we carry in our hearts. Let Your love flow from me to others, today and always. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayer Session
Let us pray together with a thankful and hungry heart. Pray each point aloud, for one or two minutes each.
- Heavenly Father, thank You for seeing me in my secret place. Thank You for every tear You have counted.
- Lord, let my faith grow exceedingly, even under pressure. Let my love for others overflow.
- Open the heavens over my life, my family, and my church this month, in Jesus’ name.
- Count me worthy of my calling, and fulfill every good desire in my heart with power.
- Give relief to the weary and the suffering among us. Comfort every broken heart tonight.
- Let the name of Jesus be glorified in me, in my home, and in my work.
- Thank You, Lord, because You have heard me. I receive Your answer by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Closing Word of Encouragement
Dear one, do not give up. The hunger you feel today is not wasted. Every prayer is a seed, and every tear is watered ground. Heaven is moving, even when you cannot see it. Your faith is growing, and your God is faithful. Stand strong. Rest in His love. The best is still ahead of you.
Before you go, I want to speak to the one who is hurting most. Maybe you came to this fast with a heavy secret. Maybe you have not told anyone how tired you are. You smile at work, you serve at home, you pray for others, but inside your heart is aching.
Dear one, God has not missed a single tear. He knows the nights you sat alone and whispered His name because you had no more words. He was there, and He heard every whisper.
You may feel small, but you are precious to Him. You may feel weak, but He is your strength. You may feel late, but you are right on time. The Father is not tapping His foot, waiting for you to get better. He is running toward you with open arms, like the father who ran to meet his lost son.
So lift your head. Wipe your tears. Say, “Father, I am still here, and I still believe.” That simple sentence moves heaven. Your faith may be as small as a seed, but He will make it grow. Tomorrow we will hold on together. You are not walking alone. We are praying for you, and God is holding you tight. In Jesus’s name . Amen.
God bless you abundantly.
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