“Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

For the past two years our churches have observed a period of fasting towards the end of the year, for 11 and 12 days respectively, pressing in for the fulfilment of prophetic promises before the year is up…and have experienced significant breakthroughs.

This year, the Lord is directing us to observe the “13 Decrees in December” Fast.

In just a few weeks, we will be reading the Christmas story which begins with the words: “And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.” (Luke 2:1) There is only one response to this decree. “So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.” (v. 3)

A decree must be obeyed. It shall be carried through.

God created the world by decree. “Let there be light. And there was light.” (Genesis 1:3) This pattern would be repeated over and over again as the rest of creation came into existence.

(You may wish to listen to this message that lists other decrees in Scripture and explains how we too have the power to do as God does.)

So, today and every day until Dec. 13, we will issue decrees that line up with the Word, Nature and Character of God and discover that “you shall decree a thing and it shall be established” (Job 22:28).

We invite you, our DWOD subscribers, to join us in making these decrees—and, if you are so led, in the Fast as well.

Here is the first of thirteen.

One of the greatest desires of all our hearts is for us to spend eternity in heaven together with all our family, amen? Clearly this is the will of our Father as well who “is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

We also see some of our family members struggling on earth right now without Jesus in their lives. We would love to see them make the same commitment to follow Him that we did. This way they could live their lives with hope and experience the abundant life that Jesus brings (John 10:10), amen?

Suffice it to say that many of us have been praying for varying times for this to happen. Whenever this prayer is answered, there is not only great rejoicing in heaven (Luke 15:7) among the angels, but also here on earth, in our hearts!

One of the first signs of revival in the Church is that those who are lost begin finding Jesus. These words, said of the Philippian jailer—“he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household”—are repeated over and over again. (Acts 16:34)

While we persist in prayer for this to happen, why not add a decree to hasten the results?

Thousands of years ago, Joshua taught us how: “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

As a decree that lines up with the word, nature and character of God, issued by one who is a member of the royal priesthood, it shall come to pass.

Go ahead, decree it now: “MY FAMILY IS SERVING THE LORD.”