Day Twenty-One

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. - Acts 13:1-3

On October 13, 1775, the Second Continental Congress authorized the purchase and arming of two vessels, creating the Continental Navy during the American Revolution. Today we celebrate this as the beginning of the U.S. Navy. Wartime history and naval practice constantly highlight how essential discipline and training are to success. To be the best, you must train the best. Sailors undergo intense preparation to become “war ready,” completing courses in navigation, propulsion, sonar, and damage control before ever fighting aboard a U.S. submarine.

Leaders rely heavily on wartime simulators so crews can rehearse combat before they face it for real. In training, they study enemy behavior, environmental conditions, and simultaneous threats to see how teams respond to rapid change. Navy officials constantly repeat the phrase “train like we fight,” using frequent, no‑notice drills that force sailors to treat every event—fire, flooding, weapons failure, or enemy contact—as if it were real, until their responses become automatic.

In today’s Scripture, we also see war‑time training, but it looks very different from the U.S. Navy. The Bible shows another strategy for fighting the war, a better way. Reread Acts 13:1-3. Notice how they were led to prepare for war including worshipping, fasting, prayer, not just as individuals but as a congregation. Our spiritual training comes out of worship and devotion to God.

In this season, God is not merely calling us to greater strategies or more realistic simulations. Strategy and preparation matter, but how we prepare matters more. How we train for the war reveals how we understand the war we are fighting. Antioch’s winning strategy began with seeking the Lord until “the Holy Spirit said…” As we continue to seek God together, lean into the “war‑time” training Scripture shows us—persistent worship, prayer, and fasting. Let’s be a people ready before the Lord, in Northwest Houston and to the World. How will you prepare for the work God has called you to in response to Acts 13:1–3?

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