Day 10 - 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting 2026

Day 10: Determined to Obey

"The Lord God has opened My ear; and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away. I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting. For the Lord God will help Me; therefore I will not be disgraced; therefore I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed." — (Isaiah 50:5-7)

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11)

The prophetic words found in Isaiah 50 provide a staggering first-person account of the Messiah’s heart centuries before He took His first breath as a man. In this passage, we hear Jesus speaking through the prophet about His future mission on earth. It is a testimony of absolute, unwavering resolve.

The Messiah begins by declaring, "The Lord God has opened My ear; and I was not rebellious." This speaks directly to the sinlessness of Christ. Unlike every other human being who has turned away from God’s voice in favor of their own path, Jesus remained perfectly attentive. He did not turn away from what God asked of Him, no matter how staggering the cost.

Isaiah then moves into a vivid, prophetic description of the physical and emotional price of our redemption. The Messiah says, "I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting." It is impossible to read these words without seeing the fulfillment in the Gospel accounts—the Roman scourging that shredded His back, the mocking of the soldiers who tore at His beard, and the vile spitting of those He came to save. Jesus gave Himself willingly to these horrors; He did not hide His face.

This willingness to endure humiliation ties directly to the "mind of Christ" described in Philippians 2. Paul tells us that Christ "made Himself of no reputation," setting aside His heavenly rights to take the form of a bondservant. The "shame" that Isaiah mentions is the very shame of our sin that He carried. He allowed His reputation to be destroyed so that we might be restored.

Throughout this ordeal, the Messiah possessed a supernatural determination. Isaiah records Him saying, "I have set My face like a flint." Flint is a stone of legendary hardness; it represents a focus that cannot be broken. Jesus was determined to do what God had asked Him to do. He could endure the temporary shame of the cross because He had a profound, settled knowledge that God would not leave Him in a position of shame. He knew that the Father would help Him and that His ultimate vindication was certain.

Because of this flint-like obedience, the shame of the cross was transformed into the glory of the resurrection. As Philippians declares, because He was obedient to the point of death, God has now highly exalted Him, ensuring that the face once covered in spit is now the face before which every knee in heaven and earth shall bow.

Application
The determination of Jesus is not just a theological fact to admire; it is a pattern for us to follow.

1. Trust in the Finished Work: When you feel the weight of your own failures or the "shame" of your past, remember that Jesus set His face like a flint toward the cross to carry that shame for you. He did not turn away from the pain because He refused to turn away from you. You can live in freedom today because He refused to hide His face then.
2. Adopt His Resolve: Paul begins the Philippians passage by saying, "Let this mind be in you." We are called to have the same "flint-like" determination in our own walk with God. When following God’s will becomes difficult or socially costly, we must decide not to be rebellious. Like our Savior, we can set our faces toward obedience, trusting that if we humble ourselves, God is faithful to sustain us and will never let us be put to ultimate shame.

Prayer
Father, please remind me of how Jesus carried my shame. I don’t have to hold on to my past failures. But I can live in the freedom and power today of my Saviour! Give me the determination of Christ Jesus and help me to obey you no matter the cost. Amen!