Don’t Give Up on Day 40 – Day 41 Is Coming!
- Amy Blossom
- Nov 4
- 8 min read
Throughout Scripture, God uses numbers and symbols not as random details, but as divine fingerprints woven through His story. One of the most significant numbers that appears again and again in the Bible is 40. The number 40 often represents a time of testing, preparation, and transformation.
But... what if the true miracle isn’t in the 40 days of waiting or being in the storm you're facing? What if the miracle is what happens after day 40?
Day 41 is the moment when God moves, the season when the storm clears, the wilderness ends, and the promise begins.
A Flood and a Fresh Start
The first mention of the number 40 comes in Genesis 7:12: “And the rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights.”
For forty days, the rain fell and the earth was covered in judgment. Yet when the forty days ended, God remembered Noah (Genesis 8:1). The ark rested, the waters receded, and a new world began.
The flood wasn’t the end of the story, it was the preparation for a fresh beginning. On day 41, the rain stopped, and God’s covenant of hope began to take shape through the rainbow in the clouds (Genesis 9:13–17).
Forty Days of Revelation and Renewal
Throughout the Old Testament, God used periods of forty to prepare His people for what was coming next:
Moses spent forty days and nights on Mount Sinai receiving God’s Law (Exodus 24:18).
On day 41, Moses came down from the mountain carrying the Ten Commandments. His face was shining with the glory of God (Exodus 34:29). That season of separation turned into a moment of revelation.
Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years before entering the Promised Land (Numbers 14:33–34). On day 41, so to speak, their wandering ended and the next generation stepped across the Jordan into Canaan (Joshua 3:17). The testing in the desert became the doorway to promise.
Elijah, weary and afraid, traveled forty days to Mount Horeb, where he encountered God in a still, small voice (1 Kings 19:8–12). On day 41, Elijah rose, renewed with purpose and direction. He was strengthened to anoint new leaders and continue God’s mission (1 Kings 19:15–16). The whisper of God restored what fear had drained.
Each period of forty ended with a revelation, renewal, or release which was proof that God’s work continues even when we can’t see it. In each instance, God's plan came into view on day 41.
The Giant Fell on Day 41
For forty days, Goliath mocked and taunted Israel. First Samuel 17:16 it tells us that “...the Philistine drew near and presented himself forty days, morning and evening.”
Each morning and evening, the giant's voice echoed through the valley as an unrelenting reminder of fear, defeat, and intimidation. The Israelites had grown accustomed to the sound of failure and were paralyzed by the enemy’s challenge.
But on day 41, everything changed.
David, a young shepherd who wasn’t even part of the army, arrived with bread for his brothers, and a heart full of faith. While others saw an impossible giant, David saw an opportunity for God to display His power. David declared:
“The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37).
Armed with only a sling, a stone, and absolute trust in God, David ran toward the battle that everyone else ran from. One strike later, the giant fell, and fear fell with him.
After forty days of intimidation, day 41 brought courage, victory, and the reminder that faith - no matter how small - always outweighs fear when God fights the battle.
Mercy Came on Day 41
When God called Jonah to preach to Nineveh, he ran in the opposite direction. But after a storm and being swallowed by a great fish, Jonah ended up where God had sent him:
“And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he cried out and said, ‘Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!’" (Jonah 3:4)
For forty days, Jonah’s warning rang through the streets. The message was simple but severe: repent or die. The people listened. From the greatest to the least, they fasted, prayed, and turned from their wicked ways. Even the king clothed himself in sackcloth and cried out for mercy. Jonah 3:10 tells us “Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.”
On day 41, judgment was replaced by grace. The city that stood on the brink of destruction became a picture of God’s compassion. The same God who sent warning also sent mercy.
Jesus and the Pattern of Forty
In the New Testament, Jesus Himself entered this divine rhythm of forty. He was led into the wilderness where He was tempted by the devil. While there, He for fasted forty days and forty nights. (Matthew 4:2).
During those forty days, Satan whispered lies and offered shortcuts to glory, trying to derail Jesus' mission before it even began. Yet every temptation was met with truth from the Word of God.
On day 41, the enemy fled. In Matthew 4:11 we read “Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.”
After forty days of testing, Jesus experienced the peace of divine victory and the strengthening of heaven. The wilderness had not weakened Him; it had revealed His authority. What looked like isolation was preparation, and what felt like hunger birthed spiritual power.
But that wasn’t the only time Jesus walked through a “forty.” After His resurrection, Scripture tells us He spent forty days appearing to His disciples, teaching them, and preparing them for what was to come.
“To whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:3)
Then came another day 41 moment - Jesus ascended into Heaven and the promise of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled. What followed was Pentecost, the outpouring of God’s power, and the birth of the Church.
So whether in the wilderness or after the resurrection, the pattern is the same: forty days of testing, teaching, or preparation... THEN... day 41 arrives and the promise begins.
Day 41: When God Shows Up
The number 40 may symbolize testing, but day 41 brings transformation.
For Noah, day 41 meant the rain stopped and the ark rested.
For Moses, it meant stepping down from Sinai shining with God’s glory.
For Israel, it meant stepping across the Jordan into the promise land.
For Elijah, it meant renewed strength and direction.
For David, it meant the end of intimidation and the beginning of victory.
For Jonah, it meant mercy for a repentant city.
For Jesus, it meant the enemy fled, angels ministered to Him and He ascended to Heaven where He took His rightful place at the right hand of the Father.
God doesn’t end stories with forty. He finishes them with grace, renewal, and breakthrough. Day 41 is worth waiting for.
Don’t Give Up on Day 40 - Day 41 is Coming!
When it feels like your prayers have gone unanswered or the storm won’t stop, remember this: the silence of day 40 doesn’t mean God has forgotten you. It often means He’s finishing something unseen. God is aligning circumstances, shaping your heart, and preparing the miracle that can only come when the waiting is complete and the storm is over.
God specializes in breakthrough after endurance. He’s not just present in the waiting, He’s working in it. Every tear, every prayer, every act of faith in the unseen is part of His divine design.
Hold steady, keep believing, and stay faithful in your “forty,” because the dawn is already breaking. Day 41 is when fear turns to faith, testing turns to testimony, and what once felt like an ending becomes a brand new beginning.
The Number 40 – Personal Application Points for Life
Here are some ways this pattern of forty can speak into our lives and faith journey:
• Trials are part of the journey – Just as the world endured 40 days of rain, we may undergo seasons of “forty." These times of testing, pressure, and waiting aren’t meant to destroy us but to shape us. Day 41 reminds us that every storm has an end and that God’s purposes always outlast the pain.
• God is at work in the trial – The 40 days of rain were not aimless; they served God’s purpose of judgment and renewal. Likewise, our difficult seasons have divine purpose, even when unseen. On day 41, the purpose becomes clear, and what once felt like loss is revealed as preparation.
• After the trial comes renewal – The flood did not end with destruction alone; God made a covenant with Noah (Genesis 9). In our lives, too, the “flood” may wash away what was temporary, but day 41 brings the rainbow which is a reminder of God’s faithfulness and new beginnings.
• Preparation matters – The 40-day span was a time in which the old world was purged, and the new world (through the ark) was safeguarded. We, too, need “ark spaces” like prayer, God’s Word, and faithful community while we ride out our storms. Day 41 is when those disciplines bear fruit, and what was hidden in the waiting becomes strength for the journey ahead.
• Hope amidst judgment – The 40 days of rain represented judgment but also protection for the faithful (Noah and his family). For believers, even when God’s judgment is real, there is shelter in Christ (1 Peter 3:20–21). Day 41 reminds us that mercy always follows repentance, and grace always follows surrender.
• Time & faithfulness – The number 40 requires patience because it is not an overnight transition. Many of God’s greatest works unfold in “forty” spans, teaching us that spiritual formation takes time. Day 41 is God’s way of showing that His timing is perfect and that endurance always leads to blessing when we don’t give up.
Final Thoughts
When we notice patterns like the number 40 throughout Scripture, we’re reminded that nothing God does is accidental. Every number, symbol, and season holds meaning and purpose designed to reveal more of His character and plan.
The number 40 shows us that even in times of testing, God is working to transform. Whether you’re in a season of waiting, wilderness, or renewal, you can trust that He is writing your story with intention. Just as Noah found grace in the storm and Jesus overcame temptation in the wilderness, we can also find strength and hope in our “forty” seasons.
Remember, these seasons are preparing us for something greater. In every trial, God is not distant, He’s developing. God is not punishing, He’s purifying. When the forty days are over, what remains is faith refined, purpose renewed, and a deeper trust in the One who controls the winds, the rain, and the timing of every season.
The number 40 marks the test, but day 41 reveals the testimony. When God finishes His work, He always brings something beautiful out of the waiting.
So, if you’re weary in your “forty,” keep walking. Don’t stop on the brink of breakthrough - day 41 is coming. This is the day when God shows up and changes everything.
Blessings,
Amy
