Understanding the Blessedness of Prayer & Fasting - Part 2

Prayer and fasting still remains the force through which certain kinds of afflictions give way. Matthew 17:21. When we pray and fast, we must remember our fasting is not to change God but essentially to empower us to take command of things.

That is why our teaching series for this month of January 2016 is captioned, "Understanding the Blessedness of Prayer and Fasting".

We must note that it is not just enough to fast, but what we do when fasting is much more important than the length of the fast itself. That is why we must understand the profitable approach to fasting in order to avoid being engrossed in mere religious hunger strike.

According the Isaiah 58:6, there are specific benefits why fasting is commanded among which includes; to undo the heavy burdens, let the oppressed go free, breaking of yokes, breaking forth of light, springing forth of health speedily. As we look at the following profitable approach to fasting, may all these benefits find practical manifestation in your life in Jesus name.

PROFITABLE APPROACH TO FASTING

1. Engage in Kingdom-promotion prayers. 

    For fasting to yield its maximum returns, we must not just engage in prayers for our own needs alone but we must put the kingdom first according to Matthew 6:33. This is the master key to having our own needs met. What specific kingdom promotion prayers can we pray?

·   We must pray the Holy Spirit to mobilize men and women into our local assemblies as He did in the upper room – Acts 2:2/6

·  We must pray for signs and wonders which will lead to supernatural church growth – John 4:48, Acts 5:12/14/ Acts 9:34-35

·  We must pray for new converts to be established in the faith – Colossians 4:12/ Galatians 4:19

·  We must pray for continuous flow of revelation for the ministers – 2 Thess. 3:6/ Ephesians 6:19

·  We must also praying for other brethren for God to turns their challenges to testimonies – Philippians 1:19/ Ps. 23:6

2. We must come thanking, praising and worshipping

Prayer in the kingdom has protocols. When Jesus taught the disciples to pray, He told them, "Hallowed Be Thy Name". This is an art or worship and it is perhaps one of the fundamental reasons for many unanswered prayers: lack of gratitude and worship to God. Our countenance in fasting should not be sorrowful but of praise and worship. Psalm 100:4/ Matthew 6:6-9, 16-19

3. We must come boldly and not beggarly

As bonafide children of God, we must come before God with boldness and not beggarly for our voices to be heard. Hebrew 4:16. Esther and Nehemiah went boldly before the King after a fast even though it was against the law and they both had their requests granted. Esther 4:16; 5:1-2, 7; Nehemiah. 1:4, 2:3-5.

4. Engage the force of faith:

It is faith-filled prayer that guarantees answers. As we fast, we must ensure our prayers are faith-filled. – Matthew 21:21-22. How?

     - The force of faith thinks the unthinkable as in Abraham. Rom. 4:19-20

     ­- The force of faith expects the unexpectable as in Noah. Hebr. 11:7, 2 Kings 7:18-19

     - The force of faith speaks the unspeakable as the 3 Hebrew boys. Daniel 3:17

     - The force of Faith dares the undareable as Daniel. Daniel 6:16

     - The force of faith conquers the unconquerable like Moses. Exo. 14:21-22

     - The force of faith achieves the unachievable like Gideon. Hebrews 11:33

BLESSEDNESS OF FASTING

·   Empowers us for dominion – Isaiah 58:6/ Luke 4:14/37

·   Engenders access to Revelations - 2 Corinthians. 4:4

·   Guarantees access to our high places in life – Isaiah 58:6/14; Matthew 5:13-15

·   Empowers fulfillment of prophecy – 1 Timothy 1:18

·   Enhances our access to visions and divine directions, thereby launching us into realms of greater glory –Isaiah 48:17/21/ Psalm 23:1-6 

The truth is that the greater glory will be by God Himself leading us to what to do and it is fasting that enforces divine guidance. 

Among others, that is what the Mystery of the Holy Communion does;

- Strength. 1 Kings 19:7-8, John 6:48-51

- Opening of understanding. Luke 24:30-31, 43-45

- Positive experiences. 1 Corinthians 11:24-26

To accept Jesus Christ into your life, please pray this  ‘salvation prayer’ with me;

Father, I thank you for sending Jesus Christ to die for my sins and rise from the dead so that I can know Your forgiveness and live with You forever. Right now I ask Jesus Christ to be my Saviour so I can live as the special creation that You intended. Thank you Lord for saving me, in Jesus name. Amen.

Congratulations! You are now saved.

To share your thoughts and experience with me, please email me at, Emmanuel.Odedeyi@winners-chapel.org.uk or visit our website; www.winnerschapelleeds.org.uk 

Understanding the Blessedness of Prayer & Fasting. - Part 1

Happy New Year to you.

Remember to have a new Year, there must be a New You. Someone once said, "Only fools do the same thing and expects a different result." This simply means to have a change of result, there must of necessity be a change of approach. If the New Year 2016 is approached the same way as 2015, you can only at best get 2015 result.

Our teaching series for the month of January 2016 is captioned, "Understanding the Blessedness of Prayer and Fatsing". It is first important for us to know that the bible is a book of instructions and all instructions in scriptures are for our benefit. God’s commandments are ordained for our profiting – 2 Timothy 3:16-17/ 1John 5:3

A man who is intimate with God is not intimidated by man.” ― Leonard Ravenhill

No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying.; many players and payers, few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears;; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere.― Leonard Ravenhill

We must note the following on the subject of Prayer and Fasting?

• Fasting is commanded for specific benefits as contained in Isaiah 58:6-12 among which includes, to undo the heavy burdens, let the oppressed go free, breaking of yokes.
• Among the benefits of prayer and fasting is fulfilment of prophecy as we saw in Jesus Christ – Luke 4:14,18
• Fasting, spiritually, expedite answers to prayers, that is, everything that prayer does is what fasting facilitates – Isaiah 58:8-9
• But we must also remember that it is prayer that gives value to fasting – Matthew 17:19-21

Knowing these benefits, we must beware of selling our birthright to the belly like Esau who the bible referred to as a profane person. A profane person is a disrespectful or irreverent person to God – Genesis 25:21-27/29-34/ Heb. 12:16. We must not allow our belly to become our god – Philippians 3:19

PROFITABLE APPROACH TO FASTING

• Define your goals and objectives

Fasting without clearly define goals and objectives is a wasted energy that will yield no positive result. All through scriptures, people fasted having clearly defined their goals. Ezra fasted to seek help from God concerning the project he had at hand. Ezra 8:21-23.

Jehosaphat proclaimed a fast to seek help in defeating the 3 nations that came against Judah in battle. 2Chr. 20:3-24

Esther and his people fasted to obtain favour from the King and she got it. Esther 4:16; Esther 5:2.

Even when Jesus saw Blind Bartimeus with his obvious condition of blindness, he still asked him what he wanted specifically. Mark 10:47-48. Hence, we can use the mystery of ONE-LINE PRAYER to make our request clear and simple for speedy answers

 

• Prepare to engage your heart in seeking the Lord

Prayer and fasting is essentially of the heart. When it is heartfelt, then it becomes effectual. James 5:14

Before we approach God in prayers, we must prepare our heart. Proverb. 16:1. Jotham, the young King became mighty because he prepared his way before the Lord. 2 Chronicles 27:6

Part of this preparation of the heart is to de-cluster the mind, seek a quiet place and time to engage in heartfelt prayers. Jeremiah 29: 11, 13; Jeremiah 30:21.

• Refuse to be offended in God and in men

Offence towards God and man is one of the greatest undoing in prayers. So to get God's attention in prayers, refuse to be offended both in God and in men. Isaiah 58:9, Matthew 11:6. Paul admonished us in Acts 24:16 that this will require exercise to operate an offence-free conscience.

• We must come confessing and forsaking our sins

To get audience with God, sin must be taken care of. Leonard Ravenhill says, "You can't live wrong and pray right.”

BLESSEDNESS OF FASTING

• It facilitates deliverance from all evils – unwanted habits, addictions & all sins that easily beset us – Isaiah 58:6,8
• It facilitates answers to our prayers. Matthew 6:5-7,16-18
• It secures favour from God like in Esther and Nehemiah – Esther 4:16-17, Esther 5:1-3,13-14, Nehemiah 1:4-11; 2:4-8
• It empowers fulfillment of prophecy – 1Timothy 1:18, 1Kings. 17:1, James 5:17-18
• It builds our prayer life, which empowers us to see His glory – Exodus 33:18, John. 17:1, Luke 9:28-29

However, until the grace for a life of prayer and fasting is imparted, it will remain a struggle for us

Therefore, what is Impartation?

• Impartation is a platform for transference of spiritual gifts – Romans 1:11
• Impartation is a spiritual medium through which we partake of the grace and unction of God upon an anointed vessel – Philippians 1:7, Psalm 133:1-3, Ephesians 2:20
• It is a spiritual platform for duplication and multiplication of grace – 2 Kings 2:15
• Impartation is a medium through which we contact the virtues of healings, deliverances and special miracles – Acts 19:11-12

But what is in the Prophetic Mantle?

• The overflowing anointing of the prophet – Ps. 45:6-8/ Matt. 9:20-22/ Matt. 14:34-36
• The overflowing priestly anointing – Ps. 133:1-3. Priesthood in the Old Testament is the apostolic and prophetic ministry in the New Testament – Eph. 2:20/ Heb. 3:1-4

What qualifies one for Impartation through the Prophetic Mantle?

• Believe the word concerning the prophetic mantle – Heb. 4:2/ 2Cor. 11:3/Matt. 9:20-22/ Matt. 14:34-36
• Believe in the person and ministry of the prophet – Matt. 10:41/ Mk. 6:4/ 2Chr. 20:20
• Be upright in heart – 2Kgs. 4:29-31/ 2Kgs. 5:20-27- Gehazi took leprosy instead of the the double anointing because his heart was not right.

Friend, I encourage you to make a decision to live your life to honour God from this day and it begins by accepting Jesus into your heart as your Lord and personal Saviour. To accept Jesus Christ into your life, please pray the ‘salvation prayer’ at the back of this publication. Congratulations!

For further enquiries, please email me at, Emmanuel.Odedeyi@winners-chapel.org.uk