We are going to our second week of our Annual Daniel fasting.
(The challenge in this 21 days is to give up some meals in week days and instead just eat vegetables, fruit and water.
No meat, no bread, no sweets, no desserts, no coffee, no desirable food.
You’re fasting food but you should also limit internet, and give up on facebook, Twitter, instagram and social media.
Instead using time on internet spend your time with God.)
We are a church that believes in the power of prayer and fasting!
The muslins believe in fasting and prayer and they do it for 40 days in Ramadan and they pray 5 times a day.
The Hindus and the Buddhists believe in fasting and prayer and they do it too.
I believe the church of Jesus Christ should believe what the bible teaches about fasting and prayer.
Jesus fasted for 40 days, Moses and Elijah fasted for 40 days, Daniel did it for 21 days, Paul the apostle did it for 14 days, 10 days, 7 days, 3 days, he often said he was fasting.
Peter fasted for 3 days, the earlier Church fasted and had days of fasting. If you are a believer you should fast too.
Today I want to show you what happens in the unseen world when we fast and pray.
First I want to speak about a true story from the book of Exodus because it has a profound lesson to teach us today.
In book of exodus 17 there is a tremendous story. This is the story of Moses and the Amalekites. Moses and the children of Israel fighting against the Amalekites.
God told Moses to go up the mountain and lift his hands towards heaven. God commanded him to keep his hands lifted up to win the battle.
“As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.” Exodus 17:11
As long he had his hand up, as God told him to do, as long he was in physical obedience, He was winning the battle in the unseen world because of his physical obedience!
But when Moses became weary and his hands began to come down the Amalekites would begin to defeat Israel.
As long as he was in physical obedience he was winning the battle in the unseen world!
This story is important because it reinforces the fact that Physical Obedience brings spiritual release!
That’s why this story is so important, because there is a connection between what we do physically and what happens spiritually.
What we do here with our physical body makes a difference in what happens in the spiritual world!
Angels were released in that battle when Moises raised his hand physically!
If Moses hands started coming down then the enemy started winning the battle!
The bible is full of mentions of angels, but today we don’t hear much about angels, the modern church doesn’t talk about supernatural things and we don’t hear about angels.
But…
“Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve (to render service) those who will inherit salvation?”
Hebrews 1:14
“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.”
Psalms 34:7
The angels of God are spirits to render services for those who are saved!
Here is the point:
As long Moises obeyed God’s commands – what God told him to do – a Physical Act – The battle was won because of what he was doing physically with his body. If his hands went down they began to lose the battle!
The bible tells us to raise up our hands and worship God!
“I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.” Psalm 63:4
Don’t question it when God tells you to do something physically.
But many people say:I don’t like it, I don’t want to do that!
I don’t need to humble myself, or to go down on my knees for the Lord !
“I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;”
I Timothy 2:8
Some people say:
I don’t need to go to Church, I can seek God at home! I don’t need to go to every church’s meeting!
“not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Hebrews 10:25
I don’t need to fast, I don’t need to pray, I don’t need to raise up my hands. Why fast, what good does fasting do?
It does you good because God told you to do it.
“So Jesus said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.””
Mark 9:29
In the modern church we have reduced everything down to feelings and intellect and not to any physical actions.
Examples:
I feel like I’m humble so I never have to get on my knees and bow before the Lord.
I don’t have to clap my hands, I don’t have to raise my hands, I don’t have to stand on my feet and worship the Lord physically with my body. God knows my heart!
Some say: I feel faith so I don’t have to risk anything because I have faith in my heart.
Everything gets reduced down to internal stuff in the modern day church and there is no physical obedience.
Some people say I don’t need to do anything physically because God know I love him in my heart!
I feel that I love the Lord and I worship Him on the inside, on my heart and I don’t need to go to church, I don’t need to fast , I don’t need to pray , because God knows I love him.
But if you tell your wife or husband: I love you on the inside but I can’t show it on the outside with my actions, they are going to question you.
Do you really love me?
We should express our love to God physically.
God says: sometimes I demand of my people a physical act of obedience before I release spiritual reward.
Fasting is one of those acts of obedience.
There are times when God requires all of us to take physical action. Why? because There is a connection between the physical action here and the spiritual power that is released there.
The Truth is: Physical Obedience brings Spiritual release!
Many people have been in church for years, but they do not have any experiences with God! It’s because there’s no physical obedience in their life!
Why some people grow spiritually faster than others ? It’s not because God loves them more than others.
When you begin to fast and pray you release Gods supernatural forces of Heaven!
Physical obedience brings spiritual release, favour, spiritual power, health, protection, healings, miracles, deliverance, salvation, blessings…
The more you seek God, the more you have Angelical protection!
There is a difference between the Love of God and The Favour of God!
God loves the world, God loves you. His love is full, his love is free and it is constant. It’s 100% full on 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
There is nothing you can do for him to love you more!
There is nothing you can do that makes him Love you less!
God loves you!
But: The favour of God comes with obedience! It doesn’t come to your life until you do certain things!
You cannot buy God’s favour, but you cannot get more of God’s favour without sacrifice!
The increase of favour comes from obedience and sacrifice!
Jeremiah 29:13
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
God loves you – but if you want to find Him you need to seek Him!
You are not going to find Him because He loves you!
But many people are lazy, they don’t want to seek God, they don’t want to come to the meetings, don’t want to pray, don’t want to fast – but they want God’s favour!
There is a story in Daniel that shows us how fasting and prayer affect the unseen world.
“At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food ( no pleasant food , no fancy food) ; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.” Daniel 10:2-3
If you read Daniel 1 you are going to see that Daniel was eating Vegetables and water and he gave up pleasant food. He made a vow , he was fasting, praying, seeking God,
10 Suddenly “A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.
11 He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, ( highly beloved) consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling.” Daniel 10:10 – 11
When Daniel was in his 3 full weeks of fasting, 21 days of not eating pleasant food, seeking the Lord, the Lord’s responded to what he did and an angel came and said: you’re greatly desired by Me!
Daniel didn’t eat desirable food, pleasant food, and then an Angel came and said: you are highly beloved by God.
The love of God is fully free, and it’s yours , but the favour of God doesn’t come to your life until you do certain things that get God’s attention!
The increase of God’s favour comes with obedience and sacrifice!
Daniel said: I ate no pleasant Food, no choice food, no fancy food, no desirable food! But as a result at the end of his fasting God says: You are highly esteemed, you are highly beloved, you have my favour!
Daniel didn’t eat desirable food but He become desirable by God
He didn’t eat desirable food but God came and said: you’re greatly desired by me.
Daniel’s story is a story of favour
“Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.” Daniel 10:12
The Angel said: because you kept fasting, because you humbled yourself, your Words were heard!
Your prayers were heard and I have come in response to them. The Angel came in response of Daniel’s obedience
There is the connection between the physical action we do here and the Spiritual power that is released.
When you offer your body as a living sacrifice- God releases his favour ! Let’s see it
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Romans 12:1
This is a time in which God is calling you and I to his presence.
It’s less of you and more of Him.
This is a time and strategic moment in our lives that God comes not with a demand but with a challenge!
You don’t have to do it, you’re not going to be “more” saved if you fast, but this is a divine challenge!
What you do physically like Moses is going to release the spiritual world. This happens when you obey God and offer your body as a living sacrifice.
God says I watch what you do physically and that determines your spiritual reward!
My body is not my own, therefore present your body as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God.
This is my true service, not just on the inside but physically and if I fast physically it will impact the unseen World spiritually.
What you do physically in these 21 days will affect your children, your children’s children.
Daniel said: I set aside food that was desirable and I mourned for 3 full weeks.
Daniel 10:2
Do you know what “mourning” mean? Mourning is feeling regret or sadness about the loss or disappearance of something.
Daniel was not at parties, in high spirits.
Do you know how it feels to have an empty belly, that feeling that you want to eat, your flesh is beat down.
If you don’t feel it, it’s because you’re not fasting, you’re on a diet.
These are days to mourn, days of repentance.
Fasting is connecting to God and disconnecting from the world.
When you fast your family is going to find God’s favour.
Keep fasting , not give up , do your best for Gods Glory and you’re going to find a God’s favour and will be desired by God.
God bless you.