In the last message I shared we learned that Jesus said some situations required more that just praying, Jesus said that there are spiritual situations that only with Fasting and Prayer will solve things!
Fasting is like adding new combustion horsepower engine to your old engine. Fasting is taking your normal life to a level it never been to before, it’s the way for the supernatural.
It’s like adding another cylinder to your car. It provides power out of the norm. Fasting is a way to the supernatural of God.
You can pray and still not get results. But Jesus said that fast and prayer combined get results.
Prayer is not an option for the christians, we are commanded to pray.
Most religions pray, the Buddhists pray , the Hindus pray , the Muslins pray, Even the satanist church pray. So prayer is unique to church and religious people.
In many cases many religious people will even pray a lot more than christians. Hindus pray for hours, Buddhists would meditate for hours, muslins prays at least 3 times a day, wherever they are they spread their rug on the ground facing towards Mecca to say their prayers.
Unfortunately most christians don’t pray that much. Every believer know they should pray, they are encouraged to pray. We teach a lot about prayer in church.
Here is a problem: Prayer is the most talked about subject in church but the least practiced.
People would rather sing than pray, would rather work in hospitality than pray, would rather work in all other church departments than pray. People go for any other activity to avoid praying.
Why is it that on Sunday the church is packed with people but for prayer meetings it’s so empty!
Saturday evening we have Bible study and prayer meeting, but with few people only.
The prayer meeting is always the smallest meeting in every church. In our Sunday service we always good numbers and for prayer meetings like 5-10 people.
Yesterday We Had 12 Hours of Prayer and Fasting ! Do you know why we have 12 hours of prayer and Fasting every first Saturday of each month? To consecrate and bless the 30 days of the month.
Praying is the path through which God can act on earth.
John Wesley said : Without God man can not do anything on earth but without man God will not do anything on earth. (Please save this statement)
Without God man can not, without man God will not.
There are things God wishes to do on earth. He wants to bring His kingdom on to earth but He said it’s our responsibility to make it happen.
Prayer is a partnership between God and mankind. You need God and God will work through you.
God created man and gave him authority to rule over the earth. The point is: What happens on earth doesn’t really depends on God, it depends on you!
That’s why we have to pray and pray and pray ! This is why the Bible says for you to pray constantly.
God will not do anything on earth without a human.
““I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.” Matthew 18:19
It’s a simple statement but with profound implications that many Christians do not understand or practice.
Jesus is telling us that heaven wants to do a lot of things but that it is waiting for at least two humans to get together and agree in faith and in prayer on something so that God has permission to do it from heaven.
In the same way that earth depends on heaven to get things done, heaven also depends on earth for permission to do it. So, without you God will not move!
Prayer is really an earthy licence for heaven’s interference !
What is prayer ? Prayer is a partnership between God and humans who believes and have faith.
God can not do anything you do not believe He could.
“Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.””
Matthew 9:29 NKJV
What happens here depends on what we believe God can do.
“And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.”
Matthew 13:58 NIV
“He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.”
Mark 6:5-6 NIV
Jesus could not do any miracle there because the people did not believe Him. Jesus had all the power to heal people, Jesus was there with them, but “his hands were tied” because of their attitude of unbelief.
The point is: The actions of men can prevent or release God’s action
Now comes the point of fasting and prayer !
We learned that prayer connects us to God and fasting disconnects us from this world. When we fast All the dirt that is in the way between us and God is destroyed.
Prayer is not an option, therefore it’s a necessity. God depends on you to ask Him so He can get something done on earth.
This is why most of verses that speak about prayer starts with two letters : IF
Because it’s a condition!
The most quoted verse when people want God to do something is 2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people pray God will heal the land. But people tend not to read the whole verse properly, especially skipping the “turning from their wicked ways” bit.
It’s necessary to pray for God to do what He wants.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:5 : When you pray! He didn’t say: If You pray !
Jesus didn’t say : If you find time in your busy schedule! He said : When you pray , He expects it.
Everybody knows it , but only a few practice it. Prayer is not a gift, prayer is for everyone!
Sometimes we go up to people and ask them to pray for us, please pray for me. They then head home to watch tv or attend a party. On Saturday some are praying in the church and others are home watching tv , resting or going out.
Prayer is not a gift or a ministry for a few, it is a necessity for all.
I hope this fasting period will change your attitude towards your prayer life.
Prayer is a necessity! Don’t just study about prayer, pray ! I hope these teachings about fasting may challenge us to have a fasting life.
I was born again when I was 18 years old and I began to fast and my life turned upside down. I started fasting for one day , then I had my first fast 3 days of only drinking water, then I fasted for 7 days, 14 days, 21 days and 30 days.
I then discovered how powerful is the practice of fasting. I understood that fasting is like a plunger, or as clogging removing product that can unclog the drain of our spiritual life.
And I discovered that food is like rust in a pipe, the more you eat the smaller the passage and the less God’s power flows through you!
At some point you become so blocked that the power of God cannot flow through your life anymore. Do you get the picture?
Many people are destroying their health with food !
Fasting is the only way to flush that stuff out.
Your flesh and your desires can became your ruler. Fasting takes your body and submits it to the spirit.
What happens when you fast ?
Fasting changes you ! Fasting does not change God.
God never changes, there’s nothing wrong with God. Fasting will change and move you.
I want to help you by making an illustration about God and Fasting
Before you begin a fasting practice, God’s power is “like” a big tank with millions of litres of water and a little pipe is connected to it, a very small tube of half an inch.
The tank is huge and the amount of water that is available is very abundant. But the amount that can flow through your little pipe is very little.
The amount that is available will never change, but the amount that flows out depends on the size of the pipe.
God has always millions of litres ready for access but He can not find pipes big enough to allow the free flow of His power. Also the pipe can get rusty and full of clogged food : beef , rice , potatoes, immorality, laziness, etc
God is ready to work the supernatural any time but He is limited by these pipes that are so small, clogged and full of rust.
People are praying, crying out , confessing the Word but their little pipe are still clogged up.
Fasting is the most important aspect of prayer ! It doesn’t move God.
Fasting increases your spiritual capacity.
It’s like going back to the tank , removing the little half inch pipe and replacing it for a 10 inches pipe.
Now more water can flow. God needs to find some people who will increase their capacity to handle the flow.
“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14
The best translation for the word “Humble” would be fasting ( last year I preached about that and today I have no time to teach about it again)
The Hebrew word for “humble” is כנע kanaʿ and the better translation is to fast.
If my people fast and pray then I will heal their land and that is a big thing to tackle so i need a big, clear pipe.
Healing a piece of land is a big task and for that we need many to put all of our pipes together for bigger water flow.
The disciples tried to set a child free who had a legion of demons!
They prayed all afternoon for the deliverance of the child and the demons wouldn’t come out.
When Christ came down from the mountain, it came out in seconds.
Question : What was Jesus doing on the mountain? Jesus was fasting and praying and when He came down ( no food ) and the demons obeyed Him. His disciples came with their belies full of “fish and bread” prayed the same prayer that Jesus prayed but with different results.
Them later
“The disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.””
Matthew 17:19, 21 NKJV
That’s why Fasting is the way to the supernatural!
Jesus said : there are circumstances that doesn’t resolve themselves by prayer only- this needs a bigger capacity!
This is the big secret that most Christians ignore and don’t practice prayer and fasting !
If you know that you supposed to have something, if you know that it is God will, if you know that it’s a promise of God then you can break that wall by fasting.
Fasting is the most powerful force in prayer because it widens your pipe , it clears out all the dirt and opens the floodgates of heaven!
Fasting breaks habits, addictions and spiritual bondages. It’s not only about cigarettes, porn, drugs and alcohol but we all have bad habits that are destroying our lives.
We do not have time to pray but the bad habits of spending hours on TV, on internet, TikTok, Instagram , Twitter and watching series on Netflix.
You say you have no time for prayer but your habits may be stealing your time and sucking away your spiritual life.
Many christians are killing themselves through food and drinking. You’re feeding yourself with rubbish and destroying yourself.
Drinking Coke may be a habit that is destroying your body. Most people are sick because of what they eat and drink.
The Bible says your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and you need to take good care of it.
The health you have is the result of what you eat and drink! You are what you eat!
Eat only healthy food and after this fasting period stop eating and drinking what is destroying your body.
Many are destroying their life because they eat too much junk food; when you fast you purify yourself and break these bad habits.
If you want to have physical and spiritual health, then you must develop the habit of fasting! Not only fasting once a year for 21 days, as we are doing, but fasting every week, at least once a week.
Fasting brings Godly intimacy.
I’m trying to build into you a love for fasting because fasting makes intimacy with God a priority.
Fasting opens the doors to the Supernatural!
When you begin to give away control of your body you attract God’s dear Spirit. When you fast you are telling God : You are more important than barbecue, cake, coffee or, potatoes.
Fasting is not only about avoiding food but spending more time with God! Fasting without prayer is dieting! And prayer alone without fasting may not work in all circumstances!
God loves to know He is number One ! When we fast in the beginning of the year we are telling him He is the number one for the Year !
We must prove it by putting aside our own desires.
If we seek Him we are going to find Him !
May God bless you and may this year be the Year of God’s Supernatural in your life!