Prayer and Fasting is our greatest tool for prevailing against the seemingly difficult situation we may have found ourselves in. We communicate with God through prayers and position ourselves to receive the answer in form of instructions and direction through fasting. Fasting helps us put our body under our spirit so that our spirit will be able to receive spiritual instructions from God.
Let’s pray
Eternal Father whom alone dwells in the light unapproachable, give us light that will empower us to prevail through prayer and fasting in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Mark 9:29,
And he said unto them, this kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
There is a kind of victory that only prayer and fasting can deliver to you. He said this kind can only happen by prayer and fasting.
The disciples of Jesus had engaged all the principles of deliverance he taught them but the demon refused to come out of the child. They had nothing more to offer. They had spent their time and energy in a fruitless exercise as it were. And here came Jesus telling them, “This kind can only come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.”
It’s important to note that these men had never fasted all their life at least not when Jesus was with them. Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? 15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. – Matthew 9:14-15 (KJV). They didn’t have what it take to handle this situation.
You don’t prepare on the war front. You prepare long before the war comes to you. These men were not prepared before the war came to them so they lost out. We’re in a war whether you recognize it or not. When the war reaches your doorstep and you’re not prepared for it, you will be defeated with ease.
From our opening text, note what Jesus said, “… prayer and fasting.” A lot of people misquote the bible saying fasting and praying. That isn’t what Jesus said. He said you pray and fast not fast and pray. By not understanding what the scriptures say about prayer and fasting, many people fast without praying thereby wasting their time and effort.
When people say they are fasting and praying, what they’re saying is that they’re abstaining from food to pray. But that isn’t what Jesus told his disciples to do. He told them to pray and because of the prayer they’re making to God, they will consciously abstain from eating.
You see the order? You’re fasting because you’re praying and not because you’re not eating. We’re fasting to hear from God and not for God to hear us.
Fasting positions our spirit to hear from God. Before Jesus told his disciples that this kind comes forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting, he had earlier said to them, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you?” – Mark 9:19 (KJV). The disciples of Jesus weren’t able to cast the demon out because of their faithlessness not because of their powerlessness.
Not praying and fasting cut them off from accessing the word of God that would have produced the faith to kick the devil out of that child. We know that faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17 – KJV). Until the word of God comes to us, faith can’t be produced in us.
Because God is a Spirit (John 4:24), He only speaks to our spirit. During prayer and fasting, we speak to God through prayer and position our spirits to hear God through fasting. Fasting keeps our flesh under our spirit in other for our spiritual sense to become active to easily pick up spiritual signals from God.
The New Year is just around the corner, in preparing for it, we must spend quality time to pray and fast so that we will not be cut off guard in the coming year. For those of you who would like to join us, we’re kicking off our prayer and fasting to position ourselves for the coming year on the 29th of December to end on the 31st. We break our fast at 6 P.M of every prayer and fasting day.
We’re seeking the face of God for the coming year. A man who must prevail with men must have prevailed with God. Beyond the collective word of God for the church, we must seek the word of God for our lives individually and also commit our plans for the coming year into the hand of God. There may be thing God wants you to make amend in your plan for the coming year. It’s through this kind of spiritual exercise that you can know them.
In this three day prayer and fasting, don’t occupy yourself with irrelevant activities so that you don’t feel hungry until it’s time to break the fast. No, you must be actively involved in prayer. As we said earlier, its prayer that keeps you in a fast not fasting that keep you in prayer.
So, aside from praying, the only activity you should indulge yourself in and encourage are such that would further inspire you to pray, such as studying and meditating on the word of God, listening to tapes of seasoned teachers of the word of God, listening to Godly spiritually inspired songs and reading Godly spiritual books.
Genesis 32:21-28 (KJV)
So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company. 22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok. 23 And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone, and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. 26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. 27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
For Jacob to prevail with God, he distanced himself from every form of distraction. The bible says that he was left alone. Distance yourself from every form of distraction in these three days with God. If possible, switch off your phone, your internet, etc.
Jacob didn’t go to the angel of God, no; the angel came to him because he was seeking God. You can’t seek for God and He will not come to you (Jeremiah 29:13). Seeing God when he comes to you is the issue. God is always speaking to us but we aren’t hearing because we’re always distracted.
If Jacob was distracted, he wouldn’t have seen the angel that changed his story. Remember, we’re praying and fasting to hear from God not to lose weight, keep in shape or for any other reason whatsoever
If you desire specific outstanding result in the coming year that only the anointing can produce. You need to spend quality time to speak in tongues, study and meditate on the word of God during this three days spiritual exercise.
Prayer and fasting is a spiritual exercise so if you’re not yet saved, you can’t get any benefit engaging in this exercise. Salvation enrolls you to become a participant in spiritual exercises. If you wish to be saved say the following prayers with me from the depth of your heart with all sincerity.
PRAYER OF SALVATION
Oh Lord God, I believe with my entire hearth in your son Jesus Christ. I believe He died for me and You raised Him from the dead. I believe He is alive today. I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord of my life from today. Through Him and in His name I have eternal life.
I am born again. Thank you, Lord. I am now a child of God. Praise God!
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PASTOR’S PRAYER FOR YOU
Father in the name of Jesus Christ, I declare your spiritual ears open to hear from God in this three days of prayer and fasting. Your eyes are opened to discover spiritual secrets from the pages of scriptures as you study your bible in the name of Jesus Christ.
Your encounter with God in this three days of prayer and fasting will make the coming year a walkover for you. You shall not struggle in the coming year in the name of Jesus. By light, you shall be exalted in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
PERSONAL CONFESSION
As a child of God, my spirit is in tune with the Spirit of God my Father to receive guidance from now henceforth in all things. I follow the instructions God gives to me diligently and promptly in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Praise God. You’re set for a glorious time with God in this three day of prayer and fasting. Take writing materials with you to put down whatever God will be telling you so you don’t forget them.
Remain ever blessed
Jesus is Lord
