SCHOOL OF PRAYER-DAY 3. THE PLACE OF PRAYER AND FASTING

As long as your heart is right with God you cannot miss God. 

As we grow in God we will begin to have greater and sometimes even unexplainable encounters with Him, we will also begin to find scriptures to understand those encounters. 

The fact that you do not like something does not necessarily mean it is wrong. But it takes a lot of maturity to differentiate what you do not like from God's standard. For instance, someone does not like fasting and then speaks like fasting is an Old Testament practice and no longer necessary. 

Most of the controversies about FASTING is the issue of abstaining from FOOD.

Those that have gone beyond the conventional spiritually, taken nations for the Lord etc, were given to FASTING and PRAYERS. 

Frank Hall, in his book, Atomic Bomb, made these first three points below:

1. “Mans’ spiritual development has lagged far behind his scientific discoveries of the physical forces of nature. This means that science has developed far more than we have developed spiritually”

2. “Physical power sufficient to disintegrate the entire world is at the fingertips of a few, but there has been no spiritual power to control it”

3. “So important is fasting, that to the Islamic religion, fasting is one of the four pillars of their faith. This explains why they are fervent and zealous.
These are things our hearts should be yearning for now because if our hearts do not desire it, it will not contain it. I believe that Fervency and zealousness are products of fasting and prayers. There is a sharpness and alertness that comes with fasting.  

4. There are three personalities who fasted in scriptures and did not see death in the conventional way. And it cannot be a coincidence that these three men each fasted for forty days.

- The first of them is MOSES (Exodus 34:28-29). We cannot get the word in season in the flesh. Moses encountered God and his face literally shone. The church that will bring down the glory, will serve God with fasting. 

-  The second person is ELIJAH (1Kings 19:7-8). Those that will carry the glory cannot just go with everything that comes. Fasting and prayer is part of the ancient landmarks we MUST never tamper with. Technology cannot take its place. We cannot ignore fasting and walk in the supernatural, at best we will be intellectuals.

-The third person is Jesus (Matthew 3:17-18, 4:1-2)
This does not mean we should go about fasting forty days and nights. However, when we give ourselves to such spiritual exercises, we will walk beyond the ordinary. These are not ordinary days, and we cannot live ordinary in these times. 

In Matthew 17:14-21, the disciples didn’t have what it takes to confront the issue at hand, but the disciples were wise enough to ask Jesus why they couldn’t cast out the spirit from the boy. Verse 20 of Matthew 17 is a fundamental principle. (That of FAITH). Jesus was pointing out the standard for all, but there are dimensions beyond the fundamental that can be pressed into. Jesus said, ‘THIS KIND’ cannot go out except by prayer and fasting. So it is not just enough to be an ordinary Christian. 

There are dimensions we cannot press into without FASTING and PRAYING.

One of the major ways we discipline our body is by fasting because the body is satan’s point of contact to us. Matthew 9:14, 1st Corinthians 9:24-27

YOUR SPIRIT WILL TAKE US TO HEAVEN BUT FOLLOWING YOUR BODY CAN  TAKE  YOU TO HELL.

Fasting always goes along with Prayer. If you are fasting and not praying, reading God’s word, and meditating, satan can take advantage of it. We must make sure we are engaged in spiritual activities while fasting or else satan will take advantage of it.

Fasting opens you up to the spirit realm. Fasting does not change God, but it changes us. We become more open and sensitive to God. We readily receive:

i. INSTRUCTION
ii. DIRECTION
iii. ANOINTING

When we fast, there is less flesh and more of the Spirit. 

IF WE WANT TO CARRY THE ANOINTING WE MUST GIVE OURSELVES TO FASTING

The Church today is having controversies on core issues like Holy Ghost baptism, money matters and fasting. This has greatly affected the Church. 

Daniel went into fasting and prayer when he understood from the scriptures that the time for their captivity was meant to be over. Dan 9:3.

Anna the prophetess waited on the Lord in fasting and prayers till Jesus was born. Luke 2:37.  

Apostle Paul had a clear word and direction from the Lord after fasting.  Acts 27:21-35. God is raising and recruiting men who will give themselves to this exercise 

The people of Nineveh turned to God in fasting and Prayers, and there was a turnaround. Jonah 3:5-10. (Together, they cried to the Lord) What bothers on our collective destiny requires our collective participation.

Jehoshaphat called a fast in response to a crisis. 2 Chronicles 20:1-3. 
In Joel 2:12-17, the Lord himself called for a solemn assembly with fasting. 

PRAYER
Spare your people O Lord in your mercy
O Lord have mercy over our day and give not thine heritage to the heathen. Joel 2: 17

CONFESSION
In the name of Jesus 
I will end 2020 in the spirit
I will end 2020 in obedience to God
I will end 2020 in love .
I will end 2020 in righteousness. 
I will end 2020 in faith, hope and gloriously. 
My heart is fixed trusting in the Lord.
No room for fear 
I am full of the spirit of Faith. 
I am kept in perfect peace. 
Nothing missing or lacking. 
Everything going in divine order around me. 
I am kept by the Lord, my mind is kept in perfect peace. 
I finish 2020 well. 
I will enter 2021 gloriously. 

DECLARATION
Philippians 1:6
Proverbs 4:18
Psalm 138:8
Psalm 102:13

Amen! Be it unto me according to the word of the Lord