Encouragement
Dear friend,
The ultimate decision to set aside a period to fast and pray is highly commendable; for this is a very vital, practical, and powerful exercise with amazing spiritual and physical benefits - depending on our level of positive faith or expectation.
Perhaps we've confronted some dead ends in our frantic attempts and radical efforts to advance in certain areas of our lives and/or ministry.
Drained, disgusted and dismayed, we're finally awakened to the obvious realization that if God doesn't do it; vindicate us, heal us, release us or bless us, we're history!
At this juncture, it's extremely pertinent to know and really understand the God we serve. He's the creator of heaven and earth, the Almighty Jehovah Adonai-AJA. He's your personal Father! And the Holy Spirit is your personal Mother, who gave birth to you into the body of Christ, God's own renowned, peculiar family. Jn.3:3-6; 1Cor.12:13; Eph.1:5. Now, that should calm, comfort and completely pacify our anxious, nervous hearts, if even nothing else would.
Furthermore, He's the master of vengeance! Yes, He avenges recompenses and pays back both good and evil deeds - Ouch! Now, we better start watching out and taming those bad attitudes and practices, lest we experience their bitter inevitable boomerang effects! God has no favourite, He doesn't receive brides either!
Romans 12:19.
Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.
In addition, our Father, God Almighty, is a great lover of faith. Faith ultimately means, prompt and absolute obedience to God's Word. When we seek His face with sober wholeheartedness, He expects us to act in faith and obedience by doing for others what we're craving and expecting Him to do for us! Psalm 18:24-28, gives us this unusual, subtle but holy attitude of this our heavenly Father.
Consequently, Isaiah 58:6-14 opens our minds to the stupendous rewards of absolute obedience! Let's now highlight just a part of this scripture and other things necessary to give our prayer and fasting maximum results.
1) GIVE TO PEOPLE IN NEED; GIVE FOOD, CLOTHES, MONEY, COMFORT, ENCOURAGEMENT ETC.
Isaiah 58:6-9.
“No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help. “Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind. Then when you call, the Lord will answer. ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.
---Please read also the entire 58th chapter of the book of Isaiah and also Psalm 41:1-3.
2) FORGIVE AND PRAY FOR (not against) YOUR OFFENDERS/ENEMIES.
Matthew 5:44-48.
But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
---- Please read also Matthew 6:14-18. Ideally, Christians have no physical enemies. Our enemies are primarily Satan and his demons spirits according to Ephesians 6:10-18. As such, our weapons of warfare/conflict are not physical or tangible, but mighty, powerful and infallible through God, Hallelujah! See 2Cor.10:3-8.
3) WASH SOME OF YOUR CLOTHES, BY FAITH.
Exodus 19:10, 11.
Then the Lord told Moses, “Go down and prepare the people for my arrival. Consecrate them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their clothing. Be sure they are ready on the third day, for on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai as all the people watch.
---- I believe, this is the physical demonstration of our faith and our spiritual preparation to receive our glorious Father, as He visits us, on the third day! Like fasting, this act of faith conditions our hearts to look forward to and greatly expect the intangible promise of God to manifest physically. God loves faith, always!
4) SPOUSES, TO ABSTAIN FROM SEXUAL RELATIONS.
1Corinthians 7:5.
Do not deprive one another (sexual relations) except with consent for a time that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
--- Fornication and adultery and other forms of immoral practices are exceptionally powerful strongholds and weights that will keep our prayers from rising above the ground! These are strategically orchestrated by Satan to sink our destinies ultimately, so, stay clear! See Heb.12:1-17.
5) ABSTAIN FROM UNNECESSARY TALKS, VISITS AND JOKES.
Ephesians 5:3-5.
Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
----- Far more divine interventions or miracles have been lost by lack of focus than insufficient praying, fasting or any other spiritual exercise! The renowned Prophet Elijah told his protégée, Elisha that "If you see me when I am taken from you, then you'll get your request. But if not, (if you're distracted, or diverted) then you won't". - See 2kings 2:1-14. And Jesus cautioned His apostles on being absolutely focused in Acts 1:4. - "Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you what He promised". It's alright to switch off your phones, TV, computer etc, during this critical period, as we contend for our great destinies in God! BE TOTALLY FOCUSED!
6) PRAY DAY AND NIGHT.
Isaiah 62:6, 7.
O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls; they will pray day and night, continually. Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord. Give the Lord no rest until he completes his work, until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth.
----Persistent praying is the eternally proven key to prompt, continuous, and enduring miracles. Stay away from deceptive shortcuts and the enticements of easy but short-lived glamorous solutions. Set your mobile phone or any appropriate device on alarm for 12 midnight, every night, to rise and intercede for at least one (1) hour. God will begin to reveal amazing things to you, even before their physical manifestation. Take charge of your glorious destiny, God's way!
----Please read also Luke 18:1-8.
7) SECURE A PRIVATE, QUIET AND COMFORTABLE PLACE.
Spend most, and even all this time in solitude; praying, reading the Bible and good Christian books. Every great achievement is greatly enhanced by securing a PLACE, quiet, private and comfortable enough to PRAY, PLAN AND PREPARE, where we could breed fresh ingenious ideas, nurture them, and develop the boldness, confidence and wisdom to launch them into a hungry waiting world, Hallelujah!
Psalm 91:1.
HE WHO dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand].
----Please read also Psalm46:10, 11; Psalm 37:7.
8) PREPARE YOUR MIND IN GREAT EXPECTATION FOR GOD'S GLORIOUS VISIT - ON THE 3RD. DAY.
Most of us have fasted and prayed before, probably with little or no positive results. Some of us have the wrong impression concerning the power of prayer coupled with fasting; thinking it's a desperate, never-failing measure to coerce, constrain and compel God into doing our will! There's no surer way to failure! We can't bully God in anyway. He remains our eternal Father, worthy of all praise, honour, glory and adoration. And He's certainly not a bully!
Prayer and fasting actually help us to die! To subdue, bend or align our stubborn selfish, self centred wills to God's perfect will and plan for our lives - for our own good. In His perfect will and plan reside all the power, healing, and blessings we will ever need, Hallelujah! Therefore let's take our attention and pride from boasting about our effort and sacrifice of praying and fasting, into expecting God's awesome visitation to rescue, call and take us to the top! Exodus 19:10-20; Psalm 18:1-19; Matthew 28:1-6. Expect God's glorious visitation into your life and affairs with deep reverence and enthusiasm, just like Moses, David or Jesus.
How would you welcome a royalty or dignitary to your home? Your great enthusiasm and reverence because of the rare privilege and honour of hosting that important personality, drowns whatever sacrifice or cost, (whether physical, monetary or otherwise), you might incur for the hosting! GOD ALMIGHTY IS VISITING YOU. REJOICE, THERE 'S EVER NO GREATER DIGNITARY-HALLELUJAH!
Exodus19:10, 11.
Then the Lord told Moses, “Go down and prepare the people for my visit. Consecrate them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their clothing. Be sure they are ready on the third day, for on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai as all the people watch.
Hebrews 5:7.
While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God.
9) STRATEGIZE YOUR ACTION PLANS BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Prepare to burst loose; released by the Spirit of God! Strategize on things to do, action plans to execute and great things to venture into, as soon as you conclude the fast, knowing that God had visited, rescued, delivered and blessed you, Hallelujah! Take risks boldly. Faith is risk, great faith is high risk that pleases God greatly, - Read the book of Esther.
Proverbs 16:3.
Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.
-----Please read also Psalm 37:3-6; Proverbs 3:5, 6.
* Perhaps you want some friends, families, or fans to enjoy this great benefit, print out copies and send them, - glory to God!
Enjoy a marvelous day in God's awesome presence.
Apostle Steve Adonai.
For prompt contact & response, please call +234-709-112-2491. Or e-mail [email protected]
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