ADD FASTINGS TO YOUR PRAYERS 1

21 AND THERE BY THE AHAVA CANAL, I GAVE ORDERS FOR ALL OF US TO FAST AND HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFORE OUR GOD. We prayed that he would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled.
22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to accompany us and protect us from enemies along the way. After all, we had told the king, “OUR GOD'S HAND OF PROTECTION IS ON ALL WHO WORSHIP HIM, BUT HIS FIERCE ANGER RAGES AGAINST THOSE WHO ABANDON HIM.”
23 SO WE FASTED AND EARNESTLY PRAYED THAT OUR GOD WOULD TAKE CARE OF US, AND HE HEARD OUR PRAYER."
Ezra 8:21–23 (NLT)

• Fasting is a Sacrifice. God honours it and rewards it. There are things you might not be able to get done without fasting added to your prayers.

• When the Disciples in the earthly Ministry of Jesus Christ could not cast a demon out, which Jesus later did, they privately asked Him why they could not do it. Jesus in His reply says, such could not be done without fasting and praying (Mark 9:28,29).
• Fasting added with prayer compels the opposition to bow. Demons are driven out or away through fasting and praying:
  18 AND JESUS REBUKED THE DEMON, AND IT CAME OUT OF HIM; AND THE CHILD WAS CURED FROM THAT VERY HOUR. 19 THEN THE DISCIPLES CAME TO JESUS PRIVATELY AND SAID, "WHY COULD WE NOT CAST IT OUT?" 20 So Jesus said to them, "Because of your Unbelief [little faith]; for assuredly I say to you...; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 "HOWEVER, THIS KIND DOES NOT GO OUT EXCEPT BY PRAYER AND FASTING" (Matthew 17:18-21 NKJV).
• Whoever, a believer, wants to command respect and has results in the spiritual realm, such should pay attention to fasting and praying.

• Fasting would enable you to undo the works of the wicked one, the devil. The devil is referred to as the wicked one in the Bible (1 John 2:13,14; 5:18).

• If you had been praying and you have not gotten the desired results, you may have to add fasting to your prayers.
• Fasting is essentially meant to generate power, the anointing. It is a sacrifice like I said earlier on, and God rewards sacrifices made with a good heart.
• Note;
  a. When you fast, your flesh is subdued and your spirit, inward Man, ascended.
  b. When you fast, your sensitivity or receptiveness or perceptiveness is augmented or hyped or boosted.
  c. When you fast your body is empowered or strengthened to pray. THOSE who worked for the devil, who had sold their souls to him to do his bidden, with the cooperation of demons, can easily weaken your body not to be able to pray when you are not fasting—you would see yourself dozing in the place of prayers.
  BUT when you fast such could not be done easily—they cannot easily manipulate or weaken your body in prayers. Thus, fasting is essential to be effective in prayer and to generate power.
• As a leader who desires results in his or her ministry assignment, you should plan for your fastings; how to grow in it and how to be consistent in it.
• Without fasting and praying you might not be able to get some things done, especially in the work of ministry. SOMEONE who is a professional in any field of endeavour can relatively be a success without fasting in whatever he or she does, but someone working in the ministry, a minister, would need a regular time of fasting added with his or her prayers to be a success.

• People fast for different reasons and purposes nowadays. The other day, I read online, where one person was talking about how to keep your body fit through fasting.

• Biblical fasting is spiritual, It is not mainly about body fitness. Although, before people started heralding the importance of fasting for health reasons, or healthy living, God knew the importance of it, regarding the healthiness or wellness of humans.
• This is the reason why, whatever commanded or instructed in the Word of God would always be for the benefits of humans. Some in the past have criticized fasting, but the world At large are now begin to see the importance of it in relation to humans' health.
• Therefore, for your fasting not to be like a hunger strike, or like someone who is observing it for body fitness, you should have a time to pray and feed on the Word of God.
• When you consistently fast, your perceptiveness is augmented, as said earlier; then, your insight in the Word of God is deepened also. You would have revelation in the knowledge of the Word of God.
• Whenever I study, feed on the Word of God, whilst fasting, I tend or conduce to have better and deeper revelation. Also, If I was writing whilst fasting, I tend to have more inspirations than when I was not fasting.
• The truth is, fasting and praying have a lot of spiritual advantages. But, many believers, even ministers, are lazy in fasting and praying.
• Some are even afraid of fasting, their stomach is their god (Philippians 3:19). They cannot sacrifice their meals. They cannot control their appetites. Their flesh, body, rules over them (Romans 8:5,6).
• Someone who cannot discipline himself or herself in one area of his or her life would definitely finds it difficult to do in other areas of his or her life.
• This inability to discipline yourself in food or eating, also makes you unable to discipline yourself in excessive talking (Proverbs 10:19, 21:23), and inordinate affections, sexual activities or relationships; because all is about the mortification of the flesh or body (Romans 8:13; Colossians 3:5).
• This is the reason why we see a lot of believers, even ministers, involving or engaging themselves in the Sin of immorality in the body of Christ today.

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.

• If you are having any sickness in your body, as you read this piece, I declare your healing now, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
• The hold of sicknesses is completely uprooted in your life now, in Jesus' mighty name.
  Peace!
  TO BE CONTINUED

STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. Ask that He will write your name in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

• If you took the steps As highlighted above, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!