The whole essence of prayers and fasting is Empowerment. It’s not about getting things from God, it’s about gaining command over things.
It’s not just about getting from God: that’s okay, that’s the lower ebb of it.
Jesus did not return with things, He returned in the power of the Spirit and things began to surrender to Him (Luke 4:14)..
“Lord, I must return from this 21-day prayer and fasting in the power of the Spirit.”
Jesus did not return with things, He returned in the power of the Spirit and things began to answer to Him. His obscure identity came alive.
He returned in the power of the Spirit and all eyes were fixed on Him.
He returned in the power of the Spirit and His Mission exploded.
I am returning in the power of the Spirit. I must return in the power of the Spirit.
In Jesus precious name we have prayed.
Purpose must be well defined, as my friend would say, or abuse is inevitable.
Empowerment is the core purpose of prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21).
- Whatever has been resisting you before must bow to you now.
Prayer and Fasting: The Live Wire of Every Growing Church
Jesus defined Wisdom as operating according to the dictates of scriptures (Matthew 7:24-25).
Prayer and Fasting is God’s wisdom for stirring and sustaining Church growth.
Why? Church growth is warfare (Matthew 16:18).
Just as Repentance is God’s Wisdom for salvation.
A delightsome giving life is God’s wisdom for prosperity.
In the same vein, prayer and fasting is God’s wisdom for stirring and sustaining Church growth.
Why? We are building against the gates of hell. That’s why every growing Church is a praying Church; every growing Church must remain a praying Church to keep growing.
Every growing Church is a praying and fasting Church (Matthew 17:21).
Every growing Church must remain a praying and fasting Church or some of those stubborn gates will stall the growth.
What are we praying for?
- We are praying for Increase of the Word which is God’s wisdom for sustaining Church growth. Eagles don’t feed on dead kills, eagles feed on fresh kills.; it’s vultures that feed on the dead (Matthew 24:28). For people to keep gathering, there must be continuous supply of fresh Manna (Acts 6:7).
We must continue to pray for Word Increase of Fresh Manna (John 6:68). Fresh everyday but it’s not only the Pastors that need to pray that prayer, Church people have to keep praying that prayer for their Pastors. Paul said, “brethren, pray for us” (2 Thessalonians 3:1). There has to be the Pastor praying and the people praying, to keep fresh Manna on the altar.
One day Yonggi Cho disguised himself in that chilly winter and went to the bus stop, “why are you coming, it’s far?” They didn’t know he was the one.
Response: The Word. The Word. This man doesn’t know anything. They thought it was one of those enemies that come to say, “Go back.”
In our Church in Kaduna, we had some fellows on Sunday Morning, they go to block various roads to our Church, “go back.”
As they drive them here, they go towards the other side: they are looking for something and they can find it there.
The Word! The Word!!
No matter how beautiful a restaurant is, if there is no food there, will you branch?
If you play music from now till tomorrow, have you ever seen sheep gather? Sheep don’t gather around your drum, they gather around grass.
You are drumming, playing the guitar from the back; it doesn’t matter. No food, No call.
You are praying for supply of fresh manna that gather eagles not vultures. Vultures settle on old kills but eagles gather only around fresh kills.
There shall be no end to the supply of fresh manna from our altars all through this year and that includes Covenant Hour of Prayer, Midweek Services, Sunday Services, WSF operations.
There shall be no dry season all through this year.
The Lord said to me: “and keep the grass green and the sheep will lie down there for He makes me to lie down only on green pastures” (Psalm 23:2).
The pasture has to remain green for the sheep to keep lying down or they wander way.
When you are out of town, for those of us who are in this Church, the one thing you miss is the Word that comes every day. There is no day that you don’t have something to write because there is freshness everyday through the prayers of the saints and the prayers of the ministers: something fresh coming to keep you going and sustain your establishment in the house of God.
- Your life will never lack supply of fresh manna.
- Our altars will never lack supply of fresh manna.
One of the things that keep the supply of fresh manna is Prayer and Fasting (Isaiah 58:6,11).
We have been laying up the teaching series for each month of the year and it is virtually concluded before God’s presence that will deliver each one’s turnaround package for whosoever cares to believe. Not just wake up, “Lord speak to me”; let Him speak to you and put it down in order, He is not the author of confusion.
Like springs of water whose water fail not, therefore through this fasting, we are sure to secure continuous supply of fresh manna from our various altars in the name of Jesus.
It’s God’s Wisdom to know what to do to secure what you desire.
You want continuous Church growth, then we need continuous supply of fresh manna.
Without increase in the Word, there cannot be multiplication of disciples: increase in the Word is what results in the multiplication of disciples.
We are going to see strange multiplication this year.
Acts 6:7, Deuteronomy 1:11
He is a multiplier God but our job is to secure Word Increase so as to commit His multiplying hand to multiply us.
- Everybody involved in the multiplication process, that is seeking God with their heart, He said, “I will turn them to nobles, governors” (Jeremiah 30:19,21)
- Receive grace to engage with your heart all through this year, beginning from now. Grace to maximise the blessedness of engaging with your heart in seeking the multiplication of this Church, receive it: pray it from the depth of your heart.
God who brought the first 10,000,
He is the One that brought the first 50,000.
God who brought the first 50,000, brought the first 100,000.
The One who brought the first 100,000, brought the second 100,000, brought the 3rd 100,000. He can bring any level as we engage with our hearts.
He wants all men saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. Everyone on the streets is a candidate for salvation, He is in God’s agenda for rescue. There is a blood price paid on every living soul we have on our streets, every colleague at work and we have a duty to rescue them, love them for the purpose of their salvation and be committed to see them saved. - Anyone you pray for his salvation this prayer and fasting time, will turn to the Lord like a dream of the night.
- Don’t let this season without tying some names among your relations, neighbours, colleagues at work, customers, clients to salvation. It’s lifetime Kingdom business; you can’t be in partnership with Jesus and go bankrupt.
- This Turnaround Year will turn you to a Turnaround entity. Turnaround will become your new identity from this year onwards.
This 2nd day: revival is taking place already in your heart, in your life.
#BishopDavidOyedepo
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