FASTING IS NOT A CHURCH ANNUAL PUNISHMENT PROGRAM. IT IS AN ANNUAL FURNISHING PROGRAM.
IT IS BY LIGHT WE COMMAND BREAKTHROUGHS NOT BY PRAYER AND FASTING.
ANYTHING YOU GET BY SKILL WITHOUT GOD’S HAND ON YOUR LIFE IS NOT SAFE.
NO CIVILIZATION WILL EVER MAKE THE WORD OF GOD OF NO EFFECT.
GOD’S WORD WILL SEE THE END OF EVERYTHING, NOTHING UNDER THE SUN WILL SEE THE END OF THE WORD.
WHEN YOU SEE THE AWESOMENESS OF GOD, YOU SEE YOUR LITTLENESS.
THE FARTHER AWAY YOU ARE FROM GOD, THE CLOSER YOU ARE TO THE devil AND HIS NATURE IS PRIDE
I AM YET TO FIND ONE UNBELIEVER TO ENVY IN MY LIFE.
FROM MY DAYS OF BEING BELOW ZERO LEVEL, GOD ONLY! GOD FOREVER!
I AM BLESSED WITH ENEMIES, I AM ALSO BLESSED WITH TRIUMPHS.
YOU DON’T LOSE A BATTLE ON GOD’S SIDE, YOU DON’T HAVE A FUTURE ON THE OTHER SIDE.
ANYTHING YOU ADD TO GOD MAKES HIM TURN HIS BACK.
YOU CANNOT BE CARNAL AND SPIRITUAL AT THE SAME TIME.
– Bishop David Oyedepo on WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE at Pre 21 Days Fasting and Prayer Special Communion Service || Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland|| 7th January 2024 || First Sunday Service ||
The Prophetic Focus for the month is WHO IS ON GOD’S SIDE and the purpose is to see how to reposition ourselves on God’s side for an ever flourishing life spiritually and in every area of our life. For the time that we are out on this fasting expedition, each one has the opportunity to reposition himself on God’s side as our new way of life. Church Gist. 1 Peter 3:15. We should be ready to answer everyone who asks us the reason for the hope in us. For doing what we are doing.
Maybe it is first important for me to mention that no civilization will ever make the Word of God of no effect. Its contents are everlasting. Church Gist. God’s Word will see the end of everything, nothing under the sun will see the end of the Word.
Jesus laid down the fact that fasting is one of what we will need to live with. Matthew 9:15, Mark 2:20, Luke 5:35. It was repeated in three gospels. He taught us how to pray, he also taught us how to fast. “When thou fasteth…” not if you fast. Matthew 6:17-18. When you fast…, it is an agenda. Fasting and prayer is God’s agenda for His people. Now, the question is for what? Isaiah 58:6-14 laid out nine covenant outcomes of fasting. I like you to see it this morning because it will help to make the most of this fasting expedition. Church Gist. There are members of this Church who go on vacation during this time because they think it is one kind of punishment, they just go on spiritual vacation and return to be asking for prayers for them.
What are the nine covenant outcomes of fasting? What are we expecting as outcomes by engaging in fasting and prayers? I will call it prayer and fasting.
1. Fresh oil (Isaiah 58:6).
Fasting is a platform for access to fresh oil. Many members of the Church are suffering because they think anointing is only needed by pastors for preaching. No! It is for living a triumphant life. Church Gist. The anointing is to lose the bounds of wickedness in your life. To make you and I live in the realm of liberty that Christ has made available for us.
2. It helps to enfire our love for God. (Isaiah 58:7)
3. It is for access to next levels of revelation (Isaiah 58:8).
Lord, what do I do at this point? Show me where I am missing it, why are things working contrary? Revelation! Church Gist.
4. It is for the restoration of health and vitality (Isaiah 58:8).
5. It is for next-level sanctification (Isaiah 58:8).
6. It is for express answers to prayers (Isaiah 58:9).
7. It is for access to divine guidance (Isaiah 58:11)
There is an abundance of blessings in return for engaging with fasting if you know the reason why God prescribed it.
8. Supernatural change of story (Isaiah 58:14)
9. A flourishing life.
Interestingly, by simple analysis, three of the verses have to do with increased love for God. The enfirement of our love for God demonstrated in our love for people. Three verses have to do with enhanced righteousness or next-level sanctification. Two verses have to do with change of story and one for anointing, one for divine guidance. So if you are going to pray to come on God’s side, you are going to ask for enfired love. To enfire your love for Him. Church Gist. 1 John 4:16. If you dwell in love and God in you, you are not just on God’s side. You are on the side of love and God together. It is so important. That is what people will not ask. ‘Give me, give me’. What are you going to do with it if the devil hits at you? Better get on God’s side. Were there not breakthroughs of yesterday that are breakdowns today? You need to reposition in your love for God to secure your destiny in grand style and to make unbelievable advancements in life. So it is not a church annual punishment program. It is an annual furnishing program. God wants to furnish your life and my life and change our story before the eyes of our enemies.
Next-level sanctification connotes a fresh indwelling of the Spirit of the fear of God. You want to please God, pleasing God becomes your desire, your desperation, your crave. Psalm 37:18-19. It helps to remain on God’s side, the flourishing side of life. Sanctification! You better get it. Anything you get by skill without God’s hand on your life is not safe. If that is all I can say before you go home today. I think it is okay. Church Gist. Know why you are fasting, go for why you are fasting in prayers, turn them into prayer points to help us. Know what to pray, it will make your prayer life through this time so robust. If you know why you are doing it, you get yourself overly engaged.
Light is the master of darkness any day, any time. Go for revelation. You can’t be a beacon of light and be harassed by darkness, go for revelation. That witch said, “When we sense a higher power, we clear the way.” Light is the higher power in the region of darkness. So know what you are praying. Lord open my eyes to see wondrous things out of thy law. Lord deliver me from this evil habit that wants to destroy me. Some kinds will never go except by prayer and fasting. So it is your time and my time to step into our next level of walk with God so as to make the most of our lives and be in command. Christ was in command all the time. Church Gist. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Why are you fasting and your disciples are eating?” He said leave them. When I go they will fast. I am fasting their fast. I am bearing them on the wings of my fast. Come and pay tax! “Go to the sea, my friend cast a hook and bring the money from the mouth of the fish and come and pay them.” Matthew 17:27. The storm was raging and He said “Peace be still. Quiet there, who are you?” “Lazarus, come forth!”.
We all need a next-level crave, make it your desire this time. It is by light we command breakthrough not by prayer and fasting. I have been accosted by the powers of darkness several times and I said “Peace! Quiet!”. Church Gist. That is command and there are levels. So seek a next level of authority by reason of light, illumination and correct positioning. Correct spiritual positioning.
The more sanctified you are, the farther away the plague of pride from your life. When you see the awesomeness of God, you see your littleness. The farther away you are from God, the closer you are to the devil and His nature is pride. I think fasting has started right now. So you know what to pray, settle down and pray it. Church Gist. Guide me on the way to connect with your Fortune Agenda for the year. Have a personal vision for God, a personal vision for the agenda of the year. Watch how being on God’s side will keep changing your story.
Prayers: Lord, engrace me today to make the most of these 21 days of prayer and fasting that commences tomorrow. Let this 2024 21 days of prayer and fasting mark a new dawn in my life. To the glory and praise of your name. Now I know it is not an annual punishment agenda, it is an annual furnishment agenda. Church Gist. Furnish my spiritual life this time beyond my wildest imagination. Turn me to a surprise in my spiritual life and I know it will impact all areas of my life. Let this season mark the end of all dry seasons in my life. Guide my feet the right way to go at all points. Change my spiritual life for the better.
WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE?
Spirituality is the custodian of every great destiny in the Kingdom. 2 Timothy 2:19-21. That is how spirituality is the custodian of every great destiny in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11. No believer’s life can be any more fulfilling than he is spiritual. 1 Timothy 4:8. 2 Peter 1:3. So He delivers to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the revelation of the truth. Church Gist. Mark 4:11. Revelation 22:15. They are without, they can’t access revelation that will deliver their inheritance to them. Who is a dog? Proverbs 26:11. So returning back to sin as a lifestyle makes a dog of a believer. So he cannot access revelation, so he lives with devastation, frustration and stagnation.
No one can flourish in hard times any more than he remains spiritual. 3 John 2. Church Gist. Seek the prosperity of your soul during these 21 days of prayer and fasting because it will place a limit on how prosperous your life will ever be. Psalm 37:18-19.
– There shall be no drought in your household.
– There shall be no hunger in your household.
It is also important to note that no one can be on two sides at the same time. We have some security men at every gate here, you can’t deploy one person to two places at the same time and you meet him at the same time in both places. He can only be in one place. We agree that you are the Chief Security, but you can only be in one place. Nobody can be on the two sides of a football match. Church Gist. You can only be on one side. 1 Kings 18:21. No one can be on two sides at the same time. Matthew 6:24. Folks, men and brethren listen to me, anything you add to God makes Him turn His back. He turns His back on you. Go and handle your life by yourself. Fellow Africans we have a lot of unbiblical proverbs: one way does not lead to one market. That’s okay, you are not a market. There is only one way to the Father – I am so glad that Jesus is the way. John 14:6.
Many lives are grounded today by being on two sides. There is a professional prophet who prophesied to your life against the truth and brought you under the fear and terror of the enemy. “They are about to kill you but if you give so and so amount, I will go and pray and fast for you.” You say “Thank you, Baba.” I have never added one thing to Jesus. The day I will add any other thing to Jesus, I will go to heaven. I am blessed with enemies, I am blessed with triumphs. You don’t lose a battle on God’s side, you don’t have a future on the other side. So all of you who are on two sides at the same time you better take it easy. Flee idolatry! Seeking after another god to help your weak god. It is as bad as even men of God going to agents of the devil for impact in ministry. Church Gist. You better settle with God if you want to live a settled life. All that nonsense you put under your pillow is behind all the torments of your life. They are behind all the terrible dreams. “Mama gave me”. Mama has given you trouble. May you not carry trouble in your life. You have heard me say “Jesus, whatever you can’t do in my life, let it remain undone. Wherever you can’t take me, I don’t want to get there. Whatever you can’t give me, may I never have it.” It is time to make your choice. Revelation 3:14-15. May God not send us out of the Kingdom.
No one can be spiritual and carnal at the same time. 1 Corinthians 3:3. You cannot be carnal and spiritual at the same time. These folks were so carnal that they were lying with their father’s wives. Chapter 5 of 1 Corinthians. If you don’t know what carnality is, carnality means a sinful lifestyle. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. He listed all carnal attributes. You can’t be carnal and spiritual at the same time. May every form of carnality resisting our fulfilment in life be destroyed within these twenty one days of prayer and fasting. Whatever kind will not go by prayer and fasting must go now. Pride in most cases is voiceless. Satan said in his heart “I will exalt my throne above the throne of God.” It is voiceless. Church Gist. Nebuchadnezzar walked on the roof of his house and nobody was there. You will think he is worshipping God, it is voiceless but you can smell its aura. As the Lord lives, every barrier of carnality on your way to Kingdom fulfilment, as the Lord lives and as you so desire, you will see them no more again forever. I am yet to find one unbeliever to envy in my life. From my days of below zero level, God only, God ever. Carry your thing go.
What is spirituality? It is simply living by the Word. That is living by the dictates of the scriptures. Saying Yes to the Word and no to everything contrary to the Word. Church Gist. Deuteronomy 5:32-33. Living by the dictates of the scriptures secures a great future. Luke 6:46.
Furthermore, godliness is the only biblical guarantee to secure one’s place in eternity. How many want to make heaven here? Can you personalize it? Godliness is the only biblical way for me to secure my place in eternity. 1 Corinthians 15:19. To miss eternity is to be equal to vapour. Can’t be located. Off the radar. All is vanity! Vanity upon vanity. Do you want to make heaven? If you say yes, then you better subscribe to the things that make heaven a reality. Church Gist. Subscribe to it. Get off covetousness, get off pride, get off bitterness, get off pride. Get off fornication. You can’t say you make a choice without subscribing to the terms, your choice will be fake. In the precious name of Jesus, whatever is trying to buy us off the highway of life in terms of sin shall be laid to rest this time. 2 Corinthians 6:17-18. It is a new day for us.
Therefore being on God’s side is a kind of heaven on earth experience because heaven is the throne of God. Let’s recognise that there are no defeats in heaven. Revelation 12:7. Satan fought the hardest but prevailed not. From this fasting season, Satan will be far away from your territory. Church Gist. When heaven came down to the earth to rescue God’s people from Egypt, the sea saw them and it fled. Psalm 114:1-7. Get God’s presence upon your life, what troubles others will be trembling at your instance. You appear they tremble. From now on no agent of the devil will torment your life anymore.
What happened in Egypt was not Moses. It was God! God came down and humiliated Egypt and brought out His people. God is coming down for you. He will humiliate your enemies and my enemies. Adam and Eve were living wonders in the Garden of Eden until they lost face with God through sin and were driven out into the wilderness. Church Gist. You will not be driven out of your garden. Redemption is a covenant garden for God’s people and only sin can send a man out of it. This Garden of fulfilment, the enemy shall not send you out of it.
But Abraham remained on God’s side for a hundred years, remember he was called by God at 75. Genesis 12:1-4. Genesis 25:7-8. He was on the side of God, the Garden of Eden side of life throughout, for 100 solid years. Church Gist. You and I will not miss our place on God’s side and your flourishing will never come to an end in the name of Jesus Christ.
To remain on God’s side:
1. Beware of lusting after evil things.
1 Corinthians 10:6. All that got lost in the wilderness lusted after evil things. James 1:13-15. Church Gist. Beware of lusting after evil things. Make an investment into eternity by paying the price to remain on God’s side.
2. Beware of Idolatry.
Exodus 32:22-28, 32. They made themselves gods of gold. They committed a great sin. Some held on to their gold and won’t let go. Church Gist. 3,000 men were slain. They were Levites, they were priests but they won’t let go of the god of gold. That is one reigning god today – the god of gold.
Believe God to secure a spiritual breakthrough testimony from these 21 days of prayer and fasting. It would impact breakthroughs in other areas of your life without sweat. Joseph said “But I fear God” and he prospered as a slave. That is contrary to nature. Slaves don’t prosper. Slaves are properties. He prospered as a prisoner. Have you ever heard of that? Yes, I heard it from the scriptures. The man prospered in prison and prospered his way to the palace. His testimony was “But I fear God.” Church Gist. There shall be dramatic changes in our lives as we get every strange god off our path. When Solomon went after the gods and goddesses of his wives his life was reduced to vanity. Solomon lost it all.
1 Corinthians 10:7. The pursuit of idols makes dullards. Somebody wants you to prosper and he has no bed. He is sleeping on the floor and he is promising you a golden bed and you agree. Haba! The person who wants to give someone clothes, we check the one he is wearing first. Christ said I have come to give you abundant life and we saw it in Him. The herbalist said I will make you prosper and he is a pauper and you agree. Following idols makes a dullard. Church Gist. Someone came in from Uyo here, he was going to one village in Ogun State here to make a charm but God’s mercy found him. The vehicle dropped him at the gate of Canaanland. He entered Canaanland and his telephone which was supposed to be charged went dead. God said, “I want to rescue this boy”. It was a Wednesday, he walked into the service on that Wednesday and gave his life to Christ. He was going to make medicine for money from somebody in one forest, he will give you money. Somebody who is looking for what to eat said he will give you money and you agreed. By Saturday, his miracle landed. The job he has been looking for got delivered while he was still on this ground. Church Gist. No one decorates destiny like Christ. Don’t waste your time with idols. I want you to detest whatever God detests. Hate whatever God hates. You have been carrying those dirty things around. What has it added to you up till now? What has Jesus not added to those who are following Him?
Righteousness consciousness, an undying crave for sanctification and continuous exercise into godliness are fundamental requirements for anyone who chooses to remain on God’s side and to make heaven at the end of his journey. Church Gist. Listen to this, righteousness consciousness – He has made us righteous by becoming sin for us therefore giving us capacity so that sin cannot have dominion over us anymore. That is positionally! We now want to have it as an experience, so an undying crave for sanctification! Sin has no more dominion over you. Continuous exercise unto godliness because sin has no more dominion over you and then to make heaven at the end of our journey.
Dangers of not being on God’s side.
1. It blocks access to answers to prayer
Isaiah 59:1-2. Psalm 66:18-19.
2. It blocks access to revelation.
Psalm 25:14.
Paul, a man who lived with the fear of God as a lifestyle had uncheckered access to revelation. 2 Corinthians 12:7, Ephesians 3:1-5. It hasn’t changed. The more of the fear of God we imbibe as a lifestyle, the greater our access to revelation. Church Gist. 2 Corinthians 4:1-2. That was his lifestyle so access to revelation was open and uncheckered. Irresistible! Psalm 25:14.
3. It dethrones believers as in the case of King Saul.
1 Samuel 15:22-23. God rejected him from being king. That was after forty years. Acts 13:21. He goosed after forty years of reign and was dethroned. Maybe you have never heard that Samson ruled and reigned in Israel for forty years and ended up a toy in the hands of the Philistines. Church Gist. Let’s stop playing games around God, it doesn’t work. Thank God you made it through the first 10 years, you are making it through the second 10 years or you are now in the third 10 years. You better keep going.
To be restored when one misses it is to genuinely repent of one’s sins. Here is where we have a problem. 2 Corinthians 7:1, 10. Whatever you are not truly sorry for, you have not truly repented of. You have to be truly sorry before your repentance will deliver. Godly sorrow is what makes repentance work. Without being sorry for the wrong, you cannot be forgiven because your repentance will not fly. It is being sorry for the wrong that makes our repentance fly and brings us refreshing in return. It is happening in the Body of Christ today that you are sorry and you are smiling! Be sorry for your wrong and you will clear them off. Be truly sorry. If Joseph had sold out to Potiphar’s wife, he would die as head of domestic staff. There is something above you that Satan is envious of. He wants you to be robbed of it. Kick him out. Kick him off your path. It takes being sorry for the wrong for our repentance to fly. You carry that dirty thing in your house and throw it off, “Away with you forever.”
One of our sons was down under an attack and he was about to die but God rescued him. So they brought some things from home for him, he told his driver to follow them and throw them in the river in their presence. If God cannot heal me, let me die. He is alive today. It is your turn for a change of story. You want to be married and they gave you something to ‘unmarry’ you. Everybody gets scared of you, they run away. A young man well built, a professional, businessman going great. Church Gist. He says “I want to marry you.” “Me? Do you want to marry me? God forbid bad thing.” He has put a siege of misfortune over his life by what he put in his pocket. It is your year. Anyone who cares to go fully after God will sing a new song. If you choose to go fully after God, you are singing your new song this year.
We are partaking of the Communion today for the renewal of strength. The next 21 days will be like Monday in terms of the spiritual deliveries. Church Gist. You will pray like never before. You will search the scriptures with light breaking forth. You will be guided supernaturally.
Matthew 26:41. Today we are trying to see God re-energize our flesh to fit the task ahead of each one of us for the next 21 days. Psalm 105:37, 78:24-27. Elijah also went on angel’s meal for 40 days and 40 nights. 1 Kings 19:5-8. The Holy Communion is superior to angel’s bread. Manna is angel’s bread. John 6:49-50. Church Gist. As you partake of this communion today, expect supernatural renewal of strength that will keep you effective on the prayer altar, keep you alive in searching the scriptures, open your ears to hear the voice of direction and change your story forever. That is what to expect from the communion table.
Give God thanks for light.
Every change of story in the Kingdom is a product of new light. With this new light, your path will shine more and more till the perfect day.
– Communion Ministration –
FORTUNE 2024 PROPHETIC LIFELINES
1. 2024 shall be a year of next-level spiritual breakthrough for every Winner. Amos 3:17. Expect that to be your experience
2. In 2024, the siege of misfortune shall be over in every Winner’s life.
3.2024 shall be a year of Isaac-order of enviable turnaround for every Winner. Your mockers shall envy you this year.
4. 2024 shall be a year of unending shouts of joy as we continue to favour His righteous course.
5. 2024 shall be a year of fearful favour for every Winner as we continue to take pleasure in the matters of the Kingdom.
6. 2024 shall be a year of all-round rest as every Winner enters and sustains his place in the covenant of stewardship.
7. 2024 shall be a year of supernatural enlargement for every Winner as we keep giving thanks and praise to God in and out of season.
8. Every Winner shall be satisfied with favour after the order of Naphtali in 2024.
9. Every Winner shall dip his/her foot in oil which connotes fortune after the order of Asher in 2024.
10.2024 shall be a year of supernatural flight for every Winner as we saw in David
He had no place in his father’s house but was invited to the palace. After they anointed him king, they pushed him back or he went back to the jungle but the king said “he has found favour with me, let him come and dwell with me. He came from the back of the desert to the palace. You are on your flight this year.
11. 2024 shall be a year of release for every Winner that will mark the end of servitude and slavery in any form.
Working and working without seeing what you are working for is over.
12. In 2024, there shall be a re-enactment of the explosive dimension of Church growth of 2015 in all our churches worldwide in terms of speed of delivery
13. In 2024, there shall be a repeat of the wonder-double cell replication of 2021 across our Churches globally at heaven’s speed.
Before June every single cell in this Church would have replicated at least once.
14. In 2024, this Commission shall be stepping into fearful realms of breakthrough as we continue to walk in the light of the scriptures in 2024.
15. Every local assembly in this Commission shall be a minimum double in attendance of 2023 records on or before the end of the first half of 2024.
16. The Winners Satelite Fellowship platform of every local assembly in this Commission shall be a minimum double her current size both in attendance and number of cell locations in 2024.
17. The strange acts and the strange works of God shall be evident in both Faith Academy and Kingdom Heritage network of schools across board in 2024.
18. Both Covenant and Landmark Universities shall yet be scaling higher heights in 2024 that shall humble world-class universities by reason of the divine presence.
19. In 2024, the Word of fire shall be going forth from the altar of every local assembly in this Commission, leading to massive conversion and transformation of worshippers.
20. All through 2024, the healing river shall continue to flow on our altar across the nations, bringing about the healing of all manner of sickness and disease among worshippers.
No one steps in here with sickness and go back with it.
21. In 2024, God shall be launching this commission to a new phase of ministry with increased global impact.
22. In 2024, death shall be swallowed up in victory in this Commission globally.
Every one still breathing today is not permitted to die. It shall be a death free year in our camp. Only old people will be buried in this Commission.
23. The peace of God that passes all knowledge shall be our experience both as a church and as individuals in 2024.
24. 2024 shall be a year of good news only for us both as a Commission and as individuals.
25. All that we shall be hearing all through 2024 shall be congratulations every month of the year, both as a Church and as individuals.
Again, welcome to Fortune 2024. The end of every form of misfortune in your life. Whatever the enemy has tied down hitherto will be released into a testimony.
Tomorrow is the D day and it shall be a great adventure for you.
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