Understanding the Mystery of Fasting and Prayer

We must first come to realize that anything we don’t understand will be abused. Knowledge is the key to freedom. “My people are destroyed for lacks of knowledge.” Hosea.4:6. It is the entrance of the light from the book that set man at liberty. “But Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deeds.” James.1:25. This scripture made us understand that there is a work that must be done continually. There is nothing theoretical about serving God, It must be demonstrated continually until it can fulfil its potency. Many serve God on contract, with the mentality of testing if it works. You don’t test it. It is a thing you do in truth and in deed.

Why Should I Continue to Pray Kingdom Advancement Prayer and Fast?

 

1. Kingdom advancement prayer releases open rewards. “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”  Mat.6:6.
2. Kingdom advancement prayer unleashes strange order of favour. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Mat.6:33.
3. Kingdom advancement prayer is the cheapest means – one of the most rewarding – of serving God. “And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.” Lk.2:37. Hannah at 84 years served God with fasting and prayer in the temple day and night.
4. Prayer coupled with fasting breaks yokes. “Is this not the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of the wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let he oppressed go free, and to break every yoke.” Is.58:6. There are some forces that will not leave you until you fast. Fasting is not an advice and it is fasting and prayer. It is the prayer the lord answers in the fast. Fasting is to facilitates answered prayers (You don’t just have to sit down and wait for 6 O’clock to ‘nack’). “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Mat.17:21.
5. Prayer coupled with fasting draws illumination and glorification. “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning. and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the lord shy be thy reward.” Is.58:8.
6. Prayer and fasting is the gateway to a rain of divine ideas. “And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday.” Is.58:10.
7. Prayer and fasting releases divine direction  an ocean of blessings. “And the lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones, and thou shalt be like a water garden, and like a spring of water, whose water fail not.” Is.58:11.
8. Prayer and fasting is the answer to all sicknesses and diseases. “And ye shall serve the LORD your GOD, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst if thee.” Ex.23:25.
9. Prayer strengthened with fasting facilitates speed(moving fast). “But they that wait upon the lord shall renew their strength; they shall Mount up their wings as eagles; and they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.” Is.40:31. Anytime you fast, it either you are walking, running it flying. You can’t fast and be crawling in life. Naturally, overfeeding makes men moves slowly.
10. Prayer energized with fasting is a product of supernatural restoration. “And they that shall be of thee shall be the old waste places: thou shall raise up the foundation of many generation: and thou shall be called the repairer of the breach. The restorer of path to dwell in.” Is.58:12

How Do I Engage in Fasting & Prayer?

• Engage Continuously – Many believers have given up before the arrival of their blessings. Daniel prayed continually despites the attacks He received against serving His God. He went back inside and threw his window opened and prayed as his custom. No wonder he remains relevant in the reigns of six kingdoms. “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deeds.” James.1:25.
• Engage fervently – It is the fervency of your input that determines the quantity of your output. “Behold I come quickly my reward are with me to give every man according to his work shall be.” James.1:25. Nothing of value is for free. Until you pay the price via you fervent engagement, rewards are out of view.
• Engage with faith – Anything you do in the kingdom not mixed with faith, it is a waste. Until your engagement is mixed with faith, the mystery cannot produce its potency. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Heb.11:6. “And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her of the lord. ” Lk.1:45
• Engage with expectation – Don’t come to God without expecting something. Many believers run to God without knowing what the want. You desire must be specific, and must correlate with scriptural prescriptions. “For I know the thought that I think towards you, saith the lord, thoughts of peace and not evil to give you an expected end.” Jer 29:11.
• Engage tirelessly – It is your tireless engagement that produces results. Engage both in season and out of season, both when it is raining and it is sunning. “Although the fig tree shall not blosom, neither shall the fruits be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the field shall yield no meat; the flocks shall be cut off in the fold, and there shall be no herds in the stall. Yet I will in the God of my salvation. The lord Is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds feet and he will make me to walk upon my high places. To the chief singer of my stringed instruments.” Hab.3:17-19
• Lastly, engage with praise and thanksgiving – Don’t ever come to God with murmurings, complains and grumblings. God hate Murmurers and grumblers. “Do all things without murmurings and disputings.” Phi.2:14. “Neither murmured ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed if the destroyers.” 1.Cor.10:10.