Fasting broke this woman's stronghold

It was an ordinary evening service but at the end of it, a woman came to the front and gave a testimony. This was the same woman who had come often for prayers to be delivered from one financial problem that became a heavy yoke on her neck.
She did not know how to pray much and one midnight prayer meeting she volunteered to pray. She took the mike and decided to sing a song. She spoke, “Abba, Father, I want to sing a song for You.” Then she sang the song of four stanzas over and over until the leader came and told her to stop. After the meeting she apologized and said she did not know how to pray and she felt she was out of line. But a prayer leader told her it was alright as the Lord had heard her ‘prayer’ (song). She came again to another midnight prayer meeting. Again she offered the same song to the Father in heaven. Again a prayer leader had to stop her as she was repeating the same stanzas a number of times. (Indeed, it was her heart-felt ‘prayer’ and God had heard her!)The testimony was powerful. She testified that she had been trying to sell her small food business but to no avail. The shop was making losses and she owed a large sum of money to the shop owner. When interested parties came to look at the shop they could only offer a price less that one-quarter of what she owed. Meanwhile she also had the problem of her own home being occupied by a group of men lodgers who refused to pay rent or move out.
She and her own family lived above her rented shop but was given the ultimatum by the shop owner to move out within that week and move all their stuff too in addition to repaying all her debt, a colossal sum she could not afford.
She fasted and prayed. On the third day, the shop landlord came and told her he would not postpone his eviction and demand of the full payment of her debt. He also knew that she had tried for a long time to sell her business but there was no taker. But she merely answered him that it was alright as her Father would help her. He said her father was dead and surely ‘he’ could no longer help her. But this woman said, “I have another Father in heaven who will definitely help me!”
The shop owner, an unbeliever, shook his head and went off to take his breakfast.
Later in the morning, he came back and told her he had decided to buy the business from her for the total sum she owed him, thus canceling all her debts!
In the same evening she went home to see if she could clear a space to put one of her rather large cupboard (from the shop) and found that her house was totally empty of lodgers. The next door neighbors told her that in the middle of the night before, they suddenly moved out, everyone of them in a hurry!
The woman was overjoyed as her Father in heaven indeed helped her mightily and all within the third day of her fasting and praying! (A modern day Esther story. Her enemies were annihilated!)

End Times Witnessing: Fasting God wants

The watchman heard, “Is this the fasting I want? No, you are not fasting for Me. You are fasting for yourself.” “ Is this not the fast that I have chosen : To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?”
Fasting has to do with God’s purposes. God wants yoke be broken, the oppressed set free. Who oppresses? Who sets yoke on our neck? Jesus says, “The thief came to steal, kill and destroy.” (John 10:10). Jesus came to destroy the work of the devil (1 John 3:8). Often Christians look at the flesh (physical realm) and miss the whole point (the reality is in the spiritual realm). Fasting is indeed an end times weapon for spiritual warfare.
Read the Bible verses and note the many examples of how fasting accompanied warfare and victory. Fasting is for seeking divine guidance and direction, protection, breaking of spiritual bondage (which results in physical deliverance too), deliverance from danger, prayer and supplication, mourning, repentance, humbling and disciplining our souls, showing our faith in God, obedience to God, even consecration and sacred assembly before God!
Fasting for the Lord can be for “ joy and gladness and cheerful feasts For the house of Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.” (Zech.8:19)

1. Ezra 8:21 Fasting and Prayer for Protection ]fast there at the river Then I proclaimed a of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. 8:23 So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.
   
2. Nehemiah 1:4 So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
   
3. Psalm 35:13 But as for me, when they were sick, My clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; And my prayer would return to my own heart.
   
4. Daniel 9:3 Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
   
5. Matthew 17:21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
   
6. Luke 2:37 and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
   
7. Acts 10:30 So Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,
   
8. Acts 13:3
   Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.
   
9. Acts 14:23 So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
   
10. 1 Corinthians 7:5 Do not deprive one another 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.
    
11. 2 Chronicles 20:3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
    
12. Ezra 8:23 So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.
    
13. Ezra 9:5 At the evening sacrifice I arose from my fasting; and having torn my garment and my robe, I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the LORD my God.
    
14. Nehemiah 9:1 [ The People Confess Their Sins ] Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads.
    
15. Esther 4:3 And in every province where the king’s command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
    
16. Esther 4:16 “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”
    
17. Esther 9:31 to confirm these days of Purim at their appointed time, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had prescribed for them, and as they had decreed for themselves and their descendants concerning matters of their fasting and lamenting.
    
18. Psalm 69:10 When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting,That became my reproach.
    
19. Isaiah 58:1 [ Fasting that Pleases God ] “Cry aloud, spare not;Lift up your voice like a trumpet; Tell My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins.
    
20. Isaiah 58:3 ‘ Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’ “ In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And exploit all your laborers.
    
21. Isaiah 58:4 Indeed you fast for strife and debate, And to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, To make your voice heard on high.
    
22. Isaiah 58:5 Is it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, And to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to the LORD?
    
23. Isaiah 58:6 “ Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?
    
24. Daniel 6:18
    [ Daniel Saved from the Lions ] Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him.
    
25. Daniel 9:3 Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
    
26. Joel 1:14 Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the elders And all the inhabitants of the land Into the house of the LORD your God, And cry out to the LORD.
    
27. Joel 2:12 [ A Call to Repentance ] “ Now, therefore,” says the LORD, “ Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
    
28. Joel 2:15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly;
    
29. Jonah 3:4-6 Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he cried out and said, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”⁵ So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. ⁶ Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes.
30. Zechariah 7:1 [ Obedience Better than Fasting ] Now in the fourth year of King Darius it came to pass that the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, on the fourth day of the ninth month, Chislev, 7:3 and to ask the priests who were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and the prophets, saying, “Should I weep in the fifth month and fast as I have done for so many years? 7:5 “Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me? 8:19 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘ The fast of the fourth month,The fast of the fifth, The fast of the seventh, And the fast of the tenth, Shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts For the house of Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.’

End Times Witnessing: The Power of Singing

2 Chronicles 20:1-30

Jehoshaphat Defeats Moab and Ammon ¹ After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites ^[a] came to make war on Jehoshaphat.
² Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, ^[b] from the other side of the Sea. ^[c] It is already in Hazazon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). ³ Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. ⁴ The people of Judah came together to seek help from the LORD; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.
⁵ Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the LORD in the front of the new courtyard ⁶ and said:
“O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. ⁷ O our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? ⁸ They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, ⁹ ‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’
¹⁰ “But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. ¹¹ See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. ¹² O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.”
¹³ All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the LORD.
¹⁴ Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.
¹⁵ He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. ¹⁶ Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. ¹⁷ You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’ “
¹⁸ Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD. ¹⁹ Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with very loud voice.
²⁰ Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” ²¹ After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his ^[d] holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:
“Give thanks to the LORD,
for his love endures forever.”
²² As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. ²³ The men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
²⁴ When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. ²⁵ So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing ^[e] and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it. ²⁶ On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where they praised the LORD. This is why it is called the Valley of Beracah ^[f] to this day.
²⁷ Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. ²⁸ They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the LORD with harps and lutes and trumpets.
²⁹ The fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard how the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel. ³⁰ And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE: COME, LIE ALL NIGHT IN SACK CLOTH

The more Jack tries to live in the Spirit, the more he reads the Bible with an increased sense of urgency. This morning he woke at 5am after attending a late night worship service on the day. He decided to get out of bed as the last dream he had was disturbing. He could not remember the dream but he remembered seeing a bed full of people slumbering, bodies of people in fact. He could not see the faces. But he was disturbed. So he got up despite the inadequate sleep.


Then he was led to read the book of Joel (probably 835-805 BC). It was more disturbing as it was about the judgment of God and the Great and Awesome Day of the Lord. It was also comforting as it was about the grace of God too. The following are verses that made him ponder. Why? The signs are here and now in increasing intensity.

Joel 1

The Land Laid Waste

4 What the chewing locust left, the swarming locust has eaten; What the swarming locust left, the crawling locust has eaten; And what the crawling locust left, the consuming locust has eaten. 5 Awake, you drunkards, and weep; 9 the priests mourn, who minister to the LORD.

Mourning for the Land

13 Gird yourselves and lament, you priests; Wail, you who minister before the altar; Come, lie all night in sackcloth, You who minister to my God; 14 Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, And cry out to the LORD.

Joel 2

The Day of the LORD

1 For the day of the LORD is coming, For it is at hand: 2 A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness, For the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; Who can endure it?

A Call to Repentance

12 “Now, therefore,” says the LORD, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” 13 So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.

The Land Refreshed

18 Then the LORD will be zealous for His land, And pity His people. 21 Fear not, O land; Be glad and rejoice, For the LORD has done marvelous things!

God’s Spirit Poured Out

28 “ And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. 29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. 30 “ And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:

32 And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved.

Joel 3

God Judges the Nations

1 “For behold, in those days and at that time, When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will also gather all nations, And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there. 14 For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. 15 The sun and moon will grow dark, And the stars will diminish their brightness. 16 The LORD also will roar from Zion, And utter His voice from Jerusalem; The heavens and earth will shake;”

God Blesses His People

18 And it will come to pass in that day That the mountains shall drip with new wine, The hills shall flow with milk, And all the brooks of Judah shall be flooded with water; A fountain shall flow from the house of the LORD And water the Valley of Acacias.

______________________________

“The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.” (Romans 13:12)

“Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done so to stand.”

(Ephesians 6:11-13)

2009-10-12

chapter forty two: finding purpose in life through fasting and prayer

Another goal for fasting and prayer is to find purpose in life. An average person would not be satisfied with living from day to day knowing that one day all men must die and leave this earth without knowing why he had come to this life in the first place. One can find out about others’ life purpose by reading, studying and watching others. We can watch others growing up, being gainfully occupied with career, family, friends and may be hobbies, social work and religions etc. We tend to follow too and do about the same thing. However, is that all? What is our real purpose for living? This is a tough question for Jack.


One way to find out is to fast and pray. By giving up our physical comfort and deliberately focus on a higher level of existence one becomes aware of higher goal and the real reason of one’s existence. Not everyone has the same goals even though there are seemingly limited numbers of the usual goals. To sum up, most people want health, happiness and comfort in life. Security and relationship rank high in the happiness category. In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs pyramid, once a human being get hold of the lower basic needs (physiological, security, love and belonging), he/she aims for meeting the higher level needs like esteem needs, experience purpose and meaning, and self-actualization.

Whilst the concept is the same, individuals vary in the contents that make up the ideals. Of course, people tend to follow each other (keeping up with the neighbours). But they will soon find the void in their hearts unfilled. For example, we tend to think of others’ kids being so lovely and fun to be with. When we have our own we know life is not all lovely and fun. At times we think the opposite had happened and prevailed. We also tend to admire others’ garden and wish we too have one. When we have our own garden we lament at the compulsory hours of regular hard labours required. The same imperfect reality happens to owning cars, houses, high earning jobs, prestigious positions and interesting hobbies.

One pertinent question remains, “For what higher purposes are we created?” Fasting and prayer helps a Christian to find out.


The focus of Christian fasting and prayer is God. The more one focuses on the presence of God, the more one is able to receive clear messages about God and His purpose for our life. The content and focus of our prayers change. The mind changes its priority. The spirit (which has been slumbering previously) wakes up and switches to the God channel with clearer reception. This opens a door into a wider sphere of existence, way beyond our tiny little world.



But does God not care about our usual life in our little world? Oh, He does care. The difference is that He will open our eyes to see further sights and dream greater dreams.

There is a greater purpose for your existence and a higher goal for your life. No one can afford to linger on below that purpose. Start and find out now!

Yes, fasting and praying helps you to find the map.


2009-09-30

CHAPTER FORTY ONE: FASTING, PRAYER, WARFARE AND BREAKTHROUGHS

Trying to fast seriously has brought spiritual breakthrough. Setting the right goals for fasting is essential. When confronted with a life threatening crisis, people are more willing and sincere in fasting and prayer. On the other hand, when one’s goal is to get close to God and obeying His command (as in the Bible), to be more spiritually discerning (so as to obey His command/will), to breakthrough in applying Biblical living, the fasting is just as effective. These are some of Jack’s recent findings through readings and personal experience.


After fasting partially he felt his body lighter and not as cumbersome. He found that he could concentrate more on spiritual matters (matters pertaining God). He was more focused in worship and prayer. He renewed his enthusiasm for intercession for others, and even the big issues like the salvation of the world. When interceding for smaller things, like for families, he was more discerning and was able to be led by the Holy Spirit.


Unlike what he had feared previously, there was not much bodily discomfort other than the usual mild hunger pang at certain intervals (possibly more induced by psychology and habits). Even the slowing down of life did not bother him much. He felt more relaxed as he no longer needed to worry about what he should eat for the next meal.


He had more quality time on hand and could do more work and more Bible reading (in addition to prayer). He had less strife when dealing with people and situations. Somehow, his world seemed changed for the better. Reading the Bible is another big gain. He had never been able to read so much in the same time frame before. This time he had no agenda and read at ease, as led by the Holy Spirit. Indeed, as he read, he received the messages that God was speaking to him. So he prayed in response as he read.


Prayer-wise there were breakthroughs too. He interceded as led by the Holy Spirit. For example, one morning he thought he had finished praying as he woke early and had almost two hours with the Lord. However, when he returned from an assignment, he was led to intercede further and spent another two hours! He was not even aware of the time.

This morning he wanted to pray for a relative urgently so he woke early and spent time before the Lord. However, when he thought he needed to intercede more, the Holy Spirit led him to pray for one particular big nation/one big religious group) on an urgent matter. So he obeyed. At the end of that prayer, he was shown a vision about the relative whom he had wanted to pray for. The vision was positive and answered his earlier concern.


He learned from this experience that we cannot limit God. When we put ourselves in the flow of the Holy Spirit, life becomes effortless and the spiritual reality becomes clearer and discernable. This is part of Kingdom of God living and living in the Spirit as instructed in the Bible.


It is like heaven come down and life has such a clarity as he has never seen before. It is indeed wonderful!

CHAPTER FORTY: A NOVICE IN FASTING

Jack continued to fast two further days at a stretch, with mainly water and some warm drinks or vegetable soup. He recorded his diet and experience as follows.

Day two: one cup of cocoa in the late morning, one bowl of sweet potato soup in the late afternoon with 2 thin slices of steam carrot mashed in rice paste, a bowl of vegetable soup in the evening, and a small bowl of red bean soup at night.

Day three: one slice of whole meal bread (as he thought he heard the wife say to take it in his dream), one hard-boil egg, and one cup of cocoa for breakfast, one cup of warm drink in the afternoon, one bowl of vegetable soup with a small slice of fish in the evening. For supper he took one cookie and one cup of soymilk.

Difficulties encountered: 1. His mind was on food all the time. He felt tired and sleepy. He slept early and long hours. 2. By the third day morning he dreamed that his wife asked him to take breakfast so he got up and went to take one slice of bread thereby breaking the fast. 3. For the first time of his life he felt cold in normal temperature. So he was tempted to take warm sweet drink. The proper fasting advice is that he should avoid taking sweet drink. 4. He tried to stretch his cocoa drink to last two hours by taking small sips and it became quite horrible to drink after the first half hour.

Lessons learned and benefits gained:

1. He learned to feel how a starving man felt (so he thought) as he wanted to stretch the cup of cocoa.

2. Prayer has improved: instead of praying the usual repeated parochial issues (family, own church, own city etc), he was led by the Holy Spirit to see the whole earth as a tiny globe, and it looked so pitiful heading towards destruction without knowing its true direction and destiny. So he interceded from his new vision, seeing how big and vast God is and acknowledging how insignificant humans are and how ridiculous the things that we spend so much time worrying and bickering about.

3. He also acknowledged more readily his biggest sin, that is, “unbelief” in many areas of his life, not wanting to trust God fully, like the nine disciples who could not handle the epileptic boy with a mute demon.

4. He learned from reading more about fasting prayer. The following are excerpts of his reading of Ezra 8:21-23 from the New Spirit Filled Life Bible on “fasting for spiritual breakthrough”

a. For guidance: they petitioned God to lead them in a right way. b. For assistance: they petitioned God for protecting their little ones. c. For substance: petitioned God to guard their possessions (for God’s temple).


“Fasting is a sacrificial form of prayer warfare that produces results available in no other way.” (especially in demonic deliverance). “It is a sacrificial denial of necessary nourishment which turns one’s attention to seeking God during that denial.”

5. He also learned from a teaching that when he fasts his body will manifest symptoms of sickness and discomfort. He is not to panic. Headaches and other bodily pains may be signs of his being delivered and cleansed.

6. He experienced the assurance that the presence of the Lord (Jesus) actually refreshes the believer. (Acts 3:19 “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”)

7. During worship service at night, he was more focused and not distracted like before. He spent most of the time praying in the spirit. When he asked the Holy Spirit to show him something to intercede for he suddenly saw in his mind a vast country covered by muddy flood water. People were bobbing up and down in the water. So he interceded fervently for that country.

Overall: He learned that he was not really fasting the way he should be. There was hardly any sacrificial denial of the body. He was not fully seeking God and spending time in God’s presence. So he decided to start again the three days fast in the coming weekend. Meanwhile he continued to fast one-two meals a day and taking light meals or liquid and praying daily.

There was one other breakthrough. Today he was woken at 4am and he got up without hesitation as he felt a terrible feeling inside and knew that he had to intercede as instructed. He obeyed the call (something which he had stopped doing for a long time). After this experience he is again looking forward to such daily encounter in future.
23-9-09

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE: FASTING TO SHARPEN THE ULTIMATE SPIRITUAL WEAPON

There is no easy path to spiritual wellness. There is no option either. In his current quest to live Biblically and in the spirit, Jack has embarked on the fasting and praying journey seriously.

He has been on two meals or less for more than six months on and off, not really on a fixed schedule. He usually took breakfast (one slice of thick wholemeal toast/bread with cheese and a cup of warm milk/chocolate), and lunch (a small portion of carbohydrate, protein and a larger portion of vegetables). He took tea in the late afternoon (a cup of warm drink and a biscuit). He skipped dinner but took a drink (a glass of fruit and vegetable juice with milk). He skipped supper too, unless he went to the Prayer House and had a warn drink (or dessert) after the service.

Yesterday he started to fast after a light lunch and took nothing except water and one cup of cocoa and one biscuit for about 13 hours. He felt alright and was able to carry on his usual physical activities. He took part in a late evening worship and prayer meeting for three hours (11pm to 2am). After that he took a tiny bowl of grain dessert. The only discomfort he felt was he felt cold for the first time. He slept about 5-6 hours and woke up feeling fresh and well.

Today he started the first of his three days of fasting and prayer with nothing but water/liquid only. He had no breakfast, only one cup of hot drink and had a small portion of plain yogurt in the morning. Around noon he took another cup of warm cocoa. He took water when thirsty.

In the morning he did about one hour of light physical activities. Then he spent sometime praying and reading. The day seemed not as long as he had earlier expected. During lunch time he thought of food and went to the kitchen to look at the fridge but he took nothing. He felt fit and well up to this point.

The guide book advised him not to do too much physical activity. He was advised to pray and read the Bible too.

The Morning Prayer session went well as clearly the Holy Spirit was leading. His mind became focused and clear. He was able to pray for a number of issues for distant people who had never crossed his mind before. He could sense the need to repent and renounce a number of his own sins and areas which needed correction and renewal. The words flowed smoothly without efforts. He was led in the spirit to sing three hymns too. This had not happened for a long time and he was pleasantly surprised what the fasting could do to his spirit!

In the afternoon, he was tired and sleepy. His mind was on food. So he decided to read the Bible and pray. He started reading 2 Corinthians for no particular reason. He struggled for awhile and soon gave up. He dozed off for about 30 minutes.

When he woke he felt that he was fresher. So he went back to reading the Bible. This time he was led to read about the Levites in the Old Testament, how they were chosen by God to minister to Him. He read how they were assigned the responsibilities to take charge of the things pertaining to worshipping God. a group was assigned to sing day and night to God and had no other duties!

Suddenly he decided to sing in the spirit and he sang. As he sang, his spirit lifted and he felt energy surging up within him. He went on for sometime until he was led to pray and intercede. He interceded as led by the Holy Spirit. He realized that there was a breakthrough in his prayer and spiritual songs. He walked around and sang without effort. This went on for a long time. After that he asked the Holy Spirit to show him how to sing as the Levites did. Immediately he started singing new tunes as tunes sung by the Israelites!

It was indeed a wonderful experience for Jack.
2009-09-19

chapter thirty-eight: to fast or not to fast?

It had not been easy for Jack as he tried to fast and pray. Often he found himself feeling hungry at the wrong time. As he intended to fast dinner (drinking water only), he tried to eat a proper meal during lunch. But his appetite refused to cooperate. By the time he finished eating all the vegetables and protein he was not hungry enough to eat the carbohydrate. He had to force himself to swallow at least a few spoons as he knew he needed the energy in the evening when he fasted and prayed. It was a battle between the will and the body.

By the time the evening came he felt quite weak and hungry. Prior to that, he had to carry out his usual chores that deprived him of energy. So he ended up taking a tea break just to replenish some energy.

Does tea break count as a meal? He wasn’t sure. Anyway he skipped the dinner and prayed.

He had discovered some more interesting and useful teachings on fasting and praying. He read testimonies of those who had fasted and prayed and encountered God. They were very encouraging. He himself had no other agenda except to follow the Bible’s teachings on this important aspect of kingdom life as a child of God.

Lately he saw some visions during praying or worship. For example he had been puzzling over an old man’s non-stop shouting despite having no medical indications of its causes. One night he prayed fervently for the Holy Spirit to guide him to pray for that poor man. After praying in the spirit (in tongues) and in understanding for sometime, he saw the poor man and also toad (or toads) appearing in that man’s mouth. He could not understand its implication. However he bound that thing (interpreting it as being linked to witchcraft) and cast it out of that man using the authority of the Lord Jesus’ name. The next day while driving, he suddenly realized that in some oriental culture people worshipped toad as they linked it to money.

Subsequently he asked a senior and his second interpretation was confirmed. Indeed the man’s problem was linked to possibly his undelivered greed for money (which was idolatry according to the Bible). He could not be healed completely as he was still worshipping the money idol and not Jesus Christ. Unless he was set free from the idol’s clutch on him, he could not receive the perfect healing from Jesus on the cross. Now the intercessors know what exactly to pray for him to be set free completely.

This was a breakthrough in intercession. An enquiry from the man’s relatives confirmed that the man now slept better and there was less shouting.

In the natural, no one understands any of such stuff. It takes time to learn and faith to believe. Faith and belief come together. In fact, fasting or not to fast takes faith and belief to accomplish.

During the times Jack managed to fast and pray, he found that his faith grew and words came out of his mouth without effort. The presence of the Holy Spirit could be perceived and faith grew.

Christians are encouraged to follow the Bible and take this challenge. You will be blessed!

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: YOU TOO CAN FAST!

The minute anyone suggested fasting to Jack, he would have an automatic reaction that it could not be for him as he did not have the stomach for it. It seemed to him that food was so important. Many people like him could come up with a lot of reasons why they could not fast, e.g. Feeling weak and dizzy and even fainting, having gastritis, love for food etc.

When he read the second chapter of the Book on fasting, it definitely assured him and gave him hope. Yes, he could fast too! Now he could go deeper into Biblical living and living in the Spirit. The followings are excerpts from the Book.

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Chapter two: You too can fast

The enemy will use all tactics and suggest all excuses to prevent you from fasting. He knows what fasting can do for you. Isaiah 58:6 “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?”

It is not whether you can or cannot fast. It is whether you want to or not, a matter of choice. Will you still allow the flesh to dictate to you, or will you learn to subdue the flesh, allow your spirit man to rise and eventually, learn to live by the spirit?

(In the same chapter, the Pastor described how she set a condition for her Bible College student to fast three days before they are awarded with distinctions. A number made the usual excuses but they went through the fast and came out in top forms. There were testimonies of gastritis, backache, arthritis and migraine healed! )

No one can give any excuse. Nehemiah could have made a good excuse for not fasting. His job demanded that he taste the king’s food and wine to test if they were poisoned. Moreover he was expected to be cheerful before the king. But Nehemiah took the burden of the Lord upon himself. He wept and mourned, fasted and prayed for many days for Jerusalem. (Neh. 1:4) God intervened and moved the king’s heart to release Nehemiah from his post as cupbearer and made him governor of Judah for 12 years! Despite opposition, conspiracy and great difficulties, Nehemiah completed rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem within 52 days.

Some people are afraid to fast because they are afraid their bodies would be affected. Little do they realize that the body can actually go without food and water for three days. It can go for 40 days without food but not without water unless divinely led of the Holy Spirit. Moses neither ate nor drank for 40 days twice, in the presence of God and God is life. we can do without food but cannot do without God.
Fasting appears difficult because eating is a natural habit. Some people eat to live but others live to eat. In fact, the first sin against God involved eating. Esau lost his birthright because of eating. The Israelites were fed angels’ food from heaven yet they craved for food from Egypt than for God’s divine supply.

Every Christian must learn how to discipline the body through fasting. Start by fasting one meal, then two meals, then the whole day. This will give you more time to spend with God. You can then subdue your flesh and begin to feed your spirit man. Read the Bible, pray and worship God. Listen to worship and sermon tapes. Begin to tune yourself to God. “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)

“But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (I Cor. 2:14) Jesus redeemed us and made our spirit alive unto God. Man could once again resume relationship with God. By the power of God man is once again to live by the Spirit, filled, empowered and led by Him. “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.”(I Cor. 15:50) Fasting sets us free from our past bondage.

When Jack first started to fast he tried to skip one main meal a day on alternate day. However, he drank liquid (water, fruit and vegetable juice, milk) as substitute. He also limited his fast to a number of hours, e.g. from 4pm to midnight or from 10am to 6pm. There was no hard and fast rule. On this current fasting and prayer drive, he was allowed to choose from a long list of choices:

1. the number of days (7, 14, 21, 40)
2. the number of meals (1, 2, all )
3. vegetables/fruits
4. water/liquid

Jack chose to fast 14 days, one meal (1pm to next morning 7am) a day on alternate day. He knew his limit. Unless led by the Holy Spirit he would not attempt more than the level he committed to do. He hoped to progress to whole day fasting (on food), drinking water only during the weekend, i.e. from 6am Saturday to 6am Sunday.

In the Pastor’s testimony, the best fast was three days at a stretch without food and water. A lot of great things happened when such fasts were carried out in the Bible. Jack will account this in the next post.

AAA Jack
2009-09-08