How To Make Your Fasting Work

[0:01] Welcome. Thank you for choosing to listen to this spirit-filled word by David Enshree. When you catch a word, you have caught God. May you catch a word today that will cause God to change your story.

[0:13] Be blessed. I want to share something on fasting. Because I do not want to assume that everybody is up to speed on the subject of fasting.

[0:26] So, well, even if we all know, as we heard from Peter, that even though you know these things, I would not be, 2 Peter 1, verse 12, I would not be negligent, I would not be, to remind you always of these things.

[0:46] No, you know, you know that I established them. So, actually, repetition enhances learning. I need to be able to teach someone that if you've been around for a while, you are called to teach on fasting.

[1:01] You'll be able to teach it. Because you actually understand what you are doing. The difference between a walk with God or practices based on revelation and religion is insight.

[1:17] You don't need insight to practice religion. You just need instructions. They have to tell you do and you do. Do this and you do this. But when it comes to walking with God, actual walk with God, you need revelation.

[1:33] You can't even be born again without knowing. The Bible puts it this way. Jesus' high priestly prayer in the book of John chapter 17.

[1:44] I think verse 3, very interesting point he made. He says that, and this is eternal life. What is eternal life? That they may know you. Eternal life, salvation has a lot to you.

[1:56] You are knowing of God. It's not what someone told you. My mother has been doing this, so I'm doing it. My father has been doing it, I'm doing it. No. Born again and eternal life has to do with, he said, that they may know you.

[2:07] This is it. This is eternal life. So, you can't be saved without knowing God. The mother of all theology, theology study of God, is actually God, knowing God, the theology of God.

[2:22] The most important thing about all doctrines, I said the other time, is God. Because your definition of God will now be the foundation of every other thing. Your definition of Jesus, your definition of the Holy Spirit, the understanding of church, your actual proper understanding of humanity and bibliology.

[2:40] People get up and say, how can you certify them about the Bible? If you know God, it will be a different story. You can't blast the Bible until you backslide. Your definition of the Bible is meaningless in the absence of knowing God or your proper understanding of God.

[3:01] Somebody will say that if everything was, as I said last Sunday, if everything was created, everything came, then God, where did he come from?

[3:12] You see, it's a problem. You don't understand what God is. If you understand what God is, you won't ask this question. Because that question actually defeats the meaning of God. So, God is uncreated.

[3:22] So, for you to ask who created God, that means, okay, we have a problem here. I think we need to get you to understand what the meaning of God is. The basics. The basics. The basics.

[3:34] The meaning of God underlines and undergets and supports everything in Christianity. So, that is why God took a whole Old Testament to try and give the people a few attributes of God before Jesus came to manifest God in the physical.

[3:55] When Jesus came to manifest God in the physical, if you did not know who God is and what God is, how would you view that? It would not make sense. So, it took a whole Old Testament for God to define or to express his attributes, his characteristics to humanity so that they can have an idea.

[4:17] That is why, wherever the Jews, when the people knew that these people, their God is different. So, God used the Jews to sustain at least the knowledge of the true God across the years until Jesus came.

[4:30] Because, other than that, it will be washed out. And up to now, can you imagine, he strengthened them so that they can maintain the purity of what he gave them across the generation. Every culture and every group of people have lost something.

[4:44] Have lost the way they do things and that and that. But, over many years, thousands of years, God maintained the purity of his knowledge on earth via the Jews.

[4:57] So, it's important to have a revelation of what you are doing. You don't take church serious because you don't have that revelation. And we say, let's pray.

[5:08] Some people, after a short, some people actually will come to church when prayer is over. He said, by now they are praying. Let me wait a little bit. So, it just boils down to understanding and revelation.

[5:27] The reason why children make a lot of mistakes is because they don't understand a lot of things. You take a child to school, you pay so much money, you spend so much, and they don't even value it.

[5:39] They don't know. And sometimes you hear a mother screaming at the top of the head. Do your work. The child, why? Why? I don't want to do it. They don't know. They don't know.

[5:50] And sometimes the mother is fighting to cause the child not, or the father, their child not to go through what he's been through. Through his childish folly.

[6:01] And sometimes the worrying thing is when you see your child living your life. What has brought you where you are, which has made you very sad.

[6:11] You see, and you are trying to warn him, or he's not listening. You are so frustrated. The reason why children don't take certain things serious is because of lack of understanding.

[6:24] The reason why people take certain things in church, even your tithing, your giving, is because you lack understanding. It's because you lack insight. Your attitude towards how you receive God's word is a reflection of your insight.

[6:42] How you receive a man of God is a reflection of your insight. And there are all kinds of understanding, and the world will also give you the aversion of who a man of God is.

[6:55] What church means. What tithing means. What praise and worship means. Some people think praise and worship is music time. It's music time. So, in the same way, we can engage in fasting, and people can do it without having a proper understanding.

[7:12] But the truth is, you're not practicing it does not invalidate somebody's practicing it. If you don't treat your wife well, and your wife is beating you, or you're having problems in your home, you choose not to treat your wife well.

[7:31] The other guy who chooses to treat their wife well, they will have the benefits. You will have the benefits. You see, life is full of give and take. Give and take.

[7:43] Garbage in. Garbage out. Substance in. Substance out. What you give to life is what determines what you take out of life. I don't know how I passed the, I failed the exam.

[7:54] You should know. You know it. We know, we know, we know. And usually, when you do your driving test, and you fail, don't they tell you why you fail? They tell you.

[8:06] It's because of the curb. You hit the curb. That's why you failed. So, when you go practicing, you master the curb. In the same way, listen to something I want to communicate to you.

[8:19] Bible says that the profit of the earth is for all. In Ecclesiastes 5.9.

[8:31] Moreover, the profit of the earth is for how many? All. That's how fair God is. It's called, in theological terms, it's called the benevolent love of God.

[8:44] He makes it available. When the rain falls, the ones who have planted seeds, they are the ones who have the germination. If you have a land, you didn't plant any seed.

[8:55] When the rain falls, you just have wet land. And then it dries later. You see, so the profit of the earth is for all. There are certain systems that works everywhere.

[9:08] If you can practice it, it will work for you. My daughter asked us yesterday or the day before, after church. No, I think this morning. Normally, I'm playing something, Bible in the council.

[9:19] It came to, I think, where it says, children, obey your parents in their law. And my daughter said, so if unbelievers obey their parents, do they also get benefits? Yeah, it's a natural law. It's law. If you are not born again and you honor your mother, you honor your father, it will be well with you.

[9:34] If you are born again and you honor your mother, you dishonor your father, it will not be well with you. It doesn't matter who is praying for you. These are just, so some people are using prayer to repair what they have damaged or what they are damaging with their disobedience.

[9:50] Stop their praying and go and obey. Behold. Are you of obedience?

[10:01] They are of obedience. Swift obedience. Behold. To obey. Behold. To obey is better than sacrificing, sacrificing, sacrificing.

[10:13] And then he says that God has not delighted in burnt offerings and sacrifices. As obey. To obey is better than sacrifice. And to heed than the fat of rams.

[10:26] Listen. Stop bringing big fat rams and fat, the sumptuous part of the fast to sacrifice. He said, listen, it's better. So, the, watch this.

[10:38] The profit of the earth is for all. So, that if declarations bring testimonies, then the profit of declaration is not only for certain people exclusively.

[10:53] It's for all. It's for all. But the problem with the all is that not all have insights.

[11:05] So, lack of insight will make you handicapped. Then people will be saying, why God? Why? Why God?

[11:16] Oh God, I don't understand. Why are things not going? It is something you are not practicing or something you are doing wrong. That is responsible for your pain. Not who doesn't like you.

[11:28] So, as we are about to engage in this fasting, it is imperative to understand that fasting delivers. And so, I want to let you understand two aspects of the fasting.

[11:43] There is corporate fasting and there is private fasting. Private is individual. You are doing your own thing. And then corporate fasting is like what we are about to start from tomorrow.

[11:54] The whole congregation or group of people. For instance, in Acts chapter 13, verse 2, it says that as they ministered to the Lord and fasted. So, it wasn't as he. It was as they.

[12:06] It was a corporate fasting day. Esther said in Esther chapter 4 from verse 13, gather the Jews, let them fast for me. And me, I and my maidens will fast likewise.

[12:20] So, Jesus said, I'm going to do it alone. But when Moses went on the mountain, he was fasting alone. When Jesus said in Luke chapter 4 from verse 1, Matthew chapter 4 from verse 1, he fasted.

[12:32] He was alone. You know, so we see in Bible classic examples of corporate fasting and individual fasting. Daniel, in Daniel chapter 9 and chapter 10, he fasted alone.

[12:45] He was fasting. It was an individual fasting. So, we have examples of corporate fasting and examples of individual fasting. Now, the individual fasting has its benefits and the corporate fasting has its benefits.

[13:01] I actually want to try and talk about the ingredients of fasting. What makes fasting work? Because there are people who are fasting, but actually is more starving.

[13:16] So, what makes fasting? How many of us have fasted and had results before? How many of us have fasted and didn't see results before?

[13:26] How many of us have fasted and did not have fasted? How many of us have fasted? How many of us have fasted? How many of us have fasted? Now, there's a way to fast to generate results, and I want to tackle that today.

[13:39] But I want also to underscore the fact that across generations, the people of God have always fasted. Fasting has always been part of engagement with God or engaging God.

[13:52] So, we saw, as I mentioned, Moses fasted. Esther and the team fasted. Nehemiah fasted.

[14:04] Daniel fasted. And when you come into the New Testament, you see Jesus our Lord, he himself fasted. That is a major example for us.

[14:16] Jesus our Lord fasted. And then we saw that the early church, as I quoted just now, the early church also fasted. So, fasting is neither Old Testament or New Testament.

[14:28] It's just a covenant practice. So, if there was covenant practices in the Old Testament and covenant practices in the New Testament, then nothing stops us from being part of that covenant practice.

[14:40] And so, fasting is covenant practice. To fast for results or the true ingredients of fasting includes, let me mention three things.

[14:54] Number one, purpose. Number two, prayer. Number three, practices. Purpose, prayer, practices.

[15:08] Let's talk about purpose. In Matthew chapter 6, verse 16. Oh, Jesus. There he goes again.

[15:19] You can say some serious things. Matthew 6, verse 16 says that, moreover, when ye fast. Shall we all say that together? When? When ye fast. One more time, please. When ye fast.

[15:30] If you don't mind, louder. When ye fast. So, fasting is a when, not an if. When? When? Your time of fasting.

[15:42] You must have a time of fasting. So, when ye fast. Be not as the hypocrite. Oh, so hypocrite fast.

[15:56] Oh, watch this. You don't have to be a hypocrite to behave like one. Oh, you didn't hear what I said. Think about it.

[16:06] From the text I just read, it said, when you fast, don't be like that one. Because that one is a hypocrite. So, that means you can be fasting, but fasting like a hypocrite, even though you are not a hypocrite.

[16:21] You can be fasting the way the hypocrites do. Hypocrites are sure men.

[16:33] That's one major thing about hypocrite. He just said in Matthew 23. He said, ye are whitewashed tubes. That's a serious description.

[16:45] Whitewashed. You are white on the outside, but inside is full of dead men's bodies. Hey! Yeah. So, he said, hypocrites. When you fast, don't be like the hypocrites.

[17:01] Ask the hypocrites. Of a sad countenance. Do not be of a sad countenance. Why do they put that? For they disguise their faces. Therefore, there's a reason. That they may appear unto men to fast.

[17:16] So, see, what they are doing is just for men. Just to appear. Just to keep up with their choices. It's a tick box exercise.

[17:28] But really, it doesn't mean anything to them apart from how people will see them. He said, don't do it like that. But he says that. Jesus said, Verily I say unto you.

[17:42] Watch this. They have their reward. Their reward is what they are. People have seen it. So, that means that fasting comes with a reward.

[17:52] But the way they do it, that reward is already God doesn't owe them a reward. So, that means that when you fast, you should expect a reward. But Christians fast.

[18:08] Fasting is part of Christian activities or practices. Christians do fast. Our fasting will be definitely different from other people in other religions the way they fast.

[18:25] Because fundamentally, even the definition of God is different. So, that changes everything. We might look the same. You see, you can fast like the hypocrite. But it doesn't make you hypocrite. But you can behave.

[18:36] So, as for surface behavior, it's really not the answer. It's behind the scenes. Internally, what is happening. And by virtue of understanding what's happening.

[18:48] So, when you come into a crisis situation, please, there's a difference. I want you to understand. There's a difference between hunger, strike, and fasting. There's a difference.

[18:59] There's a difference. Instead of embarking on hunger, strike, for political purposes. My Christian brother, why don't you rather do a fast to appeal to God's mercies?

[19:18] Is hunger, strike, wrong? I don't know. But I would rather a fast. Because it might have similar physical implications. So, we Christians, we fast.

[19:37] And why do we fast? Why do people go into hunger, strike? Because they are trying to make a statement. And there's a purpose for it. Someone is just going to hunger, strike.

[19:48] Unless you are sick in the hospital. Then that's not hunger, strike. You just can't eat. But when you can't eat and you choose not to eat, there must be a purpose for it. So, why would you, a Christian, you choose not to eat?

[19:58] And there's no purpose for it. Because our church said we shouldn't eat. No. There must be a purpose for it. And so, when we are fasting, we must have a purpose.

[20:13] When you study the scripture, they fasted. Nehemiah fasted and saw results. Esther fasted, saw results. Daniel fasted. The captivity was over.

[20:25] Fasted. When he understood that something must change, he gave himself to fast. He said, therefore, I gave myself to fasting. I understood by books and I gave myself to fasting. So, when he understood something must change, but he didn't have the power to change it.

[20:38] He said, no problem. I know the battle to praise to change things. Yeah. So, it's important to understand that when we are fasting, there is a purpose for the fasting.

[20:50] So, number one, your fasting must have a purpose. Your fasting must have a purpose. What sort of purpose? All right. Why fasting?

[21:04] Fasting is not just refraining from food. Okay. Fasting is your unwillingness or inability to just enjoy food by virtue of a burden on you.

[21:18] So, there is an oppressing issue in your life. Some of these things don't happen without somebody paying a price. I don't know what is going on in your life.

[21:31] People say, a few people have come to me this year with one or two issues. Pastor, I'm not sure about what to do. And this is going on. This is going on. And I tell them, all right.

[21:42] You let's give ourselves time and fast and pray until the period of fasting. We are about to start a fast. Attach your request. Give an oppressing.

[21:52] There's a burden on your heart. Let that drive you into the fasting. You have a burden regarding your daughter. A burden regarding your career. Regarding your marriage.

[22:03] Regarding your health. Regarding your son. Regarding your business. Your career. Your church. Your ministry. Come on. Fast about it. We are about to enter into a fasting.

[22:15] Make it. This fasting. I'm going to hear from God. Or I'm going to entreat God to do something. There is a burden on my heart. Let me push it into the fasting. So, you are eating. You are not eating.

[22:26] It's not because you don't have food to eat. But we are just refraining from food. But it's because of a burden. So, then when there is opportunity to eat. You look at the burden.

[22:37] You look at the food. Which one is more important? Because some of the temptations to eat are real. And now they say fasting.

[22:48] They say here fasting there. You should rejoice because fasting is coming. And you are going to tackle some things in fasting. Look at the situation in your family.

[23:00] The situation with your husband. The situation with your career. You are going to be poor for help. Why don't you use the avenue of fasting? That burden on your heart.

[23:12] Make it something. So, okay. We fast because there is a burden. And watch this. We are appealing and reaching out to God for his mercies concerning this matter.

[23:24] So, when you are fasting, you are actually asking for God's mercies by virtue of the burden for mercies on that matter. So, then you must have a purpose for fasting.

[23:36] Other than that, you just go through the motions. And you wouldn't even know if it has been answered. Because you didn't actually have a target. And so, when it comes to fasting, you have to have a purpose.

[23:49] Other than that, you are better off eating. Have a purpose. Have a purpose. So, then watch this. When you are praying privately, you always tackle that thing in the fasting.

[24:03] In the fasting. You say, God, this is my marriage. God, this is my marriage. I present it before you. I plead for your mercies. I plead for your mercies. I plead for your mercies. This is my career.

[24:14] I plead for your mercies. This is my health crisis. Why would you be married and you are waiting for a child and you haven't come together in the fasting? I mean, look at what is happening in your family.

[24:27] Look at your sister's state. Every other week, they rush her to somewhere. If it's not prison, it's a mental health or it's a hospital. And the whole family is in turmoil.

[24:41] The whole family is in turmoil. Sometimes you see your mother and you break down crying. Please, you are a Christian for goodness sake. There's something you can do about it. There's something you can do about it.

[24:54] Instead of just waiting for someone to have a revelation. There's somebody here. Your mother is crying. Come. No, please. It might never happen. Take matters in your own hands.

[25:06] I believe every one of us, there's something you have to deal with. Every one of us here. You are not stranded in life when you can have an opportunity to fast.

[25:18] Yeah. You can't be stranded. Your time, you get flattered or a car breaks down. You have AA. Don't worry. They'll come and pick it. You see, you can't say that I'm nowhere. So there's no hope.

[25:29] There is hope. You need to be fixed. And I'm talking to somebody. There's hope. Amen. And I, until you, you, you, I'm talking about you. You choose to do something about it.

[25:42] Stop outsourcing your responsibility. You have to do something about it. You have to take their bull by the horn and say, this year, this year, this year, 2022 is my church for me.

[25:57] Yes. Yes. You, listen, you have to be determined. Since the days of John the Baptist, the kingdom of God suffered violence.

[26:09] And it takes some level of aggression, determination. My God. My God. Blind Bartimaeus. He heard Jesus was passing. He shouted.

[26:20] They said, keep quiet. Bible said he shouted, demor. Demor, demor, because he's, he was too desperate. I think you are very comfortable about your situation.

[26:33] Desperation will become a burden. That anytime you hear fasting, you say, I'm going to deal with this matter. Listen, don't wait for the thing to get out of hand.

[26:46] Doctor said, the way you are, we did the scan. It looks like early stages of cancer. And it says, you have cancer for where? For where?

[26:56] It will not happen. See, while you are saying it will not happen, Satan said, my friend, they give you references. References. You see, you remember your auntie. You remember your friend.

[27:07] You remember this. Start preparing your will, Radha. As soon as Satan starts talking to you, you know it's time for fasting. You hear the thing.

[27:18] Fasting is to get God, the mercy of God into the matter. So, you have to fast. Pastor, when I fast, I get hungry.

[27:29] Thank God. You have to fast. You have to fast. You have to fast. Don't wait for a prophetic word.

[27:40] This is it. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Swift obedience. Swift obedience. Go to obey his personal sacrifice.

[27:53] You are better off obeying. I don't know what God is telling you. You got to do something. You got to do something.

[28:05] When we come to church, we are not playing religion. A lot of people take church for granted and stuff like that. Let me digress and say this. Give us time.

[28:18] Give us time. Those of us who will do it, God will continue doing it. Give us time. The difference will be so obvious. So, now let's go back to the fasting. What I'm talking about is there are things in your life.

[28:31] Say, you need to fast about. Fast before it overtakes you. Fast before it gets to a place where you can't do anything about it. Tackle it in fasting.

[28:43] So, it must be with a purpose. For fasting to be effective. For fasting to be actual. Okay. Elements of true fasting.

[28:54] Number two, there must be prayer involved. Because how can you beseech the message of God without talking to him? Now, okay, pastor.

[29:05] So, what, what, can you explain this? Now, I'm fasting. Watch this. I'm fasting. Okay. Let's say I'm a businessman. I'm fasting for a contract.

[29:15] A big contract that has come. I'm trying to get that contract or something. And the competition is hard. And I'm, things are now getting complex against me or something.

[29:27] And I'm fasting. I'm fasting. When you, I'm fasting. That's my target. What shows that is my target? When I get into prayer during the fasting, you must pray during the fasting. I mention it to God.

[29:38] God. I, this is my burden. Besides all the other things that we must accompany our prayers, this one becomes a major part. So, God, that this contract, let it not go wrong against me.

[29:51] That, or this court case, this court case, I am innocent. But it looks like it's going bad against me. God, I'm, some of us, when you have a case, you have a situation, a pressing issue.

[30:02] You can, even sometimes you lose appetite. It's a sign that go into fasting. Sometimes you also have to look at what is following your father. It's about to repeat in your life. You already seen the early signs.

[30:14] What happened to your mother? You've seen the early signs that it's coming. It's coming. It's coming. It's coming. It's coming close. Stop it in fasting. See, the benefits of certain key things in life is many years later, you see the benefit.

[30:29] You see it. Many years. Please, don't let us be those who want instant. Everything you are doing now. Now, now, now. So, your life and your life pursuit is governed by your instant need.

[30:40] It will not advantage you in life. It will advantage, even the way I raise my children. I'm thinking far. I'm thinking far.

[30:51] And because of that, when it comes to church matters, I'm careful what I say and what I don't say. Because I'm thinking far. I'm thinking far. It's important.

[31:03] The advice I give to my children. I'm thinking far. Thinking far. Thinking far. Young people and childishness thinks now. Maturity thinks far.

[31:16] Implications. Future potentials and possibilities based on this path I'm choosing. Can you imagine if your daughters are grown or your sons grown?

[31:30] And they say, I don't want to have anything to do with religion. Can you start doing, take stock of people you know around your background and who didn't do religion? Look, look, look at the trail. Look at the trail.

[31:42] Before you start talking the way you are talking. Before you start talking. You might not understand something. It doesn't mean. You see, when you tell teacher that the question is wrong.

[31:53] The question is wrong. You didn't understand the question. Others have solved it. But you are saying the question. The equation is wrong. Teacher. Teacher. Say. Say. They say, go and do it.

[32:03] Everybody comes. Say. Say. The question was wrong. Say. Sit down. Others have done it already. But you are so sure. No. The question is wrong. The question is wrong. Not knowing you are actually so wrong.

[32:16] And later I say. Ah. Why? It's too late. It's too late. Think far. Present your request to God.

[32:27] He said, be anxious for nothing. Philippians chapter 4 verse 6. Be anxious for nothing. But in everything. By prayer and supplications. Make your request be made known unto God.

[32:40] With thanksgiving. So you must have. God. God takes requests. Wow. What a good God. And did you see that? Let me show you something that I just.

[32:52] I want to draw out this. Let's read the first line. To the comma. Let's go. Be anxious for nothing. I prefer when you read it louder. Be anxious for nothing.

[33:03] One more time. Be anxious for nothing. Next word. For us. Be anxious for nothing. But. So instead of being anxious.

[33:13] There's something you can do. But. In everything. Everything. Prayer plays a role. To change your anxiety. Into a testimony.

[33:25] And he said. By everything. Watch this. This is where I'm going. But in everything. By prayer and supplication. Back with thanksgiving. Not complain. God. I don't know why. God doesn't listen to complaints.

[33:37] You must be grateful. So as you give him thanks. He said. Talk. Talk to me. Talk to me. Jesus found a problem. He said. I give you thanks. He go to Lazarus too. He said. I give you thanks. Lazarus. Come out.

[33:47] He thanked God before he called Lazarus out. You want God to bring Lazarus out. Then you can thank him later. He said. He said. So he says that. Be anxious for nothing. But in everything.

[33:58] By prayer and supplication. With thanksgiving. Let your request. Ah. So he said. Watch this. What is this request? Where is this request going to come from? No. No. But what constitutes this request?

[34:11] He said. Let your request. Whatever was causing you that. Make it a request. Do you understand that?

[34:22] Be anxious. But in everything. So what. Instead of being anxious. Let. What is causing you anxiety. Let. Present it to God. Are you getting what I'm saying? So God takes requests.

[34:34] So whatever is. Troubling you. Bothering you. Causing you. Causing you anxiety. Make it a prayer topic. Make it a prayer topic. So when we are fasting.

[34:46] Present your request to God. That's why you have to pray. Fasting without prayer. Is not true fasting. You have lost. An essential ingredient. Essential element.

[34:57] That makes fasting potent. You lose it. If you don't add prayer. But what. Pastor. The way my work. Nature. The nature of my work is. Is that pray without ceasing. So you can always pray.

[35:10] Break time. When they are going to smoke. You need to pray. Yeah. Fine. Fine. Five minutes prayer. Is prayer. Is prayer. Please.

[35:21] I don't. Obviously. You can't be at work. When it's break time. Kadabasha. Ya na na. Ya delebe. Ya delebe. Ya delebe. Please. They will have. They. By law.

[35:33] And by necessity. They have to call the ambulance. Security. Security. Yeah. Security. Security. And ambulance. Because. Somebody. Is losing it.

[35:48] But. So. In order. Charismatic. We have a version of prayer. That sometimes might not be. It must be loud. And constant. And a long time.

[35:59] There's time for. Loud prayers. And. But. You just communicate with God. Sometimes. Put your head. On your break. You can put your head. On your desk.

[36:10] You are a teacher. They have gone on break. Put your head on. Someone. Teacher. Are you okay? Very soon. The children. Want to say. Oh. Mrs. Praise. Don't go. Don't go in this. Tell me. Don't be ashamed. Don't be ashamed.

[36:21] For people to know. You. You. You. You. You. You. You engage. Yeah. You engage. Others also do yoga. Confidently. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[36:31] Yeah. They do yoga. And they talk about it everywhere. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. Doing a station in my house. And I want a place for yoga. Yeah. And. So.

[36:42] A meditation. So. You two. You. You. You can. Let them know you pray. Just that you. You are not disturbing everybody. Yeah. You know. Some people say. No. You can't stop me. The devil is a liar. I'll pray.

[36:52] Me. I'll pray. He. So. Your fasting must have purpose. Your fasting must have prayer.

[37:04] Then I'm at three. Practices. What are these practices? You are fasting. And you are not doing some things. Oh. Sister. What are the practice pastors talking about?

[37:16] I'm talking about Isaiah chapter. 58 verse 6. And verse 7. Is this not the fast I have chosen? When you are fasting. There must be.

[37:27] Number one. What you shouldn't do when you are fasting. Try to let everybody see. That I'm fasting. Try to. Elev. By the. The way you disfigure your face. Jesus. He said. You disfigure your face.

[37:41] Somebody said. I don't even. Swallow. Gastric juice. Okay. Some of you may not know what gastric juice is. I don't know. That name is saliva. I don't even swallow.

[37:54] And then. You have a bottle like a pregnant woman. Yeah. Please. Make it light for you. For yourself. And everybody. Swallow where you can.

[38:05] And. And. Put mint in your mouth. Wait. Buy some. Buy mint. Okay. Some people will buy toffees.

[38:16] I don't think you have bedding enough. I don't think you have bedding enough. It's a sweet bed. Yeah. I get what I'm saying.

[38:31] Yeah. But. It's good. Because usually when you are fasting. Because you are not eating. And maybe you don't have much strength. You talk too much. Your mouth is shut most of the time. After a certain time of the day.

[38:43] An unpleasant. May. Not all. It depends on your age. And your death. God. But at certain times.

[38:59] It gets to a time. It's not pleasant for anybody. It's true. Definitely. You. You. So. I think it's just responsible. But. Just. But.

[39:09] What I'm trying to say. Don't look spooky. Look. Normal. But the other thing too. Is. Some people. Because they said. Don't let everybody see. They have to.

[39:20] It's like. It's something very private. Secret. No. No. No. No. You live with your wife. You are fasting. She doesn't know. You live with your husband. You are fasting. She doesn't know. And say. Are you fasting?

[39:31] No. No. It's between me and God. No. No. That's not what he means. Because you have to let him know. So. Or let him know. He's buying some breakfast.

[39:41] Or something. He knows that. You understand that. Just. Just. Don't make it so spooky. People around you. When they know you are fasting. What's wrong? What's wrong with that? They must know you are practicing something now.

[39:53] So. He says. Is this not the fast I have chosen? To undo. Let's look at it. Is this not the fast that I have chosen? To lose the bounds of wickedness. Now. You can. Take it in two ways. For.

[40:04] Demonic bounds to be loosed. But that's not the immediate context. You. People. You see. Those times. The. Family community.

[40:16] And. People who are rich. Wicked towards other people. It's just that. Please. You are fasting. Loose people. Let them go. You are fasting.

[40:26] And you have determined. This is my ex. But you are also an ex. You always. Ex is always two. Two. Doesn't matter how thin you slice a thing.

[40:37] You still have two sides. My ex. My ex. But you are also an ex. You are also her ex. Or his ex. But I didn't do anything wrong. You never know why he left you.

[40:49] So don't. But the point I'm making is that. I will never forgive my. I will never. I mean I won't forgive my father. But you are fasting on. You are fasting.

[40:59] And you are highlighting these things. It's a loose. The bounce of wickedness. And let the oppressed go. To lose the bounce of wickedness. To undo heavy burdens. To let the oppressed go free.

[41:10] Because you might say. I'm not sitting on somebody. But in your heart. You are. You are. This lady. The way she spoke to me. I will never forgive her.

[41:21] I will never forgive her. You determine. That you do it. You do it. You do it. No. Please.

[41:36] Please. In times of fasting. That's time for amnesty. Yeah. No. In places where. Couditas and other things. When new. Government.

[41:47] Something. Pleasiness. Release. So you are fasting. It is like a new government. That's when you have to. I'm telling you. These are practices. This is the first.

[41:57] I have chosen. Not the first. That you think. God should like. The first. That I have. I God have chosen. And. That you break.

[42:08] Every yoke. Yoke. And now. As you are breaking. The yoke. On others. In other words. People who are indebted to you. People who you have. A justification. To be able to hold.

[42:19] In captivity. Let them go. What happens is that. It triggers. A reaction. In the spirit. That every yoke. On your life. Is also broken. Maybe this health situation.

[42:29] You are struggling with. Eh. Maybe this health situation. Can you hear me? Yeah. Maybe this health situation. You are struggling with. Maybe. It's because of what you hold.

[42:41] Against your mother. Or your father. Maybe you don't know. And you're. God help me. God heal me. Let her go. Let him go.

[42:52] And you realize that. You've let yourself go. The next verse. Look at the next verse. As I run up. To close quickly. Is it not. To share. You see. This one.

[43:02] Is it not. You what you do. Is it not to share. Your bread. With the hungry. Thou stingy. Christian brother. Sister. You are still.

[43:12] Holding shoes. Holding wigs. Holding shoes. Holding. And you don't even know. What to do with it. And. This is the time.

[43:22] You look for somebody's need. And also show love. In times of fasting. Not only. Me and. It's between me and God. You. No. You have some practices.

[43:33] That enhances the fasting. Because it shows that you are humbling yourself. It shows that something has changed inside you. You are. You are changing your attitude towards life and others. Is there.

[43:45] In your scripture. And. That you bring to your house. The poor. Who. Are cast out. Pastor. How do I bring the poor people in my house? You know.

[43:57] What it means here. Is that. You look at somebody's. Impeverished condition. And do something about it. That's why. Sometimes. I give an instruction. Every time we are fasting.

[44:08] Any month. Like June and January. We have to. Send. Aid. To charities. As a church. We have to. We can't say we are fasting. And nothing is flowing.

[44:20] And some of us. When it's time for fasting. That's the time. You can't even take your nephew. Or your neighbor. I mean. Depending on how conditions are. And maybe you know. They are struggling. Take care.

[44:31] Take him. Go and do. Uniform shopping for her. Uniform shopping. Your money is not just for you. Read your Bible. Read your Bible. It says that. Don't steal anymore.

[44:42] Ephesians chapter 4 verse 28. It says. Don't let the one who stole. Steal no more. But work with his hands. Why? So you can have to give the. I have something to give to him.

[44:53] Who has need. You are earning. Without meeting. Other people's needs. And you are now adding fasting. Please. When it's time for fasting.

[45:03] Look for a need to meet as well. It is just. It is. It's just good. It's good. It's good. And you are doing that in your fasting. I think some religion.

[45:14] They even share food. It's only when they finish their fasting. Oh. They do it. During the fasting. They share food. You see. You see. You see. Charismatic Christians.

[45:26] Our own is just between me and God. Hey God. God. Where are you? See. I'm fasting. I'm giving you an automatic. Within the next.

[45:36] By June. If you don't do it. I will leave church. I will leave church. I'm telling you. Hey God. Hey God. Bless me now. My pastor said he will bless me. Bless me. I will stop paying my tithe.

[45:52] Yeah. Let's finish. Actually just the verse 8. There's a lot in that verse. And it said. When you see the naked. That you cover him. And not hide yourself.

[46:04] From your own flesh. In other words. What is to cause you? The inconvenience. You don't try to avoid the inconvenience. Don't hide yourself from your flesh. You have to do what you got to do.

[46:16] So every. The elements of effective fasting. Must have purpose. Must have prayer. And they must be backed with practices. And definitely you'll see some strange results.

[46:29] I see that is what will happen to you. Amen. In Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Thank you for listening to this message by David Entry.

[46:40] When God speaks. Works show. And the works will surely show in your life. To hear more from David Entry. Follow him on Facebook. Instagram. Twitter.

[46:50] LinkedIn. And subscribe to Karis Church on YouTube. Don't forget to share and subscribe to our podcast. So you're always up to date. Be blessed. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[47:01] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.