The Power and Purpose of Fasting

[0:00] Thank you for choosing to listen to today's message by Reverend Dr. David Etrie. We know you will be blessed as you seek and serve God. We believe that this message will stir up a desire for more of God even as you listen.

[0:13] Be blessed. Moses fasted to receive the commandment from God. He went and spent, according to Exodus 33, he went and spent days, 40 days, 40 nights in the presence of God fasting to receive the commandments of God.

[0:35] So it is important to understand even the commandments that were given came based on fasting. It wasn't given because he was fasting, but he had to fast in order to assess it.

[0:48] So he accessed the commandments because he prepared himself to access it. So fasting has a definite role he plays for the people of God and for that matter in every spiritual quest.

[1:10] Daniel fasted. Esther fasted with a whole bunch of people. Ezra fasted. Nehemiah fasted. David fasted.

[1:23] And the list goes on. And then you may think that Jesus is the son of God himself, so he wouldn't have to. But when he came, he also joined the fasting spree. So he also fasted.

[1:35] The early church fasted. People fasted. So fasting, actually, fasting is mentioned 75 times in the Bible. Fasting is mentioned.

[1:46] Fasting is mentioned. When you fast, a few things I want you to understand about fasting. When you fast, you create space for God in your busy life.

[1:59] Fasting is a means to create space for God in your busy life. Amen. Fasting is to make space for God.

[2:14] How many of you believe life is very busy? Listen, if life is not busy for you, I'm really concerned about you. No, there are times you actually want to pray and the nature of your schedule doesn't even allow you.

[2:31] Sometimes you leave the house by 5.30. And you wake up at maybe quarter to five. Shower quickly. Get yourself ready. And then leave.

[2:42] Sometimes you don't. There are people who can be so busy, they don't even get time to actually be eating. Regularly. So that means that, and generally, especially in a developed world, those of us who live in this part of the world really need fasting.

[2:59] Because life can be so busy, there are times you have to create intentionally. Intentionally make space for God in your busy schedule.

[3:10] Every now and then. There must always be space every day in your life for God. But there are times that you create a protracted period. For a protracted period of time, you create space for a certain purpose or to allow God to be in.

[3:26] In the olden days, when you say fasting, fasting is like tying a ribbon very firm on your little finger to remind you that you are depending on God.

[3:38] So it's a period of time where you have tied it every time you know that you are depending on God. Fasting is, that's what fasting serves to do.

[3:49] And fasting also is like connecting with those who suffer hunger. Now, there are a lot of people suffering hunger.

[4:01] People are starving. I hear children about a few years ago, 40,000 children die of starvation every day or so. People are suffering hunger, starvation.

[4:14] Sometimes when you enter into fasting, it's a way of identifying with the disenfranchised or the disadvantaged or the marginalized in our world.

[4:26] You see, God cares about everybody. God cares about sufferings of humanity. So when you are fasting, you put yourself in a state, you humble yourself to identify with what others possibly can also go through.

[4:40] Fasting, it helps you. So it also, it helps you to remember you are man or you are badass. In spite of all what you have around you and all the opportunities you have, it helps you to remember that you are nothing but dust.

[4:56] And so you, what others are going through, you are not exceptional. Fasting is embracing emptiness. You are embracing emptiness.

[5:08] So it's because it's a period where you have abstained from stuff. Mainly food and other things which I'll explain. It's like you are embracing emptiness. You are embracing withdrawal.

[5:23] You are embracing withdrawal. Pulling yourself away from normal things and creating empty space in your life for God. So when we talk about fasting, it's not only food we are talking about.

[5:40] Fasting is not just food. It's not just drink. In times of fasting, you need to withdraw from a lot of normal activity.

[5:52] Regular internet usage. For pleasure, I mean. I mean, it's work that's different. Regular meetings or socializing for the period of fasting.

[6:08] So when you are fasting, it means that you withdraw yourself from a lot of regular things that really are not spiritual. They may not be bad in themselves. You withdraw yourself from certain music.

[6:21] You withdraw yourself from certain environments you go. You withdraw yourself from certain maybe movies or things you regularly watch. In the time of fasting, I'm not saying when you are fasting, you don't have to watch a movie.

[6:35] I'm not saying when you are fasting, you don't have to listen to music. I'm not saying when you are fasting, you don't have to socialize. I'm talking about when you are fasting, there is the need to also pull back a bit from some regular things.

[6:46] Pull back and make, create some emptiness or empty space around you. Creating space for God. You withdraw from some regular things and intentionally, purposely to create space for God.

[6:59] Because your life is very busy. Fasting. Fasting is body talk.

[7:13] Body talk to God. You are putting your body in a state to make a statement to God. It's like body language. You know body language matters.

[7:25] Sometimes when you are talking to somebody and the way they, their body language tells you whether they are interested or not. Sometimes when you go for interview, it's not just what you are saying.

[7:38] They are observing your body language. Body language matters a lot. There are actually specialists, experts who read body language. God also reads body language.

[7:51] When you have, when you put yourself in a fast, it's a body language to God. That I'm making a body talk statement to you. I want to make a statement. I'm putting my body in this state because I need you.

[8:05] Because I want to engage more of you into my life. Somebody shout hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. It's like you are expressing your seriousness or your heart hunger for God or seriousness in wanting God.

[8:24] You are telling God, God, I need you so seriously that I'm putting myself in this state. Did you understand? I'm putting myself, I'm excusing myself from regular living.

[8:35] I'm expressing the hunger in my heart physically.

[8:50] Hunger for you. So fasting gives you an opportunity to actually express your seriousness for how much you want God. It's about getting, you see, some people fast for wrong reasons.

[9:02] People think that when you fast, you can get God to do what you want. No. Fasting allows God to do what he wants in your life.

[9:15] It's not you getting God to do what you want. It is you getting God to do what he wants in your life. When you fast. And may I also say here that fast, people can fast for wrong reasons and be motivated by wrong desires in their fasting.

[9:39] Wrong purposes. For instance, there is a woman in the Bible called Jezebel. Sister Jeze fasted.

[9:52] In 1st Kings chapter 21 verse 9. Because she wanted somebody's land for her husband.

[10:03] And the man said, I won't give you. Jezebel proclaimed a fast. Yeah. And she wrote in the letter saying, Proclaim a fast and set Nabal on high among the people.

[10:19] She declared, he proclaimed a fast in the land. Let's all fast. And then when we finish, during the fasting, let's set up a special feast and Nabal, let him, put him on the high table so we can kill him.

[10:32] So she was fasting. But her fasting was for wrong reasons. In Acts chapter 23 verse 11, 12, 13, and 14.

[10:45] This is interesting. God appeared to Saul. Actually, I went from verse 12, but I, you know, as my customers, I just sometimes want to indulge in a bit more of scriptures. Because there's something about the scriptures that make me tickle.

[10:58] It's just, it's so sweet to my taste. And the night following, the Lord stood by him. The Lord stood by Paul.

[11:10] Paul. In the night. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. The Lord stood by Paul in the night and said, Be of good cheer, Paul.

[11:24] For as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must you bear with us of me at Rome. God spoke to him. Because opposition was coming. Before opposition shows up, if God is with you, he's always taking a step ahead.

[11:39] Oh yeah, it's always like that. Look at the next verse, verse 12. And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had Paul killed.

[12:00] That's serious. They came together and team up and they said, We will never eat or drink until this man is dead. They proclaim a fast, a negative fast.

[12:12] You don't know who are fasting against you. Listen, may I tell you this? I always want to chip in some things a little bit. If, listen to this very carefully. If you are going to marry somebody, If you are going to marry somebody and the person's mother or father fights aggressively, but you manage to succeed in getting married, please, it's calling for fasting.

[12:44] Yeah. Don't take it for granted. Because the power of evil, which can set a mood against your family and against your marriage, against your fertility, against your decent peace in the house.

[13:02] So, these people bound themselves under an oath that we will never eat until we see this Paul killed.

[13:14] Yeah. Look at verse 13. And there were more than 40. There were more than 40 which had made this conspiracy. 40.

[13:26] And they came to their chief priests. They had access. They came to their chief priests and elders and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse that we will eat nothing until we have Paul.

[13:43] We have slain Paul. We will eat nothing. So, people can fast for wrong reasons. You are fasting for your boss to lose the job so you can get his position.

[13:54] You are fasting for someone to die so that you can have their estate. That is foolish fasting.

[14:07] People do that. So, people can fast for wrong reasons. One of the things fasting does is fasting humbles you.

[14:21] When you fast, it's in the Old Testament they call it, I humbled myself in fasting. And we humbled ourselves in fasting. We humbled ourselves in fasting.

[14:33] So, you humble yourself with fasting. And also, this is necessary to understand that when you are fasting, you need a humble disposition.

[14:45] A humble heart. Two people came to the synagogue to pray. One was a publican. The other one was a Pharisee. And in Luke chapter 18 from verse 11, Jesus told the story.

[14:59] He says the publican, the Pharisee, stood and prayed thus with himself. He was praying with himself. God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortionist, unjust, adulteress, and even as this publican over there.

[15:20] I am not like him. And in verse 12, he says that, I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I, Pharisees do it to.

[15:31] So, Christians. I fast twice and give tithes of all that I possess. Verse 13. Now, the publican standing afar off would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven.

[15:47] Normally, Jewish prayer, you lift your eyes to heaven. It's a posture. But the man is so bad, he couldn't lift his eyes. I say, I know when you come to church, sometimes you can't even raise your hands.

[16:01] You are tent raising your hand. The devil says, can you please put it down? The choir was singing such a beautiful song. And the thing moved your spirit. You lift your hand. And then you got up.

[16:12] Suddenly, the devil told you, have you forgotten what you did last night? Please, don't join those who are standing. Can you sit down? And then you gently sat down. So, the man couldn't lift his eyes.

[16:27] But he said, I like his prayer. He said, he smooted upon his ears, beating his breast. He said, God, be merciful to me as sinner.

[16:47] Be merciful to me as sinner. That's why there is place in church for everybody and anybody who means to see God. God does not count or let your credit history determine whether he will listen to you or not.

[17:06] There is room at the cross for everybody. So, in spite of, sometimes when you come to church for us, you see people, especially when you see people sitting in front like that, people singing in the choir and ushers around, you are wondering, when can I also be as pure as these people?

[17:22] Jesus said in the parable or in the story that this man, verse 14, this man, which man?

[17:40] The man who pleaded for mercy. I tell you that this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself shall be amazed and everyone who humbles himself shall be exalted.

[17:53] Fasting is a statement of humility. God, I'm humbling myself. And when God sees you humble yourself, he will exalt you. And so, what that means is that when you are fasting, I don't understand how you are fasting and you come to church and you are arguing with us.

[18:11] Think about it. When you are humble, you don't care about some things. Some things may not be nice or fair, but you know what? It doesn't matter.

[18:24] So, fasting is a time of humility. That's not a time to be offended in a preaching. You'll be stranded on the highways of life.

[18:37] Don't have an exaggerated opinion of yourself. That's not the time. The period of fasting that you are humbling yourself, sometimes God will allow certain humbling situations to prove to you that you are not humble.

[18:53] God will allow it just to help you to see the state of your heart. God, you keep praising yourself. As for me, I'm humble. As for me, I'm humble. As for me, I'm humble. As for me, I'm humble. There's no obvious sign of pride than when you believe you are humble enough.

[19:11] I said, there's no obvious sign of pride than when you believe you are humble enough. Pride, one wise man said, is the only sickness that affects everybody apart from the one who has it.

[19:24] You don't see anything wrong with yourself. And the problem is everybody. So, fasting is humbling yourself.

[19:39] All right. All right. All right. So, you have to fast with the right motives. When you are fasting, you are fasting for God's protection.

[19:50] You are fasting for salvation of your family. You are fasting for healing. You can fast for divine intervention. You can fast for favors. You can fast for opportunities.

[20:01] You can fast to deal with complex things in your life. I'm going to show you some of the things that fast. But fasting always comes with a reward. Yeah. When you fast, God answers and responds to fasting.

[20:16] God responds to fasting. When we fast, it exposes us and prepares us and opens us up for reward. When you begin to feel, now the fasting has kicked in.

[20:32] Then you can talk down. That's the fasting time. The fasting time is not when everything is like normal. But when you begin to feel, something is extracting from, yeah, now that's when fasting has actually kicked in.

[20:46] But the good news is that fasting can help you develop certain habits. So it helps break certain eating patterns. Some of us will always snack.

[20:58] You have food in your bag. So instead of snacking on crisps, on chocolate, snack on God's word. That's the time.

[21:10] So what you use, sometimes your cooking reduces. So the time you'll be using to cook, you use it, spend it with God. The time you'll be using it for snacking, snack on God's word.

[21:27] Fasting comes with so much untold benefits, a lot of people don't know. When you are fasting and the fasting kicks in, please don't focus on the hunger, focus on the reward.

[21:40] Focus on the reward. Focus on the benefits of your fasting. Isaiah chapter 58. Let's look at it. Thank you, Jesus.

[21:52] Is somebody receiving something at all? Reading from verse 5. I'm reading the King James Version.

[22:05] Isaiah 58, 5. It is such a fast. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? A day for a man to afflict his soul.

[22:21] Is it to bow down his head as a bulwish and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will thou call this a fast? End unacceptable day of the Lord.

[22:35] Because they used to just do the external bits and not the real thing. So God said, this is not just the fasting. There's more to fasting than this. Just you put sackcloth and ashes on yourself.

[22:48] That means you have fasted. No. Fasting, the benefit is not just ashes and sackcloths. It comes with more. Then it says in verse 6, is it not this, the fast that I have chosen?

[23:01] To lose the bounds of wickedness. Say lose the bounds of wickedness. Lose the bounds of wickedness. You can look at it in two ways, but this is very important. When you fast, all kinds of things that are going on in your life, that is like, you have been banned.

[23:21] It has bound you. It is important. It's wickedness. You are not free. There was a woman, the Bible said that she could in no wise lift herself in Luke chapter 13. It's bounds of wickedness.

[23:34] Say lose it. Fasting has a way of setting you loose. As I was saying, sometimes, your, maybe eating habits is not good.

[23:48] Do you know fasting can correct your eating habits? Yeah. So lose the bounds. Number two, to lose the bounds, no, sorry, to lose the bounds of wickedness and to undo heavy burdens.

[24:00] Fasting, on das. You know, I was teaching the other time and I spoke about the computer usually always have undo buttons.

[24:11] Yeah. So you must learn how to, if you have a computer, that has not got undo buttons, it's not good. Doesn't have undo. No. When you are doing a design or something, it's good to always use the undo.

[24:25] When you are typing a letter or something, undo is very good. But fasting has an undo effect. Some things that has been enforced into your life by virtue of some mistakes or some decisions you made, some exposure you gave yourself, let me tell you something I'll probably say a bit more later.

[24:45] But if you are struggling with addictions, fasting can help you with addictions. Yeah. Fasting can. However the addiction started, you can deal with, you can use the undo button of fasting.

[24:59] Tell you. Fasting has the power to break addictions. Most people don't know this.

[25:12] Most people don't know this. Addiction. You are suffering under the burden of addiction. Every time you come to church, you feel so down. Because this nicotine addiction is, sometimes you are able to win yourself of it.

[25:28] Yeah. It's come back. You have start, you've gone back to the spliff. I see, I think she's been broken in the name of Jesus.

[25:46] So to lose the bond of wickedness, one, two, undo heavy burdens, three, to let the oppressed go free. Don't know what is oppressing you. When you get into fasting, sometimes you can break yourself free from this oppression, free from this depression, free from this stress.

[26:05] The enemy is imposing on your life to let the oppressed go, benefits of fasting, rewards of fasting. Let the oppressed go free. To break every yoke.

[26:17] I explained what a yoke is the other time. It's been put on you. It's like a wooden structure and you can't do what you want because you are tied to another animal and you are forced to go in a certain direction and to plow or to carry heavy load.

[26:33] Yoke. Yeah, you can put it on the screen. That's a yoke. That's a yoke. So who did, you are not free. You are not free but fasting breaks yokes.

[26:48] One of the things as a pastor, it really breaks my heart. One of my soft spots, it really breaks my heart. When I see people under oppression or addictions and it's like they can't stop.

[27:05] I'm not saying those who like it and they be like they can't stop. You know, when something is controlling your life you can be a very miserable person. Sometimes you have lost hope in life because you just can't get, you can't, those things break my heart.

[27:18] when people are under satanic hold, siege. But I believe two things that break yokes. Number one is anointing. Number two, fasting.

[27:31] Fasting destroys yokes. They yoke over your marriage. They yoke, you can't just skip a job. every now and then your mind goes hey, hey, kill yourself.

[27:46] It's like it's a season. It's seasonal. Every one and a half years or every eight months this thing comes on you and you lock yourself away from everybody. It's a yoke. It's not a normal life.

[27:59] You deserve living a normal life. You deserve living a normal life. Why do you have to go through this constant battle? I believe that the yoke can be destroyed.

[28:11] I believe it. The yoke can be broken off your life. Shout hallelujah. Yoke. To break every yoke.

[28:23] Verse seven. To share with the needy. When you are fasting the food you save, the money you save, you can you see one of the things to do during fasting is don't okay I didn't buy food breakfast lunch so I'll buy all dinner and then from six you start eating.

[28:48] You eat till midnight for six hours. to share instead of hoarding the food just get what you can and then save the money and be a blessing to someone who is also in need.

[29:09] That's fasting. Fasting some things must go from you to others. So last year I declared that every time we are fasting we have to send stuff food or resources or money to other charities certain type of charities that are helping the needy.

[29:29] We also give to these things. If we're in Africa it would have some churches they bring food and then they go to orphanage and they go but our money can do that.

[29:44] But you need to take it upon yourself. that brother bless him with something that you know that this is in need. You have seen this person was born straight but virtually his leg is becoming broken because their shoe is slanted so it's affecting his leg.

[30:09] Don't give him your old shoe. Join the fasting. Be a blessing to somebody in need. be a blessing to somebody in need. Starting from the church and extending it to people around you who you know I need.

[30:24] Sometimes God will show you needs of people. When fasting add that to your fasting because it gives you the benefit here is it gives you the opportunity to be good to somebody and when you are good to somebody God will pay you back.

[30:39] Today our Proverbs reading it talks about God pays if anyone who gives to the poor you lend to God. Proverbs 17. When you give to the poor you lend to God and if you lend to God he'll pay you.

[30:53] Yeah. Proverbs 19. He that has pity on the poor lends to God. Lends to the Lord and that which he has given will be paid him back.

[31:09] Will he pay him back? Will he pay him back? So whatever you are giving to God he'll pay you back. How do you give it to God? The poor.

[31:20] So it gives opportunity for you to put yourself in a position where God will pay you back. Amen? Are you learning something? Oh I learned the verse eight. Then thy light shall then shall thy light break forth as the morning and thy health bring so thy light said my light.

[31:41] say my light. Your light will break forth. And now even look at verse 10. Verse 10 B of verse 10. If you draw out your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul then shall thy light rise in obscurity and thy darkness be at the noonday.

[31:59] When we talk about your light breaking forth it's talking about insights ideas that will change your story on you. You know ideas can change a person's story.

[32:13] Then shall your light break forth. When you start fasting and you are doing it right God can drop an idea in your life. Suddenly you are trying to steady and you are struggling with this steady this kind of suddenly the light will go and you see they begin to prosper in that area begin to do well in that area because you have discovered how it works.

[32:37] One of the reasons why I believe that God has helped me in the work of the ministry I believe through the fastings I began to see how life works and spiritual things work because it's not of yours.

[32:51] How spiritual things work you may think oh because I'm praying and reading my Bible things will work. People read and read their Bible and they are still struggling with whatever the enemy has imposed on their life.

[33:01] There are spiritual means to get things working. One of the things fasting can do for you is what it will take 10 years to achieve it can happen in a year.

[33:14] So I began having certain insights into life. I began having certain insights into relationships. How to relate with the fathers God has given.

[33:25] That's one of my key opportunities in life. When God wants to bless you he'll bring an anointed person across you. It's because he wants to save you.

[33:36] Because he wants to help you. And if you are not wise in handling and managing that relationship you'll be the sufferer. I can't tell. Your insights will determine your height in life.

[33:50] Your insights. Your insights. Say I'm operating based on insights. Not based on the arm of flesh. We operate based on insights.

[34:02] When you do some things it will manifest. Believe in fasting. It will help you. How about if you are not well?

[34:14] Listen. If you are on medication, you are pregnant, or you are breastfeeding, or you are not well, or going through treatment, listen, you don't have to beat yourself to it. We have you covered.

[34:25] fasting. We are fasting on your behalf. Don't be legalistic about this whole thing. There are times people may not be in the position to be able to do some things.

[34:38] Does that make sense? Yeah. So, it's important to understand your life will dawn when you fast. Let's quickly go through this thing. The 7.7 is your healing spring forth speedily.

[34:51] Fasting has health benefits. I heard one expert say that everybody walks around carrying a doctor within you. Everybody has a doctor inside you.

[35:04] Most animals in the world, when they are not well, they withdraw from food. They have a way of fasting. It begins to rebuild their body.

[35:19] Fasting has serious medicinal advantages. When you fast, it washes your system, especially when you are fasting and you are drinking water. You see that your urine turns yellow, but after a long time, it becomes clearer and clearer.

[35:33] It's good to drink. It cleanses your system. It cleanses your... Fasting is believed to be able to help with things like diabetes, high blood pressure.

[35:50] Fasting helps a lot. Listen, fasting doesn't kill, it's eating that kills. Fasting does not kill.

[36:04] Fasting has great medicinal purposes. It cleanses your system. Certain skin diseases and skin issues don't easily come.

[36:16] And fasting helps detox your body. And the one thing I found out in my studies that fasting also helps, it slows the aging process. Yeah.

[36:28] Fasting slows your aging process. It renews your youthfulness or it elongates your youthful seasons.

[36:41] Fasting. Fasting. helps the functioning of your brains. It cleanses your fasting.

[36:53] Fasting is so medicinal. So you are carrying a doctor inside you. Begin to use him. There are times people fast not for spiritual reasons but they fast for health reasons to just cleanse themselves.

[37:08] Then your health shall spring forth. I see your health spring forth speedily. Then he says that your good works verse let's look at this it's very important verse eight and thy righteousness go before thee.

[37:23] When you fast you know everybody has something good in them and something bad in them. When you fast it makes what is good about you go ahead of you.

[37:34] So people attention are drawn to the good side of you and they offer you the job without even noticing it's a very powerful spiritual thing.

[37:47] I'm not saying it moves people but spiritually it prepares you that your righteousness goes ahead of you. You want to get married. I know you are invested in a lot of different types of makeup and fashion.

[38:02] You better consider fasting because when people see you they only see the hair under your wig but when you begin to people a man will see the hair under the wig is there but he doesn't even notice he said this is the kind of thing I normally like I like to see weak and proper hair on the side yeah your good works your good side the good things about you goes ahead of you when you fast somebody shout hallelujah and then number nine is supernatural response when you fast God responds supernaturally he said then thou shall call verse nine then thou shall call and the Lord shall answer thou shall cry and he shall say here I am if thou take away from the midst of thee so when you call he said I will answer when you are praying there are things in your family in your life that is begging for fasting and prayer number ten is secure the future verse eleven and the

[39:16] Lord shall guide you continually and satisfy thy soul in drought and make fat thy bones hallelujah and thou shall be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not these are the benefits the future will be better will be good for you God will guide you continually you shall be like a watered garden when people are going down you are going up when people are losing their jobs you are getting more offers it has supernatural opportunities so when you fast it's not like you don't have food to eat no no no no there are rewards for fasting the Bible shows us hallelujah quickly the last point here is verse 12 verse 12 says that a day that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places that shall raise up the foundation of many generations that shall be called the repairer of the bridge the restorer of the past to dwell in you every family has some waste places there are things going on in your family that's not good there are things in your house that really is a problem there are things in your marriage that has become some aspects of your marriage has become like waste places communication your marriage has become like waste place family in loss issue have become like no one goes there waste places in your life waste places will see visitation in the name of

[40:49] Jesus suddenly waste places become fruitful places everybody in your family in your life sometime in your career look you graduated a while ago with this certificate and you got two interviews based on that certificate but you never got a job and it's six years now why did you go to school for that certificate it has become a waste place but during this fasting I trust God that he will turn it into fruitful place in the name of Jesus some of us are trying to start a business for many years every time we start it's not working it's become a waste place it's become a waste place when you enter into this fasting as we are doing this fasting fasting has a way of bringing benefits that all waste places have all become built up now there are some lands when you look at the lands you see no one lives there suddenly some developers take over and you see buildings erected that will be your portion productivity be your portion shout a living amen and they shall build the old waste places thou shalt raise up the foundation of many generations you start something that your children children begin to benefit may I say this please may I say this mothers and fathers parents please for heaven's sake there are times you have to just get into fasting for your children yeah fast for your children fast for the education you are looking for scholarship for them you haven't fasted about it you might get it but you might betray their destiny because where you got a scholarship is Sodom not not chose the fertile lands of

[42:35] Sodom he thought it was good so we see without fasting you are you are disadvantaged God will guide you continually some of some of you students you are about to you are about to choose your school your uni your subject you are not fasting that's a major stage of your life why are you choosing a wife without fasting why are you choosing a husband without fasting but some people don't know parents fast for your child's marriage fast for them you can have some days set aside once in a while whatever and those of us with grandchildren you can do it for them there is a way that a person a member of a family deserves the judgment of God but another member will stand in through fasting that God aberts the judgments have you fasted for your unmarried sister before you are making this noise

[43:35] I've told her she should go to functions functions fast fast look at your mother's health situation doctors are very confused about her life they are not sure if she will leave for the next you will not fast you will not fast I don't understand young ladies in church who want to marry and you have focused all your energy on the wrong thing and you are not fasting you are trying to catch a man like the way the worldly people do it you have done everything possible like you are still in the world those things can still be done to a certain limited extent but give your energy to spiritual activity because all you may know you are fighting a spiritual battle I see God turning your situation around I see God turning your situation around is somebody getting something can I tell you five ways to boost fasting five ways to enhance fasting five ways to enhance fasting quickly then

[44:49] I believe somebody is learning something five ways Nehemiah chapter 9 verse 1 Nehemiah chapter 9 now in the seventh and sorry seventy and fourth day of the month the children of Israel were assembled with fastings what did the children of Israel do what in fasting group fastings that's why as a church we declare fast it's a corporate thing it enhances your fasting it has a way of boosting your fast when the whole church is fasting why have you exempted yourself corporate fasting has an advantage for you alright it boosts your fasting it boosts the impact of your fasting though

[45:53] Nehemiah chapter 9 verse 1 they gathered and assembled and fasted with sackcloth and earth upon them verse 2 and the seed of Israel separated themselves separated themselves when it's time for fasting it means time for separation someone shall separation during the time of fasting separate yourself from some stuff separate yourself from I said it earlier on some things that you do regularly some things that you watch that are not edifying some things that you listen to that are not edifying some conversations you get yourself involved that are not some phone calls you can be entertaining that are not really necessary some things you can do without separate so separate yourself fasting requires separation let's all say that together say it again so separate yourself so they separated themselves when we are fasting let's detach it's not only food you are not eating there are some things you are fasting some of you fast

[47:03] Facebook fast Instagram fast Snapchat fast social media fast you spend awful time on social media fast in time cut it down I'll get off it cut it down you spend so much time on the internet number three it says that they separated themselves from all strangers from anything that is ungodly this is the time to stop the pornography stop it stop watching it stop watching those X rated stuff because they separated themselves from the strangers these are strangers they are not good for your spiritual work separate yourself separate yourself separate yourself somebody say separate yourself and then number three quickly confess sins did you hear what

[48:15] I said confess confess confess admit oh god we have sinned sometimes you can confess sins on the behalf of your family yeah you can confess sins on the behalf of your people you can confess sins in time of fasting it's time to confess that lord I admit that I went to gossip about the pastor shall confess confess sins confess the sins of your father confess the sins of your family confess the sins of your mother there's been a lot going on a lot has happened in your family sometimes you can confess the sins of that uncle of yours what he did you didn't do it but it has an impact on your cousins and your family confess sins find things that must be confessed and ask God for mercy times of fasting wow number four they confess sins and then iniquities of their fathers number four and they stood with their sorry stood in their place and read and read in the book of the law of the

[49:36] Lord their God one fourth part of the day can you imagine so they cut out the day that's how many hours you're talking about six hours they just stood to read the Bible read the word of God keep reading and confessing God's word maybe there's a challenge on your health as you are fasting the Lord is my healer the Lord is my healing my health will spring forth these are the things you should be confessing maybe you are going you are believing God for breakthrough in your marriage confess the word read the word stay in the word the time for snacking snack on God's word the time for eating when you are not eating feed on God's word so spend the time in God's word spend the time feeding your system with what brings in the word preaching the word saturate your environment that's how fasting goes I mean fasting

[50:38] I'm not seeing any result because of the way you are doing it get yourself saturated after you separate yourself don't just separate I've separated and fill the space with God's word not only read it but confess it speak God's word speak God's word you hear negative news you are not happy about speak that the Lord is my healer the Lord is my deliverer the Lord is my helper I will lift up my hands to the hill where comes from my help you have to speak God's word speak God's word constantly let the book of the Lord not depart from your mouth Joshua 1 8 this book it shouldn't depart from your mouth not your mind your mouth keep confessing God's word keep confessing God's word this year you have to be confessing I'm the head not the tail I'm above not beneath confess it confess it some of us are reading with fear fear about your future prospects in that industry fear about your marriage fear about your health fear about your children fear about your family fear about your the things in the past that are about to catch up with you those things can be very worrying because there's an unresolved issue that God is possibly covering it up for you you come and uncover his own you leave your own like that but when there's fear when there's trouble when there's stress speak

[52:13] God's word fill yourself with God's word and speak out God's word confess God's word that your child who is sick confess your first time is to speak word of God on the child besides laying hands on the child as you are even at work you remember the child the Lord is my portion the Lord is my portion the Lord is my family of the righteous is blessed the seed of the righteous is blessed confess it confess it don't confess nothing that's American English don't confess nothing British English don't confess anything but so first you confess your sins and then let the word stay in your heart and in your mouth let the word stay in your heart and your mouth think on the word I'm begging you because some of you think it's the laying on offence that holds future for you no these things

[53:15] I'm sharing it holds future for you this Christianity is there's a big chunk of Christianity which is DIY yes DIY don't mind all those kind of leaders or whatever pastor or prophet who want you to depend on them it's not Christianity that is sacerdotalism it's not Christianity you're not meant to be depending on somebody in your quest for God what the pastors do is they should teach you the ways of God so that you can be able to access God faster and quicker and smoother but how come you're a Christian and you don't have any relationship with the word of God you don't have any relationship feed yourself with God's word as I said as I said the other liar the only thing that defeats him is the truth he can't stand the truth because he's a liar once you bring when so stockpiles you have stockpile of

[54:21] God's word when Satan comes you release it he comes and he releases it he goes back feed yourself so to boost your fasting enhance your fasting you have to focus on the word read it yourself get yourself familiar with God's word be a good student of God's word be someone who has a certain level of familiarity with your familiar with God's word let's finish this thing Nehemiah chapter 3 chapter 9 verse 3 and they stood up in their place and read the book of the Lord their God for one fourth part of the day and another fourth part they confessed and worshipped you see that the Lord their God worship take advantage of the worship for service be part of the team alright so quickly when do you fast fast when you are faced with a mammoth task you are planning on relocating to China hey hey fast fast about it you are about to choose a major course subject fast about it it's requiring fasting doesn't mean that when you fast as soon as you fast you begin to see it but fasting is that your light will dawn suddenly you will begin to make a decision that will favor will be favorable for your future you may not even know that you have made the right decision but because you fasted

[55:58] God comes in to guide you don't make please don't choose a marriage partner without fasting you will hurt yourself because you are a spiritual person use it don't relocate major you are faced with a mammoth task a huge responsibility you are about to do something very big or you are about to choose something for your children it can affect everything or you are about to make a major decision you want to go through divorce please fast fast fast before you choose to divorce that man or that woman because maybe that's the biggest angel you can ever have in your life fast fast it's important so when you fast fast when you are faced with a major situation secondly fast when you are in danger second chronicles chapter 20 it says that lord we do not know what to do these people who are coming against us we are afraid and yet we don't know what to do and they declared fasting fast when you are faced with major danger you have a brother who has been redeployed to iraq his life is in danger fast for your brother fast for your uncle or fast for your son fast you can tell that you have a big court case because someone is trying to take the land or your property please fast if you're a politician and elections are coming fast yeah you have a major medical examination ahead you are taking your child for a major scan or a major situation fast take the time if you have the chance to so they said come next

[57:54] Friday and they told you last week Monday Tuesday Wednesday you can declare fast that Lord don't be waiting there and God seven prophesied that has its place I'm telling you that has its place but please stop being one-sided it's about time people take responsibility for what they're expecting from heaven take responsibility first when you're faced with danger number three first when you are encountered with demonic issues you discover that no one gets married easily in your family why haven't you given it to fasting you've discovered that every May either second week or third week in May you will be hospitalized and you haven't dealt with it in fasting identify what is threatening your life demonically and tackle it in fasting Jesus said this kind does not go except by prayer and fasting except by prayer and fasting except by prayer and fasting fasting this kind does not go except by prayer and fasting look at your age a man a man who is almost 40 and you are not married it's a concern declare fast before even come to the pastor fast you are dealing with a demonic situation it is calling for fasting fast and break the power of the devil in your life except for health reasons maybe you can't fast that's a different thing altogether fast you have seen the signs the symptoms of your brother who ended up in prison and life in prison three different counts you have seen that symptom manifesting in your son so you see this thing is a public thing the thing hasn't left suddenly he said when I read anything when I go to school they teach me I can't remember anything

[60:01] I can't remember anything do you understand what I'm saying so when you begin to see demonized patterns and traits please please many ladies here who are not yet married don't take it for granted if you look at your mother they should advise you that there is an unidentifying flying object in this place around my family responsible for some things happening identifying fasting what are the points I've mentioned so far mammoth yeah in danger demonic demonic situation let me add for two minutes let me add this a demonic situation you are in danger and social issues social issues maybe there are policies governments are making or there are things that are going on in the society

[61:02] Christians committed to fasting committed to fasting it is about time Christians go on their knees and pray that Lord these policies they are making that can affect many lives this climate change issue whatever you see in scriptures and you can tell that Satan is going to take advantage to hurt many lives but you can see that scripture doesn't take it into fasting fast about social issues maybe in your neighborhood every week or every six months or every year someone gets murdered every year you have to stop it you are in the territory stop it by fasting stop it take charge some of you are teachers in some schools begin to fast yeah begin to fast about the negative trend in the school fast about it fast to deal with it that's why God sent you there fast stand in the gap fast to deal with it fast to deal with it you are you work in a hospital and it is the it's a failing hospital people die easily and every time they assume and that you've been there for a while please it's about time you declare fast over your job the place you work that all these things will cease and then finally when do you fast to break a bondage or yoke

[62:36] I mentioned earlier on that addiction pornography nicotine some people have addiction to sex yeah alcohol addiction all kinds of addiction please don't take it lightly get you fast to break addiction you can fast I'm not saying when you fast it will stop but it can give you an upper hand for whatever is behind it to break the yoke over your life you are saying I'm struggling with this addiction have you fasted about it have you fasted this last leg of the fasting last week of this fasting I bet you give your fasting an assignment target something when you are fasting you are fasting with information you are fasting with insight and understanding this thing in my life I'm breaking it I'm breaking it that's why in our church we fast beginning of every year to take charge over the year don't wait for something to take out by surprise we take everything and we take charge so by the time you are coming the radar system has picked you from

[63:47] January picked you up from January and we begin to you can't just take out by surprise fast and break that addiction don't say I'm trying to put systems in place to stop it some of you have soul ties yeah you used to be with that guy you used to be that lady and every time she's still on you you can't break off him you can't even though you know it's dangerous for you get in engage in fasting you are married but your former girlfriend is always on your mind you feel you feel you feel there is a tie you feel there is a bond bonding and it's affecting you please I beg you for goodness sake fast fast did you receive something today we thank God for his service Reverend Dr.

[64:43] David to share this also if this message has blessed you in any way please spread the word by sharing it and send us an email to amen at charis dot org remember to stay connected with us on Facebook Instagram YouTube or Twitter for regular updates on what God is doing here at Charis Ministries stay blessed attention if you