THE POWER OF FASTING

During the Sunday live service of the 29th March the Man of God Senior Prophet Rodney, revealed to the church one of his greatest spiritual weapons. This is fasting, the Prophet taught us that there is power in fasting, and that in our prayer life we will also need fasting.

These are his words:

When we read the old Testament, we see how people of Israel resorted to God in fasting when they needed God’s intervention. Whenever the people of God came to God in prayer and fasting, God granted their requests. Their fasting was voluntary and from their hearts. This is why God heard them and granted their requests. There is too much power in fasting.

Today people of God are doing so much fasting but they have nothing to show for it. The question is what kind of fasting are you doing? Is it from the heart? People of God, you need to understand that fasting is not going to change God, but it will change you. Fasting will bring you closer to God, and will cause you to hear God more clearly. It will cause your inner beauty to come to the outside. When you take time to fast and pray God glorifies your life. When Moses came down from mount Sinai, after fasting for 40 days and 40 nights, his face was shining with Glory, so much that Aaron and the Israelites were even afraid to come near him, because his face was shining with Glory.( Exodus 34:28 & 29))

We also need to know and understand that when you decide to fast, you are entering into a covenant with God, and you need to complete your fast. Challenges will come, but don’t change your mind and get out of the fasting. I remember when I first started this ministry, I went into a 7 day fast, but on the 7th day, my heart said, take it to 21 days, on the 21st day, my heart said take it to 40 days. It was not easy, when I was in the service, I would dance and rejoice and I had strength, but when I got home, I was so weak, I couldn’t do anything, my whole body was hot, I didn’t even know where the heat was coming from, I would soak myself in a bath of cold water, still the heat could not be subsided, there was just heat all over me, and today, you are here, I am here, because of that fasting. This is why I say , one of my greatest spiritual weapons is fasting.

There are many different kinds of fasting, but 1st I want to talk about the fasting that Esther did in Esther 4:15 &16, she said “do not eat or drink for 3 days and 3 nights” at this point, Esther and all the Jews were faced with death, to change the situation of death that was facing them, Esther resorted to fasting. You are here today, what situation are you facing? Is there a Hamman in your life that caused the king to proclaim death upon you? are your finances or your career facing death ?is your marriage facing death? What are you going to do about it.

Esther decided to fast so that she can go to the king, even though it was against the law. She wanted to approach the king so that the verdict of death upon the Jews can be changed. Because she fasted, God caused the king to have favour upon her so that even when she did something that was against the law, he would not put her to death. Because of that fasting, all the Jews escaped death, and their enemy Hamman was put to death. You have a Hamman in your life? What are you going to do about him?

When Jehoshaphat heard that a vast army is coming against him from Edom, he resolved to enquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah and the people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord. (2 Chronicles 2 to 4). What is the challenge you are facing, which enemy is coming against you?

Another important thing that you must know about fasting is that you need to be in an attitude of prayer when you fast, read and meditate on the Word of God, In Jeremiah 36:6, the Bible says :“So you go to the house of the Lord on a day of fasting and read to the people from the scroll the words of the Lord that you wrote as I dictated. Read them to all the people of Judah who come in from their towns.”

When God calls you to fast, its normally to warn you so that you can escape danger and for Him to open a door of blessings for you. If you obey the instruction to fast, God will open a door for you that no man can shut. Fasting must not only be done when things are not going well, even when all is well we fast as a way of dedicating ourselves to God, and reconnecting our will to the perfect will of God.

In Mark 2:18 to 20,Jesus is questioned about fasting, by John’s disciples and the Pharisees who were fasting. When they asked Him why His disciples were not fasting at the time, He said a time will come, when He is taken away from His disciples, and then they will fast. Jesus was taking about our time, now we have to fast and pray because Jesus is not with us physically(although He is here in Spirit), when He comes again, we will rejoice and eat.

In Isaiah 58:4 to 9, God speaks to us about a fasting which is acceptable to Him. This means that when you fast you can’t go around telling people that you are fasting, especially if you are not of the same faith, why do you want them to know? What will it help you? Also it doesn’t mean that when you are fasting you can’t be in the midst of people who are eating, but remember to stand your ground and not pull out of the fast because of temptation.

There was a time in the past when I was fasting, and the people I was with were eating, I was so tempted to eat, I stood away from them because the temptation was too much, they kept calling me and saying we are finishing the food, but I just stood aside and said “I will not break my fast now”. When they finished eating, we got into a bakie, as we were travelling on a mountain hill, the bakie lost control and started rolling back and fell into a side bridge, I cannot tell you how I managed to jump out of that bakie, but as I looked, I said God, thank you for the fasting. Who knows what would have happened if I broke the fast?

God may also use His servants to instruct you to fast, it is always for a purpose, rather obey and fast, than to regret later.