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CORPORATE WEEKLY FRIDAY FASTING
Precious Saints,
The purpose of our weekly corporate Friday fasting is to pray for repentance revival within our families, nations, seek personal breakthroughs and keep us self-disciplined within these perilous times that we are living today. The Prophets of Old Fasted. The Lord, Jesus Christ fasted. Jesus Christ once told His Disciples that a time is coming that they will need to fast like the Disciples of John, The Baptist, who were fasting. Therefore, fasting is not exempted for us precious saints as Christians. The call and instruction to fast today at this time can never be over-emphasized enough, for we are living in days where what was once done in dark alleys, is now strut down the main streets in front of our faces. We need revival more than ever before precious saints, but we individually need to be victorious as Christians. So, there could be no better time to fast than the days we are living, as we prepare ultimately for the Lords soon return. Now each week you may not always get prayer points, but I will try send you on the different platforms each week as time permits, otherwise you need to seek the Lord for a deeper encounter with Him.
FASTING TIME: From Thursday evening 9pm – 6pm Friday Evening each week (unless there is an extended fast at that time)
TYPES OF FASTING: I will categorize fasting in 3 ways.
Water Fasting: In this type of fasting, only water is taken during the fasting. No other food is taken.
WARNING: Please, make sure you are trained in fasting before you do water fasting and make sure you drink water at any time of the day you are thirsty.
Fruit Fasting: Only fruit and water could be used during your fasting.
Dry Fasting (No Food & No water Fasting): In this fasting, nothing enters your mouth for the days. Apostle Paul did this type of fasting at his conversion for 3 days in Acts 9:9 and Esther did this same type of fast for 3 days in Esther 4: 15-17.
IS FASTING REALLY NECESSARY FOR US TODAY?
The answer is SIMPLY YES and for the following reasons.
1. GOD, Himself, ordained fasting as a preparation for not only His return as we will see from today’s texts below, (Joel 1:14, Joel 2:12, 15), but also for revival and personal breakthroughs.
2. Since we need to be always filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, fasting will help us to crucify the flesh and allow for a maximum in-filling of Holy Spirit within our lives. (Read Gal 5:24) Being filled with The Holy Spirit is so vital for us to be overcomers each day.
3. Fasting aids in our deliverance. Many people are either oppressed or tormented with evil spirits, demons, and unclean spirits. Many people have generational evil covenants and so on that needs breaking, and they need to be delivered of all these things to encounter more of God. Fasting will aid these deliverances and bring healing to the soul. Isaiah 58:6.
The Lord, Jesus Christ, Himself, said there are some afflictions that can never go unless by fasting and praying. Mathew 17:21.
4. Through Fasting, Repentance and Turning away from evil, the anger of God can be turned away. Yes, God can relent and bring about blessings and a open heaven of God’s visitation. Jonah 3: 5-10.
5. Fasting and Prayer will help us to achieve victory over all demonic manipulations that are coming against us, our loved ones and that of the church.
There may be some other reasons why fasting could be necessary, but I will leave it short today because of the sake of time.
GOD’S CALL FOR FASTING TO BRING REVIVAL:
What this teaching seeks to achieve is not just to teach you about fasting for personal needs, but more so for revival and the Lords soon return. To achieve this aim, let us first examine the simplification of instructions given by God on how to prepare for revival and His soon return. We will analyse our two texts below in the book of Joel more a little later to explore these instructions. But first we will see Daniel who cried out for God to fulfil His promise of restoration of Israel and Gods promises.
“. . . in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. So, I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.” Daniel 9:2,3
Fasting helps us prevail in prayer and intercession. Daniel understood that Israel was headed for destruction if God did not step in as He had promised. He also knew that in times like these, there is only one recourse—intercession through praying and fasting. Throughout human history, God has brought revival and delivered nations from destruction in response to prayer and fasting.
LESSON TO LEARN FOR CALLING CORPORATE FASTS:
Joel 1:13-15 “Gird yourselves and lament, you priests; Wail, you who minister before the altar; Come, lie all night in sackcloth, You who minister to my God; For the grain offering and the drink offering Are withheld from the house of your God. 14 Consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly; Gather the elders And all the inhabitants of the land Into the house of the Lord your God, And cry out to the Lord. 15 Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is at hand; It shall come as destruction from the Almighty.”
Joel 2:11-12 “The Lord gives voice before His army, For His camp is very great; For strong is the One who executes His word. For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; Who can endure it? A Call to Repentance 12 “Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
Joel 2:15 “Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly;”
In each of the two texts above, God gave a series of instructions for His Ministers (Apostles, Pastors, Prophets, Evangelists, Teachers, Church leaders and All Christians). Also, in each of the two texts, He mentioned the reasons for giving them the instructions. In the first text, He gave the instructions before telling them the reason for the instructions, while in the second text He first told them the reason why He gave them the instructions that follow. However, you chose to look at it, the two texts are emphatically saying the same things.
And the instructions contained in each of them are what we are about to explore a little more for FASTING today.
INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BY GOD IN THE FIRST TEXT OF JOEL 1:13-15:
From our first text, Joel 1:13-15, the instructions and reasons given by God to His ministers are itemized below.
1. They should lament and howl Joel 1:13. This means sorrowful repentance. This type of repentance was mentioned by The Lord, Jesus Christ, in Mathew 5:4. Also, this was the type of repentance King David did in Psalm 51 after He committed adultery.
2. They should lie all night in sackcloth Joel 1:13 (all night repentance i.e., night vigil of repentance). Today, in the western nations we hardly even see prayer meetings any more in churches, let alone bible study or fasting for that matter. Now in Africa I have seen many churches do maybe organise various night vigil programmes, but I am yet to see any night vigil programme held solely for repentance. And yet God calls for All Night Repentance at this hour. Yes, we have never been in a spot like today and that is because the church has not stood in the gap.
3. They should call a FAST Joel 1:14. (This is why I am always calling people to fast for to see it move God’s heart within these evil days.)
4. Call solemn assembly and cry to God Joel 1:14. (They should organise congregational prayers and repentance, that is why this is Repentance Revival).
INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BY GOD IN THE SECOND TEXT OF JOEL 2:11-12;15:
From our second text, Joel 2: 11-12, 15, God first gave the following instructions to His ministers.
1. They should turn to God with all their hearts Joel 2: 12. (This means sanctification and purity of heart). Jesus Christ also mentioned about having pure hearts in Mathew 5:8.
2. They should call a FAST Joel 2:12, 15
3. They should weep and mourn Joel 2:12 (this means sorrowful repentance as described above in the case of the first text).
4. They should blow the trumpet Joel 2: 15 (This means a clarion call to come together and cry out for God to send revival).
They should warn people of what is about to happen and call them to repentance, so God can relent and bring about His perfect will. The great warning here is that the Lord is coming back soon and who can be ready for that day.
From the two texts above, after having considered the instructions and the reasons why God gave such instructions to His ministers, what we can logically conclude is that it is only by following the same instructions today, that we can experience Gods best and hope for revival within these End-times. And since one of the God-given instructions is ‘Fasting’, it is important to fast habitually, during this perilous time, as a way of preparing for Lord’s soon return precious saints.
2 Chronicles 7:14 “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
Now, that we have analysed our texts above and mentioned some other points of why fasting is necessary, it is just as vital to prepare for the Lord’s soon appearing and rapture. So, I hope this has helped to explain some of the things about fasting for those that are new to fasting or know little about it. Now, I want to encourage you to consider joining our corporate Friday weekly and extended monthly fasting. For this is a clarion call for repentance to all the nations. We recently started WhatsApp groups within any nation that one of the saints put up their hand to say, “I want to stand in the gap for Repentance Revival within My nation”. So, you are more than welcome to either join our existing group for your nation or you can ask us to start one for your nation to add you to it. We have no agenda of starting denomination churches in your nation, but to spark revival in the remnant body of Christ. You can email us to be added repentance.revivalfire@gmail.com
God made a call on us to fast, so kindly heed this call precious saints. All our teachings are free, and they are to encourage you to draw closer to the Lord and pray for repentance revival in your families, churches, and nations. They are meant to be practical teachings on how to overcome in every area of your life and see God move powerfully in these End-times.
If you are not trained in fasting, you can begin with a light fasting. Don’t fast for too long hours. You can break your fast by 12noon and gradually increase the length of hours etc. Also, you can begin with once-a-week and then you can increase the length of time and number of days with our monthly extended fasting’s in time. What is important is consistency precious saints and the spirituality of it in connecting to God. May God help you as you start this journey of fasting together in unity for God to bring Repentance Revival to the nations.
PRAYER OF REPENTANCE:
Lord, Jesus Christ, I am sorry for all my sins. I confess them with my mouth, and I ask for mercy. Please forgive me and wash me in your blood. I accept you as my personal Lord and Saviour. Write my name in the book of life. Give me power over sins and fill me with your Spirit and Joy of Salvation. Thank you for saving me. In Jesus name, I pray.
Begin to read bible. Begin with the book of John. Pray always. Fast regularly to overcome the sinful desires of your flesh. (You can begin with once in a week). Look for a bible believing church where they teach repentance, holiness, salvation, and fellowship with them. But until you find one, you can fellowship with us online to stay in the faith, remember always to pray before you seek out a church. Unfortunately, many churches today have become compromised. But for those that are part of the remnant you will know them by the fruits of the repentance. Remember it is never about numbers, but about how many people leave a church or ministry transformed and changed by the power and conviction of the Word through the Holy Spirit.
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