TOPIC: SERVING THE LORD WITH FASTING AND PRAYERS
Scripture: Luke 2: 37. And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fasting and prayers night and day.
Beloved, I welcome you to another Moment of Daily Encounter! Fasting as defined yesterday is abstaining from food, drink and whatever gives pleasure to seek the Lord. It is a necessary ingredients that must be combined with our prayer to give it a weight.
Today we shall be considering how to serve the Lord with this beautiful exercise called fasting.
Why do we combined fasting with our prayer?
Many sincere believers has asked this question again and again can’t we do without fasting? Must we fast our intestines out before God answers our prayers? Although God does not need our fasting before He answers our prayers because fasting is not meant to bribe God! God remains whom He is before fasting and after our fasting.
So why fasting then?
Fasting is meant to change you as it helps us to deaden motion of the flesh so that the spirit of man can thrive. This has helped in breaking bad habits/addiction. Addiction such as sexual addiction, smoking addiction, drug addiction etc will break in the presence of sustained consistent fasting.
The most importantly is that fasting is a way of serving the Lord (Lk.2:36-37). Our opening scripture reveals a widow of 84years old who was busy serving the Lord with fasting.
Beloved, do you know that when we fast as believers, it is not a punishment but our way of serving the Lord. This is why fasting must not stop at the beginning of the year only, it must be a continuous exercise because it is a tool for serving the Lord.
How do we serve the Lord with fasting?
Fasting is actually a service to the Lord as we pray for the kingdom of God to advance(Matt 6:10), light to reign over darkness (Matt.4:16, Eph.6:12), the church of Jesus to triumph(2Cor.2:14), the gospel to have a free course(2Thess.3:1), the word of God to increase(Acts 6:7,19:20), etc. We are simply serving the interest of the kingdom of God! And doing this with fasting is a service unto God.
Besides, what exactly was Anna the 84years widow fasting and praying for? She has been serving the Lord with fasting for the past 77years because she only enjoy marriage for 7years when she lost her husband.
If it were to be some of us, our fasting will center only around us! Neither was she fasting for a new husband not for job or her children. Her focus was the kingdom! She was fasting for the fulfilment of prophecy! She had heard of the Messiah that would be born, she prayed until that prophecy was fulfilled in her days (Lk 2:38)!
Beloved, when prophecies are declared, fasting enhances its fulfilment. Therefore, whatever you have received as a prophecy will strongly be contested by the gates of hell. It takes fasting and prayer to wage war against anti-prophecy powers and clear off obstacles hindering the fulfilment of prophecy on time.
Remember this: Heaven is real and hell is real! Your eternal soul matters to God. So give your heart to Christ today.
Prayer points:
– Father thank you for your word to me today.
– Lord, I received grace for fasting and prayer in Jesus name.
Prophetic Declaration:
– I declare upon your life Whatever is contesting for your head is hereby arrested now in the name of Jesus.
– Every anti-prophecy power working to ensure your prophecy never gets fulfilled is hereby arrested in the name of Jesus.
– You are blessed!
From your brother Alex
God bless you.
