Keep on PRAYING

By Kemi O.

 

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-11 NLT

 

"Pray without ceasing"  1 Thess. 5:17  ESV

 

  Prayer should be a way of life for every true believer; a life of daily communication with God.  When you are in a relationship with someone take for example, your spouse; a day cannot go by without a single conversation even when you are having a difference of opinion (in disagreement), it is almost impossible not to talk with your spouse.  So imagine going a whole day without prayer (conversation between you and the Lord God).   The bible has showed us in this short verse of 1 Thessalonians 5:17 where Apostle Paul commands us to pray without ceasing meaning that we must pray regularly, be in a continual attitude of prayer.  Needless to say, no matter where we are, what we are doing, what mood we are in, whatever we may be facing at that particular moment in our lives, be it good or not so good, we must never cease from praying ( acknowledging God in our lives) .. We as believers must develop an attitude of prayer, being conscious of God’s presence in our lives daily.   Praying regularly, as in the Lord’s Prayer “Give us this day our daily bread “Matthew 6:11 is another illustration of the Lord Jesus admonishing us how often to pray.     As believers, we must also remember to not just pray for ourselves, but also to intercede on behalf of others. Luke 22:41-42, James 5:16.

Matthew 7:7-8 sums up God’s desire for us to pray regularly and effectively.  The Lord Jesus in His own words admonishes us to never cease from praying (communicating to God) our needs and the needs of others.  He assures us that If we keep asking, seeking and knocking, we shall surely receive our requests, however I believe that our prayers shall be answered according to his will for us and scripture also confirms that in 1 John 5:14 where it states “And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.”

Beloved, God wants us to develop a lifestyle of prayer in these evil times in order to feel His presence constantly in our lives and to be confident that prayer can and will destroy the activities of  principalities and powers in our lives.  There is a saying that goes “A prayer less Christian is a powerless Christian” which is so true. One of the greatest ammunitions or weapons we have to fight the enemy is “PRAYER” and satan knows this that’s why one of the first areas, if not the very first area he attack is our prayer life.   We must always be vigilant and sensitive to the presence of God in our lives.  See Ephesians 6:10-18.  I have to admit there are times, I just do not feel like praying at all, but then when that happens, I immediately perceive in my spirit that I am under spiritual attack and then at that time, I have to ask for the Holy Spirit to strengthen me and He does by giving me the power to pray effectively.  A lot of times, when we lack the desire to pray, a breakthrough is coming and the enemy is trying to prevent us from receiving that blessing by weakening our prayer life.  Beloved, Prayer is the master key to fight the powers of darkness and be victorious.

Prayer is a very essential part of the believer’s life; we cannot survive in this world without it. We must yearn for communication with the Lord daily and not just at a particular time of the day, but throughout our day, from the moment we wake up in the morning until the moment we go to bed at night because He is with us at all times and want to hear from us just as He wants to also speak with us in whatever form He chooses.  I am not saying you should go into a mode of nonstop talking, not at all, praying without ceasing simply means having an effective prayer life, developing a lifestyle of prayer where you are sensitive and conscious of the presence of God in your life and knowing that He is with you at all times.     Friends, I encourage you today to develop a lifestyle of prayer, do not let circumstances or the cares of this world hinder your prayer life, be effective in your prayer and I assure you the Lord will hear and answer you accordingly.

SHALOM!

 

Intercessory Prayer and its importance

 

Scripture texts: 1 Timothy 2:1, Ephesians 6:18

By Kemi Olubiyi

　

As believers, we should be very much engaged in prayer. An active prayer life is very important as a Christian because it not only enables us to be in constant communication with God but also it enables us to be vigilant (alert) at all times because we know the enemy of our soul is running around trying to destroy children of God, so we need to protect ourselves always putting on the full armor of God at all times Ephesians 6:10-18.  Also, prayer is the master key that unlocks blessings, breakthroughs in our lives and the lives of our loved ones.  Let us now define what prayer is.

1). Definition of Prayer:   Prayer according to Merriam Webster's dictionary is a silent or spoken petition made to God or a god.  For us believers, prayer is simply we speaking to God and God talking back to us.  It is a 2 way communication that involves both talking & listening.  When we talk to the Lord, we should expect Him to speak back to us and this is where we need to be alert spiritually to hear Him when He answers.  Many at times, God communicates back to through His written word ( scriptures) by directing us to somewhere in the bible for an answer to that petition, through a still small voice that usually speaks to our heart, through prophecy, word of knowledge, visions etc.  We should always be patient during a time of prayer or our regular quiet time with the Lord to allow Him to answer our petition and also give us guidance for the day or week ahead.  If you are also praying on behalf of someone, He can give you a word of encouragement for that person.

2). How are Prayers Answered:

       Scripture reveals that prayer is:

· Immediately at times -  Isaiah 65:24, Daniel 9:21-23

· Delayed at times - Luke 18:7

·Answered different from our desires -  II Corinthians 12:8-9

· Answered beyond our expectations - Jeremiah 33:3, Ephesians 3:20, An example of this is in 2 Chronicles 1:11-12 -King Solomon

 3). Types of Prayer

        Apostle Paul calls for believers to pray always with "all prayer and supplication" Ephesians 6:18.  The term "all prayer" refers to the various types of prayer which include:

I.  Worship ad Praise:  A lot of believers are not aware that praise and worship is a type of prayer unto the Lord.  Psalm 100:4

Worship is giving of honor and devotion.  Praise is thanksgiving and an expression of gratitude not only for what God has done but also for who He is.  Some people refer to praise and worship as the "food" of God especially with worship because genuine/true worship to the Lord comes from our "spirit", our "inner-man".   To worship Him in Spirit is do so sincerely in the power of the Holy Spirit, from our innermost being, putting Him first above all others. 

See John 4:23-24

II. Petition:  Prayer of petition are requests.  Requests must be made according to the will of God as revealed in His written Word.  Petitions may be at the levels of asking, seeking, or knocking as stated in Matthew 7:7.  Another word for "petition" is supplication which means “beseeching God on behalf of a need.

 

III. Commitment: This is a type of prayer committing or surrendering your life and will to God.  It includes prayers of consecration and dedication to God, His work and His purposes.

 IV.   Confession and Repentance:  One of the most common prayers which should be done daily as we examine ourselves. 

This is a prayer of repentance.  Asking the Lord to be merciful unto us and forgive our sins.

V.   Intercession - This type of prayer involves praying for others. Standing in gap on behalf of someone else. This form or type of prayer is what we are going to look at today.

4). Intercession and Intercessor

Who is an Intercessor? - One who takes the place of another or pleads another's case.

What is Intercession?

Intercession - According to Merriam Webster's dictionary, it the act of interceding, petition or entreating in favor of another.

Another word for Intercession is Mediation i.e pleading another's cause

For us, believers, Intercession may be defined as holy, believing, persevering prayer whereby someone pleads with God on behalf of another or others who desperately need God's intervention." (From the Full life Bible).

Based on this definition of intercession, we can simply define intercessory prayer as prayers or requests made to the Lord on behalf of another.  It is standing in the gap on behalf a loved one, friend, colleague, Christian brother/sister etc. for a specified period of time seeking God's will concerning their situation until an answer comes which could be a "Yes", "No" or "Wait."

5).   What is the biblical basis of Intercession?

        For the New Testament believers', the ministry of intercessory prayer is our calling as priests unto God.  The Word of God declares in 1 Peter 2:5 that we are a holy priesthood, a royal priesthood 1 Peter 2:9, and a kingdom of priests, Revelation 1:6, Exodus 19:6.

The background for understanding this calling to priestly intercession is found in the Old Testament example of the Levitical priesthood.  The priest's responsibility was to stand before the people and between the people and God.  Today, "The Melchizedek priesthood stated in Hebrews 7:11-19 is the " new order" of spiritual priests of  whom the Lord Jesus Christ, the great Mediator and Intercessor is the High Priest and this is the order that we, the New Testament believers follow as a result of His blood that was shed which has made us new creatures in Christ.

 

6).  Why is Intercession is Important?

        It is important because of the emphasis our Lord Jesus Christ placed on it in His own earthly ministry.   Its importance is also revealed in scripture records which is filled with testimonies of both men and women who experienced powerful results through effective intercession e.g. Moses, Esther etc.  It is also important because if we are to strive to live a Christ-like life, we have to also become an intercessor as Jesus was and still is.  His ministry of praying for others while on earth didn’t stop there.  Even now, He is sitteth on the right hand of God, making intercession for us daily. Romans 8:34. He (the Lord Jesus Christ)  is the one mediator (intercessor) between God and man. 1 Timothy 2:5, not Mother or Holy Mary, the Pope, Prophet Mohammed etc. or any other religious being that is or has being worshipped.

7). What are the spiritual resources used in intercession prayers?

   In Luke 9:1, it says “Then He called His twelve disciples and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases."

God has provided spiritual resources for the ministry of intercession to which all believers are called.  What are these resources; let’s take a look at a few of them that God has made available to us in these end times.

 

i). Delegated Power and Authority only given by God 

      Supernatural power from the Lord is needed to do battle with the devil because a lot of the prayers that we pray will be that of a warfare nature.  When we intercede, we are actually doing battle against the enemy, Satan for the souls of people, both young and old.  This battle cannot be done with mere human strength.  We need something greater and that is given to us by the Lord Jesus.  Ephesians 6:10-18.

        ii). The name of Jesus

       The authority upon which we intercede is the "Name of Jesus".  We are to pray, preach, teach, baptize, cast our demons, heal the sick and overcome every power of the enemy through the name of JESUS.

See John 14:14, Mark 16:17-18, Ephesians 1:21, Philippians 2:9-11.

 

iii). The Blood of Jesus  

Another powerful spiritual resource to be used.  It is through His blood that we have direct access to God the Father.  Hebrews 10:19-22.  The blood of Christ is described as the "new covenant" Mark 14:24 and He is the mediator of the new covenant Hebrews 8:6. This makes the old covenant, obsolete which means that it is no longer necessary for the blood of animals to be offered as a sacrifice for our sins. The blood of Jesus delivers, sets free, covers, protects etc.

 

iv). Fasting

Another spiritual resource that is effective in intercessory prayer is fasting i.e. abstaining from food or things that give us pleasure for a specified period of time. We covered this topic on fasting in the Part I section of  "The Woman that Prays" series last year.  If you look throughout scripture, a number of times where men and women of God cried out unto the Lord on behalf of others, they fasted.  Fasting helps our spirit man to be more connected to the Lord when we are praying which causes us to receive clear instruction and opens our spiritual eyes to see clearly what God wants to show us regarding that issue or situation.

8). Principles for Effective Intercession

What are some principles for effective intercession; let's look at a few of them:

                 1.   Praise God for who He is and for the privilege of engaging in the same wonderful ministry as the Lord Jesus (Heb 7:25).

         2.   Making sure our heart is clean and right with God by allowing the Holy Spirit to convict us, should there be any unconfessed sin - Psalm 66:28, 29:23-24.

         3.   Acknowledging that you cannot really pray without the direction and strength of the Holy Spirit. Rom 8:6.  We have to ask God to take complete control by His Spirit as He leads us and believe by Faith that it is done.

       4.    Deal aggressively with the enemy. Come against in the all-powerful name of the Lord Jesus Christ and with the "sword of the Spirit" which is the word of God as mentioned in James 4:7. Also remember that right from the day of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of God suffereth violence, and the violent in Christ taketh it by force.  Matthew 11:12. Beloved, when it comes to doing battle with the enemy, we cannot afford to be lax or act like a gentleman, we need to be angry in our spirit and forcefully take back what has been stolen from us over the years.

      5.   Wait before the Lord is silent expectancy, listening for His direction Psalm 62:5, Micah 7:7

     6.   Have your Bible with you always during this time of prayer in the event that the Lord is directing you to His word the answer to your petition or a confirmation of what He has already revealed through a dream, vision etc.

   7. In obedience and by faith, speak what God brings to your mind to the person/persons whom you are interceding for and allow the Lord to direct you as you relay the message using godly wisdom.  If the Holy Spirit has not led you to speak, then please do not.  Also, be patient as God is giving you a message, to ensure you have received the message in its entirety. Usually in a group setting, when the Spirit of God is giving a message especially one that is very urgent after a period of intercession, He has a way of hindering possible interruptions or distractions until He is done.

  8.  When God ceases to bring things to your mind to pray on, finish by praising and thanking Him for what He has done, reminding yourself of Romans 11:36 , "For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory.  All glory to Him forever! Amen.

 9). What do We Intercede for?

 We can intercede for a number of things namely;

·         For unity in the body of Christ- globally

·         For the sick, the needy, prisoners, widows and orphans.

·         Salvations of souls e.g. pray for your unsaved colleagues, friends, relatives, classmates, teachers etc.

·         Family members and loved ones

·         For our pastors, other ministers of God. - The leadership of the Church.

·         For the peace of Jerusalem.  Psalm 122:6   Pray for peace in Jerusalem and may all who loves this city prosper.

·         For the persecuted church around the world. E.g. those in the prisons for Christ's sake, the families of those who have been martyred.

·          For those who are being oppressed by Satan e.g. bareness, loss of all kinds, delays, poverty, etc.

     

10). Hindrances to Effective Intercession

        In order to intercede for others effectively, you must identify any hindrances and eliminate them from your life 

Such hindrances can be the following:

·         Idols in the heart - Ezekiel 14:1-3

·         An unforgiving spirit- Mark 11:25 - We deceive ourselves if we say we are

 praying either for ourselves or someone else and harbor grudge or unforgiveness,

that prayer will be hindered.

·         Manipulative prayers, wrong motives - Proverbs 21:13, James 4:2-3

·         Unbelief - James 1:6-7 - Doubt.

·      Not abiding in Christ and His word - James 15:7 i.e. not being a doer of His Word.

·         Not asking according to God's will - James 4:2-3

·         Hypocrisy, pride - Matthew 6:5, Job 35:12-13

 

Once we have identified these hindrances in our lives, we must ask the Holy Spirit to help us eliminate them from our lives and only Him have the power to do so... it’s not by power or our might but by His Spirit.  Having said this, when it appears that a prayer is not been answered, it does not necessarily mean that there is a sin or hindrance in your life, it just means that God is delaying the answer to that prayer for a reason which could be e.g. it’s not the right time or season for the manifestation of that prayer or the Lord could be answering that request different from our desire II Corinthians 12:8-9.   Also an unanswered prayer can come from our disobedience meaning that if the Lord has told us not to pray for that individual or situation and we heed his instruction and direction and keep on praying, surely that prayer will not be answered and we will also have committed the sin of disobedience.

   11). The Benefits of Interceding for Others.

1. Prayer brings restoration. Earnest, heartfelt prayer will produce results and bring restoration to the wounded. God has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. He wants His wounded ones restored. We cannot fix one another, but prayer prepares the way for God to undo our erroneous efforts to keep everything together.

2. Prayer prepares us for revelation and destroys strongholds. Prayer and sound teaching prepare hearts to receive revelations that displace wrong mind-sets, attitudes and motives.

3. Prayer develops unity.  If we are to develop healthy relationships within our church families, christian fellowships, we have to hold the same vision, be of one mind and in one accord. In Matthew 18:19, it states  "Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven."  i.e. not just agreeing with our words, but more so with our spirit, it is our spirit man that intercedes or prays not our flesh and once we are in one accord in spirit, according to the will of God, that prayer shall surely be answered. 

4). Praying for others causes the Lord to move in your own situation because you have sacrificed your time for the sake of another and with a compassionate heart, petitioned God to intervene in the life of another.  The Lord rewards those who diligently seek Him Hebrew 11:6 and he blesses those who bless His children whether in the giving of our time or finances e.g. Psalm 122:6, Gen 12:3

In conclusion, I will like to reiterate the importance of interceding for others and also praying for ourselves.  As an intercessor, one should constantly be pleading the blood of Jesus upon ourselves because when we intercede a lot of times, we are opening ourselves up to all sorts of things we are not conscious of which is mostly spiritual. For as Ephesians 6:12 states “we are not wrestling against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness in high places, against principalities, powers... all sorts of evil and so the blood of Jesus and the name of Jesus are powerful resources to use to safeguard our lives and that of our immediate family.  In vs. 11, it says put on the full armor of God so that we will be able stand against the schemes and plots of the enemy. 

I admonish you today to be an intercessor for Christ, allows the Lord to use you to bring about transformation in the lives of others and see how the Lord will brighten and beautify your life as you do so.  The Lord bless and keep you always, May the blood of Jesus Christ cover you and your household daily as you begin or continue your ministry of intercession in Jesus' name. 

Excepts taken from the course "Intercessory prayer" Harvestime  Institute, Colorado Springs, CO.

 

The Benefits of Fasting, with Prayer

Scripture Texts: Isaiah 58:3-14,

Matthew 6: 16-18

 By Kemi O. 

Are you a person who prays? If your answer is yes, praise God, but if you are not or you feel in your heart that you do not pray/talk to the Lord as much as you should, my prayer is after this series, you will be encouraged to open that communication line with the Lord and see how it transforms your life. 

There is a saying, "Prayer is the Key, it is the Master's Key," meaning it opens up the door to your blessings, breakthrough, etc. Today we will dwell on the first part of this series, looking at how we can incorporate fasting with our prayer and the benefits of doing so.

Definition of Prayer

According to Merriam Webster's dictionary, prayer is a silent or spoken petition made to God or a god, and another dictionary refers to it as a spiritual communion with God or an object of worship, as in supplication, thanksgiving or adoration.

Well, for us believers, prayer is simply a two-way communication with God. We speak to Him, and He replies or talks back through many ways, e.g., His divine word (scriptures), a still small voice, prophecy, word of knowledge, dreams, revelation, etc.

Definition of Fasting

According to Merriam Webster's dictionary, fasting refers to abstinence from some or all foods (including liquids). It is the act of denying oneself the pleasures of food for a specified period. However, the principle of fasting can also apply to other daily activities in our lives, such as the Internet, watching television, sexual intercourse with spouse as in 1 Corinthians 7:5, (devoting time to prayer), social media, phone, and basically some type of daily routine that consumes a lot of your time. Sacrificing that time for God brings about a change in one's life.

From the time of old, i.e., going back to biblical times, the Old Testament, to be exact, fasting was a common practice. The children of Israel were always aware of the benefits of fasting and prayer to God because each time they fasted, they saw the awesome move of God in their circumstances as individuals and as a nation. A few examples come to mind beginning with Moses, in Exodus 34:27-28, it revealed that he waited on the Lord for 40 days and 40 nights while receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. In Judges 20:26-28, when the children of Israel were in the battle with their kindred of Benjamin's tribe, who rose up against them. 

The children of Israel were consistently losing the battle until they fasted and sought the Lord for directions, and after a one day fast, God gave them the victory. Another example was also in II Chronicles 20:3 when King Jehoshaphat declared a fast throughout Judah when their enemies, the Moabites, and Ammonites rose against them. As they fasted and offered praises to the Lord, He gave them a great victory. Who can forget the beautiful and bold Queen Esther whose people, the Jewish nation was going to be completely wiped out as a result of hate and in Esther 4:16, she declared a three day and three nights absolute fast and left the rest to the Lord saying "If I perish, I perish" and what did the Lord do? He caused Esther to find favor in the King's sight, and God gave her and the Jewish people a great victory, while at the same time destroying their enemies', i.e., Haman and all the enemies of the Jewish people. There are more examples throughout the OT alone of how God delivered His people from harm when they repented of their sins, and earnestly cried out unto Him through Prayer and sometimes with fasting. It proved the Lord Jesus's words in Matthew 17:21 when He stated that "However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting" KJV. Even speaking about the Lord Jesus, He also fasted for 40 days in the wilderness before officially starting His ministry, Matthew 4:1-2, and this practice continued throughout the early church, which relied on fasting and prayer when seeking God's guidance. Acts 13:2, 14:23

Types of Fasting unto the Lord

There are only three types of fast mentioned in scripture.

I). Partial Fast - Daniel engaged in a partial fast, according to Daniel 10:2-3, to seek the Lord's wisdom. He fasted for 21 days and didn't eat any pleasant food, neither meat nor wine. These verses confirm it was a partial fast because he only abstained from pleasant, exotic foods such as what was served on the King's table. This type of fast is usually called the "Daniel Fast," and it can involve just consuming fruits or vegetables with water. I believe this is the most common type of fasting today.

II). Normal Fast - This type of fast is usually with liquids (i.e., water) only for a specified number of days. An example of this fast is what Jesus did in the wilderness where He fasted for 40 days and 40 nights with no food, but it appears that He had only water because scripture mentioned that He was hungry, and Satan came to tempt Him with food. Matthew 4:1-2.

III). Absolute (Dry) Fast- This is when no food and no liquids are consumed. This fast is rarely practiced and is only mentioned a few times in the Bible. Moses in Exodus 34:28, who fasted for 40 days and 40 nights, as mentioned earlier. Also, the Apostle Paul, during his Damascus Road experience, "was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Acts 9:9 and Queen Esther in Esther 4:16. I have never tried this type of fast, but my husband has a few times in the past, and it's incredible the results he encountered both spiritually and physically.

A). How Are We to Fast?

In Matthew 6:17-18, Jesus instructs us on how to fast, advising us to anoint our head and wash our faces so that our fasting is not obvious to others. In other words, we should not draw attention to our appearance or change the way we look when we are fasting. Jesus warns against hypocrisy, cautioning us not to seek praise from others, as that would be our only reward (Matthew 6:16).

B). When Are We to Fast?

i). We can fast anytime, i.e., there are no restrictions on how often you can fast. You don't have to wait for your church or fellowship to declare a fast for a specific purpose. Fasting for personal spiritual growth can be incredibly beneficial, and I recently committed to fasting at least twice a week for this purpose. Additionally, my family and I have found that fasting together has been a powerful and rewarding experience.

ii). As the Spirit of God leads you.

iii). When there is a burden in your heart that refuses to go away even after just praying. (i.e., anything disturbing your peace) Sometimes it could be an attack from the enemy or a burden put there by God.

iv). When you face all kinds of storms or challenges (i.e., financial distress, marital problems, relationship issues with family, friends, sickness, etc. In situations like that, it never hurts to step up your prayer.

v). When you take others' burdens upon yourself (intercessory prayer, which we will look at in Part 2 of our series). Psalm 35:13, Isaiah 58:6-7.

vi). When you are about to embark on an essential assignment for God or a complex project. Matthew 4:2

C). Who Should Fast?

Every child of God (except for children under the age of 12), should fast at one time or the other in their prayer lives. In Jewish customs, thirteen is referred to as the age of accountability for boys and twelve for girls. I am always amazed to see the elderly, both Men and Women, well into their 80s and 90s', faithfully serving the Lord and loving every minute of it. Regardless of their age, health. They don't let it get in the way of doing God's work. It makes me always think that if these can still have that passion or zeal in their later years, how much more we, the younger ones. Look at Billy Graham today, who is 93 years old, Dr. Charles Stanley, who just turned 80 last September and many more people of God like that in their late 60s' and up around the world, still going strong by God's strength, Isaiah 40:31. In Luke 2:36-37, Anna, a prophetess of God, who was about 84 years of age and had lost her husband only after seven years of marriage, said that "she never left the temple. Instead, she served God with fasting and prayers night and day in His house. You begin to wonder at that age, what was she still fasting for? I believe this spiritual act or practice was enriching her life somehow, who knows maybe "longevity," and became "second nature" to her to do so (a part of her daily spiritual routine). 

Before attempting to fast, it's important to exercise caution, especially if you have a medical condition. It's advisable to seek professional medical advice. If you've never fasted before, I recommend starting with a small fast, such as a one-day fast for at least 6 hours. As you pray faithfully, you can gradually extend the duration with the Lord's help. It's best not to attempt a three to seven-day full-day fast if you're new to fasting, as it can lead to common side effects like dizziness, headaches, and low blood sugar. Starting slowly is key to staying focused on the purpose of your fast and not getting caught up in physical discomfort. Nevertheless, always seek guidance from the Lord.

Before we look at the benefits of fasting with prayer, let me first state that it is essential that we are fasting for the right reasons or else it would have all been for nothing. Isaiah 58:3-4. Remember, God sees the heart of Man and knows when our motives or intentions are wrong. Genuine fasting is to break the power of flesh in our lives and with the right intentions; it is always useful when seeking the Lord for yourself or on behalf of others.

D). The Benefits of Fasting with Prayer

Now the benefits of combining fasting and prayer are many so that we will look at some of them.

i). Receive divine guidance Judges 20:26-28

ii). Receive victory over temptation Matthew 4:1-11 (Jesus, because He was in human flesh was prone to temptation just like us. With the help of the Holy Spirit, He resisted).

iii). When fasting is done with the right motives, a reward is given from God Matthew 6:16-18.

iv). Abundance, Prosperity would be your portion Isaiah 58:8, Job 11:17.

v). Restored Health, Divine Health, Isaiah 58:8, Jeremiah 30:17.

vi). When you call upon the Lord, He will answer Isaiah 58:9, Psalm 50:15.

vii). When you fast and pray for those in need, the poor, etc., the Lord promises to guide you continually, satisfy your heart's desire and bless you with good health. Isaiah 58:11.

viii). True fasting and prayer bring fruitfulness, radiance, and God's goodness in your life.

ix). Receive restoration, promotion, and God will use us to impact the lives of others.

x). Able to discern more clearly the will of God for our lives through our spiritual eyes and ears.

xi). As a church group, community, or nation, when we genuinely fast and pray, God can move on our behalf, causing a change to occur to align with God's plan. 2 Chronicles 7:14.

Let me conclude by emphasizing that it's never too late to incorporate fasting into your prayer life. Start slowly and then gradually advance to longer periods of fasting. You will begin to see it as second nature, and not only that, but you will also experience significant growth in your walk with the Lord. Throughout biblical history, both men and women, young and old alike, have testified to God's greatness. Even today, Christians worldwide are seeking the Lord through prayer and fasting, witnessing powerful testimonies of God's awesomeness. I encourage you to become a person of prayer, taking that extra step with prayer and fasting unto the Lord. As you do so, you shall receive the divine encounter you have been waiting for as you allow the Lord to take you higher in your prayer life.