devotional – Page 47 – Prince Chimaobim

ACCEPTABLE FAST (2): MAKE LIFE BETTER (UNDO HEAVY BURDENS)

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Thursday January 26, 2023

ACCEPTABLE FAST (2): MAKE LIFE BETTER (UNDO HEAVY BURDENS)

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to undo the heavy burdens,Isaiah 58:6 (KJV)

Acceptable fast undo the heavy burdens. Adonai desires that life should be good for His creation. People should live in health, prosperity and peace. There should not be weeping, mourning and gnashing of teeth. This is the ideal of Adonai. However, the presence of Satan and his agents has brought untold heavy burdens upon people and Adonai is seeking for a person to stand in the gap and undo these heavy burdens upon humanity. So in fasting, you connect with power from on high as your voice is heard on high to undo heavy burdens. You don’t need to be a pastor or in the full time ministry to be used of God to undo heavy burdens. As a person you should stand for yourself and at least for your family members and ensure that no satanic burdens remain around you. Literally, this means, let those who work for you not be working under inhuman conditions. Don’t allow your workers work under conditions that make them sigh and mourn. Make life better for people around you. There are organizations today that are literal slave centres where people work under terrible conditions and as they work, their groans and sighs ascend to Adonai and this breaks His heart. Never be that kind of person that people around you are doing their work with bitterness and terrible conditions.

ACCEPTABLE FAST (1): LOOSE THE BONDS OF WICKEDNESS

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Wednesday January 25, 2023

ACCEPTABLE FAST (1): LOOSE THE BONDS OF WICKEDNESS

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness,Isaiah 58:6 (KJV)

Scriptures lets us know that there are acceptable fasts. This means that there are also unacceptable fasts. As a rule of thumb, any fast that does not have impact on your flesh is not acceptable. Any fast that does not bring about a change in you of some sorts is not acceptable. Isaiah 58:3-5 enumerates unacceptable fasts. Fasting to show off; fasting that increases wickedness in you to your fellow human, fasting for strife and debate are not acceptable and hence your voice is not heard on high. Fasting is spiritual exercise to mortify the flesh, therefore it should eliminate the works of the flesh drastically with every session of your fast. Galatians 5:19-21 enumerates the works of the flesh, ”19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these? Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” As you fast, these things must be dropping from off you until you come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ (see Ephesians 4:13).

FASTING EXAMPLES (7): ELIJAH’S FAST

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Tuesday January 24, 2023

FASTING EXAMPLES (7): ELIJAH’S FAST

And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.I Kings 19:8 (KJV)

Of all that the Bible would cite as an example of someone whose prayer was effective, earnest and heart-felt with tremendous power which was dynamic in its working, Elijah was chosen. It is important, therefore, for us to examine the secret of this great patriarch of the faith. And it is not even so far fetched or a mystery, what powered his effectiveness in his relationship with Adonai. We all are praying, so prayer is not the tool of Prophet Elijah’s power with God. And if you look at James 5:16 from the Amplified Bible, you would see that it was not just the prayer of Elijah that made him powerful. Prayer is good but until prayer is earnest that is heart-felt and continued, it cannot be dynamic in its working. What is it that makes prayer earnest? If we can discover what made Elijah’s prayer earnest, and apply same, we shall get the same result of power with Yahweh as Elijah because Yahweh is not a respecter of person but in every nation, whosoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him (see Acts 10:34-35).

FASTING EXAMPLES (6): APOSTLE PAUL’S FAST

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Monday January 23, 2023

FASTING EXAMPLES (6): APOSTLE PAUL’S FAST

And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.Acts 9:9 (KJV)

When I look at Apostle Paul, I am not marvelled as much at his usefulness in the hands of the Lord Yahushua because the way he entered the race was loaded. What I mean is this: from the very first day he encountered the Lord, he began a three-day dry fast. There are so many today that have been believers in Yahushua for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 years respectively that has not fasted for a three-day dry before. Apostle Paul’s introduction into HaMashiach (Christ) is with three days dry fast. There is something fasting does to your spirit-man. It establishes you in the Word of Adonai, firmly making it possible to believe the Word and dare anything. The daring nature of Paul was imparted to him on the altar of fasting. In his own words later, he said “in fastings often” (II Corinthians 11:27). Isaiah 58:8 says, “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning,” that is you will begin to swim in revelations and that was exactly the testimony of Apostle Paul. Because of the abundance of fastings, there were also abundance of revelations (II Corinthians 12:7), ‘And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.’

FASTING EXAMPLES (5): DAVID’S FAST

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Sunday January 22, 2023

FASTING EXAMPLES (5): DAVID’S FAST

My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness.Psalms 109:24 (KJV)

The Bible didn’t tell us how long David’s fast was but for anyone that is acquainted with long fast, one will recognize that it would not have been anything less than 40 days for fatness to start failing from his flesh. When one finish even a partial fast of 40 days, your flesh will tell you that it has lost a lot in terms of fatness, let alone when the fast is a total or complete fast. David fasted so much that he become so lain that evoked mockery from people. Psalms 109: 23-25 says, ‘23 I am gone like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and down as the locust. 24 My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness. 25 I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they shaked their heads.’ I truly understand what David is saying here. The author believes that David’s fast was nothing less than 40 days long. It takes that long for the effects that he described to be so. The author is a witness to that.

FASTING EXAMPLES (4): EZRA’S FAST

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Saturday January 21, 2023

FASTING EXAMPLES (4): EZRA’S FAST

Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.Ezra 8:21 (KJV)

Have you been in a situation that because of your faith in Adonai and how much you have represented Him and His power you were faced with a situation where the power of that your God must be seen or you are put to shame. This was actually the situation that Ezra found himself. Adonai gave Ezra favour before Artaxerxes the king of Babylon and the king was sending him to Judea. In the presence of the king, Ezra had boasted of the might of Adonai to keep those that trust Him, and because of that, he couldn’t ask the king for security escorts. So, they were left to themselves and the wolves on the way to Judea and except Adonai intervenes it would be impossible to reach Judea alive with all the nations along the way and their hatred for the Jews. What was Ezra’s response to this dilemma? He proclaimed a fast. It is not clear how many days Ezra’s fast lasted. Ezra’s fast is another example of group fast that yielded massive results. This fast has also validated what Yahushua said that “this kind” answers to only fasting and prayer.

FASTING EXAMPLES (3): ESTHER’S FAST

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Friday January 20, 2023

FASTING EXAMPLES (3): ESTHER’S FAST

Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
Esther 4:16 (KJV)

Just as we have said that fasting according to our Lord Yahushua is to handle “this Kind” situations that comes up from time to time in our lives as we journey on earth. In Matthew 17:21, Yahushua says, “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” This was exactly the kind of situation that the Jews found themselves in the days of Queen Esther in the Kingdom of Ahasuerus in Shushan. A man by name Haman rose up and because of his ego that appears to be humbled by Mordecai’s behaviour decided not just to end Mordecai but to exterminate the Jewish race from off the face of the earth. It was the days of weeping, mourning and wailing for the Jews all over the kingdom of King Ahasuerus as the edit of Haman in the signatory of the king went forth. It was a dangerous mission that Queen Esther would have to embark on to secure the deliverance of her people the Jews. Then she requested that before “this kind” situation would be dared, three days of fasting and prayer be done to seek the face of Adonai. Three days of fasting of food and water. So many cites this example to embark on fasting without water. Remember that this fast was just for three days. You can go without water for three days, that won’t hurt or harm your body. But the truth is that fasting does not imply not drinking water. Fasting by definition is going without food in order to concentrate on spiritual things. That this folks didn’t drink water for three days does not impart on the seriousness of their fast. The fact is that whether you drink water or no, does not affect the intensity or otherwise of your fast.

FASTING EXAMPLES (2): DANIEL’S FAST

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Thursday January 19, 2023

FASTING EXAMPLES (2): DANIEL’S FAST

2 In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. 3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.Daniel 10:2-3 (KJV)

We are going to see several fasting examples in the Bible with the view of learning how fasting works and how to engage it. We are looking at Daniel’s fast today. The first thing about Daniel’s fast is that he purposed in his heart to walk in holiness. Until you are all out to walk in holiness taking advantage of the nature of righteousness you already possess in HaMashiach (Christ), you are not ready for fasting. You must decide to do away with any form of sin and unrighteousness before you make the decision to fast. With that decision, the fasting will help you permanent it by helping you mortify the flesh, setting your spirit free as it were to drive hard after Adonai. That was the starting point of the life of Daniel (Dan.1:8).

FASTING EXAMPLES (1): TOTAL FAST (YAHUSHUA’S FAST)

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Wednesday January 18, 2023

FASTING EXAMPLES (1): TOTAL FAST (YAHUSHUA’S FAST)

And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Matthew 4:2 (KJV)

We are going to see several fasting examples in the Bible with the view to learning how fasting works and how to engage it. It is important we understand that fasting is an expression of a yearning for Adonai and His pleasure. Fasting is not a means to get something from Adonai. Elohim answers prayer whether with fasting or not. What fasting does is to amplify your quest for the manifestation of Elohim both in your life and for His glory. Fasting boost faith because in fasting the flesh is mortified boosting your spirit to believe the Word of Adonai which results in the performance of the same. It is important to enter fasting with the right perspective. It is not to change Adonai or force him to do something against His Will. Fasting is essentially to mortify you and change you from inside out. So when you are not changed after the fast to be more humble, meek, easily forgiving and other spiritual qualities, you have not achieved anything. Another thought is, if your fast cannot change you, it cannot effect change for you.

WHAT FASTING OFFERS (12): DIVINE DIRECTION

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Tuesday January 17, 2023

WHAT FASTING OFFERS (12): DIVINE DIRECTION

And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.Isaiah 58:11 (KJV)

There are few things in life that are as profitable as divine direction. In fact, without divine direction you would end up in the hands of your enemies. One misdirection can ruin your entire life. It doesn’t matter how successful you are now, just one misdirection can bring you to poverty and defeat. Until you are where Yahweh wants you to be, doing what He wants you to be doing, you may not see His manifestation no matter how hard you pray. Pa Hagin told of his personal story along this line. He missed Adonai in changing Church one time. He accepted to pastor this Church based on fleece and left the Church he was pastoring. He would pray all week long and was full of power but as soon as he stepped into that Church it was as if he was poured cold water and he would lose everything he has for that service. You are always your best at the place Yahweh placed you. So whatever you would do to get on key with divine direction, is great wisdom.