Dearly Beloved,
Greetings of Grace, Mercy and Peace from God the heart of the Father and from Jesus Christ our Lord through whom we have gained access to the fullness of God and obtained the right and the legal capacity to participate in the divine nature. Hallelujah!!! See 2 Peter 1:3-4; John 5:24; John 17:3; 1 John 5:10-13; 1 John 5:20; 1 Corinthians 1:3.
Welcome to the Year of Harvest. We are at the brink of a spiritual revival in our generation. There has never been a time when people embrace the call to begin the year with prayer and fasting like it has been happening in the past few years all over the world. With every passing year, it keeps gaining momentum.
Fasting is simply voluntary abstinence from food for spiritual purposes. Fasting is an intentional positioning of your heart for breakthrough and spiritual growth by abstaining from foods and physical pleasures. See Job 23:12; Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4.
Furthermore, Fasting is a voluntary abstinence from physical foods and drinks in order to feed on spiritual food (the Word) and spiritual drink (infillings and refillings of the Holy Spirit). See Acts 13:2-4; Acts 10:30-44. We can also say Fasting is denying your physical appetites so that you can feed your spiritual appetites. See Matthew 6:16-18; Philippians 3:17-19; Romans 16:18; Jude 1:13-14; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.
Job 23:12 NKJV
I have not departed from the commandment of His lips;
I have treasured the words of His mouth
More than my necessary food.
Job 23:12 NLT
I have not departed from his commands,
but have treasured his words more than daily food.
During times of fasting we should take out time to feed on the Word of God so our spirit man can become very strong and gain dominance over our senses and our appetites.
Sin is a spiritual condition manifested in conduct. See Romans 8:1-8. Those who are struggling with sin are simply weak spiritually. See 1 Corinthians 3:1-3; Proverbs 20:11. Your character is the outward reflection of your spiritual condition. That’s why the Character traits listed in Galatians 5:22-23 are called “the fruit of the spirit” while the sins listed in Galatians 5:19-21 are called “the works of the flesh.” The way you behave is a reflection what dominates you: your spirit or your body (the flesh).
1The Bible says, “By their fruits you shall know them.” This means your character reveals who you really are. It tells whether you are babe (1 Peter 2:1-3), a Child (1 Corinthians 3:1-3; Galatians 4:1-2; Ephesians 4:14; Hebrews 5:13), a young man (1 John 2:13-14) or a father (1 John 2:13-14).
John the Apostle says young men have overcome the wicked one. Demonic or spiritual oppression is proof positive that an individual is a spiritual infant. See 1 John 2:13. As you grow spiritually, you should be gaining dominion and influence spiritually, you should be breaking free from all forms of oppression. See Isaiah 10:27 NIV. Oppression is an indicator that you are a child spiritually. See Galatians 4:3.
Secondly, the Apostle John also indicated that young men are strong because the Word of God abides in them. See 1 John 2:14. Your spiritual strength is equivalent to the measure of the Word you contain in your spirit. See Proverbs 24:5,10; Daniel 11:32. When you increase your spiritual knowledge, you increase your strength.
This is a time to invest in your own spiritual development as we set aside time to fast and pray. Make room to hear the Word like never before. Play messages in your car. Saturate your spirit with the Word this year.
Never forget that God will only entrust to you what you have the capacity to endure or carry. God wants to do BIG THINGS through your life this year; make room for more by preparing prayerfully and powerfully by spending quality time in the Word. Shalom
Have a fruitful and fulfilling week
characterized by encounters of favor and opportunities of increase. May you encounter revelations and insights that will transform your life, refine your character and catapult you to new realms of uncommon accomplishments. Amen
In His Majesty’s Service,
David Wale Feso
P. S.
Suggested Reading:
1. Fasting by Jentezen Franklin
2. The Power of Prayer and Fasting by Ronnie W. Floyd
Preserving the Faith of the Fathers For Future Generations
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