Fasting and Prayer

SPEAKER B Jesus promised his disciples in Acts One eight, you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all here and Samaria and to the end of the earth. Welcome to. You shall receive power. And here are your hosts, Ettienne McClintock and Colin Hone. SPEAKER C Greetings and a warm welcome. Thank you for joining us today. On You Shall Receive Power. Colin and myself are glad that you can join us today as we study further and continue the series that features the book 50 Days Prayers and Devotionals to Prepare for the Latter Rain and Christ's Soon Return by Pastor Dennis Smith. And as we start our program please join us as we pray. Gracious Father in heaven, it's always a privilege to come together to spend time in prayer and to pray for a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit to guide and lead us into all truth as we spend time in your word. And we just pray Father that you would bless Colin and myself here, bless the listener as well that is spending time with us today. May you give them a fresh anointing of your Holy Spirit and may you baptize them anew as well. This we pray in Jesus name. Amen. See our program today is actually featuring something that's really important and it's a very powerful tool and I talk about tool, I can actually call it a weapon if you like in regards to our warfare against not flesh and blood but against principalities and powers and evil hosts in heavenly places or in places on high. So our discussion today is going to focus on fasting and prayer and how fasting and prayer connects with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. So Colin, I'm really looking forward to this program today and how we can unpack it out of scripture to understand this a little bit more fully. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER E So we're going to look at prayer and fasting and how important that is for God's last day people to understand and practice. I believe it's a significant role in finishing God's work and preparing them for Christ's second coming. We look at Jesus. Jesus understood the vital necessity of prayer and fasting in our conflict with Satan and his evil forces. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER E Our Lord inspired Paul, declared the battle we have with the enemy in his letters to the Ephesians, which you just mentioned in Ephesians chapter six, verse twelve. For it says for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. So our war is with these powers? SPEAKER C Yes it is. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C Quite often we think we're just wrestling against flesh and blood, we're getting opposition from people, but ultimately it's the Spirit behind that that is actually the issue. SPEAKER E That's right. And when we look closely at this verse we see there's a hierarchy, do you know there's a hierarchy of evil forces with obviously Satan at the top. And so some of these evil powers or principalities and rulers seem to have more power than others. SPEAKER C Yeah, and look, that comes out very clear, the fact that it doesn't say ruler as in singular, it says rulers of the darkness of this world, plural. So there's more than one. So under Satan, there's definitely a hierarchy of rulers, fallen angels that obviously sided with Satan when there was a war in heaven. SPEAKER E Yeah, that's right. And so evil spirits are fallen angels, like you said, with God given talents and abilities. Therefore it follows that some are more capable and powerful than their cohorts and obviously Satan being the most powerful of all. And this seems to apply to the holy angels as well. The Bible refers to the cherubim and the seraphim. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E And Ella White acknowledges in a spirit of prophecy the difference. In the following statement, she says in Acts of Apostles, page 154. Do you want to read that for us? SPEAKER D Yeah, sure. SPEAKER C We need to understand better than we do the mission of the angels. It would be well to remember that every true child of God has the cooperation of heavenly beings. Invisible armies of light and power attend the meek and lonely ones who believe and claim the promises of God. Cherubim and seraphim and angels that excel in strength stand at God's right hand. All ministering spirits sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation. And that quote comes from Hebrews, chapter one, verse 14. And as you said, Acts of the Apostles, page 154. SPEAKER E Yeah. So Ellen White listed cherubim and seraphim and angels that excel in strength. So she recognized there was various categories of angels and even mentioned angels that were stronger than some of the other holy angels. And both holy angels and evil angels have varying degrees of power and ability. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER E So what we see is there's a power struggle? Yes, there's a power struggle. And you can read the encounter between good and evil forces when a father, for example, took his son Jesus disciples, asking him to deliver their son from an evil spirit that possessed him. Remember the story the disciples had previously, in the name of Jesus, cast out demons. And you read that in Matthew chapter ten, verse one. But however, this time they were unable to rid the boy of the evil spirit. And we read that in Matthew chapter 17, verse 14 to 16. And so the father then took his son to Jesus. So he took him to disciples and they were unable to cast these demons out or this devil out. So he took him to Jesus, and responding to the father's plea for his son, Jesus rebuked the devil. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E And he departed out of him and the child was cured from that very hour. And that's in Matthew chapter 17, verse 18. And so the disciples were like puzzled and confused and so they came to Jesus and they said, well, why were we unable to cast out the demon? And Jesus said these words in Matthew chapter 17, verse 20 to 21. Do you want to read that for us? SPEAKER D Yeah, sure. SPEAKER C So Jesus said to them, because of your unbelief for assuredly I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, move from here to there and it will move and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. SPEAKER E So Jesus says not only prayer but he says and fasting. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER E So here there's a certain types of demons or hierarchy or powerful angels that can only be cast out through prayer and fasting. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C And it's interesting that Jesus says this kind. So in other words, they are different kinds. SPEAKER E Yes. SPEAKER C And the other kinds were always driven out by the disciples previously because they had many great success when Jesus sent them out, but this particular one they couldn't. And then he says this kind, distinguishing the fact that there is a hierarchy and there are some more powerful than others. SPEAKER E That's right. So he's indicated that this evil spirit was more powerful and resistant and it spears that disciples had never encountered this kind of evil spirit before. SPEAKER D Right. SPEAKER E For they had no problem, like you said, casting out other spirits in previous encounters. This one, however, required something more in order to be rebuked and driven from that boy. And Jesus stated that fasting and prayer was required in this case. So what we need to learn is about prayer and fasting and how powerful that is in fighting evil in this. So the question is, is fasting a requirement in order to cast out some evil spirits and advance God's kingdom? Let's have a look at the Bible and let the Bible answer this question about fasting. SPEAKER D Okay. SPEAKER E And so whenever God's people, right, and you go through the whole Bible, whenever God's people humbly approached him or faced a special problem through prayer and fasting was always included. So there was a special problem in the Old Testament. There was prayer and fasting. So we can see this again both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. For example, in Nehemiah chapter nine, verse one to three, we see that there was prayer and fasting involved. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E Do you want to just read that? SPEAKER D Yes, sure. SPEAKER C It says, now on the 24th day of this month, the children of Israel were assembled with fasting in sackcloth and with dust on their heads. Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. So there's corporate confession there. Funny that they confessed the sins of their fathers and they stood up in their place and read from the book of the law of the Lord their God for one fourth of the day, and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the Lord their God. SPEAKER E Wow. So there's a lot of prayer fasting. SPEAKER C Yes. SPEAKER E Confession of sins. And you got in Psalms 35, verse 13, and even in Daniel, chapter nine, verse three, where Daniel is saying he was praying and fasting. SPEAKER C That's right. And also confessing his sins and the sins of Israel at that time. So there's intercessory prayer on behalf of other people who are not confessing sins that we can actually stand in the gap and confess on their behalf. And it's almost like it gives access for God and the Holy Spirit to work in their lives because we've actually stepped in to represent them before God. SPEAKER E That's right. And then you also have Acts, chapter 14, verse 23, which says when they ordained the elders yes, it says, and when they had ordained them the elders in every church and had prayed with fasting, they came in to the Lord on whom they believed. So there was prayer and fasting. Even ordaining elders they knew it was serious stuff. SPEAKER D Wow. Yeah. SPEAKER C That's a good model for the church, actually, because how often do we fast and pray before elders are appointed or even ordained if they knew elders. SPEAKER E That's right. And if you want to listen, look up one Corinthians, chapter seven, verse five. You also got two Corinthians six, verse five, and chapter eleven, verse 27. There's more examples of God's people praying and fasting throughout the Bible, and I guess there's many more that could be listed. SPEAKER D Sure. SPEAKER E And I would encourage you to look up all the Bible verses about fasting and see where God's people in the Old Testament, New Testament were fasting. So therefore, even if the verse does not include the word fasting, it can be safely assumed that fasting was involved whenever special prayer times are mentioned in the Bible. For example, the Book of Acts does not say that disciples prayed and fasted when they were claiming in prayer the promising outpouring the Holy Spirit. The verse simply says they all continue with one accord in prayer and supplication, but I would be safe to assume that they were also fasting during that ten day period of preventing prayer. And even Ellen White in the Spirit of Prophecy, she supports in the following statement in the Signs of the Time, January 20, 1898, in paragraph eight, where she talks about that there was fasting. So there's lots of examples in the Bible of prayer and fasting. And so what about also in Peter himself? Peter had been sent to prison and they just killed James. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E And Herod had put Peter in jail and he was going to be executed the next day. And so you look in Acts chapter twelve, verse six, when it says Peter therefore was kept in prison, but prayer was made without ceasing of the church until God unto God for him. And interesting, when Peter miraculous was released from prison by the angel after they prayed, and probably fasted, luke tells us that he went to the place where many were gathered together praying. Now again, nothing is said about these verses about fasting during this urgent times of prayer. However, I believe it can safely be assumed they were also fasting, since prayer and fasting were also accompanying such times of prayer. And listen to what Ellen White said about that as well. And Acts of the Apostles, page 144. Do you want to read that? SPEAKER D Yes, sure. SPEAKER C It says, the death of James caused great grief and consternation among the believers. When Peter also was imprisoned, the entire church engaged in fasting and prayer. SPEAKER E There you go. So when there's serious times when you come at the church or you're coming in your life, and there's serious things that need to be prayed for, the encouragement or the recommendation or the command from God's word is to spend that time in prayer and fasting. There's power in there. So we can assume that Jesus included fasting when he told his disciples that the demon they faced in the child could only be cast out by special prayer focus. And with this statement, Jesus acknowledged two things. First, he indicated there are levels or degrees of resisting power among Satan's host. SPEAKER C That's very important. SPEAKER E And secondly, he pointed the fact that the stronger evil powers can be cast out only by those who fast. And so I hope you get that. Jesus stated that fasting and prayer play a key role in our ability to be used by the Lord to overcome the enemy. This applies to both our own personal lives and the ministry of others. SPEAKER C Look, in speaking with people who've had experiences like this, especially some of my brothers and some people who are pastors here in Australia who've come across this many times when demons were cast out, they're saying some demons are more comfortable in a spiritual setting than others. Others will provoke an immediate response, and others will actually keep quiet. And you won't even know of demonic possession amongst people because there are different kinds of spirits, and some of them actually only through parents fasting, and then also God giving discernment to his people through the parent fasting will actually tell them that there's an issue to deal with. SPEAKER E Well, I'll tell you experience of mine. I was in Ethiopia, and I was doing some revival meetings with a church in Ethiopia right across the country. And I remember one morning, the Holy Spirit just convicted me to fast, not to eat, and just spend time in prayer and fasting. Didn't know, so but I was impressed. SPEAKER C So you listened? SPEAKER E I listened. I didn't eat. And believe me, I like to eat food, and I really like food, but the Holy Spirit convicted me, and so I didn't eat that morning or that throughout that day. And then I was taken to the church for a meeting. And I was in the church and we were just having a I thought it was just a normal meeting, planning for the night what was going to happen. And then they brought this man in to me in the church who had a disheveled faced. He was just contorted. You could tell there was trouble, there was something wrong. It was like basically he was possessed. They told me he was possessed. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER E And they told me that they had prayed and nothing had happened. And so they said, Maybe you could help him. And I said, what's the problem? They said he's been possessed. He's possessed by a devil. And so we prayed to God and we asked God to reveal what the strongholds were in his life. God revealed those strongholds, the man, and he revealed them to us that he was holding on to anger, bitterness and resentment towards his father. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER E Because his father had been possessed by the same demon, and he passed it on to him and his whole life was destroyed. And he was angry and bitter, and that from his father. And then I took him through what's called the prayer of forgiveness, and I got him to commit his life to Jesus. And we prayed, and the demon was cast out, and he went out skipping out of the church completely free. So I believe that was a clear case where the Holy Spirit knew this was going to happen and convicted me to pray. And God delivered that man from the evil spirit that day, and he was free. So there's an experience that I have had, and I know that whenever the church is doing something serious, that there should be prayer and fasting that goes into preparing the church. SPEAKER C I just had a recent experience. I don't know if I've told this before, probably not, but a relative of mine has been having problems with depression for many years and has even tried to commit suicide on more than one occasion, and at one stage was involved with Wicca and just recently wicca? SPEAKER E Wicca's witchcraft. SPEAKER C Witchcraft? SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C They call it white witchcraft. It's sort of very earthy kind of stuff. They sort of worship Mother Nature and all that sort of stuff. And there's variety of reasons. There's versions of it. Yes, but it's all witchcraft and it's still occultic. SPEAKER E And we know that witchcraft in the Bibles are connected with demon worship. SPEAKER C Exactly. So it appears innocent, but it's not. And they get into Tarot card readings and all that kind of stuff as well. So this person had now left this, but was collecting all kinds of dolls. And there was a movie on years ago. I've never seen it, but the doll called Chucky, and there's Chucky's Bride and stuff. SPEAKER E Like dolls by demons. SPEAKER C Yeah, pretty much. So this person had collected all these dolls because I walked into their home probably a year and a half, two years ago now. And there was just this dark presence. The place was dark but it's just like there was just something evil in the place. And then I looked at all the dolls, just hordes of these dolls stacked up in racks and shelves all along the room, along the walls and that. So I knew that there were some evil influences there. I could just sense it when I was there. Anyway, the person went to go and visit for the weekend friends and one of the people she visited was a lady who collected these dolls and when she was there she met the daughter. The daughter told her she was a witch and she would spells on people and curses on people if they do the wrong thing by her. And they spoke till midnight and then she went to sleep. And then she had a presence in the room with her. 02:00 in the morning, wanting to talk to her, speak to her, waking her up, shaking her up and being in the bed with her. SPEAKER E Wow. SPEAKER C And anyway, so then she couldn't move, she was so scared. But then finally sort of half fell asleep. 03:00 the same thing happened. Now she feels a present with the person's hand on her shoulder. So she grabbed the hand and then ran to the light, switched on. There's nothing in the room. Subsequent to that experience, she spoke to the parents and the parents said they I don't know what their religion is, but they had had the house anointed showing. There was oil all along the lentil, the post, the door post and also along the room because whenever their daughter's here, there's an evil presence there. So they believed everywhere. She said, Look, I thought I was going crazy to go. No, that's what happened. Subsequent to that she's been losing time. So she'll wake up and then sometimes there'll be hours gone and she doesn't know what's happened in hours she's missing. And then sometimes she'll wake up in the morning because she just lost her work as well been made redundant. She'd wake up in the morning and before she knows it's time to go to bed and there's just hours gone. So I spoke to her does she want deliverance? Would she accept the Lord as her redeemer to save her from this? And I didn't get an initial response, but within 12 hours after that I did because a lot of this communications over WhatsApp? Over chatting. And I made a phone call eventually and she said yes. So I got her to do with the prayer of confession as well. She seemed like she was desperate and subsequent to that she's been able to sleep a lot better. But I put her in touch with the church in South Africa and they have been able to take her through a program. She's currently going through a program there. She's on day four or day five now, it's a 1011 day program where they take them through antidepressants and take it through a whole process, depression recovery. Depression recovery but it also has a spiritual component, a strong spiritual component because I believe this is not only a chemical thing based on her testimony I. SPEAKER E Think it's demonic oppression. SPEAKER C God has actually been helping her and he's set her free from a lot of the stuff. She's not been losing time subsequent to saying that prayer. Colin so just long story but just wanted to emphasize how important is for people to accept the Lord and he will deliver them from these demonic powers. SPEAKER E Absolutely. So if the Bible says that the Son has set you free, you are free indeed. Free indeed. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E So how does prayer and fasting strengthen us? SPEAKER C Good question. SPEAKER E First I want to indicate that Jesus connected strong faith with prayer and fasting. He connected faith, he stated it was because of the disciples'unbelief that they were unable to cast out the devil. Then he continued by stating that prayer and fasting were necessary. So Jesus made it very clear that prayer and fasting are an essential factor in strong faith. So if you want to increase your faith and have stronger faith you connect to prayer and fasting. So therefore if you want to have a stronger faith to overcome saints'influences in our lives or in your ministry for the Lord fasting and prayer must become a regular part of Christian lives. A regular part. And God's really impressed upon me because appetite is probably my what they call it, besetting thorn of the flesh. SPEAKER C It's a natural desire within ourselves isn't it? To eat and eat regularly. SPEAKER E Yeah so the Lord suppressed me to many times to start fasting and spending more time in prayer particularly on Fridays in preparation for example for Sabbath. Yes, and so that's happening more and more in my life when I can that's becoming a regular practice in my life and I find that when I am praying fasting it actually does increase your faith and you actually are closer to God. So I believe those who are ready to meet Jesus when he returns will have a strong faith because in Revelation chapter 14 verse six or twelve it says God's last day people have the faith of Jesus. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E Yes that says they keep the commandments of God but they also have the faith of Jesus and they're described having the faith of Jesus which by the way is one of the fruits of the spirit in Galatians 522 to 23. SPEAKER C I think it's the 7th one that's mentioned the faithfulness there. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER E So that's a fruit of the spirit and Paul had Jesus faith in his life. You read in Galatians chapter two verse 20 yes where he talks about having Christ it's not I that live but. SPEAKER C Christ that lives in me and the life which and I live in the flesh. I live by the faith of the Son of God? Some translations say in the Son of God, but I think it's by the faith. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E So how is he living? By the faith. And faith is a gift or a fruit of the Holy Spirit? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E Remember we've talked about in previous chapters that we receive Christ in our life and he lives in us through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, if we have Christ living in us, he'll seek out that we'll have. SPEAKER C The faith of Jesus that's right as well. SPEAKER E And Jesus spent much time in prayer and fasting. So if Christ is living in us, he will seek to live out his life through us, to seek more time in prayer and fasting. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E So, yeah, we have the faith of Jesus and other individuals throughout history have attained this level of faith. However, when Jesus returns, I believe there will be an entire generation of believers who have the faith of Jesus. SPEAKER C I agree with you, Colin, very important teaching there from the Bible. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER E And one way they will have attained this is through fasting and prayer, because Jesus connected, increasing your faith through prayer and fasting. So when Jesus faced the demon, the child, he did not at that moment enter into a time of prayer and fasting, did he? No, he just decided, I'm not going to eat right now before I cast out this demon. How do we know that? At the beginning, his ministry, he did experience of intense time of prayer and fasting, didn't he? SPEAKER C He did. SPEAKER E He went out and prayed 40 days. You read that in Matthew, chapter four, verse one to two, when he went out and prayed for 40 days. And this time of prayer and fasting had a specific purpose. Jesus knew both were necessity in order for him to be victorious over the enemy, all right? Because then the temptations came. He knew, but through prayer and fasting. And he also was baptized with the Holy Spirit. So he was baptized with the Holy Spirit and spent time in prayer and fasting and able to face the enemy. And then when Satan came with those temptations, jesus was able to overcome. SPEAKER C It's incredible. You know, obviously there's denial of appetite and appetite for food actually resembles the natural appetites that we have for sinful things as well. And before Jesus was tempted, like you're saying, 40 days, denial of self, denial of appetite. And the first temptation the devil brings to him is actually one on appetite. Turn these stones into bread. SPEAKER E Well, what was the first thing that Adam and Eve were? SPEAKER C Well, appetite had to do with eating, didn't it? SPEAKER E That was over food, wasn't it? SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER E And so I love what it says in The Desire of Ages, page 114 by Ellen G. White. Desire of Ages, page 114. What does that say? SPEAKER C When Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted, he was led by the Spirit of God. He did not invite temptation. He went to the wilderness to be alone, to contemplate his mission and work. But fasting and prayer, he was to brace himself for the bloodstained path he must travel. SPEAKER E It prepared him, it prepared him. So Christ's prayer and fasting prepared him for the wilderness temptations and the ministry that lay ahead of him. So I believe fasting and prayer are necessary in order to gain the greatest victories over temptations and sin. So I love another one on Councils on Diet and Foods, page 186. And we'll just finish on this one, Eddie. Okay, before we take a break, if you want to read that out, it's Counsels on Diet and Foods by Ellen G. White. Page 186. SPEAKER C So when Christ was the most fiercely beset by temptation, he ate nothing. In other words, he fasted. SPEAKER E Yeah. SPEAKER C He committed himself to God and through earnest prayer and perfect submission to the will of his Father, came off conqueror. Those who profess the truth for these last days above every other class of professed, christians should imitate the great exemplar in prayer. SPEAKER E So what is Ellen White saying we must do? We must imitate Christ so he's our example? Yeah. What part of Christ's life must we imitate? If we want to live a victorious life as Christ did, we must follow his example of fasting and prayer. And by doing that it increases your faith. And those who are ready to meet Jesus will have the faith of Jesus. SPEAKER C Incredible. If we look at to the sinless Jesus that was a necessity for him and his humanity to do that, how much more is it for us? He knew no sin and we of course we know sin. We've given into temptations the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life as the Bible tells us. So we've given into those. But dear listener, we're just going to take a quick break here and when we come back we'll talk about the disciples and fasting and also having that Christ felt need as Jesus felt a need, so we should feel that need as well. We'll be right back after the short break. SPEAKER B No one is so situated that he cannot be a true and faithful Christian. Testimonies volume five, page 182. SPEAKER C Welcome back to you shall receive power with Colin and Etienne. Just before the break we were talking about the importance of fasting and prayer as it is connected with the baptism of the Holy Spirit and particularly looking at the example of Jesus and how he felt it necessary. Matter of fact, the Holy Spirit led him into the wilderness for 40 days to pray and fast before he was confronted by those fierce temptations. So Colin, you just mentioned also earlier in the program that you were impressed one day to deny yourself a food to fast and to pray not knowing what lay ahead. You just had a strong impression by the Holy Spirit. You listened to the Holy. Spirit and that prepared you to be confronted with a person that was demon possessed and then through prayer this person was delivered. So prayer and fasting go hand in hand is obviously very important. SPEAKER E That's right. And I think why Jesus was on the earth with the disciples. The disciples didn't really enter into a prayer and fasting because they were hanging out with Jesus every day and they hadn't really learnt about time of fasting and prayer because they encountered that demon and they obviously hadn't prayed and fast. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER E And we know that because of it's recorded in Matthew chapter nine, verse 14 and 15. Then it says then came to him the disciples of John saying why do we and the Pharisees fast off but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them can the children of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them and then they shall fast. So Jesus is talking about they will learn how to pray and fast at that time. But at the time the disciples probably felt no need of intense prayer and fasting because Jesus wisdom every day. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER E And they also expected him to establish his kingdom on earth very soon and they had high hopes of having great positions in the kingdom and they were totally oblivious to the spiritual warfare that lay ahead. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E However Christ knew and said that the day would come when they were also entering prayer and fasting as he had. As Jesus had. Christ felt the need didn't did often he dismissed the disciples and he went to their homes and he went out and spent time in prayer and fasting in the mountains with his father. And so Jesus needed a daily renewing of his spiritual strength in order continually to feed the enemy and fasting and prayer played a major role in his empowering to overcome Satan and advance God's kingdom. And so what I learned from that is that this was Jesus'model all right and he taught his disciples. So let's have a look at what happened after Pentecost when Christ went back to heaven and he sent his Holy Spirit what the disciples then did. So we know after the ascension of Jesus the disciples fast and prayed for an outpouring the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E And their prayer were answered after a ten day prayer and they were baptized or filled with the Holy Spirit to be empowered to meet the entire host of Satan who was the strongest and most powerful. Satan's army could not stand before them and they continued to follow Jesus'example of leading a spirit filled life of fasting and prayer. And you read it in Acts chapter six and four. When they selected the the elders or deacons of the church it says the reason they said they did that is they wanted to focus in Acts chapter six, verse four. What does it say give more time? SPEAKER C It says they'll give themselves continue to prayer and to the ministry of the Word. So obviously prayer and then fasting and then the ministering of the Word all went together. They saw the importance of prayer and fasting. SPEAKER E They saw that as the priority and the focus. And so we can see from our previous discussion, we're just talking about that fasting was included during many of their times of prayer. And Paul tells us that he fasted many times. Two Corinthians, chapter six, verse five and eleven, verse 27, it says he fasted many, many times. Yes, and he also encouraged others to do the same in one Corinthians, chapter seven, verse five, where he encouraged people to pray and fast. And so the power of God was so strong with the disciples that the Gospel spread throughout the then known world to the Roman Empire. Yes, the sick were healed, demons were cast out and the dead were raised. And you can read that in Acts chapter five, verse 15 to 16, acts chapter nine to 36 and 41 in your own time where they were continually praying and fasting. And that's why they had their power, because they saw Jesus, he had his power through prayer and fasting. Read Luke chapter eleven. They came and said teach us to pray. They recognized the power that Jesus had was because he spent much time in prayer. And so I also look at Ellen White in the spirit of prophecy. She recognized this as well. That in the Review and Herald, February 18, 1890. What does she say about the disciples, about taking their message to the world? SPEAKER C Yes, she says what we need is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Without this we are no more fitted to go forth to the world than were the disciples after the crucifixion of their Lord. SPEAKER E Wow. So what you're saying is today too we're no more fitted to go to the world with the Everlasting Gospel, the three angels message, unless we're baptized with the Holy Spirit? SPEAKER C Yeah, it'd be powerless. SPEAKER E And she just said that without this we're no more fitted than they know. We've got a message to take to the world just as the disciples had a message to take to the world. But they weren't fitted to that message unless they were baptized with the Holy Spirit. And she's saying either are we. SPEAKER C Look, this is the most important message that will ever come to the world, the three angels messages, which is the Everlasting Gospel, to prepare them for the harvest, for Jesus soon return. And it will actually prepare two harvests, the first harvest and the second harvest. So there'll be a polarization those who receive the message, the Gospel, the good news of their salvation in Jesus Christ, that message of peace, and of those of course who will harden their hearts and oppose it. And then there will also be elements of persecution, but ultimately we don't wrestle against flesh and blood because there'll be another power, another spirit behind those people who would want to oppose the message. SPEAKER E Well, the message goes out and says, judgments begin. That's right, judgments begun. Jesus has entered in the most holy place for the work of judgment, and it's to prepare God's people or prepare people for the soon return of Jesus. And also says the identifying marks is they keep the commandments of God and they have what? The faith of Jesus. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E So these people in the last days will be spending time in prayer and fasting, which increases the faith, your faith. There's also a warning message in there as well that those who don't adhere to the message, it's a warning message not to receive the mark of the beast. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And look, that message is going out to the world at the moment, but it's got a swell to a loud cry because the third angel that follows after the first and the second angel, it says there in Revelation 14, verse nine, that he says with a loud voice. So there's got to swell to a loud cry. So at the moment, the message is going out, but it needs to grow in intensity and it needs to be proclaimed with a loud voice. Meet other words. This is another word for with power. SPEAKER E Yeah. That talks about we know we've talked about previously about the latter reign of. SPEAKER C The Holy Spirit, but Revelation 18 yeah. SPEAKER E Verse one where the latter reign, God's glory lights up this earth, and this message, the three angels message is repeated. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER E Power with a final call for God's people who are in confusion in many places in this world, in different churches, and that to come out of her, my people to come out of confusion about God. So what about sanctification? Part of the message of the gospel is not only what has Jesus done for us, but what Jesus wants to do in and through us and restoring us back into the image of God, which is sanctification, which is sanctification, is being made holy, meaning the likeness of Jesus. And again, Ellen White tells us in testimonies volume testimonies volume the church, volume six, page 86. What does she say there? SPEAKER C It says, impress upon all the necessity of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the sanctification of the church so that they will be living, growing fruit, bearing trees of the Lord's, planting. SPEAKER E There you go. So you want to produce fruit, you want to have sanctification, you want to have victory over sin. Pray daily for the baptism of the Holy Spirit of Christ in you really simple. Christ in, sin out. SPEAKER C And this is just reemphasizing that point there, that baptism of the Holy Spirit is a daily thing. Yes, it's a daily experience. So we've got to consecrate ourselves to the Lord first thing every morning. Absolutely. SPEAKER E Die daily, I believe you've got to be filled with the Holy Spirit daily. That's right, that's right. SPEAKER C And just to think that you have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit at baptism like water baptism is missing the mark. It's missing the point because we need to be baptized daily and we need to ask for it. And even that's appropriate as we looked in the Bible previously, Colin, that people should have their hands laid on them at times to receive the baptism even after they've been baptized in water. SPEAKER E That's right. So we've got to have this basically what I'm getting out of this devotional today is that we need to have the same life of prayer and fasting that Jesus and the disciples had. The early church yes. In last day's church is going to be the same. It talks about the Last Day Church being the remnant church, which is a remnant from the original. SPEAKER C That's right. What's left over. SPEAKER E Yeah. So what was the early church like? Well, they were baptized with the Holy Spirit. They uplifted Christ and Him crucified and the resurrection, they uplifted Jesus. They taught the teachings of Jesus or the doctrines of Jesus, and they also were in small groups. They were baptized with the Holy Spirit. They were praying and fasting, and the Gospel went to the world quickly. And so I believe in God's, last Day Church will be the same. And I believe if we neglect this spiritual weapon of prayer and fasting, we too will encounter Satanic forces that we will be unable to. SPEAKER C You know, the Bible talks in Timothy. There Paul says to young Timothy the Evangelist, that there will be people who have a form of Godliness, but they do not have the power. And the only way we can receive this power is through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And we've just emphasizing today's program how important prayer and fasting is to receive that. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER E And just remember, for those maybe thinking the baptism, the Holy Spirit, we're talking about the baptism, the Holy Spirit of Christ in you the hope of glory, where before I've explained that Satan can counterfeit the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He can have false prophecy, false miracles, false tongues. He can counterfeit all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but he can't counterfeit the fruit of the Holy Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, temperance, and faith, faithfulness. And also Ephesians, chapter five, verse nine, where it says righteousness and goodness. So these are imparted to us through the Holy Spirit. And in John 14, that's how Christ lives in us and the Father through the Holy Spirit, he lives out his life in and through us. So the true baptism, the Holy Spirit is Christ in you, the hope of glory. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C Well, even the apostle Paul spoke about having the power of God. In Philippians, chapter three, verse ten, for example, he says that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, so that the power of the Holy Spirit in his life was something that he craved and prayed for so that he could actually be effective as an apostle of Christ. SPEAKER E Absolutely. And we look at the history of the great Christians of the Protestant Reformation. You look go and realize like there was Charles Finney, powerful preacher, powerful preacher. But he realized the necessity of fasting and prayer. He wrote about it in his book, The Praying Church. Source book, page 276. And he talked about praying and fasting. And every outstanding leader of the Christian church throughout the centuries has understood the role of fasting plays in advancement of God's work. Polycarp in 110 Ad. Tertullian in 210 Ad. Martin Luther in the 15 hundreds, john Calvin in the 15 hundreds, john Knox, jonathan Edwards, john Wesley charles Haddon Spurgeon and Ellen White understood this and the list could go on and on. And it's any wonder why Satan has tried to blind us to the truth about fasting because there is power in prayer and fasting. And I love what John Wesley wrote in his book praying Church. Source book, page 291. He said, the man that never fast is no more in the way to heaven than the man who never prays. Well, he was a powerful preacher and he realized that prayer and fasting. So what about Jesus command? What did Jesus say to how to pray and fast? SPEAKER C Yeah, well, we can read about that in Matthew chapter six. And there's a couple of places there matthew, chapter six. Jesus says, when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for example. SPEAKER E Yeah, so what's he saying there? What's his advice when we pray? SPEAKER C Right, well, he says that you shouldn't be showing display and he's talking about even in verse 16 there, says when you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do. So he's connecting the fasting and the praying there and it's not for outward show or display, it's to do it privately. And even if you are fasting, don't put a somber face on. So everybody thinks, okay, this is his fasting day. What a pious man. You got to go about your business as per usual, but spend that time in prayer and fasting and bring glory to God privately in your own hearts rather than making a display of the fact that you're such a pious man, you've just entered into another spiritual discipline, so to speak. SPEAKER E Yeah, so he instructors on how not to pray like the says, you know, and then he says note again that Jesus did not say if you fast. SPEAKER D Sure. SPEAKER E He says he instructed us to fast with clarification on how not to fast, right? SPEAKER C Yes, when you fast. SPEAKER D That's right. SPEAKER E Our praying and fasting is not to be done for show. Basically it's between us and God alone. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E So we're to let God alone know. I mean, we're sharing testimonies here but not to glorify ourselves. We're just sharing testimonies to say give examples of how it works. But when we pray and when we fast, we're not to make a big show about it and let the whole world know we're to do it in private and God will take care of everything. SPEAKER C If there's any boast that's in the Lord, as the Apostle Paul says, and even Charles Finney, you just mentioned it before, he was saying at times he'll only say a few words and it would cut like a sword to the heart and people would be converted by a few words. Other times he said he didn't have that experience, there would be no power. And then he would go for a period where he would do some private fasting and prayer and humble himself before God crying for help and power. And then the power would return in its freshness and then he'd have a word that he could speak to people and again, lives would be impacted and they would be converted. And so it will be with us if we spend the same time with the Lord in prayer and fasting. SPEAKER E There's a formula, isn't there? SPEAKER C There is a formula. SPEAKER E If you follow the formula, you'll get the results. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E You get the results. So I believe those that are ready to meet Jesus and I believe Jesus is coming soon. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E And I believe Jesus, when he returns, will have fasting and praying will be part of God's last day church. And I believe the baptism of the Holy Spirit, fasting and prayer will have played an essential role in the complete victory over every influence of Satan in their lives, spiritually, emotionally and physically. And this combined experience will also have empowered them to finish God's work in the spirit and power of Elijah. And I love what Ellen White said this in the Councils on Diets and Foods, page 188 and page 189. Do you want to just read that for us? SPEAKER D Yes, sure. SPEAKER C Now and onward till the close of time. The people of God should be more earnest, more wide awake, not trusting in their own wisdom, but in the wisdom of their leader. They should set aside days for fasting and prayer. Entire abstinence from food may not be required, but they should eat sparingly of the most simple food. SPEAKER E Wow. So what are the benefits of fasting? One, we're saying fasting benefits the Christian in many ways. When we fast, we are humbling ourselves before the Lord. That's the first thing, isn't it? SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E Maybe you just said that Charles Finley was part of it was humbling before the Lord. So this is a very important prerequisite for us to be used by God effectively. So through fasting and prayer we learn humility. SPEAKER C Yeah. SPEAKER E Self denial and self sacrifice. SPEAKER D Definitely. SPEAKER C I mean, appetite is connected. As I've studied and read and even my own experience, I've become more aware of the fact that appetite for food, which is natural to us, is a type of our appetite for sin for selfishness. And therefore, if you deny your appetite for food, which any person can do, some people will find it harder than others, of course, but that is connected. It gives you a little victory. But if you connect it with prayer and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, it has a spiritual dimension which gives you victory over mean. SPEAKER E And Jesus had that didn't gives us and also fasting gives us a clearer understanding of God's word and when our lives in ministry for the Lord. See, Jesus clearly knew the will of His Father, didn't he? SPEAKER D He did, yes. SPEAKER E And did the work his Father called Him to do. And you read in John, chapter four, verse 34, when obviously they said, do you want some food? And he says, Jesus said unto them, my meat is to do the will of Him that sent me and to finish his work. That was what he was all about. SPEAKER C It reminds you of that time when the disciples came to you and said, do you want to eat something? And he said, Well, I've got food that you guys don't know about. Talking about the time in prayer and fasting. SPEAKER E That's right. And then again in John, chapter five, verse 19, then Jesus answered and said unto them, verily, verily I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself. You see, Jesus could do nothing of himself. SPEAKER C Incredible. SPEAKER E But what he seeth the fathers do, for whatever things he does, he also does the Son likewise. So Jesus knew what the Father was doing and joined in Him in the work of advancing God's kingdom. And this was true of Jesus'life and ministry because of his daily infling of the Spirit, his communion with the Father, and through prayer and fasting. And we can and must have the same experience. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E I believe those who already meet Jesus will have the experience, for they'll be just like Jesus. First John, chapter three, verse two. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C It says beloved. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed. That what we shall be. But we know that when he is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as he is. SPEAKER E That's right. So those who remain in Jesus will be like Him, just like Jesus. They'll be doing the same works because they're in complete harmony with God. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER E They'll be constantly under his direction and leading, not under their own. And so I believe in the end they'll discover that they have been following their own will rather than the will of their Father. This will be other professed Christians, okay? SPEAKER C Those who have a form of God in this, but not the power. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E What they think are works of God. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER E And at Matthew, chapter seven, verse 21 and 23, it says that. SPEAKER C That's right. When it be said, many in that day will say to me, lord, Lord, have we not prophesied we're not casted demons and your name and healed the sick. And he'll say, Depart from me. I never knew you, you workers of iniquity. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER E In other words, they're following their own will. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E Rather than the will of the Father, because that's what he was saying. I never knew you. Depart from me, you doers of iniquity. And iniquity means you do as of sin. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER E Yeah. So Spirit baptism, together with fasting and prayer, improves our relationship with God. And here's the best part about it all. It enables us to hear God better. SPEAKER C Wouldn't that be wonderful? SPEAKER E So this ensures that when we'll be planning and working according God's will and not our own, when we're praying fasting, okay. It's serious matter that we follow the will of God in our lives and ministry when Jesus comes. You know, there's some sins in our lives, Eddie. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E We call them besetting sins, all right, which are powerful strongholds of Satan in our lives. And I believe they will not be overcome except through prayer and fasting. When done in humility and earnest seeking of God for victory, fasting and prayer will bring deliverance as nothing else can. SPEAKER C There's some weaknesses we inherit. Some people inherit a disposition to alcohol, for example. They may have got that from a grandfather or even a parent. SPEAKER E There's inherited and cultivated, and then the. SPEAKER C Other one is the cultivated. Now, if you've inherited and cultivated it only through in prayer and fasting, you're probably going to obtain the victory over some of those besetting sins. SPEAKER E That's right. Now, the other benefit, apart from I mean, that's a pretty big one. Deliverance from sin and being in the will of God and knowing the will of God and being closer to God. Another benefit is health. SPEAKER C Okay? SPEAKER E Health. And you can read that in Council on Diet and Foods, page 188 and. SPEAKER C 189 says there are some that would be benefited more by abstinence from food for a day or two every week than by any amount of treatment or medical advice. To fast one day a week would be of incalculable benefit to them. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER E So good health plays an important role in our ability to better hear God's voice and overcome the enemy. And so whatever negatively affects the body also adversely affects the mind. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E It is the mind that God communicates with. God communicates us through the mind. The truth is that the clear our minds, the better our communication with God. That's why God gave you have a look in ancient Israel, he gave them the health message, and it says they were the healthiest. There was no disease among them, which means they're clearer in the mind, and if you're clear in the mind, they're clearer to hear. You know, this is why Satan attacks the minds of men and women and youth today. I'm convinced this is one primary reason he has inundated our society today with mind altering drugs as well as other Sampsons and activities that negatively affect the mind. Everything is fast food and just the diet of Westerners specifically today. So let's look at the kinds of fasting. Now, what kinds of fasting there are. So there's what's called a total fast that would eliminate both food and water. SPEAKER D Okay. SPEAKER E And we read of this fast in Ezra, chapter ten, verse six, and Esther, chapter 14, verse 16. Yeah. There was a command to go and destroy every Israelite that's right. By the king. And Esther called the whole nation, every Israelite to not eating anything, water and food for, I don't know, was it a day or three days where they prayed and fast for three days? Yeah, in Ezra, chapter ten, verse six. But basically, there was three days of fasting, and this kind of fast should not last longer than three days. Two fast. There were three days of fasting and food. It was pretty serious stuff. I mean, let's have think about it. Your whole nation is going to be wiped out. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER E And so they went and prayed and fast for three days. SPEAKER C Well, that text there in Ezra, chapter ten, verse six says, then Ezra rose up from before the house of God and went into the chamber of Jehosphan and the son Elisha. And when they came there, he ate no bread and drank no water, for he mourned because of the guilt of those from the captivity. SPEAKER E That's right. And so there was that. And Esther's also was a three day fast. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E So the common fast, though, involves in learning all food while drinking water. Jesus fast in the wilderness was the kind of fast it can go on for longer than three days if led by the Spirit to do so. We're not recommending doing that. But Jesus was led for 40 days. SPEAKER C That's right. SPEAKER D All right. SPEAKER E And he was sustained by miraculous power of God. But most fast is no longer than three days if the Spirit unless the Spirit has led you to do so. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E Another kind of fast is what I call a partial fast. SPEAKER D Okay. SPEAKER E During this fast, several approaches can be taken for a set period of time. One meal can be eliminated, or certain foods can be eliminated. So you can say, okay, I'm going to fast from this sort of food, or might be chocolates, or could be something sugar, or I'm not going to eat this certain types of food. And we read in Medical Ministry, page 283 by Ellen Wine. She says that true fasting, which should be recommended to all, is abstinence from every stimulating kind of food and proper use of wholesome, simple food which God has provided in abundance. Men need to think less of what they shall eat and drink of temporal food, and much more regard to food from heaven that will give tone and vitality to the whole religious experience. SPEAKER C Yeah, it's interesting. Even Daniel had what we call a partial fast as you just mentioned there, there was number three of the three different kinds of fasts. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And Daniel says in Daniel chapter ten, verse two and three says, in those days, I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all till three whole weeks were fulfilled. So he had a three week partial fast? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E From specific stimulating and different foods so that he could focus on being closer to God to hear his will. He wanted to understand the message that the angel had given him. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E In Daniel. And then because of that, Daniel the angel came and told him that message, which was interesting was the message of the 2300 day cleansing of the sanctuary message. Yeah, that's what he really wanted to know. And so incredible, he prayed and fast. There's also what's called a group fast. And we can see this kind of fast in the Scriptures quoted in this chapter when the believers came together for prevailing prayer concerning some serious issues facing the church. An example of this was King Jehosphat. He proclaimed a fast for all of Judah when they were faced with an imminent attack from the alliance of the enemies in Two Chronicles, chapter 20. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER E So he called the whole country to fast. And sometimes there might be a time where your whole church will call a time of prayer and fasting for something that the church wants to do or something serious or crisis or let's say they're running evangelistic meeting or something really important is to call the church for a time of prayer and fasting. SPEAKER C It's interesting, the message actually comes to them while they're praying and fasting that God says, you won't need to fight in this battle. You'll stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. And that's also one of my favorite texts in Two Chronicles, chapter two sorry, 20, verse 20, where it says, believe the Lord your God and you shall be established. Believe his prophets and you shall prosper. Well, let's have a quick break here. Colin. Just go to our contact details and anybody want to get in touch with us regarding these books that we are studying, which is Prayer and Devotionals to Prepare for the latter rain and Jesus Christ Soon Return. It is a 50 day devotional written by Pastor Dennis Smith. So we'll be right back after the short break. Thank you for joining us on You Shall Receive Power. If you would like more information about today's program or if you have any questions, please contact 3ABN Australia Radio by Phoning 024-973-3456. Or you can send an email to [email protected]. You can also contact us on our 3ABN Australia radio Facebook page. We look forward to hearing from you SPEAKER C Welcome back to you shall receive power. And we've been discussing today the importance of prayer and fasting as it is connected with. The baptism of the Holy Spirit, and that through prayer and fasting we can receive a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit, but more power to overcome besetting sins, but also to pray on behalf of other people and to be effective witnesses for Jesus Christ here on earth. We want to be those people who have a form of Godliness and also have the power of the Holy Spirit and the power of Christ and his resurrection in our lives. Now, we looked in the Bible, Jesus as our example. He prayed and fasted. Matter of fact, he started his ministry straight after baptism of the water and baptisms of the Holy Spirit. He had a 40 day fast before he was confronted by those three fierce temptations, temptations which are very common to man, and he overcame on our behalf and through his victory, we can claim that victory by faith as well. But I think prayer and fasting, as we discuss Colin, is very, very important. Then we looked at the example of the disciples that subsequent to Jesus ascension, when he was no longer with them in person, when they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, leading up to that, they were praying and fasting. And they continued set fasting in prayer and also obviously in preaching the word of God. But the preaching and the power of that word was sustained through prayer and fasting. And of course, now we have God's people, this God's Last Day church, who would also be people of prayer and dedicated to God through prayer and fasting and also through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And Isaiah 58 talks about the time of those people who actually afflict their souls. Now, the word afflict those who afflict their souls is actually a language that comes out of the books of Moses during the day of Atonement in Leviticus chapter 16. Leviticus chapter 16, yes. And also we have it in Numbers 29 and also Leviticus 23, every time it talks about them afflicting their souls, the word there in the Greek actually refers to them making themselves weak before God. And how do you make yourself weak? Well, if you stop eating, you become weak, don't you? So then you didn't rely on your own strength anymore. You rely on the strength that God gives you. And in Isaiah 58, which I believe is a specific message to God's last day Church, the church of the Laodiceans that talks there in verse three, it says, Why have we fasted? And they say, and you have not seen why have we afflicted our souls? And you have taken no notice. So there the fasting and the afflicting of the soul is actually connected together. So it's important for us that we humble ourselves. That's an important component not to be like the Pharisees in Jesus Day, which says they go out there to make a bold presentation of their piety by saying, look, I'm fasting today. It's my first time going through the spiritual exercises. But to do it humbly to do it quietly in your inner your private relationship with the Lord at home. And when you go out, even anoint your face, look happy, look cheerful and spend those precious moments with the Lord. Well, dear listener, we pray that you've been blessed by today's study. It's just reemphasized to me the importance of fasting as we connected with prayer to receive a fresh anointing of the power of God through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We pray that you'll be blessed today as you've listened to this program and we look forward to catching up with you next time to speak more about the importance of baptism of the Holy Spirit, to prepare for the latter reign and Jesus Christ's soon return. SPEAKER A Until then, heaven shall declare the glory of his name all Creation vows at the coming of the King every eye shall see every heart will know you you every niche I every dung holy me holy see the coming of the King holy. SPEAKER C You'Ve been listening to a production of Three ABN Australia radio.