How To Connect With God - Fasting

Well, I'm glad in that kind of a praise that the sincerity is absolute. You can see it and you can sense it. Now, we do this all the time, but we're not just going through the motions because we've got a God that is worthy of praise. No matter how many services we have given him praise, he is worthy. Praise God.

You may be seated. And we need that touch and praise an anointing of the Lord. And I'm thankful that it's in our worship time of music. His word is anointed and we as his vessels uh can be anointed. Whether we are in a pull pit or whether we are sitting from a chair standing to our feet, we need his anointed anointing.

The series is connecting with God that we are in this month and the previous topics connecting through prayer, connecting through the word of God. And tonight our topic is fasting. Connecting with God through fasting. That's one of the basic and we have just come through that time for apostolic Pentecostal church. It's one of the basic integral most powerful and spiritually strengthening practices of the book of acts church both then and now.

It's interesting that the fasting was such a vital part of the life of the New Testament church in both big decisions and then in daytoday lifestyle daily moments. When you look at it, of course, thank the Lord that he provided creation and he made it so that we could eat. But it is interesting when you look, Satan usually does this. He takes something that is pure and he twists it. It's interesting to track through scripture as to how many times Satan used eating to ensnare humanity in sin.

In the very beginning there was the fruit in the in the garden. In Noah's day says they were eating and drinking uh in Sodom and in Israel. And then in the end time he says as it was in the days of Noah. The idea is not that eating is wrong. Thank the Lord, but it became a priority in those cases, rising above other things.

But God uses fasting to prepare and equip humanity in the spirit with the power and the direction and the supernatural power that is needed. Now, fasting, and I' I'll just be admit this. Fasting is not a comfortable word or subject. This isn't an aisle runner tonight. Um, but it's spiritually vital.

>> So, that's not an apology to erase it. Now, when pastor says in staff meeting, uh, near the Christmas season, we got a week, we're going to have a week off. Office is going to be closed during that week. I like that announcement. But a few months ago, he said, "And prayer and fasting is coming up." Not so much, not so much excitement, but it's vital and it's important and it's something that is very very necessary in our lives.

One writer said, "Fasting, writing about Christryendom in general, fasting is obsolete in so much of Christianity today, but it's an absolute with the abs apostolic church in our lifestyle. And it is important." And tonight we're going to hit portions of fasting. Uh what is fasting? How, when, who, why? And if we recognize and understand about those aspects of fasting and the importance of it, I think that would pull us to being even more willing to fast and of course pray.

The text is Matthew chapter 6. Jesus is speaking and teaching here. Matthew 6 and verse 16. It's interesting how he words this. Moreover, when you fast.

So Jesus just assumed that we would be fasting as his followers. He didn't say if. He said when you do, he's given some instructions. He sought be not as the hypocrites. I put on the brakes the other day when I was reading that again.

Hypocrites fast. That's what he said. And that made me go h as the hypocrites of a sad countenance. They disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men. That's a key phrase.

They're they're fasting. They wanted to appear unto men that they're fasting. Verily I say unto you, they will have their reward. Verse 17, but thou when you fast, he talks about two common daily customs that Jewish people followed. They would use an ointment.

And he says, anoint your head. there was some kind of uh anointment, some oil that would help them to appear and uh better cleaner. He said, "Anoint your head and wash your face." This was common everyday practice for the Jews. And he said, "Treat that fast day even though it doesn't feel like every other day, treat that fast day as in your appearance as any other day that you appear not unto men to fast." And here's another key phrase. But unto your father.

When we're fasting, we're doing it before and unto the Lord. And all of that's in secret. But your father which sees in secret shall reward you openly. So what first of all, what is fasting? Uh the it's some of the words that are translated from both the Hebrew and the Greek uh give us an idea.

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word, it gives a word picture. It literally means to cover the mouth. That's what the word fasting, how it's translated, to cover the mouth. So, in other words, to keep something from entering, to keep food or uh drink from entering. Another meaning of the the word fasting in the Old Testament Hebrew is to afflict the soul.

So when they were saying I am fasting they were saying I am impacting and trying to make a difference in my inner life in my soul. Fasting is a natural act but I guarantee you from the word of the Lord it has a spiritual effect. We may wonder how God can get a spiritual effect out of a natural act. But he knows how to do that. You know it's the same way with worship.

Clapping of our hands. What does that mean? A lot of people clap their hands. But when we do it, as we were doing it a while ago, God recognizes it and it's taken in heaven as that worship that we were singing about and giving to the Lord. In the New Testament, the word is to abstain from food.

Fasting is mentioned over 80 times in the scripture. So that's a little bit of a definition of what is fasting, how to fast and want to teach a little bit about the different types of fast that are offered in scripture and then there are others and then also about the mindset and the attitude of the how of fasting. There's what's called the absolute fast. It's pointed out in uh the book of Acts and in Ezra and in other places. That is the abstaining from both food and water liquids there.

That's the absolute fast. There's also the food fast. No food eaten but liquid or water able to be taken. Both fasts uh can be and should be practiced by the believer at times. There's also the partial fast and that's where the diet is restricted.

Something that has been rather common in in the world is what's called the Daniel fast. It's mainly vegetables, no sugars and that kind of thing. Uh if perhaps for health reasons a person cannot do other types of fast, let's say the absolute fast, they can fast certain foods or certain items that they enjoy but are not required for them in their health condition. Now, I I've heard some people say, "Well, that's too easy or letting the flesh off the hook." Not true. Not true.

If this fast is all a person can legitimately do be for health reasons and they fast sincerely, God accepts that and God blesses that. Although this is also true that if a person can do more and would use this as an excuse to not fully sacrifice or commit, the purpose and the effectiveness of the fast would not be what God intends for it to be. There's also media fast or reading fast. And so it's not only going without food or liquid, but we can fast from other things. Sometimes those are even as difficult if not more difficult than the food or liquid fast.

Now the scripture in summary of those different kinds of fast. The scriptures do not set a requirement as to the type of fast. It just shows the various types of scripture. Here's the answer. It's left to the sensitivity.

It's left to the sensitivity of the individual as to which fast is to be used. So the question and uh you may have uh asked this question yourself or had it asked you which fast to use. Here's a simple answer. Be sensitive to God's direction. Be sensitive to God's direction.

There may be times that the individual feels compelled to the absolute fast. They should definitely follow that sensitivity. Other times they may be directed to another one of the fasts, the food fast or the partial fast. The important thing is be sensitive, be willing. Be sensitive.

Be willing. And about the mindset on the how of fasting, how to approach it, the attitude, our approach, our motive, our mindset, how we think about it, what we think about fasting. If we'll do it with humility, humbly. Matthew 6:18 says that you appear not unto men. Evidently, some were fasting to make a show of their spirituality.

So, we do it with humility. And Jesus offered the two instructions there in verse 17. Basically, he's saying, "Look normal and look cheerful." So that when you appear in public, you do not appear unto men as though you're fasting or suffering. although there probably is some suffering with fasting. So he talks about washing and the application of ointments.

And then secondly, Jesus taught when fasting, fast for God, verse 18, to appear not unto men but unto your father which is in secret, so that he will see in secret and reward you openly. So Jesus was teaching our approach should be not for an outward show or to impress people or to demonstrate our holiness or piety or our zeal but to do that as a commitment unto the Lord. And then during that time of fasting, placing focus upon God and upon spiritual things as much as possible on that time that when you are fasting, give God and the things of God your attention on those times. Saturate the fast day. If you're taking a day with spiritual thoughts, with reading the word, listening to godly music, listening to godly messages, podcasts, whatever it might be, messages and sermons.

And someone has offered this. It's a great idea. The time normally given to meals, give those to prayer and the word of God. And that will increase the effectiveness of the fast because we are focusing on God and Jesus instruction was to fast unto God. Now when should we fast?

What about a time frame? What about a schedule? Again the simple answer is be sensitive. Be sensitive. Allow the spirit and the word to direct you.

Now fasting is generally prompted in two main ways. First of all, we'll call it by inspiration. That's when the spirit of God prompts us to fast because of some special need that's known or maybe it's even an unknown need to you. But you felt compelled to fast. We feel a burden.

We feel a need. We feel a desire to give ourselves in fasting. And I would offer to you the times that that has been the main motive. I found that is an easier time to fast. Now you still get hungry.

Um Luke asked me a while ago. He asked me what I was teaching. I said about fasting. And he said, "What's the good of fasting if you get hungry?" I said, "I'm gonna try to explain that tonight, Luke. I don't think I'm going to succeed, but Uh I did hear one person say that every hunger pain they just kind of counted that as an extra blessing that's coming you know so there's different ways of of looking at it but it there's an inspiration that come and I'm sure that many of you if not all of you have fasted at times where there you just knew there was a prompting to fast unto the Lord.

Um so we feel that burden, we feel that need. Now I would say we it can't be relied upon completely or only because sometimes seasons of inspiration or feeling are few and far between. And uh like I said about prayer and fasting week, you know, I you know, nobody's ever run the aisles when we made that announcement. Hey, we're going to going into prayer and fasting, you know. So there's also what I would call the prompting of commitment.

No special need, no special feeling, just commitment moves us to fast. Dedication and consecration to God's cause, to his kingdom prompts us to fast simply because number one, it is taught in scripture. It's an apostolic element that is a part of God's apostolic church and the apostolic believer and there are times when it is asked of us by our leadership. So there doesn't have to be a need or an inspiring feeling or have a desperate reason that we would fast. But because it's directed in the word of God and because according to scripture it is a regular practice of a believer's life and there Anna has talked about in the New Testament Luke chapter 2 serving God with fastings and prayers night and day Paul it talks about in fasting often spiritual disciplines such as fasting prayer Bible reading cannot be carried out in the believer's life by inspiration or feeling only because we won't always feel like praying.

We won't always feel like reading the word. We won't always feel like fasting. Self-control and self-discipline are essential for the believer, especially in those areas of prayer and fasting. Regulate and schedule a time of fasting for your life on a consistent basis. And then also of course when a fast is called uh what what that's saying is the time of prayer quarterly prayer and fasting that is a great time to fast but it should not be the only time that a believer fast.

I'm thankful the reason I learned how important fasting is and and was in in my past life is because at home every Tuesday was fast day. Now, as a kid, Wednesday was a look forward to day. We fasted all of Tuesday and then Wednesday morning, mom would fix a big breakfast. But my parents were training us about the importance of fasting. Now, I dad never whipped us because we didn't fast.

They strongly encouraged us to fast and I didn't want to put up any kind of an argument about fasting or anything else they asked. So Tuesdays was family fast day. I can say as I look back I am so thankful for that regular scheduled time of we're going to give this time to God. We're going to do what God has told us in his word. And so do not fast or fail to fast because others do it or because others do not fast.

But make we must make our own commitments. And there is a blessing that awaits us. Whether it's a fast by inspiration or whether it's a fast that is by commitment. Who should fast according to the scripture? Who should fast?

Basically, anyone and everyone who is a believer can should fast. We can give up something. What's behind that is I want to draw closer to you, God. What's behind that is I want your I want to be in your presence and I want your presence to be in me. So, every believer, every church member should fast.

Fasting has always been a normal part of a relationship with God. It shouldn't be as has happened in Christian and become obsolete. That's not how scripture views it. So Jesus just expected in Matthew 6:16, he said it when you fast, he assumes fasting on the believer's part. He expected and knew that it would be a regular practice of you and I as believers.

The main questions are not, do I have to fast to be spiritual? Do I have to fast to make it to heaven? Do I have to fast to be used by God? Do I have to fast just because a leader requested? Here's the main question.

Do I want to be closer to God? Do I want to be more detached from this world? do I want to develop a deeper dedication to his values and his word and his will? How close do I want to be with God? How deep of a relationship do I desire with him?

How much of his power? I'm just going to tell you in this world and and I believe prayer and fasting are weapons that God has given us as well as ways to draw close to him. I just I I just feel this in my spirit to offer this today. It's not in the notes. Don't go weaponless through this life.

Spiritually weaponless because these battles are too big for us, folks. They are too big for us. But through the weapons of his word, his blood, his spirit, we can be overcomers because greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world. Fasting is one of the secrets. It's a key step to a deeper relationship with God.

Now, why fast? Some of that's already been answered, especially in the the recent comments, but why fast? Now, fasting is more than a dieting process, but you will lose weight. Fasting is more than missing a meal or two because we're too tired or busy. We talked about motive a few minutes ago.

All right. It's more than a hunger strike for a cause. It is healthy to fast, but it's more than that. It's more than just to obtain health. I think it that's unique too that fasting can be very healthy for the body.

Um, how bad do we want to be healthy? I guess follows that follow-up question. Fasting is more than a punishment imposed upon ourselves or by an authority because fasting is not an end in itself. It's a means of focusing our minds and bodies for a spiritual, godly, holy purpose. Truly effective fast help us as believers to align our hearts with God's heart.

God, what do you think about this? Maybe it's a decision. God, how are you assessing my my life or my lifestyle or my relationship? Fasting brings us into a realm where we can ask those questions and we get in alignment with the Lord. It aligns our hearts with God's heart, his principles, his values.

Fasting is for spiritual growth and spiritual preparation. One of our core values is growth. And one of the key factors of growth are one of the key goals of that core value is spiritual growth. Of course, numerical growth and other growth, but core value of growth. When we pray, we attach ourselves to God.

When we fast, we detach ourselves from the earth. We need more of God and less of earth. That's how prayer and fasting can benefit us. There are many other purposes for fasting in the scripture in the book of Daniel and we're going to have some folks read from the scripture and you can turn there. I I think it'll also be on the screen.

different purpose. When you read through the scripture, there is a whole list and I won't be able to touch them all tonight. Purposes for fasting. And my hope is that maybe if you find yourself in one of these situations that you could say, okay, one of my answers here is to fast about this situation. In Daniel chapter 2, uh, verses 2 and three, and then also a little bit later in that chapter, Daniel talked about fasting.

And the writer talked about fasting to obtain wisdom and understanding. Daniel chapter 2, pastor, would you read please? >> I'm Daniel chapter nine, I'm sorry. >> Yeah. >> Verse two >> says, "In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood by books the number of the years where the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet that he would accomplish 70 years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

And I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackloth and ashes. And I prayed unto the Lord my God and made my confession and said, "Oh Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him and to them that keep his commandments." >> All right. And in that opening verse of verse two, he's talking about wanting to understand more about the times that they are living in. And so through he set himself to prayer and fasting, we will be sensitive not only to God but how God is viewing the times that we are in. And um it's it's important to have a God knowledge of now we don't understand all of the reasons of what all that's happening in this world but I believe we can understand some of them or we can accept some of them where it would be hard for our flesh alone say I don't understand this but you set yourself to prayer and fasting and God will set a context of wisdom and help us and if nothing else if we go humbly and fasting.

There's there's stuff that's happening and when you hear it in the news, I I'll put this on you. When I hear it in the news, I get aggravated. But I come back to what scripture says. God is in control. He's still on the throne.

We get all caught up in these new cycles. And we can get depressed and and some of the stuff we hear, it's it's horrible to hear about it. But there is still a God in heaven that is on the throne. And Daniel needed to understand about the times that he was dealing with in captivity and other things. And toward the end of that chapter uh verses 22 and 23, pastor, >> he informed me and talked with me and said, "Oh Daniel, I'm now come forth to give thee skill and understanding." >> Hold on just a minute, pastor.

Yeah. >> I didn't have you read verse 21, but he's talking about the angel that visited the angel that visited during that time. I can't guarantee you that for every day you fast or every meal you fast that there will be an angelic presentation. But I will tell you it's possible to have a visitation from heaven and maybe an angelic visitation. It happened.

You know why? Because he got sensitive to the presence and the power of God and God knew what he needed. And at a needed time, uh, God will send an angelic presence to help the individuals that are in a time of need. So go ahead, pastor, finish. >> At the beginning of thy supplications, the commandment came forth, and I am come to show thee, for thou art greatly, beloved.

Therefore, understand the matter, and consider the vision. >> Hallelujah. He had set himself to fasting. And look at that encouragement in verse 23. He said, "At the beginning of thy supplications." In another place, he talked about, "I heard you from the first day.

I heard you." Anybody prayed and you feel like, "Oh, man. I don't know how much good that did." God God sent that angel and said, "Your prayers are doing good, Daniel. They're they're doing good." And uh I want to show you this. And here's another point of encouragement. We can all take this tonight.

You are greatly beloved. He told Daniel, praise God. I feel that love right here in this room right now. We need to we need to know we are greatly beloved. We none of us are perfect.

But we don't have to be perfect for God to love us. >> And Daniel was in captivity and he was going through some time of depression and struggle. And the angel comes during that time of fasting. I just feel like telling somebody, you give yourself to a commitment to God and there's going to be an affirmation of the love of God. Now, God's going to love us if we fast or we don't fast.

But I'll tell you what, if we need that affirmation from God when at time of humility and giving ourselves to him, so it was wisdom in Judges chapter 20, uh the tribes were were fighting and so what do you do? There was God's wrath was ready to be poured out. Brother Chris, would you read Judges 20 26? >> Then all the children of Israel and all the people went up and came unto the house of God and wept and sat there before the Lord and fasted that day until evening and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. >> And the next verse is going to say that they inquired of the Lord.

When you're in a time of struggle and battle, fasting and prayer works. >> It worked in the book of Acts. It still works today. >> Maybe it is obsolete in Christendom. Maybe maybe it has worked its way out of a person's life.

Maybe it has worked its way out. And I'm thankful that it's still part of apostolic churches. >> I preached at the Way of Life Church. They they believe this apostolic doctrine. At the close of the service, the bishop and I were chatting and she said, "You know, pastor," she said, "I I just feel like so many churches are just going through the motions." And she wasn't being critical.

She said, "I don't want that to happen here." I told him the other day when I stepped to the pull pit, it's their month of consecration, prayer and fasting. I said, "This is a setup, folks." I said, "If a preacher can't preach here during the month of consecration, his preach is broke. And it encouraged me to hear her talk about the necessity. And it's not only her, but I know several churches I I've seen posts and I've talked to ministers and they're in the midst of 21 days or 31 days. Cheryl was here last week to visit dad and visit visit us.

The week before the week before they had prayer and fasting in Nixa church. She gets up here and it's our week of prayer and fasting. She was headed to Huck and Nats and it was their time of prayer and fasting. I said, "Huck, did she come in speaking in tongues or what?" When she got there, thank God it's still a part of the apostolic church. I never attained this, but there was a special time of need.

And to this day, I don't know what that need was, but Pastor Branding put a cot in the office and for seven days did not leave that office that the church building and gave himself to fasting and prayer. Fasting and prayer. I've seen other people in I know of other people in this room that when there was a dire need they did times of prayer and f extended times three days five days seven days it still works and in that case in judges they averted the wrath of God. 2 Coronicles chapter 20 and verse three the children of Israel were surrounded and they needed the help of God. 2 Chronicles chapter 20 and verse three.

>> And Jehoshaphat feared and set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. >> So the whole story is there's three enemies that have surrounded the people of God. And basically the king, the leader said, "We don't know what to do." But that leader said, "Here's one thing I know we're going to do." Now, they sang praises and they they praised God and they worshiped God, but they trusted God and they set a fast. Why I said a while ago, avoid being weaponless because we're going to be surrounded at times. I don't know.

I I'll I'll ask for your response a little bit here, but aren't there times when we feel surrounded and by that I mean pressured and something happens here and then here's another disappointment and here's another trial and here's this and we just feel surrounded. Jehoshaphat said, "Here's what I'm going to do. I'm not going to bail out. I'm not going to fail God. I'm gonna trust the Lord and we're gonna praise God and we're gonna depend on his word and we're going to go to fasting.

We're gonna go to fasting. We're gonna go to fasting and prayer. And God gave them a great deliverance. It was a miraculous deliverance. God can do anything.

We've heard about miracles and answers to prayer. God can do anything. He has power and we seek his supernatural power through prayer and through fasting. and God gave them the victory that they needed. There there's several others.

They they they prayed and fasted for protection. There's nothing wrong with that. Pray for protection. When the walls were broken down in Jerusalem by the attack of the enemy and Nehemiah heard about it, he wanted restoration. Brother Rever, would you read Nehemiah chapter 1 and verse4?

And it came to pass when I heard these words that I sat down and wept and mourned certain days and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. We talked about fasting unto God. Look what he did. He prayed before the God of heaven. to Nehemiah.

It didn't matter if anybody else knew or if anybody else saw, but he was so overwhelmed because something had been devastated. The holy city of Jerusalem. If there's a need for restoration, pray and fast. If there's a need for things to be put back together, he said that that description that that he just read, Nehemiah said, I sat down. I slowed down.

In other words, I didn't try to ignore this or rush past this. I slowed down and I wept and I mourned certain days. He don't tell us how many days, but we've all had those times when all we could do was weep and cry and be broken and we weren't wimpy. We weren't whining. We weren't wanting sympathy.

We weren't It wasn't our hearts were crushed. Our hearts were hit. But Nehemiah said, "Here's what I did. I fasted and I prayed before. There's still a God in heaven that hears every prayer we pray.

Oh God. God, I don't want to ever lose the keys of prayer and fasting. Is it enjoyable? No. I hope I'm not being discouraging, but and I want you to think well of me, but I don't look forward to those times.

I mean, my flesh does it, but I know the result that's going to come. I know the result that's going to come. And I thought about Jehoshaphat calling that fast. Thank you, pastor, for calling us to fasting and prayer. And I really mean that.

I don't always feel that, but I mean it. They needed Nehemiah needed to hear from God for the consolation of his mind. Listen, look, there is a peace from God. I feel this. There is a peace from God that's going to come through your fasting and your prayer.

There is a peace from God. He needed the consolation of mind. That's why he was weeping. He was a strong man. He was a leader.

We know what he did eventually. He wasn't wimpy or weak. He just was at a place where he didn't know what to do and he was broken and he knew the people of God needed a restoration. I'm gonna tell you, God will respond to a fast for restoration. Maybe if the walls of your life, the walls of your marriage, the walls of your family are being attacked and destroyed.

Fasting, prayer, dependence upon God for a restoration. Oh, I tell you, it's interesting. to read about Nineveh. What an evil city and an evil. Jonah got mad because he knew the history of Nineveh.

He knew all the atrocities that it like it it'd be like uh us to say go and um save the city that Bin Laden was in or Saddam Hussein was in. go preach and and get him to the altar. Well, he needed it, but there isn't a whole lot of us that wanted him to pray through. That's the way Jonah felt about Nineveh and the leadership. But God said, "I have mercy here." And it is so interesting.

Jonah chapter 3. And the people of Nineveh believed God. Verse 5. And proclaimed a fast, put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them, the least. The word came into the king of Nineveh.

And he rose from his throne of throne. And he laid his robe from him, covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, "Let neither man," now look at this. Look at this. "Let neither man nor beast." The dogs had a fast day.

I'm tell that's what it says. Don't let them taste anything. Let them not feed nor drink water. Let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. And you know what that is?

It's a little funny to us. But what it is is desperation. Desperation. They were wanting salvation. They knew that wrath was coming from Almighty God.

And they got their hearts pointed back toward the Lord, but man and beast. And verse nine, who can tell if God will turn and repent and turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not? And verse 10, and God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way. God keeps good books, good records, and whenever we're praying and whenever we're fasting, he's going to And God repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them, and he did it not. Fasting and prayer will work for repentance.

It ties in with that humility. There's so many other even Jesus to start his ministry 40 days in the wilderness. Unquestionably fasting is an essential irreplaceable element of a leader's life, a minister's life. Jesus is the example for for us there. Fasting affects God.

Fasting can affect the devil. But its greatest effect is the individual who is fasting. I'm going to tell you, there's some great results of prayer and fasting. We've touched just a few, but Moses was fasting. He fasted for 40 days and that's when he received the law.

Daniel was fasting and he received that vision of 70 weeks. It's a way to lay aside the flesh and get in the presence of God and receive answers from God that cannot come from man's ability. You know what? I thank God for everything that man can do and that we can accomplish. Fasting and prayer can go beyond man's influence and man's ideas.

kings, leaders, lawyers, psychiatrists. There's nothing wrong with any of those. Family counselors, doctors, nurses, there's nothing wrong with any one of those. We need them in our world. But fasting and prayer can go beyond what man's influence and ideas can do.

True fasting brings us into alignment with God. Would you stand together with me, please? Some of you have already perhaps done this this week, but I'm going to ask you if you would in an effort to put the teaching of the word of God into practice before the next seven days go out, would you choose a day and choose an approach to fast unto God? You don't have to tell anybody about it. You can if you want to, but you don't have to tell anybody about it.

But just make the commitment because it is an element of every apostolic believer's life and just make that commitment. Let's thank the Lord together for his word. Lord, I want to thank you for your word and I want to thank you for what you've placed into the church. praying your word, fasting, and every other way that you've given us to connect to you. And that's what we want.

That's been the vision of this month of lessons, to be able to connect with you and align ourselves with you. We thank you now, Lord, for your word in Jesus name.