TOPIC: PRAYER & FASTING
TEXT : Matthew 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
Memory verse: Acts 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
FOCUS
This morning we are looking at another facilitator of vision and it is fasting and prayer. There are certain level of glory you will never attain in your vision, unless you add fasting and prayer to it. What is Fasting? Fasting is not consecration as we said but you consciously and deliberately absent yourself from eating, you will not eat or drink because you are seeking the face of God in unfolding the phase of your vision to you.
There are so many times that the visioner will need to separate himself even though from whosoever he is leading, whether it is family, company, business colleagues and just seek the face of God. Like I earlier said that your vision came from God and from God alone. So, you have to understand that if God does not unveil your vision, you are not likely to get the future details of what the vision statement contains. That is why you have to be fast to unveil the secrets of your vision. If vision is handed over to you by someone, let’s say you are the second in command you have to understand the stage that the vision is, who are your audience and the strategies to accomplish the vision.
So, you must know the time you are because different timing for different vision. There are times in vision that you have to keep planting. In this season, no one will appreciate or give you anything, you just have to keep sowing. Another time comes you have to start nurturing your seed and another time comes, you begin to harvest the seed your have sowed. So you must understand different season for different vision. If you don’t understand this, when you are in planting season, you might think that you are already in your harvest and impatience can destroy vision. I pray that God will give us the grace so we can give ourself to fasting and effective prayer life.
LESSON
Daniel 9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
We are talking about the place of fasting and prayer in vision realization. We are going to look at a man called Daniel, this man was so gifted he had so many visions but there’s one thing that made him stand out, he gave himself to fasting and prayer. God wants us to be so blessed but there’s something He wants us to do and it is to seek Him in fasting and prayer.
There’s are certain levels of blessings we will not enjoy until we seek God in fasting and prayer. A little fasting will do you a lot of good. Add prayer to your fast, don’t just be absent from food, make sure that you constantly pray. Fasting without prayer is hunger strike. When you are fasting and have not dedicated a particular time for prayer, it is hunger strike.
Anytime you declare a fast, observe the hours of prayer, get into the word of God. Don’t just fast by not eating physical food, make sure you also feast on the word of God, pray, let God know you are ready for a new phase, let God explain to you, the nots in your vision. Every vision has nots, there will be a stage in your life you will be wondering, did God really tell me to do this?
How do you handle the opposition of your vision? It is in fasting and prayer. Tell God, the people that are hindering me, help me to overcome and so shall it be in Jesus Name. Amen
PERSONAL CONFESSION
I receive grace for a life of fasting and prayers as a visionary.
PRAYER FOCUS
Father help me to be sold out to you completely in fasting and in prayers
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Until you are sold out to God in prayers and fasting, He can not showcase you to your world
Fasting and Prayers is a must if your vision must speak