HOW TO FACILITATE BREAKTHROUGHS
FASTING AND PRAYERS IS THE CURES FOR DOUBT
By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi
Matthew 17:20 -21 "And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."
The word unbelief is the Greek word ' apaistia' and it means disobedience. The disciples were surprised at the outcome of their prayer. They thought they had no role whatsoever to play in the outcome of a miracle just as most Christians believe . Prayer to them was a mere spiritual ritual that moved God to act on our behalf regardless of our commitment to the laws of faith .
The disciples had earlier been sent on a mission trip and they came back rejoicing at their success of especially in healing the demon possessed through the word. The difference between this situation and the former was the absence of the word. Faith to heal the sick comes from the teaching of God’s word (Rom.10:17). The sick needs to hear the word of God to receive faith for healing. They thought it was within their strength to cure.
The disciples had placed the working of miracles above the teaching of the word of God as instructed by Jesus . Miracles makes a preacher famous and the temptation is to place the working of miracles over the teaching of God’s word, that's why such ministries aren't sustainable. It was their disobedience to this call to teach God’s word that hindered their prayers. God does not condone disobedience, praying while being disobedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit gives satan the advantage. The scriptures says 2cor.10:6 "And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." what this means is that walking in disobedience hinders prayers and breakthroughs.
Every act of disobedience was learned through a responds to stimuli, and the strongest stimuli known to man is food. Man cannot live without food, therefore, the devil uses food as stimuli to lead us in to disobedience. We tend to lean to the area where food is guaranteed whether good or bad. Adam was tempted with food (Gen.3:1-6), Esau lost his birthright through food( Gen.25:34), Daniel refused the Babylonian cuisine in other to maintain his integrity(Dan1:8) .Satan tempted Jesus with food by asking him to turn stone to bread(Matt.4:3-4) . Over ninety percent of persons that withdrew from church activities were lured away by a person that offered them a delicious meal . It is difficult to disobey the hands that feed you. It is the fear of hunger that leads to disobedience by many Christians and this has truncated the destiny of many who have ended up settling for something lesser than what God has planned for them (Matt.16:6-8)
Starving your spirit a balanced diet of God's word because of the love for food destroys faith and prayer (Rom.10:17,Hebrews 4:12) The disciples had been on the mountain with Jesus were He was transfigured before them, pilgrims to Israel will testify that it is quite a high mountain . They were exhausted and apparently hungry when the got down from the mountain and from the text they were distance away from Jesus when they prayed for the sick boy. It was a disorderly prayer which is common when we are hungry and it had no spiritual impact.
Through fasting, we develop a firm resolve to achieve set objectives and are able to overcome distractions and temptations. A person is more in tune with the subconscious when he or she abstains from food and sex. Great minds are not addicted to food. Some of the greatest inventions where achieved at a time of personal abstinence. This is because the human spirit has the capacity to download useful information from the Spirit, this is hindered by drowsiness which is behind the weakness in the mental and spiritual alertness of many persons resulting in bankruptcy . The scriptures says in Proverbs 6:9 -11"How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man." Fasting and prayer while meditating on God's word stimulates spiritual and mental alertness and our faith is made effective.
It is worth noting , that fasting does not increase the power of God at work in the life of a person. The anointing cannot be reduced nor increased by any action of man. The anointing is the same today, tomorrow and forever. The anointing is the Holy Ghost and He never reduces. That's why when the disciples asked why they couldn't cure the boy Jesus said it was their disobedience not because they needed more power. Many Christians have gotten themselves entangled with demonic covenants while seeking for more power.
Fasting is a means to achieve self - discipline. If God commands us to forgive a person or give a tenth of our income as a demonstration of our love for the furtherance of the gospel ,fasting makes it easier to obey this very important act of faith. While fasting we're expected to research scriptures that teach on tithing before Moses was born . Deuteronomy 14:23 teaches that we learn obedience through tithing meaning that giving a tenth of one's income is a type of fasting. Doing this makes us more optimistic about our financial future. Only God can guarantee a person's financial future. There are a lot of rich folks and none of them can comfortably predict the future.
Unfortunately many Christians have been taught that abstinence from food is a cure to all of life's problems despite their disobedience to known commandments in God's word. The proliferation of this teaching is the reason for the weakness in faith of many Christians that has resulted in many seeking for miracles and signs from wherever possible to their detriment .In Mt. 16:1,4a, Jesus taught that such persons will find it hard to be faithful in a marital relationship and are prone to having an unforgiving disposition. The crisis in marital relationships in the church can be traced to those teachings : sound doctrines and love-based christian character shouldn't be sacrificed on the alter of religious zeal.Relationships are sustained by love-based Christian character to which we are enjoined to develop through obedience to God's word(John13:34). Therefore, the period of fasting is the period when we ask the lord to reveal the things that needs changing in our lives while making a commitment to allow Him make the change.
As you read this now receive grace for spiritual and mental alertness for excellence in Jesus name.
Prayer / counseling +2348098536911 +2348035536911 Email :Michaelbensonajayi@gmail.com
By Rev Michael Benson Ajayi
Matthew 17:20 -21 "And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."
The word unbelief is the Greek word ' apaistia' and it means disobedience. The disciples were surprised at the outcome of their prayer. They thought they had no role whatsoever to play in the outcome of a miracle just as most Christians believe . Prayer to them was a mere spiritual ritual that moved God to act on our behalf regardless of our commitment to the laws of faith .
The disciples had earlier been sent on a mission trip and they came back rejoicing at their success of especially in healing the demon possessed through the word. The difference between this situation and the former was the absence of the word. Faith to heal the sick comes from the teaching of God’s word (Rom.10:17). The sick needs to hear the word of God to receive faith for healing. They thought it was within their strength to cure.
The disciples had placed the working of miracles above the teaching of the word of God as instructed by Jesus . Miracles makes a preacher famous and the temptation is to place the working of miracles over the teaching of God’s word, that's why such ministries aren't sustainable. It was their disobedience to this call to teach God’s word that hindered their prayers. God does not condone disobedience, praying while being disobedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit gives satan the advantage. The scriptures says 2cor.10:6 "And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." what this means is that walking in disobedience hinders prayers and breakthroughs.
Every act of disobedience was learned through a responds to stimuli, and the strongest stimuli known to man is food. Man cannot live without food, therefore, the devil uses food as stimuli to lead us in to disobedience. We tend to lean to the area where food is guaranteed whether good or bad. Adam was tempted with food (Gen.3:1-6), Esau lost his birthright through food( Gen.25:34), Daniel refused the Babylonian cuisine in other to maintain his integrity(Dan1:8) .Satan tempted Jesus with food by asking him to turn stone to bread(Matt.4:3-4) . Over ninety percent of persons that withdrew from church activities were lured away by a person that offered them a delicious meal . It is difficult to disobey the hands that feed you. It is the fear of hunger that leads to disobedience by many Christians and this has truncated the destiny of many who have ended up settling for something lesser than what God has planned for them (Matt.16:6-8)
Starving your spirit a balanced diet of God's word because of the love for food destroys faith and prayer (Rom.10:17,Hebrews 4:12) The disciples had been on the mountain with Jesus were He was transfigured before them, pilgrims to Israel will testify that it is quite a high mountain . They were exhausted and apparently hungry when the got down from the mountain and from the text they were distance away from Jesus when they prayed for the sick boy. It was a disorderly prayer which is common when we are hungry and it had no spiritual impact.
Through fasting, we develop a firm resolve to achieve set objectives and are able to overcome distractions and temptations. A person is more in tune with the subconscious when he or she abstains from food and sex. Great minds are not addicted to food. Some of the greatest inventions where achieved at a time of personal abstinence. This is because the human spirit has the capacity to download useful information from the Spirit, this is hindered by drowsiness which is behind the weakness in the mental and spiritual alertness of many persons resulting in bankruptcy . The scriptures says in Proverbs 6:9 -11"How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man." Fasting and prayer while meditating on God's word stimulates spiritual and mental alertness and our faith is made effective.
It is worth noting , that fasting does not increase the power of God at work in the life of a person. The anointing cannot be reduced nor increased by any action of man. The anointing is the same today, tomorrow and forever. The anointing is the Holy Ghost and He never reduces. That's why when the disciples asked why they couldn't cure the boy Jesus said it was their disobedience not because they needed more power. Many Christians have gotten themselves entangled with demonic covenants while seeking for more power.
Fasting is a means to achieve self - discipline. If God commands us to forgive a person or give a tenth of our income as a demonstration of our love for the furtherance of the gospel ,fasting makes it easier to obey this very important act of faith. While fasting we're expected to research scriptures that teach on tithing before Moses was born . Deuteronomy 14:23 teaches that we learn obedience through tithing meaning that giving a tenth of one's income is a type of fasting. Doing this makes us more optimistic about our financial future. Only God can guarantee a person's financial future. There are a lot of rich folks and none of them can comfortably predict the future.
Unfortunately many Christians have been taught that abstinence from food is a cure to all of life's problems despite their disobedience to known commandments in God's word. The proliferation of this teaching is the reason for the weakness in faith of many Christians that has resulted in many seeking for miracles and signs from wherever possible to their detriment .In Mt. 16:1,4a, Jesus taught that such persons will find it hard to be faithful in a marital relationship and are prone to having an unforgiving disposition. The crisis in marital relationships in the church can be traced to those teachings : sound doctrines and love-based christian character shouldn't be sacrificed on the alter of religious zeal.Relationships are sustained by love-based Christian character to which we are enjoined to develop through obedience to God's word(John13:34). Therefore, the period of fasting is the period when we ask the lord to reveal the things that needs changing in our lives while making a commitment to allow Him make the change.
As you read this now receive grace for spiritual and mental alertness for excellence in Jesus name.
Prayer / counseling +2348098536911 +2348035536911 Email :Michaelbensonajayi@gmail.com
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