21 October 2007
1. Introduction:
· God has been speaking to the Church through Prophetic Ministry.
· Growth of Bay City as a Body is determined by the decisions of individuals to grow.
· Choice – Don’t stay at current level of confinement, limitations.
· God wants to revisit places of personal defeat (Ai) so it can be redeemed.
· Joshua 3:5 - “Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you”.
- You prepare for your future by choices you make today.
- God’s purpose is to “do wonders among you” - depends on a individual response.
- Wonders = something beyond natural ability or limitations, extraordinary.
- Sanctify = to separate, dedicate, make clean, devote to the service of the Lord.
- Now is the time to prepare for increase and growth and enlargement in 2008.
2. Fasting Prepares us for Enlargement:
a) Fasting is a normal part of the walk with God:
· Matthew 6:16-18 - When you fast.
· “When” not ‘if’ - implies that fasting is normal in the Christian life.
· Secret fasting is rewarded openly by God.
· Fasting prepares and positions you for enlargement.
b) Fasting lays the Foundations for Enlargement:
· Luke 5:33-39 - New wine must be put into new wineskins.
· Jesus is talking about fasting.
· New wine = fresh impartation of the supernatural life of the Holy Spirit.
· Wineskins = the structure, container, lifestyle, ways of operating.
· Wineskins get old and inflexible – it must be re-oiled or replaced.
· Without an enlarging capacity, increase cannot be contained.
· Resistance to change is normal – don’t be surprised.
· What have you settled for? Where have you contained or limited God?
· Change agents – Prayer, fasting, lifestyle changes.
3. The Breakthroughs Fasting Brings:
· Fasting needs to have a focus – a clear purpose!
· Bible abounds in stories of people who experienced enlargement through fasting.
· Fasting doesn’t make God more - it positions us for a better future.
Examples of Supernatural Breakthroughs – Enlargement:
i) Increase in Faith:
· Matthew 17:19-21 - “Why could we not cast it out?” - your unbelief.
· Some demonic spirits are not moved easily.
· No limitations when there is faith – prayer and fasting raise faith level.
· Prayer and fasting empowers us to overcome resistance.
ii) Breakthrough Demonic Resistance:
· Daniel 10:2-6 - Daniel’s fast.
· Daniel 10:12-13 - Answer to prayer was immediate but delayed by spiritual resistance.
· God always hears a prayer of faith and responds – sometimes spirits block the manifestation.
· Prayer and fasting brings release of the supernatural.
iii) Release of Power:
· Luke 4:1 - Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into a season of prayer and fasting.
· Luke 4:14 - Jesus returned in the Power of the Holy Spirit.
· Power was released in Jesus’ life through prayer and fasting.
iv) Unlocking the Supernatural Realm:
· Acts 10:30-31 - “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour”.
· Cornelius had an Angelic visitation – move of the Holy Spirit in household.
· His prayer, fasting and giving i.e. lifestyle attracted God’s attention.
· Acts 10:44-46 - The Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the Word.
v) Break Free of Limitations:
· 2 Chronicles 20:2-4 - Jehosophat feared and sat himself to seek the Lord.
· Jehosophat faced overwhelming circumstances (verse 2) that intimidated him.
· Fear can paralyze, can quench the gifts and abilities God has given.
· Prayer and fasting brought release of Rhema (verses 14-17) that overcome intimidation.
vi) Direction for Family and Finances:
· Ezra 8:21 - “I’ll proclaim a fast….to seek a right way from Him for us and our little ones and all our possessions”.
· The next generations needed clear direction and protection.
· God delivered them and their families from demonic attachment (verse 31).
vii) Increase Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit:
· Luke 2:37-38 - “Anna … served God with prayer and fasting day and night”.
· Anna was a woman of God – prayer and fasting a lifestyle.
· “Coming out at that instant” - supernatural timing.
· Release the Prophetic Word concerning the purpose of God in her day.
4. Action! What will you do?:
· Joshua 3:5 - “Sanctify yourself – for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders”.
i) Define a Purpose - Why? What id the objective? Make it clear.
ii) Set a period time - How long? Full or partial?
iii) Strengthen your prayer and time in the Word of God.
iv) Journal what the Holy Spirit shows you.
v) Face the issues He exposes – grief? Disappointment? Offence? Loss of dreams? Sin?
vi) Make lifestyle changes.
vii) Expect God to move – reward.