THE WORLD SHOULD FAST AND PRAY
First Bible Lesson: Romans 4:1-2
"What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh has found?
For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God."
Second Bible Lesson: Luke 5:35
"But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days."
Golden Text: Matthew 17:21
"Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."
Look at my red garment. Listen to the Word of God. Receive the word of God as your bona-fide property and use it, for it is life and it is truth. Believe in God, for whosoever receiveth these words receiveth God and such a person has everlasting life.
Certain sections of the Efik Bible are condemned because facts of vital truths have been omitted. The Lord Jesus Christ said that whosoever will break the least of these commandments and will teach others to break it will be called the least in the kingdom of God. (Matt 5:19).
It is unfortunate to note that the Efik version of the Bible does not contain the word "FASTING". This is omitted not because they forgot but because they do not believe in the importance and in the role fasting plays in the life of an individual. The omission is a deliberate act because the writers had rejected the Gospel.
The disciples of Christ asked him why they could not cast out demon and He replied them saying that if they were to have faith like the grain of mustard seed, they would say to the mountain to be removed and it will be removed. (Matt 17:20). He explained that they could not do this except through fasting and praying. If this power is tied to fasting, why is it that we do not have the word fasting in Efik version of the Bible. It is because of the rejection of this word that there is no more power in the world. If you are following someone and the person goes a step forward, you will also go a step forward. If he sits down you will also sit down.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Mediator. He has declared that all those who had come before him were thieves and robbers (John 10:8). He has also said that whosoever will follow him will never stumble or fall. It is incumbent upon the whole world to follow him since He is the Mediator.
Why is it that different denominations and individuals are seeking for power but they reject fasting and prayer? Do you hear what the Lord Jesus Christ Himself said, that he could not do this work except through fasting and prayer.
Today, I am preaching to the whole world. Those who want to hear, if you do not fast and pray, it means that you do not honour Our Lord Jesus Christ and believe in Him.
You say you are a Christian but you feel ashamed or afraid to fast and pray. What type of Christian are you? The Lord Jesus Christ who is the King of kings, Lord of lords, the head and leader fasted for forty days and forty nights. (Matt 4:2) Why can you not follow his examples? Remember a servant is not greater than his master. (Matt 10:24).
If the Master, our Lord, King and Saviour fasted, why can you not fast? That is why our Lord Jesus said "He who is not with me is against me. (Matt 12:30)
Remember what Jesus Christ said "If you die with me, you will also resurrect with me". This is a period of time that the whole world has set aside to suffer tribulation in remembrance of him. This is therefore not the period for gluttony or period to joke with.
It is said that food is made for the stomach and the stomach is made for food but God will destroy both food and the stomach in the end. (1 Cor 6:13) God did not create this body for fornication, for drunkenness, or for smoking.
Why do you profess to be Brotherhood when you cannot fast from six in the morning to six in the evening? You should not wait for anyone to tell you to fast before you do so. It should be a standing rule. It has been said that a time will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from you and in those days you will fast whether you like it or not. (Matt 9:15/Luke 5:35).
Do you remember that He had said that the Comforter would come and will teach you all things and will bring you to the knowledge of truth. (John 14:26) The Comforter will reveal all these to you.
Fasting is not a thing that someone should order you to do before you carry it out. It is not something you tell people or broadcast on the radio or television that you are going to fast. It is something very vital to your life which you must do for and by yourself. Whoever is turned unto the Lord is one with the Lord and whoever is turned to a prostitute is also one with her.
All those with Jesus Christ are crucified with Jesus Christ. All those who do not practice his teachings; they have neither the Father nor the Son. But those who have Christ and abide by His teachings, have both the Father and the Son. Whichever one you choose to do, you can do.
Which is easier for you to do, to look at the sky for Jesus to come again or simply to fast and pray? Jesus Christ is here with you. It is left for you to fast and pray.
Remember He had said that whoever will break the least of the commandments and will teach another person to break it will be the least in the kingdom of God, but whoever will keep these commandments and will teach others to keep it will be called the greatest in the kingdom of God. (Matt 5:19) No child can do anything except with the Father.
All that you need is the Lord Jesus Christ because he is the foundation stone. We do not worship Moses or Abraham, neither do we preach about devil but our Lord Jesus Christ for He is the beginning and the end. He is the truth, way, and the life. No one goes unto the Father except through him. (John 14:6) It is known that at that time, there was food and every other thing but Christ fasted for forty days and forty nights. You now have no food, what stops you from fasting?
Some of you say that all churches are one. How can they be one when one church is fasting and the other is eating gluttonously? There is no other way which you can enter this kingdom except through fasting and prayer. If you like, give all your money to the poor, build sky-scrapers for orphans, pay tithes, go on in ministry work, you will not please God.
If you preach the whole gospel from January to December but you cannot fast and pray, you are preaching something else. If you give vision to people for ten hours each day, but you cannot fast and pray, your visions are of no use.
The hidden wisdom in this kingdom is fasting and prayer which some of you despise and regard same as a waste of time and unnecessary self denial. Put these words, this gospel, to test. Whether you are rich or poor, sick or well, fearful or fearless, pray and fast and you will see how everything will turn on well with you.
As from today, define your hope as human beings, do not revenge anyone, just fast and pray. If you live by dictates of the spirit and use the spirit to fortify the flesh, you will live. It is not an easy thing to fast where there are delicious foods in and around the house. But the Lord Jesus Christ had said that the kingdom of God is like a precious stone which is hidden in the soil and when a man had discovered it, he sold all the things he had and bought that piece of land where the precious stone is buried. (Matt 13:44)
If you are looking for God in the sky, in the moon, in the sun, in the stars or you are going from left to right but you do not fast and pray you are wasting your time. Do not take the two things separately. For example, fasting in America and praying in Lagos. The two are inseparable and must be done at the same time together. Fasting and praying are the same.
The Lord Jesus Christ said all that belongs to the Father belongs to me (John 16:15). If you do not kill the flesh, how will you be with the Father. If the grain of maize does not fall on the ground and die, it cannot germinate. (John 12:24).
Whoever is in this kingdom and does not know how to fast such a person has not started to move with God. Call yourself what you wish, prophet, bishop, apostle, evangelist, visioner, elder, whatever name you like to call yourself. If you cannot subject yourself to fasting and prayer all that you do is null and void. Fasting is spiritual discipline. If you do not crucify the flesh you are of no use. Some people distort this fact by dismissing fasting and prayer as not important; others look at them with disdain. Some of us here in the Brotherhood cannot even fast from six in the morning to 12 noon, and if you ask them they say "I cannot." Others, when they fast from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. feel completely exhausted and almost dead. You know that the most important source of power in this kingdom is fasting and prayer.
And now, I want to decree for all the inhabitants of the world whether they are Moslems, Hindus, Jews, Christians -- they must fast and pray. Whether you are a fornicator, evil man, good man, one involved in juju making, a thief, even a murderer, as from now on it is incumbent on you to fast and pray. Whatever happens, leave being sorrowful, mournful, sad, and put these words to test. When you fast and pray, you will see Jesus Christ in your life.
Jesus said "But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them and then shall they fast". The holy spirit has come and you have to fast. He is the Sole Comforter. When you live with him and He lives in you, you have no problems.
You will not be hungry when he lives in you because He is your sufficiency and with him everything is alright. No one can enter into this kingdom except through prayer and fasting and there is no way that you can refrain from sins except through fasting and prayer.
You are true witnesses to the fact that before we start any Pentecostal here we have to go on three days dry fasting. That is the foundation stone of the power in this kingdom. This is for you and for me and for all those in the world.
You do not need to go to America, London or travel from India to Calabar to fast. Fast wherever you are and you will receive the power of God. Are you a liar, a fornicator, thief, a sick person, or do you have any problem in life, be it financial problems, spiritual, work or otherwise, just fast and pray and all your problems will be solved. You cannot worship God if you do not pray and fast.
You are not fasting when you bear grudge against somebody, angry or when you drink water, when you fornicate or have any bad mind against someone. Fasting goes with confession of sins and repentance. You do not have to drink, fornicate, bear grudge, put your heart in man, woman or money or even have to do something to indicate to people that you are fasting.
That is why Jesus Christ said when you fast, you should anoint your head with oil, and appear bright not in grief. It does not do you any good to tell somebody that you are fasting. (Matt 6:17) Even in the office you work, do not tell anyone that you are fasting. Do not tell your wife, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters - anybody. Let it be an agreement between you and your God. Some of you complain that you have been here for twenty years and you do not find anything good, that is because you do not fast and pray. It is a sad situation to hear that some people hire some other people to fast for them. Know that the hired person is fasting for himself. No one can fast for another person. A bishop or pastor cannot fast for his church or anyone. This church cannot fast for the other church. Every person must fast for himself. Brethren, let our first lesson be read.
First Bible Lesson: Romans 4: 1-2
"What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God."
Do you hear that brethren? If you want to know whether the Holy Spirit has descended, fast and pray. You will see for yourself. There is no power in charms, juju or in concoction or anything diabolical, except in Jesus Christ alone. Give your whole life to God. Whenever you have problems, in times of sickness, tribulation, poverty or any obstacle in your life, fast and pray and these obstacles and problems will pass away.
Not many understand what I am telling you now. If you know that the way to the foundation of your power, the way to overcome problems and obstacles, the way to overcome poverty and want is through fasting and prayer, why do you not do it? Even as I am speaking to you now, there are some who are skeptical of what I say, ask them the reason and the meaning of their being here.
Fasting is the key. It is the water, sponge, soap with which you are washed and cleansed. It is oil, it is everything. As already said, if you cannot fast and pray, you do not belong to this kingdom and you have not made an attempt to enter at all.
Jesus Christ said, "offer your body as a living sacrifice which is acceptable to God" (Rom 12:1). Go home with all your money or cheque which you were to give for the service of Fasting and Prayer. God does not need your money or your cheque.
Prepare yourself for self-denial. Anyone who does not pray and fast cannot serve God. Many visioners here cannot fast from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., they cannot even fast till 12 noon. Some of you profess to love God and at times you hire somebody to fast for you. Do you not know that each man shall bear his own burden. (Gal 6:5). You have to bear your burden and I have to bear mine. If you do not fast even if you remain here for ten or twenty years, it does not profit you anything and you are not yet in this kingdom.
Did Our Lord Jesus Christ not fast and pray. He as the Son of God, King of Kings, Lord of lords, fasted for forty days and forty nights. Who are you then not to fast? It is said the spirit took Him to the desert to be tempted by the devil. (Matt 4:1). The flesh is always fighting against the spirit and such is the problem we have. The only solution for overcoming the flesh is to fast and pray.
A person would say to you eat, drink, fornicate, steal, lie, do this or that sinful act, but the spirit tells you, do not eat, do not drink, do not fornicate. But often you listen to the flesh and indulge in sin. Have you heard that no one can serve two masters? He has to love one and hate the other (Luke 16:13). It is a matter of choice. If you want to choose going with the Lord you have to fast and pray. This is the moment of time kept for you and me to fast and pray. This is the time to fight against the flesh. There is no other power to use and to fight against the flesh. There is no other power to use and to fight the enemy other than to fast and pray. In times of stress, problems and difficulties surrender your entire life to God. Fast and pray. When you fast, do not fornicate, drink or entertain any evil thoughts. Do not do anything which does not give glory to God.
Take Moses for an example, before he received the Ten Commandments, he fasted for forty days and forty nights on the mountains. This is what you have to do. Take it as an assignment, fast and pray. Do it always and throughout your life.
Food is so great to you, but it destroys the body. If someone kills a cow or a goat and prepares food for you, do not think that the person loves you; know that such a person is your worst enemy.
Food and the Holy Spirit are incompatible; they are antagonistic to each other. The worst enemy of man is food. If you do not refrain from eating, you will not stop being sick, stop dying; and you will not be able to overcome your problems.
The food you continue to eat brings problems, sickness, degeneration and death to you. You are witnesses to the fact that right from the beginning of the world, God prescribed all tree bearing herbs and fruits to be the food of man. You are an enemy of God when you think of food all the time -- in your home, your office, on the way, everywhere, you always concentrate your attention on food.
No Word of God has ever touched the ground and gone empty handed without achieving the desired result. It is said that food is made for the stomach and the stomach is made for food but God will destroy them both. (1 Cor 6:13). Have you not heard that now we have started Vegetarian Fellowship here. These are those who do not eat but they are kicking strong.
Do you remember when the disciples of Our Lord Jesus Christ asked him to go and dine with them and He told them that He had His own needs. The disciples talked among themselves and wondered if someone has secretly brought him food. He knew what they thought and He said my food is to do the will of my Father. (John 4:34)
Do you not also remember when satan tempted Him saying, "If thou be the Son of God, turn these stones into bread." He replied saying, "Man shalt not live by bread alone but by every word that cometh out from the mouth of God". (Matt 4:3-4 / Luke 4:4).
This then is the fullness of time that everyone has got to live by the word that comes out from the mouth of God. That is why I tell you that you have to destroy all flesh inside you and be ready to take in the spirit which is pumped into you through the Word of God since your body is the building of the spirit. It is incumbent on all the churches to empty their houses first. Whatever is your status in life empty your body first. Empty yourself by fasting and prayer, for He has come in person, surrender your entire self to God and your problems and tribulations will be gone. Let our second lesson be read.
Second Bible Lesson: Luke 5:35
"But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days."
Who said these words? It was none other than Jesus Christ. Was the bridegroom not taken away from them? Is this not the time for you to do fasting? Here, nothing is required for fasting, no candle, no perfume, no money. Our Lord Jesus Christ fasted and wants others to fast. No craftiness or cunning can take this away.
All churches, healing homes, secret societies are fasting but they are doing it indirectly. Fasting means severing yourself from external influences, forsake eating, drunkenness, fornication, lying, smoking, cheating and other vices. If you do not cut off yourself from all these influences God will not hear your prayers and your fasting will be null and void.
When fasting, the husband should keep away from the wife, each not even telling the other that he/she is fasting. This is to show you the knowledge of God which passes all understanding. If the Comforter had not come to lead us to the knowledge of truth, the whole world would perish completely. Only the holy spirit is providing the way to salvation for us.
If you are bloodless, fast and you will have blood, if you have too much blood, fast and your blood will be reduced. If you are sick, fast and you will become well, whatever your problems are, fast and pray and they will vanish.
No matter your status in life, whether a king, a servant, trader, soldier, prince, princesses, or a farmer, fast and pray and your problems will all be solved. When you fast, you have completely killed your flesh, the spirit takes over control and you become yourself again.
When you fast and pray, you are in the spirit, you are elevated and as such you cannot die. You are filled with grace, peace, the spirit of God, glory, and you are filled with truth.
As from today onwards, do not go to any person to pray for you or see visions for you or direct you on what you should do. You have the power through fasting to do anything you want by yourself for yourself.
Jesus said, your fathers ate manna and died but I am the bread of life and he who eats me will never die. (John 6:49-51) Our Lord Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Heb 13:8) You do not fast and pray that is why you think there is no power in the world. Do not compare yourself with someone who fasts and prays for such a person is filled with great power.
People admit that there is power in Brotherhood and I confirm this to be true. This power comes from fasting and prayer. Tell all other church denominations to fast and pray and they will have power equally as we have here.
The Efik version of the Bible does not say anything about fasting. It is a deliberate omission because they do not want to commit themselves to fasting. Our Golden Text will now be read.
Golden Text: Matthew 17:21
"Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."
Do you hear that brethren? When in your gluttony you fill the whole stomach with food, where do you want the power you are seeking to occupy? You have eaten your food and have drunk your wine and you go to a preacher to pray for you, what type of prayer is that? Why do you not fast if you need power?
I have imparted this recondite wisdom to the entire world so that people may not go to the trees, rivers, rocks, forest, deserts or water to look for power. Power can be got through fasting and prayer. God has given all powers to man; it was not given to the animals, fishes, trees, or rocks; but to man, so that he can even command this pillar to move and it will move.
Do not burn incense, light candle, do this or that, it negates the effect of fasting and prayer. This is the period of grace for the whole world. If you are sick do not tell anyone, just fast and pray. Whatever you need, (power, children, riches, recognition, examination, promotion, success), fast and pray, and you will get them. You do not have to be angry, bear anyone grudge, merely confess your sins and set your mind right before your God.
You may notice that after the 72 hours dry fasting here, you always get power. You are not told to go back to fornication, lying stealing, smoking and drinking. Many people say they cannot come to Brotherhood because of fasting. But fasting here is voluntary. Submit yourself to fasting voluntarily for spiritual strength.
Some people think that if they do not eat for days they will die. This is not so, God loves us and he imposes different types of fasting on us. Sometimes you run out of food in the house or there is no water to prepare the food, thus you are forced by such circumstances to stay without food. This is one of the ways God has used to make you fast whether you like it or not.
This is the time for you to fast and pray in order to get what you want. Even if you are in a thick forest or on the high seas and you do not know how to help yourself, fast and pray and you will have the help you need. If you do not get what you want after fasting and praying, know that these words are not delivered by God.
I do not want to be tedious with you. A stroke of the cane is enough for the wise. May God bless His Holy Words. Amen!
REFERENCE:- Everlasting Gospel Delivered by The Sole Spiritual Head Of The Universe, Leader Olumba Olumba Obu, on: "THE WORLD SHOULD FAST AND PRAY"
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