10TH JULY 2022 || The Call by Rev. Benson Kuira || The Call to Fast & Pray Series

Matthew 6: 5 – 18

Christians who do not pray and fast are stunted!

– When you pray… (Vs 5)
– When you fast… (Vs 16)

It’s not ‘If you pray…’ or ‘If you fast…’

Matthew 6 : 5-28 calls on believers to pray and fast. It also teaches us HOW to pray and fast.

There is an enemy to prayer and fasting- PRIDE.

Pride- wanting to be noticed or seen.

– Pride keeps us from God’s blessings.
– It’s a show off; a better than though attitude.

We are called to esteem others better than ourselves.

The first disobedience in Heaven by Lucifer was due to pride (See Isaiah 14: 13- 14).

Lucifer was the seal of perfection. Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty (See Ezekiel 28: 12- ). This got into his head leading to disobedience.

We are called to humility.

Humility to take feedback leads to continuous improvement, hence growth.

Pride destroys from within us, but humility exalts.

For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (uke 14:11 NKJV)

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name (Philippians 2:9 NKJV).

Jesus humbled himself, even though God, He lived a normal life, He honoured authority, He humbled Himself to death. In the end, He was uplifted by God.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up (James 4:10 NKJV).

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, (I Peter 5:5‭-‬6 NKJV)

Go to God in humility, be yourself in prayer and fasting.

Fasting is humbling yourself before God

David would go into fast as an exercise of humility:

But as for me, when they were sick, My clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; And my prayer would return to my own heart (Psalms 35:13 NKJV)

Leviticus 16: 29 calls on us to fast- to afflict our souls… cleanse your soul.

Fasting is a sacrifice. It is deliberate decision.

Acts 27: 9 Paul resorted to fasting when they needed clarity for the journey ahead

Ezra 8: 21 is about fasting and prayer for protection.

People under God’s judgement:

In 1 Kings 21: 22-29, judgement is declared on Ahab and his generation for his disobedience. Ahab on repentance fasted, humbled himself, God delayed the calamity.

In Jonah 3: 4-10, people of Nineveh upon judgement went into a 40 days of fast until God heard their plea for forgiveness.

A fast stops God’s judgement. God relents.

We are called to pray and fast:

“Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” Joel 2:12 NKJV).

There is a promise for humility:

if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land (II Chronicles 7:14 NKJV).

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Prayer and fasting touches the heart of God, He relents judgement and answers our prayers.

Amen