OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL
DATE: SUNDAY OCTOBER 29 2023
TOPIC: FASTING IS A WEAPON OF WAR
MEMORISE:
And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
2 Chronicles 20:3.
READ:
ESTHER 4:16-5:3
Esther 4
16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.
Esther 5
1 Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.
2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.
3 Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.
MESSAGE:
There was this man called Mordecai – Esther’s uncle. There was also Haman – an officer of the king, who hated Mordecai. Haman expected everybody to bow to him, but Mordecai wouldn’t bow to anybody except God. Haman decided to hang him and destroy his people completely. Haman got the king to sign the death warrant of all the Israelites.
When Mordecai heard of the decree from the king, he went to Esther, who was then the queen, for help. Esther replied in Esther 4:1-17 that they should all fast, and then she would go and see the king. They fasted for just three days and things began to change from that point. By the time we got to Esther 5:1-6, Esther appeared before the king without being summoned and the first result of the fasting was that instead of the king asking her to be killed, he spared her life. Fasting can change death to life.
The next thing that happened is that Esther found unusual favour before the king. The king told Esther that though he is yet to know what she wants, but she should consider it granted already, even up to half of his kingdom. When you fast, you get more than you ask for. By the time we get to Esther 6, the king couldn’t sleep until he honoured Mordecai. A good deed that Mordecai did many years previously, which had been forgotten, made the king restless until it was repaid. When you take fasting seriously, all your past benefits that you have been denied can be brought forward and handed over to you.
In Esther 7, the enemy of the entire nation became completely uprooted, and then in Esther 8, the house of Haman was given over to Esther. Proverbs 13:22 says that the wealth of the wicked is laid up for the just; do you think the wicked will let go of his wealth easily? You get it by fasting and praying. Wealth changes hands when you fast. Mordecai also got promoted because promotion comes from God (Psalm 75:6-7), and since fasting draws you closer to God, it leads to promotion.
Finally, in Esther 8:3-17, the Jews were saved from destruction, and the Bible also says all the people around became Jews because they were afraid of the Jews. Fasting is a powerful weapon of warfare. Begin to use this weapon from today.
KEY POINT:
Fasting is a powerful weapon of warfare and vehicle of promotion.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
LUKE 19-20
AUTHOR:
PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 3
ANCIENT WORDS
1. Holy words long preserved
For our walk in this world
They resound with God’s own heart
Oh, let the ancient words impart.
Chorus:
Ancient words, ever true
Changing me and changing you
We have come with open hearts
Oh, let the ancient words impart.
2. Words of life, words of hope
Give us strength, help us cope
In this world, where e’er we roam
Ancient words will guide us home.
[Chorus]
3. Holy words of our faith
Handed down to this age
Came to us through sacrifice
Oh, heed the faithful words of Christ.
[Chorus]
4. Holy words long preserved,
For our walk in this world
They resound with God’s own heart
Oh, let the ancient words impart.
[Chorus].
