Topic: Encounter With Power Through Prayer & Fasting!
Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21).
As we all know, we are in the last days, which are the days of the manifestation of God’s power.
This is when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of God before the arrival of Christ.
It is also an era where the power of resurrection shall be in manifestation more than ever before.
Furthermore, in these last days, the redeemed of the Lord shall be manifesting the messianic order of anointing (Acts 2:16-20; Psalms 110:1-3; Revelation 11:15; Philippians 3:10; Acts 14:11).
BUT, HOW DO WE ENCOUNTER THIS POWER?
Through a desperate desire: A desperate desire is the gateway to empowerment. From scriptures, ‘desperation’ is interpreted as a thirst, a crave, a longing and a panting. As it is written:
O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary (Psalm 63:1-2).
It is also written: For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring. And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses (Isaiah 44:3-4; see also Isaiah 41:17-18).
In July 1977, while studying Ezekiel chapter 37, I was very fascinated and I craved for access to that kind of empowerment. As a result, I went on a three-day mission to the mountain, crying out to God for next level empowerment after the order of Ezekiel. While leaving that mountain on the third day, God said to me, “Behold, I have touched your tongue with the coal of fire; henceforth, as you say it, you see it.”
We must understand that it takes a genuine thirst to encounter the power of God.
Through the prayer altar: Empowerment answers to demand, not wishes and that is why the altar of prayer is the altar of empowerment. Jesus said: If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (Luke 11:13)
We must recognize that empowerment is impossible without prayer. It is written: Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).
‘Thy kingdom come’ simply means, thy power come and we understand from scriptures that the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power (1 Corinthians 4:20).
It is through prayers that we move from power to great power. For instance, when the apostles prayed in Acts 1:14 and Acts 2:1-4, they were empowered by the Holy Spirit. However, when they prayed again in Acts 4:32-33, they were re-empowered into the realm of great power.
Also, when Jesus prayed, heaven opened and the Holy Ghost came upon Him like a dove. Furthermore, when He engaged the altar of prayer on the Mount of transfiguration, He was empowered and the people were amazed at the mighty power of God (Luke 3:21-22, 9:28-35, 43).
Likewise, we can pray for the release of God’s power on our lives for greater exploits.
Through fasting: We discover from scriptures that fasting is primarily ordained for spiritual empowerment, not for making request. In other words, fasting empowers us to be in command of our needs. It is written:
Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? (Isaiah 58:6).
It is important to understand that though we pray to be empowered, we need fasting to walk in power. That’s why Jesus said, “When ye fast… When thou fastest…” Fasting is a matter of ‘When’ not ‘If’. That means fasting must be our lifestyle and must be scheduled, just like prayer, in order to walk in the reality of empowerment (Matthew 6:16-17).
Everyone who desires to walk in power must subscribe to the demand of fasting. For instance, Jesus fasted for 40 days and the Bible records that He returned in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14).
Moses was a man given to fasting and he fasted for 40 days twice. As a result, he was a spirit being in human form. That was why he said: The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken (Deuteronomy 18:15; see also Exodus 7:1).
He was Christ in a figure and he carried the messianic anointing on him (Exodus 24:18, 34:28).
Similarly, Paul the apostle also prayed and fasted often. He said: …in watchings often… in fastings often… (2 Corinthians 11:27; see also 2 Corinthians 6:5).
As a result, he was a man imbued with God’s power. No wonder it was said concerning him: …The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men (Acts 14:11).
Unfortunately, many people do not crave for empowerment because they believe that they are already empowered. However, it is important to understand that empowerment is in levels and we understand from scriptures that we can grow from one level of power to an overflowing realm. As it is written:
Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side. And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins. Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over (Ezekiel 47:1-5).
‘River’ in the above scripture connotes the Holy Spirit or anointing. That was the realm of immeasurable anointing under which Christ operated. Remember, Jesus was anointed without measure and that is God’s target for us. This is why it is wisdom to take responsibility and build up in power against the day of battle, in order not to be caught unawares. It is written: If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small (Proverbs 24:10; see also John 3:34, 7:37-39).
It is important to note that the end result of empowerment is eruption of revelation. When we fast, the Bible says: Then shall thy light break forth as the morning…then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday (Isaiah 58:8, 10).
We must also note that fasting and prayer enhances our access to the Word which actually empowers us. For instance, I was in a fast on October 4, 1981, when the Lord spoke to me: For the Lord thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow… (Deuteronomy 15:6).
By that revelation, I was empowered to live above borrowing. Also, it was by the Word that God empowered me with dominion over witches, wizards and other forces of darkness. He said:
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Far above all principality… (Ephesians 2:6, 1:21).
Based on that revelation, my spirit was empowered with a ‘far above’ mentality. Thus, we are largely empowered by the Word, which is the fountain of empowerment.
Furthermore, it was a Word encounter that empowered Jacob into realms of exploits. As it is written: The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel (Isaiah 9:8; see also Romans 1:16).
That is why no Word-lazy believer is a candidate for empowerment. Therefore, we must always pray to God to open our eyes to behold wondrous things out of His law (Psalms 119:18; Jeremiah 33:3).
In conclusion, power is the ability to get things done. This means that without power, we are helpless. This is why we need to have our spirit empowered for triumph. Therefore, we must take spiritual responsibility to increase our levels of empowerment to command dominion over situations and circumstances around our lives. I see God literally changing your level in this month of power! Remain ever blessed!
Jesus is Lord!
Prophetic Blessings
- The yoke of untimely death is destroyed in your life and family!
- Henceforth, favour begins to answer in your life in a new way!
- By the anointing, you are launched into realms of supernatural insight!
- Your desired breakthrough is finally delivered!
- That stagnation in your life is converted to breakthroughs!
- Be empowered to your next levels in the name of Jesus!
- Every evil gang-up against your destiny is destroyed!
- The siege of the wicked on your life is broken in Jesus’ name!
- I decree your access into the world of signs & wonders!
- Every chaff of disease and weakness in your body is burnt with the unquenchable fire of the Holy Ghost!
- This is your week of empowerment for advancement!