October 17, 2024 • 55 mins
We are glad you have joined us on our podcast channel. We have Pastor Rob Urban sermon on Prayer and Fasting that Breaks Strongholds. Hope you enjoy and have a blessed week!
Logan City Christian Church is a vibrant growing church committed to serving and meeting the needs of our community and beyond through the various ministries within. We as a church welcome you to come visit this Sunday and be part of an active, excited team reaching the world one day at a time. Sunday Service | 9:30am Friday Youth Service | 6:30pm Thursday Prayer Meeting | 7pm Address | 13 Watland Street, Springwood Qld 4127 Church Website | www.logancitychristianchurch.com United World Ministries | www.unitedworldministries.com Instagram | @logancitychristianchurch Facebook | @logancitychristianchurch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to Logan City Christian Church podcast where we bring God's Word to you weekly.
(00:07):
We pray what you hear will bring clarity to your situation and open doors in your life.
Enjoy the message.
Wow, well I'm ready.
Praise God.
You know, I've been, I ministered last week on fasting and it's such a popular subject.
(00:34):
Fasting, it is one of those subjects that I guess are largely misunderstood and fasting
is not dieting, fasting is not, you know, just abstaining from food for no reason at
all.
Fasting has a spiritual purpose and fasting is so, so very important.
(00:57):
Last week I shared out of Isaiah 58 to just reinforce the fact that fasting, primarily
when we begin to fast, that our heart is right before God and before other people.
It's incredibly important and so when we lay that foundation in our own hearts that we're
(01:19):
about to start a fast and to pray for whatever we are believing God for in a breakthrough,
it's vitally important first that, as I said, that we position ourselves correctly in God,
our vertical relationship with God and our horizontal relationship with each other.
Now that goes to say that, you know, there are times that our horizontal relationships
(01:44):
may be strained in whatever area and thus causing the need to fast to see a breakthrough
relationally and so, you know, but we still do what we can do and do what we know we should
do.
But today I'm going to continue about prayer and fasting that break strongholds.
(02:05):
So last week it was about our position that we stand when we fast and that our heart is
as right as we know that we can be before God and before other people and that is vitally
important.
But today I'm now speaking, we're positioned right and now we're starting to get into some
(02:28):
breakthrough, some prayer and fasting for breakthrough.
Now, is there anyone here today that you are believing God for breakthrough in your lives
or in any relationship, I'm sure there would be plenty of us.
Some of us may be believing God for breakthrough with healing in our bodies and it might be
(02:49):
for a better job, it might be for, you know, as I said, within relationships of all kinds,
so vitally important.
Now before I go into the prayer and fasting that break strongholds, I just need to wind
back thousands of years as to the reason why there is a need for prayer and fasting today
(03:12):
because a stronghold is exactly that, it's a stronghold on people, on people's lives
or on our finances.
Now God is not the author of these strongholds and often God gets blamed for things that
happen in this world where God didn't do it at all.
(03:34):
And for us to understand the, and get the whole picture of what is going on here, we
need to go right back to the beginning of the creation of humanity where God created
Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and there God created everything so perfect that in
(03:54):
the Garden of Eden there was no sin, there was no sickness, there was no disease, there
were no relational issues in the Garden of Eden, there was nothing like that and God
had created everything so perfect in his own way that humanity would live for God and for
(04:18):
each other and always giving preference to the other first, that's how God had planned
it.
Jesus actually said in the Lord's Prayer that on earth here as it is in heaven, that we
are to pray that life here on earth be exactly like it is in heaven.
Now God in the beginning had established it that way.
(04:41):
Do you know that humanity was created to live forever in the Garden of Eden?
That there was no plan, God did not plan sickness and he didn't plan death, he didn't plan divorce,
he didn't plan sickness, he didn't plan any of those things.
They are not in the plan or the will of God.
(05:02):
So we see that from right back then that there was a third person who was roaming around
the Garden of Eden and he was Lucifer, the devil himself that was Lucifer and so that
devil knew that he wanted the authority that God had given to humanity.
God had given Adam authority over all the animals of the earth, God had given Adam a
(05:27):
kingdom authority to rule this world.
But the devil wanted that, there was something that was his prized possession.
If there was ever a trophy in his cabinet that it would be that.
He wanted the authority that God had given to man.
You see in heaven the devil, his name was Lucifer, he was the chief worship leader in
(05:49):
heaven if you like and pride filled his heart that he wanted to take God's place if you
like.
And so from that point he created war with God and God being God, you know the devil
managed to influence a third of the angels of God to join on his team and war broke out.
(06:13):
But the thing is God being who he is cannot be defeated.
If God needed some more angels he just created them.
I mean God will not be outmatched, he will not be outdone.
God is God.
And so the devil was cast to the earth, you know he wasn't going to win this battle against
(06:35):
God and so if you can imagine here is the devil now Lucifer, you know it was a name
that was given to him because he was built and created so perfectly and he was that perfect,
that pride ruined his own existence.
(06:59):
When he was cast to the earth lo and behold he sees man created lower than angels being
given something that he desperately wanted and that was that authority.
And so the devil is thinking I got to get this authority because it would humiliate
(07:23):
him to no end that him roaming around on this earth under the authority of a human being
that God had created it was more than he could bear.
So the devil decided then to deceive.
Deception is a powerful tool that the devil uses and please don't think that it only happened
(07:45):
in the Garden of Eden, deception is something that happens every day, every waking and sleeping
moment of their life the devil is always out to deceive.
And so the devil deceived Eve and then Adam and then through their obedience to him and
their disobedience to God they forfeited that authority that they had and the devil took
(08:09):
it with both arms.
So from that time to this hour that we live today the devil has been ruling and reigning
in this world creating havoc, creating destruction, sickness, disease, you name it everything
(08:32):
that is horrible and terrible is created at the doing of the devil himself.
You see Jesus even said that the ruler of this world he was speaking about Satan and
so many times God gets the blame for things that go wrong for wars that take place in
(08:55):
this world for the humanity suffering and starvation that God seems to be the first
in line to be blamed.
But the answer to that really is that we've got to ask which God because Jesus said that
the God of this world he's speaking about the devil.
So the God of this world the devil is trying to destroy your life, he wants to destroy
(09:21):
my life, he wants to destroy your family and my family, he wants to destroy all relationships
and he just comes to steal, to kill and to destroy but Jesus had come to give life and
life in its abundance.
So when I speak about a stronghold the strongholds are not created by God we need to establish
(09:47):
that firmly first.
Strongholds are created in life initially the person who instigates and orchestrates
strongholds is the devil.
Now this is the turning point for us today.
Jesus said to Nicodemus a religious leader who came to Jesus by night and said to Jesus
(10:14):
you know Jesus nobody could do what you do unless God is with you.
He was so taken by the wonderful works that God was doing through Jesus and so Jesus himself
was healing the sick, people that were lame were healed, I mean regardless what the sickness
(10:35):
was demons were cast out and you know the dead were raised and this religious leader
approached Jesus at night and says wow you know this is really amazing we've never seen
this before, God's with you and Jesus said something remarkable, he said something that's
life changing to every human being today.
(10:57):
Jesus said to this religious leader he said to him you must be born again, that's John
chapter 3 verse 3 you must be born again, Jesus wasn't making a suggestion he's saying
you know you need to be born from above.
Being born again or born from above we go right back to the cause and effect that humanity
(11:24):
Adam and Eve fell from grace, they fell from God's holiness, they were cast out of the
garden of Eden and from that point on Adam and Eve took on the nature of sin and therefore
every person that was born from that day on whether they liked it or not was born with
(11:48):
the nature of sin.
When Jesus said you must be born again Jesus is saying about that old sin nature that we
inherited going all the way back to the kingdom or sorry to the garden of Eden that when we
received Jesus as our Lord and Savior and that we accept him that all of our sin nature
(12:12):
and everything we have possibly done wrong in life is forgiven at that point and we are
given a new nature, a nature of righteousness and from there we read the rest of the script
throughout the New Testament and all of the epistles that were written by the apostles
(12:33):
that from there every person who now is a child of God through the new birth through
the born again experience that you have received an authority and a power over the works of
the devil.
So that means then that where there is a stronghold or something that the devil is trying to you
(12:58):
know encapsulate you and hold you from achieving and accomplishing what God has for your life
you have the power and the authority to bind that stronghold and for it to be destroyed.
Now I want to speak more now about the principle of prayer and fasting because prayer and fasting
(13:24):
coupled together is an incredible force that every believer when I say a believer every
person that truly has surrendered their life to Jesus and has received that born again
experience and is a child of God.
Now you might say I don't have that how do I get that I'm going to finish the message
(13:46):
with that how do I receive Christ today so so important.
You see it's one thing to be God friendly and it's a good thing and it's another thing
to be church friendly in other words going to church and that that's great but it's
yet quite a different thing to be a child of God.
It is a different thing again it's another level to be born again accepted into the family
(14:12):
of God.
So again when we receive this incredible blessing being adopted into the family of God all of
our sins have been forgiven we've been given a new start a new life a new nature everything
has become new.
Now that does not mean then that the devil gets a long stick and a white flag and waves
(14:35):
and says okay I surrender I'll leave you alone I'll never hassle you again you win I lose
no he actually steps it up and so the war begins the battle begins the Bible talks a
lot about the testing of our faith and so our faith the faith that we released when
(14:56):
we got born again is more than enough to overcome the strategies of the devil so prayer and
fasting coupled together is an incredible force against the works of the devil against
your life.
If there is sickness coming against your body like thank you Marion for sharing that incredible
(15:19):
testimony it is so beautiful to hear and I do know that many people were in prayer and
fasting and there are so far only so far we can go in prayer and prayer is powerful I'm
not underplaying prayer and the power of prayer it is incredibly powerful but let me tell
(15:39):
you men and women of God when we are people of prayer and then we pray on the foundation
of this fasting when the two collide and the two come together it's a formidable force
against the works of darkness it is powerful and I'd like to bring something out here in
(16:01):
Matthew chapter 17 from verse 19 to 21 then the disciples came to Jesus privately and
said why could we not cast it out and Jesus said to them because of your unbelief for
assuredly I say to you if you have faith as a mustard seed you will say to this mountain
(16:24):
move here to there and it will move and nothing will be impossible for you however this kind
does not go out except by prayer and fasting let me put you in the picture of what happened
here in the beginning of chapter 17 we see that Jesus himself took Peter James and John
(16:47):
with him to the mountain to pray and Jesus was teaching them a principle church prayer
is part of our Christian experience prayer is our communication with God prayer is not
a monologue it's a dialogue so expect that if we're praying and speaking to God that
(17:08):
God is going to speak back and he always does it is such an incredible thing so they're
up on the mountain and Jesus begins to pray and all of a sudden a supernatural occurrence
takes place a supernatural experience and there there appears before them Moses and
(17:36):
Elijah now these guys had died long ago didn't they but here they are on the top of the mountain
and the first thing that Peter James and John suggested is that wow an incredible experience
let us build a tabernacle for each of them you know an experience with God doesn't validate
(17:59):
us to start a ministry or build a church I mean they're both good things but we got
to learn something from this is that Jesus allowed them to experience another level of
the supernatural because they were going to need it and then Jesus when he was going to
heaven he was imparting into these men something that really mattered they needed to experience
(18:24):
the supernatural side of Christianity and we do too Christianity is supernatural Christianity
is powerful so they're up there and they had this experience and then they're walking
down the mountain and as they're on their way down to the mountain there's the remaining
(18:45):
disciples are dealing with the situation with a father that has this young child that has
a demon and this demon is really ferocious it throws him into the fire it you know throws
him into the water tries to kill this kid and when Jesus turns up he says to Jesus he
(19:07):
said look Jesus I had your disciples try and cast this thing out and they couldn't do it
and Jesus actually said to them you know about their faithlessness you know their faith was
not really there and so Jesus then leads us into what I just read now Jesus said because
(19:30):
of your unbelief the disciples asked him afterward how come we couldn't cast this thing out and
Jesus said because of your unbelief unbelief is a stronghold unbelief is a supernatural
force that tries to overpower the soul of humanity our mind our will our emotions that
(19:55):
unbelief is that God this might be too big for you God this is really probably not going
to happen and Jesus is saying you know this is guys one of the main causes why it's not
happening because of your unbelief but then Jesus said in verse 21 he said however this
(20:20):
kind this kind of what this kind of demon that possessed this boy does not go out except
by prayer and fasting and so Jesus is saying about there are different ranks and there
are different levels of the demonic there are principalities and powers and rulers of
wicked spirits and high places we don't know which one was affecting this young boy but
(20:45):
you know the casual prayer was not going to count it today and Jesus is saying that this
kind of demon it's a strong man and this strong man had bound this child all of his life and
Jesus was telling them unbelief is one of the things that was hindering them and then
(21:06):
he said but this kind will only come out by prayer and fasting not just prayer prayer
and fasting fasting number one deals with unbelief you still with me unbelief is an
area that I believe that the devil tries to work in our mind some call it the battlefield
(21:31):
of the mind that's where the battle begins and there are times that we will look with
their visual eyes with our five senses and discern what is possible and what's not possible
but Jesus is saying but your faith faith does not operate it under the five senses faith
operates way over the top at a different level altogether so what the devil wants to do is
(21:57):
to eliminate our believing our faith to try and hinder it so doubt and unbelief is a really
good stronghold that he uses so fasting you know we can pray and pray all through a night
and still carry doubt and unbelief so how does that doubt and unbelief be rid of our
(22:19):
thinking fasting fasting this is why fasting and prayer joined together is so powerful
because fasting when we are fasting one of the first things that we will feel is hunger
are you with me and so the natural person that we are will then say feed me and then
(22:49):
our spiritual side will say no we are not going to eat today and then this war begins
that who has the greater leverage is it your spiritual person that was born again the Christ
that lives in you is he the stronger one inside of us over our desires the desires of our
(23:13):
soul the desires of the flesh the desires to eat now eating is an important part of
life if you don't eat you die it's as simple as that but there is a time where the scriptures
make it so clear that there's a time for fasting there's a time to abstain from food and when
(23:34):
we begin to abstain from food that's where the challenge begins the war begins there
now you might be praying for a breakthrough in health you might be praying for a breakthrough
in relations in relationship let's and push that aside now because the battle does not
start there the battle starts within here so when we stop eating with the intention
(24:02):
to fast and pray because of the problem that is over yonder that we fast the challenge
begins in the soul of humanity and then this will to eat or not to eat becomes the focus
the main issue that we're dealing with now and when we in prayer and fasting overcome
(24:25):
that desire overcome the need or the want I'm hungry I'm hungry who likes their food
man I love food you kidding me I just I mean look at that that just didn't pop out one
day from fresh air it was intentional it was designed that way by me and isn't it amazing
(24:50):
how when you get it you go I don't want it and it's so much harder to get rid of it
than to get it and anyone know what I'm talking about and so I right now since Christmas have
been in the Battle of the Bulge trying to work on this tight drum and I've come to
(25:13):
realize it's some it's a challenge but I've noticed just in the last month I'm gaining
another hole in my belt so I'm winning men your belt does not lie but the challenge has
(25:37):
been at the dinner table apparently a 300 gram steak is sufficient whoever thought of
that I think that's nuts they say you're not supposed to eat a steak bigger than your hand
(26:01):
they do yeah palm your hand but they didn't say how thick it can be yeah I'll do one
like that and it's eight feet tall praise the Lord and so we love our food right so
why did God choose fasting why couldn't he have chosen something else that was easier
(26:25):
because fasting affects every part of our of our makeup every part of our being because
when you fast you get hungry when you fast you run out of energy when you fast your eyes
are looking you know how is it when you're fasting you're driving down the road and all
(26:50):
of a sudden you say how long have all these billboards been here of food you never noticed
them before but all of a sudden now there are billboards everywhere at food and this
subliminal message flashing at you pull over KFC McDonald's and all these were just a little
burger won't hurt does anyone know what I'm talking about today and so the challenge to
(27:16):
pull in and and you know just top up a little bit just a little bit and that's where the
battle begins so remember I'm speaking about a breakthrough with relationships or healing
whatever it might be and we so focus on that which we need to there are times we need to
(27:37):
come back a bit and focus on do or am I in control of me because if I am not in control
of me I'm speaking of in in this in God how can I be in control over spiritual things
(27:59):
if I don't have that self-discipline in in my life as such how can I be trusted by God
and other things now I'm not saying that to put anybody down I have the evidence to say
I haven't worked this thing out yet but prayer and fasting when we fast if you have let's
(28:27):
say a medical condition make sure you speak to your doctor and say I'm gonna go on a five
day fast or something what do you recommend I mean be sensible about it because I know
some people just said I'm gonna do a 40 day fast and they're not at church for two weeks
where are they're in hospital on a drip that's not real smart and I don't recommend that
(28:50):
start with one day and then do that once a week then two days and if you want to progress
from there but I have found that fasting the breakthrough for me has always come around
about the third or fourth day of fasting because I love my food so much I really get intense
with praying and believing for a breakthrough so I can eat again right no that's not true
(29:19):
fasting is an incredible thing Jesus said you're never going to be able to to cast this
kind of demon out unless you pray and you fast you know some strongholds are at different
levels some sicknesses I don't know why they seem to be at different levels you know our
faith and is important doubt and unbelief is what undermines the very the very flow
(29:43):
of God that is available to you and I but when we fast and and fast seriously about
I'm intentionally fasting because of this fasting on its own can be more like dieting
fasting needs to have a target it needs to be intentional it needs to be directional
(30:08):
and pick your target whatever it might be and so right on this day I'm declaring a fast
because I'm tired of whatever it might be controlling me or making me sick or whatever
it might be enough is enough and I'm declaring war the Bible shows me that I have been given
(30:31):
life and life in its abundance and here I am not experiencing that today well enough
is enough the gloves are off I'm getting into prayer and fasting and this thing about these
strongholds is going to come down in Jesus name in Jesus name in Jesus name as Marion
(30:53):
said this morning sometimes what our eyes behold seem to be greater than our God at
first isn't that true I've seen it many times into hospitals and things like that and you
look and you go wow what a mountain that is but sometimes we we we talk to God how big
(31:15):
the mountain is but we need to talk to the mountain how big our God is that's the difference
that is the difference and so in Luke chapter 4 verse 1 and 2 is a very print very powerful
principle here Luke chapter 4 verses 1 and 2 and it reads here then Jesus being filled
(31:42):
with this Holy Spirit returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness
and being tempted for 40 days by the devil and in those days he ate nothing and afterward
when they had ended he was hungry surprise surprise we all get hungry but Jesus when
(32:03):
he was baptized in the river Jordan the Spirit of God descended upon him in bodily form as
a dove and that's when he heard those wonderful words from God behold my beloved son in whom
I am well pleased whether you realize it or not that was like another bar mitzvah for
Jesus from God the Father in whom he was well pleased and so moving on Jesus then went straight
(32:29):
from the baptism he was filled with the Holy Spirit and then he moved straight out into
the wilderness not to have a party not to do ministry not to do anything else but to
fast for 40 days and he knew he was going to be tempted by the devil for 40 days now
(32:50):
the devil himself tried everything that he knew to try and turn Jesus but I'd like to
bring something out in verse 14 that is incredibly powerful then Jesus returned in the power
of the Spirit to Galilee and news of him went out through all the surrounding region verse
(33:16):
one and two Jesus was filled with the Spirit he went out for 40 days and 40 nights he walked
through the desert not eating anything being tempted for that duration of time but then
it says something quite remarkable it's a key here that it says that Jesus returned
(33:37):
from that 40 days in the power of the Spirit he went into the wilderness being filled with
the Spirit he came out in the power of the Spirit church there is a key for us here today
fasting is one incredible part of our Christian makeup we can be filled with the Spirit praise
(33:59):
God speak in tongues and and do all the hunty shunty until all day Monday you know but the
thing is are we moving in the power of the same Spirit that we were filled with that
is the question because the Spirit the baptism of the Spirit in the life of a believer was
not an experience to be reached it was a person and a power to be placed in us and so that
(34:25):
we can use to preach this gospel and see wonderful things that God is doing so what took place
for when Jesus was filled until Jesus come out in the power temptation overcoming temptation
how did it happen fasting that time of fasting Jesus managed to subdue the fleshy desires
(34:47):
and those desires of that nature of man and was flowing purely in the end and right through
actually in that the very power of the Spirit if we want to see the power of the Spirit
of God move in our life there needs to come a challenge or a test to see what is really
(35:11):
in us do we have that intestinal fortitude to actually go through the hills and the valleys
and there's one thing that will bring it out of us to paint a picture of really what is
in us and that is fasting fasting will draw out of us what's in us and it'll tell us a
(35:33):
story about ourselves fasting is an incredible part of our Christian makeup in Jesus name
now just got a couple of examples and then I'll be done prayer and fasting repentance
leading to acquittal of divine judgment the story of Jonah Jonah himself was asked by
(35:58):
God I want you to go to Nineveh and I want you to warn these people about what's coming
and Jonah didn't want to go so he went the opposite direction about 2000 miles the opposite
direction why did Jonah run from the call because the Ninevites were the very people
that were murdering the Israelites the Ninevites were the people that were squandering all
(36:24):
their possessions murdering their people raping their women and God says to Jonah I want you
to go and tell them to repent now how would you go and how would I go in a situation like
that to go and extend grace and mercy to a nation of people who are consistently doing
(36:49):
you harm and no good that's a challenge I would say so Jonah ends up going we know he
God just said well I'm gonna get you in a big fish boy and you'll go in there don't
fight God when he calls you to do something just give in and go because he'll win in the
end God will always win and then Jonah walks through Nineveh and he was saying about repent
(37:15):
repent for the judgment of God is coming and you know what happened they took heed of his
word and the king of Nineveh proclaimed a fast and told everyone in that nation everyone
is to fast and repent of everything that we have done wrong and the end of the story is
(37:37):
is that God relented of that judgment that was pending upon the Ninevites why because
they proclaimed a fast and they repented there are times that I have been with people that
have made some really wrong decisions in life and have never known how to get back with
(37:59):
God thinking that God would never forgive me how could God ever forgive me for what
I have done prayer and fasting is a very good place to start folks in the same way with
the Ninevites prayer and fasting the second one prayer and fasting for divine protection
and deliverance in second Chronicles chapter 20 we read with Jehoshaphat the king of Judah
(38:23):
he gets word that there are three different nations coming against him and they their
intention is to wipe the Judah off the map to kill every man woman and child and what
did Jehoshaphat do and it reads here from verses 3 and 4 of 2 Chronicles 20 and Jehoshaphat
feared and said himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah so
(38:49):
Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord and from all the cities of Judah they
came to seek the Lord the end of the story is simply this is that God created confusion
in the three armies that were coming against them they ended up fighting each other and
wiped each other out the people of Judah came down and saw the armies just laying flat dead
(39:15):
and it took them days and days to pick up the spoil the treasures left behind folks
prayer and fasting before God is an incredible principle that we really need as a New Testament
church to learn and to practice and to engage in more probably more regularly than we're
(39:37):
doing possibly I'm not sure we have elections coming up soon now I don't need to remind
you the importance of having a good government and what I'm about to say I'm not speaking
about the people I'm speaking about the policies all right presently we have please hear me
(40:10):
the most ungodly government this nation has ever seen I'm not speaking about the people
per se I'm speaking about the policies that are celebrated and we're about to head to
the polls very soon to vote the Bible says when the righteous rule the people rejoice
(40:40):
righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to all the people in other words
what it's saying if we allow an existing government that is not is not upholding the
basic fundamentals of life we're in trouble prayer and fasting has so much power to turn
(41:11):
a nation politically even if the people will pray if the people will fast and pray I believe
God has given the power into our hands and we need to be wise when we go to the polls
(41:35):
and every many weeks it is spend the time to get to know who you're going to vote for
because I am certainly not going to be voting for a government that does not celebrate life
I'm not going to do that and many other things that I could say again I'm not speaking about
(42:03):
the people per se I'm looking at the policies the policies what they intend to do can a
nation be changed can a group of people can one or two people come together and fast and
(42:24):
pray and turn a nation the answer is absolutely yes do you have any evidence well I have one
in the book of Daniel chapter 9 where Daniel was by the river Tigris for two or three weeks
I can't remember now and he was interceding on behalf of a nation and praying and there
was great change that took place yes even one person one person fasting and praying
(42:50):
can make a difference can you imagine when in a whole body of believers come together
with the same heart and same mind can change the world and I want to finish with this this
story a true story there's you've heard of the Inuits right the Eskimos right up in the
(43:15):
real cold country there were certain regions around there and the leading up to the mid
1990s that darkness had crept in over that place it was so bad that people were saying
that God has even forsaken that land that youth suicide was out of control no one knew
(43:40):
how to deal with it it was just out of control drugs and alcohol violence just taken over
an entire community and region and people didn't know what to do the churches were
empty people were boozing on through the nights and just enjoying themselves even to the point
(44:10):
that police weren't were no longer found in the regions because it was no point and
the devil had placed a stronghold over that area it was horrible it was a terrible experience
for these people to the point that they keep the people said it seemed that even God had
(44:35):
lifted his hand off our people and off our land they said that the hunters could no longer
find wild game to hunt for food the caribou and all the other wild animals no longer came
the fish were no longer found in their food sources and streams and rivers and oceans
(44:57):
gone where did they go where did the caribou go the ground stopped producing and yielding
the berries and the place became so barren so fruitless people began to consider leaving
that region to live somewhere else in the hearts of many they declared and cried out
(45:23):
there is no hope for us it's all over that we are doomed but yet two people an evangelist
and a pastor got together and they said enough is enough we are going to declare a fast and
prayer for this region until we see this stronghold totally destroyed off our communities and
(45:52):
off our land and they began to pray one by one more people started attending these meetings
and toward the end the church started I guess they would have been in the vicinity of around
about 50 people all coming together fasting and praying for God to break through for this
(46:19):
curse on their land to be destroyed and then one night in a meeting in the middle of winter
as they were praying and fasting and their hearts being poured out to God begging God
to move and to help them this sound of a mighty wind began to blow inside the building and
(46:45):
around and it started getting louder and louder and louder and they testified that with the
intensity of this sound that got louder and louder there was an increase of the presence
of almighty God increasing and increasing and the pastor thought there was a problem
(47:07):
with the sound desk so he tried adjusting it but the noise kept getting louder so he
unplugged the sound desk turned the power off to everything then they realized this
is a supernatural visitation of God that has come to our land that has come to our people
(47:32):
and God began to move the miracle is is that somehow the sound of that and the people wailing
and crying was recorded on a machine that the power was turned off and the Spirit of
God was poured out in that region and it began to spread from next village to the next village
(47:56):
into the next village how did this start it started with a couple of people just saying
I had enough I'm just we're not allowing this darkness to invade our community anymore
have we had enough of darkness invading this nation of Australia well it's going to take
(48:17):
some committed people to fast and to pray and to see God's hand move on this land once
again that's what it's going to take and then bit by bit this move of God started spreading
out through across the land and the testimonies were that men that were very unkind to their
(48:39):
wives let me put it that way repented youth suicide stopped drugs and alcohol there was
no more they had at church services a big drum where everyone brought their their drugs
alcohol pornography everything else and they had burnings before a church service God was
(49:04):
moving God was really really moving people began to get saved by the hundreds the churches
began to be filled to capacity how did this happen it all happened with two people to
say enough's enough we're going to pray we're going to fast until we see God move and God
(49:28):
moved and they testified and said the incredible thing is is when God began to move again the
caribou came back the wild animals came back when we had repented and asked God to forgive
us the fish came back the ground started producing and yielding it's it's yield again and and
(49:51):
everything just started changing and marriages were being healed and people's physical bodies
were being healed and there was such a liberty taking place you know what happened the stronghold
over that place was destroyed the devil had a stronghold over that region and two people
(50:11):
that became I think five and then fifty and then thousands continued to pray and God moved
mightily it happened in the Bible it's happened in in the middle 90s it's happened many times
throughout this world I'm letting you know folks it'll happen again it'll happen again
(50:34):
it'll probably happen sooner than we think but we as children of the living God need
to take this principle of prayer and fasting so so seriously when is enough enough when
is it I decree today that enough enough is enough is today today we don't want to see
(51:00):
it anymore enough's enough the devil is not going to do this any longer the releasing
of family members that has been bound into darkness being loosed into the kingdom of
(51:20):
light relationships restored people healed are you with me this morning as I close I
know that's probably my fourth close this morning I get really good at them don't I
if you have never made a decision to come to Christ I want to give you an opportunity
(51:47):
today as I said in the beginning it's a good thing to be cool with God like God friendly
and be cool with church yeah I can go to church and I don't mind going to church but the question
is are you a Christian we don't become a Christian because we go to church I don't become a
(52:07):
Christian because I read a Bible I become a Christian when I'm born again when I'm
born again what is it being born again when I got saved when I gave my life to Jesus I
surrendered my life to him and said Jesus I'm asking you to save me come into my life
I'm heading to you please forgive me for everything I've done wrong and receive me into your family
(52:34):
and you know what he did wholeheartedly that was over 30 years ago and it was the best
decision I ever made in my entire life I've never been so happier I've never felt so more
complete inside and outside a future and a hope and the best thing is is that I know
(52:54):
that when I draw my last breath I have no question in my heart where I'm going I know
that I will be going home to glory with my heavenly father amen you see people don't
end up in heaven by accident it's by choice and I'm giving you and offering you today
(53:16):
this choice to receive Christ would you do that with me this morning I'm just going to
pray a very simple prayer very similar to what I prayed some over 30 years ago it was
the turning point in my life I used to do a lot of things and that I don't do anymore
and drunk enough alcohol the flow to battleship and I realize you don't need all that when
(53:42):
you have Jesus such a peace will come into your life such a peace if you're able to stand
if you're not remain seated but if you're able to stand could you stand and I'm going
to pray a very simple prayer this morning and that if you follow me in this prayer and
you really really mean what you're about to pray the greatest miracle that can ever happen
(54:09):
to any human being will happen to you today you know we've seen as Christians God do many
great and wonderful things miracles signs and wonders but the greatest miracle that
can never happen to any person is to be born again to be accepted in the family of God
(54:31):
would you pray with me that means just repeat after me repeat after me if you would dear
father God I come to you in the name of Jesus I believe in my heart and I confess with my
mouth that you Jesus are the Son of God you died for me God you raised him from the dead
(55:01):
for me this day Jesus I give you my life I ask that you forgive me everything I've done
wrong and receive me into the family of God in Jesus name amen amen thank you for joining
(55:24):
us we pray God's richest blessing on your life if you haven't already make sure to join
us on Facebook Instagram and YouTube you can also find us at Logan City Christian Church
com see you next week
Welcome to Logan City Christian Church podcast where we bring God's Word to you weekly.
(00:07):
We pray what you hear will bring clarity to your situation and open doors in your life.
Enjoy the message.
Wow, well I'm ready.
Praise God.
You know, I've been, I ministered last week on fasting and it's such a popular subject.
(00:34):
Fasting, it is one of those subjects that I guess are largely misunderstood and fasting
is not dieting, fasting is not, you know, just abstaining from food for no reason at
all.
Fasting has a spiritual purpose and fasting is so, so very important.
(00:57):
Last week I shared out of Isaiah 58 to just reinforce the fact that fasting, primarily
when we begin to fast, that our heart is right before God and before other people.
It's incredibly important and so when we lay that foundation in our own hearts that we're
(01:19):
about to start a fast and to pray for whatever we are believing God for in a breakthrough,
it's vitally important first that, as I said, that we position ourselves correctly in God,
our vertical relationship with God and our horizontal relationship with each other.
Now that goes to say that, you know, there are times that our horizontal relationships
(01:44):
may be strained in whatever area and thus causing the need to fast to see a breakthrough
relationally and so, you know, but we still do what we can do and do what we know we should
do.
But today I'm going to continue about prayer and fasting that break strongholds.
(02:05):
So last week it was about our position that we stand when we fast and that our heart is
as right as we know that we can be before God and before other people and that is vitally
important.
But today I'm now speaking, we're positioned right and now we're starting to get into some
(02:28):
breakthrough, some prayer and fasting for breakthrough.
Now, is there anyone here today that you are believing God for breakthrough in your lives
or in any relationship, I'm sure there would be plenty of us.
Some of us may be believing God for breakthrough with healing in our bodies and it might be
(02:49):
for a better job, it might be for, you know, as I said, within relationships of all kinds,
so vitally important.
Now before I go into the prayer and fasting that break strongholds, I just need to wind
back thousands of years as to the reason why there is a need for prayer and fasting today
(03:12):
because a stronghold is exactly that, it's a stronghold on people, on people's lives
or on our finances.
Now God is not the author of these strongholds and often God gets blamed for things that
happen in this world where God didn't do it at all.
(03:34):
And for us to understand the, and get the whole picture of what is going on here, we
need to go right back to the beginning of the creation of humanity where God created
Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and there God created everything so perfect that in
(03:54):
the Garden of Eden there was no sin, there was no sickness, there was no disease, there
were no relational issues in the Garden of Eden, there was nothing like that and God
had created everything so perfect in his own way that humanity would live for God and for
(04:18):
each other and always giving preference to the other first, that's how God had planned
it.
Jesus actually said in the Lord's Prayer that on earth here as it is in heaven, that we
are to pray that life here on earth be exactly like it is in heaven.
Now God in the beginning had established it that way.
(04:41):
Do you know that humanity was created to live forever in the Garden of Eden?
That there was no plan, God did not plan sickness and he didn't plan death, he didn't plan divorce,
he didn't plan sickness, he didn't plan any of those things.
They are not in the plan or the will of God.
(05:02):
So we see that from right back then that there was a third person who was roaming around
the Garden of Eden and he was Lucifer, the devil himself that was Lucifer and so that
devil knew that he wanted the authority that God had given to humanity.
God had given Adam authority over all the animals of the earth, God had given Adam a
(05:27):
kingdom authority to rule this world.
But the devil wanted that, there was something that was his prized possession.
If there was ever a trophy in his cabinet that it would be that.
He wanted the authority that God had given to man.
You see in heaven the devil, his name was Lucifer, he was the chief worship leader in
(05:49):
heaven if you like and pride filled his heart that he wanted to take God's place if you
like.
And so from that point he created war with God and God being God, you know the devil
managed to influence a third of the angels of God to join on his team and war broke out.
(06:13):
But the thing is God being who he is cannot be defeated.
If God needed some more angels he just created them.
I mean God will not be outmatched, he will not be outdone.
God is God.
And so the devil was cast to the earth, you know he wasn't going to win this battle against
(06:35):
God and so if you can imagine here is the devil now Lucifer, you know it was a name
that was given to him because he was built and created so perfectly and he was that perfect,
that pride ruined his own existence.
(06:59):
When he was cast to the earth lo and behold he sees man created lower than angels being
given something that he desperately wanted and that was that authority.
And so the devil is thinking I got to get this authority because it would humiliate
(07:23):
him to no end that him roaming around on this earth under the authority of a human being
that God had created it was more than he could bear.
So the devil decided then to deceive.
Deception is a powerful tool that the devil uses and please don't think that it only happened
(07:45):
in the Garden of Eden, deception is something that happens every day, every waking and sleeping
moment of their life the devil is always out to deceive.
And so the devil deceived Eve and then Adam and then through their obedience to him and
their disobedience to God they forfeited that authority that they had and the devil took
(08:09):
it with both arms.
So from that time to this hour that we live today the devil has been ruling and reigning
in this world creating havoc, creating destruction, sickness, disease, you name it everything
(08:32):
that is horrible and terrible is created at the doing of the devil himself.
You see Jesus even said that the ruler of this world he was speaking about Satan and
so many times God gets the blame for things that go wrong for wars that take place in
(08:55):
this world for the humanity suffering and starvation that God seems to be the first
in line to be blamed.
But the answer to that really is that we've got to ask which God because Jesus said that
the God of this world he's speaking about the devil.
So the God of this world the devil is trying to destroy your life, he wants to destroy
(09:21):
my life, he wants to destroy your family and my family, he wants to destroy all relationships
and he just comes to steal, to kill and to destroy but Jesus had come to give life and
life in its abundance.
So when I speak about a stronghold the strongholds are not created by God we need to establish
(09:47):
that firmly first.
Strongholds are created in life initially the person who instigates and orchestrates
strongholds is the devil.
Now this is the turning point for us today.
Jesus said to Nicodemus a religious leader who came to Jesus by night and said to Jesus
(10:14):
you know Jesus nobody could do what you do unless God is with you.
He was so taken by the wonderful works that God was doing through Jesus and so Jesus himself
was healing the sick, people that were lame were healed, I mean regardless what the sickness
(10:35):
was demons were cast out and you know the dead were raised and this religious leader
approached Jesus at night and says wow you know this is really amazing we've never seen
this before, God's with you and Jesus said something remarkable, he said something that's
life changing to every human being today.
(10:57):
Jesus said to this religious leader he said to him you must be born again, that's John
chapter 3 verse 3 you must be born again, Jesus wasn't making a suggestion he's saying
you know you need to be born from above.
Being born again or born from above we go right back to the cause and effect that humanity
(11:24):
Adam and Eve fell from grace, they fell from God's holiness, they were cast out of the
garden of Eden and from that point on Adam and Eve took on the nature of sin and therefore
every person that was born from that day on whether they liked it or not was born with
(11:48):
the nature of sin.
When Jesus said you must be born again Jesus is saying about that old sin nature that we
inherited going all the way back to the kingdom or sorry to the garden of Eden that when we
received Jesus as our Lord and Savior and that we accept him that all of our sin nature
(12:12):
and everything we have possibly done wrong in life is forgiven at that point and we are
given a new nature, a nature of righteousness and from there we read the rest of the script
throughout the New Testament and all of the epistles that were written by the apostles
(12:33):
that from there every person who now is a child of God through the new birth through
the born again experience that you have received an authority and a power over the works of
the devil.
So that means then that where there is a stronghold or something that the devil is trying to you
(12:58):
know encapsulate you and hold you from achieving and accomplishing what God has for your life
you have the power and the authority to bind that stronghold and for it to be destroyed.
Now I want to speak more now about the principle of prayer and fasting because prayer and fasting
(13:24):
coupled together is an incredible force that every believer when I say a believer every
person that truly has surrendered their life to Jesus and has received that born again
experience and is a child of God.
Now you might say I don't have that how do I get that I'm going to finish the message
(13:46):
with that how do I receive Christ today so so important.
You see it's one thing to be God friendly and it's a good thing and it's another thing
to be church friendly in other words going to church and that that's great but it's
yet quite a different thing to be a child of God.
It is a different thing again it's another level to be born again accepted into the family
(14:12):
of God.
So again when we receive this incredible blessing being adopted into the family of God all of
our sins have been forgiven we've been given a new start a new life a new nature everything
has become new.
Now that does not mean then that the devil gets a long stick and a white flag and waves
(14:35):
and says okay I surrender I'll leave you alone I'll never hassle you again you win I lose
no he actually steps it up and so the war begins the battle begins the Bible talks a
lot about the testing of our faith and so our faith the faith that we released when
(14:56):
we got born again is more than enough to overcome the strategies of the devil so prayer and
fasting coupled together is an incredible force against the works of the devil against
your life.
If there is sickness coming against your body like thank you Marion for sharing that incredible
(15:19):
testimony it is so beautiful to hear and I do know that many people were in prayer and
fasting and there are so far only so far we can go in prayer and prayer is powerful I'm
not underplaying prayer and the power of prayer it is incredibly powerful but let me tell
(15:39):
you men and women of God when we are people of prayer and then we pray on the foundation
of this fasting when the two collide and the two come together it's a formidable force
against the works of darkness it is powerful and I'd like to bring something out here in
(16:01):
Matthew chapter 17 from verse 19 to 21 then the disciples came to Jesus privately and
said why could we not cast it out and Jesus said to them because of your unbelief for
assuredly I say to you if you have faith as a mustard seed you will say to this mountain
(16:24):
move here to there and it will move and nothing will be impossible for you however this kind
does not go out except by prayer and fasting let me put you in the picture of what happened
here in the beginning of chapter 17 we see that Jesus himself took Peter James and John
(16:47):
with him to the mountain to pray and Jesus was teaching them a principle church prayer
is part of our Christian experience prayer is our communication with God prayer is not
a monologue it's a dialogue so expect that if we're praying and speaking to God that
(17:08):
God is going to speak back and he always does it is such an incredible thing so they're
up on the mountain and Jesus begins to pray and all of a sudden a supernatural occurrence
takes place a supernatural experience and there there appears before them Moses and
(17:36):
Elijah now these guys had died long ago didn't they but here they are on the top of the mountain
and the first thing that Peter James and John suggested is that wow an incredible experience
let us build a tabernacle for each of them you know an experience with God doesn't validate
(17:59):
us to start a ministry or build a church I mean they're both good things but we got
to learn something from this is that Jesus allowed them to experience another level of
the supernatural because they were going to need it and then Jesus when he was going to
heaven he was imparting into these men something that really mattered they needed to experience
(18:24):
the supernatural side of Christianity and we do too Christianity is supernatural Christianity
is powerful so they're up there and they had this experience and then they're walking
down the mountain and as they're on their way down to the mountain there's the remaining
(18:45):
disciples are dealing with the situation with a father that has this young child that has
a demon and this demon is really ferocious it throws him into the fire it you know throws
him into the water tries to kill this kid and when Jesus turns up he says to Jesus he
(19:07):
said look Jesus I had your disciples try and cast this thing out and they couldn't do it
and Jesus actually said to them you know about their faithlessness you know their faith was
not really there and so Jesus then leads us into what I just read now Jesus said because
(19:30):
of your unbelief the disciples asked him afterward how come we couldn't cast this thing out and
Jesus said because of your unbelief unbelief is a stronghold unbelief is a supernatural
force that tries to overpower the soul of humanity our mind our will our emotions that
(19:55):
unbelief is that God this might be too big for you God this is really probably not going
to happen and Jesus is saying you know this is guys one of the main causes why it's not
happening because of your unbelief but then Jesus said in verse 21 he said however this
(20:20):
kind this kind of what this kind of demon that possessed this boy does not go out except
by prayer and fasting and so Jesus is saying about there are different ranks and there
are different levels of the demonic there are principalities and powers and rulers of
wicked spirits and high places we don't know which one was affecting this young boy but
(20:45):
you know the casual prayer was not going to count it today and Jesus is saying that this
kind of demon it's a strong man and this strong man had bound this child all of his life and
Jesus was telling them unbelief is one of the things that was hindering them and then
(21:06):
he said but this kind will only come out by prayer and fasting not just prayer prayer
and fasting fasting number one deals with unbelief you still with me unbelief is an
area that I believe that the devil tries to work in our mind some call it the battlefield
(21:31):
of the mind that's where the battle begins and there are times that we will look with
their visual eyes with our five senses and discern what is possible and what's not possible
but Jesus is saying but your faith faith does not operate it under the five senses faith
operates way over the top at a different level altogether so what the devil wants to do is
(21:57):
to eliminate our believing our faith to try and hinder it so doubt and unbelief is a really
good stronghold that he uses so fasting you know we can pray and pray all through a night
and still carry doubt and unbelief so how does that doubt and unbelief be rid of our
(22:19):
thinking fasting fasting this is why fasting and prayer joined together is so powerful
because fasting when we are fasting one of the first things that we will feel is hunger
are you with me and so the natural person that we are will then say feed me and then
(22:49):
our spiritual side will say no we are not going to eat today and then this war begins
that who has the greater leverage is it your spiritual person that was born again the Christ
that lives in you is he the stronger one inside of us over our desires the desires of our
(23:13):
soul the desires of the flesh the desires to eat now eating is an important part of
life if you don't eat you die it's as simple as that but there is a time where the scriptures
make it so clear that there's a time for fasting there's a time to abstain from food and when
(23:34):
we begin to abstain from food that's where the challenge begins the war begins there
now you might be praying for a breakthrough in health you might be praying for a breakthrough
in relations in relationship let's and push that aside now because the battle does not
start there the battle starts within here so when we stop eating with the intention
(24:02):
to fast and pray because of the problem that is over yonder that we fast the challenge
begins in the soul of humanity and then this will to eat or not to eat becomes the focus
the main issue that we're dealing with now and when we in prayer and fasting overcome
(24:25):
that desire overcome the need or the want I'm hungry I'm hungry who likes their food
man I love food you kidding me I just I mean look at that that just didn't pop out one
day from fresh air it was intentional it was designed that way by me and isn't it amazing
(24:50):
how when you get it you go I don't want it and it's so much harder to get rid of it
than to get it and anyone know what I'm talking about and so I right now since Christmas have
been in the Battle of the Bulge trying to work on this tight drum and I've come to
(25:13):
realize it's some it's a challenge but I've noticed just in the last month I'm gaining
another hole in my belt so I'm winning men your belt does not lie but the challenge has
(25:37):
been at the dinner table apparently a 300 gram steak is sufficient whoever thought of
that I think that's nuts they say you're not supposed to eat a steak bigger than your hand
(26:01):
they do yeah palm your hand but they didn't say how thick it can be yeah I'll do one
like that and it's eight feet tall praise the Lord and so we love our food right so
why did God choose fasting why couldn't he have chosen something else that was easier
(26:25):
because fasting affects every part of our of our makeup every part of our being because
when you fast you get hungry when you fast you run out of energy when you fast your eyes
are looking you know how is it when you're fasting you're driving down the road and all
(26:50):
of a sudden you say how long have all these billboards been here of food you never noticed
them before but all of a sudden now there are billboards everywhere at food and this
subliminal message flashing at you pull over KFC McDonald's and all these were just a little
burger won't hurt does anyone know what I'm talking about today and so the challenge to
(27:16):
pull in and and you know just top up a little bit just a little bit and that's where the
battle begins so remember I'm speaking about a breakthrough with relationships or healing
whatever it might be and we so focus on that which we need to there are times we need to
(27:37):
come back a bit and focus on do or am I in control of me because if I am not in control
of me I'm speaking of in in this in God how can I be in control over spiritual things
(27:59):
if I don't have that self-discipline in in my life as such how can I be trusted by God
and other things now I'm not saying that to put anybody down I have the evidence to say
I haven't worked this thing out yet but prayer and fasting when we fast if you have let's
(28:27):
say a medical condition make sure you speak to your doctor and say I'm gonna go on a five
day fast or something what do you recommend I mean be sensible about it because I know
some people just said I'm gonna do a 40 day fast and they're not at church for two weeks
where are they're in hospital on a drip that's not real smart and I don't recommend that
(28:50):
start with one day and then do that once a week then two days and if you want to progress
from there but I have found that fasting the breakthrough for me has always come around
about the third or fourth day of fasting because I love my food so much I really get intense
with praying and believing for a breakthrough so I can eat again right no that's not true
(29:19):
fasting is an incredible thing Jesus said you're never going to be able to to cast this
kind of demon out unless you pray and you fast you know some strongholds are at different
levels some sicknesses I don't know why they seem to be at different levels you know our
faith and is important doubt and unbelief is what undermines the very the very flow
(29:43):
of God that is available to you and I but when we fast and and fast seriously about
I'm intentionally fasting because of this fasting on its own can be more like dieting
fasting needs to have a target it needs to be intentional it needs to be directional
(30:08):
and pick your target whatever it might be and so right on this day I'm declaring a fast
because I'm tired of whatever it might be controlling me or making me sick or whatever
it might be enough is enough and I'm declaring war the Bible shows me that I have been given
(30:31):
life and life in its abundance and here I am not experiencing that today well enough
is enough the gloves are off I'm getting into prayer and fasting and this thing about these
strongholds is going to come down in Jesus name in Jesus name in Jesus name as Marion
(30:53):
said this morning sometimes what our eyes behold seem to be greater than our God at
first isn't that true I've seen it many times into hospitals and things like that and you
look and you go wow what a mountain that is but sometimes we we we talk to God how big
(31:15):
the mountain is but we need to talk to the mountain how big our God is that's the difference
that is the difference and so in Luke chapter 4 verse 1 and 2 is a very print very powerful
principle here Luke chapter 4 verses 1 and 2 and it reads here then Jesus being filled
(31:42):
with this Holy Spirit returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness
and being tempted for 40 days by the devil and in those days he ate nothing and afterward
when they had ended he was hungry surprise surprise we all get hungry but Jesus when
(32:03):
he was baptized in the river Jordan the Spirit of God descended upon him in bodily form as
a dove and that's when he heard those wonderful words from God behold my beloved son in whom
I am well pleased whether you realize it or not that was like another bar mitzvah for
Jesus from God the Father in whom he was well pleased and so moving on Jesus then went straight
(32:29):
from the baptism he was filled with the Holy Spirit and then he moved straight out into
the wilderness not to have a party not to do ministry not to do anything else but to
fast for 40 days and he knew he was going to be tempted by the devil for 40 days now
(32:50):
the devil himself tried everything that he knew to try and turn Jesus but I'd like to
bring something out in verse 14 that is incredibly powerful then Jesus returned in the power
of the Spirit to Galilee and news of him went out through all the surrounding region verse
(33:16):
one and two Jesus was filled with the Spirit he went out for 40 days and 40 nights he walked
through the desert not eating anything being tempted for that duration of time but then
it says something quite remarkable it's a key here that it says that Jesus returned
(33:37):
from that 40 days in the power of the Spirit he went into the wilderness being filled with
the Spirit he came out in the power of the Spirit church there is a key for us here today
fasting is one incredible part of our Christian makeup we can be filled with the Spirit praise
(33:59):
God speak in tongues and and do all the hunty shunty until all day Monday you know but the
thing is are we moving in the power of the same Spirit that we were filled with that
is the question because the Spirit the baptism of the Spirit in the life of a believer was
not an experience to be reached it was a person and a power to be placed in us and so that
(34:25):
we can use to preach this gospel and see wonderful things that God is doing so what took place
for when Jesus was filled until Jesus come out in the power temptation overcoming temptation
how did it happen fasting that time of fasting Jesus managed to subdue the fleshy desires
(34:47):
and those desires of that nature of man and was flowing purely in the end and right through
actually in that the very power of the Spirit if we want to see the power of the Spirit
of God move in our life there needs to come a challenge or a test to see what is really
(35:11):
in us do we have that intestinal fortitude to actually go through the hills and the valleys
and there's one thing that will bring it out of us to paint a picture of really what is
in us and that is fasting fasting will draw out of us what's in us and it'll tell us a
(35:33):
story about ourselves fasting is an incredible part of our Christian makeup in Jesus name
now just got a couple of examples and then I'll be done prayer and fasting repentance
leading to acquittal of divine judgment the story of Jonah Jonah himself was asked by
(35:58):
God I want you to go to Nineveh and I want you to warn these people about what's coming
and Jonah didn't want to go so he went the opposite direction about 2000 miles the opposite
direction why did Jonah run from the call because the Ninevites were the very people
that were murdering the Israelites the Ninevites were the people that were squandering all
(36:24):
their possessions murdering their people raping their women and God says to Jonah I want you
to go and tell them to repent now how would you go and how would I go in a situation like
that to go and extend grace and mercy to a nation of people who are consistently doing
(36:49):
you harm and no good that's a challenge I would say so Jonah ends up going we know he
God just said well I'm gonna get you in a big fish boy and you'll go in there don't
fight God when he calls you to do something just give in and go because he'll win in the
end God will always win and then Jonah walks through Nineveh and he was saying about repent
(37:15):
repent for the judgment of God is coming and you know what happened they took heed of his
word and the king of Nineveh proclaimed a fast and told everyone in that nation everyone
is to fast and repent of everything that we have done wrong and the end of the story is
(37:37):
is that God relented of that judgment that was pending upon the Ninevites why because
they proclaimed a fast and they repented there are times that I have been with people that
have made some really wrong decisions in life and have never known how to get back with
(37:59):
God thinking that God would never forgive me how could God ever forgive me for what
I have done prayer and fasting is a very good place to start folks in the same way with
the Ninevites prayer and fasting the second one prayer and fasting for divine protection
and deliverance in second Chronicles chapter 20 we read with Jehoshaphat the king of Judah
(38:23):
he gets word that there are three different nations coming against him and they their
intention is to wipe the Judah off the map to kill every man woman and child and what
did Jehoshaphat do and it reads here from verses 3 and 4 of 2 Chronicles 20 and Jehoshaphat
feared and said himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah so
(38:49):
Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord and from all the cities of Judah they
came to seek the Lord the end of the story is simply this is that God created confusion
in the three armies that were coming against them they ended up fighting each other and
wiped each other out the people of Judah came down and saw the armies just laying flat dead
(39:15):
and it took them days and days to pick up the spoil the treasures left behind folks
prayer and fasting before God is an incredible principle that we really need as a New Testament
church to learn and to practice and to engage in more probably more regularly than we're
(39:37):
doing possibly I'm not sure we have elections coming up soon now I don't need to remind
you the importance of having a good government and what I'm about to say I'm not speaking
about the people I'm speaking about the policies all right presently we have please hear me
(40:10):
the most ungodly government this nation has ever seen I'm not speaking about the people
per se I'm speaking about the policies that are celebrated and we're about to head to
the polls very soon to vote the Bible says when the righteous rule the people rejoice
(40:40):
righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to all the people in other words
what it's saying if we allow an existing government that is not is not upholding the
basic fundamentals of life we're in trouble prayer and fasting has so much power to turn
(41:11):
a nation politically even if the people will pray if the people will fast and pray I believe
God has given the power into our hands and we need to be wise when we go to the polls
(41:35):
and every many weeks it is spend the time to get to know who you're going to vote for
because I am certainly not going to be voting for a government that does not celebrate life
I'm not going to do that and many other things that I could say again I'm not speaking about
(42:03):
the people per se I'm looking at the policies the policies what they intend to do can a
nation be changed can a group of people can one or two people come together and fast and
(42:24):
pray and turn a nation the answer is absolutely yes do you have any evidence well I have one
in the book of Daniel chapter 9 where Daniel was by the river Tigris for two or three weeks
I can't remember now and he was interceding on behalf of a nation and praying and there
was great change that took place yes even one person one person fasting and praying
(42:50):
can make a difference can you imagine when in a whole body of believers come together
with the same heart and same mind can change the world and I want to finish with this this
story a true story there's you've heard of the Inuits right the Eskimos right up in the
(43:15):
real cold country there were certain regions around there and the leading up to the mid
1990s that darkness had crept in over that place it was so bad that people were saying
that God has even forsaken that land that youth suicide was out of control no one knew
(43:40):
how to deal with it it was just out of control drugs and alcohol violence just taken over
an entire community and region and people didn't know what to do the churches were
empty people were boozing on through the nights and just enjoying themselves even to the point
(44:10):
that police weren't were no longer found in the regions because it was no point and
the devil had placed a stronghold over that area it was horrible it was a terrible experience
for these people to the point that they keep the people said it seemed that even God had
(44:35):
lifted his hand off our people and off our land they said that the hunters could no longer
find wild game to hunt for food the caribou and all the other wild animals no longer came
the fish were no longer found in their food sources and streams and rivers and oceans
(44:57):
gone where did they go where did the caribou go the ground stopped producing and yielding
the berries and the place became so barren so fruitless people began to consider leaving
that region to live somewhere else in the hearts of many they declared and cried out
(45:23):
there is no hope for us it's all over that we are doomed but yet two people an evangelist
and a pastor got together and they said enough is enough we are going to declare a fast and
prayer for this region until we see this stronghold totally destroyed off our communities and
(45:52):
off our land and they began to pray one by one more people started attending these meetings
and toward the end the church started I guess they would have been in the vicinity of around
about 50 people all coming together fasting and praying for God to break through for this
(46:19):
curse on their land to be destroyed and then one night in a meeting in the middle of winter
as they were praying and fasting and their hearts being poured out to God begging God
to move and to help them this sound of a mighty wind began to blow inside the building and
(46:45):
around and it started getting louder and louder and louder and they testified that with the
intensity of this sound that got louder and louder there was an increase of the presence
of almighty God increasing and increasing and the pastor thought there was a problem
(47:07):
with the sound desk so he tried adjusting it but the noise kept getting louder so he
unplugged the sound desk turned the power off to everything then they realized this
is a supernatural visitation of God that has come to our land that has come to our people
(47:32):
and God began to move the miracle is is that somehow the sound of that and the people wailing
and crying was recorded on a machine that the power was turned off and the Spirit of
God was poured out in that region and it began to spread from next village to the next village
(47:56):
into the next village how did this start it started with a couple of people just saying
I had enough I'm just we're not allowing this darkness to invade our community anymore
have we had enough of darkness invading this nation of Australia well it's going to take
(48:17):
some committed people to fast and to pray and to see God's hand move on this land once
again that's what it's going to take and then bit by bit this move of God started spreading
out through across the land and the testimonies were that men that were very unkind to their
(48:39):
wives let me put it that way repented youth suicide stopped drugs and alcohol there was
no more they had at church services a big drum where everyone brought their their drugs
alcohol pornography everything else and they had burnings before a church service God was
(49:04):
moving God was really really moving people began to get saved by the hundreds the churches
began to be filled to capacity how did this happen it all happened with two people to
say enough's enough we're going to pray we're going to fast until we see God move and God
(49:28):
moved and they testified and said the incredible thing is is when God began to move again the
caribou came back the wild animals came back when we had repented and asked God to forgive
us the fish came back the ground started producing and yielding it's it's yield again and and
(49:51):
everything just started changing and marriages were being healed and people's physical bodies
were being healed and there was such a liberty taking place you know what happened the stronghold
over that place was destroyed the devil had a stronghold over that region and two people
(50:11):
that became I think five and then fifty and then thousands continued to pray and God moved
mightily it happened in the Bible it's happened in in the middle 90s it's happened many times
throughout this world I'm letting you know folks it'll happen again it'll happen again
(50:34):
it'll probably happen sooner than we think but we as children of the living God need
to take this principle of prayer and fasting so so seriously when is enough enough when
is it I decree today that enough enough is enough is today today we don't want to see
(51:00):
it anymore enough's enough the devil is not going to do this any longer the releasing
of family members that has been bound into darkness being loosed into the kingdom of
(51:20):
light relationships restored people healed are you with me this morning as I close I
know that's probably my fourth close this morning I get really good at them don't I
if you have never made a decision to come to Christ I want to give you an opportunity
(51:47):
today as I said in the beginning it's a good thing to be cool with God like God friendly
and be cool with church yeah I can go to church and I don't mind going to church but the question
is are you a Christian we don't become a Christian because we go to church I don't become a
(52:07):
Christian because I read a Bible I become a Christian when I'm born again when I'm
born again what is it being born again when I got saved when I gave my life to Jesus I
surrendered my life to him and said Jesus I'm asking you to save me come into my life
I'm heading to you please forgive me for everything I've done wrong and receive me into your family
(52:34):
and you know what he did wholeheartedly that was over 30 years ago and it was the best
decision I ever made in my entire life I've never been so happier I've never felt so more
complete inside and outside a future and a hope and the best thing is is that I know
(52:54):
that when I draw my last breath I have no question in my heart where I'm going I know
that I will be going home to glory with my heavenly father amen you see people don't
end up in heaven by accident it's by choice and I'm giving you and offering you today
(53:16):
this choice to receive Christ would you do that with me this morning I'm just going to
pray a very simple prayer very similar to what I prayed some over 30 years ago it was
the turning point in my life I used to do a lot of things and that I don't do anymore
and drunk enough alcohol the flow to battleship and I realize you don't need all that when
(53:42):
you have Jesus such a peace will come into your life such a peace if you're able to stand
if you're not remain seated but if you're able to stand could you stand and I'm going
to pray a very simple prayer this morning and that if you follow me in this prayer and
you really really mean what you're about to pray the greatest miracle that can ever happen
(54:09):
to any human being will happen to you today you know we've seen as Christians God do many
great and wonderful things miracles signs and wonders but the greatest miracle that
can never happen to any person is to be born again to be accepted in the family of God
(54:31):
would you pray with me that means just repeat after me repeat after me if you would dear
father God I come to you in the name of Jesus I believe in my heart and I confess with my
mouth that you Jesus are the Son of God you died for me God you raised him from the dead
(55:01):
for me this day Jesus I give you my life I ask that you forgive me everything I've done
wrong and receive me into the family of God in Jesus name amen amen thank you for joining
(55:24):
us we pray God's richest blessing on your life if you haven't already make sure to join
us on Facebook Instagram and YouTube you can also find us at Logan City Christian Church
com see you next week
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.