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Introduction

In this edition of our Newsletter, prayer with fasting is discussed as an important basic need of every believer in Christ. Man needs food to survive but we also need to feed and sharpen our spirits with prayer and fasting. This piece of writing does not seek to comprehensively provide teachings on prayer and fasting but to highlight their relevance in the life of believers.

Faith and prayer with fasting

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb 11:1). Faith is the assurance that what is being hoped for shall happen through the power of God. Prayer with fasting is the act of abstaining from food for a period while seeking the move of God in our lives as we commune with Him. It is possible to fast without praying and it and it is also possible to pray without fasting, but the result is amazing if the two go together. Prayer and fasting quicken and sharpen our faith. It is read that:

“And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting” (Mat 17:20-21)”.

According to the above scripture, Jesus tells His disciples that faith is a great tool in the lives of Christians but it does not answer all things. The truth is that a person could have faith but would not be able to move all mountain until prayer with fasting is added to it. If you have tried all means but nothing seems to change or improve, try prayer and fasting. Prayer and fasting could empower believers to cast out devils, to receive healing and to heal the sick, and make impossible situations possible for believers. Some of the things that prayer and fasting can do are detailed in the next paragraphs.

Prayer and fasting

Fasting may weaken your knees and your flesh (Psa 109:24), but your spirit would be stronger, sharper, and tougher. By fasting and prayer, Esther and the Jews escaped death that was decreed against them by the king (Est 4:15-17, Est 5:4-8).

Again, prayer and fasting help us to humble ourselves before God and draw us closer to Him by opening our hearts to the Holy Spirit. As Joel writes: “Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning” (Joe 2:12).

Also, the more we draw closer to Him in prayer and fasting, the more often He visits us. This was the case of Cornelius. After he had prayed and fasted for four days, God sent His Angel to him. This brought deliverance to Him and his household (Acts 10: 1-4, 30-33). Cornelius received specific directions from God about what he needed to do to get the blessings of Abraham.

Moreover, prayer and fasting help us overcome our fleshly lust that war against our spirits (Gal 5:17). Thus, prayer and fasting make us live in the spirit. With this, we are able to overcome the works of the flesh and make us look more like God as it did happen to Moses on the mount (Ex 34: 28-35).

Our gifts are also sharpened the more often we pray and fast. If it is preaching and teaching, it makes the preaching of the word of God go forth with great power and authority. Paul demonstrated his preaching with the spirit and with power (1Co 2:4). This did not come by eating and drinking but by fasting and prayer. They also sharpen our vision and help us to live within our calling with humility and passion.

We are also helped to discover God´s purposes for our lives as individuals, as a church or as a country. Daniel exercised himself with prayer and fasting and the Lord God opened his eyes to see His divine purpose for him and his nation (Dan 9:3). If you do not know the plan of God for your life, you may approach Him in prayer and fasting.

Conclusion

Prayer and fasting are very important exercises for every believer who desires to be grounded in the faith and excel in their calling, as well as those who wish to take authority in their divine mandate.

Prayer: May the Lord help us to commit ourselves to prayer and fasting and help us to take territories for Him. In the name of Jesus Christ.

Introduction

A renewed mind is a key to newness of life in Christ and in this world. Holding on to long-held traditions and experiences may help but may also serve as hindrances to achieving a transformation and new heights in life, and in Christ. Man does not need only food but a renewal of mind. The relevance of a renewed mind is here discussed.

A Renewed Mind

 In the context of this thesis, the meaning of ´renew´ is to make new, to transform, to change from natural enmity to the love of God and his law; and to implant holy affections in the heart (Webster). In relation to this, Paul writes:

 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Rom 12:2).

From the above scripture, believers are being advised not to fashion their lives according to the standards of this world but to be transformed by renewing their way of thinking. A converted soul could be transformed only when his/her mind has been renewed from the sins and errors committed in the past and receive the finished work of grace.

According to scriptures, when a person is in Christ, s/he has become a new person (2Co 5:17), so all his/her previous sins are forgiven (Jer 31:34). A man, therefore, does not need to condemn himself or herself and feel guilty of their past sins if s/he has truly repented. We have to renew our minds from hating ourselves to loving ourselves, from harming ourselves to accepting and appreciating ourselves in the face of the Gospel of Christ.

Our minds need to be renewed to receive the salvation which comes only by accepting the grace of God. A shift from the righteousness which comes by the Law to the righteousness which comes by freely receiving the grace of God (Rom 3:20-21, 28). We ought to renew our minds on our attitudes, values, and traditions because we could lose our salvation if we hold on to them tenaciously and reject the grace of Jesus Christ.

Jesus tells the Jews that they make the word of God void and ineffective with their traditions (Mat 15:3-6, Mar 7:13). They needed to have renewed their minds to receive Christ. The merit of renewing our minds is to help us prove that which is good, acceptable and perfect will of God (Rom 12:2). It is also required of us to renew our minds towards our neighbors.

Renewing minds towards others

We often look down or disregard people who do not look exactly like us. We normally embrace people of our race but not foreigners or immigrants in our countries. We draw closer to those with similar ethnic origin or tribe but withdraw from those with different ethnicity. We welcome those of our faith but not those of other faiths. We embrace those of our denominations but not those of others. We love those of our sexual orientation but not those of others. We remove ourselves from the poor and the disabled as they continue to suffer exclusion while some of us live in luxury and extravagance.

We must renew our minds and begin to see all people as having been created in the image and in the likeness of God. It must be remembered that after the fall of man, God continued to love them. Therefore, we have no reason to maltreat and dislike those who are different from us.

Conclusion

The Lord desires that we abide in His will as we renew our minds to receive His salvation which comes by faith through grace. We are not to be drawn back by the Law and the traditions of our fathers. Our minds need to be renewed to accept our beings and others because they were also created in the likeness of God.

Prayer: May the Lord God help us to renew our minds and begin to think and see He does. In the name of Christ Jesus our Lord. AMEN!