Seeking God through Prayer & Fasting
Testimonies of God’s Rewards during a Recent Period of Prayer & Fasting |
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From Pastor and Sister Rankin
At the beginning of 2010, our Church entered a period of Prayer and Fasting, seeking the Face of God for His direction and His blessings upon our congregation. We did so with a clear understanding and with great expectations from Him based upon four Scriptural Truths:
Our Father is a Rewarder--Hebrews 11:6 declares, “But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” God has a Reward System that requires Faith acts. He rewards diligent seeking with Supernatural acts of kindness done on our behalf.
He Rewards Prayer and Fasting. God ordained Prayer & Fasting as elements of His Reward system. He exists in the Spirit realm in secret. Therefore, He requires that prayer be made in secret and He rewards openly. St. Matthew 6:5-8, Also, He requires that fasting be done in secret and He rewards openly. (St. Matthew 6:16-18)
We must abandon sins— Our members were instructed to focus on themselves during the first part of the Fast, repenting of sins. The reason is found in Psalm 66:18, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.”
Well, God heard and performed many Supernatural acts of kindness. With their permission, we have provided a sampling of the testimonies of God’s great goodness resulting from the Fast. Please take a few quality minutes and read them; they are certain to strengthen your Faith.
I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:4)
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. (I John 5:14-15)Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. (St. Mark 11:24)
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. (St. Mark 11:25-26)
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: (St. Matthew 7:7)
Our Father is a Rewarder--Hebrews 11:6 declares, “But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” God has a Reward System that requires Faith acts. He rewards diligent seeking with Supernatural acts of kindness done on our behalf.
He Rewards Prayer and Fasting. God ordained Prayer & Fasting as elements of His Reward system. He exists in the Spirit realm in secret. Therefore, He requires that prayer be made in secret and He rewards openly. St. Matthew 6:5-8, Also, He requires that fasting be done in secret and He rewards openly. (St. Matthew 6:16-18)
We must abandon sins— Our members were instructed to focus on themselves during the first part of the Fast, repenting of sins. The reason is found in Psalm 66:18, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.”
Well, God heard and performed many Supernatural acts of kindness. With their permission, we have provided a sampling of the testimonies of God’s great goodness resulting from the Fast. Please take a few quality minutes and read them; they are certain to strengthen your Faith.
I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:4)
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. (I John 5:14-15)Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. (St. Mark 11:24)
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. (St. Mark 11:25-26)
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: (St. Matthew 7:7)
Testimonies
- Jackie Adams — The Lord Healed my Legs. Mableton, Ga.
I had been suffering for months with severe pain in my legs. I could hardly stretch them out because they were swollen. I had problems getting in and out of my car because of the condition. But, I knew that my Heavenly Father did not want His child to continue walking like this. I continued confessing my healing because Jesus says in St. Mark 11:23 that if we have the Faith of God, we could say unto this mountain be thou removed and be thou cast into the into the sea; and shall not doubt in our heart, but shall believe that those things which we say shall come to pass; we will have whatsoever we say. As I confessed the word, however, the pain seemed to get worse. But, I wouldn’t let it stop me. I was steadily walking on my feet, telling the devil you are a lair, I am already healed by the stripes of Jesus.
The Fasting was a great Key. On Saturday night, the 6th day of the first week of the Fast, I couldn’t get any sleep because of the pain. I remembered what I had always done when I couldn’t sleep - Pray! So I got up and began praying in the Spirit the rest of the nigh. Then the Miracle happened. On Sunday morning, my husband helped into the car and we came to Church. We arrived on campus and I got out of the car on my own and walked into the Church. Once inside the door of the Church, the Holy Spirit said, “That was your healing.” All the pain had gone! I gave God Praise in the service because He had worked a true Miracle on my legs.
The Fasting was a great Key. On Saturday night, the 6th day of the first week of the Fast, I couldn’t get any sleep because of the pain. I remembered what I had always done when I couldn’t sleep - Pray! So I got up and began praying in the Spirit the rest of the nigh. Then the Miracle happened. On Sunday morning, my husband helped into the car and we came to Church. We arrived on campus and I got out of the car on my own and walked into the Church. Once inside the door of the Church, the Holy Spirit said, “That was your healing.” All the pain had gone! I gave God Praise in the service because He had worked a true Miracle on my legs.
- Inger Brown — God is Restoring what I Lost. Stockbridge, Ga.
I am a Real Estate agent. The recent flooding in North Atlanta affected my home. My hope was not in FEMA to bail me out, but in my Heavenly Father. I entered the Fast and God has been awesome. I see His Hand moving on my behalf. Although the Real Estate market is sluggish, more work has come to me. Money that I was waiting for came in and I now have transportation. I am now waiting on my new home. The great blessing is that I am able to minister hope to others who are going through trials of various sorts in their lives. If you fast you will see the Hand of God; I am a living witness of it. He is truly faithful to perform His word.