Day 1 of 10 Days of Prayer, Jan 2021

DAY 1 of 10 DAYS OF PRAYER, Fasting Shoulders
By: D. Karl Thomas

We are not a gathering of attenders we are gathering of believers who are Impacting their world!

A body of believers equipped to operate in our gifts and callings, bringing transformation to the surroundings where God has plant us, everyday.

We have to move people form a sense of loss in 2020 to fresh and clear sense of purpose in 2021. We are on mission everyday. We are partnering with God in the manifestation of His ever-increasing Kingdom.   Jesus is Lord of all!!! 

Carrying the Glory of God on OX Carts like the Philistines will only lead to ruin. The day of celebrity is over. It’s time for the fully equipped body of Christ to arise. You can only bring the Glory of God to town on the shoulders of the priesthood. An Apostolic community of fully equipped believers. Walking with a genuine revelation of the Grace of God. JESUS!!!

“I can see clearly now.”  Johnny Nash

I can see clearly now the rain is gone. I can see all obstacles in my way. Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind. It’s gonna be a bright (bright) Bright (bright) sunshiny day. 

A Fasted Life: Allows us to clearly hear God’s voice. 

Matthew 6:16-18 “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Luke 5:33-35 “And He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.”

Fasting is:
Humbling myself and feasting on God. 

The fasted life is in tune with God.

Fasting is not a hunger strike to manipulate God.

The Apostle Paul said it was a regular practice of his, (2 Corinthians 11:27)“…in fastings often…” 

Reformers Who Practiced Fasting:

Martin Luther / John Knox John Wesley / Charles Finney / Evan Roberts / William Seymore / Jonathan Edwards 

1. The Go Nowhere Fast!

Luke 18:11-13
Pharisee” … or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ … everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” 

Fast without knowledge  —  Fast to impress others —  Fast to manipulate God

2. The Go Forward Fast

Acts 13:1-3
“… As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.”

Acts 14:23

“So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”

3. The Rewards Come Fast

Isaiah 58:5-14     The True Fast

Fasting breaks the grip of the flesh

Fasting is feasting on God

Fasting focuses you to get the results God has provided. 

The Rewards Come Fast

1. Glory vs. 8 “…your light break forth…”

2. Healing vs. 8  “…healing … speedily…”

3. Justice  vs. 8  “…justice go before you…”

4. Protection vs. 8  “…glory…your rear guard.”

5. Breakthrough  vs. 9  “…the Lord will answer…”

6. Guidance vs. 11  “…Lord shall guide you…”

7. Refreshing vs. 11 “…a watered garden …spring”

8. Restoration vs. 12  “rebuilt…repairer…restorer”

9.  Joy vs. 14  “ …delight …in the Lord…”

10. Authority  vs. 14 “…ride upon the high places …”

Fasting breaks the grip of the flesh  —    Fasting is feasting on God

Isaiah 58:5-14

Is it a fast that I have chosen,
A day for a man to afflict his soul?
Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush,
And to spread out sackcloth and ashes?
Would you call this a fast,
And an acceptable day to the Lord?

“Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the [c]heavy burdens,
To let the oppressed go free,
And that you break every yoke?

Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are [d]cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?

Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;

You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’
“If you take away the yoke from your midst,
The [e]pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
If you extend your soul to the hungry
And satisfy the afflicted soul,

Then your light shall dawn in the darkness,
And your [f]darkness shall be as the noonday.
The Lord will guide you continually,
And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;

You shall be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
Those from among you

Shall build the old waste places;
You shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach,
The Restorer of [g]Streets to Dwell In.

“If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath,
From doing your pleasure on My holy day,
And call the Sabbath a delight,
The holy day of the Lord honorable,
And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways,
Nor finding your own pleasure,
Nor speaking your own words,

Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord;
And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth,
And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.
The mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

George Hawtin: Father Latter Rain

“The truth of fasting was one great contributing factor to the revival. One year before this we had read Franklin Hall’s book, entitled ‘Atomic Power With God Through Fasting and Prayer.’ We immediately began to practice fasting … Previously we had not understood the possibility of long fasts. The revival would never have been possible without the restoration of this great truth through our good brother Hall.”

Hall’s book on fasting and prayer was a major influence in the ministries of:  Oral Roberts, William Branham, A. A. Allen, O. L. Jaggers, David Nunn, Tommy Hicks, W. V. Grant and other healing evangelists who were raised up in the late 1940’s and 1950’s.

David had the right desire but he embraced the wrong process and people got hurt. David got mad.

1 Chronicles 13:3 “…let us bring the ark of our God back to us…”  I want God’s presence with us!!!           

2 Sa. 6:6-16, / 1 Ch. 13:5-14
Ark stumbled at Nachon, Chidon.

“Nachon”:– preparation        “Chidon”:– javelin, ruin
David’s failure to prepare became his ruin.

VS.12 “David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I bring the ark of God to me?”

1 Chronicles 13:9-12

And when they came to Chidon’s[b] threshing floor, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen stumbled. 10 Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzza, and He struck him because he put his hand to the ark; and he died there before God. 11 And David became angry because of the Lord’s outbreak against Uzza; therefore that place is called Perez Uzza[c] to this day. 12 David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I bring the ark of God to me?”

David thought he would bring the presence of God to town with strength and might, driving an ox cart, just like the philistines did.

“Uzzah” :— strength, might

“Ahio” :— resembling, just like    Not by might or by power but by my SPIRIT

1 Chronicles 13:14  “The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that he had.”   All Obed-Edom did was open his door.

1 Chronicles 15:13-14,  “For because you did not do it the first time, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order. … bore the ark of God on their shoulders, by its poles, … they offered seven bulls and seven rams.” (BLOOD)

Access to the Glory is found exclusively through the blood of Jesus.

His gracious act of redemption has granted you access to His presence!!! 

Prayer Directives:

Pray for you Pastors and staff at the church as we prepare to serve the local church in this new year.

Pray for our local leadership team as we seek the Lord for His direction this year. We are believing for accelerated growth this year which may present us with some significant challenges and decisions to make.

Pray for a Spirit of Prayerfulness to baptize the Body of Christ.

Pray for healthy families and healthy support networks in our community at Impact Church.

Pray that everyone will embrace the value of connecting and supporting one another in small groups.

Pray for all of our servant ministry teams to be refreshed and experience baptism of God’s grace for ministry.

Thank You!!!

Day 1 of 10 Days of Prayer, Fasting Shoulders, notes to print, PDF