Entering Into Newness through Fasting and Prayers

Father, open our eyes so that we may see beyond

the letters. In the name of Jesus, we ask o God,

that you will interpret your word to our hearts. In

the name of Jesus, ladiar b revelation and impartition. In

Jesus mighty name, we pray.

Amen.

So we have read today from the Book of Ezra,

chapter eight twenty one to twenty three. The Bible said,

then I proclaimed a fast there at the river a Havah,

that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek

from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and

all our goods. For I was ashamed to as the

King for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect

us against the enemy on our way. Since we had

told the King the hand of our God is for

good on all who seek him, and the power of

his wrath is against all who forsake him. So we

fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened

to our entreaty. Let's go to verse thirty one. In

verse thirty one, the Bible says, then we departed from

the river our Havur on the twelfth day of the

first month to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our

God was on us, and it delivered us from the

end end of the enemy and from the ambushes. By

the way, I pray for somebody this money. As you

journey through the year twenty twenty five, the Lord will

deliver you and your family from the ends of your

enemies in the name of Jesus, and from every ambush

that the enemy might keep on your way, in the

Mighty name of Jesus. Entering a new face, I want

to disclose this money. Entering into newness through fasting and prayer.

Entering into newness through fasting and prayers. Entering the new

face of life usual will bring fear uncertainty, But as

believe us, we can seek God's direction and assure us

through first and prayer. In Exra chapter twenty one to

twenty three, we see a practical example of how to

rely on God when we face challenges in our lives.

So in this study briefly, we want to look at

very important thing about entering into newness through fasting and prayer,

just like it has been displayed in that little play.

Late a lot of people find it difficult to fast today,

and I don't know why it is. So I don't

know why it is so, But there's a card this money.

If we must enter into newness, if we must enter

into a new face, if we must enter into a

new opportunities, if we must enter into a new level,

if we must get on to touch the heart of God,

it is important that we first and pray. Ezra, in

the Book of extra chapter eight ad gone to the king,

and the Bible says that they met at the I

have a river, and they have to consider what they

need to do before they proceed on that journey. If

you look at that chapter eight of the Book of Ezra,

you'll see the list of those who were to go

on that journey. Then you see the list of attendance

for the temple. But somehow things were not complete at

that I have a river. They needed to call some

attendance who we journey with them, delivereds who we journey

with them, And that was why they were at that

I have a river. But prior to that time, in

chapter seven, there was a call. The Bible says that

in verse eleven, from versus eleven to verse twenty four,

we see a letter I was watty by king attacked axis,

and in verse twelve the Bible reads attacked Axis, King

of Kings to Ezra, the priest, a teacher of the

law of the God of Heaven, Greetings, Now, I decree

that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including priests

and Levites, who wish to go to Jerusalem with you,

may go. You are sent by the King and his

seven advisers to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard

to the law of your God, which is in your hand.

At this point in time, Jerusalem was not in good condition.

But God has put it in the hearts of King

Ahazerus or attacked Axis, as written here, so that these

people will go and check out what the condition of

that city of Jerusalem was like. And so Ezra was

called upon. And when Ezra responded to this as part

of his response in verse twenty seven and twenty eight,

the Bible says, Ezra responded, Praise be to the Lord,

the God of our fathers, who has put it into

the King's art to bring honor to the House of

the Lord in Jerusalem in this way, and all has

extended is good favor to me before the King and

his advisers and all the King's powerful officials. Because the

end of the Lord, my God was on me. I

took courage and gathered leading men from Israel to go

up with me. And that was what happened. Before we

go to chapter eight where we see the text that

we're reading today. So we see Ezra, who was a

prey and a leader. He was tasked with our responsibility

of leading the group of Jewish exiles from Barbylon back

to Jerusalem. So he was to take them back to Jerusalem.

And the journey was dangerous as the group they carried

a lot of valuable things that they needed on the way,

and they were carrying them along with them. Some of

these things they need them in the building of the temple.

So Ezra recognized the need for divine protection and guidance,

and he didn't want to ask the king because he said,

we had told God that the end of the Lord

is upon those who look to him. So instead of

seeking military protection from the Passian king, Ezra proclaimed a

first to seek God's help, demonstrating his faith and dependence

on God. But look at our text. Let's take a

look that texts and just get a few things from there,

and then we will close. In verse twenty one, the

Bible says, then I proclaimed a first there at the

river a Harbur, that we might humble ourselves before our

God to seek from Him the right way for us

and our little ones and all our possessions. Exra call

for a fast and calling for a first. Last year,

when we had our fasting and prayer, we looked at

the Book of Daniel, and even this year, as we

began to pray about the church, in our seven days

of fasting and prayer, we looked at one important thing

that we need as children of God. The essence of

fasting and prayer is for us to humble ourselves. It's

a picture of surrenderness, saying to God that we depend

on him. We don't have the ability to carry on

this assignment, the journey of twenty twenty five. We can

now run through it by ourselves. We need the Lord

to help us. And running through that journey first there

was a physical expression of their spiritual need. They knew

they need an help and they are to seek the Lord.

Ezra said that we may humble, that we might humble

ourselves before God to seek from Him.

The right way.

How many of us have jumped into the year twenty

twenty five and thinking that we can do it by ourselves.

You see, this is the eraor that we commit many

of us. In so many places, fasting has been taken

like a ritual. It is not a ritual. As a church,

we have called for fasting. I know that many of

us did not do it, but it's okay. What's important

is that God is looking for the hearts that were

diligently seek him. But I want to encourage us. When

the church casts for fasting and prayer, please be part

of it. Even in our own individual lives. Let's be

part of the firsting and prayer. The goal of this

first thing was to seek God's guidance for their journey

and ensure the safety of their families and belongings. Excuse me,

in the year twenty twenty five, have you sought the

face of God for the safety of your family? Have

you sought the safety of God for the safety of

your belongings? As a journey in the year twenty twenty five,

if you run the way you did in twenty twenty four,

and you run twenty twenty five that way, you're going

to achieve the same result that you achieved in twenty

twenty four. But for you to have something different, there

is need for you to have a different approach to it.

Harumple yourself before the Lord and sack his face, so

that you will know the right way for you to go.

In the year twenty twenty five, look a verse twenty two,

the Bible says, for I was ashamed to request of

the King and escort of soldiers and us men to

air paus against the enemy on the road, because we

have spoken to the King saying, the end of our

God is upon all those for good who seek him.

But his power and it's rough is against all those

who forsaken. Which part of it are you? Are you

among those who are forsaking the Lord? Or you are

among those who seek? In that verse twenty two says

this again, Ezra was ashamed to request of the king

for police escorts. Why was it ashamed to ask? Because

he had said to the King that the ends of

God is on those who seeking, and against those who forsaken.

As a journey through year twenty twenty five, on our way,

our obstacles on our ways, our challenges on our ways, our.

Enemies waiting to divorce.

Already are you for those enemies that are going to

attack Ezras. Feith was consistent with his testimony about God's protection.

He recognized that seeking human help could undermind the group's

trust in God's promises. He depended on God, and he

trusted God to help him. In verse twenty three, the

Bible says, so we firsted and then treated God for

ease for this, and He answered our prayer. The first

was not merely abstaining from food, but an act of

ennest prayer and seeking God's intervention. Now, let me quickly

say this. For many of us when we're engaged with fasting,

fasting is denying yourself of pleasures, all right, denying yourself

of pleasure, things that ordinarily you will do. You need

to deny yourself of those things. That's basically what fasting

is about. But fasting is not complete, or that exercise

is not complete, unless it is added with prayer. And

the way we do it in this church, we have

schedules of prayer each time we go for fasting. So

at nine am, wherever you are, you're enjoyed to pray.

At twelve noon, you're enjoyed to pray. At three pm,

you're enjoyed to pray. And by six pm, we come

back to the church and all of us we pray together.

Fasting and prayer is not a time for you to

sit with Nollywood or Holiwood and be waiting for the

time for food to start and then you say you

are fasted. No, you have not. It's a time for

us to humble ourselves. It's a time for us to

separate ourselves from everything that is going to distract us.

By my saying that you do not go to work

during that period, no, nobody's saying that. That's not what

it is. That's not what it is. The first when

you're first, is for us to abstain from those things

that we distract us. We want to focus on God,

and it is not complete without prayer.

God or not.

They are faith and answered their prayers and God provided

at the assurance and protection they needed. So when you

get to verse thirty one that I read the other time,

you will see that God actually answered that prayer. And

the call is for us again today as members of

Shilo Baptist Church. We don't just throw fasting because food

is not available in the house. No, that's not what

fasting is. It's a call, a call to respond to God,

a call to depend on God. What are the key

lessons that want to bring out from this passage? Number

one is that fasting reflects humility and dependence on God.

So when you're first, it is to humble yourself and

depend on what God alone can do. First thing with

apples as believers to recognize our need for God and

to focus on Him, not to focus on ourselves. Fasting

means an opportunity of putting aside distraction and focus on

what is important in the spirit realm. And that's why

we first. What other lesson do you have? There? Other

lesson is that prayer aligns us with God's win. It's

God saying that you should take that step. If you're

confused about that thing, can you take a moment and

just first about remove yourself from any distraction and focus

on God.

Lord.

I need your direction Firsting with that prayer is incomplete, Ezra.

Combined fasting with the favent prayer to seek God's guidance,

prayer will invite God's intervention and help us to align

to position us with God's purpose for our lives. What

is God's purpose for your life in the year twenty

twenty five? In that text. Again, we see that faith

requires action. Faith requires action. It is not enough to

say I believe God, but you're not ready to do anything.

Ezra's decision to trust God rather than seeking military assistance

shows is already lent in faith. He trusted God and

God came to his health. We see that when we

trust God. That's the fourth thing that you see there,

that God always rewards those who seek. In the groups

were fasting and they were praying, and the result was

that the prayer was answered and God guided. As you

enter into the new season, into the new years, into

this new opportunity, into these new challenges, are you ready

for what is ahead of you? When you're about to

start a new job, when you're about to start a

new relationship, when you're about to start a new project,

when you're about to do anything new, do you take

a moment to seek God for direction? Oh, you're just looking.

Many of us have met God. We have entered into

some errors that we should not have entered into because

we didn't even consult with God before we enter into

that journey. And now things are going wrong in that assignment.

Entering new season in our family, we need the guidance

of God, parents can seek God's wisdom for their family

as parents this year, what is the Lord saying about you?

What is the Lord saying about your family members? What

is the Lord saying about your children? What is the

Lord saying about your job? What is the Lord saying

about your commitments? About your coming to charge? What is

the Lord saying this year about your relationship with him?

What is the Lord saying this year? Many of us,

God has given us the opportunity to serve in the

household of God. Did you, even brother, to seek the

face of God and ask for his direction before you

take that decision? In times of spiritual leadership or ministry assignments,

fasting and prayer can bring clarity and divine empowerment. Let's

not just rationalize and say this is where I want

to do it, and I will just do it that way.

No, it is not enough.

Let us wait on the Lord. What are the steps

for fasting and prayer? What are the practical steps for

fasting and prayer? As a denomination, we have entering into

newness through fasting and prayer, and it will not be

complete until we actually get involved with prayer and firsty

and so I want to admonish each and every member

of Shilob Baptist Church. Please not because they have said it.

Even for your personal life, you need, you need to pray,

You need to first. What are the practical things that

we can do. Number one is plan your first the tourney,

the type and the duration of your first before you

engage your needs. Don't just begin today because there's no breakfast.

You say, are we turn it too firsty? You will

have prayer points and a lot of people do that

kind of fasting. Since I've missed breakfast today, let me

just turn it too firsty and prayer or fasting, and

you don't even know what to pray about? What is

the mind of God for that that you are doing,

What is the relevance of what you are engaging in?

Or you just want to beat out time because you

want to just impress somebody. So when you plan your

first is it seven days? Is it three days? Is

it a one day of first and prayer? Is it

twenty one days? Is it forty days? Is it one

hundred days? Is it seventy days? Is it three hundred

and sixty five days? That you want to fast and

pray one year, you can commit to that prayer in

as much as you trust God for that which you

are seeking His faithful But you don't just first. You

must combine with prayer. Dedicate specific times during the first

to focus on prayer and scripture reading. You'll bear me

witness for those of us who have been involved in

fasting and prayer. In Shiloh Baptist Church, we have Bibles

passage to read and from the Bible passage, the Lord

opens our eyes to see prayers and we bring the

prayers out of that Bible passage because they say focus.

We are not just fasting because we want to fulfill

all righteousness. No, no, no, that's not just the reason.

We are seeking the face of God for that which

we help us to grow in our relationship with Him

and to seek for God's direction. Number threeteen in the

practical step is that you must identify your needs. Why

are you fasting? This is very important. Don't just jump

into fasting. Why am I fasting? And that we guide you.

You have to be intentional, Aby what you are seeking God?

I need a child this year. Lord, I believe you

are the one who can did it.

Lord. My admission must come this Yeah.

Can you take a moment and just wait on the

Lord for it. Father, enough of this engagement and disengagement.

Engagement and disengagement. My life must make money this year.

Many of us are not tired of the way we

are living our lives. If you are tired of the

way you are living your life, one way you can

do it is to engage in fasting and prayer and

ask God to change that situation. Above all of these steps,

you must trust God, fightfulness, expect God to answer as

you seek him.

Ennesley, you must trust God number one.

Plan your first number two, combine it with prayer. Number three.

Know what you are seeking God for number four, trust God.

If you do this, God will step writing. God will

indicate you God with one situation of things around for

us in the name of Jesus. What areas of your

life require God's guidance today? How can you set aside

time for fasting and prayer to seek him? Endleestly, don't

just keep on managing life when you can take decision

over those conditions. This message will not be complete unless

we take action. And so we are going to declare

a day of fasting and prayer. And I want to

encourage everybody to be part of it. Is everybody listening

to me want to declare a day of fasting and prayer.

M Chairman please rise, wm you President, please rise, Youth

President place rise. These three people are going to represent

the church. We're going to declare a day each for

these three groups, all right, a day each for these

three groups in the church. And we're taking that decision

right now. The men, I'm going to just give you

three minutes. The men, you're going to meet with yourself

there and you're going to decide on the day that

you are going to first and pray, and all of

you will come to church. You will come to church

and pray in the church, all right, So go ahead,

make consultation and give me the dates. The same thing

with WMU Presidents meet with the mothers right now between

now and two sundays time. So this Sunday, next Sunday,

and then the upper Sunday, that's a the ninth day,

right see February nine. Now, so this Sunday, next Sunday,

and then the upper Sunday. Between these three Sundays the prayer,

you will choose a day, all right. Youth presidents, please

go ahead meet with your fellow youth. I'll give us

three minutes. Decide on the day. Decide on the day

that you are going to wait on the Lord. And

on that very day, on that very day, you will

all meet in church. So the day men are meeting

in church, the women and the youth are not there.

The day women are meeting in church, the youth and

the men will not be there. The day youth are

meeting in church, the women and the men will not

be there. I want us to take this very seriously. Men,

Which day the meeting time is six pm? The meeting

time of that day is six pm. It could be

six to six thirty six to six forty five, but

not six to seven. So six pm. Yes, men, Which day?

Which Friday? Thirty first of January?

All right?

So thirty first of January. Men are fasting and praying.

Men are fasting and praying. I will tell you what

your focus will be. But this is our this is

our text, all right. But I will tell you what

the prayer would be. The direction would be, yes, ma'am,

on the eighth of February. On the eighth of February.

That's a Saturday, all right, eighth of February. Okay, So

on that eighth of February Saturday, all women, all women

of Shilo Baptist Church, you are going to be fasting

and praying. So by six in the evening, you're going

to come here and pray. Yes, youth, seventh of February.

That's on Friday, Friday, seventh of February. All right, So

thirty first, eight and seventh, al right, thank you very much,

God bless you in Jesus' name. Now when you are coming,

you see there is difference between prayer and Bible study.

Do you understand, So when you are coming to pray,

you are coming to pray. Now, I want to encourage

everyone of us write your personal prayer points for each

of these group. I'm going to be there, but I'm

not going to lead prayer. Don't think the pastor is

going to leave even benediction. That will not do. I'm

a member. I'm just going to be there. I will

pray along with you for all of those three days.

All right? Are we all together? All right?

Now?

This is the focus of our prayer. Our focus is

this help and intervention. We're going to be seeking God

for help and intervention. That's the main thing, all right,

So on that it is. You are going to capture yourself.

You are going to capture your family, You are going

to capture the church. You are going to capture our community,

all our communities. Then you are going to capture Nigeria. Yourself,

your family, your church, your communities, and your country Nigeria.

All of these we're going to be putting together in

that prayer. I don't know if God is going to

lead us will leave it because I know each of

these group they have prayer coordinators. So assign your prayer

coordinators to lead, and the Lord we guide us. In

the mighty name of Jesus. I want this entire auditorium

to shake and let the foundation give away by our prayer.

Let the foundation of this structure give way by our prayer.

I want to beg Us. I want to beg Us.

Please home and pray.

All men, all men.

Please publicize it thirty first of January, all women, eight

of February, all youth, seventh of February. Unfailingly, please don't

miss out on praying together. Look at these people. They

didn't go to any mountains, right eh, they were at

a Harvar river. They were already about to begin that journey.

And they saw a need to commit their journey. So

now we are at our have a river and we

want to call on the Lord while we advise you.

If you're okay with the way your life is running,

you don't need to come for the prayer. Just eat

on the day and enjoy yourself. I know some of

us have USA. The USA is giving way in the

name of Jesus. But I want to encourage you, even

if it is to twelve pm, that also will bow

in the name of Jesus Christ. Believe in the Lord

Jesus Christ, and we come to your head on that

very day. If you have any important meeting on that day,

please in that on that evening that men will be meeting.

All men, cancel all appointments in the evening and come

unless you are not in Abuja. If you're in Abuja,

please make sure you come for that. All women the

same on your day. You the same on the day

you are going to be having it, and me the

Lord answer our prayers in the name of Jesus Christ. Father,

we thank you as we step into the newness of

this year, teach us to rely on you. Lord. We

have scheduled prayer and fasting for thirty first for men,

thirty first of January, for eighth of February for women,

for seventh of February for youth only. Spirit of God,

the strength, the grace, the ability to wait on you. Lord,

we pray that we give to us in the name

of Jesus. Ezra and the israel I prayed, and you

answer them. Lord, Let answer come for us in the

name of Jesus. Give us testimony. Lord, Thank you Jesus.

In jesus mighty name, we pray