Jesus instructed us to participate in fasting and prayer. He said to his disciples when they failed to deliver someone from possession: “…Because of the littleness of your faith…nothing will be impossible to you. But this kind does not go out EXCEPT BY PRAYER AND FASTING.” (Matt. 17:19-21) Jesus then said not IF but: “…WHEN YOU FAST, perfume your head and wash your face, So that your fasting may not be noticed by men but BY YOUR FATHER, Who sees in secret; and your Father, Who sees in secret, WILL REWARD YOU IN THE OPEN.” (Matt 6:17-18) Our Abba Father called us to fast with weeping: “Therefore also now, says the Lord, turn and keep on coming to Me with all your heart, WITH FASTING, WITH WEEPING, and with mourning.” (Joel 2:12) The first church that Debbie and I Pastored was having serious difficulties, after much prayer we both felt lead to go on a TOTAL FAST (no food or drink). We felt that since the Lord inspired each of us individually it must be done. We began on a Sunday eve and fasted 5 days (In those days I didn’t know any “rules” about fasting), inviting the church to join us fasting as they felt led. I was working 80 miles away from the church so I had a wonderful opportunity to pray then and with my wife when I arrived back home. My first blessing happened on Wednesday when I arrived at work my company (AKI) received specifications for a complex computer program that I was responsible for creating, which was not supposed to come for one more week. My response was to go out behind our building to a wooded area and ask the Lord to forgive me because I was going to break my fast to do this task. The Lord spoke to me…“Bill, is anything too hard for me? Stay on your fast and I will help you!” So I sat down in front of my computer and the code just MIRACULOUSLY FLOWED THROUGH ME, and I finished the project, and of course it worked. NO, NOTHING IS TOO HARD FOR YOU LORD. The second miracle occurred as I was driving home Thursday eve. As I passed by Arlington, the road became a crooked two lane highway. The Lord impressed me to lift my hands and I began to pray in The Holy Spirit, and the next thing I knew I was entering Darrington 30 miles away. Debbie and I rejoiced when I got home because we knew the Lord would do something special in our prayer meeting Friday night. The Lord miraculously turned things around in that local church with physical and emotional healings and many open doors into new homes! “IS NOT THIS THE FAST THAT I HAVE CHOSEN: to LOOSEN the bonds of wickedness, to UNDO the bands of the yoke, to LET the oppressed go free, and that you BREAK every yoke?” (Isaiah 58:6)
NOTHING IS TOO HARD FOR THE LORD TO ACCOMPLISH!
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham