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5-05-00

This word is submitted by Teresa Seputis (TeresaS@xc.org)

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When You Fast

Children, there are many motives represented here for fasting. Examine your heart with me and I will show you your motive.

Some of you are fasting because it is your habit to fast, or because you think you should. I have not called you this time. I called you once before and you saw that what I did in that fast was GOOD. You saw my power go forth and you were awed in what I did through you in that fast. So you have decided to fast again.. not because I have so directed.. but because of your experience on the previous fast and now you find yourself in a similar situation. Take heed.. seek me and my will in each situation. You have read of my servant Moses. The first time they were without water, I commanded him to strike the rock with his staff, and my water gushed forth and the people were refreshed as they drank of it. But the next time that the came to him grumbling of lack of water, he did not look to me for my direction. Rather an anger rose up in him and he struck the rock without seeking me first. Did not the action cause him to loose his place in the promised land?? .. where he could only see it from afar from atop of my mountain but he could not enter in. Do not be like Moses. Look to me for your direction. Don't assume you know what to do now based on previous leading in a similar circumstance. Look to me.. I desire to lead you and guide you.. I desire to show you clearly.

Some of you are fasting like the pharisees fasted.. there is peer pressure to fast because a corporate fast has been called. Your heart and your spirit are not after me in the fast.. you are simply fasting for forms sake because everyone else is.. it is for outward show. As I said to the pharisees of my day.. in that you have your reward by the reactions you get from others and you will not receive an empowerment or a reward from me. My heart for you is to back up and examine your motives, that they may be pure before me. Let me set your heart after my own.. draw close to me and let me and let me show you my heart.. let me reveal my priorities. Draw close to me.. allow me to create a new heart within you and to transform you through my indwelling Holy Spirit. I desire inward holiness, not outward show. I desire a commitment to obey me and a hunger for my presence. I desire a heart that is after my heart. Forget outward show. Come to me and press in to me and allow me to give that type of heart to you.

Some of you are indeed called to fast, but the purpose of the fast eludes you. I have called you to pull apart unto myself.. to draw close to me. This is to be a time of intimacy, a time of drawing close. I have much to speak to you, but you are not hearing it all because you are so busy bringing your petitions before me.. you come to me with your agenda for fasting.. but I desire to take that from you and to give you my agenda. For child of mine, my heart for you for this fast is for you to hear my voice more clearly. You are not responsible for the souls that you pray for.. I am. You are not responsible for the works that you pray about.. I am in charge of them. I will take care of them because they are my priority. I am pleased that you have a heart for the things I have a heart for.. I am pleased that you are concerned enough about them to deny your flesh and to fast and pray over them. But Child, this is not what I have called you to pray about at this time. I want your total attention.. your total focus. Know that you cannot hear from me if you are busy talking at me. I need to you go still before me and to listen to what I desire to communicate to you. In some of you, I desire to manifest myself to you.. to reveal my nature to you. In some of you, I desire to bring a healing and a transformation to those areas in your life that hold you back. You have prayed for increased authority and I desire to give it to you. But to do so, I must transform you to be able to receive it. Allow me to transform you during this season of pulling apart into me. Allow me to work my character and my nature more deeply into you. Listen to me and allow me to speak to you.. for I have much to say to you child, and it is life transforming.. it is for your good and it will drawn you closer to me.. it will make your prayers more effective and it will increase your capacity to receive the authority and the anointing that I desire to pour out on you. Lay down your agenda during this fast and take up mine.

Finally, some of you are fasting because I have called you to war in this area. Think it not strange that attacks and fires will come as you persevere before me. As you follow me in this, you take territory from the enemy.. and Satan is about defending his territory. This means he will strike back at you. Things will go wrong.. relationships will seem to fall apart .. bad thing and unfair things will happen to you.. false accusations will rise up. These are designed by your enemy to take your attention off of the goal.. to divert you and distract you from the purpose of the fast. You are growing weak in your physical bodies, but I am making you strong in the spirit. Stand firm and advance my kingdom. Follow me as I lead you into battle. Think not of your own safety.. think only of my agenda. For yes, child, you will suffer some for the kingdom. Some of you will be wounded in the battle. But if you will stand firm, the victory is assured. When the battle is over, I will personally bind up your wounds. I will restore to you what was taken from you.. I will cause my glory to come into your situation. Do not be afraid to stand in the battle with me.. warrior of God.. do not be afraid to suffer loss.. for I say unto you, not one thing that you suffer will go unredeemed or unrewarded. The enemy desires to play with your mind in this battle.. to make you afraid.. to make you discouraged or despondent. Put on my helmet of salvation to defend your thoughts.. let them be saturated in my truth. Have I not said, in this world you will have persecutions but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world. Let me pour my strength into you right now, for I have ordained you to be an overcoming warrior, and an overcomer you shall be. You shall not do this on your own strength, but on mine.. is that not what you are prophetically acting out through the very act of fasting.. allowing your flesh to become weak that your spirit man may become strong though me. Fear not. I have called you and I will give you the victory. The battle will be fierce around you.. there will be times when the firey darts of the enemy will pierce your armor.. but look to me and stand firm and you will most assuredly see my victory and my glory come forth. Rise up mightily in me, for I have called you as a warrior and I will lend you my strength to accomplish my purposes.

Many blessings to you.

- teresa