October 2020 Fasting and Prayer Message — Friday PM
This is a summary of the message from the October 2020 fasting and prayer weekend led by Pastor Praveen and held at our church. We had four sessions, Friday morning and evening (posted here) and Saturday morning and evening. During our fasting and prayer sessions, it is usual for the Holy Spirit to speak to us through Pastor Praveen. Sometimes, he shares insights into the scripture that the Holy Spirit provides to him through revelation.
Introductory Remarks
Enter through the Gate
Jesus said, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” (John 10:9). Only by passing through that gate can we reach the Most Holy Place to worship in Spirit and truth. In 2009, Pastor Praveen had a vision of Jesus as the gate. Jesus told him, “You asked to see a part of heaven, but now you are seeing me. I am the gate.”
Dreams of Deliverance
Pastor Praveen said this fasting and prayer weekend will be special. He fasted extra days this month because God asked him to prepare – to get ready. God will use him as a blazing torch to deliver, heal, and save many people. Pastor Praveen experienced many distractions to his fasting and prayer this past month. This was an attack of the enemy who always tries to disturb Pastor Praveen’s time of fasting. He told us that once during a time of fasting, God told Pastor Praveen that the enemy was going to break his sump pump. But he didn’t pray about it and sure enough, three days later the sump pump broke. This past month the enemy was attacking because he knew what God would do this weekend. Pastor Praveen is seeing great deliverance.
On this past Tuesday, God gave Pastor Praveen a dream to encourage him. In the dream he saw a big iron crate. Inside the crate was a serpent. God said, “I put him inside. Whoever you are praying for in your prayer list, I am going to deliver them.” God tells us that if he has a prophet, He will tell him everything through visions and dreams (Numbers 12:6).
If we stand together with unity and love one another as Jesus loved us, we will see great victory in the name of Jesus in our church, our lives, wherever we go. The deliverance is starting. The one who has been attacking against our church family and our community – he is inside the crate now.
Pastor Praveen encouraged us that what God shows him in a dream – happens. He shared a testimony about a dream he had before he went on a mission trip to India with Pastor Tim Baldwin in January 2017. In that dream, God showed him a young woman possessed by a demon. She was tearing her clothes and rolling on the ground like a serpent. He knew that he would recognize her if he saw her again. God told him that He would bring the woman to him for deliverance. But the trip agenda included meetings in two or three different locations. Pastor Praveen did not know to which place the woman would come.
During the night before the first meeting, Pastor Tim became sick. When Pastor Praveen got up to pray as usual at 1:55 AM he saw Pastor Tim’s distress. He knew they had to leave the hotel by 4:30 AM to make it to the meeting on time. By God’s grace, they prayed for Pastor Tim and he received instant healing. Then, Pastor Praveen told Pastor Tim the dream about the demon possessed woman. Pastor Tim prayed about it and God revealed that the woman would come to their current location where they had meetings scheduled for two days in a row.
The first day, the woman did not show up. The second day Pastor Praveen kept looking for her in the crowd. He asked God, “Where is that young woman?” At last, he saw her. Her mother was bringing her up the aisle for prayer. When her mother opened her mouth to explain the problem, Pastor Praveen said, “No, don’t say anything, I know the story.” Right away, he rebuked the devil in the name of Jesus. The young woman fell on the ground and was set free by God.
Tonight, said Pastor Praveen, God is going to speak the word for us and set us free from the enemy’s plan.
Pastor Praveen’s Message – There is Prophecy over Us
Use Prophecy as a Weapon
During last month’s fasting and prayer sessions, Pastor Praveen spoke briefly on the subject of God’s prophecy over us. God asked him to share more on this topic this month because there is prophecy over His children. Our names were written in His book before the foundation of the earth. God told Pastor Praveen, “I did not call my children with an empty hand. I called them with prophecy. With promises for their thousand generations. That is my children’s calling.” We need to understand there is prophecy over our lives – over our families, children, workplaces, businesses, even over our sicknesses. God has said he is the healer. By His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). That is prophecy.
Our God is the chain breaker and promise keeper. When the enemy attacks your family, you need to rebuke him and speak to him. “Devil, we have prophecy from God over our marriage, over our children’s lives, over our health and our financial blessing. If God is with me how can you stand against me?” Whenever we will face challenges, we need to use our prophecy – which God has given us as a weapon against the enemy. But you must attack the enemy with a clean conscious mind and with faith.
The enemy is very stupid. He has no power because our God already crushed his head two thousand years ago. Now he is playing with his tail. So do not be frightened by the enemies plan. You must make the enemy frightened by the power of God. It doesn’t matter what situation you are going through or what the medical report says. Use the prophecy against the sickness.
Years ago, God prophesied to Pastor Praveen in a dream. He showed him many moons stretching across the sky to the horizon. God told him that the moons stood for the countries he will visit in his ministry. Pastor Praveen received it by faith. Whenever the enemy attacks him, he uses his prophecy against the enemy. “Enemy, look at the many moons. I am going there – to many countries to preach.” He speaks to the enemy every day to rebuke him with prophecy and tell him, “This is God’s plan in my life.” He says, “There is prophecy over my wife and my children. What can you do against God’s prophecy? You can do nothing, devil.”
Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath
Pastor Praveen spoke on 1 Kings 17:7-24, the account of Elijah’s stay with a widow and her son, and he shared revelation God had given him on this subject. God sent Elijah to the widow’s home during a three-and-a-half-year drought in Israel so that she could supply him with food. The widow had only a little flour and oil left, enough for one last meal for her and her son. But Elijah told her not to worry – to first make a small loaf of bread for him. He prophesied to the widow, “For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’” (v. 14). God put this word in his mouth to prophesy over the widow. She believed the prophecy, so she went and tried it. She soon saw that each day, she and her son could eat as much as they wanted.
Everything was going very smoothly for her, even though in Israel many people were without food or water. Her situation had changed because of the presence of the man of God and God’s provision through him. As time went on, her mind changed. She forgot about her past situation, about her former emptiness and nearness to death. But suddenly, her boy became ill. He became worse and worse until at last he died.
So, the widow said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?” (v. 18). Did she speak to him with respect? Did she believe he was a man of God? She spoke boldly, without crying even, with a stubborn mind. She had gotten used to her new life that she enjoyed because of God’s prophecy over her and her son. Then, her sin nature came out of her heart. She began to think with the flesh. Her attitude changed.
Why did her son die? Because of her sin. The wages of sin is death. She knew that she had been and still was a sinner. That is why she asked the man of God, “Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?” If there were no sin, there would be nothing to remind her of.
The widow spoke with accusation against the man of God. But did Elijah respond? He was a man of God. There was nothing for him to say. The one who sent him there was in charge. He only said, “Give me your son.” (v. 19). The word of God says he took the boy from her arms, which means he was a small child. So, we know the widow was still a young woman. Elijah was living in the house of a young widow.
Elijah took the boy and began to cry. He had compassion on the boy and the widow, even though she was a sinner. “Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, ‘Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!’” (v. 21). The Lord heard the cry of Elijah, the prophet, the man of God. Why? Because he had kept his holiness even though he was staying with a young widow. He knew why God had sent him and God’s purpose in his life. He knew his calling. He knew his responsibility. Except by his word, the rain was never going to fall. Pastor Praveen said whether your calling is for your city, your community, or even just a few houses – if you lose your holiness you will lose your calling and will destroy your community.
When the widow received back her son, she who had spoken with stubbornness and disrespect was transformed. She said, “‘Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.’” (v. 24).
What does this account tell us? Jesus came to save sinners, not to condemn them. He had compassion on sinners. He had compassion on everybody. The widow in this account was a sinner. She accepted that. But then she experienced transformation in her life through Elijah. That is our anointing – to transform other people, not to condemn them. God came to save the souls – the sinners. We cannot judge anyone. Only the creator can judge the creation.
Elijah proved to the widow that he was a man of God and his God is the living God. Pastor Praveen asked, “What is your calling? What is your commitment, your dedication in God? What is your spiritual destiny?” You need to prove, even in your family life, that you are a child of God. You need to prove before your husband or wife, and in your communities that you are an anointed one. That will transform people’s lives.
Remember when Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman (John 4:1-26), first she called him “you Jew” and asked, “How can I give you water.” When she experienced more of His presence, her “accent” changed. She called him “Sir.” She said, “You are a prophet.” This was transformation. We see that before Jesus was even crucified, He went to the Samaritan city and brought the whole city to Christ. This is our calling – to transform lives.
As long as we are in the world, in the flesh, there will be many tests and temptations coming upon us. Jesus in the wilderness overcame all of the temptations of the devil through the word of God and power (Matthew 4:1-11). Then He was filled with the Spirit. He went to Galilee and began to perform signs and wonders by the power of God. We also, like Jesus, need to overcome temptations.
Pastor Praveen reminded us of the verse he preached on Friday morning – “For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.” (John 3:34-35). Jesus is unlimited. He is in us. We need His character. The way he loved us and transformed our lives is the way we need to reach others.
Whatever your situation is, you need to keep your calling, keep your holiness in all areas of your life. Don’t make any compromise, however small. If you compromise the smallest thing, you will lose the greatest things in your life. So fear the Lord. Keep your anointing. Put to work the gifts God has given you. Use it for your family, your community, city. That is God’s plan. We need to stand together in Christ with perfect love.
Elijah was a righteous man. He kept his holiness. He knew his calling. It would not rain without his word. Before Elijah kneeled down, he heard the sound of rain. Before he climbed the mountain, he said, “I am hearing the sound of rain.” (1 Kings 18:41). Before you pray for your healing, you will experience your healing. Before you pray for deliverance, you will experience your deliverance. Before you pray for any financial blessing, you will receive it. – Because a righteous man’s prayer is powerful and effective (James 5:16b).
Two Testimonies of Transformed Lives
Pastor Praveen told us of a time when he was on a flight from Singapore to New York and God used him to convict a young woman of her sin and call her to repentance. Normally when flying, Pastor Praveen does not talk to the other passengers. He knows the purpose of his trip and who is with him, and so he is very careful. But this time, after taking off, the Spirit came upon him. He turned to a young woman next to him and asked with authority, “Where are you running from the presence of God? Do you want to destroy your life? What is your problem? How can you run away from God? Do you want to destroy your father’s ministry? Where are you running?” Pastor Praveen did not know who the woman was or anything about her. The Spirit revealed it to him.
The woman began to cry. She said, “Are you a prophet?” Pastor Praveen responded, “Yes, my God is a great prophet. He is in me.” She said, “You are right. I am running.” She told her story. She was a Christian woman and her father was a pastor. He broke off her relationship with her boyfriend. Now she was going to New York for dirty business. Pastor Praveen rebuked and warned her in the Spirit. She confessed and repented. She wanted to go back home, but she was stuck on the flight. She was waiting to land so she could go back. She recognized that Pastor Praveen was a prophet in the same way that the widow recognized Elijah. Her life was transformed in the presence of God.
Pastor Praveen also told about a doctor who was a Sikh. He was healed of deafness in his right ear during a prayer meeting and that night he surrendered his life to God. He gathered all his religious books and gave them back to the Sikh temple. The next week he was baptized in the name of Jesus. His life was transformed.
The Prayer of a Righteous Man is Powerful and Effective
The scripture clearly says that God heard the cry of Elijah, not the widow’s heart or mind (1 King 17:22). Why? Because of Elijah’s humility and compassion. Jesus always had compassion. He wept with humility and compassion. This is the way God told Pastor Praveen to pray for the sick. Humility always produces great fruit – which is compassion. Without these traits, our prayer will not be effective. With a deep sigh and compassion, Jesus prayed and looked to heaven (Mark 7:34). We need to learn this. If we pray in this way, it will work. You have authority over sickness and over the enemy. You are a child of God. You can break the chains.
Concluding Remarks – Repent
Pastor Praveen talked about his experience listening to Jonathan Cahn on September 26 at the Return National and Global Day of Prayer and Repentance at the Mall in Washington DC. He was struck that God was speaking the same message though Rabbi Cahn, even using the same scripture, as He has been speaking though Pastor Praveen since January 2020. Repent – all churches, all denominations, all spiritual leaders. God is clearly speaking this message through His prophets and we need to honor and receive this word from God. Many pastors are having difficulty digesting this word. But God is still speaking the message to all nations. Repent.
Pastor Praveen noted that the New Testament begins with repentance. John the Baptist came crying, “Repent!” (Matthew 3:1-2). Then Jesus took up the charge, saying, “Repent!” (Mark 1:14-15). Then Peter said, “Repent!” and three thousand people were saved by God in one day (Acts 2:38-41).