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 (posted here) and evening 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. He also shares insights into the scripture that the Holy Spirit provides to him through revelation. 

Friday AM

Pastor Praveen’s Message – Do Not Be Afraid or Discouraged

Spirit and Power without Limit

Ever since this Monday, Pastor Praveen has been experiencing in the Spirit that we are “almost there.“ Whatever we have been asking of God all these years – believe it. Yet, this means we will face a greater battle than before. So get ready – prepare. Remember, the one who anointed us is with us in the battlefield. “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” (2 Chronicles 20:15b). 

The bible tells us, “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). Notice – everything in His hands. Everything. Whatever you need, ask Him. He has said, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7). 

You should know who is in your heart and understand His authority. Remember, Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free…” (Luke 4:18). It is important to grasp that Jesus has the Spirit without limit. That is why He said, “I and the Father are One” (John 10:30) and “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:18-20). So why worry about tomorrow?

Look at John 3:34 again. Why did the Father send the Son? To speak the word of God. And the Son is the Word. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” (John 1:1-4). We need to understand that He is the light of all mankind. He told His disciples, “You are the light of the world,” (Matthew 5:14) because they were His children. 

Whenever Jesus reaches out His hand and touches someone, His touch has the Spirit without limit and power without limit. If He touches you, you cannot stand because His power is greater than electricity. That is why the soldiers who came to arrest Jesus fell on the ground when He spoke, “I am He.” (John 18:3-6). There was power in His words. It was also this great power that drew people to kneel before Him and say, “Have mercy on me.” “If you are willing, cleanse me,” the leper said. Jesus said, “I am willing. Be healed.” (Matthew 8:2-4). And the power went out from Him to heal. Since He is in us, how much spiritual voltage is passing through our bodies? 

We need to pray for the power of the hands of God in our life – for His touch on our families and our children and any areas of weakness. Then He will touch us with unlimited power, unlimited Spirit – His victorious Spirit. There will be spiritual, financial, mental, and physical healing – an unlimited package that will transform us. 

Crippled by a Spirit? – There is Hope

Pastor Praveen spoke from Luke 13:11-13 about a woman who had been crippled for 18 years by a spirit. Pastor Praveen shared revelation that God had imparted to him about this account. 

Notice that the woman was not suffering because of a sickness. It was a spirit that made her bent. She could not straighten up at all. The enemy put her in that situation. The enemy still attacks in this way. Consider that many families have everything – financial blessings, nice wife, nice husband, nice children. But they have no peace or joy – they cannot “straighten up” because of their problems. They are thinking, “Why is there always a polluted atmosphere in our house? Why can we not be happy for more than half an hour? Why can our family not talk together without discouraging one another?” It is a binding spirit.

Similarly, many wonderful churches cannot straighten up. Maybe they have good unity and are generous, but they face many challenges and problems. That is because a spirit of evil is attacking them. At our church we fast and pray for our communities and cities. Because we pray against the powers of darkness they come and challenge us and create a polluted atmosphere. We must understand this situation and remember that Jesus has given us all authority (Matthew 28:18-20). He said we will trample on the snake and scorpion and overcome all the power of the enemy. That is the key to kick the enemy out from your house, city, workplace – wherever the enemy is attacking and “making you bent.” 

Maybe we cannot even pray or read the bible. We have the will to move forward and do everything good in Christ but something holds us back. It is a spirit. But don’t leave room for the enemy. Rebuke that spirit right away because God has given you the authority in your life. The one who is in you has power without limit. His name is Jesus. He said, “Whoever believes in me will drive out demons, they will speak in tongues, they will pick up snakes with their hands, if they take deadly poison, they will not die, if they lay their hands on the sick, they will be healed.” (Mark 16:17-18). Believe it. Remember – what we read in scripture is not “just a story.” It is revelation. The bible is a prophetic book. 

Maybe you cannot go forward, cannot straighten up because of your problems. If the enemy is making you bent, putting everything on your shoulders – there is hope. Cast it on God. “Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7). God is not giving us these problems. He is always loving, protecting, and blessing us. But when you face problems, call to Him. 

When Jesus saw the crippled woman, He called her forward, which means she was standing behind the crowd. No one cared about her problem. They didn’t see her. They didn’t want to speak to her. Everyone was thinking about themselves. Those who could walk were coming forward. The crippled woman was standing behind. Maybe in your life, even your family and friends don’t want to hear you. But the one who called you is watching over you. If anyone comes to Jesus, He never lets them go with an empty hand. 

Pastor Praveen said maybe someone thinks they are far behind some other person, spiritually, financially, mentally, whatever. You think, “I am not qualified, not deserving.” You made a mistake. God is watching over you. He sees your situation and your broken heart because He is living in your heart. How can you say, “Nobody is with me?” Pastor Praveen said this morning, God is calling you to come forward to Jesus. Remove your thoughts, plans, ideas from your heart and come forward. God knows the situation you are going through. 

Similarly, the woman crippled by a spirit came forward through the crowd. Jesus’ heart went out to her. Before she even reached Jesus, He said, “Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.” (Luke 13:12). He is the Prince of Peace. He doesn’t want to wait. Before you even think of your need, He has already prepared His blessing for you, your family, your church. 

After Jesus had healed the woman by His word, He put His hands on her. This is His compassion. Maybe He wanted to embrace her. Jesus loves everyone, but He wants to embrace those, like her, who are going through heavy brokenness. Pastor Praveen said that, in the Spirit, he was thinking that Jesus put His hands on her with love and compassion without saying anything. He had already spoken the word of her healing. Immediately she straightened up and praised God (Luke 13:13). She had nothing else to say. Only praise for God.

God is telling us, don’t be afraid or discouraged. If you think you are far behind others, don’t worry. You are in the front line. You have problems, so many things you are going through, which means you are not behind people. You are always in front of our God, Jesus. God loves you. It doesn’t matter whether others see you or pay attention to you. The one who lives in us has all authority. God has placed everything in the hands of His Son.

Concluding Remarks

See the Greatest Things

Of all of the Israelites who were delivered from Egypt, only two made it to the Promised Land – Joshua and Caleb (Numbers 14:30). Why only these two? Most of the Israelites were still thinking like people in slavery. That colored the way they responded to the miracles of God and how they looked at the future. Pastor Praveen said Joshua and Caleb on the other hand, celebrated God’s miracles by clapping and praising God. They only saw the miracles and ignored the difficulties. 

The same thing is true in our family life and our children’s lives. Don’t imagine or focus on emptiness or you will only have emptiness. Always envision the greatest things about your children’s future, even if they won’t obey you. See the blessed life in your family, for your husband or wife. Always see your good health, even if you get a bad result from the doctor. See people filled with the Spirit. Pastor Praveen told of a pastor who preached only to trees when he first started his ministry, because no people showed up. He preached to trees, but he “saw” the people who would be there in the future. After that, the church grew and overflowed. He had a vision.

Always see the vision – see the harvest. We will always have problems until we go to heaven. But we must see the greatest things.

Unity in the Spirit

Before they received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Peter and John ran separately. This is the way they ran to the empty tomb after Jesus was resurrected. When they ran alone, they found nothing – just an empty tomb. Only the women found Jesus (John 20:1-18). Pastor Praveen told us that after they received the tongues of fire at Pentecost, John and Peter held hands and went together with unity.

The Harvest is Coming Soon

Pastor Praveen recently asked God why our church is not having more growth and seeing the harvest we are praying for. God told him that our church is under heavy attack because the enemy knows God is going to use us. Pastor Praveen also asked why more people are not coming to fasting and prayer sessions. God answered that we have been fasting and praying and that is why he has been holding even this many people together in the face of enemy attack. Still, the harvest and the outpouring of the Spirit is coming soon. There will be miracles, signs, and wonders.