December 2020 Fasting and Prayer Message — Friday PM
This is a write up of the message from the December 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 – The Power of Speaking in Tongues
We are not earthly people – we are heavenly people. We are the inheritance of Jesus Christ – a royal priesthood. We are princes and princesses. We need to act like it. We must speak to God in a heavenly language. Speak in tongues.
Pastor Praveen told of a time when the Lord used him to deliver a young woman possessed by a demon spirit. She was a college student studying biochemistry. One of her fellow students, an African Muslim man, had made some witchcraft that he put in food that he gave to her to eat. Her parents took her to a convention and asked the minister to pray for her. He did, but she was not delivered. Then they called Pastor Praveen and asked him to come.
At that time, Pastor Praveen was preparing to go on a mission trip to Singapore. He was on the 18th day of fasting and prayer in preparation for the trip. He asked the Lord what was going on with the possessed woman. The people who had asked him for help had not told him the truth. But God showed him everything that had happened. He saw it like a movie.
When Pastor Praveen went to meet the woman and those with her, the Spirit spoke through him: “Who is that African Muslim man? She is possessed by a jinn, a Muslim spirit.” Pastor Praveen did not touch the woman but when she saw him, she said, “Fire, fire! You are a prophet! Why did you come?” She was screaming. Pastor Praveen was speaking in tongues and she saw fire coming out of his mouth and fire in his eyes. When he commanded the spirit to come out of her, she said, “You are speaking in an African language.”
Pastor Praveen had not known he was speaking in an African language. However, this is the sort of thing that happened after the disciples of the early church received the tongues of fire. The foreigners who were listening to them heard their own languages being spoken (Acts 2:5-6).
The young woman Pastor Praveen prayed for was set free of the devil. She went back to India, attended medical school, and is now a doctor. There is power in the name of Jesus. When you speak in tongues at home or at the workplace no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. When you speak in tongues, thousands and thousands of invisible angels will come and protect you because you are speaking a heavenly language.
Pastor Praveen’s Message – We Are Called with Promises: Claim Them
God Has an Appointed Time for His Promises
Since January, we have been hearing many reports of bad news all over the world. But tonight we are here safe because He is faithful. How many of you want to claim your promises in Jesus? How many of you are the inheritance of Jesus Christ? God has an appointed time for all His promises. So we need to wait for that time.
Remember, Abraham was waiting for God. He asked God how His promised miracles would happen (Genesis 15:8-21). God told him that his descendants would be strangers in a land for 400 years and face many problems. But He would punish the nation that did it. Likewise, if you are facing any trouble because you are a child of God, the wrath of God will come upon those doing it. In the eyes of God, we are precious stones.
God told Abraham that after the 400 years, his ancestors would come out with a great possession. And you, whatever you are facing, will come out with a possession – healing, deliverance, blessing, the Holy Spirit, and spiritual fruit. What you have been suffering – forget about it. He is going to bring you out – you, your family, and your children. It is God’s appointed time. Whatever you may have faced – going through fire or insults – it’s over. He’s going to bring you out for His purpose with a great possession.
God even fixed a time for His own Son. That is why Jesus said, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” (John 2:19)*. For three days, His begotten Son had to go through that process. It was not by accident that He was in the grave for three days, but by God’s plan. Nobody could keep Him there. He broke the tomb and came out with glory.
God is now going to set you free from your sickness, bondage, and depression. If you are a child of God, you have a right to say, “Lord, we are your children. You called me, not with an empty calling, but with promises. You called me not for past or present things. You called me for your future purpose. I am here now, walking with you with all my heart. But Lord, what you promised me – I need that.” In this way, we can be like Caleb. God is going to raise up some Caleb’s in this church and in your family. They will claim their possessions, their promises.
Caleb spoke about God’s promises to Joshua in the Promised Land (Joshua 14:6-15). The tribe of Judah appeared to Joshua at Gilgal. Then Caleb said to Joshua, “Do you know what the Lord has spoken to Moses about you and me? When the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the Promised Land, I was 40 years old. I brought Him back a report according to my convictions. I gave an amazing report. I didn’t care about those in the land.” (Joshua 14:6-8; paraphrase). What kind of report will we give to others about our God?
Caleb said, “I didn’t see anything negative. I only saw the positive because I knew who was with me – the One who divided the Red Sea, destroyed Pharaoh, gave us manna, divided the Jordan, and destroyed Jericho. I didn’t care about those who were in the land because I have seen God’s amazing grace.” (Joshua 14:7-8 paraphrase).
Claim Your Promises
Caleb claimed his promises. Not everyone could claim as he did. What was his qualification? As Caleb told Joshua, “I followed the Lord my God with all my heart.” (Joshua 14:8; paraphrase). The meaning of “Caleb” in Hebrew is “faithful, whole-hearted, brave.” Because Caleb followed God with all his heart, God chose him to explore the land.
Caleb reminded Joshua that Moses had said to him. “Caleb, wherever you set your feet, that will be yours – for you and your descendants.” Caleb said, “Now I am 85 years old. I am still strong. I have the same power I had then.” (Joshua 14:9-11; paraphrase). Caleb was not speaking of physical power. He was talking about his heart and his relationship with God. He was saying, “I have the same heart as then.”
Like Caleb, you must walk with God with all your mind, all your heart, and all your soul. Then you have a right to claim your healing. “Now,” Caleb said, “Give me the hill country. I need Hebron.” (Joshua 14:12; paraphrase).
Remember that Caleb was from the tribe of Judah. Many years before, his grandpa, Abraham, heard the voice of God in Mamre, which was in Hebron. God said to him, “Abraham, all of this land belongs to your descendants.” (Genesis 13:14-15; paraphrase). Now his great grandson was saying, “I need Hebron.” This happened because his grandfather walked with God. Caleb said, “Give it to me. There is a bounty there, Joshua.” Joshua said, “You know Caleb, the Anakites are strong and the fortress is a big city.” Caleb responded, “With God helping me, I will drive them out in the name of the Lord.” (Joshua 14:11-12; paraphrase).
How many of you can say, “I will drive out the enemy from my family, children, life, future, community, and city because these things belong to me?” Who can say that? Those who are walking wholeheartedly with Jesus. God told Abraham that the Israelites would come out with a great possession. Likewise, we are plunderers. We will plunder souls and blessings from the enemy.
Why was it the tribe of Judah who took Hebron? Remember, Judges 1:1-2 says “After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the Lord, ‘Who of us is to go up first to fight against the Canaanites?’ The Lord answered, ‘Judah shall go up; I have given the land into their hands.’” So you see, Judah must go first. What is our tribe? If Jesus is the Lion of Judah and we are the inheritance of Jesus, then we are the tribe of Judah. We have authority and we will see victory.
The first judge in Israel was Caleb’s youngest brother, Othniel. How much power is on us? How many promises are there in our lives? If you are the tribe of Judah, remember that God said he would give the land into their hands (Judges 1:2). The healing, deliverance, and whatever else you need is in your hand. So why don’t you cry in the name of Jesus and drive the enemy out from your children, family, and life? You have the authority to do that because you are of the tribe of Judah. Claim your healing, deliverance, and blessings for your thousand descendants.
Forget about 2020 – whatever you have heard, seen, or the challenges you faced. God is going to bring you out with great possessions. There will be everlasting peace, joy, blessings, love, and kindness. How many of you can claim, “2021 will be a new beginning in my life, for family, children, church, community, city, and nation.” We have the right to claim what God has promised to us – you will possess the land. Judah will go up.
If the Lion of Judah is in your heart and if you are the temple of the Holy Spirit you will not listen to the enemy. You will not listen to any stupid songs, watch stupid shows, or watch fake news. You will always praise Him. When you praise, you inhale power and strength and exhale your timidity. You inhale healing and exhale sickness. You will taste and experience victory in your life.
*All scripture references are from the NIV unless otherwise indicated.