(Fourth part)
Memory verse (Isaiah 58: 9) “ Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, Here I am. If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness ”
Wrong living denies us access into God’s presence. Sinful living separates us from God. We are sinners saved by grace, but saved from living in sin and begin to live a holy life by the power of the Holy Spirit. The scripture teaches that the works of the flesh close the door of the kingdom of God against our faces (Gal5: 19-21). When we allow the works of the flesh to operate freely in our lives, they will only produce death. Satan always looks for those fleshly desires and uses them as open doors to enter into your life, your family, business and ministry. And you know the mission of Satan (Jn 10: 10). Whenever Satan is given an opportunity, he will steal, he will kill and he will destroy (Jam1: 13-15).
Many believers ignore their lifestyles and choose to live carelessly. Many children of God are so loose in their living, talk, and behaviors that even their conscious is dead. They do all kinds of wrong things and don’t feel anything wrong, they talk all kinds of words, they curse, they quarrel, they dress carelessly, they live any way they choose, they watch anything on TV, they listen to anything on radio, they follow any one, they read anything. It’s amazing what kind of things is happening in the church today and there is no sense of alarm. Pornography, homosexuality, divorces, wrong marriages, unbeliever marrying believer, stealing etc are so common in the church today. And with this kind of living, we are praying, we are fasting to get promotions. Ladies half naked boldly stand on pulpits to preach, to lead worship and many say God looks on the heart not the body, but again the Bible says what fills the heart, comes on the outside. Could it be that the reason people are walking naked physically because they are spiritually naked? Something is wrong in God’s house and we need to deal with it now.
God put it clear to Isaiah: tell my people their sins and let them know that I did not refuse to answer them but it’s their sin that blocked me to reach and touch them. Dear beloved, it is still the same today, God is telling the church, he is seeing our fasting, yes he desires to anoint us, he desires to heal the sick, he desires to prosper our families and ministries, but our lives are spiritually sick.
Tomorrow’s subject: “ Fasting is not show in the flesh”
