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The Benefits of Prayer and Fasting
Primary Texts: Matthew 17:21; Isaiah 58:6; Acts 13:2–3

Prayer and fasting are heaven’s invitation for earth to line up with God’s agenda. Prayer is how we speak to God; fasting is how we silence everything else that speaks louder than God. Many believers pray, but fewer fast—and that is why some victories are delayed, some breakthroughs are partial, and some chains remain intact.

Prayer alone is powerful, but prayer joined with fasting is transformative. Fasting does not make God move faster—fasting makes us more sensitive, more obedient, and more spiritually aligned. When Jesus spoke of prayer and fasting, He did not say if you fast—He said when you fast (Matthew 6). That tells us fasting is not optional for spiritual maturity.

Illustration (Intro):
When a car is out of alignment, you can still drive it—but the ride is rough, the tires wear unevenly, and you burn more fuel than necessary. Prayer keeps the engine running. Fasting brings alignment. Without alignment, you’ll move—but not efficiently, not smoothly, and not victoriously.

KEY POINT 1: Prayer and Fasting Release Higher-Level Spiritual Authority

Scripture: Matthew 17:21

“This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

This verse teaches us that not all battles are equal. Some demons respond to prayer; others respond only when prayer is fortified with fasting. Fasting deepens your spiritual rank—not because you become stronger, but because your flesh becomes weaker.

When you fast, you step into a realm where your authority is recognized in the spirit world. You’re not louder—but you’re weightier.

Illustration:
A whisper from a judge carries more authority than a shout from a civilian. Fasting doesn’t make you louder—it gives spiritual weight to your prayers.

KEY POINT 2: Prayer and Fasting Humble Us and Break Fleshly Dominance

Scripture: Psalm 35:13

“I humbled my soul with fasting…”

Fasting is God’s divine tool for humbling the soul. Pride feeds the flesh; fasting starves it. Many spiritual struggles persist because the flesh is still in control—appetites, emotions, habits, and attitudes.

Fasting reminds the body it is not in charge. When the flesh steps back, the spirit steps forward.

Short Story:
Someone once said, “My body tells me what time it’s time to eat—but fasting teaches my body to listen instead of lead.”

KEY POINT 3: Prayer and Fasting Open the Door to Clear Direction and Divine Guidance

Scripture: Daniel 9:3

“I set my face toward the Lord God… with fasting.”

Daniel did not fast out of desperation—he fasted for revelation. Confusion often exists because too many voices are speaking. Fasting quiets the noise so God’s voice can rise above distractions.

Direction is rarely absent because God is silent—it is absent because we are distracted.

Illustration:
Just as muddy water must settle before it becomes clear, fasting allows the soul to settle so clarity can emerge.

KEY POINT 4: Prayer and Fasting Align Our Will with God’s Will

Scripture: Matthew 6:10

“Thy will be done…”

Fasting shifts us from demanding answers to surrendering desires. It breaks the cycle of telling God what we want and positions us to receive what He wants.

Many prayers go unanswered because they are misaligned. Fasting realigns the heart.

Illustration:
A GPS only works when it knows your true location. Fasting tells God, “Here I really am—now lead me.”

KEY POINT 5: Prayer and Fasting Break Yokes and Release Spiritu

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Genesis 37 – The Covenant Advances Through Joseph: Dreams, Destiny, and Betrayal

(Part 37 in the “God Keeping Covenant” Series)

Genesis 37 begins the Joseph narrative, which will run through Genesis 50.
Joseph is not just a dreamer — he is God’s chosen instrument to protect the covenant family.

This chapter teaches us:

• Covenant destiny often begins with dreams
• God reveals purpose before preparation
• Favor can provoke jealousy
• Betrayal does not cancel destiny

Theme: God keeps covenant by advancing His purpose through suffering, discipline, and divine providence.

Genesis 37:1–2 – Joseph Introduced

Joseph is 17 years old and tending sheep with his brothers.
He brings a bad report about them to his father.

Covenant Lesson:

Calling often reveals itself early, but immaturity can complicate destiny.

Genesis 37:3–4 – Jacob’s Favoritism

Jacob loves Joseph more than the others and gives him a coat of many colors.

This garment symbolizes:

• Favor
• Authority
• Distinction

The brothers hate Joseph because of this favoritism.

Covenant Lesson:

Favor without wisdom can provoke unnecessary conflict.

Genesis 37:5–8 – Joseph’s First Dream

Joseph dreams his brothers’ sheaves bowing to his.

He shares the dream — and hatred increases.

Covenant Lesson:

Not everyone is mature enough to hear your dream.

Illustration:

Destiny is revealed in stages — discretion is part of preparation.

Genesis 37:9–11 – Joseph’s Second Dream

The sun, moon, and stars bow to Joseph.

Even Jacob rebukes him — yet keeps the saying in mind.

Covenant Lesson:

God-given dreams often disturb family order before they fulfill divine order.

Genesis 37:12–14 – Joseph Sent to His Brothers

Jacob sends Joseph to check on his brothers.

This act unknowingly sends Joseph into his destiny.

Covenant Lesson:

God uses ordinary obedience to move us toward extraordinary purpose.

Genesis 37:15–17 – A Divine Detour

Joseph gets lost, but a man redirects him to Dothan.

Covenant Lesson:

Divine detours are not accidents — God directs steps even when we feel lost.

Genesis 37:18–20 – Plot to Kill Joseph

The brothers call him:

“Here comes this dreamer!”

They plan murder.

Covenant Lesson:

Dreams attract spiritual opposition.

Genesis 37:21–24 – Reuben Intervenes

Reuben plans to rescue Joseph later.

Joseph is stripped of his coat and thrown into a pit.

Covenant Lesson:

God may allow us to be placed in pits — but not abandoned there.

Genesis 37:25–28 – Joseph Sold into Slavery

Judah suggests selling Joseph.

Joseph is sold for 20 pieces of silver.

This foreshadows Christ.

Covenant Lesson:

God can use betrayal as a bridge to destiny.

Genesis 37:29–30 – Reuben’s Horror

Reuben returns and is devastated.

Covenant Lesson:

Delayed obedience can cost opportunities.

Genesis 37:31–33 – Deception of Jacob

The brothers dip Joseph’s coat in blood.

Jacob believes Joseph is dead.

Covenant Lesson:

Deception destroys families and multiplies grief.

Genesis 37:34–36 – Joseph in Egypt

Jacob mourns deeply.

Joseph is sold to Potiphar in Egypt.

Covenant Lesson:

What looks like the end is

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Announcements for this week – Pastoral Teaching 7pm Wednesday Pastoral Teaching www.facebook.com/owcoc

Why Fast – Prophetic Doreen -When should we fast – Minister Micheal

Different Types of Fasts – Exalter Reid – Benefits of Fasting – Bishop Tucker

Making Spiritual Preparation for Greater things to Come

Getting Spiritually, Mentally, and Physically Fit for the Manifestation of God’s Work

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 - But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. Verse 7 says But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,

Hidden wisdom describes what the natural mind cannot see, deep things describe what only the Spirit can reveal.

Prayer sharpens revelation, Fasting disciplines perception, Spiritual fitness prepares us to receive God’s deep wisdom.

1 Corinthians 2:12 - “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.”

Many believers shout about verse 9, but few read on to verses 10 through 14, where Paul explains how those greater things are revealed. He says they are revealed by the Spirit, discerned spiritually, and understood only by those who are spiritually prepared. In other words, the limitation is not what God has prepared, the limitation is what we are prepared to receive.

Before God manifests His power publicly, He prepares His people privately.

Before the Jordan River parted, God told the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”
Before fire fell from heaven, the altar had to be repaired.
Before resurrection power was revealed, Jesus prayed and fasted.

Prayer aligns us.
Fasting disciplines us.
Obedience positions us.

A miracle is not just something God does for us—it is something God does through a prepared life.

Acronyms for fasting

F – Forsaking the flesh
A – Aligning with God’s will
S – Submitting self to God
T – Trusting God completely
I – Intensifying prayer
N – Nurturing the spirit
G – Growing in grace

Spiritual preparation through prayer, fasting, and self-discipline positions us for the manifestation of God’s work.

Point 1: Moses Prepared Through Fasting—and Encountered God’s Glory

Moses spent forty days and forty nights fasting in the presence of the Lord.
The Bible says in Exodus 34:28 that he neither ate bread nor drank water while receiving the covenant from God.

Because Moses prepared himself, he did not just receive information—he encountered transformation. When he came down from the mountain, his face shone with the glory of God.

This teaches us that deep preparation leads to deep revelation.
If we want God’s direction, we must be willing to make room for it.

Point 2: Esther Fasted Before Acting—and a Nation Was Saved

When Esther learned that her people were marked for destruction, she did not rush into action. She called for a fast and said in Esther 4:16, “Neither eat nor drink for three days… an

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The Crisis of the "Tilted" Life

We live in a culture of "The Lean." We lean into our careers until our families fall over. We lean into our digital lives until our mental health collapses. We lean into "doing" for God until we forget how to "be" with God.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 is Paul’s "Wholeness Mandate." He doesn't just wish for your heart to be right; he prays for your whole being—the Greek word is holokleros, meaning "complete in every part." If you are spiritually "saved" but emotionally "shattered" and physically "spent," you are out of balance. And in the kingdom of God, what is out of balance is eventually destined to break.

Today, we look at 7 keys to finding that center before the world pushes you over.

1. The Trinity of the Human Design

We are not just one-dimensional beings. We are a "three-in-one" creation, reflecting the image of a Triune God.

• Spirit (Pneuma): Your God-consciousness.
• Soul (Psyche): Your self-consciousness (mind, will, emotions).
• Body (Soma): Your world-consciousness (your physical vessel).
• The Depth: If you only feed the spirit, you become "too heavenly minded to be any earthly good." If you only feed the body, you become carnal. True survival in 2026 requires a "Through and Through" synchronization.

2. The Spirit: The "Gyroscope" of the Soul

Illustration: In aviation, a gyroscope allows a pilot to know where the horizon is, even when flying through thick clouds or upside down.

• The Key: Your spirit is your internal horizon. When the "clouds" of life (inflation, illness, family drama) hit, your soul and body will feel like they are spinning.
• The Expansion: Neglecting the spirit means losing your "Up." If your prayer life is nonexistent, you have no fixed point. You will eventually "fly into the ground" because you thought you were level when you were actually diving.

3. The Soul: The Battleground of the "Middleman"

The soul (mind/emotions) sits between the spirit and the body. It is the most taxed part of the modern human.

• The Story: Consider a bridge designed to hold 10 tons, but 50 tons of traffic are crossing it every hour. Eventually, the bridge develops "stress fractures."
• The Key: Many of us have stress fractures in our souls. We are "fine" until one small thing—a traffic jam or a rude comment—causes a total meltdown. Balancing the soul means intentional "unplugging." It means taking your thoughts captive before they take you prisoner.

4. The Body: The Temple’s Foundation

Paul prays for the body to be kept "blameless." This is radical! He is saying that how you treat your heart rate and your sleep schedule is a matter of holiness.

• The Deep Dive: We often ask God for a "miracle of strength" when He already gave us the "discipline of rest."
• The Illustration: A high-performance luxury car. If you never change the oil or check the tires, it doesn't matter how expensive the engine is; it will eventually stall on the highway. Your body is the "vehicle" for your calling. If the vehicle breaks, the mission stops.

5. The "Sanctify Through and Through" Process

The Greek word for "sanctify" (hagiazo) means to set apart for a specific purpose.

• The Point: God wants to set apart your sleep for His glory. He wants to set apart your thought-life for His glory.
• The Expansion: True balance happens when there is no "secular" and "sacred" divide. When y

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Sanctify Yourself: Total Preparation for God’s Wonders

Theme: Total Fitness — Spirit, Soul, and Body
Text: Joshua 3:5 (KJV)

“And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

Introduction — Total Fitness Before Total Breakthrough

Church, Joshua 3 places Israel at a turning point. They are no longer wandering, but they have not yet arrived. Behind them is the wilderness; ahead of them is promise. Between them stands the Jordan River—overflowing at flood stage. And Moses is gone. Leadership has shifted. Seasons have changed.

Before God touches the river, Joshua addresses the people and gives one command:

“Sanctify yourselves.”

This is not just a spiritual phrase—it is a total-life instruction. Joshua is saying, Get ready in your whole being. In today’s language, Joshua is calling Israel to Total Fitness—spirit, soul, and body—because you cannot step into a new season with an unprepared life.

God does not just want spiritually excited people with emotionally cluttered souls and undisciplined bodies. God’s wonders flow through whole, aligned lives.
Before tomorrow’s wonders, there must be today’s total preparation.

Sermon Body — Total Fitness in Action

1. God Prepares the Whole Person Before He Moves the People

Joshua doesn’t say, “Pack up.” He says, “Sanctify.”
Why? Because where God is taking you requires more than movement—it requires maturity.

• Spirit: Align with God
• Soul: Renew your mind and emotions
• Body: Get ready to move in obedience

You can’t cross a flooded Jordan out of shape spiritually, unstable emotionally, and undisciplined physically.

2. Sanctification Begins in the Spirit

Sanctification starts with the spirit—our connection to God.

Prayer, repentance, worship, obedience—this is spiritual conditioning. Just like an athlete trains before the game, believers must strengthen their spirit before stepping into challenge.

If your spirit is weak, everything else struggles.

3. Sanctification Continues in the Soul

The soul is the mind, will, and emotions.

Israel had wilderness thinking—fear, doubt, complaining. God could part rivers, but He had to reset their mindset.

Some of us are spiritually saved but emotionally stuck.
Sanctification says:

• Let go of bitterness
• Release fear
• Renew your thinking

You can’t carry old trauma into new territory.

4. Sanctification Shows Up in the Body

Faith is not passive. Bodies had to walk. Feet had to step. Priests had to carry the ark.

God didn’t float Israel across the Jordan—He made them walk through it.

Your body matters:

• Discipline
• Consistency
• Obedient action

You can believe God all day, but if your feet don’t move, nothing changes.

5. Tomorrow’s Wonders Depend on Today’s Total Obedience

Joshua says, “Tomorrow the Lord will do wonders.”
But sanctification was required today.

• Spirit obeys today
• Soul aligns today
• Body responds today

You can’t expect a breakthrough with partial obedience. Total fitness leads to total victory.

6. God Does Wonders Among Aligned People

The Bible says God would do wonders among them.

That means:

• United spirits
• Harmonized souls
• Willing bodies

Just like a healthy

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Balance Yourself Before You Fall

Primary Text:

1 Thessalonians 5:23 (KJV)

“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We live in a world where people are constantly out of balance.
Some are spiritually strong but physically worn down. Prays every morning, fasts regularly serves faithfully but is constantly tired run down and ignoring their body’s warning signs.
Some are financially successful but emotionally exhausted. A good job, a nice home, money in the bank, yet they live under constant pressure, anxiety and emotional strain, worry about losing what they worked hard to gain, worried about maintaining an image of success.
Others look healthy on the outside but are broken on the inside. Exercises regularly, eats well, dresses sharp smiles often, but inside they deal with unforgiveness, rejection, grief, secret pain. It’s like a house with fresh paint but rotting beams.

Disciplined in the Body but neglectful of the Spirit – committed to gym, diet plans, physical appearance but never pray, read the Word, or nurture their spirit. It’s like polishing the outside of a cup while the inside remains dirty. Strong muscles can’t carry a weak spirit.

God never designed us to live lopsided lives.

Before you fall spiritually, emotionally, morally, or physically—you must learn to balance yourself.

Paul makes it plain: God cares about your whole self—spirit, soul, and body.

Beloved, one of the greatest misunderstandings in the body of Christ is the belief that prayer is a substitute for discipline. Prayer is powerful, yes—but prayer was never designed to replace responsibility.

In 2026, as we focus on being spiritually, mentally, and physically fit, we must understand this truth:

Prayer does not cancel discipline—prayer works with discipline.

God never intended prayer to do what obedience, structure, and self-control were created to accomplish.

Many people pray about things God has already given them instructions to manage. They pray about their health but ignore discipline in their bodies. They pray about peace but refuse to discipline their thoughts. They pray about spiritual power but neglect spiritual habits.

Prayer cannot override choices.
Prayer cannot cancel consequences.
Prayer cannot replace discipline.

God Works Through Systems

God is a God of order. Everything He created functions within a system.

• The spirit must be disciplined through prayer, Word, fasting, worship.
• The soul must be disciplined through thought control, emotional maturity, forgiveness, renewal.
• The body must be disciplined through rest, stewardship, boundaries, and care.

When systems are ignored, prayer becomes frustration instead of faith.

Key Truth

Imbalance is often the silent reason behind sudden falls.

8 Key Points: Balancing Spirit, Soul, and Body

1. God Designed You to Be Whole, Not Fragmented

“Sanctify you wholly…”

Illustration:
A three-legged stool only works when all three legs are intact. Remove one, and it collapses.

Application:
You can’t ignore one part of your life and expect stability in the others.
God wants wholeness, not survival mode.

2. When the Spirit Is Weak, Direction Is Lost

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Sermon Title:

Healthy, Wealthy, and Well

Subtitle: God’s Desire for the Whole Person

Key Scripture:

“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”— 3 John 1:2 (KJV)

Introduction

As we step into a new year, many people make resolutions about money, health, and success. But God’s desire goes deeper than surface change. He is not only concerned with what we have—but who we are becoming. God’s plan is holistic: spirit, soul, and body.
God wants us healthy, wealthy, and well—not just financially, but spiritually and emotionally too.

Key Point 1: Spiritual Health Comes First

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” — Matthew 6:33

Truth: You cannot be truly wealthy or well if your soul is sick.

Illustration:
Just like a phone with a full case but no battery is useless, a person can look good on the outside but be empty on the inside. Spiritual health powers everything else.

Application:
Prayer, fasting, the Word, and worship are not optional—they are spiritual nutrition.

Key Point 2: A Prosperous Soul Leads to a Prosperous Life

“As thy soul prospereth…” — 3 John 1:2

Truth: God ties outward blessing to inward growth.

Short Story:
Two people receive the same blessing. One manages it wisely, the other self-destructs. The difference wasn’t the blessing—it was the soul.

Application:
Before God enlarges your territory, He strengthens your character.

Key Point 3: Biblical Wealth Is Stewardship, Not Greed

“The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.” — Proverbs 10:22

Truth: God’s wealth brings peace, not pressure.

Illustration:
Worldly wealth says, “Get more.” Godly wealth says, “Manage well what you have.”

Application:
Wealth is not about accumulation—it’s about assignment.

Key Point 4: God Cares About Your Physical Health

“Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost?” — 1 Corinthians 6:19

Truth: Your body is not disposable—it’s God’s dwelling place.

Illustration:
You wouldn’t pour dirty oil into a luxury car. Why mistreat a body God lives in?

Application:
Rest, discipline, movement, and wisdom are spiritual acts.

Key Point 5: Mental Wellness Is Part of God’s Plan

“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” — Romans 12:2

Truth: A saved soul can still have a stressed mind.

Short Story:
Elijah called fire down from heaven—but later asked God to take his life. Great faith doesn’t cancel emotional fatigue.

Application:
Renewing the mind requires letting go of old thinking, old wounds, and old lies.

Key Point 6: True Wellness Is Peace With God and People

“And the peace of God…shall keep your hearts and minds.” — Philippians 4:7

Truth: You can have money and still not be well.

Illustration:
Peace is not the absence of trouble—it’s the presence of God in trouble.

Application:
Forgiveness, reconciliation, and trust are keys to wellness.

Key Point 7: Healthy, Wealthy, and Well Is a Journey—Not a Moment

“For which of you, intending to bu

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Sermon Title: The Ebenezer Year: Remembering God’s Hand in 2025

The Context of the Ebenezer (1 Samuel 7)

For twenty years, the Israelites had been living in a state of defeat and spiritual "unfitness." They had lost the Ark of the Covenant, they were under the thumb of the Philistines, and they were discouraged.

Samuel tells them: "If you want to turn this around, you have to get your heart right with God" (The Spirit-first principle). They fasted, they prayed, and they repented. Just as they were getting their hearts right, the enemy attacked.

The Scene

The Philistines marched against them while they were at prayer. Israel was terrified. But God thundered from heaven, threw the enemy into a panic, and Israel won a massive victory.

Here is the key: Samuel didn’t just say "Good job everyone, let's go home." He stopped. He took a massive, heavy stone, hauled it to the center of the battlefield, and pounded it into the ground.

Expanded Introduction Points

1. The Definition of the Name

• Eben = Stone
• Ezer = Help
• "Ebenezer" literally means "Stone of Help." * Application: Every time someone walked past that stone, they weren't reminded of their own strength; they were reminded of God’s help.

2. The Purpose of the Stone: To Fight "Spiritual Amnesia"

• Humans are naturally forgetful. We tend to remember our fears and forget our victories.
• The Ebenezer stone was a permanent landmark for a temporary moment.
• Application: 2025 had moments of panic, but look at the landmarks God left behind. We are "planting a stone" today so that when we face the giants of 2026, we can look back and remember: “If He did it then, He will do it again.”

3. The Meaning of "Hitherto"

• Samuel said, "Hitherto (up to this point) hath the Lord helped us."
• "Hitherto" is a bridge word. It looks backward to the past but points forward to the future. It implies that God’s help didn’t stop at the stone; it’s a continuous flow.

A "Hook" Illustration for the Pulpit: The "Rearview Mirror"

"Think about your car. Why is the windshield so large and the rearview mirror so small? It’s because your direction is more important than your history. However, you cannot safely move forward if you never check what’s behind you.

Checking the rearview mirror tells you how far you’ve traveled and who is gaining on you. Looking back at 2025 is like checking your spiritual rearview mirror. We see the 'Ebenezer stones' God planted on the highway of our lives—that hospital bill that got paid, that relationship that was healed, that night when you thought you wouldn't make it but God whispered, 'Peace, be still.'

We don't look back to live there; we look back to gain the confidence to drive into 2026."

Connection to your Theme (The Hand-off)

"Before we talk about being Physically, Mentally, and Spiritually Fit in 2026, we have to recognize that we are standing on the 'Ebenezer' of 2025. You didn't survive this year because you were lucky; you survived because the 'Stone of Help' was under your feet."

Scripture: "Then Samuel took a stone... and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." — 1 Samuel 7:12

I. The Blessing of Protection (The Invisible Shield)

In 2025, the world saw natural disasters—from the wildfires in California to storms across the South. Yet, we stand here. We often thank God for the accidents we saw, but we must thank Him for the thousands of

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