the three day fast: living and walking in resurrection power

8/14/2019 The Three Day Fast: Living and Walking in Resurrection Power

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The Three-Day FastObtaining and Walking in Resurrection Power:

Becoming a Recipient of the Latter Rain

by Craig Wm. Peters

Come and let us return unto hwhy; for He has torn and He will heal us;

He has smitten and He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; on the

third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight. So let us know, let us follow

on to know hwhy; His going forth is as certain as the morning, and He will come

to us as the rain; as the latter rain that waters the earth.

Hosea 6:1-3

A short preface to introduce our study

About 28 years ago the author read a book

regarding the resurrection power available to

Messianic believers. Although it claimed to deal

with the release of spiritual power for victorious

living, upon finishing the book, I was still

puzzled as to how this greatand reportedlyblessedphenomenon was supposed to occur. It

was disappointing the book had failed to offer

tangible help in attaining that which was sought,

and, in retrospect, it is clear money had been

spent for that which was not food. Isaiah 55:2

Thanks be to hwhythe Father that, over the time

since then, He has given clear instruction from

His eternal word regarding a most legitimate,

profound, and heavenly-ordained way to drink of

the Spirit; and this way literally costs nothing.1

The Word ofhwhyteaches us how to seekHim sothat He will break up the fountains of the deep

and open the windows of heaven2

allowing the

living waters of His Spirit to well up from within3

and to be poured out from above4

giving

substantial, efficacious power and fruitfulness to

every believer whose heart and flesh long for

fellowship with the Living Elohim.5

Those who

fast and pray are those who hunger and thirst for

righteousness, and they shall be satisfied.6

Fasting and prayer constitute the essential, first

step in seeking hwhywith the whole heart.

7

Fasting results in the wholehearted sacrifices

of Elohim: a broken and a contrite heart. The

1Isaiah 55:1, Revelation 3:18, 21:6, 22:17

2 Genesis 7:113 John 7:37-394 Proverbs 1:23, Isaiah 32:15-17, Joel 2:28,29, Zechariah

12:10, James 3:175 Psalm 42:1,2, 63:1, 84:1,26 Matthew 5:67

Jeremiah 29:13

latter rain of His Spirit will surely be poured out

upon all those who discover fasting with prayer

is the ultimate means by which we fulfill the

Torah requirement of the whole, burnt offering.

Death to Sin

While the apostle Shaul writes of our death to

sin8

and of ourfreedom from sin,9

why are sofew believers walking in the blessed reality ofthis death and freedom? Why do most

professing believers spend their entire lives

defeated in the struggle with carnality when our

Messiah came to destroy the works of theDevil?10 Through faith in the shed blood of the

Messiah, we can leave the defeat expressed by

Shaul inRomans 711

and progress to the solid,spiritual victories of which he testified in

Romans 8.12 If the resurrection power ofeswhy

is available,

13

then why have so few acquired thespiritual strength which would qualify them to

stand before hwhy as young men who arestrong enough in the Spirit to remain victorious

even in the face of the Adversarys fiercest,death-besetting temptations?14 If we claim these

are just nice-sounding words on the pages of

Scripture and that victory is not possible, we arealso claiming ourselves to be unable to do what

hwhy has already commanded. Those who dothis are setting Him forth as a liar.

8 Romans 6:2,6,7,119

Romans 6:7,18,2210 Hebrews 2:14, 1John 3:811 Romans 7:14-2412 Romans 7:25, 8:1-4,7-9, 14-1613 And it is! Those who teach or believe anything less are

setting themselves (and others) on a course heading

towards apostasy and destruction. 2Timothy 3:514

1John 2:14, Hebrews 12:4


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The Lack of Power

At first, one might think we should commend

those who teach sin is always inevitable: Afterall, we are only human, they say. Many

believers talk about the finished work of the

Messiah, but if that finished work is not

helping them to overcome sin and the world,

their religion is only an outward show whichprovides them with no power to walk in victory.

2Timothy 3:1-5 As we will see, those who teachit is impossible to gain victory over sin are the

modern-day counterparts to those unbelieving

spies who made the hearts of nearly all Yisraelfail by telling them it was not possible to take the

Promised Land in the days of the Exodus. In this

light, we will soon see such defeatist teachings

are not commendable in any way, shape, or form.On the contrary, as sincere as such folks might

be, teachings of this nature only reveal an evil

heart of unbelief. Hebrews 3:7-19 There issimply no way to gloss over this serious issue.

Those who truly stand in the counsel ofhwhywill cause His people to turn from their wickedways. Jeremiah 23:22 We assert eswhy theMessiah did (and does!) this very thing more

than any other prophet who ever lived: by HisSpirit, the Messiah continues to destroy the

works of the Devil15

in the lives of those whoseek Him as He empowers them to turn from

darkness to light, and from the power of Satan

unto Elohim, that they may receive forgiveness of

sins, and inheritance among them which are set

apart/purified by faith in Him. Acts 26:18

To know the reality ofdeath to sin and

freedom from sin, we must both understandand

appropriate the finished work of the Messiah.

This is the only way to succeed if we desire to

walk in victory. The problem is: the finishedwork of the Messiah leaves the majority of

mainstream believers lazy and content16

content to just believe, yet living a life withoutthose works which display andprove we possess

true faith.17 The just believe slogan becomes a

cop-out for excusing sin and for placing nopersonal responsibility on the believer to

progress spiritually and to acquire the strength in

15Hebrews 2:14, 1John 3:8

16 Amos 6:1, Revelation 3:1717 Ephesians 2:10, 2Corinthians 13:5, James 2:17-26

the Spirit so as to overcome sin and personal

weaknesses. Neither James nor any of the

apostles would agree with such thinking.18

It isvery clear the first leaders of the believing

assemblies were extensions of the Messiahs

teachings that His followers should go and sin

no more.19

Let us seek to better understandthe

finished work of the Messiah, and then we willproceed to study how to appropriate that

finished work so it operates in our livesincreasingly.

Entering the Promised Land vs. Unbelief

If we have believed on the Messiahs Name,20

and if we understand His finished work on our

behalf, then we are on square one for

beginning our entrance into the promisedinheritance of the abundant life which eswhycame to give us. John 10:10 However, most

believersfail to understand the finished work ofthe Messiah because they fail to realize the life,

death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of

eswhy leaves little more for hwhy to do on ourbehalf; this is just as the prophet Isaiah hasspoken:

What could have been done more to My

vineyard that I have not done in it?

Isaiah 5:4

The implied answer to this question is,

Nothing!21 And this implied answer explainsthe following objectionwhich came forth fromhwhy when Yisrael failed to obey the Torah andto bring forth good fruit for the honor of His

Name:

Why then, when I waited for the yielding

of grapes, did it yield rotten ones?

Isaiah 5:4,ISRV

Because hwhy had provided all things for ancientYisrael, He was certainly being just when

18James 2:26, Romans 1:5, 2:13, 3:31, 16:26, Ephesians

2:10, Titus 2:11,12, Hebrews 5:9, 1Peter 1:14-22, 1John

5:2-3, Revelation 12:17, 14:1219 John 8:10,11, John 5:14, 1Peter 4:1-320 John 1:12, 20:31, Acts 4:1221 See Isaiah 5:1-4. There was nothing more which hwhywhich could have done for Yisrael! He had blessed them

with all things! So much so, He warned them not to

forget Him in their abundance! Deuteronomy 6:10-12, 8:7-

19, 32:13-18


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expecting them to bring forth good fruit. The

apostle Kepha/Peter confirms Messianic

believersjust like ancient Yisraelhave beengiven everything they need to serve and to please

hwhy in this life:Seeing His Elohim-derived power has

given to us all things pertaining

to life and reverence 2Peter 1:3

It is through belief in eswhywho came to giveus the abundant life by destroying the works of

the Devil22that we are given all things. The

apostle Shaul stated this amazing fact as wellwhen he declared to the Romans it was through

the Messiah that we have been given everything

we ever have needed or ever will need:

He that spared not His own Son,

but delivered Him up for us, how shall

He not with Him freely give us all things?Romans 8:32

We see both apostles quoted above23

arereaffirming the abundant life which eswhycame to give us. But this is where most,

modern-day believers encounter a disconnectin

their experience: if we have been given allthings (and we have!), why is there such a lack

of power and victory over sin? Why is there

such a lack of spiritual strength and

understanding? Why is there such a lack ofunity? This writer is convinced the lack which

many believers suffer24

spiritually andotherwiseis due to the lack of asking, seeking,

and knocking. Matthew 7;7,8 If properly

understood, asking, seeking, and knockingas

taught by the Messiahare all fasting related.This is better seen when the full context ofThe

Sermon on the Mount is more clearly

understood. Fasting was a major part of theSaviors great teachings at that special time and

22 John 10:10; in contrast to the thief (i.e., the Devil), the

Messiahs deliverance from sin (Hebrews 2:14,15, 1John

3:18) ends our separation from hwhy (Isaiah 59:2,Ephesians 2:17,18) and brings us the abundant blessings

which come from His light-filled Name/Presence (Psalm

89:15-18, Numbers 6:23-27).23

Peter (2Peter 1:3) and Shaul (Romans 8:32).24 Many believers suffer this lack, and perhaps, it is

actually the majority who do so (at least in this country).

in that special place.25 The reality which

believers must internalize is that we are, indeed,

freely given all things with eswhy.26 But theSavior is clear that we must be with Him and inHim to reap these promised blessings:

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot

bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no

more can you, unless you abide in Me. I am thevine, you are the branches: He that abides in

Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much

fruit: for without Me you can do nothing. John

15:4,5

In the above Scripture, eswhy was teaching wemay only bear the fruit of the Spirit if we abide

in Him and He abides in us. hwhy is with us, butonly if we are with Him.

27The question which

each individual must determine is: Am I really

with Him? We feel the problem today is that

too many people assume themselves to be inHim or with Him when, in fact, they are only

partially so, or perhaps even nominally so.28

25For many thoughts from the Scriptures which provide a

fuller understanding of the great topic of fasting (along

with its full context in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew

5-7), see the article, Humble Yourselves in the Sight of

hwhy, at: http://www.yahuyahweh.org/iah This was a

special time and special place because eswhy was on themountains of Yisrael as He preached the Good News of

peace. In doing so, He fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah

52:7!26 Romans 8:3227 2Chronicles 15:2, James 4:8. And if may be the

biggest two-letter word in the English language!28 In Revelation 3:17, eswhy rebukes believers who saythey are rich, yet they do not know they are poor,

wretched, pitiable, blind, and naked. Until one deals with

nakedness, the blindness cannot be fully removed. And

this is the state of things today as immodesty of dress is a

rampant, assembly-wide problem. After eswhy cast thedemons out of the Gadarene demoniac, he was found

sitting clothed and in his right mind. Mark 5:15 Most

believers in our day (men included) fail to be fully clothed,

physically, bringing upon themselves and others the curseof nakedness. Consequently, the majority are not in their

right minds concerning the truth of Scripture. Nakedness

and blindness are clearly associated! Believers who fail to

be properly clothed, physically, may well find themselves

without the wedding garment which clothes them in the

righteousness ofeswhy. Matthew 22:11,12 Being properlyclothedboth physically and spirituallyis key to sober-

mindedness. Luke 8:35, Ephesians 6:13-17, Philippians

2:1-5, 1Thessalonians 5:6-8, 1Peter 1:13, 5:5 Being fully

clothed, physically, is a step towards being fully clothed in

the righteousness ofeswhy, and being fully clothed in the


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Each individual must seek and pray about what

his or her particular case might be in this serious,

all-important matter. 2Corinthians 13:5,6 If theYahudim/Jews descended from Abraham had no

room for complacency29 then neither does

anyone else!30

So we have been given all things with eswhy,but these many provisions have been given in theform of promises which remain conditional.eswhy is the Author of life to the Messianic Age,but only for those who obey Him.31 Just as

Yisrael was already given the land of promise,32

but nevertheless, they needed to exercise faith

and obedience to enter Canaan.33 So it is

today.34

Our entrance into the Kingdom may beabundant,35 or it may be one in which loss of

great reward is suffered.36 The majority of

religious sectors across the landscape of

righteousness ofeswhy will surely lead one to being fullyclothed, physically. To those who will lamely object that

outward dress is of little import since hwhy looks on theheart, we can only say that a true change in heart will also

bring a true change in the appearance. (Further, the

context of 1Samuel 16:7 is dealing with thephysical

features of face and stature , it is not a reference to the

manner in which one dresses.) A true, inner change of

heart will most certainly result in an outer manifestation

which reflects that inner transformation. The issue of

nakedness is just one of the many examples in which the

majority of believersMessianic and otherwiseassumethemselves to be in Him when they are still in need of

great change. Other major cases would involve these

issues: walking as eswhy walked by observing theSabbath and Feasts ofhwhy (1John 2:6), honoring theName ofhwhy (Matthew 6:9), ministries ofjudgment/condemnation and boss-man overlords

(Ezekiel 34:1-4, 20-22, Matthew 7:1-5, 20:25-28, 23:4),

the various and subtle forms of gluttony (Psalm 69:22; this

would include not eating the flesh of unclean animals,

Revelation 18:2), the gossip and slander which sow

discord among brethren (Proverbs 6:14,16,19, James

4:11,12, 1Peter 2:1,2), and love for this present world/age

(Jeremiah 10:1,2, Romans 12:1,2, 1John 2:15-17).29 Matthew 3:9,10, Luke 3:8, John 8:31-3730

1Corinthians 9:24-27, Philippians 3:7-1431 Hebrews 5:9, Acts 5:32, Matthew 7:24,2532 Genesis 15:18-21, Numbers 14:8, Deuteronomy 34:4,

Yehoshua 1:633 Numbers 14:9, Yehoshua 1:7,8, Hebrews 3:17-1934 Matthew 10:22, Hebrews 3;6, 4:14, 10:23, Revelation

2:25, 3:3,1135

Psalm 19:11, Hebrews 10:35, 2Peter 1:1136 Matthew 5:19, 1Corinthians 3:14,15, 9:27, Revelation

3:11

Evangelical Christianity (and even most

Messianic congregations) have failed to discern

the difference between our initial salvation37

and the works which will follow those who are

producing the fruit of the Spirit because they

have received favor unto salvation. It is this fruit

which we are expected to bear38

as true sons and

daughters ofhwhy, and it is the amountof suchfruit that we allow the Spirit to produce within uswhich shall determine our reward.

39To be sure,

our Messiah continues to intercede for us: we

are saved by His life!40 He promises the Spirit

will lead us into obedience to all truth.41

Hisheavenly messengers are even sent to administer

to us the word.42 Yet all these things are done in

response to our faith and deeds: hwhy requiresus to ask, seek, and knock.

43If we fail to

exercise this initial, all-important step of faith,

we will fail on all other fronts as well.

Let us be abundantly clear: our intent in this

study is not to judge anyone, but rather, to prove

fasting-derived affliction and humility is the

means by which we remain faithful to hwhythereby making our calling and election sure.44

If each believer can be better edified as to how

we are to press on to spiritual maturity in themanner ordained by hwhy, the writer restsassured the Spirit will orchestrate any changes inheart and life which are necessary. So hwhy willfreely give usall things to the degree that we arewith Himmeaning to the degree that we are

wholeheartedly with Him.45 More than anything

else, fasting and prayer in all sincerity will fulfill

the requirement of the whole burnt offering

37 Which is a free gift obtained without works. John 10:28,

Romans 6:2338

Matthew 3:10, John 15:1-6,8,16, Romans 7:4, Galatians

5:22,23, Ephesians 5:9, Hebrews 12:11, James 3:17,1839

Matthew 25:14-30, Luke 19:11-27, Romans 2:7,Galatians 6:7-1040

Romans 5:9-10, Philippians 1:6, Hebrews 7:25,

Revelation 1:17-1841 John 16:13, Ezekiel 36:26-27, Romans 8:14, Hebrews

8:8-1242 Daniel 10:10-19, Matthew 4:11, Luke 22:43, Hebrews

1:13,1443

Matthew 7:7,8, Hebrews 4:15-16, Revelation 3:8, 4:144

2Peter 1:10, Psalm 18:27, Revelation 17:1445 Deuteronomy 4:29-31, 6:5, 11:13-15, 2Chronicles

31:20,21, Jeremiah 29:13, Mark 12:33


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and will assure our hearts before Him.46

Fasting and prayer yields a broken, contrite heart

thereby fulfilling the Torah requirement of thewhole, burnt offering.47 Fasting and prayer will

result in the wholehearted sacrifice which hwhyboth deserves and expects from our lives.

The Promised Land48 has been given to us

in the form of promises which are seenthroughout the word ofhwhy, but these promisescan only be inherited by faith and deeds.

Promises are the yet-to-be-fulfilled word of

hwhy. The following question looms large overany and every promise which is seen in Hisword:

Will we access the Presence ofhwhyand inherit

His promises through faith and deeds by the

power/fire/zeal of the Spirit which He willingly

imparts, or will we lose our reward and have to

be saved/purged by passing through the fire?Romans 2:8-9, 1Corinthians 3:13-15

This is just as it was with Yisrael in the days of

old: they had already been given the promisedland of Canaan,49 nevertheless, they were

required to proceed withfaith and obedient

action to enter in and personallyacquire/obtain/appropriate the promised

inheritance. Yet many failed to enter the landwhich had been promised to them. So who was

at fault? Did the promises ofhwhy fail?Not at all. While those Yisraelites had beenpromised the Land, they were still required to

fulfill their responsibility before receiving their

inheritance. Although hwhydidpromise themthe Land, those who sinned fell short of entering.

The Promised Land came with a condition of

obedience. And we take special note: those

Yisraelites who failed to enter the Land,failedbecausethey sinnedwith flagrant violations of

the Torah. And why did they sin? Because of

their unbelief.50

Lack of faith in the

46 Mark 12:33, 1John 3:18-2447 Psalm 34:18, 51:15-17, 69:29-31, Luke 7:37-38, Acts

20:3148 Of eternal life (more correctly, life to the Messianic

Age or Age-abiding life): Philippians 3:11, 1John 2:25,

Revelation 20:4-649

Genesis 15:18-21, Numbers 14:8, Deuteronomy 34:4,

Yehoshua/Joshua 1:6.50 Hebrews 3:17-19, 4:6, Romans 9:31,32, 11:20,21

word/promises ofhwhy led to unbelief and sin. Itis no different today. Lack of faith leads to sin.51

This is why we cannot countenance the teachingof unbelief so prevalent today. This teaching

asserts sin is unconquerable and is always the

inevitable. This teaching is tantamount to the

unbelief of the spies of old. This is the unbelief

which not only keeps one from entering into thePromised Inheritance, it is a contagious unbelief

which keeps others out of the Kingdom as well.eswhy rebuked the scribes and Pharisees forbeing guilty of this very thing:

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,

hypocrites! for you shut up the Kingdom of

Heaven against men: for you neither go

in yourselves, neither do you allow those

who are entering to go in. Matthew 23:13

Those who teach the people of

hwhythat sin

cannot be overcome are doing the very thingmentioned just above by eswhy: they areteaching the giants cannot be conquered even

though hwhy has given His word and Hispromise52 to the contrary. Such unbelief is

shutting up the Kingdom of Heaven against

many in our day. So the things we are freelygiven with the Messiah are given in the form of

promisespromises which can only be obtainedby faith/deeds and patient endurance, Hebrews

6:11,12, 2Peter 1:3-11.53 We can seek

hwhyand

be filled with faith in His word, or we can

degenerate spiritually into unbelief and sin. Ifwe do the former by faith in the Messiahs blood,

we will overcome sin54 and enter the Kingdom;

if we do the latter, we will fail to gain thePromised Inheritance.

51Romans 14:23, Hebrews 11:6, 1Peter 4:19

52Romans 4:20-22

53 For those who will object that in Him all the promises

ofhwhy are yes (2Corinthians 1:20), we say once more:in Him means if we are abiding in Him and His word isabiding in us. John 15:4,6 The fulfillment of the promises

ofhwhy is still conditional on whether or not we areabiding in the Vine.54 Revelation 12:11. Faith in His blood is required

because it is through the blood ofeswhy that we draw nearto the purifying Presence ofhwhy, Ephesians 2:13,Hebrews 10:19-23. By continually drawn near to the

Presence ofhwhy, we are strengthened to overcome the sinof this world/age as hwhy fulfills His promises in our lives.Romans 8:1-4,10-14,31-39, 1John 5:2-5


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Let us return to our comparison and contrast

surrounding the unfaithful spies sent by Moses to

spy out the Land. These spies claimed they (andall Yisrael) were unable to enter the Land and to

conquer the giants dwelling in Canaan. Those

spies are the counterpart to modern-day believers

who claim victory over sin is not possible. In

this analogy, the giants would, of course, be thesupposedly unconquerable enemy called sin.

Like the spies of old, these contemporarybelievers think themselves to be grasshoppers

before unconquerable foes. Not having faith and

not knowing victory,55

they further disheartenother believers and teach it is impossible to drive

out the sons of Anak.56 We oppose such

teachings because those Yisraelites who listened

to the falsehood of old subsequently failed to

enter the Promised Land. Equally so, those

believers who subscribe to this falsehood in our

day will also be shut out of the Kingdom andshall fail to overcome in the manner eswhyrequires after having made it possible for us to

do so. Romans 8:1-4 eswhy is the Author of lifeto the Messianic Age, but only for those who

obey Him.57 Those who fail to keep His Fathers

Torah shall not partake in the first resurrectionand shall lose their part in the great reward

given to those who keep His commandments.58

Although there are those who teach error and

unbelief in regards to overcoming sin,59 attaining

552Timothy 3:5

56 That is, the giants. Numbers 13:32-14:157 Acts 5:32, Hebrews 5:9, Revelation 2:26-2858 Job 19:25-27, Psalm 19:11, Matthew 5:12, Luke 6:35,

Hebrews 10:35, Revelation 11:1859

Such teachers will even use Scripture out of context in

an attempt to prove their point. A common text which

has been used over the years by those who have never

experienced enduring victory is found in the first epistle of

the apostle John:

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselvesand the truth is not in us. 1John 1:8

Some teach this to mean the believer will always be

plagued by sin. But how can this be the case since those

who practice Law-breaking will not inherit the Kingdom?

Matthew 7:21-23, 1Corinthians 6:9-11, Galatians 5:19-21

If studied in context, the 1John 1:8 Scripture is simply

saying the following: failure to confess known sin and

rejecting ones conscience is the spirit of harlotry and self-

deception. We read ofthe very same thing in the Book of

Proverbs:

victory is possible if we have a heart to follow

the word ofhwhy as did Caleb andYahoshua/Joshua.

So we have seen the faith of those who are

inspired to enter the Promised Land contrasted

with the unbelieving who deny we are able to doas hwhy has commanded us. But our main intentis not to dwell on the unbelief of the ten spieswho teach obedience to be impossible.

60We

must now leave the unbelief which led most of

the spies to bring back an evil report of the Land

and give our fullest possible attention to the

positive steps a believer is to take for acquiringthe spiritual strength to stand in the evil day

and to endure to the end. 61 If a weight lifter is

able to progress, physically, over time so as tohoist increasingly greater weight, can we not also

progress, spiritually, so that the sins which once

so easily beset us62 no longer plague our heartsand minds with such veritable ease? The

Scriptures tell us such victory in the Spirit is

certainly possible. Such victory is not only

possible, but even expected. Those who fail to

This is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats and

wipes her mouth and says, I have done no wrong.

Proverbs 30:20

Committing deeds of harlotry (James 4:1-4), yet claimingto have done no wrong, is precisely the spirit against whichthe apostle John was warning in his letter. The believerswere exhorted notto deceive themselves by failing toconfess known sin so they could start on the road tovictory! So this text by the apostle (i.e., 1John 1:8) isnot

teaching that sin is inevitable; it is teaching thatknownsin should be confessed and forsaken. Proverbs 28:13What most fail to understand or acknowledge fromScripture is that true forgiveness is a springboard to greaterand lasting spiritual victory. Psalm 130:3,4, John 8:10-12Accordingly, the very first words of instruction whichimmediately follow Johns teaching in this matter arewords which show sin must increasingly be the exceptionand not the rule: My little children, I write you thesethings so that you may not sin; and ifany man sins, wehave an Advocate with the Father: eswhy the Messiah, theRighteous One. 1John 2:1,2 Although we must strive forperfection our entire lives, John was not teaching sin to bethe inevitable! When one enemy in our lives is overcome,the Spirit will call us to drive out others.60 In reference to Philippians 4:13, one sister wisely says

most believers today say they can do all things through the

Messiah who strengthens them. Then she adds

parenthetically, Except keep the commandments.61 Ephesians 6:13, Matthew 10:22, Revelation 2:2662 Hebrews 12:1-4


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bear good fruit,63 we are warned, shall be cut

down and cast into the fire for purging.64

Overcoming is required, yet so few seem tounderstand the simplicity with which the whole

process works.65 Let us proceed, then, to better

learn how to spy out the land with eyes of faith

and hearts of love so that we may return to our

brethren and encourage them with words of faithas did Caleb of old; let us hear his words of

belief which he spoke in regard to possessing theLand of Promise:

Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are

well able to overcome it. Numbers 13:30

Through fasting and prayer in the Name ofhwhy,we will be strengthened to give the very same

words of encouragement to our brethren.

Fasting and Prayer:

the Initial Step of FaithFasting and prayer may be likened, at least in

one sense, to spying out the land:66 not only

will we see a closer view of our spiritual

inheritance as we dwell in the Presence ofhwhy,67 but we will be transformed68 and, at theend of our fast, we will come back out of the

land carrying great gifts; we will be like Caleband Yehoshuamen who were ready to conquer

Canaan with deeds of faith and acquire evenmore of what hwhy had already promised them inHis word. Fasting and prayer will give clarity ofmind and zeal of Spirit to do those things whichare necessary to please hwhy. When we drawnear to hwhy, then hwhy draws near to us as well:His Light-filled Presence will drive away thepowers of darkness, clothe us with the armor of

His light,69 and give us the spiritual might and

victory we need to please Him, to do His will,

and to serve others in the Good News. Theapostle Shaul wrote, And now belief,

expectation, and love remainthese three. But

the greatest of these is love. 1Corinthians 13:13,

63 That is, the fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22,23,

Ephesians 5:8-10, Colossians 1:5,664 Matthew 3:10, 7:19, 1Corinthians 3:15, Hebrews 6:7,865 Matthew 18:3, Mark 10:15, 2Corinthians 11:366 Numbers 13:1767

Psalm 36:968

2Corinthians 3:17,1869 Psalm 104:1-2, James 4:8, Romans 13:12-14, Ephesians

6:10-18

ISRV Perhaps more than anything else, fasting

with prayer is the truest and fullest expression of

these three, faith-essential elements: belief,expectation, and love.

Belief

Fasting expresses faith in hwhy belief that Heexists and that He will reward those who seek

Him. Hebrews 11:6 Seek is a fasting-relatedword.

70However, the rewards sought during

seasons of fasting are not selfish ones; for when

our delight is in hwhy, our greatest desires are inalignment with His perfect will. Psalm 37:4,5

Our greatest desires center around that whichhwhy wants the most for His Kingdom: namely,His righteousness. We will also find our

personal desires are met exceeding abundantlybeyond all that we can ask or think71 for it is

only in Him that we live and move and have our

being.72 Simply put, the Creator knows what isbest for His creation, and it is only after our

hearts are aligned with Him, spiritually, that He

can give us those tailor-made, temporal things

which best meet our inner longings. Whileseeking hwhy for personal, spiritual needs iscompletely commendable, there are will also be

many times when our fasting and prayers aredirected towards helping others to receive

various blessings from the Presence ofhwhy.Our concern for the well-being of others will

grow as we progress spiritually.

Expectation

In fasting, we turn from the life-sustaining

sustenance of physical food. As we do so, we

are (or should be) symbolically turning fromeverything this world has to offer. We die to the

world and identify with death as our soul cleaves

to the dust73

from which we came (and to whichwe will return at death).74 This causes our spirit

to return, in type, to hwhy who gave it.75 Turningfrom the world and towards hwhy expresses our

70 For clear evidence regarding this, see the article,

Humble Yourselves in the Sight ofhwhy, at:

http://www.yahuyahweh.org/iah71 Ephesians 3:2072 Acts 17:28. Paraphrased, this indicates we will never

reach our fullest potential until we are in Him.73

Yehoshua 7:6, Job 1:20,21, Psalm 44:25, 119:25,

Lamentations 3:28,29, Philippians 3:7,874 Genesis 3:19, Ecclesiastes 12:775 Ecclesiastes 12:7


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expectation in Him alone because only He can

bring forth resurrection from the dead/dust.

Turning to hwhy in this manner expresses ourdeep need/poverty, but it also expresses our

expectation in His power to resurrect from the

dust in times of trial, tribulation, and seeking.

We are in expectation for those things promised

in His word although not seen as of yet: thesalvation, the deliverance, and the working of

hwhy in our lives and in the lives of those aroundus. Seasons of fasting with prayer and vigilance

fully place our expectation in hwhy and in Hisword alone.

76

Fasting is a time for silent expectation

because fasting is a time for reflection and

anticipation. Unless we are praying, silence,meditation, and introspection are the order of the

day as we draw near to Him and abide in the

Presence ofhwhy. When fasting, we presentourselves before hwhy in quiet submission: weare silent as we ready/prepare our hearts to hear

and to obey His voice. We are well on the way

to fulfilling the Shema77

in an all-important,extremely essential manner. Deuteronomy 6:4,5

When fasting before hwhy, we are dwelling inthe secret place of the Most High. Psalm 91:1This is the secret place to which both the

psalmist as well as eswhy the Messiah referred.Matthew 6:6,18 During such times, we should

wait before hwhy in silent submission to hearwhatever His Spirit will speak. Habakkuk 2:1,20We should wait before hwhy in silent expectationfor whatever He will do in response to our

fasting and prayers. The Hebrew text of Psalm62:1 reads:

Only unto Elohim is my soulsilent,

from Him is my salvation.

Psalm 62:1

Regrettably, this verse is often translated in a

fashion similar to the King James Version:

Truly my soul waits upon Elohim:

from Him comes my salvation.

76Psalm 119:25,28, 130:5-8

77Deuteronomy 6:4,5. While the Shema is first seen in

Deuteronomy, we are taught by the Messiah that it is the

greatest of all Torah commandments. Mark 12:28-30

The poor translation omits the truth of

silently/quietly expecting the salvation ofhwhyduring times of fasting. Lamentations 3:26,28,29Such a translation fails to convey the deep

reverence of silently waiting before the Most

High. It should be emphasized, however, we do

not here speak of an idle silence, but rather, a

reverent silencea silence which emanates froma heart which is returning to and resting in

Elohim, a silence which emanates from a heartwhich is returning to and resting in hwhy, asilence which emanates from a heart which is

filled with quietness, confidence, and awe overthe sovereignty, power, and foreknowledge of

hwhy:For thus says the Sovereign hwhy, the Qadosh

One of Yisrael: In returning and rest shall

you be saved; in quietness and in confidence

shall be your strength Isaiah 30:15

Silent times of complete trust and deference to

the will ofhwhy during a fast are truly some ofthe most powerful and faith-building seasons inthe life of a believer. From this silence, should

emanate the restful assurance which comes from

the confidence in knowing hwhy will always andultimately do those things which bring Him the

greatest splendor and exaltation:

Be still, and know that I am Elohim: I will be

exalted among the nations, I will be exalted inthe earth. Psalm 46:10

This Scripture conveys the silent expectation and

assurance which we are to have before hwhywhen fasting. It was a life given to such fastingand prayer which gave Mosheh the faith to speak

these words before all Yisrael in a time of utmost

danger:

Fear you not, stand still, and see the salvation of

hwhy, which He will show to you to day: for the

Egyptians whom you have seen to day, you shallsee them again no more for ever. Exodus 14:13

Upon which, hwhy opened the Sea of Reeds andYisrael passed through on dry ground. The faithwhich can be still and confident before hwhy infasting and prayer is also the faith which can be

still and confident in the face of great danger andadversity. Times of fasting and prayer are

special appointments for us to be still and to


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know that He is Elohim in many profound and

powerful ways. We are either fulfilling the

Shema by waiting in silent expectation,78

or weare fulfilling the Shema by times of prayer and

petition before hwhy. We now move on toconsider this second aspect of the Shema.

Love

Proper fasting expresses love for hwhy in thehighest formin the form expressed when onekeeps the greatest commandment of the Torah:

the Shema. This is a love which places hwhyfirst and which quietly listens79 to hear the voice

of His Spirit saying, This is the way, walk ye init. Isaiah 30:21 This is an important part of

what it means to wait upon hwhy. Isaiah 40:31However, when we are not worshipping throughsilent expectation during times of fasting, we

should be praying and actively setting our love

upon hwhy in a very special way as we bothprofess (confess/utter) and believe the Shemathe command to hear hwhy and to love Him withall our heart, soul, mind, and strength. If we do

this, hwhy promises to set us on high:Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore

will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because

he has known My Name. Psalm 91:14

We assert when one believes and confesses theShema with wholehearted faith, that one is also

setting his love upon the Name ofhwhy80 as seenabove in the 91stPsalm. Since the Messiahdeclared the Shema to be the greatest

commandment in the Torah,81 we believe loving

hwhy by presenting ourselves before Him withopen ears and open hearts must also be His

greatest longing.82 Loving the Name ofhwhy, bypresenting hearts ready to hear and to obey His

word, is the means by which we trust in HisName:

78For a number of texts regarding silence before hwhy

during our times of fasting, see: Psalm 62:1, Isaiah 30:15,58:4,9,13, Jeremiah 8:14, 15:17, Lamentations 3:26-29,Job 42:1-6/Romans 3:19/Habukkuk 2:1,20, Zechariah2:13/Zephaniah 2:1-3/Isaiah 26:20,2179 Psalm 46:10, Isaiah 30:15, Zechariah 2:1380 Psalm 5:11, 69:36, 119:132, Isaiah 56:681

Deuteronomy 6:4,5. While the Shema is first seen in

Deuteronomy, we are taught by the Messiah that it is the

greatest of all Torah commandments. Mark 12:28-3082 Jeremiah 7:22,23

The Name ofhwhyis a strong tower; the

righteous runs into it and is set on high.Proverbs 18:10

The words of Solomon in this Proverb are simply

rephrasing what was seen just above in the 91st

Psalm. Having such love for hwhy, we aretaught, results in our beingset on high above all

our enemies.83 While hwhy has already set eachbeliever on high through the resurrection andascension ofeswhy, most have not learned thereality of their position in the Messiah because

they have simply failed to set their love upon His

Name during times of fasting, prayer, andworship.84 Through fasting and prayer, we will

begin to know and experience the reality of

being set on high. While it may be inignorance, many have taken honor to themselves

by failing to give honor to His Qadosh Name.85

We believe honoring the Name is key to walkingin the blessed reality which eswhy came to giveus. We must become doers of the word86 and

love the Name ofhwhy to appropriate the realityof our position with eswhy in the heavens. Sowe may see the Promised Landas we read the

many promises given unto us in the word of

hwhy, but it is only through fasting and prayer87that we are actually empowered to begin

exercising the faith and deeds necessary to takethe land as did Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, and

Yehoshua, the son of Nun. True prophets aremighty in deed and word before hwhy and

83 Ephesians 1:17-23, 2:4-6 Being set on highfar above

all power, and authority, and dominion, and every name

that is namedis the absolute key to power and victory for

every believer. So it is through fasting and prayer that we

experience the powerful reality of what eswhy has alreadydone for us in having passed through the heavens far above

all things! Psalm 97:9, Ephesians 4:8-10, Colossians 3:1-3,

Hebrews 4:14, 7:2684 The things of which we speak are things which we

should be doing continually, and they constitute powerfulobedience and worship even if we are notfasting!

However, nearly every spiritual activity is more powerful

during our special seasons of fasting even though it will

seldomfeel so! 2Corinthians 5:7 Further, fasting will give

us more love, strength, and humility in those times of

worship which follow our times of fasting and seeking

hwhy.85

Psalm 115:1,2, Malachi 1:6, Matthew 6:9, Revelation

15:486 The word seen in Psalm 91:14 and Proverbs 18:10.87 Which will befollowedby other deeds.


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before all the people. Luke 24:19 And we note

the order revealed by this Scripture: might in

deeds must come before might in words; mightin the Presence ofhwhy88must come prior tohaving might before all the people. This leads

us to briefly consider how continually drawing

near to the Presence ofhwhy in prayer is so

essential to overcoming sin.

89

True Prayer: Our Greatest

Need Becomes our Greatest Desire

Scripture is clear that spiritual completion and

victory are conditional: perfection and victory

are only for those who draw near to the Presenceofhwhy through the blood ofeswhy by faith andprayer.90 Yet we read elsewhere, Behold, those

who are far from Thee shall perish. Psalm73:27 In contrast to a life of faithful obedience

which comes forth from those who are given to

true, reverent prayer, the last-quoted text shows aspirit of harlotry and unfaithfulness inspires

those who have no desire for prayer and the

Presence ofhwhy. One once wrote: Thesluggard in prayer in faith, in deeds is

overrun with choking weeds. The saying is

true.91 Those who are sluggish in prayer are

those who pray only because they feel duty-bound to do so, and they are failing to

understand a number of simple, but profoundthings.

Those who pray only because they feel duty-

bound to do so, are also failing to realize thedepth of human, spiritual poverty which

implicates our great, continual need for the Spirit

and Presence ofhwhy. Matthew 5:3 The prophetJob knew this poverty and realized he needed the

word ofhwhy even more than his necessary food.Job 23:12 While this Scripture may have itsultimate fulfillment through fasting and prayer, it

also shows the attitude of zeal for prayer even

during times in which we are not fasting. In thePresence ofhwhy, we receive His word in the

88 2Corinthians 10:4,589 Wholeheartedly confessing the Shema before His throne

is important even when we are not fasting. He will set us

on high because we have loved, or known, His Name.90

Hebrews 4:16, 7:25, 10:1,19-23, John 14:6, Psalm

73:27-28, Revelation 12:11.91 Proverbs 24:30,31, Matthew 13:7,22, Hebrews 6:7-

8,11-12

Spirit, and we certainly need this spiritual

nourishment far above our necessary food.

Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4


bound to do so, are also failing to ponder the

depth of our Creators great love for us; notrealized is His desire to be near to us, to be our

Father, and to reveal Himselfto us and in us.92Further, hwhy desires to see His image in us aswe forgive others, love our enemies, and pray for

those who persecute us. Bestowing His

goodness upon all is one of His highest aims andhwhy will surely accomplish that very thing!93 Those who pray only because they feel duty-

bound to do so, are also failing to consider the

desire ofhwhy to use us for giving expression toHis will through prayer. Matthew 6:10 hwhy hasgiven us His written and Living word, and the

power of prayer is remarkably revealed inrelation to this wordthrough a revelation

recorded by the prophet Isaiah:

For as the rain comes down, and the snow from

heaven, and returns not there, but waters the

earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it

may give seed to the sower, and bread to the

eater: so shall My word be that goes forth out of

My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it

shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall

prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Isaiah55:10,11

People often fall into the deceptive thinking

which reasons as follows, Ifhwhy is sovereign,then why even bother praying? His will is goingto be accomplished anyway, so why pray?94

92 Galatians 1:15,16, 2:20, John 3:30, Colossians 1:2793

John 12:32, Romans 11:32-33, 1Corinthians 15:25-28,

Ephesians 1:10, Colossians 1:2094 A similar deception and complacency can be bred by an

improper understanding of predestination. The wrongunderstanding of the calling and election ofhwhy led toPresbyterians (who believed in predestination) being

labeled, The Frozen Chosen, since so many of their

number evidently threw up their hands in the air and said

something like, Why even try, if it is all planned in

advance? Apparently, they were not living lives which

exemplified followers of the Messiah. hwhy willing, theimproper thoughts which lead to such thingsas well as

todays false representation of predestinationwill be

addressed in a forthcoming work entitled, The Sign, the

Seal, and the Secret.


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Yet the above text from Isaiah shows us how

hwhy works through prayerto fulfill His eternaland sovereign will: He has promised His wordshall not return to Him void and that it will

accomplish what He sent it to do. This reveals

the power in prayer whenever the servants ofhwhyon earth return His word to Him in the

heavens.

95

The Isaiah 55 text explains the reasonour requests are assured us when we pray

according to His will. If our prayers cause theword ofhwhy to return to Him in the heavens, wecan be sure His will shall be accomplished.96 As

we partake in this great privilege, the word ofhwhy grows within us and we are transformed soas to become instruments of His will and vessels

of His Spirit.


bound to do so, are also failing to know the great

joy which comes from the Presence ofhwhy.This joy becomes known in the depths of ourbeing only after we progress in prayer from

seeking Him for our spiritual needs to simply

desiring His Presence above all else. But let usbe clear: There is absolutely no wrong in

petitioning hwhy for the spiritual needs ofourselves or others;

97the now-popular prayer of

Jabez98 is one of many such prayers seen

throughout the Scriptures.99

However, as wegrow in seeking hwhy for the spiritual needs ofourselves as well as others, we will discover HisPresence has become our main, overriding, andall-encompassing need as well as our greatest

joy.100

And finally, those who pray only because theyfeel duty-bound to do so, are also failing to

realize how this act of righteousness is the

ultimate, spiritual fulfillment of the first Four

95

Daniel 10:12, Luke 18:1-8, Revelation 8:3-596 1John 5:14-1597

Matthew 5:3, Proverbs 18:2398 1Chronicles 4:9,1099 The truths in this manuscript were revealed to the

author in response to much prayer and study in his long,

spiritual quest for the exceeding greatness of His power

toward us who believe. Ephesians 1:19 While the sojourn

continues, we rejoice when writing: The path is getting

brighter.100 Psalm 16:11, 89:15,16, 1John 1:3,4, John 16:24,

Romans 14:17

Commandments in the Decalogue.101 In this

light, we realize bowing in reverent prayer is

heartfelt obedience which is well-pleasing tohwhy:I. The First Commandmentspeaks of

worshipping hwhy the Father, Exodus 20:2-3.For hwhy, the Father, is over all:Have we not all one Father? Has not one Elo-

him created us? Malachi 2:10

But to us there is but one Elohim, the Father, of

whom are all things, and we in Him; and one

Sovereign, eswhythe Messiah, by whom are allthings, and we by Him. 1 Corinthians 8:6

II. The Second Commandmentspeaks ofthe

Son, Exodus 20:4-6. In prayer, we bow beforehwhy in the Name ofeswhythe One who is theTrue Image of Elohim, the One who stands in

contrast to the false images of pagan worship.Although this commandment relates negatively

to images of false worship, itspositive and

prophetic implications infer there is also a True

Image which stands in contrast to those which

are false. And, indeed, eswhy the Messiah iscalled by the apostle, theImage of the invisibleElohim102 for every son is the image of his

father. As the True Image ofhwhy, eswhystands in contrast to the images of false worship

forbidden within the Second Commandment.

While we are not to bow in worship beforefalse

images of anything found in the heavens above,the earth beneath, or the waters under the earth,

the day is coming when every knee shall bow

before the One who is the True Image ofhwhy.Comparing the Second Commandment

(especially Exodus 20:4) with the following

words of Shaul to the Philippians (especially vs.10), we see striking similarities which are far

more than coincidence:

9 Wherefore hwhyalso has highly exalted Him,and given Him a Name which is above every

name: 10 that at the Name ofeswhyeveryknee

shouldbow, ofthings in heaven, andthings in

earth, and things under the earth; 11 and that

every tongue should confess thateswhythe

101That is, The Ten Words, commonly called, The Ten

Commandments.102 Colossians 1:15, Hebrews 1:3, Yochanan/John 14:7,9


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Messiah is hwhy, to the splendor of Elohim the

Father. Philippians 2:9-11, Isaiah 45:23

The Second Commandmentforbids the worshipof any image representing any creatures in the

heavens above, or in the earth beneath, or in the

waters under the earth. Yet in Shauls referenceto the Second Commandment, we read his

indication the day is coming when all things inheaven above, and in the earth beneath, and inthe waters under the earth will bow before the

True Image ofhwhy, the One and only hwhy -eswhy haMashiach. He is the One who diedand was raised again and He is the One uponwhom was bestowed the Name above all

namesthe very Name ofhwhy.III. The Third Commandmentis fulfilled bypraying in the Name ofeswhy. Matthew 6:9,John 14:12-14 The intent of all prayer is that the

Name ofhwhy receives honor, that His splendorand Kingdom would fill the earth.103 The Third

Commandmentteaches us to honor the Name of

hwhy, and we will see this speaks ofthe Spirit,Exodus 20:7. For it is only through the Spirit

that we have both the Father and the Son:

Who is a liar but he that denies thateswhyis the

Messiah? He is the anti-Messiah, that denies the

Father and the Son. Whosoever denies the Son,

the same does not have the Father: he that

acknowledges the Son has the Father also. Letthat therefore abide in you, which you have

heard from the beginning. If that which you

have heard from the beginning shall remain in

you, you also shall continue in the Son, and in

the Father. 1John 2:24

The abode which the Father andSon make in us

is an abode of the indwelling Spirit:

eswhyanswered and said unto him, If a man

love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father

will love him, and We will come unto him, andmake Our abode with him. John 14:23

In whom you also are built together for a

habitation of Elohim through the Spirit.Ephesians 2:22

103 Matthew 6:9, John 15:8, Numbers 14:21, 72:19, Isaiah

2:4, 6:3, 11:9, Habakkuk 2:14

When we pray, Set apart be Thy Name,104

we are praying that hwhy will act for His Namessake.

105He is moved to impart His Spirit to

bring honor to His great Name and to fill the

earth with His splendor.106 The one who prays

after this manner is nottaking the Name ofhwhyin vain, but is, rather, stirring the heart to live a

life which brings honor to the Most High. Oversuch prayers, hwhy is moved to do exceedingabundantly beyond all that a believer asks orthinks as the Spirit of power works within the

life, the mind, and the heart. Ephesians 3:20

And once more, this confirms the Name-Spiritconnection as it is only through faith in His

Name that we may receive the Spirits power for

becoming His sons:

He came unto His own, and His own received

Him not. But as many as received Him, to them

He gave power to become the sons of Elohim,even to them that believe on His Name.

John 1:11,12

104 Matthew 6:9105 Psalm 23:3, 31:3, Ezekiel 20:9,14,22,44106 The Name-Spirit connectionthe clear, profound link

between the Name ofhwhy and His pure Spirit of poweris seen throughout Scripture, and while this topic deserves

the attention of a complete article, studying the

relationship between the following texts will give

sufficient credence to the veracity of this great truth:

Compare Exodus 20:7 and Matthew 12:31,32: the key

concept here is the phrase, not guiltless. See also:

Hebrews 6:4-6,10, 10:26-31.

Compare Numbers 6:23-27, Isaiah 59:20,21, Revelation

14:1, and 22:4

Compare John 17:12 and 1Peter 1:5

Compare John 20:31 and 1Corinthians 15:45

Compare Isaiah 42:8 and the apostles direct reference to

42:8 in Ephesians 1:12,13: the phrase, to the praise of

His splendor, refers to the honor due His Name; it is this

honor which hwhy brings about through those who love

Him with all their minds (Malachi 3:16, Mark 12:30) andwho are sealed in their foreheads with His Name/Spirit.

Revelation 7:3,4, 14:1, 22:4

And five texts which show this truth even when standing

alone: Exodus 9:16, Psalm 54:1, John 1:12, Acts 3:16,

4:10.

Pentecostals who really want the power of the Spirit

should begin by honoring and calling upon His true Name!

Fasting and prayer in honor of the true Name is the only

way to authentically fulfill 2Chronicles 7:14a

frequently-cited and favorite text among many of the

Pentecostal movement.


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Those who desire to honor the Name ofhwhywill surely have His Spirit working within them.

For it is by the Spirit that hwhy is One; it is bythe Spirit that we are one with Him having been

sealed in His Name;107 and it is only by His

Name/Spirit that we are able to walk in the love

which brings true unity with our brethren. John

17:11,21,23,26IV. The Fourth Commandmentspeaks ofRest,Exodus 20:8-12. Those who have both the

Father and the Son also have His Spirit; because

they have His Presence, they have great rest and

peace as only the Spirit can give:

And He said, My Presence shall go with you,

and I will give you rest. Exodus 33:14

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace

whose mind is stayed on Thee.

Isaiah 26:3

And all your children shall be taught of Elohim,

and great shall be the peace of your children.

Isaiah 54:13

As a beast goes down into the valley, the Spirit of

hwhymade him to rest: so did You lead Your

people, to make Yourself a Name majestic.

Isaiah 63:14

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you:

not as the world gives, give I to you. Let not your

heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 14:27

The Spirit produces the fruit of righteousness

which, in turn, leads to peace; and only infinding such peace can we truly be at rest.108

And so, with the first Four Commandments

and their fulfillment through prayer, we have:

I. The Father hwhy El Elyon.II. The Son the Image ofhwhy the Imageof True Worship.III. The Spirit the Presence, the power andthe Name ofhwhy which results in love and itscounterparts, peace and unity.

109

107John 17:11, Ephesians 1:13, 4:30, Revelation 7:2-3,

14:1-4, 22:4108

Isaiah 48:18, Mark 9:50, Romans 14:17, Galatians5:22, Yaacob/James 3:18

IV. The Rest true, continual rest is given to

those who cleave to hwhy in prayer.110 And theresurrection power ofhwhy ever swallows updeath in victory. Isaiah 25:8,9 The Sabbath Day

gives us much-needed, physical rest one day a

week, but the rest received in prayer gives us

continual, emotional and spiritual rest every day

of the week.

111

In summary, the first Four of the Ten

Commandments reveal the Father, the Son, the

Spirit, and theRest. Only when both the Father

and the Son make their dwelling in us by the

Spirit can we be inspired and empowered to walkin loving obedience; and only then can we have

true rest and peace.112 Hence, the love expressed

109 Psalm 133, Zechariah 14:9, John 17:20-26, Philippians

2:1-9110 Deuteronomy 4:3,4, 10:20,21, 11:22-25, 13:4, Isaiah

28:12.111 Those who observe the Seventh Day Sabbath should

not be alarmed at a teaching which upholds the supremacy

ofdaily, spiritual rest and victory through reverent prayer.

For without such victory over sin, one cannot truly keep

the Seventh Day as we are required to do! The prophet

Jeremiah (7:9,10) warns our Sabbath worship is an

exercise in vanity if we are not walking uprightly the other

six days of the week. Thus, we must continually

remember the Sabbath throughout the first six days of the

week so as to keep that one, special Day of Rest truly set

apart.112 While we have viewed what might be called theultimate, spiritual meaning (at least on this side of the

Millennium) of the first four of the Ten Commandments, it

should be emphasized none of these truths do away with

the importance of either thephysical or the emotional

aspects of these weighty, Torah ordinancesordinances

which comprise no small portion of the Decalogue. The

literal,physical, Seventh Day, Shabbat/rest is still of

immense importance if we desire to be set apart by hwhyand to enter His greater rest, spiritually, Exodus 31:12,13,

Revelation 14:13. Emotional rest is equally as important:

we can be at rest,physically, while our minds are at war,

emotionally. Psalm 55:21 And when a persons emotional

state is one of turmoil, we question just how wholesome orhow complete anyphysical rest they obtain might be.

Isaiah 48:18,22; 57:20,21 Meditation upon hwhy duringour times of prayer, and meditation upon His Torah

throughout the day, is the answer. Psalm 119:165, Isaiah

26:3 It is meditation upon the Torah which keeps our

minds from being blown about as chaff before the wind.

Psalm 1:1-4, Ephesians 4:14 Concerning the Second

Commandment: while we must honor and bow before the

True Image ofhwhy in the spiritual realm, we must alsoreject the worship ofstatues and other graven images in

thephysical realm, Leviticus 26:1, Daniel 3:1-18. And


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for hwhy in authentic, reverent prayer fulfills thefirst portion of the Decalogue.113 Which

establishes a very important truth regardingprayer:

Prayer is the beginning of all true faith

and obedience for every believer.

If our hearts are not right in prayer (or if ourattitude towards prayer is erroneous), then

neither will we be doers of the word, doers ofthe Torah.114 Those who do not cleave to hwhyin trust-filled prayer, have not even begun to

walk in the obedience which pleases Him themost. Some have rightly taught that

prayerlessness is sin, yet this is often done

without much to substantiate the claim. From

the above, we have seen why prayerlessness issin. Violation of any of the first Four

Commandments is idolatry. So we say, Yes,

prayerlessness is sin; moreover it is the sin ofidolatryof not putting hwhy first. Where thereis lack of fasting and prayer, there is also a lack

of truly seeking hwhy. In such cases, there willalso be a lack of victory over sin and progress in

the faith. But for those who draw near with

broken, contrite hearts, victory is certain.115

LikeYisrael of old, the responsibility to enter into that

which eswhy has already obtained 116 restslargely with us.117 Based on His promises,118 we

yet, does the Second Commandmentspeak of physical

images alone? Certainly not. Many remain in bondage for

a lifetime to images of another form: mental or emotional

images which are allowed to be graven in the mind

effectively set up statues of lust and improper thoughts

which are, oftentimes, permanent. Many bow down before

graven images such as these throughout their entire lives

(Ephesians 2:1-3) and are never able to destroy such

mental/emotional icons of falsehood. The Law ofhwhyoperates in all three realms: physical, mental/emotional,

and spiritual. Those who fail to cultivate obedience in any

of these three realms will fall short of receiving the

blessings which hwhy has for His people; and those whoignore or rejectany of these three realms are simply notwise. Proverbs 9:12113 And this is the only means by which we may ever

begin to fulfill the second portion of the Ten

Commandments!114 James 1:22, 4:11,12, Romans 2:13115 Hebrews 6:13-20, 7:25, Psalm 18:27, 32:6; compare

also Jeremiah 3:19 and Matthew 6:9.116

Ephesians 1:19-23, Hebrews 4:14, 6:20117 Philippians 2:12, Hebrews 2:3118 2Peter 1:4

must now enter in and take the Land of

Promise.119 It is only through Elohim-given faith

that we can enter into the promised inheritanceof His eternal Kingdom. Deed-spawning faith

not salvationis the gift mentioned by Shaul in

Ephesians:

For by favor you are saved through faith,

and that not of yourselves: it is the gift ofElohim, not of works lest any man should boast.

Ephesians 2:8,9

Notice the apostle saysfaith is the gift of

Elohim.120

He says faith is not of ourselves:faith is a gift given by the favor/grace ofhwhy.Most erroneously translate this text as meaning

being saved is the free gift. Elsewhere,

righteousness is called the free gift,121

while,in another place, the Spiritis called a gift;122 and,

in still another place, salvation is called the free

gift, Romans 6:23. All of these things are relatedand are clearly imparted by the Presence and the

gift of His Pure Spirit: the impartation of His

Name/Spirit is a gift of His favor123

which alsogives us the faith and the power124 to live

righteously. However, we contend the free gift

mentioned in Ephesians 2:8,9 isfaith.125

By thefavor ofhwhy, each believer has been given aninitial measure of faith.

126What each one does

with the measure of faith they have been given

will determine his or her reward. Our final

measure of faithseen through our level of

loving obedience127

towards hwhy and ourservice towards othersshall determine whether

our inheritance in the Kingdom is shameful and

119 2Peter 1:5-11120 Each believer is given a measure of faith. Romans 12:3121 Romans 5:15-17. The gift of righteousness was not a

new concept: Psalm 24:5, Isaiah 51:7-8; 54:17122

Acts 1:4-8, 2:38123 Numbers 6:22-27. This is the blessing which hwhy hascommanded! Psalm 133. This commanded blessing furtherexplains the text: hwhy will commandHis lovingkindnessin the day time Psalm 42:6 This blessing imparts the

favor ofhwhyapart from works. His favor is given in lovesimply because we are His children.124 John 1:12125 Romans 4:16, 5:17, and 12:3 show the gift of faith is

imparted by, or through, the grace/favor ofhwhy; thisconcurs with our view of Ephesians 2:8,9: faith is a gift

granted us by His favor.126 Luke 19:13-26, Romans 12:3127 Since faith works through love, Galatians 5:6.


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meager or whether it is abundant and full of

splendor.128 Too many believers think they can

just believe and then sit back on the couch,watch TV and eat potato chips for the rest of

their lives, and, somehow, everything will turn

out okay. Let us be wise: careless ease is an

enemy; careless ease will breed the sins of

Sodom even as we are now witnessing in thiscountry.129 Ezekiel 16:49,50 But even among

those whorefusing to be at ease in Tziyon130

are striving to walk by faith and to please the

Almighty, there is still lack of tangible, spiritual

progress, lack of victory, and lack of true,resurrection power. For those who no longer

wish this to be the case when looking across the

landscape of the Messianic Faith, hwhy holdsforth the means for true rest and refreshing:

For thus says the Sovereign hwhy, the Qadosh

One of Yisrael: In returning and rest shall yoube saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be

your strength. Isaiah 30:15

Let us take heart if we desire to see hwhy stirHimself up to work among His people as in thedays of old.

131 The three-day fast is His special

means for helping us to appropriate and to walkin the reality of the Messiahs resurrection

powerthe real, tangible power which eswhycame to give us for special help in times of need.

The Presence of

hwhyin times of prayer never

ceases to be our greatest need, but blessed are the

poor in spirit for they will also hold forth HisPresence as their greatest desire!

Special Significance

of the Three-Day Fast

The Father of all lovingkindness and Mighty

One of all comfort132 has put in place a very

special way for His people to obtain victorious,resurrection power133in incrementsas He

gives us the Land of Promise little by little.134

128Matthew 5:19, 25:14-30, 2Peter 1:10,11

129 The USA is now taking its final plunge into

immorality. The prophet Amos warns destruction from

Above will soon follow. Amos 9:8130 Amos 6:1131 Isaiah 63:11-64:3, Habakkuk 3:1-3132

2Corinthians 1:3,4133

Romans 8:35-39, Ephesians 1:19, 3:20, Philippians

3:9,10134 Exodus 23:29,30

This unique experience is the three-day fast

which we will show can and should identify with

the resurrection principle in Scripture. By givingeswhy the preeminence in all things,135 we alsobelieve the three-day fast should identify with

His life, His sufferings, His death, His burial, His

resurrection, and His ascension. Throughout the

Scriptures, we see many things occurred whichsignify the Presence and life ofhwhy beingimparted to His people on the third day. This isnot some imaginary, new religion as at least

one person has wrongly charged. This is the

revelation of a principle set in place by hwhy whodeclares He never changes. Malachi 3:6 Let us

review the clear accounts set forth in the word of

hwhy which reveal His special working on thethird day. We will consider a number of true-life accounts from Scripture which we believe

establish a faith-precedence behind the three-day

fast.

The Resurrection of

Yitschak/Isaac on the Third Day

Genesis 22:1-19It was a three-day journey for Abraham and

Yitschak to Mount Moriah.136 hwhy hadcommanded him to offer up his only begottenson. It was a time of testing for the patriarch.

Would he be faithful to obey the voice ofhwhy?The writer to the Hebrews said this of the

incident:

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up

Yitschak: and he that had received the promises

offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was

said, That in Yitschak shall your seed be called:

accounting that Elohim was able to raise him up,

even from the dead; from where also he received

him in a figure. Hebrews 11:17-19

This records that Abraham received Yitschak

back from the dead even though his son was not

ultimately sacrificed. It also indicates Abrahamwas accounting that hwhy would surely raise upYitschak from the dead as that would be the only

way the Almightys promise over Yitschak couldever be fulfilled. We actually have clear

evidence in the word ofhwhy which showsAbraham believedthat very thing; the patriarch

135 Colossians 1:18136 Genesis 22:4


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was truly anticipating Yitschak would be raised

up from the dead. Let us hear Abrahams words

to his servants:

Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes,

and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said

unto his young men, Abide ye here with the

donkey; and I and the lad will go yonder and

worship, and come again to you. Genesis 22:4,5

Before offering up his son, Abraham had alreadystated both he and Yitschak would return to the

awaiting servants. Yitschak was the son of

promisea promise which Abraham knewwould be fulfilled even if it took a resurrection

from the dead, and that is exactly what this man

of faith was anticipating! On the third day,

Abraham received back his only begotten sonfrom the dead, even as hwhy would later do in thecase of

eswhy.137

The Presence ofhwhyDescends

Upon Mount Sinai on the Third DayExodus 19:10,11

Before He came down to give the Ten Words,hwhy instructed Moses to command the people ofYisrael to be prepared:

Andhwhysaid unto Moses, Go unto the people,

and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let

them wash their clothes, and be ready against

the third day: for the third day hwhywill come

down in the sight of all the people upon Mount

Sinai.

This was the command ofhwhy to prepare Hispeople for a great occasiongiving of the Ten

Commandments. The people were to cleanse

themselves for three days. Comparing Scripture,

we see this cleansing may well have

implied/involved fasting.138

Many otherScriptures clearly show the cleansing nature of

137The location of this incident was Mount Moriah; some

believe this was the same site which would later be called

Golgothathe very place where eswhy was impaled forthe sins of the world. Whether or not this was the case,

Yitschak was certainly a prophetic type ofeswhy theMessiah: Both had laid upon them the wood by which

they were to be offered up (Genesis 22:6, John 19:16-18),

and both were only begotten sons. Was Yitschak also 33

years old at that time?138 Exodus 19:14,15, 1Corinthians 7:5

fasting and prayer.139 In any case, those who

prepare themselves for the Presence ofhwhy witha three-day cleansing through fasting and prayer,will also find He does descend on the third day

and that He is dwelling near to them140 as theyhear His word,141 and experience the power of

His Spirit.

The Restoration/Healingof Hezekiah on the Third Day

2Kings 20:8-11

Hezekiah wept bitterly when learning from the

prophet Isaiah he was going to die, and he turned

to hwhy with all his heart. Joel 2:12-14 Hesought and found hwhy who restored the kingslife and health on the third day.

The Three-Day Fast of

the Yahudim for Queen Esther

Esther 3:1-5:3

In a plot to wipe out the Yahudim,142 a mannamed Haman, was working to commence an

execution based on the kings decree. Mordecai,

a relative of Queen Esther, was grieved whenhearing of this evil plan in which an all-out

slaughter of the Yahudim had been planned.

When the plot was discovered, Queen Estherdecreed all the Yahudim should fast and pray:

neither eat nor drink three days, night orday, she said. In response to this fasting, the

sovereignty of

hwhywas made known through

the wisdom which He granted Queen Esther and

through the favor which He helped her find withKing Ahasuerus.143 She went to the king on the

third day and found favor in his eyes. The plot

was thwarted, Haman was hanged, and thepeople greatly rejoiced.144 hwhy acted for HisNames sake to preserve His people and to

deliver them from death. Here we see the three-day fast as contrary to widespread death and

tragic defeat; it resulted in the working ofhwhyto preserve life and to impart joy and greatblessings.

139 James 4:6-10140 Psalm 15:1-5, 24:3-5, Isaiah 33:14-16, James 4:8141

Deuteronomy 33:3, Luke 10:39142

Yahudim is the Hebrew word for Jews.143 Proverbs 21:1, Esther 6:1-5144 Proverbs 29:2


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The Resurrection of

Yisrael on the Third Day

Hoshea/Hosea 6:1-3Our opening text for this article reveals a

prophetic event regarding the nation of Yisrael:

specifically, their restoration before hwhy on thethird day. We read this great text once more:

Come and let us return unto hwhy; for He hastorn and He will heal us; He has smitten and He

will bind us up. After two days He will revive us;

in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall

live in His sight. So let us know, let us follow

on to know hwhy; His going forth is as certain as

the morning, and He will come to us as the rain;

as the latter rain that waters the earth. Hoshea

6:1-3

If one day is taken as a thousand years,145 this

Scripture appears to be a prophetic indication

hwhy will raise up Yisrael on the third day.146We assert this very same resurrection principle

applies to the three-day fast for every individual

believer in the Messiah. The three-day fast does,indeed, result in the impartation of resurrection

power as hwhy pours out the latter rain of HisSpirit upon us

147which raises us up on the third

day.148 We also notice mention ofhealing whichoccurs on the third day. hwhy associates healingwith fasting in other places as well.149 It is a

great privilege to seek

hwhythrough the three-

day fast, and those who do so will not only be

greatly blessed, individually, they will also

145 2Peter 3:8146 If the ministry ofeswhy began in 27 C.E., then the year2027 will close out the second day, the second, 1000-

year period since His ministry announced the Year of

Jubilee. Luke 4:16-21 If we use one day as a thousand

years, the time period surrounding 2027 would be the start

of the third day since the Messiahs coming (if one

begins counting from 27 C.E.). It is expected that aroundthat time (if not sooner) the Millennium will be

commencing. In regard to the creation, the Millennium

will arrive after 6 days (6,ooo years) and will be the

seventh day from the account given in Genesis. The

Millennium will be the Seventh Day, a 1000-year,

Sabbath rest for the people ofhwhy. Hence, this writerexpects many great things will occur on or before that fast-

approaching time in our present-day history.147

Hoshea 6:3, 10:12148 James 4:10149 Isaiah 58:6,8,11, Matthew 13:15

become an instrument of blessings to many

others.

The Restoration of

Jonah on the Third Day

Jonah 1:1-2:10

Jonah was a hard-headed prophet: he refusedthe word ofhwhy which directed him to preachrepentance to Ninevah. But where could he fleefrom the Presence/Spirit ofhwhy? Psalm 139:7-12 After he set sail for Tarshish, his ship fell

into a terrible storm and Jonah knew he must be

thrown overboard. After this occurred, hwhysaved Jonah by preparing a great fish to swallowhim where he remained for three days and three

nights. On the third day of his fast, he prayed to

hwhy and was spit up by the whale. Jonahsstory is remarkable: a true account of the great

love and saving favor ofhwhy. Great was Hislove for Nineveh, to be sure, but great also wasHis love for the prophet. Once more, we have a

clear case of resurrection, restoration, and

salvation on the third day. Jonah 2:9

The Resurrection of the

Messiah on the Third DayMatthew 16:21, 17:22,23, 20:18,19

eswhy asserted He was to be raised up onthe third day.150 The third day is significant

because a dead body begins to decay after this

time period has lapsed.151

Since eswhy waswithout sin, He could not be held in deaths grip;

both the justice and the word ofhwhyrequiredHe must be raised from the dead before His fleshcorrupted. Shaul wrote the power ofhwhytoward His people is in accordance with the

working of the strength of His might which He

invoked when raising eswhy from the dead andcausing Him to ascend into the heavens at His

Right Hand. Ephesians 1:19-23 His position in

the heavens as the Messiah and the High Priest isfar above all power, and authority, and

dominion and every name that is named.152Shaul wrote that we are set with eswhy in theHeavens, by faith, but we assert the reality of this

150 Matthew 20:19, Mark 9:31, 10:34, Luke 18:33, 24:7,46151 Acts 2:24-31; Peter was citing the 16th Psalm which

indicated the flesh ofeswhy would not undergodecay/corruption, thus, requiring His resurrection on the

third day. Psalm 16:8-11152 Matthew 28:18, Ephesians 1:21


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position is especially learned, experienced, andstrengthenedthrough the three-day fast.

Resurrection and ascension power is the powerwhich makes victory over sin and the world not

only possible, but expected, and it is this power

which one appropriates and experiences first-

hand through the three-day fast in the Name of

hwhy.153

The Healing and Immersion

of the Apostle Shaul on the Third Day

Acts 9:1-18

Following his encounter with eswhy on theroad to Damascus, Shaul remained blind andcontinued in fasting and prayer for three days.

This very apostle would later teach immersion in

the Name ofhwhyYeshua154 as being symbolicof the Messiahs death and resurrection.155

Given these truths, we now have yet another case

of resurrection on the third day. Throughimmersion, Shaul was resurrected with eswhy onthe third day to, thereafter, live for and serve the

Mighty One of Yisrael.156 The timing of these

signal events not only reveals the veracity ofwhat we are saying throughout this manuscript,

but we also believe the details of Shauls

conversion were prophetic of what was tofollow. Following his immersion, Shaul

continued to seek the power of Hisresurrection for the remainder of his days.

Philippians 3:10-14 This man of faithexemplified a lifetime of diligently seeking hwhy,and he was never found to be at ease in

Tziyon.157

t s r q u p e o n m l k y j x z w h d g b a

The above accounts corporately show us the

number three generally speaks of the life,

healing, restoration, and resurrection ofhwhywhich accompany His Presence. Since we are

told elsewhere the resurrection power ofeswhy

153 1Samuel 17:45154 This is the compound Name used for immersion

according to the Aramaic Peshitta text; hence is explained

immersion into the Name of the Father, the Son, and

Ruach haQodesh, the Pure Spirit ofhwhy. The Father andSon are one in the Spirit. John 17:11155

Romans 6:3,4156 Romans 6:1-22157 Amos 6:1

is something which must be sought,158 we also

conclude this power is not something which is

necessarily impartedor at least, realizedinitsfullest measure when one first becomes a

believer in the Messiah. To be sure, there is

given to each one an earnest, a down payment of

the Spirit.159

However, most believers fail to

realize there is a greater blessing

160

and fullnesswhich must be continually sought. This brings

us back to the problem posed at the start of ourinquiry:

Why arent more believers in the

Messiah walking in the power and victory

which eswhycame to give us?

Evidence is clear that many (if not most) do not

know how to seek for the promised blessing ofgreater favor161 which shall certainly be given

as we continually progress from faith to faith.

Romans 1:16,17 And, so, we introduce thethree-day fast: a special way to prepare our

hearts for the Presence ofhwhy to come downwith the revelation of His Law as at MountSinai162 a special way to seek His healing, His

renewal, and the promised, latter rain of His

Spirit163

and a special way to seekeswhy tothe end we might know Him and the power of

His resurrection. If this intimacy and powerwere things for which the apostle Shaul was

required to seek and find,164 we assert all other

believers in the Messiah must do likewise.165

The principle of the Presence, life, and power

ofhwhy being especially manifested on the thirdday, adds new significance to the Scripturesregarding our burial with eswhy throughimmersion and our resurrection with Him to

walk in newness of life:

158

Philippians 3:8-14, Jeremiah 29:13, Psalm 22:26,69:32, Amos 5:4,6,14159

2Corinthians 1:22, 5:5, Ephesians 1:13,14160 James 4:6, Malachi 3:10-12. The latter text leads us to

wonder: Where are the spiritual blessings which, if

poured out, cannot be contained?161 James 4:6, 1Peter 5:5162 Exodus 19:10-20:20163

Hoshea 6:1-3, Joel 2:28-29, Acts 2:18-19, Isaiah 44:3,

Hoshea 10:12 Hebrews 6:7164 Philippians 3:8-14165 1Corinthians 11:1, Matthew 7:7,8, Hebrews 4:15,16


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Therefore we are buried with Him by immersion

into death: that like as the Messiah was raised

up from the dead by the splendor of the Father,

even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:4

If all those who have been immersed into theName ofeswhy have also been immersed intoHis death, why does there seem to be so little ofdeath to sin.

166Why does there seem to be

such a lack of newness of life?167 We believe

walking in the reality of the Messiahs death and

resurrectionwhich things bring death to sin

and newness of lifecan only occur in the livesof those who humble themselves before Him.

Only those believers who seekHim can fully

know the reality of the Messiahs death andresurrection. This is something which we must

learn over time, but the journey is a blessed one.

The resurrection power ofeswhy is certainlygiven to those who believe in His Name,168butto be fully appropriated by a believer and to be

manifested in its fullness, it isrequiredthat we

decrease so that the Messianic anointing of the

Savior may increase.169

Failure to understand

this simple truth has led to all-out failure across

the landscape of believers who are dotting thehillsides of the Messianic faith. Faith is based on

the word ofhwhy. Romans 10:17 We have seenthe word ofhwhy reveals a principle wherein aspecial impartation of His life, His power, andHis Presence are granted on the third day tothose who have prepared their hearts through

fasting and prayer. Fasting and prayer are the

two major contributors to preparation of heart.170

Without fasting-derived humility, no believer

can progress from the defeat ofRomans 7 to the

victory inRomans 8. It is not disputed the above

text from Romans 6:4 teaches we identify withthe death and resurrection ofeswhy throughimmersion into His Name,171 but immersion is

only the initial step of faith and obedience. Just

166 Romans 6:2,7,11,18,22167 Romans 6:4-7, 7:6, 12:1,2, 2Corinthians 3:6,17-18,

5:17168 John 1:12, 17:11, 1Peter 1:5169 Personal decrease and the increase ofeswhy willremain incomplete apart from fasting and prayer.170

See the article, Humble Yourselves in the Sight of

hwhy at: http://yahuyahweh.org/iah171 Many will still refer to this as baptism.

like the apostle Shaul, if we desire to know the

power of His resurrection, we must diligently

seekhwhy during the lifetime which follows thatinitial step of faith. Immersion is only the

beginning! The Scriptures are clear: what must

follow this great, initial act of conversion is a life

filled with deeds of faithful, commandment-

keeping obedience and service.

172

But who issufficient for these things? For we did not, of

ourselves, produce the initial, special faith whichwas given to us for salvation.173 Nor can we go

from faith to faithgrowing in respect to

salvation174

without the continual watering ofHis Spirit.175 Apart from Him we can do

nothing. John 15:4,5 And that is precisely the

key: apart from Himapart from bearing His

yoke of fasting-derived meekness andhumility,176 apart from drawing near by the

blood of

eswhy,177 apart from continually

bowing b

the three day fast: living and walking in resurrection power

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