IS THERE NOT A CAUSE?

Part one (FASTING FOR FREEDOM)

Bro Emma Okorie

He that cometh unto God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek
Him. Our prayer and fasting will yield no result except we are convinced that the Lord is. Abraham called
the Lord God Jehovah many names, one of them is, The Lord is there. You must be convinced that God is
there, that you are speaking to a personality the creator of the Universe. The way the ancient
worshipped, praised and adored God inspires me a lot. They knew whom they worshipped; they knew
that the Lord Jehovah is there. We always talk about how Moses fasted for forty days and forty nights,
but in my study recently, I realized that Moses fasted, forty days and forty nights, three times, without
food or water. As He came across difficult situations in his ministry, he put on forty days without food or
water; nobody has ever tried that pattern. Moses would withdraw himself to be with the Lord, and
when he comes out his face shone. There is supernatural power, glory that comes upon you when you
pay the price of praying and fasting, but first, you must believe that God is there. Our topic today is, Is
There not a Cause? There is a cause why we are fasting, we are fasting for freedom.

1 Samuel 17:23-28 (NLT), “As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from
Gath, came out from the Philistine ranks. Then David heard him shout his usual taunt to the army of
Israel. 24 As soon as the Israelite army saw him, they began to run away in fright. 25 "Have you seen the
giant?" the men asked. "He comes out each day to defy Israel. The king has offered a huge reward to
anyone who kills him. He will give that man one of his daughters for a wife, and the man's entire family
will be exempted from paying taxes!"26 David asked the soldiers standing nearby, "What will a man get
for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is
allowed to defy the armies of the living God?"27 And these men gave David the same reply. They said,
"Yes, that is the reward for killing him."28 But when David's oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to
the men, he was angry. "What are you doing around here anyway?" he demanded. "What about those
few sheep you're supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to
see the battle!" 29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?” Every one who fasted
and prayed in the bible had a cause to do so. They were targeted, determined to receive what they were
fasting for. They were determined to make up with God; they had the inward conviction that Jehovah
answers prayers.

Nehemiah had a burden for the deliverance of his people and his land, Jerusalem. When
something touches you, there is a way you feel, even in the natural, how much more in the spiritual. It
gets to a level when you cannot take it anymore, you cry out to the Lord and you are ready to face the
situation headlong. This is the spirit with which we fast and pray. Fasting is not for the casual, it is not for
those who are comfortable with where they are. Fasting is not for those without vision for the future.
Nehemiah 1:1-8 (NLT), “In late autumn, in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes'
reign, I was at the fortress of Susa. 2 Hanani, one of my brothers, came to visit me with some other men
who had just arrived from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had returned there from captivity
and about how things were going in Jerusalem.3 They said to me, "Things are not going well for those
who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has
been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire." 4 When I heard this, I sat down and wept.
In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven. 5 Then I said, "O Lord, God of
heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him
and obey his commands, 6 listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your
people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned! 7
We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us
through your servant Moses. 8 "Please remember what you told your servant Moses: 'If you are
unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. 9 But if you return to me and obey my commands
and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I
have chosen for my name to be honored.' 10 "The people you rescued by your great power and strong
hand are your servants. 11 O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who
delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into
his heart to be kind to me." In those days I was the king's cup-bearer.” This is a genuine story that
teaches us the power of fasting and praying. May the Lord Jehovah listen to our prayers, may He see our
prayers night and day for He says a broken and contrite heart, He will not overlook.

A genuine man or woman of God with the burden of the Lord will surely be answered. Go ahead
and pray; be bold and ready to receive from God. If you come to Him, He will not cast you away. When
you pray, believe that you have received. God will not allow you cry to Him in vain, something must
happen whether the devil likes it or not. God is not a human being, He is a Spirit. Call upon Him in the
days of trouble and He will answer you. Nehemiah 2:1-8 (NLT), “Early the following spring, in the month
of Nisan, during the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes' reign, I was serving the king his wine. I had never
before appeared sad in his presence. 2 So the king asked me, "Why are you looking so sad? You don't
look sick to me. You must be deeply troubled."Then I was terrified, 3 but I replied, "Long live the king!
How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been
destroyed by fire."4 The king asked, "Well, how can I help you?"With a prayer to the God of heaven, 5 I
replied, "If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild
the city where my ancestors are buried."6 The king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked, "How long
will you be gone? When will you return?" After I told him how long I would be gone, the king agreed to
my request.7 I also said to the king, "If it please the king, let me have letters addressed to the governors
of the province west of the Euphrates River, instructing them to let me travel safely through their
territories on my way to Judah. 8 And please give me a letter addressed to Asaph, the manager of the
king's forest, instructing him to give me timber. I will need it to make beams for the gates of the Temple
fortress, for the city walls, and for a house for myself." And the king granted these requests, because the
gracious hand of God was on me.”

When you pray, work towards your prayers. Open your eyes and see opportunities in the realm of
the spirit. You will sense it when God comes in to answer your prayer. The king granted Nehemiah’s
request because the gracious hand of God was upon him. If you are looking for a sense of spiritual
direction in this fasting and prayer, this is it. God is a God of constant character, in Him there is no
variableness neither a shadow of turning. Be specific about what you desire and see the Lord lead you
into it. When you go there, do exactly as you promised the Lord, don’t change the situation for your
selfish benefit. How burdened are you? Do you have any vision? Have you prayed not to be earthly
minded, always confessing negative?

All his fasting and prayer was action-oriented. It was a time of fasting and confession, a time of
reminding God of the testimonies and miracles of the past. Nehemiah 9:1-12 (NLT), “The people
assembled again, and this time they fasted and dressed in burlap and sprinkled dust on their heads. 2
Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners as they confessed their own sins and
the sins of their ancestors. 3 They remained standing in place for three hours while the Book of the Law
of the Lord their God was read aloud to them. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and
worshiped the Lord their God. 4 The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani,
and Kenani—stood on the stairway of the Levites and cried out to the Lord their God with loud voices.5
Then the leaders of the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah,
and Pethahiah—called out to the people: "Stand up and praise the Lord your God, for he lives from
everlasting to everlasting!" Then they prayed:"May your glorious name be praised! May it be exalted
above all blessing and praise!6 "You alone are the Lord. You made the skies and the heavens and all the
stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of
heaven worship you.7 "You are the Lord God, who chose Abram and brought him from Ur of the
Chaldeans and renamed him Abraham. 8 When he had proved himself faithful, you made a covenant
with him to give him and his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites,
Jebusites, and Girgashites. And you have done what you promised, for you are always true to your
word.9 "You saw the misery of our ancestors in Egypt, and you heard their cries from beside the Red
Sea. 10 You displayed miraculous signs and wonders against Pharaoh, his officials, and all his people, for
you knew how arrogantly they were treating our ancestors. You have a glorious reputation that has
never been forgotten. 11 You divided the sea for your people so they could walk through on dry land!
And then you hurled their enemies into the depths of the sea. They sank like stones beneath the mighty
waters. 12 You led our ancestors by a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night so that
they could find their way.” The Apostles gave themselves to prayer and ministry of the word. Do you
understand the revelation of giving yourself to prayer? Has it ever occurred to you than your prayer
works? You cannot do it without God, the church cannot grow when you do not make out time to fast
and pray as a minister, giving yourself to prayer. Success and healing are by-products of fasting and
praying, center down before your God; don’t be too busy to give God attention. Father, help us to
understand solitude, being alone with God.

When last were you broken before God? Not because you lost something or because of an
accident or sickness? I mean the passion to know God, to honour, glorify and worship Him in spirit and
in truth. There is a blessing for those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, after knowing God.
When it comes to prayer, many people feel it is a senseless labour, they are not part of it when the
church embarks on this spiritual operation. They choose what meeting to come for and the one not to.
Make time to praise the Lord your God because He is from everlasting to everlasting. Remember the
goodness of the Lord, remember the wonders He has performed for you. Bring it before Him in
thanksgiving. Remember how the Lord healed you in time past and bring it to the focus. Count your
blessings, name them one by one. Tell Him the story of how He delivered you. Who caused you to come
this far? Is it by your power or might? Lord, do it again! We depend on you. You are the one Jehovah. Let
no one say that by the strength of His might has he become what he is; all the glory belongs to God
alone. No one is greater than our God. Have you forgotten the dark days God brought you through?
Have you forgotten His numerous miracles in your life? Believe that God will not leave you; He will
deliver you from the present problem. The time of fasting and prayer is a time of revival; a revival of
ancient testimonies and miracles, miracles for you, for your family, and everyone around you.

Moses fasted forty days and forty nights 3 consecutive times. Exodus 24:15-18 (NLT), “Then Moses
climbed up the mountain, and the cloud covered it. 16 And the glory of the Lord settled down on Mount
Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from inside the
cloud. 17 To the Israelites at the foot of the mountain, the glory of the Lord appeared at the summit like
a consuming fire. 18 Then Moses disappeared into the cloud as he climbed higher up the mountain. He
remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights.” As you fast and pray the Lord will touch you and
give you inside information. He will give you a nudge in your spirit. He will give you the kind of
understanding that your mind cannot provide. God will give you solution and the know-how to handle
whatever comes your way. Have a journal; write down what the Lord tells you. Spirituality is practical,
being led by the Spirit and allowing the Holy Ghost to take over your life is real. Resigning yourself to
God is more enjoyable than any earthly pleasure. Sacrifice that which you love so much at this time; that
which is of great value to you. Sacrifice seems painful because we have not been carried by the Holy
Spirit; the power of God has not covered us.
Moses led the people with continuous fasting. He lived a life of fasting. Today we have deviated, we
argue about fasting as we argued against tithing. But Jesus to fasted, Paul, Peter, etc., they all fasted.
These are the foundations of God, the ancient doctrines, they cannot be changed. Both the Old and New
Testament are of God. Exodus 34:27-30 (NLT), “Then the Lord said to Moses, "Write down all these
instructions, for they represent the terms of the covenant I am making with you and with Israel."28
Moses remained there on the mountain with the Lord forty days and forty nights. In all that time he ate
no bread and drank no water. And the Lord wrote the terms of the covenant—the Ten Commandments
—on the stone tablets.29 When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed
with the terms of the covenant, he wasn't aware that his face had become radiant because he had
spoken to the Lord. 30 So when Aaron and the people of Israel saw the radiance of Moses' face, they
were afraid to come near him. (That is the meaning of the saying “The wicked runs when no one pursues
him.”) The wicked cannot stand the presence of the righteous; they run when no one pursues them. If
your holiness and the power of God in your life have not started making unbelievers uncomfortable
around you, then you have lost the power of God. When unbelievers around you are still in their
iniquity, doing whatever they do comfortably in your presence, you have lost your salt and there is
nothing to write home about your Christianity. When you are righteous, you are righteous so that the
glory of God can come upon you. Deuteronomy 9:18-29, “Then, as before, I threw myself down before
the Lord for forty days and nights. I ate no bread and drank no water because of the great sin you had
committed by doing what the Lord hated, provoking him to anger. 19 I feared that the furious anger of
the Lord, which turned him against you, would drive him to destroy you. But again he listened to me. 20
The Lord was so angry with Aaron that he wanted to destroy him, too. But I prayed for Aaron, and the
Lord spared him. 21 I took your sin—the calf you had made—and I melted it down in the fire and ground
it into finej dust. Then I threw the dust into the stream that flows down the mountain.22 "You also made
the Lord angry at Taberah, Massah, and Kibroth-hattaavah. 23 And at Kadesh-barnea the Lord sent you
out with this command: 'Go up and take over the land I have given you.' But you rebelled against the
command of the Lord your God and refused to put your trust in him or obey him. 24 Yes, you have been
rebelling against the Lord as long as I have known you. 25 "That is why I threw myself down before the
Lord for forty days and nights—for the Lord said he would destroy you. 26 I prayed to the Lord and said,
'O Sovereign Lord, do not destroy them. They are your own people. They are your special possession,
whom you redeemed from Egypt by your mighty power and your strong hand. 27 Please overlook the
stubbornness and the awful sin of these people, and remember instead your servants Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob. 28 If you destroy these people, the Egyptians will say, "The Israelites died because the Lord
wasn't able to bring them to the land he had promised to give them." Or they might say, "He destroyed
them because he hated them; he deliberately took them into the wilderness to slaughter them." 29 But
they are your people and your special possession, whom you brought out of Egypt by your great
strength and powerful arm.' (Read on.)” The Lord says if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us.
When God draws near to you there is always a difference. Men ought always to pray and not to faint.
Come closer to God so that He can deliver and heal you. He says, “Come unto me all ye that labour and
are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”
God bless you.