Wednesday, January 4, 2023

Midweek Service Teaching Outline

Unveiling The Covenant Platform for Empowerment
 Prayer and fasting is the covenant platform for the empowerment of the
redeemed – Isa. 58:6-14
 Isa 58:6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of
wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free,
and that ye break every yoke? 58:7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the
hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when
thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself
from thine own flesh? 58:8 Then shall thy light break forth as the
morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy
righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy
rereward. 58:9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou
shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of
thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; 58:10
And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul;
then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon
day: 58:11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy
soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered
garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. 58:12 And they
that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up
the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The
repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. 58:13 If thou
turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy
day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and
shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own
pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: 58:14 Then shalt thou delight
thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of
the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the
mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
 We saw how Christ returned in the power of the Spirit after His 40 days
fasting episode – Luk. 4:1-14/ Heb. 12:1-2/ 2 Pet. 2:21
  Luke 4:1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan,
and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 4:2 Being forty days
tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when
they were ended, he afterward hungered. 4:3 And the devil said unto
him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made
bread. 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall
not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. 4:5 And the devil,
taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms
of the world in a moment of time. 4:6 And the devil said unto him, All
this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered
unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. 4:7 If thou therefore wilt
worship me, all shall be thine. 4:8 And Jesus answered and said unto
him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the
Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 4:9 And he brought him to
Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If
thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: 4:10 For it is
written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: 4:11
And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy
foot against a stone. 4:12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said,
Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 4:13 And when the devil had
ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. 4:14 And
Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out
a fame of him through all the region round about.
 We are in the last days, that is, the day of His power, which implies, we are
in days of prayer and fasting – Psa. 110:1-3/ Luk. 5:30-35
 Psa 110:1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I
make thine enemies thy footstool. 110:2 The LORD shall send the rod of
thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. 110:3
Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of
holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
 Luke 5:30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his
disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
5:31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not
 a physician; but they that are sick. 5:32 I came not to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance. 5:33 And they said unto him, Why do the
disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples
of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink? 5:34 And he said unto them,
Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom
is with them? 5:35 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be
taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
 Prayer and fasting does not only change things, it changes people’s level of
empowerment and authority – Mat. 17:19-21
 Mat 17:19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could
not we cast him out? 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your
unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard
seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place;
and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 17:21
Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
 There are different levels of empowerment, that is, the ankle deep, kneel
deep, waist deep and the overflowing deep – Ezk. 47:1-5/ Jhn 7:37-39
 Eze 47:1 Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house;
and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house
eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the
waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the
south side of the altar. 47:2 Then brought he me out of the way of the
gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by
the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the
right side. 47:3 And when the man that had the line in his hand went
forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me
through the waters; the waters were to the ankles. 47:4 Again he
measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters
were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me
through; the waters were to the loins. 47:5 Afterward he measured a
thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters
were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over.
  John 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and
cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 7:38 He
that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow
rivers of living water. 7:39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they
that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given;
because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
 To overstay at a particular level can be frustrating if not devastating
– Deut. 2:3/ Mic. 2:10
 Deu 2:3 Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you
northward.
 Mic 2:10 Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is
polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.
 This must be why prayer and fasting is prescribed as a schedule for the
redeemed, that is, not if you pray, but when you pray, and particularly
praying kingdom advancement prayers – Mat. 6:6/9-10/17-18/ Luk. 9:28-35
 Mat 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when
thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy
Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
 Mat 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in
heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be
done in earth, as it is in heaven.
 Luke 9:28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings,
he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.
9:29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and
his raiment was white and glistering. 9:30 And, behold, there talked with
him two men, which were Moses and Elias: 9:31 Who appeared in glory,
and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.
9:32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and
when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood
with him. 9:33 And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter
said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make
three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not
knowing what he said. 9:34 While he thus spake, there came a cloud,
 and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.
9:35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved
Son: hear him.
Benefits of prayer and fasting:
1.Destruction of yokes, including deadly habits – Isa. 58:6/ Isa. 10:25-27/
Mat. 17:20-21
 Isa 58:6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of
wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free,
and that ye break every yoke?
 Isa 10:25 For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and
mine anger in their destruction. 10:26 And the LORD of hosts shall stir up a
scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb:
and as his rod was upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of
Egypt. 10:27 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be
taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the
yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
 Mat 17:19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not
we cast him out? 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your
unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard
seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it
shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 17:21 Howbeit this
kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
2.Triggers outbreak of revelation – Isa. 58:8/10/ 2 Cor. 4:4/ Isa. 60:1-3
 Isa 58:8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health
shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the
glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.
 Isa 58:10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the
afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as
the noon day:
 2Cor 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them
which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the
image of God, should shine unto them.
 Isa 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is
risen upon thee. 60:2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and
gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his
glory shall be seen upon thee. 60:3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy
light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
3.Facilitates express answers to our prayers – Isa. 58:9/ Mat. 6:5-7/16-18
 Isa 58:9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry,
and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the
yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
 Mat 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for
they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the
streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their
reward. 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when
thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father
which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 6:7 But when ye pray, use
not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be
heard for their much speaking.
 Mat 6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad
countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men
to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6:17 But thou, when
thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 6:18 That thou appear
not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father,
which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
4.Enhances health and vitality – Isa. 58:8/ Pro 4:20-24
 Isa 58:8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health
shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the
glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.
 Prv 4:20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
4:21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine
heart. 4:22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all
their flesh.
5.Enhances access to divine guidance – Isa. 58:11/ Isa. 48:17/21
 Isa 58:11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in
drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden,
and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
 Isa 48:17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am
the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the
way that thou shouldest go.
 Isa 48:21 And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: he
caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock also,
and the waters gushed out.
6.Empowers us for supernatural breakthroughs – Isa. 58:12/ Luk. 4:14/37
 Isa 58:12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places:
thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be
called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.
 Luke 4:14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and
there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
 Luke 4:37 And the fame of him went out into every place of the country
round about.
7.Facilitates access to our high places in life – Isa. 58:6/14/ Hab. 3:17-19
 Isa 58:6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of
wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free,
and that ye break every yoke?
 Isa 58:14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee
to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of
Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
 Hab 3:17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in
the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no
meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in
the stalls: 3:18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my
salvation. 3:19 The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like
hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the
chief singer on my stringed instruments.
Jesus is Lord!