good morning church family and ministry
friends I'm Pastor Steven Brooks welcome
today to our online Internet church
service I'm so happy that you're here
and I believe that the Lord has a word
to date for you let's go to Galatians
chapter 3 we're going to start in verse
13 we're going to receive the tithes and
offerings we're going to bring them into
the storehouse of the Lord and then
after that we will jump into today's
message Galatians chapter 3 verse 13
says Christ has redeemed us from the
curse of the law having become a curse
for us for it is written cursed is
everyone who hangs on a tree that the
blessing of Abraham might come upon the
Gentiles in Christ Jesus that we might
receive the promise of the Spirit
through faith
now Deuteronomy chapter 28 verses 1
through 14 refer to the blessings of the
Lord and then from verse 15 and onward
throughout the rest of the remaining
verses in that chapter you see the curse
that is working in the earth today as a
product of sin but my friends we have
been redeemed from the curse praise God
because we are in Christ Jesus now we
have also been told in Scripture 2nd
Corinthians as you go through the
chapters of 8 and chapter 9 both of
those chapters in reference to financial
teaching we are told also that we have
been redeemed from the curse of poverty
whoa praise the Lord
now here's what's very very interesting
with believers today is that many
Christians get excited about the
promises of God they read for example
Galatians 3 verse 13 and 14 that Christ
has redeemed us from the curse and then
of course we see in Paul's writing to
the church in Corinth that one of the
things in the curse that we have been
redeemed from would be poverty in God's
people
read that and get excited and they are
excited about the promise but they never
connect with the demands that are
associated with the promises that God
presents in other words it's meeting the
demands that entitles you to the
fulfillment of the promise not just the
promise standing alone by itself it is
the meeting of the demands of that
promise that entitles you to the
fulfillment of that specific promise and
I think it's very important that we
understand the way God works in the way
that he operates as being a covenant
keeping God keep that in mind because
there is no promise a provision that is
mentioned in the scriptures that does
not have a condition attached to it
pastor Steve and I'm very excited about
the promises of God me too I have read
them and I'm like wow that's amazing but
every time you see a promise every time
you see the blessing there are
conditions that are right there with it
and you have to be willing to meet the
conditions you have to be willing to
engage God on that covenant platform
knowing this promise yes but there's
also conditions that you and I have to
meet and when we do that then things
really begin to work stop and think
about it even salvation although it's
free it demands a condition be met
before you can receive salvation pastor
Stephen what is the condition it's laid
out very clearly in Scripture it's
called repentance whoo hallelujah
turning from your sins to repent from
sin to turn from it and to turn to God
and cry out to the Lord and the Lord
he'll hear you and he'll save you from
your sins but you have to repent you
have to say god I don't want anything
else to do with sin and Satan and the
kingdom of darkness I want to give my
life to you and when you repent from
those sins
God hears you and when you release your
faith God saves you so even though
salvation is free it has a condition
which must be met in order for a person
to receive the promise of salvation
again there is no promise in scripture
that does not have some type of demand
or condition that is attached to the
promise who praise the Lord a lot of
Christians believe the promise that's
mentioned in the book of Malachi chapter
3 verse 10 where God talks about the
open heaven the open heaven over the
believer over the child of God and
people are excited about the open heaven
but again yet the promise but what is
the condition the condition the
requirement would be that of tithing
tithing qualifies you for the open
heaven if you only know the promise now
listen very carefully to what I'm about
to say if you only know the promise
whether it's galatians 3:13 and 14
second Corinthians 8:9
and you know all these amazing promises
and I've heard theologians say that
there are actually over 10,000 promises
in the Bible okay so here's the thing
though if you only know the promise but
you don't know the condition you're
going to die frustrate it and today
because we're receiving right now the
tithes and offerings I'm talking about
really how God works with financial
promises that are in the scriptures and
and believers see it and they they love
it they're excited about it they they
don't doubt that it's God's Word they
don't doubt that it's God's will
but here's the thing if you only know
the promise but you don't know the
condition then you're going to die
frustrated and there's been a lot of
good Christians that love God that had a
heart for God and they prayed they went
the church they you know they that they
you know with sing songs the Lord
like that but you know what they never
really got victory in the area of their
finances why because it's more than a
promise
it's a promise but you you have to
understand there's conditions
surrounding that mmm thank you Jesus
now what I've just shared with you some
of you have been in the church for 20 or
25 years and nobody has ever told you
that really these things are what we
would call mysteries of the Covenant
pastor Stephen what do you mean by a
mystery what I mean by a mystery is is
that it's a kingdom secret it's a secret
within the kingdom of God and as you
really dive into the Word of God and you
really begin to look at Christ the King
in every king has their own Kingdom and
of course every King has his way of
operating within his kingdom and there's
a vast difference between the way the
kingdom of light is operated and the
king over it Christ Jesus and the
kingdom of darkness ruled by Satan who's
over it and the way he does things vast
difference and so when you become a
believer you have to learn the Bible
which is what it's a middle eastern book
written by authors Jewish authors with a
Middle Eastern mindset and everything in
their world revolves around covenant and
here in the West you can become a
Christian you know let's say a Gentile
believer now you're in Christ and and
you could love God but you can still not
have that knowledge the knowledge of the
Covenant the understanding of the
mysteries what order the mysteries there
are the hidden truths of God's kingdom
of how his kingdom operates whoa praise
the Lord so you can see promises and get
very excited about them read it in the
scriptures and then sit back and wonder
why is it not working in my life why
although I rejoice over it and celebrate
it no it's true because God's Word is
infallible that's true why is it not
happening in my life because the promise
has a condition and if you don't meet
that condition you'll live your whole
life out and you'll never
taste it you'll never experience it even
though it does rightfully belong to you
every seed that you sow will return to
you it's a harvest but only tithing
secures your destiny don't toy with your
destiny don't play with your destiny I
know there's a lot of Christians out
there they think they're gonna reinvent
the wheel they're gonna try some other
method they're gonna use some other
format and there's no need to do that
work with what God has established get
on God's system meet God on a covenant
term on a covenant agreement and say god
I see the promises I see the financial
promises that you give in your word and
now Lord I'm really to meet the
conditions and when you get into the
conditions when you begin tithing now
now you obligate God to the integrity of
his word to perform what he vowed and
that's when you come into covenant but
you're gonna have to play your part and
until you play your part God won't move
the promise will not be fulfilled unless
conditions are met pastor Stephen that
sounds something like like some kind of
a covenant agreement yes God is a
covenant keeping God and he'll keep the
Covenant if you'll make the covenant
with him and engage him on his terms to
many Christians they want to do it their
way it doesn't work like that God has
already laid out the terms God has laid
out the conditions and if you want God
to work with you you have to meet him on
his terms not yours again every scene
you saw will return to you as a harvest
but only tithing secures your destiny
yes there will be some Christians that
argue over that there will be those that
debate over it but it's settled in the
Word of God let it be settled in your
heart and step on to a covenant platform
that is stable regardless of whatever
type of economic shaking is taking place
in the earth because there are cycles
there's ups and downs and there's
there's markets that are moved by fear
there's that you know get on God's
system it's stable it'll take you
through anything through famine through
through recession through whatever it'll
take you through and you'll keep you'll
keep on smiling while the world faces
all type of economic heat and pressure
you'll be smiling and you'll be stable
and you'll be strong in the Lord this
covenant this covenant is so strong whoo
hallelujah come on into it come on into
it
take the promise and engage God on his
terms
meet those conditions be it either be at
either praise God all right let's bring
the tithes and offerings now into the
storehouse of the Lord if you would like
to mail them in please send your tithes
and offerings to Steven Brooks
international peel box 7 1 7 Moravian
falls North Carolina the zip code here
is 2 8 6 5 4 if you would like to go
online and bring your tithes and
offerings in online it's safe and secure
you can do so from anywhere in the world
please visit our ministry website Steven
Brooks org there is a link on the home
page called tithes and offerings sow and
reap and you can go there right now and
bring them into the storehouse of God
also on our ministry website there is a
header that's called projects and if you
click on that little tab it'll show you
the two current projects that we're
focusing on one is a fence for the
ministry property and over the weekend
one third of that fence has been put up
and it was a long stretch a fence and it
looks absolutely absolutely beautiful
thank you for everyone who sewn into
that we were one third of the way there
praise God we also have another project
that we are saving towards and working
towards and that is for a aircraft
hangar and if you would like to sow into
that that is available there as well
praise God we like to move forward
paying cash as we go and I say that you
understand I'm not dealing out dollars
you know I'm just saying that we when we
pay for things we like to have the money
in the ministry account that way we just
write the check we pay off
subcontractors we pay off something if
we're buying it and we just move forward
on a basis like that
where we're not incurring debt and I
believe it makes the Lord happy so thank
you for sowing into those two projects
and thank you for your tithes I know the
Lord sees you as a covenant child and I
know he's got big plans for you
for blessing you financially because you
have a heart for his kingdom praise God
thank you Lord Jesus father bless the
finances of your people we thank you for
the promises but we thank you also that
we are people that meet the conditions
that are associated with those promises
father we give you praise thank you for
unveiling what for many many years for
many believers even was covenant minute
covenant mysteries we thank you for
unveiling them so that we can have the
keys to operate in your kingdom and we
thank you Father God we give you all the
praise thank you for the ministry of
your Holy Spirit giving us the keys the
understanding of your kingdom principles
we thank you in Jesus name
we all agree around the world today and
say Amen praise God now let us go to the
Book of Daniel today Daniel chapter 1
and I want to talk about receiving your
wings to go up woo praise the Lord
pastor Stephen what do you mean by that
well let's talk a little bit about that
today in the Book of Daniel Daniel
chapter 1 we're going to talk today
about receiving your wings to go up
hallelujah let's pray Heavenly Father we
thank you for the anointing of your Holy
Spirit we thank you that your word is
anointed and that your spirit is moving
upon our hearts right now shedding light
upon our hearts illumination we thank
you Father God for lifting of your
spirit to go up and to be like the eagle
to fly in the heavenly realms now we
thank you Father we thank you for
information from your word that's that's
a Living Word to us that we can chew on
it and consume it in our spirits we
thank you that your word is our food and
Jesus name we all agree and say Amen
hallelujah
now Daniel chapter
verse verse 16 thus the steward took
away the their portion of delicacies and
the wine that they were to drink and
gave them vegetables well
Daniel and his three associates Shadrach
Meshach Abednego that that of course is
the threes Babylonian names they had
Hebrew names but they were changed so
that they could you know better you know
navigate through the Babylonian culture
but here they have come to a place where
they just refuse to eat the King's food
because it's not kosher
you could only imagine what the King has
provided for his you know best advisors
and servants and those that are being
raised up in his kingdom those under his
umbrella they can eat from the basically
the Kings table so they have access to
all of that but you know what Daniel and
his guys were just like you know we're
not going to eat that stuff it's not
kosher you know sorry we can't eat the
crawdads and the lobster and you know
the the pork and the salami and you know
it looks good but sorry that that's a
no-go for us so they they said no to
that and really also a lot of that food
you know from the king's court all the
delicacies and the sweets and the treats
and things like that you know they just
like you know we're not going to eat
that it's not healthy it's not kosher
but a lot of that stuff is not healthy
praise God so God honored them for that
verse 17 as for these four young men God
gave them knowledge and skill and all
literature and wisdom and Daniel had
understanding in all visions and dreams
perhaps I've I've lured you into
something today because I want to talk
about fasting but you know for a pastor
for a minister to post the message as
being a message on fasting you'll you'll
automatically have a lot of people that
just say oh I'm not interested in that
that's not really anything of that that
I want to get involved in but I wanted
to show you how to go up in the spirit
and how fasting is very integral to
getting and maintaining your spiritual
wings now if you will fast and pray
you'll find out that
the anointing that God has for you it it
will be amplified notice here that these
young men they had knowledge and skill
in all literature and wisdom and Daniel
had understanding in all visions and
dreams so if you have a prophetic grace
upon your life visions and dreams and
you know you just kind of go towards
that direction well then what fasting
will do is it will amplify the anointing
that God has given you and so they they
have a little bit of what we would call
dual anointing in the sense there's
prophetic grace but also they are in the
King's Royal Court and so they've got to
be very academic they have to be very
polished there's an element of dignity
there there's a lot they have to learn
they have to get a crash course on all
the culture that they're now being
integrated into including the language
and the arts of this culture and they're
they're just learning that
supernaturally they're just gulping it
in and it's amazing how God through
prayer and fasting can just turn up the
anointing in your respected career field
as well as being a spiritual powerhouse
that God wants all of his children to be
praised the Lord so I think it's very
interesting in the in the Book of Daniel
how much fasting and prayer that these
four men especially Daniel he really
pushed it how much fasting and prayer
they were consistently involved in
Daniel chapter 9 verse 3 then I that
would be Daniel he said then I set my
face toward the Lord God to make request
by prayer and supplications with fasting
sackcloth and ashes
now the sackcloth the ashes also
denoting an element of discomfort an
element of humbling of the soul you know
there's something about fasting that
prayer alone cannot get into and I know
some good ministers they pray
and they do good ministry but they don't
they don't have anything to do with
fasting and there's something there's
something of God there's a there's an
arena of God there's a there's a realm
in the spirit they can they cannot get
into because they for whatever reasons
refused to fast I think one of the main
reasons they don't fast is because they
don't know what's waiting for them and
if they perhaps knew the access that
fasting and prayer combined would
produce into the heart of God then they
would quickly change their their
theology in an agreement with the word
they would alter their doctrine and
bring it into agreement with the word so
I'm here today to pull you into this by
the Holy Spirit and I want you to know
that if you'll lean into the heart of
God with prayer and fasting with and I'm
doing the emphasis today on fasting then
you will begin to encounter
breakthroughs unlike anything you've
ever experienced in your life before and
this is a special season that we're
moving into him about I'm about to
release the prophetic word of the of the
year for 2020 but remember we're not
just going into a new year that's going
to be very powerful very amazing but
we're also going into a new decade it's
going to be a major shift and I believe
that the destiny the plans that God has
already laid out for you that in order
for you to cross the finish line and to
do these things you shouldn't leave
anything to chance you really should
give God your very best and I believe
that when it's all said and done by the
time you finish the year 2020 I believe
you will have done more fasting in the
year 2020 than any other year of your
life in which you would have have fasted
I believe it's going to be an
exceptional year but I believe also in
order for us to really hear from the
Lord very very clearly and the head
that amplified anointing upon our lives
I really believe that we're going to
have to lean in with the fasting who
praise the Lord now when I say fasting I
that that includes prayer and of course
Jesus taught about the big three which
are prayer giving and fasting you've got
to have all three if one of them is
missing there will be something that you
can't get into that you need to get into
okay so I have found in the church that
often it's the fasting that many many
people really shy away from it and you
know so I'm just here to help you to
lean into it I'm helping you to step
into it and I'm gonna share something
that we're I'm gonna invite you to do
with me
corporately which is a 21-day liquid
fast that will be starting January the
9th whoo hallelujah we're going to go
for 21 days let me share a little bit
more about that here in a few minutes
but I want I want to get you ready for
this now of course that's that's just a
couple of weeks out but right now I want
you to prepare your heart I want you to
prepare your mind I know what some of
you are already thinking pastor Stephen
that gives me time to really indulge to
really hit the buffet if we're gonna do
a fast pastor Steve but I want to go in
stuff like a potato well I'm not really
sharing that and giving you a head start
so that maybe you can pack on some extra
pounds because maybe you're already
thinking well I'm gonna lose somebody
better pack on some extra I just want
your heart to be ready I want you to
have the knowledge that you'll need so
that you can navigate through this
smoothly and that this will be the
greatest fast that you have yet done up
to this point in your life whoo thank
you Lord Jesus amen but this is
something again that was a common
lifestyle of Daniel with the prayer and
fasting and he really needed it he was
in a very pivotal time of history and he
saw into the future he even saw our age
actually Daniel chapter 9 you read about
Daniel even seen the last day
with the Antichrist in Jerusalem but my
friends it's amazing
well what fasting will do the heightened
the anointing that is in that the the
anointing that God has already put up on
your life the fasting comes and it just
causes there to be an amplification and
you're gonna really step in into some
things confusion is just gonna melt away
you're gonna have such clarity such
knowing such precision in the spirit
that in the natural you'll have
tremendous sharpness and this is really
going to help you very very much and
look there is a place in God in the word
where when things are presented you just
know you know whether it's a god you
know whether it's not of God and you
just you just know and it's not like you
have to stop and say well I need to
prayer about this because you come into
a place where you are prayed up you come
into a place where you have been fasting
and when you hear about it you you just
know this is of God or you just no no
this is not of the Lord I'm just gonna
pass on that and keeps you know moving
straight ahead but oh the precision
guidance of the Holy Spirit it becomes
so so sharp and you're going to need it
we're in the last days we're in the last
days just like Daniel he foresaw the
days that we're living in mm-hmm we've
got to be ready fully prepared you know
what I just need to let some of you know
you can't go back it's never going to be
the same anymore pastor Stephen you know
I'm very nostalgic I really missed the
80s you know you're never going to be
able to get back there because those
days are gone that decade is over well
you know pastor Stephen I need to break
in with my opinion here I really was a
90 person I really love the music of the
90s and I really like the mood of the
90s but look I've got to let you know
those days are gone those decades are
gone the world has now moved into a
different shift and this is the
beginning of birth pangs this is the
beginning of labor that Jesus talked
about it one of the greatest messages he
ever talked and
actually the greatest the greatest
sermon on eschatology endtime events
Matthew chapter 24 and we are at the
beginning of those phases the beginning
of the labor pains who and Jesus said
when these things happen this generation
will not pass away until it's all been
fulfilled now we know that scripturally
a generation can run anyway from 40 to a
hundred years and you know if the Lord
decides you know if the Father in heaven
decides we know we'll take it all the
way 200 years that it is what it is but
I believe that these things have begun
and we're never going to be able to go
back the world will never be able s
never going to be the same again we are
in this situation what the world is
going to become like a pressure cooker
and strife in tension and difficulties
and things going on all over the world
particularly with the with the conflict
and distress and pressure in the Middle
East it's going to it's going to begin
to get incredibly tense and we're
already in the initial stages of the
labor pains oh but don't forget even
though there are labor pains and there's
all the difficulties and things even
leading up to eventually what will what
will be known as the tribulation or the
Great Tribulation you know and also
don't get to what worked up about the
Tribulation Period it's only seven years
and really the third the first
three-and-a-half aren't even that bad
it's a false peace but the last three
and a half will be really nasty really
yucky on cosmic calamity type scale but
all said and done the fact that there's
labor pains means that there is a child
that's going to be born so don't ever
forget that I know when a mother is in
pain with the labor but the labor pains
yes she's going through that and there
can be some serious agony but the mother
never forgets there's a child that's
going to be coming out so that's that's
why all of this is going on that's why
we can't go back we are in the last days
and it's only going to get hotter it's
only going to get more tense and so you
have to understand there is a child on
the way and this is a new kingdom this
is
Christ ruling over the earth from
Jerusalem for 1,000 years that's what's
coming that's that's the birth theme and
all of this sin and all of this
corruption and all of this evil that is
a result of Satan influencing the lives
of men and women that is all going to be
put on hold and the devil is going to be
bound in the the bottomless pit for a
thousand years and this world is going
to be the run it's going to be run the
way it's supposed to be run well you
talk about draining the swamp whoa
praise the Lord the Lord Jesus he's
going to rule and he's going to show the
planet the way it is supposed to be done
and of course the Twelve Apostles will
be ruling and reigning over the the 12
tribes of Israel
and it's going to be a maze it's going
to be an amazing time period so that's
that's already on the horizon that's
wherever hitting and word not that far
away from it so this really is a time to
be like Daniel because Daniel saw these
events he even described them he talked
about them but my friends like Daniel we
have to be infesting we have to be in
prayer we have to be spiritually
sensitive you can't be dull you can't be
out of it you can't be disengaged with
what God is doing it is very very
dangerous times we live in you know I
just talked to a minister the other day
he was almost shot and killed while he
was out ministering and this was in an
attempted carjacking where he and his
wife were almost killed over over the
vehicle that they were being transported
in so these are unusual times and we
have to be walking with God and that the
angels of the Lord delivered those
minister friends of mine and there's
going to be angelic protection and
deliverance
so my friends you have to really really
pray we can't go back you know sometimes
you look at you look at the past ages of
America you look at the 1950s and you
know you know where it was you know like
a time of riding around in cars and
drinking you know malt milkshakes and
hamburgers and stuff like that and I you
know yet more stability not not that not
that that in those days things were
perfect there were still sin and still
many issues but it wasn't anything like
it is
with you know all the factions
infighting and uh and strife on all
sides but we will never be able to go
back we keep moving forward and the
labor pains are going to increase as
Jesus said the sorrows that word sorrows
can be translated as the anguish of the
labor pains so we have to be walking
with God walking in the spirit and if
you don't incorporate fasted into your
life there's gonna be certain things of
the Spirit you're not going to be able
to pick up because you're not going to
have that illumination and that that
anointing from the Spirit that comes the
person who's fasting and praying who
thank you Jesus Daniel chapter 10 again
another example verse two in those days
I Daniel was Mourning three full weeks
okay that would be 21 days again he says
three full weeks he had locked himself
into this committed type of what we
would call Daniel fast and I really
believe it's important that if you're
fasting you have a goal and you commit
to that and you don't pull out of it and
say well you know I was gonna go for ten
days but I only ended up going for one
and a half because you know I got a
headache or something like that I
believe there needs to be a measured
goal there needs to be a commitment and
there needs to be a willingness to go
for it and when you do that it is
amazing how the grace of God will come
and it will carry you now that doesn't
mean that it's like a cakewalk but there
is a grace then God's grace will come
and that you know the next thing you
know before you know it you're there
you're you're towards the end and you
cross the 21 days and you're like wow
praise God by God's grace I did it so
you're going to encounter that grace in
those days i Daniel was morning three
full weeks
ain't no Pleasant food no meat or wine
came into my mouth nor did i anoint
myself at all until three whole weeks
were fulfilled and then see because of
that anointing and that sharpness that's
produced by fasting and prayer he had
another visitation from the angel verse
12 then he said to me do not fear Daniel
for from the first day that you set your
heart to understand
and to humble yourself before your God
your words were heard and I have come
because of your words fasting with
prayer also does something beautiful in
in the soul of a man or woman where it
produces that sweet humility and you
know what there's something about
fasting and prayer that is you get into
the fast the things of the world the the
pull of the world with the glitter and
the glitz it just all falls to the
ground and you see what's really
valuable you see the the value of
eternity and living for God and so all
of the noise of the world system it just
it just Falls you become numb to it you
may still hear it but it doesn't faze
you it doesn't move you just like oh you
know what it's just not doing anything
for me why
that's what fasting and prayer will do
it'll cause your flesh to go under to be
crucified and now the life of the Lord
is flowing into you his life is flowing
into you at his heart and his motive and
his plans his agenda becomes unveiled to
you and you see it and you move
specifically forward in that plan then
he said to me do not fear Daniel for
from the first day that you set your
heart to understand and to humble
yourself before your God your words were
heard and I have come because of your
words now he goes on to describe how
there was blockage and the Prince of
Persia tried to hold him back but
Michael the Archangel came and brought
deliverance and brought help and broke
through so that that message that
revelation could come and be received by
Daniel praise God so there is
breakthrough anointing that is released
there is illumination an understanding
of heavens agenda for your life that is
released and that is why you must pray
and that is why my friends you must also
fast whoa praise the Lord glory to God
is going to be really really good
let's look at one more scripture I've
always loved this one and this is one of
my favorites Luke chapter 4 Luke chapter
4 we have the story also in Matthew but
there's something that in the Gospel of
Luke is pulled out that Matthew doesn't
exactly cover Luke chapter 4 verse 13
now when the devil had ended every
temptation he departed from him until an
opportune time then Jesus returned
returned win after 40 days of prayer and
fasting then Jesus returned in the power
of the Spirit to Galilee and news of him
went out through all the surrounding
region okay so what is the purpose of
fasting and prayer is revealed right
there in verse 14
Luke 4:14 then Jesus returned in the
power of the Spirit fasting and prayer
is primarily ordained by God for your
spiritual empowerment notice again Jesus
returned in the power of the Spirit okay
so there is a completion of your time of
consecration for Jesus it was 40 days
for Daniel it was 21 days and of course
there were many other fasts that Daniel
did but when you complete the
consecration there is grace there is
anointing in the fullness of the Lord
for that purpose that is released into
your life and what happens you become
empowered with the new level of
anointing and authority from the Lord
Jesus Christ himself whew thank you Lord
Jesus
mm-hmm thank you lord hallelujah now
concerning the wings to go up listen to
this beautiful quote by a great Saint I
want to read this to you this would be
from Saint Thomas Aquinas and this is
what he said for he who fast is light
and active and praise wakeful E and
quenches his evil lust makes God
victorious
and humbles his proud stomach let me
read that again he said for he who fast
is light and active and prays wakeful II
and quenches his evil lust makes God
victorious and humbles his proud stomach
and he who prays with his fasting has
two wings lighter than the winds
themselves hmm hmm I believe that again
st. Thomas of a Quintus said he who
prays with his fasting has two wings
lighter than the winds themselves pastor
Stephen you have talked about going up
in the spirit I don't understand that
oh well my friends it's time that you
begin to step into fasting and prayer
and you'll learn very quickly there is
that sensation of being lifted there's a
going up well pastor Steven what's it
like oh you're about to find out
praise the Lord because I'm inviting you
to join me on a 21-day corporate fast
what does that mean it means that people
all over the world not just you but
people all over the world who are going
to join with me on this corporate fast
and see there's a private fast but
there's also a corporate fast this is
you can pray privately you can also pray
corporately like in a public meeting
okay
just as I have times when I fast
privately there are other times when I
invite others to join me as I lead them
on what is known as a corporate fast so
I'm going to be leading us on a
corporate fast which will be beginning
on January the 9th January the 9th 2020
when does it begin pastor Stephen what
time okay it'll begin on the 9th early
in the morning at 12 o'clock the moment
it goes past midnight and you're in
12:01 the fast has begun for 21 days
liquid fast
that means juice fast now I'll share
more about this in the coming days but
when I when I do liquid fast the main
thing I drink is usually apple juice
orange juice and when I drink orange
juice I drink the low acid orange juice
because it's very gentle and easy on my
stomach but I like apple juice orange
juice
sometimes grape juice and sometimes yes
I'll throw in a little coffee because it
makes me happy and it's hot it tastes
good praise God
but it's 21-day so we are beginning your
heart ready beginning your mind ready
you may want to go to the grocery store
and buy a few of your favorite juices
and just have them stopped up and ready
to go praise God
thank you Lord you know I found that the
number one reason why people break their
fast is because when they start a fast
they have good intentions they have a
heart they have a heart to go all the
way but they they just don't drink
enough juice they drink maybe like six
ounces of juice and then they just
totally run out of energy and they're
all laid out they have no energy they
can't work they can't do anything and
they and they're like oh I can't do it I
can't do it well I imagine you probably
can't if that's all you're drinking look
when I'm drinking juice on a liquid fast
I'm drinking probably you know like at
least 60 ounces maybe at the least every
day usually 80 sometimes maybe a hundred
ounces you just got a drink you got to
drink a whole bunch of juice cuz you're
not eating any food
I don't do smoothies I don't do blend it
food no you know none of that stuff just
apple juice orange juice and be creative
whatever you want to drink I have a
friend of mine in Nigeria he likes
elderberry juice and you know there's
different types of juices around the
world that certain people prefer low
loganberry juice or whatever it might be
Granite cranberry juice whatever makes
you happy just drink that and you can
mix them and be creative and have fun
but you know it's not the same as a
cheeseburger or a slice of pizza but if
you keep drinking the juice you'll have
the energy that you need to work
full-time because I know most of you
work full time you'll have the energy
that work full-time but you'll still get
all the benefits of fasting because when
you pray you'll be so sensitive because
you're not - the Holy Spirit's you're
not eating any food well praised
Lord hallelujah so what happens start
going up you start getting your wings
you start getting into the spirit you
start encountering the presence of God
and you just stay there you just stay in
it for 21 days and then after you finish
your time of consecration that anointing
will be all over you God's Direction
God's power and purpose for your life is
released and you just continue to stay
up as the spirit leads praise God thank
you Lord Jesus well pastor Steven I'm
just waiting for God really deleting me
though to do a fast well here's the
thing God doesn't necessarily lead you
although there can be times when he will
when there's something very unusual
going on and you really need to do it
but you don't need the Holy Spirit to
lead you to pray you just pray you don't
need the Holy Spirit really to lead you
you know any tell well I'm not gonna do
anything unless God tells me and I'm not
gonna you know no there are certain
things you just do it because it's the
right thing to do so it's the same way
with faster if you just sit around
waiting for some kind of you know you
know initiative to begin fasting it may
never happen so just do it because it's
the right thing to do and then you'll
notice that God's blessing it and you'll
also notice that the grace comes and the
next thing you know you're enjoying it
and you know the next thing you know
also you're at the end of it I know
sometimes in the middle it could seem
like time has gone into slow motion but
you know what just stay busy keep
drinking your juice
keep on working stay busy and you'll
just keep moving forward and forward and
you'll find yourself before you know it
it's day 19 day 20 then to day 21 and
it's a wrap and you've done it
praise God so over the years God has
allowed me to lead many people into
corporate juice fast a liquid fast to
seek the face of God and if you have any
type of medical condition be sure to
consult with your doctor so that you can
get there their advice their wisdom and
their counsel praise God because I know
some of you you have maybe a certain
health condition you're on a certain
medication and so you would need to
check with your doctor before launching
off into something like this praise God
but my friends really if you want to get
your wings you're going to have to
discover the world of
fasting not not just prayer because a
lot of Christians pray but they still
never really get into the miracle rail
if you really want to do that you need
to also incorporate fasting when you do
that you'll find yourself beginning to
go up whoo you know there is a certain
st. I've read a lot about his life and
he was a great man of God
he was born in the year 1603 and he
passed away in the year 1663 and his
name was st. Joseph of Cupertino now
this is not a Cupertino California
although Cupertino California is named
after the real Cupertino in Italy but
st. Joseph of Cupertino was known as the
flying monk
and when I say flying I'm talking going
up and he would really go up now I'm not
just talking his spirit his whole body
would go up and there may be a few that
say well I don't know about that Pastor
Steven well you know it's not really you
know for argument because he's not alive
anymore but all we can say is that
thousands thousands of people witnessed
him flying almost you know it would seem
like all the time and every time the
Catholic Church the the leadership from
the Pope down word you know they were
trying to hide him and keep him in a
very remote monastery the people would
find out that he was there and they were
all you know want his prayers they would
all want to seem levitate and fly but he
would get over in the spirit and because
he would pray and he would fast down you
think pastor Steven that's wonderful I I
would like to kind of like have a little
you know lift myself well I'm not saying
that that's God's purpose for your life
to go up or something like that that was
God's unique calling for that man a very
rare gifting a very rare gifting let me
say this also though it's not as rare as
some people would think I could I if I
don't have time right now but I could
sit down with anybody I could give you
the names of 30 people not just in the
Catholic Church how about this but also
in Pentecostal circles Pentecostal
circles at least 30 people who've
levitated and I'm talking levitate it by
the spirit before hundreds if not
thousands of people so it's not as rare
as some people would think
but definitely the Joseph of Cupertino
he had a tremendous anointing in that
area and he would just get lost in the
spirit he get caught up in visions and
he would he really wouldn't even know
what that he was up in the air but he
would be up in the air thirty feet
sometimes higher than that one time took
the state it took the steeple laying on
the ground of a church of a church the
eighteen men could not lift the steeple
and he walked over to this steeple in
the spirit and he picked it up and flew
up and he put it on top of the church
all by himself by the power of the Holy
Spirit but stuff like that was going on
all the time in his ministry and the
Catholic Church was very wise they
didn't want him to be some kind of
spectacle they knew that he was a
special treasure from the Lord so they
tried the the leadership tried to keep
him very low-profile keep him hidden in
remote monasteries but even still his
name got out in his you know the gifting
the anointing on his life got out and so
you had kings and rulers from all over
Europe trying to track him down and
receive prayer from him and stuff like
that and one time they even took him to
the Vatican there in Rome and he met the
Pope and and flew before the Pope you
know he got he went into what they
called ecstatic Vision he got so happy
in the Lord that up he went and you know
flying all over the place so um that you
know thousands of people saw him
levitating in the spirit and I'm not
just talking a few inches off the ground
sometimes way way up there and sometimes
even pulling other people up in the air
with him and flying them around this
well well pastor Steven how could how
could things be like that well let me
just say this when you fast and pray you
begin to disengage from all of this I
would call it chicken level stuff it's
stuff that's all in the natural it's
just all common and by the way that's
one of the greatest dangers of not
fulfilling your destiny and that great
danger is being normal okay
God never called you to be normal from
the perspective of you know there's
nothing unique or special about you
God God doesn't want you to die like a
copy you know where you're just like now
you're just molded like everybody else
and you know you just you tried them
through life hating life know that
never what God wants you to end up where
you your destiny has been you know
messed up
no God wants you to have that uniqueness
that specialness of your life that
anointing amplified and fast you know
prayer really do take you to a place
where the merit the miraculous and God's
promises and God's power seems like yeah
that's easy to believe God I'll take
your word on that it doesn't seem like a
stretch it doesn't seem crazy
it just seems actually it begins to seem
normal so a little secret on the side it
is true that Joseph of Cupertino fasted
for forty days five times every year so
basically he did five forty day fast
every year and that does not include the
feast days or the Linnton days when he
was also fasting all of those days as
well so when you start fasting like that
and you have a prayer life like he did
yes so it's not surprising at all that
there would be some lifting up okay but
we're not really I'm not concerned about
going up physically that's not what I'm
interested in I I want you to be able to
go up spiritually where you start to get
up into the presence of God and your
spirit begins to get liberated and when
your spirit is liberated and your your
soul begins to encounter the glory of
God look you'll receive the power the
deliverance the miracles the help that
you need the other things in life begin
to get sorted out whoo hallelujah and
God begins to put your life in divine
order and beauty whew thank you Lord
Jesus hallelujah so my friends it's time
like Daniel and I really like Daniel it
says that he had a spirit of excellence
and when you fast and pray you get you
get sharp you get real sharp you'd be
I'm telling you it even affects your
brain it affects the way you think the
way you talk the way you speak the way
you say things right and the way you go
quiet and don't say things at the wrong
time when you shouldn't say anything it
is incredible how the Holy Spirit could
really begin to govern your life in a
very very powerful way when you're
yielded to him and you've tapped into
that that power of the resurrection
power of Christ through
through fasting and prayer and I believe
an excellent spirit will begin to touch
your life as well to a greater degree
just like it did Daniel so my friends
it's time to get your wings it's time to
go up so it's an it's time to get your
heart ready to encounter God through
fasting and prayer the fast will begin
on January the 9th we're gonna go for 21
days it will be a liquid fast praise God
all right so let me pray for you if you
would like to step into that or if
you're still well pastor Stephen I'm not
sure well pray about it okay
pray about it and let the Lord stir your
heart praise God and see what happens
but those of you that are just thinking
yeah pastor Stephen I'm ready I'm ready
I'm ready to go for it it's been a
little while and I'm ready to get I'm
ready to get my blade sharp in the
spirit okay
just lift your hands I want to pray for
you Heavenly Father I just thank you for
your precious people that you're working
upon their hearts and I thank you for
what is going to be the greatest fast
that they've ever stepped into they're
going to have them the most wonderful
time with you that they've ever had and
father fresh revelation is going to come
down like rain upon them they're gonna
receive refreshing there's gonna be
deliverance for many but for all there
will be spiritual empowerment so father
we give you praise we thank you for the
filling of your spirit the infinite of
your Spirit and the power from on high
being released upon our lives father we
bless you for it in the name of Jesus we
all agree today around the world and say
amen praise the Lord if you would like
to join me on this upcoming 21-day
corporate fast I'd love to hear from you
just email me at contact at Steven
Brooks org and if you want to go for it
just say pastor Steve and I'm in just
count me in okay now I won't be able to
respond to the emails that are coming in
because you know I know people from
around the world they're going to be
doing this but I would like to just know
who's gonna be on it how many are
joining me that way I can be praying for
you as well
praise God so thank you for your email
letting me know that you're going to be
joining me on the 21 day corporate
liquid fast praise God
thank you Jesus all right let's take
holy communion today thank you Lord
Jesus hallelujah you know I've got a
picture on my phone in the photos of a
very famous Pentecostal preacher
preaching in front of a large crowd and
you see you see the stand the platform
that you know that would be where he
would stand and he's preaching and he's
literally about probably three feet off
the platform preaching in suspended in
the air so glory to God
they kill our Jesus now that's called a
real lifting up hallelujah but the main
thing we're after is lifting up in our
spirit the empowerment of God being in
the presence of the Lord and God's
anointing for your calling your career
field so that you go to the top like
Daniel did in his thank you Lord Jesus
please grab some unleavened bread and
grape juice we're gonna pray in just a
moment if you're watching today's
program and you're intrigued about the
things of the Spirit you're intrigued
about the kingdom of God but you're
still looking from the outside in but
you want to come in Jesus has made
provision for you if you would like to
receive Christ as your Lord and Savior
right now prayed this prayer after me
say Lord Jesus I repent of my sins I
come before you as a sinner Jesus wash
my sins away i turn my heart to you I
give my life to you Jesus write my name
in your Lamb's Book of Life thank you
Lord Jesus I receive you now as my Lord
and Savior amen and amen
welcome to the family of God those of
you that have just prayed that prayer
let's all take holy communion together
Heavenly Father we thank you for the
bread the juice we consecrate it as holy
this is now the flesh and the blood of
Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior Father
thank you for the body of Jesus we
receive it by faith and we thank you for
Rhema words flowing into our spirits as
we seek your face we thank you for a
good wisdom and good understanding we
give you praise Father in
Jesus name father raise up of people
like Daniel full of your spirit and
father those that have an excellent
spirit in Jesus name Amen let's receive
praise the Lord hallelujah glory to God
glory to God right now many of you the
Holy Spirit just locking your heart in
on this upcoming fast use he's locking
your heart in praise God this is for
many of you is what you've been looking
for the Lord is going to meet you on
this 21-day liquid corporate fast
hallelujah glory to God father we thank
you for the blood of Jesus that washes
away all of our sins we thank you father
we confess our sins to you we thank you
that you are faithful and just to
forgive all of our sins and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness
and father we receive your forgiveness
and cleansing now through the shed blood
of Jesus and his name we pray amen let's
receive the blood of Christ praise the
Lord if you're watching this program
today and you're Christian and you want
to be in on this fast please join us you
know it doesn't matter what stream of
Christianity you're in if you have
called upon the name of the Lord and
he's your Lord and Savior you're in the
body of Christ just like the nation of
Israel there were 12 tribes so there can
be different tribes but see still one
nation you you may be a Baptistery may
be a Methodist and you're thinking
pastor Stephen ah I'd like to join well
come on and join this fast with
believers from all over the world and
watch what God will do in your life it's
gonna be absolutely wonderful praise the
Lord can you believe that wonderful
excited about a fast you know this is
the Holy Spirit praise God thank you
Lord Jesus my friends thank you for
watching today I'll be back again soon
with more information about the upcoming
fast just things to encourage you things
to help get you ready as well as be
looking for the upcoming message of my
prophetic word for the year 2020 and the
new decade that we're stepping into in
just a few more days or should I say
just a few more hours praise God
till then stay blessed I'll see you back
again real soon bye bye