Author Archives: Nannette

About Nannette

Wife to The Sweetheart, Mom to the Fantastic Six, Nana to six of the cutest littles on the planet, Author, The Daniel Fast, A Devotional. UPCI ministers.

The Holy Ghost Fell

The Daniel Fast: And the Holy Ghost Fell

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One more day of our 31 Days of Fasting in January. You can read past posts here!

Every time I read the amazing story of Cornelius I get goose bumps. You too? Are you familiar with this devout man? Let me tell you what God says about him…

“There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.” Acts 10:1, 2 KJV.

A centurion was a captain over 100 soldiers; he was a fairly important man. The Bible says he was devout, he feared God, meaning he revered Him, and made sure those in his household did the same. He also gave of his tithes and offerings and prayed to the Lord always.

Why did the Lord insist that Peter go and visit Cornelius?

There were a couple of reasons. One of them Peter wasn’t so crazy about at first. The Jews and the Gentiles didn’t mix. The Gospel had not yet been preached to the rest of the world and the Jews had pretty much determined it belonged to them exclusively.

When Peter fell into a trance on the rooftop he saw all of these unclean animals that the Israelites were not supposed to eat and the Lord told him, “Rise Peter, kill and eat!”

Peter immediately said, “No way, Lord! I have never eaten anything common or unclean!” (I’m taking liberty to paraphrase just a little here). This happens three times and then the vessel with the unclean animals was taken away and Peter woke up.

Immediately, there was a knock at his door. The Lord spoke to Peter and told him that he was to go with these men and that He had sent them, not to worry, not to doubt. What a promise!

Cornelius had also heard from God to send for Peter and when Peter arrived he told him what had happened,

“And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing…” Acts 10:30 KJV.

So Peter realized that this was BIG. And he preached the first sermon to the Gentile people by saying these famous words:

“Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons…”

He preached for a couple of moments and ended up with “…that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” Acts 10:37-43 KJV.

Now, here come the goose bumps!

“While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.” Acts 10:44-46 KJV.

Is this why Peter was sent to the devout Christian man, Cornelius?

  • Did he not already serve God?
  • Did he not pray every day?
  • Was he not a good man?
  • Didn’t he pay his tithe?
  • Didn’t He fear God and give Him reverence?
  • Didn’t he give to the poor?
  • Why then did he need Peter to come?
  • What else did he need to know?

Cornelius needed MORE….

While Peter was PREACHING, the Holy Ghost literally FELL on those that were listening, just like it did in the second chapter of Acts.

The Holy Ghost Fell

How do we know something actually happened? Because the WORD says so. “For they HEARD them SPEAK with TONGUES and MAGNIFY GOD.” Acts 10:46 KJV.

God sent Peter to tell Cornelius that there was more for him, there was power to keep him; the Comforter had come!

He needed to be re-baptized in the Name of Jesus and he needed the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

Well, you may say, that was then and this is now. If the Bible says it isn’t so, then it isn’t so. But if the Bible says it is for us today…

Peter cleared up that confusion in Acts 2:39 when he said, “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” 

Over and over in the Book of Acts (the birthing of the Church) they repeat the example:

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them, And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:1-4 KJV.

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:38 KJV.

“Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.” Acts 8:14-17 KJV.

“And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.” Acts 19:1-6 KJV.

Such wonderful words; such confirmation! Look at Ephesus again. Paul asks them, “Have you received the power (Holy Ghost) since you believed?” Remember, the Lord said you would receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you. (Acts 1)

The people at Ephesus hadn’t even heard of the Holy Ghost. So Paul, just like Peter, asked how they were baptized. They replied, “John’s baptism.” But John’s baptism was only a baptism of repentance and he pointed them to the One that should come after. Once again, what did they do?

They were baptized in the name of the LORD JESUS.

Then what happened?

They spoke with tongues and prophesied. They spoke with tongues and magnified God.

Remember, Jesus told them to “…wait for the promise of the Father…” and that He would “send the Comforter…” He did that in the Upper Room. (Acts 2) They were waiting just like He said and the Holy Ghost came as a mighty rushing wind. And it continues to be poured out even today.

Brothers, sisters, we are Acts CHAPTER 29! “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” Acts 2:39 KJV.

Cornelius fasted, he believed, he received; he and his household.

And the Holy Ghost fell!

In these last days we need that infilling of His spirit more than ever. The prophet Joel prophesied that the Holy Spirit would be poured out in the last days. Surely we are living in those last days. We are very likely the people that will see the coming of the Lord in our lifetime, maybe even sooner than we think. We need the power of God, the indwelling of His spirit, within us, alive and working through us. He wants to use you to be a sharer of the Gospel. Be blessed as you fast, pray and seek the Lord.

Don’t forget to grab your copy of The Daniel Fast Devotional! Good for any fast, it is a great, simple read with devotions for every day of a three week fast. Get yours on Amazon here!

 

Fasting: I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!

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Missed any of our 31 Days of Fasting in January? All of the posts are in one place just for you, see them here! So thankful for everyone that has been here, whether you come every day for encouragement or pop in now and then, you are so welcome to gather with us. Be blessed as you fast unto the Lord.

How many of you have seen the commercial where the older woman is sprawled on the floor, obviously without choice, and calling into a little button,

“Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”

That phrase quickly became a byline for many a situation. Not that it was funny that an elderly person had fallen, it was catchy and memorable and it probably sold product like crazy.

If you have been on the fast for any length of time you may have fallen…off the wagon. There’s another one! Where did that phrase, fallen off the wagon originate? According to WiseGeek.com, when you say someone has fallen off the wagon it means they had vowed to stick with one thing but they failed along the way. It was especially referring to the consumption of alcohol. Dating back to the temperance movement, those that consumed were encouraged to get on the water wagon instead of drinking hard liquor. The water wagon was a horse-drawn cart that watered down the dirt roads to control the dust. Those that were encouraging abstinence said they would rather drink from the water wagon than even think of touching alcohol, so if they slipped up it was said they had fallen off the wagon. Who knew?

Maybe if you have been fasting for a few days or even a couple of weeks, you have possibly had something that you didn’t intend to have, found yourself sitting in front of a dessert or favorite food and took a bite before you even thought about it. Maybe you have been on a water-only fast and became so weak and hungry that you just had to have a little bit of nourishment. Either way, you gave in and then as soon as you did, Guilt showed up.

Guilt is not from God. Let’s get that out of the way. He doesn’t put shame or condemnation on His children, He doesn’t sit in Heaven shaking His head and rolling His eyes every time we fail!

Guilt and Shame come from the enemy. It is his specialty! He loves to make us feel as if we have failed, that we aren’t good enough and we might as well give up. Sometimes the pressure is so bad that we feel as if we have to pay penance for a wrong. We have to fix it, undo it or cover it up somehow by doing a good deed.

Friends, this is not what God intended! “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.…” Romans 8:1,2

There is no condemnation if you are walking with God.

He has set you free from Guilt and Shame!

If we do make a mistake, we ask for forgiveness, He hears, forgives and forgets and we pick right back up where we left off. Naturally, we do not think in advance that if we fail we can just say we are sorry and start over again. We don’t intentionally stumble knowing He is always gracious, which He is, but we try to do what is right, in this case with fasting, we pray and do our best to stay committed. But if we do forget, and absentmindedly eat something we shouldn’t, we don’t beat ourselves up over it. We just keep going!

If the enemy is whispering in your ear that you are a failure and that your fasting is all in vain, he realizes the power in prayer and fasting and would do anything to get you to stop. Don’t succumb to his pressure but pick yourself up, grab your sword (the Word of God), find a scripture or two that you can pray out loud and do just that.

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.” Jude 1:20, 21

Have you fallen and feel as if you can’t get up? Jesus is waiting for you to grab His hand; He is your biggest supporter and He will encourage you to keep going because your relationship with Him is worth every sacrifice. Fasting changes the inner man, changes YOU and helps you hear the voice of God. Fasting breaks chains that cannot be broken by prayer alone. Warrior angels fight in the spirit world on your behalf!

Be encouraged in the Lord today, even if you have stumbled on your fast, just dust yourself off and keep going. Victory is ahead!

Don’t forget to grab your copy of The Daniel Fast Devotional! Good for any fast, it is a great, easy read with devotions for every day of a three week fast. Get yours on Amazon here!

Fasting together: He cannot be absent in our story!

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Fasting together: He cannot be absent in our story! Catch up on missed posts here!

“For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14 KJV.

If you are familiar with the story of Esther and her cousin, Mordecai (Esther 2:7), you are aware that she was just an average young lady enjoying her normal life until Queen Vashti was kicked out of the palace for rebellion against the king. A new queen had to be found and Esther’s beauty landed her the part.

Soon, Mordecai overheard a plot by Haman, a man who was above all the princes in the king’s court, to destroy the Jewish people. Mordecai realized that Esther was the only hope they had of getting to the king and having the decree abolished.

Esther called for a fast.

We are all aware that the book of Esther never mentions God, no reference to Him, nothing whatsoever about Jehovah in the entire book. We assume they are serving Him, fasting to get His attention and praying along with the fasting.

But it is never mentioned.

I have always found that intriguing when the rest of the Bible is so full of the Almighty. Let us step outside of tradition, from what we have always been taught in Sunday School, and look at this story with a different set of eyes.

Why doesn’t Esther ever call on the Lord for help? Why doesn’t Mordecai refer to Him in any of his pleas to Esther?

We assume there was repentance; we assume there was prayer with the fasting because that is what we read with all of the other accounts in the Bible. But it is absent in this story.

Maybe the story of Esther is more of a lesson in what fasting is not because it cannot be absent in our story.

They had all of the right actions, the right motions, but God is not mentioned.

Yes, the Jewish people were spared from Haman’s despicable plan and he was destroyed in their place. God was protecting His chosen people. Esther and Mordecai could be called heroes for their brave actions to step in and put their lives on the line for the Jewish nation.

But we need to be careful when we fast that we do it for the right reasons, with a right spirit and a clean heart and God must be first and foremost in all we do!

Mordecai’s famous line, “…who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” is a great example to us today. Truly, Esther was put in that position to be able to stand in the gap for the Jewish people. But whether she and her cousin Mordecai knew Jehovah remains to be seen since there is no indication or mention of His name in the entire book.

What will others say about us? Do we go to church, go through the Christian motions but have no relationship? What will the Lord say about us? He warns in the New Testament of that very thing when the people begin to list all of the things they had done in His name. His reply? “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:23 KJV.

Is He mentioned?

Let’s make sure as we begin to close out our Daniel Fasts that this is not our last fast! When we have daily communion with the Lord, learn to make prayer and fasting a regular part of our lives, we can draw ever closer to the One who answers those prayers.

Daniel Fast Recipe for Veggie Tacos!

1 large sweet potato, cubed

2½ cups spinach, fresh

¼ red onion, sliced very thin

1½ Tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon chili powder

Salt and Pepper

¼ teaspoon oregano

Juice from one lime

½ avocado, mashed (optional)

Toss the sweet potato with all of the spices. Add the sweet potatoes to heated oil and cook for 10-15 minutes until tender. Add spinach and cook about three minutes, until wilted. Serve in warm whole wheat tortillas, or wraps, with lime juice. You may also like adding the mashed avocado to your tortillas as a spread!

Don’t forget to grab your copy of The Daniel Fast Devotional! Good for any fast, it is a great, simple read with devotions for every day of a three week fast. Get yours on Amazon here!