Servias Ministries Blog

FATHER spoke by THE SPIRIT in Isaiah chapter 58:

6 ​​“Is this not the fast that I have chosen:

​​To loose the bonds of wickedness,

​​To undo the heavy burdens,

​​To let the oppressed go free,

​​And that you break every yoke?”

Before Jesus began His public ministry, He was led to fast forty days:

1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted (peirazō) by the devil.

2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.

The Greek word peirazō means: to try, make trial of, test: for the purpose of ascertaining his quality, or what he thinks, or how he will behave himself; to assay.  When one assays something, the intent is to determine its purity by a strict test.  Isn’t this what happened to Jesus when the tempter came to test Him?  The purity of Jesus’ ministry was verified before the power of His ministry became fully operational as mentioned in Luke chapter 4:

14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.

15 And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

Jesus is our example and if He found it necessary to fast, we too should fast in an appropriate manner.  Our fast need not be forty days in a wilderness, but we should seek FATHER to determine the criteria by which we fast on a individual basis.  The purpose of a fast is to get the “world” out of us and bring our flesh into full subjection to our spirit.  We need to remove the noise all around us which distracts us from a pure and complete communion with FATHER.  Jesus isolated Himself from others who would draw His attention away and create demands on His time and attention.

His fast optimized His sensitivity to THE SPIRIT realm.  Jesus easily recognized sickness and disease versus demon oppression.  His ability to hear FATHER was fully operational so that He was able to deal with every situation according to FATHER’S Divine Intent.  There were no impurities in His character for His fast tested and verified the purity of His intent.

Are we willing to commit to being assayed?  When we fast with the proper motive, FATHER will expose and remove any impurities keeping us from being totally sensitive to HIS SPIRIT thus allowing us to fulfill our individual callings.  The length of the fast may be different for each of us, depending on our unique situations.  Other aspects of our fast will depend on what FATHER instructs.  Some may be called to a three day fast whereas others may be called to a seven day fast or even longer.  Let FATHER be your guide to the details.

It is written by THE SPIRIT in Isaiah chapter 58:

6 ​​“Is this not the fast that I have chosen:

​​To loose the bonds of wickedness,

​​To undo the heavy burdens,

​​To let the oppressed go free,

​​And that you break every yoke?

FATHER explains the purpose of fasting by asking these questions.  The fast is meant to set us free of wickedness, heavy burdens, oppression and every yoke.  How many of us need to be set free of something?  I would suggest all of us have some “yoke” which needs to be broken or removed.

Jesus spoke in John 8:

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.

32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

When we fast, we become more sensitive to hearing FATHER’S Voice and receive the pure Truth thus breaking any bondage besetting us.  When we are set free, we gain a deeper understanding of Agape Love.  In Isaiah 58, FATHER speaks of the tangible results of this sensitivity:

7 ​​Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, ​​And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; ​​When you see the naked, that you cover him, ​​And not hide yourself from your own flesh?

Aren’t these qualities of Agape Love?  You become a giver rather than a taker?  You seek out the opportunity to minister to others rather than to set passively by while those in need continue to suffer.

FATHER then expresses the benefits to us as we fulfill the fast:

8 ​​Then your light shall break forth like the morning, ​​Your healing shall spring forth speedily, ​​And your righteousness shall go before you; ​​The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.

9 ​​Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; ​​You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’

​​​“If you take away the yoke from your midst, ​​The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,

10 ​​If you extend your soul to the hungry ​​And satisfy the afflicted soul,

​​Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, ​​And your darkness shall be as the noonday.

11 ​​The LORD will guide you continually, ​​And satisfy your soul in drought, ​​And strengthen your bones; ​​You shall be like a watered garden, ​​And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

12 ​​Those from among you ​​Shall build the old waste places; ​​You shall raise up the foundations of many generations;  ​And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, ​​The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.”

​The Sons and Daughters are to be a light in this world of darkness.  FATHER clearly tells us that our light shall break forth as a result of the fast done in the proper manner.  We must fast with proper intent otherwise we are simply dieting.  Our fast must not in any way feed our flesh whether it be physical or our ego.  Our intent must be pure as we seek to commune and deny ourselves of the world’s pleasures.  The reward is worth the commitment.  Let each of us dwell on FATHER’S Words expressed in Isaiah 58!

It is written by THE SPIRIT in Joel chapter 2:

​​12  “Now, therefore,” says the LORD, ​​“Turn to Me with all your heart, ​​With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”

The people’s response:

15 ​​Blow the trumpet in Zion, ​​ Consecrate a fast, ​​Call a sacred assembly;

16 ​​Gather the people, ​​Sanctify the congregation, ​​Assemble the elders, ​​Gather the children and nursing babes; ​​Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, ​​And the bride from her dressing room.

17 ​​Let the priests, who minister to the LORD, ​​Weep between the porch and the altar; ​​Let them say, “Spare Your people, O LORD, ​​And do not give Your heritage to reproach, ​​That the nations should rule over them. ​​Why should they say among the peoples, ​‘​Where is their God?’ ”

​Fasting is intended to focus solely on the spiritual and at the same time, eliminate the focus on the physical.  As we take control of the body’s appetites, we are able to increase our sensitivity in hearing and communing with Our Heavenly Father.  HE becomes our total priority as our body becomes under complete subjection.

In the above corporate fast, not one person was omitted from the fast.  Even the nursing mothers were to be included.  This fast was critical to the survival of the nation and it required all the inhabitants to participate.  They had been under judgment and needed deliverance by seeking FATHER in the most solemn and reverent manner.

18 ​​Then the LORD will be zealous for His land, ​​And pity His people.

19 ​​The LORD will answer and say to His people, ​​“Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil, ​​And you will be satisfied by them; ​​I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations.

We often want to focus only on verses 28 & 29:

28 ​​“And it shall come to pass afterward ​​That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; ​​Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, ​​Your old men shall dream dreams, ​​Your young men shall see visions.

29 ​​And also on My menservants and on My maidservants ​​I will pour out My Spirit in those days.”

FATHER responded to the fast of the solemn assembly by pouring out HIS SPIRIT on all flesh.  These Sons and Daughters have brought their flesh under full subjection which allows THE SPIRIT to flow through them unhindered by the selfish motives of the flesh.  Everyone wants the results of such a fast but few are really interested in paying the price to subject their body to full submission.  Jesus did not hesitate in preparing Himself for His 3 1/2 year ministry by first submitting to a 40 day fast.  This maximum fast produced maximum results.

As it is written by THE SPIRIT in Acts chapter 10, Peter was summoned to Cornelius in Caesarea as a result of Cornelius fasting:

30 So 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,

31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God.

32 Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.’

33 So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.”

Consider the power of fasting, for it made a huge difference in Cornelius’ life.  FATHER responded to his prayers and sent Peter as a result.  Cornelius tapped into the supernatural and an angel was dispatched to him with FATHER’S response.  It is up to each of us to determine our own individual need to fast.  If done with the proper intent, it will produce supernatural results.

It is written by THE SPIRIT in Acts chapter 14:

8   Now at Lystra a man sat who was unable to use his feet, for he was crippled from birth and had never walked.

9   This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, and Paul looked intently at him and saw that he had faith to be healed,

10   and said with a loud voice, “Stand up on your feet.” And he jumped up and began to walk.

11   And the crowds, when they saw what Paul had done, raised their voices, shouting in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!”

12   They began calling Barnabas, Zeus [chief of the Greek gods], and Paul, Hermes [messenger of the Greek gods], since he took the lead in speaking.

13  The priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance of the city, brought bulls and garlands to the city gates, and wanted to offer sacrifices with the crowds.

14   But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard about it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting,

15   “Men, why are you doing these things? We too are only men of the same nature as you, bringing the good news to you, so that you turn from these useless and meaningless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything that is in them.

16  In generations past He permitted all the nations to go their own ways;

17   yet He did not leave Himself without some witness [as evidence of Himself], in that He kept constantly doing good things and showing you kindness, and giving you rains from heaven and productive seasons, filling your hearts with food and happiness.”

18   Even saying these words, with difficulty they prevented the people from offering sacrifices to them.  AMPL

Love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, and does not seek its own.  Paul’s anointing gave him the opportunity to gain notoriety among the people at Lystra but he no longer had an interest in gaining a reputation for himself.  He ministered with the revelation of unconditional Love and knew that FATHER’S power was the sole reason for his success.  However, the people of Lystra were quick to exalt him to the level of a god.

Today there are countless individuals exalting useless and meaningless things which have no power to change anyone or anything.  Deep inside each person is a need to connect with the spiritual and this need has created many idols of various types yet there is only one living GOD who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything that is in them.  The mature Sons and Daughters will expose the deceptions promoted by idol worship and will expose the blindness of the multitudes.

Paul simply preached the pure Word of GOD and as the cripple man heard the Gospel, his faith was activated to the point where Paul could see his level of faith.  At that point, Paul commanded the man to stand up thus confirming the Living Word to those in attendance.  This event should not be the exception in a meeting but instead it should become the norm.  We must not allow men to exalt the “messenger” as they attempted to do in Lystra, but we must direct their focus to Our Heavenly Father and the Gospel of Jesus Christ as did Paul and Barnabas.  The ego of the old man must not be allowed to resurface and detract from the pure message from Heaven.  The remnant fully understands this and will be used in a mighty way.

The Beloved Disciple wrote in John chapter 14:

7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”

8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”

9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.

11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

There is not much mentioned about Philip in the Gospels, but in the above passage, we can see that he was “in training” and lacked revelation based on Jesus’ response to his question.  We must not allow ourselves to think that our preparation in becoming mature Sons and Daughters is tied to a lengthy time of preparation.  When we have been anointed with The Holy Ghost and power by FATHER, time becomes a non-issue.  The following is and excellent example of this anointing.

It is written by THE SPIRIT in Acts chapter 8:

4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.

5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.

6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.

8 And there was great joy in that city.

Philip’s ministry produced similar results to Jesus’ ministry described in Luke 4(40 When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. 41 And demons also came out of many…).  Philip fully embraced the directives of Jesus as he went about ministering the Word of Life in Samaria.  Many were converted and healed as a direct result of Philip’s ministry and the result was great joy in the city.  It matters not what city you live in when the anointing comes upon you.  It could come upon you today or tomorrow and your city could be converted in short order.

Think about Samaria the day before Philip arrived.  Could they have anticipated what would occur the next day?  We must not allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by the darkness in the world and consider how difficult it would be to convert our cities.  FATHER’S power can and will convert the masses in short order.  Do not be discouraged about any perceived delays in your ministry but simply press in on a daily basis knowing that FATHER has everything under control.  Don’t allow yourself to be restricted by your current situation for FATHER is not constrained by time, events, or our past failures.  Philip went from lack of understanding to ministering with excellent results in a short period of time.

Jesus Christ acted out the unchanging Will of Our Heavenly Father.  The Beloved Disciple wrote in John chapter 1:

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”

16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.

17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

Because of HIS Love, FATHER gave us the perfect example of what a mature Son and Daughter should be like.  We do not have to guess how FATHER would have us interact with men, we simply need to read the Gospels to give us proper perspective.  We were given four different perspectives of the Words and acts of Jesus so that we would be well-rounded in our understanding.

Jesus Christ is the standard of Truth, absolutely free of deception.  FATHER is the ultimate Giver by giving us HIS Word (Jesus Christ) in order that we can have a truly productive life here on earth.  Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in 2 Corinthians chapter 9:

6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

As we pattern our life after Our Lord Jesus Christ, we should expect the same power resident in The Word to flow in us and through us as well.  Because of our Love for Our Heavenly Father, we will embrace this path called The Way without consideration of any past selfishness, manipulation, or self-exaltation.  The ego of the old man is no longer of any value and has been exposed for the emptiness it promotes.  Let us embrace The Word being manifested in our lives in order that mankind can experience the unconditional Love expressed by HIS Sons and Daughters.  May our good work be a light to a world filled with darkness!

James wrote by THE SPIRIT in chapter 1:

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

A key goal of this ministry is to build up your faith through Love.  We must be patient in allowing the seeds from the Word to produce fruit in our lives.  Yes, there will be times when we may be frustrated with a lack of results, but we must not let ourselves be moved.  Let patience have its perfect work.  The issue is not FATHER’S unwillingness, the issue lies with us in some aspect of our walk.  We must be tenacious and press in until we receive the answer.  We must remove every remnant of unbelief in the deepest crevices of our being.  Doubt and unbelief are the primary reasons our faith is being hindered from receiving from FATHER.

It is written by THE SPIRIT in Numbers 23:

19 ​​“God is not a man, that He should lie,

​​Nor a son of man, that He should repent.

​​Has He said, and will He not do?

​​Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

We can absolutely trust FATHER’S Word for It is the one standard that does not change.  Man’s word is subject to change for there is no sustaining power to keep it in force.  However, The Word from the lips of the CREATOR of the universe has the infinite, sustaining power to cause the Word to come to pass and be fully reliable.  Why should we settle for anything less?

Psalm 119:

89 ​​Forever, O LORD, ​​Your word is settled in heaven.

90 ​​Your faithfulness endures to all generations; ​​You established the earth, and it abides.

91 ​​They continue this day according to Your ordinances, ​​For all are Your servants.

Jeremiah 1:

12  Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten (to watch over, protect, to stand behind) my word to perform it.

In FATHER’S infinite power, HE is standing behind HIS Word to perform IT.  Why would anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear settle for anything less than The Word as the basis of their life?  FATHER freely gave HIS Word to us in order that we could grow in faith and trust IN HIM.  It is really quite simple, we just need to adjust our focus toward HIS Word on a consistent basis and not allow ourselves to be distracted by the world’s trappings.

Paul wrote by THE SPIRIT in Romans chapter 1:

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith (both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed in a way that awakens more faith]); as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

Any promise of Our Heavenly Father, whether written or spoken, is transformed into the power of GOD.  This is critical for us to grasp and accept in faith for this is Truth is the basis of our existence.  As we trust in HIS Word, we will reap the benefits contained therein for the Gospel is the power of GOD when believed.  Therefore we must remove unbelief from our midst and as we act upon our solid belief in the Gospel, this power will become active in our life. 

Wisdom wrote in Proverbs chapter 4:

20 ​​My son, give attention to my words; ​​Incline your ear to my sayings.

21 ​​Do not let them depart from your eyes; ​​Keep them in the midst of your heart;

22 ​​For they are life to those who find them, ​​And health to all their flesh.

The following summarizes our responsibilities:

23 ​​Keep your heart with all diligence, ​​For out of it spring the issues of life.

24 ​​Put away from you a deceitful mouth, ​​And put perverse lips far from you.

25 ​​Let your eyes look straight ahead, ​​And your eyelids look right before you.

26 ​​Ponder the path of your feet, ​​And let all your ways be established.

27 ​​Do not turn to the right or the left; ​​Remove your foot from evil.

If we take these responsibilities lightly, how can we expect to access the fullness of HIS power in our lives.  HIS mercy will prevail as we are but children, but as we mature as Sons and Daughters, our responsibility increases.  FATHER has provided sufficient provision for us to walk in HIS ways and overcome the challenges before us.  The Word should be of the highest priority in our daily walk.  Let us not be moved by what the world is telling us but let us stand fast in the liberty of The Word.  It will truly set us free of the world’s entanglements.  We must not allow the world to infiltrate our hearts with its lies.  We must keep our heart with all diligence.  Let us ascend beyond the world’s influence and walk in the power of The Word.