THE SIGNIFICANCE OF DRY FASTING

FIRST LESSON: MATHEW Chapter 16 verse 21

From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go
unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scri
bes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
SECOND LESSON: JOHN Chapter 2 verses 17 to 19
And his disciples remembered, it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten
me up.
Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing
that thou doest these things?
Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will
raise it up.
GOLDEN TEXT: MATTHEW Chapter 12 verse 40
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the
Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
BE "BORN AGAIN:"
The three texts above deal on the issue of the three days dry fasting, observed
in Brotherhood of the Cross and Star. Now, how many people in the world have par
ticipated in the three days dry fasting periods done in Brotherhood of the Cross
end Star? Very many people are asking why a whole of seventy-two hours should b
e spent on fasting. A lot of people pray the dry fasting should not be observed
often.
Others even wish it should be stopped forthwith. Some would fast for the first t
wenty-four hours, and complain, they are human beings and for that reason, they
stop. Some would fast for two days and nights, while a few endure to the end.
As recorded in Matthew Chapter 12 verse 40, Our Lord Jesus Christ promised to re
main in the heart of the earth for 3 days and 3 nights.
This is why members of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star observe the three days
dry fasting. For these three days and nights, no water is drunk, no food is tast
ed, bathing and brushing of teeth are not also allowed. Is this not three days a
nd nights' death? Whoever undergoes this fasting has died and resurrected with C
hrist. This is what is called, "born again," for he or she has become a new bein
g after the fasting. This is what is keeping us alive and strong.
You would recall, God directed Abraham to take his son Isaac and sacrifice him.
Abraham and Isaac were to make a journey of seventy-two hours, three days and ni
ghts, which is this same thing we are doing here in Brotherhood of the Cross and
Star. Isaac was an earthly example, which was presented as an illustration, of
an impending heavenly event. The directive given to Abraham by God was a practic
al demonstration of the death of Christ, and His subsequent stay in the grave fo
r 3 days and 3 nights.
This episode is linked with Abraham because of the promise, which God made with
him, that a root shall spring from Abraham. In this promise, God did not say, Ab
raham's children but one son. That very son who shall come from Abraham as promi
sed by God was Christ. Now, the problem of the entire world is patience. God is
the Father of patience. He is patient and wants us to exercise patience. He can
make a promise today, which would take thousands of years to consummate. And for
this reason, whoever is devoid of this virtue, would become hopeless after the
first one thousand years. However, whether you believe or not, at the expected t
ime, the promise must come to fulfillment.
God does His things the way He likes. It is on this ground Our Lord Jesus the Ch
rist said:
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to d
estroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, on
e jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (
Matthew Chapter 5 verses 17 and 18).
The Holy Bible is referred to as the covenant book of God because, all what God
did, what He is doing, and what He shall, are written therein. When you say, thi
s or that thing had been taken away; where do you think such a thing is taken to
? God is the Father of truth, and all His words are true. Once He makes a pronou
ncement, He stands by it.
A great many of you become doubtful, when things go the way you did not expect.
Consider the case of Isaac. He was the only son of Abraham, but God directed tha
t Isaac should be used as a sacrificial lamb. Abraham accepted, and though he ha
d to trek for three days and three nights, seventy-two hours, he did not change
his mind. When he got to the destination, he still set a fire on the alter to bu
rn Isaac. This was when Isaac asked his father Abraham saying "father, the fire
is burning, where is the sacrificial lamb?" Abraham said, "my son, God will prov
ide himself a lamb for a burnt offering."
God is the one who sends one on an errand, and goes with the one to fulfill the
purpose thereof. Since He is the sender and doer of the job, all glories and tha
nks belong to Him. This is why it is said, "cut down the bush, and I would set f
ire into it with my power."
GOD CONTROLS DESTINY:
God has never deceived and will never deceive. What He did to the Israelites wou
ld be done to the Gentiles. He is the same yesterday, today end forever. Why the
n do you doubt Him, and why do you murmur against Him? You have no choice other
than to do whatever He directs you to do. If God asks you to jump into burning f
lames, you have to comply without delay. If he directs you to dive into the grav
e, you have to do same. This is because in all events, and situations, God had g
iven answers already.
What has placed a lot of you in suffering, and adverse conditions, is lack of fa
ith. Many people, when they are sent on an errand by God, faithlessly doubt thei
r safety during such missions. Why do you doubt God? Have you ever seen a person
whom God sent on an errand, without escorting him to get the job accomplished?
The will of the Most High God is Supreme. He had willed various purposes for all
his creation. No one can change God's will, no matter how he fasts, prays, prea
ches, or weeps. He cannot change the will which He had destined for someone. Thi
s explains why it is said:
Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for
the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matthew Chap
ter 6 verse 34).
It is only God who can call one to Himself, for no one is capable of pleasing Go
d. If He does not elect you, you cannot be His friend. Even the faith which Abra
ham had, was not his, but it was freely given by God.
I want you to know, God is a hydra-headed Being. He is the right, left, front, b
ack and He is everything. He is a child, adult, women, as well as men. If Moses
had this knowledge, he would not have whipped God the way he did as recorded in
Numbers Chapter 20 verses 11 and 12. You may recall, when Moses was abused by th
e Israelites, for taking them away from Egypt to suffer in the wilderness, only
because they were thirsty; and God became a big rock. Moses was directed to poin
t his staff at the rock and speak, for water would come out enough for all the p
eople, and their beasts. Since Moses was always easily exasperated, he took offe
nce on the abuses and curses heaped on him by the Israelites, and smote the rock
twice. For that reason, God was not pleased with him, because he did not glorif
y God in the presence of the people. He was therefore, not allowed to enter into
the promised land. (Numbers Chapter 20 verses 1 to 20).
Moses did not know, both the rock and the water, that gushed out of it, were God
in disguise. So, you can see how incomprehensible the Almighty God is. No one k
nows Him.
Unlike the case of Moses, when Abraham had set Isaac ready for the sacrifice, Go
d ordered him not to take the boy's life. He was shown a ram by the side, which
was used for the sacrifice. (Genesis Chapter 22 verses 10 to 13). After the sacr
ifice, Abraham and Isaac went home in flying colours. That is the significance o
f the death of Christ.
When He told the Jews to destroy the temple, and He would rebuild it in three da
ys, the people doubted the possibility of his action and thus, became annoyed. H
owever, Christ knew the implication of His statement. And so when His disciples
advised Him not to go to Jerusalem, He insisted and went. If Jesus the Christ ha
d ran away, what would have become of this world? And if Christ had truly ran aw
ay, could he have escaped the death, which was written for Him?
People refuse to do what God directs because of fear. They prefer to stay in the
world; yet, they neither die, nor live a successful life. They cannot even have
peace as a result of their failure to endure the ways of God. And now, one can
understand from the statements made by Our Lord Jesus Christ as recorded in the
texts for this sermon, death does not actually exist, but what happened was a de
monstration of the power of God. This was done so that His glory would be reveal
ed.
God is the one controlling one's destiny. Some children for instance, even at th
eir tender ages, proclaim they want to work for God. Do you think they are the o
nes making the statement? This was written for them, before they were born into
the physical earth plane. Unfortunately, when the time for this assignment to ma
nifest comes, they then resist. This however, cannot help the situation, because
what has been destined cannot be erased. Whatsoever happens to one comes from t
he Father, and had been written against that person before he was born.
There is nothing that can change or stop it from taking place. It may be recalle
d, on the night of the death of Our Lord Jesus Christ, He said:
If it be possible, let this cup pass from me: Nevertheless not as I will, but as
thou wilt. (Matthew Chapter 26 verse 39).
Did God grant His request on that very case? Though He prayed and rolled on the
ground, until His sweat became blood, the cup was not taken away. (Luke Chapter
22 verse 44). Finally, the will of the Father: His torture, death, and resurrect
ion manifested. The death of Christ for three days and nights reveals the person
embodied in one God, as recorded in 1st John Chapter 5 verse 7.
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Ho
ly Ghost: and these three are one.
Prophet Jonah was sent to Ninevah to preach to the people against their evil way
s, but he ran away because of fear for his life. For that reason, the Father dis
guised Himself in the form of a storm, and met Jonah in a ship, on the high sea.
When the storm became unbearable, Jonah told the captain of the ship and others
he should be thrown into the sea, for he was the cause of the impending wreck.
Jonah was thus thrown into the sea; and immediately, a whale swallowed him, wher
e he remained for three days and three nights, before he was delivered safely to
the shores of Ninevah. (Jonah Chapter 1 verses 3 to 17), (Jonah Chapter 2 verse
10).
For Our Lord Jesus Christ to stay three days and nights in the heart of the eart
h was not a new thing. This is because Jonah had earlier stayed for three days a
nd nights in the belly of a whale. Did he not come out still as Jonah? Why then
do people doubt the death and resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ? Daily, God
is revealing a lot of things in various forms; yet, He is still the same God.
A local adage says three is good but four is evil. This is another way of expres
sing the Trinity of God. Three days, three houses, three years, everything three
: Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost. The Spiritual mathematics of God works well w
ith the number three. The three persons in one God are not three Gods but one. H
e was Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God only answers different names for different
occasions and missions. Also, Our Lord Jesus Christ had twelve Apostles, but thr
ee: Peter, James, and John, were completely distinct from the rest. These three
were closer to Him than the rest.
We also have the body (flesh), spirit, and soul, which are also one, in one pers
on. Whenever God wants to manifest Himself as a human being, He takes up water,
blood, and spirit, and these are one. (1st John Chapter 5 verse 8).
The change of name means nothing, but the power that goes with the name is impor
tant. Let it be known, when one baptizes, the water he falls into is Christ? He
is also baptized in the name of the Father, son, and the Holy Spirit. Therefore,
one has made a mistake by saying, God came on the persons of Adam, Enoch, Elija
h, Noah, Melchisedec, Moses, Jesus the Christ or Olumba Olumba Obu. You are thus
, declaring, He has come eight times, which is wrong. Which God came eight times
? Is it the false God, or the living, and Omnipresent God?
God came first as the Father, when He used the word to create all things. He als
o used the word for all works. Finally, He has come as the Holy Spirit to stay f
orever.
In those days, all the prophets, and their prophecies were about Our Lord Jesus
the Christ. And Christ bore witness to the Holy Spirit. He did not bear witness
of any other being, not even the prophets, but testified of the Father.
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Ho
ly Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in eart
h, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. (1st
John Chapter 5 verses 7 and 8).
That is why, in Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, we always regard three things
, faith, hope, and love as being important. See the first lesson below:
FIRST LESSON: MATHEW Chapter 16 verse 21
From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go
unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scri
bes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
CHRIST DIED FOR THREE DAYS AND NOT TWO:
From the above text, one should understand that Our Lord Jesus Christ predicted
a seventy-two hour death, no more, no less. Now, the worldly people believe that
He was killed on Friday: Good Friday. Count from Friday morning to Sunday morni
ng, is it up to seventy-two hours? Where are all their mathematicians; has Satan
not deceived them? If one adds up the days, he would see, from 6:00 AM of Thurs
day, to 6:00 AM of Sunday, which He resurrected, the number of days are complete
.
Now count:
From 6:00 am Thursday
to 6:00 PM Thursday,
is the 1st DAY.
From 6:00 AM Friday,
to 6:00 PM Friday,
is the 2nd DAY.
From 6:00 AM Saturday,
to 6:00 PM Saturday,
is the 3rd DAY.
Also:
from 6:00 PM Thursday,
to 6:00 AM Friday,
is the 1st NIGHT.
From 6:00 PM Friday,
to 6:00 AM Saturday,
is the 2nd NIGHT.
From 6:00 PM Saturday,
to 6:00 AM Sunday, when Mary Magdalene visited the tomb to discover the resurrec
tion,
is the 3rd NIGHT.
These are therefore 3 DAYs and 3 NIGHTs, or 72 hours. (Matthew Chapter 12 verse
40). So, if you have been joking with the number, three: do not joke any more.
In Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, there are also 3 Pentecostal periods. Thes
e are to signify the special number three: Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, the
Most United Trinity: three in one God.
The December Pentecostal assembly represents the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
The April or Easter Pentecostal is used to remember His period of persecution, t
ribulation, death and resurrection.
The August Pentecostal represents the time which Christ baptised, received the H
oly Spirit, and was revealed to the world.
Now, are these three occasion not but one thing?
These three things however, cannot happen one day. It was not the day He was bor
n that He died, and the day He died was not the very day He was baptized, and re
vealed to the world.
If you had known, just as Jonah was three days and nights in the belly of the wh
ale, so also was Our Lord Jesus Christ in the heart of the earth for 3 days and
3 nights, what stops you from doing this three days' and nights' dry fasting? Th
is seventy-two hours dry fasting signifies the seventy-two hours death of Our Lo
rd Jesus the Christ.
All those who do not respect or recognise these three periods are rebels. Such p
eople will be judged and condemned. But all those who observe and recognise thes
e periods, in truth, shall have eternal life. We have no other job to do for Chr
ist, than to worship Him and honour His words. If the whole world would truly be
lieve in the instructions of Christ, and practise same, all burdens would be mad
e light, and all problems solved.
Joke no more with the words of God, and do not oppose, doubt, or ask Him questio
ns any more. It was out of a doubtful mind, Peter argued and rebuked Our Lord Je
sus Christ, for saying, he would be tortured and killed in Jerusalem. Peter said
such must not take place, but Jesus the Christ said:
Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not t
he things that be of God, but those that be of men. (Matthew Chapter 16 verse 23
).
The fact Peter rebuked Christ did not stop the will of God from manifesting in H
im as predestined. Why Peter rebuked Him was because, it was written the Christ
would not die forever and so, if He is overcome by death, then, He was not the o
ne. Therefore, for Our Lord Jesus Christ to talk of death, Peter felt he had mad
e a wrong choice by following Him. Read the second lesson again:
SECOND LESSON: JOHN Chapter 2 verses 17 to 19
And his disciples remembered, it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten
me up.
Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing
that thou doest these things?
Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will
raise it up.
MAN IS THE TEMPLE OF GOD:
Brethren, it is said, the testimony from two persons has established a truth of
any case. By the statement, "destroy this temple, and in 3 days I will raise it
up." Christ was referring to Himself. He was asking the Jews to kill Him and aft
er three days, He would resurrect.
The above statement by Christ is a proof to the fact, whenever the Almighty God
passes an instruction, nothing changes it. That is why when His disciples starte
d admiring the magnificent buildings of the temple. He made it clear to them, th
e temples shall all be destroyed beyond repair. (Matthew Chapter 24 verses 1 and
2). A spiritual song says, "I will destroy the old and rebuild a new Jerusalem
for you."
If all the synagogues and temples were useful to God, why did it become necessar
y that Jesus the Christ should come? These places did not practise the injunctio
ns of God, which necessitated the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ. As such, Chri
st came to destroy all of them, and made the worship, and dwelling place of God
in the bodies of human beings.
If any person builds a house or cathedral, and calls it the house of God, he is
telling lies, for God dwells in man. This is why it is said:
The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Chris
t: and he shall reign forever and ever. (Revelation Chapter 11 verse 15).
Now, the dwelling place of God is now with us, and He shall dwell with us foreve
r.
At John Chapter 4 verse 21, Our Lord Jesus Christ first told the Samaritan woman
, a time will come when the Father will neither be worshipped in the mountain no
r at Jerusalem, but that the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit
and in truth. At John Chapter 14 verse 26, He also promised us, at the appointe
d time, the Comforter will come to teach everyone, on how to worship God in spir
it and in truth. By that time the Comforter, even the Spirit of truth had not co
me, and everyone worshipped God in the flesh. However, now that He has arrived,
we have to worship Him in our bodies, not in a house, mountain, Riverside or for
est.
Now, the New Jerusalem is being built. Brothers Etop, Essah, Akwang, Etuk and ot
hers are putting in their efforts to see its completion. In it, we shall stay to
enjoy feast, and sing praises to God, but His real house is your body. And when
ever you undergo three days dry fasting, it is properly swept and kept clean for
God to habituate. This is why members try by all means to participate in the ex
ercise. Whoever fails to observe the dry fasting, has himself to blame.
See the Golden Text Below:
GOLDEN TEXT: MATTHEW Chapter 12 verse 40
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the
Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
FASTING PURIFIES THE FLESH:
When the disciples of John the Baptist asked Our Lord Jesus Christ why His disci
ples do not fast; whereas they and the Pharisees do, He told them, the children
of the bridegroom cannot mourn when the bridegroom is still with them. He also a
ssured them, once the bridegroom is taken away from them, then the children will
start fasting. (Read Matthew Chapter 9 verses 15 and 16 for clarification). Acc
ordingly, whoever is in the flesh cannot fast. As such, the Holy Spirit, cannot
indwell the "house." Then will Satan, the evil spirit come in, and exist therein
. Once the evil spirit indwells you, you cannot worship God in Spirit and in tru
th. However, now the Holy Spirit, even the Father, has come to indwell in His "h
ouse;" you have to fast, so that the house may be the essence of the seventy-two
hours dry fasting.
Our Lord Jesus the Christ said through Brother Paul:
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the
Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned lik
e unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to su
bdue all things unto himself. (Philippians Chapter 3 verses 20 and 21).
Everybody has been changed, but no one knows they are changed, and to what exten
t. Being change therefore, you are not wearing the old weak body anymore. You ar
e now clothed with power and life. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself bore witness of
this fact when He said:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do sha
ll he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Fa
ther. (John Chapter 14 verse 12).
Have you not seen the work which is greater than all the works done by Christ. T
he entire world is a witness to the great works done by Christ. The Father has c
ome as a thief in the midnight, so the worldly kings and so-called wise men are
dumbfounded and mesmerized. For the fact, the Holy Spirit is here with us, we ha
ve no importance attached to houses, cars, wealth, food or money, but what is im
portant to us is the new Kingdom of God. The good news of the kingdom should be
spread to all parts of the universe. We have to reveal the kingdom to all creati
on. The New Kingdom has now been revealed to the entire world.
Just as Jonah stayed in the whale's belly three days and nights, so did Our Lord
Jesus Christ remain in the heart of the earth for three days and nights. Likewi
se, Brotherhood of the Cross and Star fast for three days and three nights, with
out eating, drinking, bathing or brushing of teeth.
Therefore, all those who participate in the dry fasting are followers of Christ,
and have crucified the flesh with all its lusts and passion on the cross. They
have forsaken all types of carnalities and welcome the Holy Spirit.
Galatians Chapter 5 verse 24 states: "And they that are Christ's have crucified
the flesh with the affections and lusts."
One can only crucify the flesh through fasting. Whether the world likes it or no
t, the flesh must be crucified to allow the spirit to take dominion.
Even as Jonah and Jesus the Christ spent seventy-two hours each at that state of
temporary death, all humanity have to die with Christ for seventy-two hours, an
d also resurrect with Him.
If we die with Him, we shall resurrect, and be saved.
During these fasts, all the choristers in the universe in all planes, spirituall
y and physically are here together, and sing melodious songs to the Holy Spirit.
They should stay throughout the period to rejoice with God. Very soon, people w
ill be coming from all parts of the world to stay with the Father, and participa
te in this seventy-two hours of dry fasting, and those who were with various ill
nesses will be made whole.
May God bless His Holy Words. Amen.
THANK YOU FATHER.