SACRIFICE: A KEY TO GOD'S PRESENCE

28 SO HE [Moses] WAS THERE WITH THE LORD FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.
29 NOW IT WAS SO, WHEN MOSES CAME DOWN FROM MOUNT SINAI (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’ hand when he came down from the mountain), THAT MOSES DID NOT KNOW THAT THE SKIN OF HIS FACE SHONE WHILE HE TALKED WITH HIM [God].
30 SO WHEN AARON AND ALL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SAW MOSES, behold, THE SKIN OF HIS FACE SHONE, AND THEY WERE AFRAID TO COME NEAR HIM."
Exodus 34:28–30 (NKJV)

14 AND HE [God] SAID, “MY PRESENCE WILL GO WITH YOU, and I will give you rest.”
15 THEN HE [Moses] SAID TO HIM, “IF YOUR PRESENCE DOES NOT GO WITH US, DO NOT BRING US UP FROM HERE."
Exodus 33:14–15 (NKJV)

• There are things that give delights to mankind. However, If you can deny yourself some of such things in order to please God or seek His face; you would not lose the reward. Some of such things are food, money, and sexual activities.

• These three things; engaging in sex, eating good food, and the making of more money give delight and satisfaction to an average man.
• If you truly want to fast, seek the face of God, and touch heaven; your fasting had to cost you these three things.
• God appreciates any sacrifice made with a good heart and intent, and fasting is a sacrifice. Every sacrifice attracts rewards in the realm of the spirit.

I. About fasting: when you are fasting; you would have to abstain from food. Fasting is in various forms or types, depending on the type of fasting you wanted to observe:
a. Abstaining from food could be from morning till evening.
b. It could be for 24 hours, that is, the food you ate last night would be the one with you till tomorrow. The whole of today, there would be no food till tomorrow morning.
c. This B type could be extended beyond 24 hours; It could be for three days, seven days, fourteen days, twenty-one days, or more. Moses had it for forty days (Exodus 34:28).
Note: we have the record that Moses did not take water during the forty days of fasting, but the food nutritionists do advice that after three days water should be taken—about three liters in a day.

II. It is not enough to abstain from food, stay away from your spouse—abstain from sex also: "HE [Moses] TOLD THEM, “GET READY FOR THE THIRD DAY, AND UNTIL THEN ABSTAIN FROM HAVING SEXUAL INTERCOURSE [do not come near your wives]" " (Exodus 19:15 NLT).

• It was after these steps that God visited the Israelites, He descended on Mount Sinai:
  16 THEN IT CAME TO PASS ON THE THIRD DAY, IN THE MORNING, THAT THERE WERE THUNDERINGS AND LIGHTNINGS, AND A THICK CLOUD ON THE MOUNTAIN; AND THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET WAS VERY LOUD, SO THAT ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THE CAMP TREMBLED. 17 AND MOSES BROUGHT THE PEOPLE OUT OF THE CAMP TO MEET WITH GOD, AND THEY STOOD AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNTAIN. 18 NOW MOUNT SINAI WAS COMPLETELY IN SMOKE, BECAUSE THE LORD DESCENDED UPON IT IN FIRE. ITS SMOKE ASCENDED LIKE THE SMOKE OF A FURNACE, AND THE WHOLE MOUNTAIN QUAKED GREATLY. 19 And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, MOSES SPOKE, AND GOD ANSWERED HIM BY VOICE. 20 THEN THE LORD CAME DOWN UPON MOUNT SINAI, ON THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN. AND THE LORD CALLED MOSES TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN, AND MOSES WENT UP" (Exodus 19:16-20 NKJV).

III. You should also strive or endeavour to part with a seed that is substantial—sow a financial seed that touches the heart of God (1 Kings 3:4,5).
One of the keys to open heaven is seed sowing—Giving of your substance to God; His work, His ministers, and the Needy—money or other material things (Luke 8:1-3; 2 Corinthians 9:6,7; Philippians 4:15-19).

• Some who wanted to deceive themselves would claim to be fasting but still be having affairs with their spouses. Whoever is doing that is a joker, he actually does not know what he is doing.

• The presence of God makes a difference in a believer's life (Exodus 33:15), and for you to have or carry God's presence; you have to pay a price.
• Note:
  a. One of the forms or signs of God's presence is fire: "ALL OF MOUNT SINAI WAS COVERED WITH SMOKE BECAUSE THE LORD HAD DESCENDED ON IT IN THE FORM OF FIRE. THE SMOKE BILLOWED INTO THE SKY LIKE SMOKE FROM A BRICK KILN, AND THE WHOLE MOUNTAIN SHOOK VIOLENTLY" (Exodus 19:18 NLT).
  b. Another form of it is smoke and earthquake.
  c. Whilst another is thunder and wind.

• Purity is the price for God's presence:
15 BUT AS HE WHO CALLED YOU IS HOLY, YOU ALSO BE HOLY IN ALL YOUR CONDUCT, 16 BECAUSE IT IS WRITTEN, “BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY" " (1 Peter 1:15,16 NKJV).

• Whoever would stand before God and carry His presence must be pure (2 Timothy 2:22).
• God would not condone who do not reverence His presence, someone who toils with sin. As you move higher and closer to God, in the ladder of leadership; God would not condone or blink at sin at all.
• Whoever goes before God regularly must be holy—they purify themselves, they do not appear before Him casually.
• Thus, purify yourself; separate and consecrate yourself, set yourself apart that you might be a vessel of honour in God's hand (2 Timothy 2:19-21).
• Endeavour to pay the needed price, the sacrifice for God's presence to be in your life and ministry.

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.

• Whatever is not planted in your body that is working against your health and wellness is cursed and completely uprooted in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
• The hold is totally broken and never would it rise again in Jesus' mighty name.
  Peace!

STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. As you took the steps A and B your name is written in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

• If you took the steps As highlighted above, congratulations, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!