Soul Food
Soul Food
The Fast of Daniel: Filling the Spiritual Void (Day 17)
Ever felt a hollow void inside, even when everything seems perfect on the outside? In this episode of the Soul Food Podcast, discover how spiritual nourishment can fill that emptiness and offer a sense of purpose. We'll delve into the transformative power of the Fast of Daniel, a 21-day spiritual detox designed to draw you closer to God by eliminating worldly distractions. Learn how this practice can help you receive the Holy Spirit, empowering you to overcome temptations just as Jesus did during his time in the wilderness.
You'll be moved by Joe's compelling testimony, a man who was once trapped in addiction and emptiness but found profound change through the Holy Spirit. Hear about his journey from a life of suffering to one filled with purpose and fulfillment. If you're battling temptations or seeking a deeper connection with God, this episode offers valuable insights and inspiration to fortify your spiritual walk. Don't let your soul remain hungry—tune in for some enriching soul food.
Mmm, what's cooking up in the kitchen? Am I smelling that soul food?
Speaker 2:Oh yes, it is soul food, the spiritual food for your spiritual nourishment. And you know what? This food will never expire.
Speaker 1:Never expire. I need this food every day.
Speaker 2:You are listening to these spiritual-based podcasts. There are many podcasts, but this one here is to satisfy your soul, to feed your spiritual hunger. Are you hungry for God? Don't let your soul be hungry, no matter where you are. Whatever you are doing now, at work, home or on the go, you can still listen here and right now, the Soul Food Podcast. Don't let ever your soul to go hungry.
Speaker 1:It's time for some soul food.
Speaker 3:He who has the Spirit of God has everything. He has his own light, unlike the earth or the moon, which depend on the light from the sun. He's also a source of light for those who live in darkness. The Holy Spirit is his partner at all times. He is a friend. He is God, the Father, with us. He is Savior, he is a helper. For it is written I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. Fast of Daniel. From September 22nd to October 13th, 21 days, pleasing God to receive the Holy Spirit. For more information about the Fast of Daniel, come to a universal church near you.
Speaker 2:The fasting of Daniel is a spiritual detox. It is when a person separates himself from the world to be closer to God. You know, when Jesus was baptized in water, he received the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit took him to the wilderness, to the desert. Why not to the city? Why not to the paradise, like Adam?
Speaker 4:and Eve. When he was taken to the desert, bishop, it was precisely because he had the Holy Spirit, and now it was time to prove that the Holy Spirit was inside of him. The Holy Spirit, the presence of God, took him to the desert, and that's where the devil tempted him. That was the first temptation. Yes, that's where the devil brought to him the first temptation. He was detoxing himself.
Speaker 2:Why do people surrender to temptation? Why do people give him?
Speaker 4:Because they lack the Holy Spirit inside of them. Correct?
Speaker 2:When you have the Holy Spirit, you don't surrender, you don't give in. Temptation comes to everybody. You just said that temptation came to Jesus. Right, yes, the Son of the God Most High, if temptation came to Jesus, imagine it to me, to you and to anybody. However, one that is tempted with the Holy Spirit, he overcomes his sinfulness, his desire, his flesh, because the Spirit is stronger. But without the Holy Spirit, when temptations come, people just give in, they just surrender yes, they always use that excuse that the flesh is weak.
Speaker 4:But I was actually speaking to the inmates today and I told them that many use that excuse the flesh is weak, but when you have the holy spirit, the spirit is stronger than the flesh. So that keeps you from falling, that keeps you from giving up, that stops you from falling in temptation when it comes against you, as it comes to everybody, fine.
Speaker 2:You are saying I understand what you are discussing, talking about, but who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God Himself. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God Himself. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God that comes upon you To explain you better. We are going to listen to the story of Job. He was one Joe without the Holy Spirit and he became another man with the Holy Spirit. We are doing the 21-day fast of Daniel at every universal church. You shall have the same experience Joe had.
Speaker 5:My name is Joe and before I received the Holy Spirit, my life was a life of a deep void. I was suffering from different types of addictions. I was addicted to tobacco and cigarettes. Chewing tobacco I did for many years, many years. I was addicted to pornography. I was addicted to sex and always seeking that promiscuous relationship, just pleasing the flesh day in, day out, and I was looking for that fulfillment and it was never fulfilled. It was always just an empty void and deep inside me as well, I had a lot of anger, a lot of grudges.
Speaker 5:I was a grudge against different family members. We had different family tragedies in the past that I was still holding on to and very negative about, and all those were pretty much consuming my life. And it wasn't until I met a woman who became a boyfriend and girlfriend and then husband and wife, but she brought me to the church. So, going through the church, I started doing chains of prayer and I would come throughout the week and I would come Fridays to fight against my addictions, to fight against addiction to the tobacco addiction, to the pornography addiction, to the sex addiction, to overcome the anger, the darkness that was inside me. I fought it and I fought it and I overcame and I continued my chains of prayer. I overcame, but it wasn't I was cleansed of it. But it wasn't just enough to be cleansed. I needed to be filled with the presence of God. And as I was coming on Wednesdays, I started learning about the Holy Spirit and learning what it means to have the Holy Spirit, what it means to have that communion with God, to be connected to God. And so I continued and it was through this time that the fast of Daniel came and I separated myself from the world.
Speaker 5:For me, my biggest thing was I love reading news. I love reading what's going on in the world. I love reading books. I love reading news, websites, everything, current events, and so in social media at the time, social media was a big thing for me too, so I would disconnect myself from all of it, from everything, and focus on God, focusing on building my community with God. I would read his, I read the Bible every day. I wouldn't watch TV every time.
Speaker 5:I sat down and be reading the Bible out fast, I would seek the Holy Spirit. We were actually doing vigils at that time. You sat down to be reading the Bible. I would fast, I would seek the Holy Spirit. We were actually doing vigils at that time. We were coming to the church at 3 o'clock in the morning doing prayer, vigils to seek the Holy Spirit, and we live an hour away from the church, so 3 o'clock in the morning coming in, I was sacrificing a lot, and I was sacrificing a lot because I realized I had to let go of myself and sacrifice myself, my wills, my desires for God in order to be filled with this Holy Spirit.
Speaker 5:And it was at this time that I received the Holy Spirit. I received strength, I received courage, it was peace, it was joy. It was an experience that I'd never experienced before and it was God giving me the assurance that I was filled with the Holy Spirit and I went forth very strong. And it's been such a great blessing to have that communion with God always, because things in life happen, but it's through having the Holy Spirit that we're able to overcome, overcome the trials, overcome tribulations that come, the wildernesses that come our way. And I encourage you to take part in this Fest of Daniel to see the transformation in your life, to experience the same experience I did with the Holy Spirit.
Speaker 2:The Holy Spirit is God himself living inside of us. As he said. I recommend the fasting of Daniel to seek the Holy Spirit. Let us put our hands together, let us pray, let us talk to God. This is now the moment of the prayer.
Speaker 3:This is now the moment of the prayer.
Speaker 2:Join us now with Bishop Berra for the special prayer to please the Holy Spirit, the Almighty God of the Bible. I come to your presence right now on behalf of thousands and millions of people praying with us, all over Houston, all over Texas, all over USA and abroad. All over USA and abroad. Jesus, this person needs your thoughts, this person that feels depressed, oppressed by so many problems, trials, setbacks. Maybe this person, my Lord, carries inside the traumas of the past. Inside this person carries the anguish of the past. Inside this person carries the anguish of the past, and the worst problem is that she doesn't know what to do anymore. She has been trying medications, pills, clinics. This person has been all over the places to no avail. She has been suffering from this low self-esteem, lack of motivation, self-accusation. She feels guilty. Lord, enter this body right now. What medications pastors, preachers, doctors cannot do, you can do. Because you are God, I pray for this person that is right now watching me or even driving, listen to the radio. Lord, wherever this person is, I ask you enter his life, exchange now, remove the spirit of depression and pour your spirit right now upon this person. Wherever you are, please close your eyes and receive peace. Peace from the Lord. If you are dry. You can't close your eyes, but receive peace inside of your car. God is a spirit, he is here with me and he's over there with you. Receive peace, receive the presence of God inside of you Right now. Breathe, breathe in and out. Amen. God has blessed you. God has given you all the tools throughout the show, testimonies, words of faith for you to overcome. However, my friend, there are many things that only you can do. Nobody else only you can do. If I do my part, god will do His.
Speaker 2:The Universal Church is a non-stop ministry. We are open. If I do my part, God will do His. The Universal Church is a non-stop ministry. We are open every single day, from Monday to Sunday. Every Friday is a day for deliverance, for you to be free once and for all, and this Sunday we are going to have this special service, seeking the Holy Spirit. You are our special guest. My address is 7075 Southwest Freeway, between Beléia and Hillcroft. You are all welcome. Tomorrow I will be back. God bless you.
Speaker 5:Have a good one. I'm glad I have to hold in my hand the pearl.
Speaker 1:Nothing. I have can compare with the prize when I hold in my hand, the pearl. Thank you for listening in. That's all the soul food we have to share today. Stay tuned to the next episode on soul food and keep your notifications on. Share each episode with your friends and family to feed their souls. Give the food that lasts forever.