An Unmet Need

v16. “I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him“

Jesus is the Master of the Unmet Need

v17,18. “And Jesus answered and said, "You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to me."  And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured at once”

An Unanswered Question

v19 “Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not drive it out?”

An Unexpected Reply

V20 “And He said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you” (NIV)

“And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you” (KJV)

The Missing Truth

v20,21 “And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for assuredly I say unto you, If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, move here to there; and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you”

However this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting (NKJV)

What is Jesus saying?

Jesus is saying, “Hey, you don’t have faith, you only need a little bit of that faith of yours and you can move mountains - let me encourage you. Don’t doubt the power of faith in God for a moment. HOWEVER (I’m going to let you in on a little tip), this kind of demonic problem does not go out EXCEPT BY PRAYER AND FASTING.”

In other words...

Intense prayer, with fasting, releases breakthrough spiritual power.

Prayer is powerful

• More Prayer - More Power
• Less Prayer - Less Power
• No Prayer - No Power

And why is fasting so productive in releasing spiritual power?

I don’t have the full answer to that, but the Word of God teaches it is so

Fasting as vital in prayer because of 3 things:

• Fasting reminds us of our humanity
• Fasting humbles us
• Fasting is a sign of our faith

How do we approach fasting?

Fasting must not be as the hypocrites

Matthew 6:16 “Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.”

Fasting should be in secret

Matthew 6:16 “So that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly.

Except in corporate or church prayer & fasting

Fasting in the bible is always coupled with fervent prayer.

There is no spiritual value in hunger alone! DIETING IS NOT FASTING!

The Challenge

In this day we have great need of His power in our lives, in our church, in our families.

Do you feel dry, spiritually?

Powerless against the world and the enemy?

In need of renewal?

Jesus means for us to fast and pray

Let us Fast and Pray