Making the Most of our Walk with God Part 2

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Making the Most of our Walk with GodPart 2

• The Power of Prayer Fasting

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• Mark 218-20
• Johns disciples and the Pharisees were going
  without eating. Some disciples came to Jesus.
  They said to him, Johns disciples are fasting.
  The disciples of the Pharisees are also fasting.
  But your disciples are not. Why arent they?

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• Jesus answered, How can the guests of the groom
  go without eating while he is with them? They
  will not fast as long as he is with them. But
  the time will come when the groom will be taken
  away from them. On that day they will go without
  eating.

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• Matthew 1714-21
• When they came to the crowd, a man approached
  Jesus and knelt before him. Lord, have mercy on
  my son, he said. He has seizures and is
  suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire
  or into the water. I brought him to your
  disciples, but they could not heal him.

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• O unbelieving and perverse generation, Jesus
  replied, how long shall I stay with you? How
  long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here
  to me. Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out
  of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.
  Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and
  asked, Why couldnt we drive it out?

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• He replied, Because you have so little faith.
  I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small
  as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain,
  Move from here to there and it will move.
  Nothing will be impossible for you.
• 21 But this kind does not go out except by
  prayer and fasting.

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An unmet need

• V16 I brought him to your disciples, but they
  could not heal him.

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An unanswered question

• V19 Why couldnt we drive it out?

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An unexpected reply

• V20-21 He replied, Because you have so little
  faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith
  as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this
  mountain, Move from here to there and it will
  move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
• 21 But this kind does not go out except by
  prayer and fasting.

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• Mark 929 This kind can come out by nothing but
  prayer and fasting.
• Godly prayer, with fasting,
• releases breakthrough spiritual power.

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Why is fasting so productive in releasing
spiritual power?

• It reminds us of our humanity
• It humbles us
• It is a sign of our desire

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• Godly prayer, with fasting,
• releases breakthrough
• spiritual power

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• Matthew 616-18
• When you fast, do not look sombre as the
  hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to
  show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth,
  they have received their reward in full. But
  when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your
  face, so that it will not be obvious to men that
  you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is
  unseen and your Father, who sees what is done in
  secret, will reward you.

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• Fasting is not about an outward show but an
  inward desire to connect with God.
• Fasting should be coupled with fervent prayer.

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• Godly prayer, with fasting,
• releases breakthrough
• spiritual power.