WE ARE GOING HIGHER: FASTING.
HYMN 20: NEARER MY GOD TO THEE.
1. Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.
o Refrain:
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
2. Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
Darkness be over me, my rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God, to Thee.
3. There let the way appear, steps unto Heav’n;
All that Thou sendest me, in mercy giv’n;
Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee.
4. Then, with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee.
5. Or, if on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I’ll fly,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.
6. There in my Father’s home, safe and at rest,
There in my Savior’s love, perfectly blest;
Age after age to be nearer, my God, to Thee.
MEMORISE:
In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 2 Corinthians 11:27
READ: Mark 9:14 - 29
14 And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.
15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.
16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?
17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;
18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.
19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.
20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.
21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.
27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.
28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
MESSAGE
Fasting is highly underrated in this generation, whereas we need it now more than ever. If you used to fast once a month before, its time to increase it because we are in perilous times and it will take great strength to remain standing (Proverbs 24:10). When Jesus had to cast out a particular demon that the disciples had not been able to, He explained to them that:
“ Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:21
Those who fast a lot see their decrees come to pass speedily. Elisha – a biblical personality with tremendous anointing, was almost always on the mountain. In 2 Kings 4:25, the Shunammite woman found him on Mount Carmel. In 2 King 6:15-17, when the king sent an army to arrest him, he was on a mountain. When fifty soldiers with their captain went to arrest him in 2 Kings 1:9-10, they found him on the mountain, yet could not go up; they had to ask him to come down.
The word “mountain” in this context refers to fasting. There is a level of fasting you get to where the enemies cannot reach you; that is the point I want you to get to this season. Jesus, during His earthly ministry, fasted forty days and forty nights. If indeed you want to do greater works than Jesus did, you must be ready to fast more than He. When Jesus was on earth, He said His disciples did not need to fast, but that after He left, then they would (Mark 2:19-20). Now He has gone, so we must fast.
If you have not been fasting before, start; take it one day at a time and if you feel hungry before the time before the time to break, go and pray. As you pray, the hungry pangs will cease. Also, when fasting, avoid talking so much as it weakens the body more quickly.
Fasting will kill your flesh and awaken your spirit. It will bring you closer to God. Also ensure you break your fast with healthy meals and eat in moderation. You will discover that your thinking will be sharpened as your body will become healthier and your brain will even become more efficient.
KEY POINT:
Increase your fasting to reach greater spiritual heights.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Kings 14
2 Chronicles 25
