MFM Mountain Top Life Daily Devotional 3 June 2019 By Dr. D.K Olukoya – Prayer and Fasting
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TOPIC: Prayer and Fasting (Mountain Of Fire and Miracle Ministries, MFM Daily Devotional 3 June 2019)
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 19-20; John 13:21-38
FIRE SCRIPTURE: Matthew 17:14-21
MEMORY VERSE:“As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted… And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”- Acts 13:2a-3
The MESSAGE:
Fasting for Christians is an essential weapon for subduing the flesh by denying the body pleasures for certain stipulated duration of time in order to achieve effectiveness in prayer. Flesh, which is the fallen nature in man, tends to hinder the spirit but through fasting, the flesh is rendered impotent while the spirit gains ascendancy (Galatians 5:16-17). Fasting can take the form of total abstinence from food, water, etc for certain days. In the normal fasting, a person fasts for few hours at a time. Fasting must be combined with prayers because fasting without prayers is hunger strike. A true child of God cannot live a successful Christian life without fasting. Fasting empowers prayer and makes it formidable. In our Fire Scripture (Matthew 17:21), the Lord makes it clear to all His disciples that some kinds of problems will not give way except by prayer and fasting. Jesus Christ Himself fasted and prayed for forty days and forty nights before He began His ministry (Luke 4:2), demonstrating to us the importance of fasting and prayer. King Jehoshaphat proclaimed fasting and prayer for three days with his people to seek help from God against the enemies who came to fight the people of Judah and Jerusalem. Paul the apostle fasted three days and prayed night and day (Acts 9:9-11). In Acts 13:3, prophets and teachers in the Antioch church fasted and prayed before they sent Paul and Barnabas away for missionary work.
In the Old Testament, Moses fasted forty days and forty nights twice (Exodus 24:18; 34:28). Elijah fasted forty days and forty nights (1 Kings 19:8). In Matthew 6:17 the Lord Jesus said, “But thou, when thou fastest…” Jesus did not say ‘if’ which is conditional, He said ‘when’ which implies certainty of fasting and prayer. As Christians, we are expected to fast and pray in order to demonstrate the power of God, exercise our authority in Christ by resisting the devil and subduing his onslaught. Our victory is sure when we utilise the weapons of fasting and prayer to confront seemingly insurmountable challenges in our lives. Prayer is talking and communicating with God. Prayer is an indispensable weapon for confronting negative situations and taking charge of affairs surrounding human life. Prayer is a means of calling for God’s intervention in human needs. Through prayer, satan and his cohorts are defeated and God takes glory. Christians are commanded to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Fasting empowers prayer and makes it formidable and Christians are expected to fast and pray. May the good LORD give you the grace to fast and pray, in Jesus’ name.
MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE:
THE FLIGHT OF THE ENEMY DEPENDS ON THE RESISTANCE OF A CHRISTIAN.
PROPHETIC WORD:
The sword of fire of the Lord shall scatter the camp of your enemy right now.
PRAYER POINTS:
MORNING
- Power to fast and pray and to conquer, fall upon my life, in the name of Jesus.
- With the weapon of God in my hand, I recover all my stolen blessings, in the name of Jesus.
- Anything in my life, hindering me from fasting and praying, die, in the name of Jesus.
EVENING - O Lord my Father, help me to overcome the enemy within, in the name of Jesus.
- My sleeping giant, come alive, in the name of Jesus.
- O Lord, arise and advertise Your glory in my life, in the name of Jesus.
- Authority of darkness over my fasting and prayer life, be defeated, in the name of Jesus.
MOUNTAIN TOP LIFE is a daily devotional by Dr. D.K Olukoya (General Overseer, Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries, Worldwide)