Matthew 17:14-21, "...A man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, 'Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.' ... And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, 'Why could we not cast it out?' So Jesus said to them, 'Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, "Move from 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.'"
What is the implication of what Jesus is saying here? The picture is that the disciples were not able to cast out the demon – not able to set the person free.
Why was that?
Jesus makes it clear here that this person could not be freed except through fasting and prayer – also connecting this activity to that activation of faith in the heart. A price had to be paid for faith to be activated in their hearts. There is another clue. Jesus was able to cast out the demon. The implications of what Jesus said are that He Himself was living a lifestyle of fasting and prayer – therefore He was able to deliver the person.
Matthew 6:31 - "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?"
IN ORDER TO NOT TAKE THOUGHT ABOUT ONE THING, ONE HAS TO FILL HIS THOUGHTS WITH SOMETHING ELSE. IN VERSE 31, JESUS GAVE US THE BASIC KEY TO CONTROLLING OUR THOUGHT LIVES. HE SAID "TAKE NO THOUGHT - SAYING."
BY PUTTING A THOUGHT IN OUR MOUTH AND THEN SPEAKING IT, WE TAKE THAT THOUGHT. ONCE THE THOUGHT BECOMES SPOKEN WORDS, IT HAS BEEN ACTIVATED - ESPECIALLY WHEN A BORN AGAIN BELIEVER TAKES A THOUGHT AND SAYS IT. WE ARE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. WE HAVE THE GOD GIVEN RIGHT TO SPEAK AND EXPECT.
Revelation 3:17 - "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked."
Affirmations:
I AM A "NEW WINESKIN," CLEANSED, EMPTIED AND CAPABLE OF EXPANDING WITH THE NEW WINE. MY HEART IS A CONTAINER INTO WHICH THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS POURED.
I SWELL WITH CHRIST'S INNER FULLNESS. THE PURPOSE OF MY LIFE IS TO CONTAIN THE FRUIT AND POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
I AM DESPERATE IN MY SEARCH AND HUNGER FOR GOD!
Galatians 4:19 - "My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you."
ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
http://afministry.ning.com
What is the implication of what Jesus is saying here? The picture is that the disciples were not able to cast out the demon – not able to set the person free.
Why was that?
Jesus makes it clear here that this person could not be freed except through fasting and prayer – also connecting this activity to that activation of faith in the heart. A price had to be paid for faith to be activated in their hearts. There is another clue. Jesus was able to cast out the demon. The implications of what Jesus said are that He Himself was living a lifestyle of fasting and prayer – therefore He was able to deliver the person.
Matthew 6:31 - "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?"
IN ORDER TO NOT TAKE THOUGHT ABOUT ONE THING, ONE HAS TO FILL HIS THOUGHTS WITH SOMETHING ELSE. IN VERSE 31, JESUS GAVE US THE BASIC KEY TO CONTROLLING OUR THOUGHT LIVES. HE SAID "TAKE NO THOUGHT - SAYING."
BY PUTTING A THOUGHT IN OUR MOUTH AND THEN SPEAKING IT, WE TAKE THAT THOUGHT. ONCE THE THOUGHT BECOMES SPOKEN WORDS, IT HAS BEEN ACTIVATED - ESPECIALLY WHEN A BORN AGAIN BELIEVER TAKES A THOUGHT AND SAYS IT. WE ARE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. WE HAVE THE GOD GIVEN RIGHT TO SPEAK AND EXPECT.
Revelation 3:17 - "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked."
Affirmations:
I AM A "NEW WINESKIN," CLEANSED, EMPTIED AND CAPABLE OF EXPANDING WITH THE NEW WINE. MY HEART IS A CONTAINER INTO WHICH THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS POURED.
I SWELL WITH CHRIST'S INNER FULLNESS. THE PURPOSE OF MY LIFE IS TO CONTAIN THE FRUIT AND POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
I AM DESPERATE IN MY SEARCH AND HUNGER FOR GOD!
Galatians 4:19 - "My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you."
ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
http://afministry.ning.com
