04-07-24 Fasting and Prayer

The transcription discusses the topic of fasting in the context of religious practices. It mentions that fasting can be done for various reasons, including religious purposes, distress, grief, or repentance. The synoptic Gospels mention several instances of fasting, such as Anna, John the Baptist, and his disciples, the Pharisees, and Jesus himself fasting. The passage also highlights the importance of motive in fasting, emphasizing that it should not be done for show or to seek admiration from others. Jesus encourages his disciples to fast in secret, as God will reward them for their sincere devotion. The transcription also touches on the concept of fasting for health purposes, noting that while it may benefit the physical body, it does not have the same spiritual significance as fasting for religious reasons. Overall, the discussion emphasizes the importance of fasting as a spiritual discipline and the need for genuine motives in practicing it. Okay we want to welcome everyone to Disciples Ignited weekly Bible study. We are now on studying from the booklet His Name is Jesus which is edited by Jack Hayford and we are now on page 90. We're on page 102 at the top we're starting on fasting. All right on fasting. Fasting is going without water or drink voluntarily generally for religious purposes. Fasting however could also be done for other reasons. It was sometimes done as a sign of distress, grief, or repentance. Prayer is to accompany fasting. In the synoptics which of course the synoptics are speaking of the first three Gospels Matthew, Mark, and Luke. So in the synoptics we find Anna, John the Baptist, and his disciples the Pharisees and Jesus fasting. Carol why don't you read Luke 2.37 which speaks about the fasting of Anna. Okay Anna a prophet was also there in the temple. She was the daughter of Penuel from the tribe of Asher and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. Then she lived as a widow to the age of 84. She never left the temple but stayed there day and night worshiping God with fasting and prayer. Okay now John the Baptist and his disciples fasted. Jerry why don't you look up Mark 2 verse 18. Jesus questioned about fasting. Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus how is it that John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting but yours are not? Jesus answered how can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot so long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken away will be taken from them and on that day they will fast. Okay so that reveals to it what does it show us Carol that how the disciples of Jesus lived when he was there. He wasn't fasting but it says that John the Baptist were and even the Pharisees were practicing fasting and it also shows that the disciples when they were with Jesus they weren't fasting. Right right. Okay but then he says that they will be fasting after he leaves. Yeah okay the Pharisees Matthew 9 14 I'll read that. Then John's disciples came and asked him how is it that we and the Pharisees fast often but your disciples do not fast? And then Jesus in Matthew 4 2 read that. Matthew 4 2 for 40 days and 40 nights he fasted and became very hungry. Okay so while in that passage where it talks about the disciples of Jesus they weren't fasting but Jesus did fast. In fact he was the one that physically fasted for 40 days and it says just like Moses. Moses went up to the mount and without food or water which we which from what I have read that's physically impossible to go without water for that long. So that was that was a miraculous feat that so Jesus fasted the disciples were going to fast when Jesus had left the Pharisees fasted. So we see that fasting as far as in the Pharisees fasting in their lives was just a religious ritual. It was like a religious observation. That means that you can fast and just be religious. Right. And that's not really accomplishing anything. That's kind of like Lent that the Catholics and some other denominations they tried to fast something so many days before you know Good Friday or the Palm Sunday and all that up to Good Friday. And what was their tradition? Well they say you're dedicating yourself to the Lord you were denying yourself something because Jesus you know had denied himself. Now there are two basic conditions. There's two basic different types of fasting. There is what we would call religious fasting and then there is just fasting for health. It's a really big thing nowadays you know for periodic fasting you know to cleanse your system. But people that are doing that that might bring benefit to your physical body and I believe that it would do so. But yet that's not doing anything for your soul. The purpose of fasting for religious purposes is that that time that you would be eating preparing food eating you are instead doing what? You're praying. You're praying. You're seeking the Lord. You're dedicating that time to the Lord specifically where you're seeking him in his words. You're seeking him in prayer. You're meditating on his words. You're contemplating his words, his presence. So it's all about focusing in on Jesus in those times. Now the thing is is when you're fasting you're hungry. And so that means that you are denying your flesh in order to feed, allow the Holy Spirit to feed your spirit in a renewed powerful way. All right so let's get into this. Well we're supposed to read Matthew 6.16 I've got that. Okay for Jesus it is a given that his disciples will practice this discipline. Yeah so Jesus is confirming that there is fasting and when you fast so he says yeah you are going to be fasting don't make it obvious as the hypocrites do but they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth that is the only reward they will ever get. So Jesus definitely believed in fasting. Ah but what does that tell us? That if you fast to be acknowledged by man that that is your reward. But what does it tell us? That you are rewarded by God for fasting for the right reasons and fasting in secret. It's not like you're publishing it. It's like you're doing it in private but this tells us that the Lord will reward you for this. However with other spiritual disciplines he must give careful instruction. Okay so let's talk about motive and fasting. Carol why don't you take that. Okay Jesus's final teaching in his triad on proper kingdom motives for religious disciplines. So somebody needs to read Matthew 6.1 through 18. Get down. Matthew 6.1 be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do you will have no reward from your father in heaven. So when you give to the needy do not announce it with trumpets as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets to be honored by others. Truly I tell you they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your giving may be in secret. Then your father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. Okay so let me. So basically he's saying when you do practice these things it's not for it to be a show to people. Right. Correct. You can't think of yourself that I'm more religious, I'm more spiritual because I'm praying, I'm fasting, I'm giving. They're spiritual disciplines to be done just between you and the Lord. And then in the latter part of that chapter or the middle part in 16 through 18. When you fast do not look sober as the hypocrites do for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you they have received their reward in full. But when you fast put oil on your head and wash your face so that it won't be obvious to others 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. Okay. As with acts of mercy or kindness and prayer, so with fasting the disciples' motives is of paramount importance. And you just did read 6 through 18 and note the following. What is Jesus's prohibition to his disciples? Verse 16. Don't go out looking disheveled, looking you know like you feel miserable, looking gone, you know. Just fix yourself up when you go out so that people aren't going to say oh you must be fasting. Right. Oh you know what this also like if they wore special garments or whatever to show you know that that's immediately I thought of people that were in mourning they would put on sackcloth and ashes. Right. He said don't do that. Not at least for this sake. Right. You know because that already shows people what you're up to. And so you just go out like you're dressed for the day like a normal day but you and the father have something in secret. You are seeking him in fasting and in prayer. Well I think if the Lord were to lead you to say have sackcloth and things like that it would be a private thing between you and the Lord. Or you know there have been prayer meetings in the past especially Haitian prayer meetings where they felt led to have sackcloth so everybody would bring a sack like you know like a potato sack a rice sack and we would put them down the floor and we would get in our faces before the Lord and seek the Lord. So that was a corporate thing but we weren't doing it as a show-off you know. Obviously these people at times must have been taking something out kind of like you know some other religions have different ways of doing their prayers to where they're making a show of them you know. And so I guess the Lord doesn't want to show. He really wants it to be sincere between him and you. Humble. Humble. Right. Okay so we just read Matthew 6 verses 16 through 18 and we noted that his prohibition is what? That he doesn't want us to look like we're fasting. Right. Okay. No show. No show. What is the hypocrites motive in disfiguring their faces? Well it says in the scripture in verse 16 Matthew 6 16 when you fast do not look somber as the hypocrites do for they disfigure their faces to show others that they are fasting. Disfigure. Yeah and they're trying well they must go around like hmm. Well it could be too if they put the ashes all over their faces you know. We've seen that before people make a display and put ashes all over themselves so everybody can see but the whole point is it's not supposed to be a show. You know that does. It's not about me it's about the Lord. I think that we can take this a little bit further than just fasting. Don't we do so many religious things to let everybody else know what we're up to really to get praised by people. Oh you are such a righteous person such a spiritual person such a holy person and this gives us insight into how the Lord looks at all that. He doesn't like religion on for show. He likes a religion of the heart. Now that doesn't mean that it's not going to be seen but it is going to be seen in the life that we live through the fruits of the Spirit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. That is what the Lord wants to be on display so that they will give praise to the Father. You know what comes to my mind though I don't know if you've ever been in any services like this Jerry. David and I have where they say they need to raise some money for something specific a need in the church but then they say I want ten people to get five hundred dollars five hundred dollars and then those people go up I need five people to give a thousand dollars you know and to me that's a show your giving should be private you know or the Lord told me there's two people in here they're going to give twenty thousand each I mean come on that's no different than what he's talking about here really it's for a show and that would be embarrassing and so what are you thinking oh my goodness that person's giving twenty thousand dollars they must be rich you know it's all about man but it is they've gotten worse yeah they've gotten worse yeah I the Lord has special ministry for those that give a thousand dollars today so come on down to the front and we're going to have the prophet pray for you I think oh my goodness yeah that is but it's selling the goods of God yeah the Jewish ones who gave the big money sat in the front right they got the front seats mm-hmm the $10 one talks about that though in the book of James he said don't don't give the best seats to the rich right they do and the other on the back of the floor he says like dogs that's why this is getting off the subject but it's so good that's why the cross is the great equalizer nobody is given the privilege and the honor of coming into the presence of God based on their own merit based on how smart they are based on how much money they give they say how much they fast based on how much right yeah and not even how how whether their prayer pray 15 minutes a day or you know 15 hours a day right that's not what gets us merit to come into the road it's all because of Jesus Jesus paid the price I didn't pay the price Jesus paid the price and so God and God is even taking care of my receiving of this great gift God gives his grace which is his unmerited favor and his grace enables me to respond with faith so really God has got it covered from beginning to end he gives us grace which gives us faith we respond with faith which was given to us by God Jesus paid the price and so it's all Jesus from beginning to end you know I think to take this even into a different little different realm but it's similar intercessors you know people that do spend a lot of time in prayer and prayer and fasting and stuff it could be easy for them to think that that makes them more spiritual than everyone else and you know it really doesn't we admire people like that and we know that those are the people who want to pray for us and our needs and we love it that they do those things but still everything like you said it's all enabled by the Lord it has nothing to do with us really you know and it could be you know that intercessors could get kind of arrogant thinking that they're better than everybody else that they're doing everything you know more than everyone else is. I can say this through personal experience those things that we look at that so impress us as oh this person is so holy this person is so dedicated this person is so close to the Lord but I have personally known people that were given this grace to intercede for hours upon hours that had some real character issues you know and so it lets me know that you know what it is really a relationship of each person where they walk with Jesus by faith where they receive these gifts and these callings by God's grace but that's what they are they're gifts but it's in walking with Jesus by faith that we allow his fruit to grow in our lives so gifts are gifts but fruits are something that we have got to die to ourselves daily before those gifts start growing in our lives so even in fasting you may fast every day that would be commendable but that does not necessarily make you the spiritual giant that some people think that you are it's just part of your walk with the Lord that's commendable but you just have to be careful of your motive oh now this automatically shows us that when you do start seeking the Lord in such ways spending more time in prayer like let's say an hour a day what is our first temptation the enemy first tempts us to do what I mean to think what that we're all that that we're special that we're more spiritual we're more dedicated we're closer to the Lord Lord if you're going to speak to anybody you're going to speak to me because I spend so much time in prayer what is that bottom line what is that right that's pride and pride always comes before a fall God the Bible says he does not lift up the prideful he raises up the humble and so we need to say that even in fasting the number one temptation is what pride we're wanting people to notice so that they will laud us so that they'll think we're special and it's all feeding our pride and so this fasting which is commendable that it's only commendable if it's secret between you and the Lord yeah yeah we're doing it for the right reason right okay let's go into this feature I have to tell you I pray twice a day and I get up in the morning and there's nobody there and it's not known I light candles and I do my prayers and then I pray the night before I go to bed and I have to pride myself which you're saying I have to pride myself because I don't announce it nobody knows about it you know only if somebody came into my kitchen but I think you're like Jesus am I doing the right thing I guess well I think what Jesus is warning us though it's not even it's not just making it a show for others to notice but it's also as Carol said it's us thinking that we're special because we do that so is that good it's not good it is if we think trying to figure out what he is doing yeah it is good it's good that you do that but it we need to be careful that we don't think that we're special because we do or that we're better than no no yeah right you don't mean the way that I'm thinking that you're you say when you say you're proud I think you don't mean pride you mean more like I'm happy that I'm doing this yeah I mean that's a life change for you it's a life change yeah when you came to Christ it's a real change yeah I don't feel that way you know yeah well that's good better than you know yeah this is very personal I think that with my life like with so many others when I do have a special season in my life where I'm praying more and I'm really seeking the Lord more it's easy to start thinking Lord you owe me you you you owe me the answers to these prayers he owes me nothing it is a privilege that I am being invited into his presence and I can't prove anything to him that I'm worthy of his special attention it's just his mercy is grace but still we aren't fast mm-hmm that does show us why fasting would be important what do you why do you think that fasting is important I guess because it breaks your flesh yeah maybe it takes your concentration off of the things of the everyday stuff and puts it on the Lord I do think that in in a good sense it shows the Lord how serious we are because we love to eat we love to you know that most of our going out and entertaining ourselves revolves around food every church gathering always involves food you know so we do enjoy eating but yet those times when we put away food means that we are dedicating that time to seeking the face of the Lord for specific reasons okay disfigure it says in 616 when you fast do not look somber as the hypocrites do for they disfigure their faces so Carol read that about what the book is about this thing okay the Greek AFA VIZO likely refers to making the face dirty with ashes so that's what I came with my ashes yeah this was accompanied by generally a disheveled appearance to attract attention to a personal fast hmm can you imagine walking around with ashes and you're looking disheveled your hair not combed and saying I'm fasting Wow okay what is Jesus's command to his disciples verse 17 we're still in why does a man there so read 17 and 18 Carol because he's not only given his command but telling us why he he committed but when you fast comb your hair wash your face then no one will notice that you're fasting except your father who knows what you do in private and your father who sees everything will reward you that's awesome yeah private that means that that for the most part and what's the unless the body of believers calls a corporate fast which in the Old Testament they would do that they would have a corporate fasting of especially for times of repentance but unless it's one of those special times of corporate fasting fasting is really supposed to be unknown your fasting is supposed to get nobody really supposed to know that you're fasting the Jewish religion you know in Yom Kippur the Holy Day you fast for 24 hours right right and that would and that's that's biblical that's that's when God's people are joined together and they're on they're in sync they're on the same page they're doing the same thing they're fasting for the same reason and it's usually in repentance and that's what Yom Kippur is for us right but as far as between your personal walk with Jesus your times of fasting are nobody else really supposed to know about now I think in a marriage it would be like Carol's gonna know when I'm fasting you know because if she fixes me food and I don't eat it she's not gonna be happy but David I think this you know so I would tell her beforehand I'm fasting today you know don't fix me thing or I'm fasting this meal don't fix me you think so that just keeps peace in a relationship but your motive the the bottom line that Jesus is dealing with here is motive don't do it to make a show to receive praise from and you're doing it to draw closer to the Lord and to bring his pleasure so that he'll be pleased with us why Jerry do you think fasting would please the Lord why would that be bring his pleasure well it's showing you know reverence and more communication and bringing the Lord down into you you know without ever anything you know when you fast you don't really think about anything other than spiritual things and I think of when I do my prayers I'd say I'd fast in the morning I just think of the Lord I tell you you know I think of Jesus you show I I feel very close to that to them I'm good when you know when I do that when I do that fasting too good you know Carol what about you why do you think that fasting is so pleasing to the Lord I think because you're denying your flesh in in and choosing him instead I would put it this way um I look at denying my flesh as that which is helping me you know to draw closer to him but I look at it being pleasing to the Lord because I'm showing that the Lord I'm really serious because the Lord knows I like to eat you know I don't like to be hungry and so the Lord sees it hey he's really serious about this you know that he's even willing to put aside that which he enjoys doing just to seek me during this special time so that's my basically it you know basically how I feel you know I feel very close at that time I don't say denying yeah I'm denying it although I'm not a big foodie food doesn't bother me you know I eat to exist right right so well you're fortunate but I do feel that closeness you know and because there's nothing else in my mind but God is in my mind at that point. Jerry why don't you take that next sentence starting with Hagener which is a biblical author Hagener notes that at the bottom of the page page 102. Right before I went to bed. Hagener notes that in view here is a special instance of grooming to Samuel. Okay 2nd Samuel I'll read that. 2nd Samuel 12 20 and it says then David got up from the ground after he had washed and put on lotions and changed his clothes he went into the house of the Lord of worship then he went to his own house and at his request they served him food and he ate. So Hagener notes that in view here is a special instance of grooming and then he cleaves he eats nine eight. Well I guess he's saying that David while he was praying and fasting he wasn't washing himself or having fresh clothes on so that's an instance I guess where the person sets aside everything and just seeks the Lord not only doesn't eat but you're not stopping to take a shower. I know Dr. Ian told me that sometimes she will if she has a shut-in with the Lord the only thing she gets up to do is to go to the bathroom that's it and she stays in you know prayer and fasting. She's a powerful woman of prayer. Now we need to come to balance this out Jesus that if you're going to go out you need to bathe take care of yourself comb your hair you know look fresh you know for the day if you're going out so that people won't know you're fasting. But in this instance we see that David wasn't going out he was just staying hunkered down inside his room so he wasn't bathing he wasn't putting on fresh clothes he wasn't taking care of himself you know as far as doing all of his lotions and all that so but when he finished fasting then he went and bathed, went and changed clothes you know fixing himself up for the day and then he ate. And he believes he asked his 9-8 says always be clothed and white and always anoint your head with oil so otherwise if you're by yourself you don't have to take care of yourself as far as you want to hear how the NLT puts it yeah wear fine clothes with a splash of cologne if you're going out right but if you're not going out then you don't have to bathe you don't have to you know fix your hair and shave and do all that other stuff because you're just private you know all right Jerry go ahead and so Hagner notes that in view what was that read that again Hagner notes that in view here is a special instance of grooming and we've read those scriptures and personal enjoyment a sign of happiness that was forbidden on fast days happiness was forbidden that's interesting isn't it happiness was forbidden on fast days Jesus thus exhorts even an extra measure of care to one's appearance so that it could not give the slightest hint that one was fasting okay so why would they say that after was forbidden on fast day I mean happiness was forbidden on fast day sure well that sounds more like you're just having fun enjoyment I mean it's not that fasting and prayer is not enjoyable but it's a different kind of thing but in the Old Testament the fasting was primarily or most of the times when they had corporate fast it was all due to for the purpose of repentance and so it's not like you're going to celebrating you know you're crying and willing out to the Lord because you've sinned and you're sorry okay so when to fast Carol want you to go during Jesus's time with his disciples they did not fast regularly and this concerned John the Baptist disciples who fasted often read Matthew 9 can you get that Jerry Matthew 9 14 yeah through 17 Jesus question about fasting then John's disciples came and asked them how is it that we and the Pharisees fast often but your disciples do not fast Jesus answers how can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them then they will fast no one sews a patch of untrunk or cloth on an old garment for the patch will pull away from the garment making the tear worse neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins if they do the skins will burst the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined no they pour new wine into new wineskins and both are preserved there is so much in that so what who is Jesus calling himself he is calling himself the new one what the new wine what else the new wineskin a new wineskins what else he is calling himself the bridegroom right okay okay so all of this is very exciting and note why Jesus did not have his disciples fasting during his earthly ministry what reason does Jesus give us for not having his disciples practice fasting because he's there with them right and because they are guests of the bridegroom and so that's a time of celebration so when Jesus is revealing this presence that is the time of celebration Jesus is present and we're celebrating the bridegroom okay now is this always going to be the case will this always be the case for his followers see verse 15 no okay no Jerry why don't you take an axe 13 versus 2 and 3 which one axe 13 2 and 3 Carol you take 15 and I'll take 14 23 hold on to 15 and then he does axe 13 2 and 3 I want you to 1st Corinthians 7 5 2 so this is talking about will this always be the case for his followers axe 13 2 and 3 while they were worshiping the Lord and fasting the Holy Spirit said set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them so after they had fasted and prayed they placed their hands on them and sent them off okay mine is do wedding Jesus replied do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom of course not but someday the groom will be taken away from them and then they will fast and then 14 23 David yeah axe 14 23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and with prayer and fasting committed them to the Lord and who may have put your trust okay 1st Corinthians 7 5 do not deprive each other for such of sexual relations talking about men and husband and wife unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer and afterward you should come together again so that Satan won't be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control that's in here I don't know if the NIV say prayer and fasting no it's not deprived each other except by mutual consent and for a time that you may devote yourselves to prayer no so let me look that up and let me see what other translations now mine says prayer and NIV and an NLT doesn't mention fast oh King James version does that's why I knew that it was there somewhere that Corinthians 1 first yeah 1st Corinthians 7 5 so in the KJV it says prayer and fasting the King James and you King James and the MEV which is modern English version which is really based on the King James so let me look at so they to see what that Greek says okay now it's just petition it's persuche which is the Greek word for prayer but earnest prayer I wonder why the King James put that in though don't have any idea I have no my my I'm not seeing I don't know yet Corinthians 1 1st Corinthians 1 I know it starts with 2 I need to get out all together and go back in yeah even in the ESB it's prayer it doesn't say anything about fasting okay all right let's go on what reason does Jesus give for this change from standard Jewish practice Carol that's your 16 and 17 of which we're at you six okay I'm sorry no that's wrong Matthew 9 verses 16 through 17 okay let me get back there what reason does Jesus give for this change from standard Jewish practice okay Matthew 9 16 and 17 okay oh that's about the wine besides who put a old patch of clothing with new clothes for the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth leaving an even bigger tear than before no one puts new wine into old wine skins for the old skins would burst from the pressure spilling the wine ruining the skins new wine is stored in new wine skins so that both are preserved so what's the answer what reason does Jesus give for this change new wine new wine skins so that shows us that Jesus is bringing in a new covenant it's a it's a whole new life it's not going to be based on rituals and ceremonies it's going to be based on this relationship that we have with him okay so it's not religion it really is relationship yeah okay probing the depths let me read that out reasonable Jewish piety called for fasting on the Day of Atonement which is found in Leviticus yeah better you want to read that out Leviticus 16 29 through 31 you were rejected let me get there so this is talking about the Day of Atonement yeah that's what he was just mentioning before 1629 through okay okay on the 10th day of the appointed month in early autumn you must deny yourself neither native born Israelites nor foreigners living among you may do any kind of work this is a permanent law for you on that day offerings of purification will be made for you and you will be purified in the Lord's presence from all your sins so that's the Day of Atonement let's see hold on that's right I'm in the right spot 29 through 31 it will be a Sabbath day of complete rest for you and you must deny yourself this is a permanent law for you okay so reasonable Jewish a reasonable Jewish piety called for fasting on the Day of Atonement which was just read to us in Leviticus 16 29 through 31 and on the anniversaries of the many destructions of Jerusalem the Pharisees of Jesus's day went far beyond this general practice with twice a week personal fast their fast were primarily designed to try to get to God to bring about a messianic promises because his kingdom had already come at least in part Jesus radically changed the focus of fasting as Hagener explains quote all conduct is to be judged on the basis of Jesus and his teachings there is accordingly something fundamentally incompatible between fasting and the joy of the kingdom if fasting is conceived of as a lamenting or grieving over God's failure to act if it is thought of as a way to harness hasten the coming of the Messiah if it is thought of as a way of gaining God's favor it is contradictory to what the gospel signifies the Christian is not a person characterized by sorrow sackcloth and ashes laments and fasting but a person of joy who has experienced grace of fulfillment there is a place for fasting but it is very different in nature from that practice by the disciples of John and the Pharisees it must be fasting within the larger framework of the fulfillment and joy the kingdom already present in the church fasting in this case will be a spiritual discipline practice with prayer for such purposes as sharpening one's focus are deepening one's experience although some scholars disagree whether Matthew 1721 which states now which was part which let me see what this is 1721 nothing will be impossible for you I'm not understanding how that follows along some scholars disagree whether Matthew 1721 was part of the original Greek transcript or was added later by the church and whether and fasting should be added to the end of mark 921 929 929 this can only come out by prayer and fasting King James's and fasting most other translations it's just prayer there's a strong textual evidence that both are legitimate especially the marketing what does Jesus teach in these verses about the role of fasting and dealing with certain demonic activity he said that some things didn't come out except by prayer and fasting prayer and fasting so there are times when you do need to a couple prayer and fasting if you're going to be bringing deliverance I guess deliverance ministry right but I think what this first statement by Hagner made is Jesus the Messiah is present with them so that is the time of celebration not a time of mourning and fasting and lamenting and so those things we understand with the kingdom being present that while there will be times of fasting it is really a time of just drawing closer to the Lord but it's not as it was in the times of the Ultus or they would need to come in repentance however do you totally agree with his statement I don't entirely I'm seeing the I'm saying the I'm seeing what he's saying and the that we can I think he's saying that the Jews were always in their fast lamenting the fact that they had gone into captivity no he's saying the Messiah hadn't come yet right there they're saying they're fasting to bring the Messiah right right but if the Messiah is here present with us then our focus can't be on Lord you've got a bring the Messiah because the Messiah is here right is a time of joy peace celebration but yet we must realize that that if we are if we have sinned if we as God's people of sin if the church is not everything that it should be then we're just like the people in the Old Testament that well we're not crying out for the Messiah to come but we do need to cry out in repentance you know to rend our hearts as the prophets and I think to a lot of their fasting they were still thinking that the Messiah was going to come and straighten out everything politically for them and I think we as Christians need to be careful when we pray for the kingdom of God to come we're praying more for revival harvest you know because Jesus said pray for the you know the labors for the harvest our emphasis is different I don't think it should have that we can easily as Christians especially in this day with politics the way they are we could start trying to do the fasting and praying to pull it push our political views because that's exactly what they were doing and why they didn't understand what Jesus came for you know they missed it you know and we can do that to the kingdom of God in Christ's coming means we want to keep see Jesus come again the second time so we are in a sense praying but we're praying for the second coming well I think also fasting would be a call to fasting would be legitimate for praying for revival you know which is praying for the Lord to come with the outpouring of his Holy Spirit because we have strayed so far you know from his purpose for the church's purpose for his people on the earth all right let's continue on in faith alive Jerry why don't you lead us in this faith alive what has impacted you the most in this chapter are there two? Oh no let's answer that question first so Jerry what has impacted you most in this chapter? You go first. What has impacted me most in this chapter is the fact that you have to keep to faith I keep going back to keep to faith and when I do my fasting I do it in private to be humble I think to be humble and keep to faith has impacted me. I think that this has once again made it very clear to me that fasting is to be a part of my life that this is it is expected that this is going to be a part of my life but it should be a part of my private life with the Lord but I believe that this is showing me that this is going to be a part of my life that this is going to be a part of my life that this is going to be a part of my life that this is going to be a part of my life that this is going to be a part of my life that this is going to be a part of my life that this is going to be a part of my life that this is going to be a part of my life that this is going to be a part of my life that this is going to be a part of my life that this is going to be a part of my life that this is going to be a part of my life that this is going to be a part of my life that this is going to be a part of my life that this is going to be a part of my life that this is going to be a part of my life that this is going to be a part of my life that 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