Transforming Unbelief Through Fasting and Prayer
Summary
As we step into the new year, I want to emphasize the transformative power of fasting and prayer. This week, we embark on a journey of prayer and fasting, not just as a ritual, but as a means to deepen our intimacy with God and to open ourselves to His miraculous works in our lives. Fasting and prayer are not about gaining more power or authority, as these are already given to us through Christ. Instead, they are about aligning our hearts and minds with God's will, dispelling unbelief, and fostering a life of faith and trust in Him.
In Mark 9:14-29, we see a powerful story that illustrates the importance of belief. Jesus, after His transfiguration, encounters a father desperate for his son's deliverance from a demonic spirit. The disciples were unable to cast out the spirit, and Jesus points to their unbelief as the root issue. This passage challenges us to examine what we truly believe about God and His power in our lives. Jesus emphasizes that "everything is possible for the one who believes," urging us to confront our doubts and embrace faith.
The father's cry, "I do believe; help my unbelief," resonates with many of us. It acknowledges the internal struggle between faith and doubt. Fasting and prayer are tools that help us overcome this struggle by drawing us closer to God, renewing our minds, and strengthening our faith. They create a lifestyle of intimacy with God, enabling us to live as lights in a world often overshadowed by darkness.
As we engage in this week of fasting and prayer, let us commit to seeking God's presence, allowing Him to transform our unbelief into unwavering faith. Let us shine brightly, expelling darkness and bringing hope to those around us. This year, may we be a church that believes in the impossible, trusting in the God who does wonders.
Key Takeaways:
- The Power of Fasting and Prayer: Fasting and prayer are not about gaining more power but about aligning our hearts with God, dispelling unbelief, and fostering a life of faith and trust in Him. They draw us closer to God, renewing our minds and strengthening our faith. [01:33:33]
- Belief and Unbelief: The story in Mark 9 highlights the struggle between belief and unbelief. Jesus emphasizes that everything is possible for those who believe, challenging us to confront our doubts and embrace faith. [01:18:52]
- Intimacy with God: Fasting and prayer cultivate a lifestyle of intimacy with God, enabling us to live as lights in a world often overshadowed by darkness. This intimacy helps us overcome the internal struggle between faith and doubt. [01:35:42]
- Living as Light: As believers, we are called to be the light of the world, expelling darkness and bringing hope to those around us. This year, let us commit to shining brightly, trusting in the God who does wonders. [01:29:56]
- The Challenge of Unbelief: Unbelief can creep into our hearts, disarming our trust and faith in God. Fasting and prayer help us confront this challenge, renewing our belief in God's promises and His power to transform our lives. [01:21:43]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:04:41] - The Power of Fasting and Prayer
[01:06:11] - Encountering Darkness
[01:08:39] - Stories of Jesus
[01:10:22] - Being the Light
[01:12:13] - The Challenge of Unbelief
[01:13:31] - Spiritual Battles
[01:15:41] - Jesus' Compassion
[01:17:01] - Questions of Faith
[01:18:52] - Everything is Possible
[01:20:37] - Reframing Belief
[01:21:43] - The Strategy of Darkness
[01:25:50] - The Power of Belief
[01:29:56] - Living as Light
[01:32:07] - Fasting and Prayer Explained
[01:35:42] - Invitation to Prayer and Worship
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Mark 9:14-29
Observation Questions:
1. What was the father's request to Jesus regarding his son, and how did the disciples initially respond to it? [01:04:41]
2. How did Jesus describe the generation he was addressing, and what was his reaction to their unbelief? [01:12:13]
3. What was the father's response to Jesus' statement about belief, and how does it reflect his internal struggle? [01:20:37]
4. What did Jesus say was necessary for the spirit to be cast out, according to the passage? [01:32:07]
Interpretation Questions:
1. Why might Jesus have emphasized belief as a key factor in experiencing the miraculous, and how does this relate to the father's plea for help with his unbelief? [01:18:52]
2. How does the story of the father's struggle with belief and unbelief illustrate the broader theme of faith in the Christian life? [01:21:43]
3. In what ways does fasting and prayer help to align a believer's heart and mind with God's will, according to the sermon? [01:33:33]
4. How does the concept of being a "light" in the world relate to the challenges of unbelief and darkness discussed in the sermon? [01:10:22]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt overwhelmed by a situation. How did your belief or unbelief in God's power influence your response? [01:06:11]
2. The father in the story cried out, "I do believe; help my unbelief." How can you incorporate this prayer into your own life when facing doubts? [01:20:37]
3. What specific steps can you take this week to engage in fasting and prayer to deepen your intimacy with God? [01:33:33]
4. Identify an area in your life where you feel darkness or unbelief is prevalent. How can you actively work to be a light in that situation? [01:10:22]
5. How can you encourage others in your community to confront their doubts and embrace faith, as Jesus encouraged in the sermon? [01:18:52]
6. Consider the role of fasting and prayer in your spiritual journey. What changes can you make to incorporate these practices more regularly? [01:33:33]
7. How can you support someone in your life who is struggling with belief and unbelief, similar to the father in the story? [01:21:43]
Devotional
Day 1: Aligning Hearts with God's Will
Fasting and prayer are powerful spiritual disciplines that help believers align their hearts and minds with God's will. They are not about acquiring more power or authority, as these are already granted through Christ. Instead, fasting and prayer serve as a means to dispel unbelief and foster a life of faith and trust in God. By engaging in these practices, individuals draw closer to God, allowing Him to renew their minds and strengthen their faith. This alignment with God's will is crucial for living a life that reflects His love and light in the world. [01:33:33]
Isaiah 58:6-7 (ESV): "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?"
Reflection: What specific area of your life needs realignment with God's will, and how can fasting and prayer help you achieve this alignment today?
Day 2: Confronting Doubts with Faith
The story in Mark 9:14-29 highlights the struggle between belief and unbelief. Jesus encounters a father desperate for his son's deliverance from a demonic spirit, and the disciples are unable to cast it out due to their unbelief. Jesus emphasizes that "everything is possible for the one who believes," challenging individuals to confront their doubts and embrace faith. This passage encourages believers to examine their own beliefs about God's power in their lives and to seek His help in overcoming unbelief. Fasting and prayer are tools that aid in this process, drawing individuals closer to God and renewing their faith. [01:18:52]
James 1:6-8 (ESV): "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
Reflection: Identify a specific doubt you have about God's power in your life. How can you actively confront this doubt through prayer and fasting this week?
Day 3: Cultivating Intimacy with God
Fasting and prayer cultivate a lifestyle of intimacy with God, enabling believers to live as lights in a world often overshadowed by darkness. This intimacy helps individuals overcome the internal struggle between faith and doubt, drawing them closer to God and renewing their minds. By engaging in these spiritual disciplines, believers create a deeper connection with God, allowing His presence to transform their lives and guide them in their daily walk. This intimacy is essential for living a life that reflects God's love and light to those around them. [01:35:42]
Psalm 63:1 (ESV): "O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water."
Reflection: What specific steps can you take this week to deepen your intimacy with God through fasting and prayer?
Day 4: Shining as Lights in the World
As believers, individuals are called to be the light of the world, expelling darkness and bringing hope to those around them. This year, the challenge is to commit to shining brightly, trusting in the God who does wonders. Fasting and prayer play a crucial role in this process, helping believers align their hearts with God's will and dispel unbelief. By living as lights in the world, believers can bring hope and encouragement to those who are struggling, reflecting God's love and grace in their daily interactions. [01:29:56]
Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV): "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
Reflection: Who in your life needs to see the light of Christ through you today, and how can you intentionally shine His light in their life?
Day 5: Overcoming the Challenge of Unbelief
Unbelief can creep into the hearts of believers, disarming their trust and faith in God. Fasting and prayer help individuals confront this challenge, renewing their belief in God's promises and His power to transform their lives. By engaging in these spiritual disciplines, believers can strengthen their faith and trust in God, allowing Him to work miracles in their lives. This process of overcoming unbelief is essential for living a life that reflects God's love and light to those around them. [01:21:43]
Hebrews 3:12-13 (ESV): "Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called 'today,' that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."
Reflection: What is one area of unbelief in your life that you need to address, and how can you use fasting and prayer to strengthen your faith in this area today?
Quotes
There's a demonic spirit, an evil spirit inside of him that at times seizes him, grabs him, tries to toss him into fire. It tries to toss him and drown him in water. It's all consuming for this father. He feels totally, completely helpless to be able to deal with this thing. He has no answer. He has no answer. That is often how people in our world feel. That maybe you feel this way. Where there is a realm of darkness that you have encountered and you feel helpless. You feel, I don't know to break through. I don't know what to do. Or maybe you've tried every single thing you know and nothing's working. This is where this father's at. Everything he knows is being all consumed by this demonic spirit that is in his son. If you're a parent in the room, you know what it would feel like to be watching that, to see that, to experience that, and to feel you have no answers. No answers at all. [01:05:43] (81 seconds)
One of my favorite things about this passage here is the constant reminder of what the stories and rumors of Jesus do to people who are in need. He has no answer, this father. He has no way out aside from he hears. He hears a story. He hears rumors of a man who's walking around making the lame walk the blind see and is casting out demons. That was actually one of the most shocking things about the ministry of Jesus for the time is that Jesus walked into scenarios and had authority over demonic spirits. These would be things that nobody had answers for at that time. If a demon got in, nobody could do anything about it. They didn't have real good ways of dealing with that. There were some Jewish exorcists at the time that would wander around, but they didn't have deep, solid answers for these things aside from the rumors and stories of Jesus. [01:07:03] (73 seconds)
Can we all relate to Jesus and to being a person that rather than being consumed would shine? That rather than being overwhelmed would shine? Because like this man, like this father, whether you're in this moment or not, all around us this year, all around us in Vernon, there are people who feel absolutely consumed by the works of the devil. And they have no answer. name is Jesus. And that's what we're going to find in this story. Look at this. Now, Jesus has an interesting response here as he looks at this. And he says this. He replied to them, you unbelieving generation, how long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me. Why? Jesus looks at this moment, and he begins to touch on something that I think is really key to this year. The really key to our lives as a believer. Notice what he says. He replied to them. So he's talking probably focused on his disciples, focused on the people around them. And he says, you unbelieving generation, you unbelieving generation, how long will I be with you? How long [01:09:28] (86 seconds)
As we go through this passage, you're going to notice something's going to begin to pull out of the woodwork as we deal with this moment, deal with darkness. Jesus is very focused on what do you believe. He's very focused on what do you believe. He's very focused on the disciples, what do they believe. He's very focused on the Father, what do you believe. And he's very hard on this thing called unbelief. We're going to see that in a second, more and more as we go through this. See, darkness doesn't just consume people's lives through circumstance. Darkness also wants to not only manipulate, make something seem so big that you can't get past it, but it also wants to so consume the heart of the person that they would never actually believe there's an answer. [01:10:46] (67 seconds)
That they would never get to a place of believing that change, breakthrough, transformation could ever actually happen. And that feeling can become, just like the circumstance, it kind of pairs with it. It can become all -consuming. Where, in a sense, spiritually, it's like our eyes become blind to the one who actually opened the blind eyes. Our ears become deaf to the one who opened deaf ears. And our mouth becomes silent to the one who made the mute speak. It's like rather than being able to run forward with Jesus into new realms and new days, that voice of the enemy, as we see darkness, can consume us. Our mind, to where we begin to let go of trust and faith in the God who does wonders. [01:11:49] (55 seconds)
And yet, in the midst of it, I actually had to pray. I had to pray to the point where I felt, in a sense, felt that fear break through so that I could go back into the place of rest and trust in the Lord. But that's what the enemy does. He doesn't just put in, an obstacle in front. He doesn't just put a sickness or a disease or a family crisis, whatever it could be. He doesn't just do that. He also brings with it the all -consuming feelings that would drive you into unbelief. That drive you and remove your trust and faith in Jesus and what he says in his word and what he wants to do and what he can do in the midst of what you face. This is where, this is why Jesus is hard on it. It's not about people and it's not about a rebuke. What it is about is what has, allowed to... [01:14:28] (46 seconds)
consume the heart of the people around him, and especially the disciples who have been with him. It's begun to press down. It's begun to consume. And rather than being able to see, it's like their eyes have become blind, unable to see. Jesus knows this. He sees this, and he goes after this. But check out the next verse. Verse 19, he says this. Verse 20, so they brought the boy to him. When he saw the spirit, when the spirit saw him, it immediately threw the boy into convulsions. He fell on the ground and rolled Jesus asked his father. From childhood, he said. And many times it has thrown him into fire and water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. I'm just going to stop there. For a second. If you can do anything. [01:15:14] (62 seconds)
Jesus can help. I'm reminded of the story of a leper that came to Jesus. I believe it was the first time Jesus cleansed leprosy. And he just finished the Sermon on the Mount. And he's coming down that mountain. And he's coming down that mountain. And he's coming down the mountain again. Similar idea. Coming down the mountain. And then he is met with what's happening in the valley. And so he's coming down the mountain. And in the midst of this crowd, this leper runs to the feet of Jesus. And he says these words. If you are willing, you can make me clean. It's this question on the heart of God. This question on what is Jesus willing to do. And as we go into breakthrough, I would actually, and we go into a new year, that can often be. The question that hits us. Is God willing? Does God want? Where is his heart? Where is his mind in the situation that I face? What is he wanting to do? Maybe you're at that place. Maybe you've asked these questions. [01:15:57] (58 seconds)
Over and over and over again. You can pull up those stories anytime on your phone. Anytime you sit and question the heart of God toward you. You can go read about it in here. What's Jesus like? What did Jesus do? What did Jesus say? How did Jesus treat the people that came to him? How would Jesus treat me? It's so easy. It's right here. It's available. We can read about it. We can see it. And we can know it. But notice what Jesus says to this. This man as he says. Have compassion on us. And help us. Verse 23. Here's what Jesus says. Jesus said to him. If you can. In question mark. Everything is possible for the one who believes. Every. Like. Let's just sit on that for just a moment. As we head into this new year. [01:18:02] (58 seconds)
Can we sit on that? For a moment. What did Jesus just say? If you can. Have compassion on us Jesus. Help us. Help us. And then Jesus says. If you Whatever you're facing. Whatever's going on. Whatever's coming at you. Whatever's all consuming for this man. This father. And he's all consumed. And he's actually not just all consumed. But he himself and the crowd and the disciples. Everybody is blinded by unbelief. They're blinded by eyes they can't see. Why? Because that's the strategy of the devil. The strategy of the devil isn't just to attack. It's also to. It's to defeat your heart and faith. It's to defeat your trust. That's what he wants to do. And if he can go far enough. He can lead you into a place of complete ineffectiveness. That's the goal. Because if he can get you to be like either doubtful, untrusting, angry at God. All these things. That road takes you to the place where that light doesn't shine you. [01:19:47] (84 seconds)
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained only on this specific sermon. Do you have any questions about it?