Message #8 (of 20) from the PrayerPower radio series
"The Deeper Life of Prayer"

by Kaye Johns

In the sequence of Jesus’ teaching that leads to the deeper life of prayer, He gave us beginning steps in Matthew 6 and 7, including what our attitude should be when we fast. Fasting is underscored in Matthew 9 when Jesus made it clear that He expects us to fast: "The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast." [Matthew 9:15]

If fasting is important even to beginners in prayer, it must be essential to those who desire to go deeper. In Matthew 17 Jesus begins teaching what we might consider "intermediate" steps of prayer. A man approached Jesus to heal his son of seizures after the disciples could not heal him. Jesus "rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment." [Matthew 17:14-18]

When the disciples asked Jesus why they couldn’t help the boy, He replied, "Because you have so little faith...if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." [Matthew 17:20-21]

The disciples were helpless because their faith wasn’t strong enough. If only they had prayed and fasted. So it is with us today. Our faith is built through prayer, and fasting adds a dimension to prayer that we cannot find any other way.

Pray with me now -- Father, may we have faith enough to move mountains, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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