PRAYER & FASTING (12)

(Message by Tanny Keng)

0. Introduction

a) Prayer & Fasting for Deliverance (Matthew 17:14-21)

i) ¹⁴ And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, ¹⁵ “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. ¹⁶ So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”

¹⁷ Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” ¹⁸ And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.

¹⁹ Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” ²⁰ 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. ²¹ However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17:14-21 NKJV)

b) Why do you pray and fast?

i) The answer is obvious. Perhaps, there may be other reason(s) that you want to see, a breakthrough in your life or the lives of those you dearly loved. Perhaps, there are other bigger reasons to this like your communities, nation and the world. 

c) How may you approach it?

i) There are 40 topics selected specially for the Prayer & Fasting Guide. You may choose and select the topics best suited for your 1-day, or 7-day, or 14-day, or 21-day, or 28-day (or 30 days) , or 40 days of Prayer & Fasting season. To ensure uniformity, each topic has been outlined as follows:

#1) Specific Scripture.

#2) Suggestions for Prayer.

#3) Questions for Reflection (thinking about yourself / your family / your church).

#4) Special Prayer for Family Members.

A. Topic 12: Youth & College

1. Specific Scripture: Psalms 71:5, 17; Ecclesiastes 11:9; 12:1-4

a) ⁵ For You are my hope, O Lord GOD; You are my trust from my youth. (Psalms 17:5 NKJV)

b) ¹⁷ O God, You have taught me from my youth; And to this day I declare Your wondrous works. (Psalms 71:17 NKJV)

c) ⁹ Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, And let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; Walk in the ways of your heart, And in the sight of your eyes; But know that for all these, God will bring you into judgment. (Ecclesiastes 11:9 NKJV)

d) Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth,
Before the difficult days come,
And the years draw near when you say,
“I have no pleasure in them”:
² While the sun and the light,
The moon and the stars,
Are not darkened,
And the clouds do not return after the rain;
³ In the day when the keepers of the house tremble,
And the strong men bow down;
When the grinders cease because they are few,
And those that look through the windows grow dim;
⁴ When the doors are shut in the streets,
And the sound of grinding is low;
When one rises up at the sound of a bird,
And all the daughters of music are brought low. (Ecclesiastes 12:1-4 NKJV)

2. Suggestions for Prayer:

a) For a deep understanding of who God is and who they are in relationship to Him.

b) For a clear sense of what God is calling them to do.

c) For godly discernment and judgments regarding ideas, media and entertainment (2 Timothy 2:23).

d) For purity and self-control (2 Timothy 2:22).

e) That they show respect for others and for authority.

f) That they do their best in school.

3. Questions for Reflection (thinking about your church):

a) Are there areas of your church's life where God is calling your church to repentance?

b) Are there areas of your church's life where you see God at work and need to celebrate?

c) What do you hear the Spirit of God is saying to your church?

4. Special Prayer for Family Members:

a) Pray for repentance (mention their names) that they may come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

b) Pray for mercy (mention their names) that they may return to God with repentance and forgive those who hurt them.

The End ...