PRAYER & FASTING (27)

(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 27: Drugs & Alcohol

1. Specific Scripture: Ephesians 5:18-21;  1 Corinthians 6:18-20

a) ¹⁸ And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ submitting to one another in the fear of God. (Ephesians 5:18-21 NKJV)

b) ¹⁸ Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. ¹⁹ Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? ²⁰ For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20 NKJV)

2. Suggestions for Prayer:

a) For people who are addicted to drugs and / or alcohol that God will help them to break the addiction.

b) For family members of those addicted to drugs and / or alcohol - for strength, peace, protection.

c) That people will find joy, excitement and fellowship in Christ so that they will not seek it in chemicals.

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 ...