OVERCOMING UNBELIEF (4)

(1) We have look at prayer the last three lessons on overcoming           unbelief

(2) One thing about praying, especially the Biblical way it takes             effort on our part

(3) But a Biblical fast will take more effort on our part

OVERCOMING MY UNBELIEF
FASTING

(1) Matthew 17:14-21
     [14] And when they were come to the multitude, there came to          him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,
     [15] Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore          vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the                water.
     [16] And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure        him.
     [17] Then Jesus answered and said, 0 faithless and perverse            generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer      you? bring him hither to me.
     [18] And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him:
     and the child was cured from that very hour.
     [19] Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why              could not we cast him out?
     [20] And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for            verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard              seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder        place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto        you.
     [21] Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

(2) We see in verses 14-16 the man telling Jesus what was going on       in his sons life, and also telling Jesus that His disciples could           not cure him

(3) Matthew 17:17
     Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse                   generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer       you? bring him hither to me.

(4) Notice how the Lord talks to them
     (a) Faithless  Strong's Greek Number 0571 = Greek word:
     apistos ap'-is-tos = KJV - that believe not 6 - unbelieving 5
     - faithless 4 - unbeliever 4 - infidel 2 - thing incredible 1
     - which believe not 1 [Total Count: 23]

    1) unfaithful, faithless, (not to be trusted, perfidious)
    2) incredible = 2a) of things =  3) unbelieving, incredulous
    3a) without trust (in God)

    (b) Vine's = not worthy of confidence or belief

    (c) Is Jesus saying, 0 unfaithful, 0 not to be trusted, 0                        unbelieving, 0 without trust in God, or 0 your not worthy of                confidence or belief

    (d) We see Jesus using strong talk, let's see what else He says

    (e) Perverse  Strong's Greek Number 1294 = Greek word:               diastrepho dee-as-tref'-o = KJV - perverse 4 - pervert 2 - turn         away 1 [Total Count: 7] 1) to distort, turn aside
    1a) to oppose, plot against the saving purposes and plans of God
    2) to turn aside from the right path, to pervert, corrupt

    (f) Shall I suffer   Greek 430, Strong's = anechomai, middle from     Greek 303 (ana) and Greek 2192 (echo); to hold oneself up              against, i.e. (figurative) put up with :- bear with, endure, forbear,      suffer.

    (g) Could Jesus be saying how long shall I put up with you

(5) If Jesus talked this way to His disciples, I wonder if we could           hear his voice today what would he say to us

(6) I believe it would go something like this, I have put up with your       unbelief long enough

(7) It is time to deal with your unbelief

(8) It is time to overcome your unbelief

(9) It is time to believe your God

(10) It is time to be the Church I called you to be

(11) The church I paid for

(12) 2 Cor. 2:14
       Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph           in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by         us in every place.

(a) Triumph in Christ means complete mastery over satanic powers

(b) Always does not mean sometime  Always means at all times

(13) Jesus said, bring him hither to me

(14) But you say preacher that was Jesus, no one can do what                 Jesus did, so you say, lets see what Jesus says

(15) John 14:12
       Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the                works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these          shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

(a) Now today Jesus would tell the father of the boy bring him to           my Church, they will work the work that I did, and greater than        I did because I went to my Father

(b) You see when the church sees the Holy Ghost manifesting
     Himself in our mist and working the work of Christ, it show that
     Christ Jesus when to the Father

(16) Matthew 17:18
       And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and          the child was cured from that very hour.

      (a) Jesus gets the job done, he doesn't play with the devil, He            takes charge, Jesus Christ knew who he was in God, and                  because he lives, we are to be what He was in God on this                earth

      (b) Do you know who you are

      (c) Do you know what he left you

      (d) Luke 10:19
      Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and
      scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing             shall by any means hurt you.

      (e) He gave you power, how much power did he give you,                  power over all the power of the enemy

      (f) It doesn't matter how much power the enemy has, you have         been given power over all the power of the enemy

      (g) Romans 8:31
      What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who           can be against us?

      (h) Jesus heals the little boy, why oh why Lord don't we see the        things the Bible says belongs to us

      (i) It seems that The Lords disciples had the same question

(17) Matthew 17:19
       Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could             not we cast him out?

      (a) Why couldn't we cast him out

      (b) Do you want to know why they couldn't cast him out

      (c) More importantly do you what to know why the Church for          the most part cannot

      (d) I want to be part of Christ's church that can

      (e) In verse 20 He tells us what the problem is, and in verse 21         He tells us how to fix it

      (f) Will you be one that is willing to fix the problem

(18) Matthew 17:20
       And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily         I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye           shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place;           and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

      (a) Here is the problem you ready, because of your unbelief

      (b) Not because the demon is stronger, not because the devil is        more powerful

      (c) Because of unbelief

      (d) Because if we have faith, nothing shall be impossible to us,          where did you get that from preacher, I got it from Jesus                  Christ the Son of the Living God, read Matthew 17:20

      (e) What are we going to do with this unbelief, how are we                 going to get rid of it

(19) Matthew 17:2 1
       Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

(20) Prayer and fasting

(21) This will take care of our unbelief

(22) Listen to Brother Dake's notes

Fasting and PrayerThe Cure for Unbelief

The disciples asked the Lord why they could not heal a lunatic boy. Jesus said, "Because of your unbelief ... Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting" (Matthew 17:14-21). Faith needs prayer for its development and full growth, and prayer needs fasting for the same reason. Fasting has done wonders when used in combination with prayer and faith. This is a Biblical doctrine.
To fast means to abstain from foodthat which caused the fall of man. Fasting humbles the soul before God (Psalm 35:13); chastens the soul (Psalm 69:10); and crucifies the appetites and denies them so as to give the entire time to prayer (2 Samuel 12:16-23; Matthew 4:1-11).  It manifests earnestness before God to the exclusion of all else (1 Cor. 7:5); shows obedience; gives the digestive system a rest (Matthew 6:16-18; Matthew 9:15; Luke 5:33); demonstrates the mastery of man over appetites; aids in victory over temptation; helps to attain power over demons; develops faith; crucifies unbelief; and aids in prayer (Matthew 4:1-11; Matthew 17:14-21).
All believers are supposed to fast, but no regulations or set rules are given as to how long or how often. That is determined by individual desire and needs (Matthew 9:14-15; 1 Cor. 7:5; Acts 13:1-5). Men should fast when under chastening (2 Samuel 12:16-23); under judgment (1 Kings 21:27); in need (Ezra 8:21); in danger (Esther 4); when worried (Daniel 6:18); in trouble (Acts 27:9,33) in spiritual conflict (Matthew 4:1-11); and when desperate in prayer (Acts 9).

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October 2002
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Bro. Lawrence Bradford