Fasting For Breakthrough

Mark 9:14–29 (NASB95)

14 When they came back to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them.

15 Immediately, when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed and began running up to greet Him.

16 And He asked them, “What are you discussing with them?”

17 And one of the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute;

18 and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and stiffens out. I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it.”

19 And He answered them and said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!”

20 They brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth.

21 And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.

22 “It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!”

23 And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.”

24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.”

25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again.”

26 After crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, “He is dead!”

27 But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he got up.

28 When He came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, “Why could we not drive it out?”

29 And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.”

Introduction

Satan’s agenda (and the agenda of every demonic being) is to “steal, kill and destroy.”

John 10:10 “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”

Every one of us that may be under the bondage of demonic control must be willing to recognize that the only way to break the grip of the enemy is by Fasting and Prayer.

I am not under demonic control:

The enemy uses various strategies to control you and keep you bound.

Suppression - means to stop, or to cause to hod back.

Oppress - To weigh down. To burden with cruel or unjust impositions or restraints.

Influence - The actions or process of producing effects on others.

James 4:12 “God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?”

Satan begins by influencing you to commit sin

Once he has you under his control he will suppress you by holding you back and causing you to isolate you with shame or pride.

Then he will oppress you by weighing you down with guilt, shame and dirty habits that can’t be broken unless you fast and pray.

The ultimate goal is to BREAK FREE from the enemy and strengthen your connection with God.

Mark 9:19 “Jesus said to them, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

Who was Jesus speaking to? Was He talking to the crowd or the disciples?

I. There is a difference between faith and unbelief.

A. Faith is being able to see things through the eyes of God and believe IT WILL HAPPEN.

Why couldn’t the disciples cast out the demon?

Hebrews 11:1 “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.”

The disciples believed the demon could be cast out, they didn’t expect it to happen right now.

B. Doubt is when you questions God’s ability to exercise HIS power in your life.

C. It is possible to have faith in God and yet have inward doubt.

Mark 9:18 “And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.”

Mark 9:22 “The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”

II. There are certain things that can only be broken by fasting and prayer.

A.

II. Fasting breaks the grip of unbelief so that you can connect with God.