Devoted Lifestyle – Mon 3 September 2007

Do you remember the story in Mark 9:14-29 of the boy with an evil spirit that caused him to be dumb and to have epileptic fits? The boy’s father tells Jesus how the disciples failed to cast out the evil spirit, expresses some doubts but also a willingness to believe. Jesus promptly casts out the evil spirit and the boy is healed. Later the disciples asked Jesus “Why could we not cast it out?” (v.28)

Jesus replied “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting” (NKJV v.29)

The only problem is that Jesus didn’t fast or pray to cast out the evil spirit either – he simply commanded it to come out (v.25). How could this be?

The answer to this is quite simple – Jesus wasn’t necessarily saying you have to pray and fast at the moment of casting out the demon, but simply that you needed to live a lifestyle of prayer & fasting. Jesus was constantly in prayer. Jesus fasted regularly. As a result of this devoted lifestyle, his being a person of prayer and fasting, he was able to know his father’s mind, follow his father’s leading and command the evil spirit to be gone.

Being a Christian is a way of life, not a part of life, and this week we’re going to explore some of what the devoted lifestyle looks like.

For some months a number of folk at St. Matthew’s have committed to pray and fast on the first Tuesday of every month – guess what, tomorrow is the first Tuesday of September! I hope you will join us, and tomorrow I’ll share a bit more about the value of fasting.

Lord there are so many things we don’t understand but you fasted and you encouraged us to do the same, help me prepare today for a fast tomorrow but most important Lord, help me to live a devoted lifestyle today. Amen