“And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting” - Mark 9:29 (KJV).
In Uganda, at a certain point in her troubled history, the scariest thing in life was to meet a roadblock. Normally, you can’t penetrate from one point to the next, once you meet a roadblock. There are wrought with danger and anything can happen, including loss of life.
Road blocks can also be found in life, where one can’t proceed to the next level. Think of a person desirous for a job promotion. There can exist a roadblock in form of one person who persistently objects to the deserved promotion. Someone might desire to access a certain critical document or secure a certificate to move to another point, but a roadblock stands in the way.
Jesus encountered situations where people had faced roadblocks in life, There was once a man who had a child paralyzed with a crippling and demobilizing spirit (Mark 9:14-29). On seeing its havoc, as it threw the boy into a convulsion, Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” (vv 21). The boy’s father answered: “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us” (vv 22).
This father had a roadblock standing in his way. It is quite apparent that he had tried all manner of relief, perhaps spent some money elsewhere trying to find a cure. The roadblock stood tall and impenetrable. He certainly pleaded with the disciples who made some attempt, but to no avail. Finally the man got to Jesus. “When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again” (25). At that moment the boy was healed.
Amazed that where they could not Jesus had silenced this spirit, the disciples asked him how. This is when he said that kind only goes away, “by prayer and fasting” (vv 29).
There are some roadblocks that come in our lives hindering us to progress to another level. We may try every effort known to us, yet to no avail. It may be of a spirit that can only be leveled down through “prayer and fasting!”
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, for that roadblock standing in my way, I overcome it now through “prayer and fasting,” just as you healed the crippled boy, this I pray in Jesus’s name!
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11/05/2024 - 12/05/2024 All day“Now God has caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel” (Dan 1:9)
It can be said with certainty everyone in life would like to be favored- especially from God. Favor brings opportunity and comes with blessings. The Bible has many people who were indeed favored and the blessings on their life is clearly evident.
We have Joseph who had favor upon him whether working for Potiphar (Gen 39:5); down in jail (Gen 39:21); and finally being elevated as prime minister of great Egypt. When Abraham was 99 the Lord appeared to him and blessed him, “I will establish My covenant between Me and you, And I will multiply you exceedingly” (Gen 17:1- 8). Mary was selected among all women as the mother of Jesus (Luke 1:28-33).
Perhaps here one may ask, but how does one receive favor from God?If we may look at the above and other examples of those who were greatly favored by God, like Noah from the Great flood (Genesis 6:8), or Moses to lead the people of Israel (Exodus 33: 12-17), it was not because there was anything remarkably good in these people. Neither was perfect yet God showed favor upon them. The reason is, “For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion” (Romans 9:15).
A clear characteristic of those who receive favor is humility. Isaiah 66:2 says, “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and those who tremble at my word.” As the preacher Charles Spurgeon once wrote, “God shows favor to those who seek his favor by loving Him, respecting Him, honoring Him, and by taking delight in His word.”
We can receive favor by asking God. Psalm 119 says, “I entreat your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise” (Psalm 119:58). And God is calling us to have our hearts in tune with Him, for, “the Lord bestows favor and honor, no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless” (Psalm 84:11).Today, pray and walk in that assurance of being favored of the Lord Almighty.
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I come to you in humility to ask of your favor to bless me in all that I do, this I pray in Jesus’ name.
