The Word Courier's Journal

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"Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting" Matthew 17:21

The Gospels of  Matthew (17:14-21) and Mark (9:14-29) document an episode during our Lord’s ministry in which Jesus cast out a demonic spirit that had tormented a boy for much of his life. Mark’s account of the boy’s suffering describes behavior that today’s audience would associate with an epileptic seizure. (see Mark 9:20) The two narratives concur when speaking of how demon possession nearly cost the lad his life. (see Matthew 17:15 and Mark 9:22) Matthew and Mark also make note of the disciples’ failure to rid him of the evil spirit.

The disciples of course were curious as to why their attempts fell short. Jesus responded that this stronghold was so severe that it required a spiritual preparation, prayer and fasting, with which to loosen its grip. (see above Matthew 17:21 also Mark 9:29)

Prayer and fasting are the keys for us mere mortals to break spiritual strongholds. The combination of these empowerment devices have always been and continue as the means to attack spiritual adversaries. The wickedness that is spiritual will eventually display itself in the natural. To that end, the main focus of my ‘Good Friday Fast’* is to destroy the yoke.

I have written about the yoke in previous ‘Word Courier’ entries. (see “Last of the Fast” 8/31/13 and “The Yoke is no Joke” 8/2/13) The yoke that I speak of, my yoke, is not the dramatic terrible thing that beset the aforementioned boy. Yet, it is still serious. It takes both prayer and fasting to counter my own yoke as with any other hindrance to growth towards the divine image of Jesus Christ and fulfillment of God’s will for any believer. As a result, this fast as all fast that I engage in concentrates on yoke breaking.

When I set out to bust yokes I will call on the Lord. God is to whom I will call. When I set out to bust yokes,I need prayer and fasting, the yoke busters. These are what I will call on. When it’s time to destroy the yoke, what am I going to call? Yoke Busters!

*The ‘Good Friday Fast’ is a personal fast of which I’ve taken part since 2004. I fast from certain food and drink offerings for the entire time 40 days until 6:00 p.m. of Good Friday night.