Matthew 17
By Pastor Brad
The Omitted Verse
Some manuscripts following the passage about the healing of the boy with a demon have omitted verse 21 of chapter 17. It reads: “But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
I was so fascinated with the commentary on this verse that I chose to include it in today’s devotional as written by Jon Courson.
There is a powerful interaction between prayer and fasting. Prayer attaches us to God; fasting detaches us from the flesh. The disciples, no doubt, would have been thinking, This kind does not go out by prayer and fasting? How were we to know we would be faced with a lunatic? We didn’t have time for prayer and fasting! And that’s exactly the point. Jesus is calling for a lifestyle of prayer and fasting, not an emergency session. Had the disciples been praying and fasting all along, they could have spoken the word of faith that would have resulted in deliverance and salvation.
On Thursdays I always bring lunch and dinner to church because I don’t go home until after our Bridge rehearsal is over around 8:00 pm. It’s one of my long days at the church but I prepare for it. Except for today. In a hurry to take Colton to school I didn’t leave myself enough time to prepare my meals for the day. So now, as I sit at my computer wondering what I’m going to do for lunch and dinner, I’m faced with the other option to pray and fast.
Food for thought: Depending on what time of day you are reading this you have already thought about what you are going to eat, and if you hadn’t yet….you will.
Again, prayer attaches us to God; fasting detaches us from the flesh. I must admit that this is not a regular part of my lifestyle that Jesus has called each of us to.
James 5:16 says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
Let’s not be caught off guard when God wants to include us in a miracle.
