A Lesson on Prayer and Fasting To Our Youth Group Dated 2003

I ran across this in my notes and thought I would share since it goes with what we have been discussing! It was used for a Saturday morning prayer meeting with our youth. I would encourage you to read some of my "Favorite Links For Great Reading" blogs because there are some awesome things happening across our great country. People are praying everywhere. They want an "old time revival"!


Things to Pray Against:


Rebellion - Going against what your parents and youth leaders tell you, because you feel like it.


Lying - Living a lie, act like you are a Christian at church but treat your family and others like you are the devil. No respect for your parents, teachers, elders etc...


Cheating - Telling your parents that you are done with your homework when you know that you need to work on a book report or another project. Or telling your quiz coach you have studied when you know that you didn’t review your old material like you were asked. White Lies?? No such thing!!


Deceitfulness - Doing and saying things that are not right and trying to hide your involvement or act like you are an innocent bystander, when you were the ringleader that started the problems.


Envy - Wishing that you were as good as someone else, to the extent that you start trying to do or say things behind their back to discredit them. “I’ll be glad when they learn to preach or sing”


Discord - Taking things out of context and repeating with our own added comments. “Maybe he meant...” or “She said this, which she probably meant...” Leave things alone a let God work it out!


Strife - If we involve ourselves in the above it can lead to friction (strife) and bigger problems. Which the bible refers to having a problem with our foundation and that God would bring it to light by trial (I Corinthians 3:11-21). We are also warned that we can devour ourselves and that those who involve will get their reward in time to come (Galatians 5: 14-21).


Things we need to pray for:


Lost souls - That we could hear the cry of their heart, and see the longing in their eyes to know God!


Open doors - A break through to minister in area schools, youth centers, half-way houses.
Revival - Through-out our church family. Not just among a few of the youth, but let it go to all the families in the church. ( I used actual examples here from some of our church folk) Pray someone through to the Holy Ghost at a nursing home and some one else at work and maybe one of the youth teaching a bible study at school.


Fasting, Why?


To overcome - Some things only happen as a result of prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:20-21)


The need to call a fast - Joel 1:14 (Sanctify a fast)


Set a specific day - Jeremiah 36:6 (upon the fast day) We set Wed’ as fast day


How to and not to fast - Matthew 6:16-18 ( be not, but do & appear not)


What fasting makes you do - Psalms 35:13 ( I humbled myself)


The continuing command - I Corinthians 7:5 (give yourselves to fasting & prayer)


Paul fasted as example and with awesome results - II Corinthians 6:4-10 ( In fastings)


Jesus fasted with awesome results - John 4 ( one woman and a whole city saved!)


Prayer and Fasting can help us:

Break Generational problems - Mom & Dad an alcoholic, so I’m going to be an alcoholic. NO!! Mom & Dad talk down about the church, Pastor, and leadership so I’m going to. No!! Parents skip church for a ball game, party etc...

We want endtime Revival:

Book of Acts - If it can happen there then we should be seeing it here. We have seen it in the Philippines where hundreds were filled with the spirit, we need to see it here. If we can lift our hands there in the Philippines and in less than two minutes God fills 76 with the Holy Ghost( our youth group was there on a mission trip!). Then we can see it happen right here in Cecil County and in your schools and your work places!! We ought to have a youth service @ Cecil Community College in the auditorium that seats 450 !!


There is strength and unity when we pray and fast together!!



Some one said Prayer moves God and Fasting moves us!


Some one else said Fasting moves us so God can work through us!


Fasting actually helps us to bring our flesh (fleshly spirits and lusts) under control so God can trust us with a mighty move of his power!!