Executive Director Message
Mark 2:18-22 “On that day they will fast”...
Greetings Canada’s Kneeling Army,
I pray that you are flying high in Christ, even as our country is basking in the after-glow of an incredible exhibition of athletic excellence following the 2010 Winter Olympics. Although the Olympic flame has been extinguished, the spirit has not gone out. Collectively Canadians joined Nickelback, William Shatner, K-OS, Michael J. Fox and many others to declare that we are “Champions” – a nation of champions. This historic “Own the Podium” accomplishment has released an infectious national unity and patriotism not otherwise experienced in present times.
Intercessors, I believe the Church in Canada is also being summoned to “Own the Promise”. Like our athletes, we are called to train not for a prize that will tarnish, but in preparation for perilous times when supernatural strength will be needed (2 Timothy 3:1). Friends, like all great athletes, we must be aware of what season of training we are in. Mark 2:20 reminds us that, “On that day they will fast”. On this First Friday, in the 2010 Lenten season, I would like to turn our attention to one of our most potent and under-used exercises – fasting.
Over the years I have personally witnessed great power in the practice of prayer with fasting. As a pastor, I have learned that many people have one or both of these reactions when fasting is spoken of: 1.) They ignore it (“it’s not for me”) and/or 2.) They misunderstand what it is all about, and what is required for true Christian fasting. This saddens me because, as your “cheerleader”, I want each of you to win, and I am absolutely certain that many of you have prayer concerns that you encounter that are particularly resistant and tough; obstacles that have a whole different spiritual dimension of difficulty about them. Jesus reminds us that there is a way to gain the spiritual power to break through such needs …Mark 2:20, “But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast”. Jesus was led up into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted by the devil, and entered into a prolonged season of prayer and “fasting” for 40 days in all. The Gospel of St. Luke records in chapter 4:14 that Jesus returned “in the power of the Spirit”. It is undeniable that Jesus was continuously anointed of God, however, something was clearly released in a whole new dimension through that period of prayer and fasting.
Throughout the gospels, there are numerous references to the fact that Jesus modeled a lifestyle of prayer and fasting for all generations. One that continues to stand out is the incident with the demon-possessed boy after Jesus came down from the meeting on the mount of transfiguration (Mark 9). He cast out the demon and told his disciples that the reason He had been able to do so was because, “this kind only come out by prayer and fasting”. What’s the implication? Obviously, Jesus had been fasting and praying before he attempted this display of His authority.
Why is fasting so productive in releasing spiritual power?
- Fasting reminds us of our humanity. Fasting jogs our memory of our helplessness to change our circumstances. It makes us dependent and, oh, how most of us hate to feel dependant! A Holy handicap!
- Fasting humbles us. We deny the physical appetites of our body for a time, to humble ourselves before God who has all the answers for our lives.
- Fasting expresses our seriousness. We are saying, when we fast, that seeking God is more important to us than our personal agendas and the daily routine of finding food for ourselves. At this point it is important to state the obvious; we cannot shoehorn God into our plans, but God does respond to the importunity and genuine prayer.
In closing, please be reminded that fasting with prayer is a gift from Almighty God that should never be used for dieting or hunger strikes. Friends, it should be exercised with the greatest of humility, most often in secret, unless it is a corporate fast involving several others. My hope is that each of you will take a step of faith and begin to “Own the Promise” through this most special gift. My steadfast belief is that prayer with fasting is one of God’s most generous provisions, and he has proven time and time again in my personal ministry that mountains crumble into the sea when I have disciplined my body and spirit through prayer with fasting.
Intercessors, I give this personal witness because, like you, I am an ordinary person who is connected to an extraordinary God. If He, in His mercy, has seen my sacrifice of prayer with fasting, I expect He’ll do no less for you as you turn your faith and your heart to Him, desiring greater intimacy, clarity and authority. This Lenten season, let us together “Own the Promise”!
Own the Promise,
P.S: CIP is thrilled to be in Kitchener-Waterloo, ON from March 26 - 28 as we launch Ignite Canada!; a clear sound on the trumpet in the land that “the Lord God Omnipotent reigns” from coast to coast to coast! Please stay tuned as we will be sending out specific Prayer Directives in the weeks to come. As well, if you are in the area please join us! For out-of-towners, the event will take place at the Holiday Inn Kitchener-Waterloo (30 Fairway Road South at Hwy 8), so accommodations are available onsite.
For further information, reservations, or if you would like flyers to distribute to your churches, prayer groups, friends or family, please contact the CIP office at 1-888-320-8844. This is a free event, and all are welcome!
The July 1988 issue of the Southern Medical Journal published a scientific study that indicates that God exists, and that he had interceded in the recovery of a group of coronary care unit patients! In his article entitled, "Positive Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer in a Coronary Care Unit Population," Randolph C. Byrd, M.D., a San Francisco cardiologist, endeavored to answer these questions: (1) Does intercessory prayer (IP) to the Judeo-Christian God have any effect on a CCU patient's medical condition and recovery? (2) How are these effects manifested, if present? The study took place between August 1982 and May 1983, when 393 patients signed informed consent papers upon admission to the San Francisco General Hospital CCU, and were entered into a prospective, double-blind, randomized study (The remaining fifty-seven patients admitted during this period cited various reasons for refusing to participate).
A computer-generated list randomly assigned patients to either the IP or the control group, and neither they, nor the CCU doctors and staff, nor Randolph Byrd were aware of which patients were assigned to which group. Intercessors chosen to pray for the IP-group patients were "'born again' Christians (according to the Gospel of John 3:3) with an active Christian life as manifested by daily devotional prayer and active Christian fellowship with a local church." Each IP patient "was assigned to three to seven intercessors ... The [IP] was done outside of the hospital daily until the patient was discharged...each intercessor was asked to pray daily for a rapid recovery and for prevention of complications and death."
The IP group consisted of 192 patients, and the control group of 201. Analyses revealed no significant statistical differences between the health of the two groups upon admission. "Thus it was concluded that the two groups were statistically inseparable and that results from the analysis of the effects of [IP] would be valid." The mean age of the IP patients was two years younger than that of the control patients, a difference deemed statistically insignificant.
Each patient's hospital course was given a severity score of "good," "intermediate," or "bad," based upon the degree of morbidity experienced by the patient. In his introductory abstract, which was also reproduced in the "Domestic Abstracts" section of the Journal of the American Medical Association on January 20, 1989, Byrd concludes that the "data suggest that [IP] ... has a beneficial therapeutic effect in patients admitted to a CCU." In the final paragraph of his article, Byrd says, "Based on these data there seemed to be an effect [from IP], and that effect was presumed to be beneficial." (emphasis added)
"God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on Him." - Hudson Taylor
