Keeping Yourself Sharp
Antione Ashley

Statement: We need to fast

Why: because people are depending upon the Church’s anointing, as disciples of Jesus Christ, to meet the deepest needs of those around us.


Observation: Many are coming to us, finding that we do not have the power that we are meant to have, which we proclaim, and are left helpless only to search for it through other means on the earth. I feel this is so, because we are not taking the discipline of keeping ourselves sharp seriously.

1. We have a man that is helpless and hopeless coming to Jesus about his son that is demon-possessed.





2. We have a boy who is possessed of an evil spirit having his life threatened, being thrown into the fire and water, that he might die.

What does this man, who has a demon-possessed child, is helpless and is in a hopeless situation do? He sees a group of God-fearing men that he brings his son to.


But the man is not encouraged with who’s there, because there was no success.



I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him...


Translation here…
Jesus, I heard you were a miracle working man, you have set many people free from death, sickness, and demon spirits like my son currently has - BUT when I came here, you were nowhere to be found; therefore, I saw your disciples (students and proteges) and thought that since they follow you and are being mentored by you as their rabbi, they would know how to do this as well.

We must begin to see that:

1. The world expect the church to have power and authority.

2. Jesus expects his disciples to have authority as well.

3. Whenever there is a let down, a view of God and his church becomes in question to those in need.

What’s the Deal with Discipleship?

Jesus spent three years with his disciples, and this is important to address:

A disciple is a learner; protege; pupil; intern; understudy; apprentice.

- This means that whenever you are an apprentice to someone, those watching you know that you are doing everything in your power to become like the person you are learning from. You have stopped everything to take up their trade and profession and the only goal in mind is for you to DO what HE DOES!

The man said that he brought his child to Jesus’ disciples.

- He was coming in faith and Hope
- He 's now feeling Hopeless




What does this mean for us today?
We are actually meant to hold up to the word disciple and BE LIKE HIM.


Instead of them being like Jesus, they suffered failure:
16 So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”

Spiritual Failure
Spiritual Failure does happen and we need to acknowledge it in the church today. In fact, if many people were honest, they are currently suffering spiritual failures, and only way back into success to assess the failure and learn from it. Spiritual failure happened then, and it still happens to us today.

1. Matthew 7:27 speaks of failure to keep one’s Spiritual Life standing due to their house being on the wrong foundation




2. Luke 14:30 speaks of failure to finish the unique work of God that he’s called one to due to not accurately counting the cost before starting a work.




3. Luke 16:12 speaks of a failure to be trusted with more because of a lack of integrity with a little.




4. Here in Matt 17:16 the disciples SUFFER FAILURE.

The Role of Rebuke in Discipleship

If you will understand discipleship, it must night be simply bible study and fellowship; therefore, discipleship is not a one time lesson, you have arrived, you need me no more type of thing.

Discipleship is a constant training within every season of your life.
- In order to do so, Jesus must deal with the disciples by addressing what spirit they are in within a particular season.


Matt 10 - The Disciples are given power and authority to cast out demons and the succeed
- they return in joy saying, "The demons are subject to us!" (See Luke 10:17)
- Yet Jesus rebukes them saying, "So, I saw Satan fall like lighting from heaven. Rejoice not that the demons are subject to you, rather that your names are written in heaven.
- Here, Jesus rebukes PRIDE.

In Matt 17
- We are here after learning that they can cast out demons in Luke 10, yet they fail here.
- Jesus' last rebuked his disciples in the last season for pride.
- In this season, Jesus rebukes his disciples for doubt while in ministry.


Real discipleship is when the rabbi, whoever they are - pastor, church, mentor, parent, spiritual parent, etc. - can rebuke the spirit you are currently walking in so that you can stay even kill in the spirit and sharp to continue being effective.

A Mark of True Discipleship

The mark of a true disciple is when he/she can face and endure rebuke and NOT leave offended.





The Disciples showed real humility in the fact that:
1. After they were rebuked, they didn't leave
2. After they were rebuked, they stayed and watched Jesus complete the Job
3. After they were rebuked they came to Jesus and asked a great question to learn from their failure..

Real disciples are not easily offended at rebuke, but see rebuke as an invitation to learn more.

Jesus’ Response…


1. Unbelief
This word is apistis which could mean:
- Untrustworthy, unfaithful, unbeliever; infidel, and without trust in GOD.





2. This kind come out only by prayer and fasting
Along with power and authority, you need a discipline to keep you in position -prayer and fasting

- Abide



- Keep in Step




- Keep the Unity




Jesus was saying to the disciples, you were given power...AWESOME.
BUT you need discipline to help you maintain that flow, and that is through prayer and fasting.

Practicals... Fasting - What is it?

Fasting is abstaining from foods and other appetites in order to focus one’s spiritual appetite on God in prayer and the word.


Fasting is dietary in the natural, but biblical fasting is not dietary, it is spiritual exercise.

There are several types of fasts:

Partial Fast: this is fasting meats and sweets in order to have the basic essentials of food to keep you sustained.
- This fast usually entails you eating veggies and fruit juices/water
- This fast is not about seasoned veggies
- This fast is about bare necessities

Regular Fast: Traditionally, a regular fast means refraining from eating all food.
- Most people still drink water or juice during a regular fast.

Whole Fast: These fasts are complete
- No food and no drink.

Things to know about fasting:



1. Every Person Can Fast


2. Fasting is to be done in secret: the world nor Facebook should know when you are fasting and what you are fasting.


3. Fasting, (full fasting) should be entered into slowly, with preparation of tapering off from food and exited the same way.


4. Fasting should be incrementally increased.



5. Fasting should become a weekly discipline.

Several Reasons to Fast

1. Fasting to Release the power of God (Matt 17)
2. Fasting to Stop a Crisis - (Joel 2)
3. Fasting for Revelation from God (Dan 9)
4. Fasting for Protection (Esther 4)
5. Fasting for Direction after receiving a “directional” prophetic word (Acts 13)
6. Fasting to Grow in closeness with Jesus (Matt 9)



The two I believe we are in need of this year is to fast to release the power of God, and to fast for closeness with Jesus.

1. Fasting for the Power of God
- As we have read today, many people are looking at the church asking, if not even daring, for us to walk the power that Jesus commanded us to.

- I believe the reason for some of the lack of that fulfilment is that we are not disciplined enough to take kingdom as a lifestyle rather than an event.












2. Fasting for Closeness with Jesus
- This is the fast I believe God is sitting on for us this year! I feel deeply in my spirit that you and I need to press in right here this year, fasting for closeness to Jesus.

When the son of Man leaves them they will MOURN and then fast.

Why would they be mourning?
- The joy that the disciples had while with Jesus resulted in them having joy, a sense of His presence, and closeness to his heart

- When he would leave, they would lose that and then feel the sense of longing, grief, and a wanting for his presence to return.