Jesus Himself prayed and fasted: Matthew 4:1-11

1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Jesus Himself prayed and fasted: Matthew 4:1-11

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:“‘He will command his angels concerning you,    and they will lift you up in their hands,    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.

Jesus Himself prayed and fasted: Matthew 4:1-11

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him

Jesus taught about prayer and fast Matthew 6:16-18

16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell

you, they have received their reward in full. 

There is power with prayer and fasting

1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and

forty nights, he was hungry. 

Fasting must be led by the Holy Spirit

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him 

Praying & Fasting with

JESUS

1. REMIND ourselves of our IDENTITY in CHRIST

 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

1. REMIND ourselves of our IDENTITY in CHRIST

a. Remind ourselves  of identity as individual believers

b. Remind ourselves of our identity as a family of believers

c. Remind ourselves of our itinerary   as pilgrims on earth

1a. Our IDENTITY in CHRIST as Individual Believers

 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 

Ephesians 1:3

BLESSING from God the Father: We are chosen &

adopted  For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 

Ephesians 1:4-5

BLESSING from God the Son: We are redeemed ,

forgiven & lavished with grace  7 In him we have redemption through his 

blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us.  

Ephesians 1:7-8

BLESSING from God the Holy Spirit: We are sealed and

guaranteed

  13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your 

salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the 

redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.  Ephesians 1:7-8

OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST

HELLO MY NAME IS by Matthew West

1b. Our IDENTITY in CHRIST as a Family of Believers

  5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 

1 Peter 2:5,9

1c. Our ITINERARY & INSTRUCTIONS while on earth

  11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they 

accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits 

us. 1 Peter 2:11,12

1c. Our ITINERARY & INSTRUCTIONS while on earth  18 Then Jesus came to them and said,“All authority in heaven and on earth has been 

given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy 

Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18-20, Great Commission

REMEMBER YOUR IDENTITY in CHRIST

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:“‘He will command his angels concerning you,    and they will lift you up in their hands,    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.

2. RENOUNCE sin for they invalidate our IDENTITY

11 By them (the Law of God) your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

12 But who can discern their own errors?    Forgive my hidden faults.

13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;    may they not rule over me.Then I will be blameless,

    innocent of great transgression.Psalms 19:11-13

RENOUNCE both presumptuous (willful) sin & non

deliberate sin

4 For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,

Nor shall evil dwell with You.5 The boastful shall not stand in Your sight;

You hate all workers of iniquity.6 You shall destroy those who speak 

falsehood;Psalms 5:4-5

God is never pleased with sin

Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy 

Proverbs 28:13

Confess and renounce sin

Throw off any sin that entangles

WARNING against testing God

7 “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not

let you go unpunished if you misuse his name

Exodus 20:7, NLT

3. RESOLVE to put Christ as the center of our life

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him

CHRIST must not just our priority, He must be center

GOD demands Exclusive Worship

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is

written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him

only.’”

We have the choice: God (Life) or something else (Death)

15 “Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. 16 For I command you this day to love the LORD your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways…17 “But if your heart turns away and you refuse to listen, and if you are drawn away to serve and 

worship other gods, 18 then I warn you now that you will certainly be destroyed.

Deuteronomy 30:15-18

Resolve to Serve and Honor God

15 But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.”

Joshua 24:15

8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief

official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God

had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, 

Daniel 1:8-9

In our week of prayer and fasting:

1.REMEMBER your Identity in Christ

2.RENOUNCE sins for they invalidate your Identity

3.RESOLVE to put Christ at the center of your life.