In the Lord’s answer to the inquiry of His disciples as to their failure to cast the demon out of an
only son, we are brought face to face with existing causes for the weakness and failure among us
today. The distraught father had come to the Lord Jesus with his disappointment, and Jesus
intervened on his behalf to free the child. "Why could not we cast him out?" the disciples queried,
to which the Lord Jesus produced three reasons as the cause.

The fact that they asked the reason is in itself a favorable sign on their part, as well as an
encouraging example to us. Whenever there is soul-exercise as to loss of power with a turning to
God to seek His face concerning it, the reason is certain to be pointed out, and the remedy readily
given.

"And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief; for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith
as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and
it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by
prayer and fasting" (Matt. 17:20,21).

Reason One:Lack of Faith

When faith is lacking, communication with the God of power is broken, and hence there is no
manifestation of the power of God. Faith is the connecting link between the soul and God. When
this link is missing, we cannot expect God to display Himself because, in the first place, Lack of
faith robs Him of His pleasure. In Hebrews 11:6 we read, "Without faith it is impossible to please
Him." In the second place, Lack of faith jails to comprehend His presence. The same Scripture
continues, "He that cometh to God must believe that HE IS." And in the third place, Lack of faith
sets aside the fact of His goodness, as Hebrews 11:6 concludes, "He is a Rewarder of them that
diligently seek Him." Certainly we can see that when this principle of faith which pleases and
honors Him is lacking, we cannot expect Him to work in power among us. …

Reason Two:Lack of Prayer

Prayer acknowledges one’s own weakness and lays hold upon God’s strength. It is the expression
of absolute helplessness on the one hand, but the confession of God’s infinite ability on the other.
Without prayer there is the ever-destroying spirit of self-confidence, with the corresponding lack
of God-consciousness which dishonors Him. As "power belongeth unto God" (Psalm 62:11), what
dishonors Him must necessarily, in His holiness, short-circuit the manifestation of His power.

Our God delights to give in response to our requests. "Ask and it shall be given" is a divine
promise; and "Men ought always to pray" is divine wisdom. When His Word is kept, He ever
honors the obedience with divine power. . . .

Reason Three:Lack of Fasting

If there is to be power for God, it must be the power of God, and not the energy of man that is

in operation. Hence it is imperative that the flesh be kept in the place of death. . . . Unless it is
continually judged and abstained from, it will act to our shame and to the Lord’s discredit. Now
fasting is suggestive of this self-judgment and abstinence from selfish motives, of aims and acts
which would keep the flesh in its proper place of nothingness. Walking in the Spirit will allow the
divine nature to characterize us, and permit the power of God through His Holy Spirit to operate
unhinderedly in effectual service for Him.

Fasting suggests the living of a life of self-denial. It may at times be a denial of food, especially
during periods of deep exercise of soul, but far more does it imply the selflessness that should
permeate and characterize every sphere of our life’s activity. How essential this is if one is to be
a faithful servant whose object is the will of his master, for we can readily see that a selfish person
would never be a useful servant. … A person given to self-denial for Christ’s sake will be* found
"watching" and "occupying" until He comes. His time, his money, his comforts_yea, all he has
and is are regarded and held not for himself but for Christ and for others. . . .

In what particular feature of self-denial the disciples failed we are not told, but Jesus knew and
laid it to their charge as another reason for their power failure. The same One knows our
particular lack. Are we willing to accept the challenge of having Him point it out to us? With the
Psalmist, are we ready to pray, "Search ME, O God"?

Does the lack of power in ministry in our assemblies exercise us? Are we appalled by the
prevalent weakness and the state of apathy on every hand? Are we discouraged by the dearth of
praise in our gatherings for worship, along with a dozen or more symptoms of power failure?
Surely the Lord’s diagnosis of the disciples’ failure should speak forcibly to each of us, for we are
all a part of the ruin today. Let it bring us low in confession before Him, but at the same time let
us remember that HIS POWER is the same, for He and His Word can never change.

Let us, by His grace, practically combine the three remedies of Faith, Prayer and Fasting,
individually and collectively! Shall we not then soon experience more of God’s ways in power
among us in worship and service? It cannot be otherwise, for He cannot deny Himself.

(From Power Failure_Why?)