Activate Your Star Players
Activate Your Star Players
Opening: Imagine a 5-on-5 basketball game, but your team only has one or two players on the court. No wonder you’re losing! God has given us powerful spiritual tools–-”players”---to help us win in life. Today, we’re talking about two of the most powerful ones:
Prayer and Fasting
Prayer and Fasting
Matthew 6:5-18
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Big Idea: You can’t win a spiritual battle with only half your team.
Prayer and fasting are game-changers—put them in the game!
1. It’s Not for Show, It’s for Strength!
Matthew 6:5-8
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Look, you don’t win games by showing off during warmups. You win by locking in and playing with your heart.
The Pharisees prayed and fasted for attention. Jesus says: don’t be like them.
Real power comes from what happens behind the scenes, not just in public.
God rewards what’s done in secret.
Matthew 6:18
18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
The game is won in...
• Practice
• In Preparation
• in the quiet place
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Look, you don’t win games by showing off during warmups. You win by locking in and playing with your heart.
The Pharisees prayed and fasted for attention. Jesus says: don’t be like them.
Real power comes from what happens behind the scenes, not just in public.
God rewards what’s done in secret.
Matthew 6:18
18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
The game is won in...
• Practice
• In Preparation
• in the quiet place
2. Prayer Connects You to Power
It’s not just for emergencies—it’s meant to be daily conversation with God.
“God is not a cosmic vending machine we access through prayer”
Jesus taught us how to pray in a simple, meaningful way.
Matthew 6:9-13
9 Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Jesus didn’t mean this is the exact prayer we have to say every day; He was giving us an outline.
“God is not a cosmic vending machine we access through prayer”
Jesus taught us how to pray in a simple, meaningful way.
Matthew 6:9-13
9 Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Jesus didn’t mean this is the exact prayer we have to say every day; He was giving us an outline.
Adoration - Tell God who He is — celebrate His greatness
Confessions - Be honest about what’s broken — confess your sins and weaknesses
Thanksgiving - Give thanks for what God has done — recognize His goodness
Surrender - Let go and trust — submit your will to His
Confessions - Be honest about what’s broken — confess your sins and weaknesses
Thanksgiving - Give thanks for what God has done — recognize His goodness
Surrender - Let go and trust — submit your will to His
Prayer brings peace, even if it doesn’t bring instant solutions
Philippians 4:6-7
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Prayer is Point Guard—the one who runs the plays and keeps you in sync with your Coach (God).
Prayer keeps you connected to God—the One who gives strategy, direction, and peace.
Without your Point Guard, your team has no rhythm.
Prayer keeps you in the game.
It’s like plugging your phone in everyday—without it, you lose power.
In the next chapter Jesus says this about prayer:
Matthew 7:7-11
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Connection isn’t enough, we also need discipline.
A team can have talent, but without toughness, they won’t win.
That’s where fasting comes in.
Philippians 4:6-7
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Prayer is Point Guard—the one who runs the plays and keeps you in sync with your Coach (God).
Prayer keeps you connected to God—the One who gives strategy, direction, and peace.
Without your Point Guard, your team has no rhythm.
Prayer keeps you in the game.
It’s like plugging your phone in everyday—without it, you lose power.
In the next chapter Jesus says this about prayer:
Matthew 7:7-11
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Connection isn’t enough, we also need discipline.
A team can have talent, but without toughness, they won’t win.
That’s where fasting comes in.
3. Fasting Strengthens Your Spirit
Fasting is your Lockdown Defender—it shuts down the flesh so your spirit can play strong.
Fasting is about telling your flesh, “You’re not running this team anymore.”
Listen—fasting isn’t just about skipping meals. It’s about turning down the volume of your flesh so you can hear the voice of God. And here’s the truth:
“You will never dominate in the spiritual, if you’re distracted in the flesh.”
That’s why fasting is a game-changer.
Jesus said “when you fast”--- He expects us to use this tool.
Not "If" but "when"
Matthew 6:16
"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.”
Again,
• It is not about religion or being seen by men.
• it's not a diet to lose weight.
Fasting is a powerful Biblical principle that, if focused on pursuing God and seeking His guidance, it will Change the Game.
*It is a good principle to deny our flesh of other things...
• social media
• work
• material things... etc..
The word Fasting; however, is directly related to food.
"Show your flesh whose boss"
1 Corinthians 6:12
12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.
Every team needs defense. Fasting helps shut down what’s been slowing you down.
But there’s a warning here—because even powerful players can be misused. Prayer and fasting aren”t about showing off; they’re about showing up. Jesus said don’t turn it into a performance. It’s not for show—it’s for strength.
Matthew 6:16-18
16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
You don't have to be a spiritual pro to start. Just try!
Don't let your best players ride the bench this week. Put them in.
Let prayer run the play.
Let fasting shut down the distractions.
When you activate these players, it won't just change the game-it will change your life.
Fasting is about telling your flesh, “You’re not running this team anymore.”
Listen—fasting isn’t just about skipping meals. It’s about turning down the volume of your flesh so you can hear the voice of God. And here’s the truth:
“You will never dominate in the spiritual, if you’re distracted in the flesh.”
That’s why fasting is a game-changer.
Jesus said “when you fast”--- He expects us to use this tool.
Not "If" but "when"
Matthew 6:16
"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.”
Again,
• It is not about religion or being seen by men.
• it's not a diet to lose weight.
Fasting is a powerful Biblical principle that, if focused on pursuing God and seeking His guidance, it will Change the Game.
*It is a good principle to deny our flesh of other things...
• social media
• work
• material things... etc..
The word Fasting; however, is directly related to food.
"Show your flesh whose boss"
1 Corinthians 6:12
12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.
Every team needs defense. Fasting helps shut down what’s been slowing you down.
But there’s a warning here—because even powerful players can be misused. Prayer and fasting aren”t about showing off; they’re about showing up. Jesus said don’t turn it into a performance. It’s not for show—it’s for strength.
Matthew 6:16-18
16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
You don't have to be a spiritual pro to start. Just try!
Don't let your best players ride the bench this week. Put them in.
Let prayer run the play.
Let fasting shut down the distractions.
When you activate these players, it won't just change the game-it will change your life.
Get your starters on the floor.
Tomorrow morning, spend 10 minutes in prayer before your day starts.
Adoration
Confessions
Thanksgiving
Surrender
Fast from one meal this week and spend that time in prayer.
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