Jan. 4th 2015-Fasting to Feast on God

We are kicking off 2015 with a church family fast that declares to the Lord that more than anything else this year we want more of His Kingdom to transform our lives. In this message we will cover the passion behind fasting, the promises of God in fasting and the tools and plan that turn a fast into a feast on more of God.

If you want a study tool to go along with the podcast, see Lift Notes here:

Fasting: Hungering for more of God

January 4^th 2015 by Kasey Crawford

Today’s Passages: Matthew 6:16-18; 4:2-4, 1 Cor. 9:25-27, Mark 2:18-22, Acts 9:1-19; 10:1-48; 13:1-4

 

Jesus taught his followers:

¹⁶ “When you fast… ¹⁷ But when you fast….”   Matthew 6:16–18

 

Fasting is an _____________ spiritual practice of followers of Jesus who want to see more of the kingdom breakthrough in their life.

 

Fasting is a ______________ where you intentionally put aside certain comforts and pleasures for a time in order to invest that time and _________ into direct pursuit of God.

 

Jesus modeled fasting (40 days in the wilderness):

“ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” Matthew 4:2–4

Jesus was hungry physically but he was ____________ spiritually, experiencing life in the soul through communion with God.

 

In Mark 2:18-22 Jesus teaches that fasting is done to ___________ ourselves for a ________ work of God’s Spirit in our lives.

 

In Acts 9:1-19 Paul was fasting when God revealed his ________ and ___________ for Paul’s life. “This man is my chosen instrument…”v.15

 

In Acts 10:1-48 Peter was fasting when he received ___________ of God’s heart for the Gospel going out to the Gentiles.

 

 

In Acts 13:1-4 During a corporate fast at the Church in Antioch, they received _____________ for a decision about who should go on a trip (Barnabus and Paul).

 

The basic idea of fasting is simple but powerful: we give up something that we need and/or want in order to _________ on pursuing something we need and want even more, namely, more of Jesus’ ____________ in our life.

 

Fasting is a way of getting rid of the _____________, clearing out the cloudy haze that keeps us _____________ from a clear connection with God.

 

At times it’s healthy to set aside even good things in order to purify our hearts and put ________ __________.

 

This will be a time of heightened spiritual sensitivity but breakthrough only comes if you have ________ to pursue God with and a ________ to put those tools into action.

 

Put in discipleship language, we (Elevation) are always looking for more ways in which we can ____________ ourselves more fully to pursuing Him in order to see His Kingdom breakthrough into our lives. Fasting is one such pursuit.

 

Living as a Disciple in the Kingdom…

How do you best connect with God?

 

 

How are you going to increase your seeking of God through these tools during the fast? What is your fasting plan?

 

 

 

 

*Answers: assumed, discipline, energy, feasting, prepare, new, will, destiny, revelation, direction, focus, presence, clutter, distracted, God first, tools, plan, offer

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