May 18th 2014-Life in the Kingdom-Fasting to Feast on God

Do ever feel that your life is full but you are not satisfied?  In this passage we get to the heart of fasting and how it is a lifestyle modeled by Jesus that correlates with our present day in which we are constantly consuming but often unsatisfied.  God has something better…more intimacy with Him!!

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Life in the Kingdom: Fasting

May 4^th 2014 by Kasey Crawford

Today’s Passages: Matthew 6:16-18; 4:2-4, Mark 2:18-22, Acts 9:1-19; 10:1-48; 13:1-4; Psalm 63:1-5

 

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 at times in order to invest that _________ 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 closeness 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.

 

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

 

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

 

Fasting is part of a lifestyle of purifying our hearts and being increasingly ______________ to Him!

 

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…

What is God saying to you?

 

 

 

What are you going to do about it?

 

 

 

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

 

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