Sermon Notes

So today's sermon was labeled The Breakthrough Power of Fasting. This week (starting tomorrow), our church is doing a church wide fast in the hopes that people will really open themselves up to the idea that God can use them in great ways this Easter. This Sunday, along with Christmas Sunday is one of the few times that people feel an obligation to go to church and are openly willing to hear the words of what same may call "Jesus Freaks". It is an opportunity to really let the light shine or kindle the flame, if you will. Each person has chosen there on particular form of fasting. Some are doing a fast of everything but fluids, others are fasting from sugars or sweet dessert type foods, and some are steering clear of foods altogether and fasting from things such as technology. I personally, due to nursing a baby, will be participating in a fast from the computer for the next week. "Gasp", yes I realize that means I cannot obsessively check my facebook every 5 minutes or even to see if anyone has commented on this blog, LOL, but I am convinced that this experience will be powerful and I ask all of my brother's and sister's in Christ to truly consider fasting from something this week as well.

The heart of the sermon this morning was this "Fasting is simply a way to seek God by denying the physical in order to focus on the spiritual. The purpose of fasting is to draw closer to God. But when we draw close to God through fasting, we tap into a break through power that enables us to claim victory over areas that once knew only defeat." Here are some examples of the purposes of fasting: (look at Isaiah 58:6-8)

For Freedom from addictions (vs. 6)
To Solve Problems (vs. 6)
For Revival and Soul Winning (vs. 6)
To conquer Mental and Emotional Problems (vs. 6)
To Meet the PHysical Needs of Others (vs. 7)
For Insight in Decision Making (vs. 8)
For Health Reasons or Healing (vs. 8)
For a More Righteous Life (vs. 8)
To Protect us from the Evil One (vs. 8)

It is through fasting that we can become closer to the will of God, but this will only happen if we replace the time we spend eating, on the computer, watching tv, or whatever else we may choose to fast actively praying, meditating on the word, and seeking out God's will. We have the opportunity to do truly amazing things on individual level through fasting, however, think of just how much more of a difference we could make if each one of us chose to fast this week. If every church in your city, state, country, world chose to fast in order to seek out God's will I believe we would see a revolution. An uprising of our Christian youth to stand for what they believe in, unbelievers seeking out and accepting the truth, healing of illness, and even possibly the second coming of our Lord. What an amazing revolution that would be. Another thing that our pastor said today that really struck me and I will leave you all with to ponder and chew on a bit is that "All who are going to come to the Lord have not yet done so and this is the reason why the second coming has not yet happened. We still have a job to do." So how can we accomplish this?