WEBVTT 00:04.454 --> 00:11.846 [SPEAKER_00]: As we continue our week on seeking God, today we're exploring what it means to seek God through fasting. 00:12.943 --> 00:22.968 [SPEAKER_00]: This may be a new or even unpleasant topic for some, but my hope is that you would be energized and encouraged for the act of fasting today. 00:23.828 --> 00:36.714 [SPEAKER_00]: There is power in surrender and self-sacrifice for the sake of more of God, and I pray you experience that power as you learn more about this important tool God's given us to see Him. 00:37.675 --> 00:43.623 [SPEAKER_00]: I'd encourage you to open your heart today in full surrender to anything the Spirit might speak. 00:44.685 --> 00:46.728 [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to the first 15 podcast. 01:13.060 --> 01:26.247 [SPEAKER_00]: Our Scripture for today comes from Ezra 8, verse 23, Scripture says, so we fasted and implored our God for this and he listened to our and treaty. 01:29.888 --> 01:43.531 [SPEAKER_00]: In his book, a hunger for God, John Piper writes, if you don't feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. 01:44.491 --> 01:48.692 [SPEAKER_00]: It is because you have nibbled so long at the table of the world. 01:49.412 --> 01:54.953 [SPEAKER_00]: Your soul is stuffed with small things, and there is no room for the great. 01:56.987 --> 02:06.333 [SPEAKER_00]: fasting is a powerful tool for placing anything that entangles us to the depravity and longings of this world in proper perspective. 02:07.934 --> 02:19.341 [SPEAKER_00]: It builds for us a seat at the table of God where we can drink deeply of the wonders and satisfaction found in restored relationship with our heavenly Father. 02:21.088 --> 02:31.704 [SPEAKER_00]: May the Lord reveal to you the places in your heart which need to be re-aligned as we look at all God longs to do in us through the gift of fasting. 02:33.980 --> 02:42.586 [SPEAKER_00]: Matthew 6 verses 16 through 18 says, and when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. 02:43.427 --> 02:48.130 [SPEAKER_00]: For they just figure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. 02:49.411 --> 02:53.153 [SPEAKER_00]: Truly I say to you, they have received their reward. 02:54.134 --> 03:05.219 [SPEAKER_00]: But when you fast, annoy your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others, but by your father who is in secret. 03:06.039 --> 03:09.821 [SPEAKER_00]: And your father who sees in secret will reward you. 03:11.741 --> 03:20.105 [SPEAKER_00]: Fasting is a secret declaration to yourself and your heavenly father, that you want more of what he has to give you. 03:21.372 --> 03:29.996 [SPEAKER_00]: It's a private plea for the abundant life that can only be found in more of God and less of the world. 03:31.317 --> 03:42.903 [SPEAKER_00]: And God responds to our pleas with His glory and grace, causing the cares of this world to pale and comparison to the abundance of God's love. 03:44.832 --> 03:54.479 [SPEAKER_00]: there's something powerful that takes place when we willingly surrender satisfaction in the world to make space for more of God. 03:55.980 --> 03:58.943 [SPEAKER_00]: God loves to respond to our hunger. 04:00.431 --> 04:08.079 [SPEAKER_00]: In His patience, He waits for us to cry out to Him, to bring us into the fullness of what He has for us. 04:09.340 --> 04:14.505 [SPEAKER_00]: But in His pursuit of us, He constantly whispers from His Spirit to ours. 04:15.426 --> 04:23.814 [SPEAKER_00]: Backing us to give up the rags of this world for the riches that come through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. 04:25.464 --> 04:33.287 [SPEAKER_00]: Whether you're fasting food, entertainment, relationships, or anything else to make space for more of God. 04:33.947 --> 04:38.569 [SPEAKER_00]: The intention of God for fasting is to fill you up to overflow. 04:39.829 --> 04:47.692 [SPEAKER_00]: It's his intention to re-align your life, to position you to consistently receive all he has for you. 04:48.868 --> 04:58.395 [SPEAKER_00]: it's his intention to transform the pains of separation from whatever you're fasting, into deep prayers for more of his goodness. 04:59.555 --> 05:08.762 [SPEAKER_00]: May you be honest with yourself, and be filled with the desire to fast from that which stands in the way of you fully living the abundant life. 05:33.418 --> 05:44.607 [SPEAKER_00]: As we begin, meditate on God's desire for fasting, allow truth to form your perspective on this age-old discipline. 05:46.168 --> 05:55.075 [SPEAKER_00]: As our age verse 23 says, so we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our intruding. 05:56.491 --> 05:57.853 [SPEAKER_00]: and again, from John Piper. 05:58.834 --> 06:07.102 [SPEAKER_00]: If you don't feel strong desires for the manifestation of the glory of God, it is not because you have drunk deeply and are satisfied. 06:08.184 --> 06:15.091 [SPEAKER_00]: It is because you have nibbled so long at the table of the world, your soul is stuffed with small things. 06:15.772 --> 06:17.814 [SPEAKER_00]: And there is no room for the great. 07:00.062 --> 07:04.365 [SPEAKER_00]: And now, ask yourself, what do you need to fast? 07:06.026 --> 07:10.068 [SPEAKER_00]: What's holding you back from the fullness God longs to give you? 07:11.769 --> 07:16.352 [SPEAKER_00]: What could you give up to create more space for relationship with him? 07:17.833 --> 07:19.774 [SPEAKER_00]: Be honest with yourself and God. 07:21.576 --> 07:28.580 [SPEAKER_00]: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal places in your life that need the transformation that comes through fasting. 07:40.111 --> 07:40.172 [UNKNOWN]: You 08:12.272 --> 08:17.778 [SPEAKER_00]: and last, commit to fasting whatever you feel would be beneficial for you. 08:18.639 --> 08:20.280 [SPEAKER_00]: You don't have to start with too much. 08:21.181 --> 08:28.208 [SPEAKER_00]: This isn't meant to be a religious exercise but rather an action performed out of a longing for more of God. 08:29.730 --> 08:32.132 [SPEAKER_00]: Ask the Spirit to see you through this process. 08:33.333 --> 08:36.036 [SPEAKER_00]: Ask Him to strengthen you as you become weak. 08:48.568 --> 08:49.269 [UNKNOWN]: Thank you. 09:21.964 --> 09:28.693 [SPEAKER_00]: As we come to a close, be encouraged by this quote from the 19th-century author, Injumari. 09:29.595 --> 09:38.547 [SPEAKER_00]: He says, prayer is reaching out after the unseen, fasting is letting go of all that is seen and temporal. 09:39.737 --> 09:47.340 [SPEAKER_00]: Fasting helps express, deepen, confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything. 09:48.001 --> 09:52.463 [SPEAKER_00]: Even ourselves to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God. 09:53.973 --> 10:09.618 [SPEAKER_00]: May you discover the wealth of goodness that accompanies letting go of the weight of this world through fasting, and may your resolve to experience all that God has for you increase as the cares of the world slip away. 10:31.365 --> 10:33.867 [SPEAKER_00]: Thanks so much for listening to today's podcast. 10:34.287 --> 10:35.988 [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Josh Miller with 1st of team. 10:37.009 --> 10:41.812 [SPEAKER_00]: Fasting can be such a challenging spiritual discipline to regularly implement. 10:42.612 --> 10:47.695 [SPEAKER_00]: But the best thing you can do is pick one thing that you can give up, even just for one week. 10:48.336 --> 10:51.918 [SPEAKER_00]: An experience how fasting can produce tremendous life. 10:52.839 --> 10:58.302 [SPEAKER_00]: I want to encourage you to try fasting one thing for a week and see how God fills that space 11:01.665 --> 11:03.247 [SPEAKER_00]: Have a wonderful rest of your day. 11:03.267 --> 11:07.535 [SPEAKER_00]: Thanks so much for listening and may God bless you as you see Kim.