Fasting Standalone

INTRO

Happy 2021!

Today will be a different sermon than normal.

Rather than our normal process of Biblical exegesis of Scripture, we will have more of a family conversation.

Today, I want to focus on these things:

Prepare us for our 21-Day fast beginning that will start next Sunday.

Celebrate what God has done in 2020.

Look forward to what God has laid on our hearts for 2021.

REFELCTING ON 2020

Let’s first reflect on 2020.

**What did 2020 look like for you?

Maybe a year that many would like to forget, but that would fail us greatly if we did.

2020 served many mighty purposes in the Earth.

While it could be conveyed that 2020 and the introduction of the pestilence of COVID-19 paved the way for the fulfillment of prophecies in Revelation, we also see God preparing a great thing in His church and in His people.

We will look at what God has done in 2020 on a broad scale concerning two arenas: Society at large and the Church.

Then we will look at what God has done in 2020 as it relates to this local body.

BROAD SCALE

SOCIETY AT LARGE

Without a doubt we find our society at large in chaos, confusion, anger, and divided.

We have divided over matters relating to how we have approached the pandemic.

We have divided over matters relating to a general election and political matters.

We have divided over fiscal responsibility of our nation.

We have divided over the communication of our national and local media outlets.

We have divided over typed words on social media.

We have divided over matters relating to law enforcement.

We have divided over matters related to the color of people’s skin.

With all of the elements stirred together…

We see a higher than average suicide rate.

We see a higher than average depression rate.

We see a higher than average drug usage rate.

We see violence in our streets with politicians disregarding the need for the safety of it’s people.

We see more conspiracy, distrust, and deceit happening at all ranks.

Sin runs rampant.

There is a great darkness in our land.

But with great darkness comes great opportunity for light to illuminate.

Never before has our generation of faith communities had a greater opportunity before us.

You see the pandemic didn’t cause the darkness, it simply revealed the darkness that was already there.

It brought out the tensions that laid somewhat under the surface.

All we needed was a catalyst.... a stirring of circumstances, a disruption to the norm to bring the settled dirt at the bottom of the well to the surface.

And here we are.

Our great hope is that great darkness draws our attention to a source of light much more powerful than anything this world can offer… Christ Jesus our Lord.

THE CHURCH

**How did the global Church change in 2020?

What we’ve seen in the Church at large may be even more profound than what we’ve seen in society.

People have been praying for a mighty shaking in the Church for decades now.

What people often forget is that shakings are uncomfortable and mass difficulties often precede mass positive changes.

A shaking has definitely started.

It wasn’t the one we expected, or maybe even wanted, but it’s what God knew we needed.

This past year has exposed a lot of things in the Church.

The election exposed numerous false prophets and charlatans.

Numerous people from prominent Charismatic and pentecostal movements prophesied a second term for Donald Trump.

They stood boldly on their claims and some even purported it would be a landslide victory.

It also exposed the people that hold up the arms of these false prophets.

I see people making excuses for them, when the Bible has very harsh things to say about those who speak on behalf of God in vein or in error.

We see massive drops in church attendance across the board.

There are almost no reports of churches that didn’t take a hit during the pandemic with attendance or financials.

Some even closing because of the drop off.

Barna reports indicate that much more church failures are coming.

These reports indicate that mega churches will be hit at a more frequent rate than smaller churches.

Some churches are reporting increases in online engagement, but the reality is that engagement is dropping off as well.

Former consumer trends such as church entertainment, seeker friendly movements, and those pushing a progressive form of church are not working.

Some are holding unto whatever metrics they can, dumping cash into methods… searching for answers.

But it is of my opinion that the answers are found not in scrambling for secret new trends, but rather in a return to the Bible.

If the pandemic has revealed anything it’s that we’ve gotten away from the things that matter most.

The things that matter most is the things that matter to God most.

To find the things that matter to God most, we must search this Truth out in the Word.

We can find the heart of the Father for us in Jesus’ prayer for us:

John 17 ESV

1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. 6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. 20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

There is so much here it could be an entire series, but let’s briefly capstone it: (CANVAS HERE)

The Heart of the Father is to bring Glory to the Godhead v2

Reveal the true Holy God to the world through the Word v6-8

Unity amongst God’s people v11 and 21

That Christians not be of the world v15-16

Sanctification of believers by the Word v17

Proactive in creating more disciples v18

Believers share in the glory of Christ v24

Love amongst believers and in believers for God v25-26

These are the most important things at the heart of God and they therefore should be at our heart as well.

**WHICH THING DO YOU NEED TO WORK ON IN 2021 MOST?

Times of trouble stir the pot.

Why do you stir the pot?

Keep the contents at the bottom from getting to hot and scorching.

Ensure that other contents don’t dry out or remain uncooked by not being exposed to proper heat.

Mix seasonings, contents, and fluids to ensure consistency in taste for the consumers.

If you don’t stir the pot, things will burn, and settle, and not taste right.

Your product will be uneditable and unusable.

Let the pot be stirred.

LOCAL SCALE

As a local body, last year certainly had a level of impact on us.

But I’m no dejected by that, I’m very encouraged by that.

In fact, when I began going over the list of testimony items, I was unbelievably impressed with what God did.

LIST OF TESTIMONIES FOR 2020

Started house churches

It was 6-months prior to our original plan, but it was God’s perfect timing.

They didn’t all start super smooth, but we are beginning to see the fruit of things planted several months ago.

I see communities supporting each other, loving each other, and developing life time bonds.

One house church came together and decided to support the church in cleaning (EXPLAIN)

House churches are picking up medical equipment, giving rides, praying for each other.

They are going to each other’s events, weddings, and kid’s sporting games.

There are numerous individuals not attending on Sunday morning but going to house church regularly.

THEY ARE GROWING!

Individuals that don’t go to church at all are accepting invitations to join.

Started LiveU (Live University)

Though we had piloted a few classes before, we really kicked things off in 2020.

LiveU is our discipleship program where we seek to intentionally disciple people.

We had a great turnout and enrollment, as well as follow through, and celebrated with a graduation service on December 6th

Cleaned House

We spent a deal of time on addressing doctrinal purity.

This affected our worship music selections, and how we conduct all of our operations.

We also eliminated our stage and traditional seating.

Our stage had become an agent of promoting performance culture, and it had to go.

We established seating to be an extension of our house churches.... too feel like a large living room rather than rows of people staring at the back of someone else’s head.

From this we enforced that Circles > Rows in all ministries

Launch of LiveTV

Our streaming channel aimed at one day being a 24-hour channel was launched to provide people with the ability to have life-changing Gospel content around the clock.

We streamlined our online presentation to be palpable to anyone living anywhere.

We started producing content for our weekly house church meetings including coaching content and discussion starters.

Staff Changes

Our staff got a face lift in 2020 that provided stability and health for the long term.

We clearly have the most committed, selfless, and faithful team we have ever had.

New Youth Space

We gained access to a new facility for our student ministry.

We renovated the space and moved in.

We added a dedicated space for our LiveTV programming.

We’ve been able to use our space to help people with meeting space and activities.

During the pandemic we were able to help hundreds of families with food and supplies.

We forged partnerships with other organizations and churches to increase our effectiveness.

We continued supporting our teachers and staff at McCulloch Elementary.

We paid out $11,014 to McCulloch families.

Add that in with missions and we supported ministers and families to the tune of $23,586.

We wrote, and filmed a documentary for Easter in one week that got over 20,000 views

We ended up in the positive fiscally for the year and took NO government assistance to do so.

We worked hard to keep people safe and healthy, and only reported 3 positive cases in our church with ZERO spread.

Constantly innovated and adapted during the pandemic.

Added our first elders

Used our building to host the Chamber of Commerce office and storage for free.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!

LOOKING FORWARD TO 2021

As we look forward to 2021, we want to be realistic, and faithful to God.

Vision casting for us is not a man-made plan of hype and grader .

I don’t even think that vision casting necessarily is a Biblical process.

Vision casting can often be a man-made plan with God’s name slapped on it for the purposes of building a successful man-made empire so the pastor can hand it off to his son someday.

You can tell this because when the pastors change so does the vision.

The vision cast usually has some major focus on financial matters that allows the body to direct their sacrifices to their pocketbook and give them leverage to opt out of their responsibilities to discipleship and evangelism.

The vision cast is done in the name of soul winning, but often just ends up being attractional methods to encourage people already saved from other churches to jump ship.

The church in Acts didn’t vision cast, they stuck to the basics of Jesus’ commands… that’s hard enough as it is.

Build community

Preach the Gospel

Make Disciples

That’s our mission.

Our core values express how we do this:

Go to people and not expect them to come to us.

Tell the stories of those whose lives have been transformed by the Gospel.

Roll up our sleeves and serve each other.

Pray, fast and worship in a way that brings glory to God.

After time in prayer, these are things we are shooting to accomplish: (EXPLAIN THESE)

New mobile app with communication abilities

House Church conference

LiveU Expansion

First ever in-house worship song

LiveTV - 24 hour channel

OCC Campus

HOW WE WILL START:

CORPORATE FAST 2021

WHAT IS FASTING?

BIBLICAL FASTING

BIBLICAL FASTING: is abstaining from food for a specific period of time for a spiritual purpose.

Fasting isn’t just disrupting your eating habits, it’s replacing the time you would spend eating with God. 

FOOD OR NO?

Fasting is almost always concerning disrupting your daily routines by giving up food.

Almost all instances of fasting in Scripture point to food… not things like media, social media, TV, or other items

However, there are occasions where fasting for food is not appropriate and an individual should consider fasting non-food related items for the purposes of promoting unity in a corporate fast.

These individuals include but are not limited to:

Women who are or may be pregnant or nursing.

Persons prone to eating disorders

People with chronic issues to major organs such as kidneys, liver, heart, and lungs

People under strict medical care for major medical conditions

Individuals that take insulin for diabetes or suffer from other blood sugar conditions.

If you have any questions about whether it’s healthy for you to fast, you need to consult your doctor

WHAT BIBLICAL FASTING IS NOT

Biblical fasting is NOT a diet.

Biblical fasting is not punishment for your sin.

Fasting is NOT easy.

If you are fasting exercise, fruits and vegetables, or your job -- you probably need to check yoself before you wreck yoself.

Fasting is NEVER convenient

Fasting is NOT legalistic

There is nothing more deflating to a powerful corporate fast than a bunch of people obsession over what they can and cannot eat.

If you have legitimate questions about what you can eat… do not email me or the church… just Google it or follow your heart.

If you feel conviction you shouldn’t eat it.

Do not let yourself get tied up in chains of bondage from do and don’ts… seek freedom in this not bondange.

Sometimes I watch people go through corporate fasts and they jump on Facebook and ask a bunch of questions about if they can drink orange juice if it’s not 100% pure ingredients on the Daniel Fast…

Missing the point my friends

Fasting is EXPECTED but not REQUIRED

Matthew 6:16 ESV

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.

HOW TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL FAST

Here is how you have a successful fast.

Set clear commitments.

Define exactly what you are doing before you start.

Don’t leave room for ambiguity, because that will cause confusion, legalism, and just flat out being unsuccessful on your fast.

I said nothing with sugar, but this can of soda pop only has high fructose corn syrup… so we good 

The more you plan this out with exact details the more freedom this will bring you.

Manage your own expectations.

If you feel you need to build in cheat days… do it.

Make it difficult, but don’t go all RAMBO on us.

If this is your first fast, you probably don’t want to go water only for 21 days.

But maybe you can cut out meat, with a cheat day built in each week.

BTW, I don’t recommend cheat days, because they are tough to get back on track, but it’s better to build them in than cheat without planning and break your commitment.

Tell others what you are doing so they can hold you accountable.

WHY DO WE FAST?

So let’s answer the question now… why do we fast?  THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION OF THEM ALL. 

There are many potential reasons:

Maybe there is a prayer you need answered

Maybe you are going through something you need deliverance from

Maybe you need to be set free from a sin in your life

Maybe you need direction for something going on

Maybe you just want more of God

Removing our agendas there is ONE reason why we FAST: WORSHIP

WHAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON:

TEARING DOWN (3 SINFUL MENTALITIES)

SLAVERY MENTALITY

VICTIM MENTALITY

HERO MENTALITY

BUILDING UP

HOUSE CHURCH

LIVEU

WORSHIP

LOVE BETTER IN TRUTH

ALTAR RESPONSE

**WHAT IS YOUR FAST?