Anchored in God: The Power of Fasting
Summary
In today's gathering, we focused on the profound significance of anchoring our lives in God, who is our ultimate source of strength, peace, and provision. We began by acknowledging God's worthiness of our praise and gratitude, recognizing Him as our Savior, Healer, Provider, and Defender. We reflected on the importance of dwelling in the secret place of the Most High, as described in Psalm 91, and the peace and protection that comes from abiding under His shadow. This peace allows us to navigate life's trials and tribulations with confidence, knowing that God is our strength and refuge.
We also explored the concept of being anchored in God, emphasizing that He is the only anchor strong enough to hold our lives, families, and purposes securely in place amidst the turbulence of the world. This led us into a discussion on the spiritual discipline of fasting, which serves as a vital link in our connection to God. Fasting is a sacrificial act that involves abstaining from food or drink to draw closer to God. It is a practice that Jesus expects of His followers, as seen in Matthew 6, where He instructs us on how to fast with sincerity and humility.
Fasting is not just about abstaining from food; it is about intentionally setting aside time to seek God and align our hearts with His will. We fast for various reasons, including seeking direction, consecration, protection, and breaking strongholds. Through fasting, we can experience spiritual breakthroughs and a deeper intimacy with God. As a church, we are entering a corporate fast, seeking God's guidance and intervention in specific areas of our lives and community. This collective act of fasting is an opportunity for us to unite in prayer and seek God's presence and power in a transformative way.
Key Takeaways:
- God as Our Anchor: In a world filled with turbulence, God is the only anchor strong enough to hold us securely. By anchoring ourselves in Him, we find stability and peace, regardless of life's circumstances. This requires a conscious decision to trust and rely on Him daily. [45:50]
- The Power of Fasting: Fasting is a sacrificial act that strengthens our spiritual connection with God. It is an intentional practice that involves abstaining from food to seek God's presence and guidance. Fasting is expected of believers and is a powerful tool for spiritual growth and breakthrough. [01:02:06]
- Fasting for Direction and Clarity: When faced with significant decisions, fasting helps us seek God's direction and clarity. It allows us to align our hearts with His will and discern His guidance in our lives. This intentional seeking of God through fasting can lead to profound insights and understanding. [01:21:43]
- Breaking Strongholds Through Fasting: Fasting is a means to break spiritual strongholds and overcome challenges that seem insurmountable. By dedicating time to fast and pray, we invite God's power to work in our lives, bringing freedom and deliverance from addictions and other struggles. [01:22:39]
- Corporate Fasting and Unity: Engaging in a corporate fast as a church fosters unity and collective seeking of God's presence. It is an opportunity to pray for specific needs and experience God's intervention in our community. Through corporate fasting, we can witness God's transformative power at work. [01:30:26]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [45:50] - Acknowledging God's Worthiness
- [47:12] - Finding Strength in Trials
- [48:19] - Choosing to Serve God
- [48:57] - Praying for Leaders and Revival
- [54:13] - Keeping Our Eyes on God
- [56:39] - The Importance of Gathering
- [57:28] - Daily Pursuit of God
- [58:35] - Anchored in God
- [01:00:04] - The Role of an Anchor
- [01:01:12] - The Discipline of Sabbath
- [01:02:06] - The Challenge of Fasting
- [01:03:15] - The Sacrifice of Fasting
- [01:04:55] - Personal and Corporate Fasting
- [01:21:43] - Fasting for Direction and Clarity
- [01:22:39] - Breaking Strongholds Through Fasting
- [01:30:26] - Corporate Fasting and Unity
- [01:38:12] - Preparing for the Fast
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Psalm 91:1-2
2. Matthew 6:16-18
3. Isaiah 49:16
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Observation Questions:
1. According to Psalm 91, what are the benefits of dwelling in the secret place of the Most High? How does this relate to the sermon’s emphasis on God as our refuge and strength? [45:50]
2. In Matthew 6:16-18, what instructions does Jesus give about fasting? How does this align with the sermon’s discussion on the sincerity and humility required in fasting? [01:07:00]
3. How does the sermon describe the role of God as an anchor in our lives? What are some examples given of things people might mistakenly anchor themselves to? [01:00:04]
4. What does Isaiah 49:16 convey about God’s relationship with us, and how does this imagery support the sermon’s message about God’s constant presence and protection? [47:12]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of God as our anchor provide stability in times of turbulence, according to the sermon? What might this look like in practical terms for a believer? [01:00:04]
2. The sermon mentions fasting as a means to break strongholds. What are some examples of strongholds that might require fasting and prayer to overcome? [01:22:39]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that corporate fasting can foster unity within a church community? How might this unity manifest in the life of the church? [01:30:26]
4. How does the sermon explain the intentionality required in fasting? Why is this intentionality important for spiritual growth and connection with God? [01:10:07]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current life circumstances. Are there areas where you need to anchor yourself more firmly in God? What steps can you take this week to strengthen that anchor? [01:00:04]
2. Have you ever participated in a fast before? If so, what was your experience like? If not, what might be holding you back from trying it? How can you prepare for a future fast? [01:06:27]
3. Consider a significant decision you are facing. How might fasting help you seek God’s direction and clarity in this situation? What would a fast for this purpose look like for you? [01:21:43]
4. Identify a stronghold in your life that you have struggled to overcome. How can you incorporate fasting and prayer to seek God’s power in breaking this stronghold? [01:22:39]
5. The sermon encourages corporate fasting for unity and transformation. How can you engage with your church community during a corporate fast to enhance this unity? [01:30:26]
6. What practical steps can you take to ensure your fasting is intentional and focused on connecting with God, rather than just abstaining from food? [01:10:07]
7. How can you incorporate the practice of fasting into your regular spiritual disciplines? What frequency and type of fasting might be sustainable for you? [01:16:31]
Devotional
Day 1: God as Our Unshakeable Anchor
In a world filled with uncertainty and chaos, God stands as the unshakeable anchor that holds us securely. Anchoring our lives in Him provides stability and peace, regardless of the circumstances we face. This requires a conscious decision to trust and rely on Him daily. By dwelling in the secret place of the Most High, as described in Psalm 91, we find peace and protection under His shadow. This peace empowers us to navigate life's trials with confidence, knowing that God is our strength and refuge. [45:50]
"For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat; for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall." (Isaiah 25:4, ESV)
Reflection: What specific area of your life feels turbulent right now, and how can you intentionally anchor it in God's strength and peace today?
Day 2: The Transformative Power of Fasting
Fasting is a sacrificial act that strengthens our spiritual connection with God. It is an intentional practice that involves abstaining from food to seek God's presence and guidance. Fasting is expected of believers and is a powerful tool for spiritual growth and breakthrough. Through fasting, we can experience spiritual breakthroughs and a deeper intimacy with God. It is a practice that Jesus expects of His followers, as seen in Matthew 6, where He instructs us on how to fast with sincerity and humility. [01:02:06]
"Yet even now," declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments." (Joel 2:12-13a, ESV)
Reflection: Consider a specific area in your life where you desire spiritual growth or breakthrough. How can you incorporate fasting as a means to seek God's guidance and presence in this area?
Day 3: Seeking Direction and Clarity Through Fasting
When faced with significant decisions, fasting helps us seek God's direction and clarity. It allows us to align our hearts with His will and discern His guidance in our lives. This intentional seeking of God through fasting can lead to profound insights and understanding. By setting aside time to fast and pray, we open ourselves to receive God's wisdom and direction for our lives. [01:21:43]
"Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known." (Jeremiah 33:3, ESV)
Reflection: What decision or situation in your life requires God's guidance right now? How can you use fasting as a tool to seek His direction and clarity?
Day 4: Breaking Strongholds Through Fasting
Fasting is a means to break spiritual strongholds and overcome challenges that seem insurmountable. By dedicating time to fast and pray, we invite God's power to work in our lives, bringing freedom and deliverance from addictions and other struggles. Fasting is not just about abstaining from food; it is about intentionally setting aside time to seek God and align our hearts with His will. [01:22:39]
"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?" (Isaiah 58:6, ESV)
Reflection: Identify a stronghold or challenge in your life that you desire to overcome. How can you commit to fasting and prayer to invite God's power to bring freedom and deliverance in this area?
Day 5: Unity and Transformation Through Corporate Fasting
Engaging in a corporate fast as a church fosters unity and collective seeking of God's presence. It is an opportunity to pray for specific needs and experience God's intervention in our community. Through corporate fasting, we can witness God's transformative power at work. As a church, entering a corporate fast allows us to unite in prayer and seek God's presence and power in a transformative way. [01:30:26]
"Then all the people of Israel came out, from Dan to Beersheba, including the land of Gilead, and the congregation assembled as one man to the Lord at Mizpah." (Judges 20:1, ESV)
Reflection: How can you participate in the upcoming corporate fast to contribute to the unity and spiritual growth of your church community? What specific prayer focus will you bring to this collective time of seeking God?
Quotes
And God, we thank you for you sent Jesus to pay the price and penalty for our sin, and we thank you, God, for salvation. But God, we thank you because you're not just our Savior, but you're our healer. And so even this morning, God, we declare there's healing happening in our bodies and in our hearts and in our minds, in our emotions, in our emotions. God, not only are you our healer, but you're also our provider, God, and we thank you for you are the one that brings provision. [00:45:25] (34 seconds)
Father, you are our banner and our defender, and we thank you, God, for in this morning, even if things of the enemy have come against us and voices and words and accusations and allegations, God, you're our defender. And God, this morning, we thank you for in the midst of whatever we're facing, we can walk in peace because you're Jehovah Shalom, our peace. [00:45:59] (29 seconds)
And Father, as the psalmist wrote in Psalm 91, he who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. God, we thank you for we're under your shadow and under your protection. We will say of the Lord, he is my strength. And God, this morning, I pray with those that are in the sanctuary, God, dealing through trials, tribulation, hurts, pain, we thank you, God, for you're our strength. [00:46:41] (30 seconds)
And the word that God gave us this morning, the word that God gave for our church this year is the word anchored, to be tied to God who is our anchor. And we've been saying it since that first Sunday of the month that we need to be tied to God and he is the anchor we need to be tied to. Some of us have tied ourselves to different anchors, to the wrong anchors. [00:58:48] (21 seconds)
And the only anchor big enough and strong enough to hold our life, our family, our calling, our purpose, it's God. Now, an anchor, it holds us securely in place. That's what an anchor does. If you've ever gone on a boat or on a ship or used an anchor, the anchor is tossed into the water to hold you in place. [00:59:16] (23 seconds)
And church, in our country and in this world, in this nation, there's been a lot of turbulence. Only God can we be held to to hold us in place. And when things are calm and things are okay, it's only God who we need to be tied to to hold us in place. But an anchor is only good if it's tied to the ship. [01:00:02] (21 seconds)
What does it mean to fast? To fast means this, to abstain from a certain food or drink for a portion of time. And especially in this religious circle, if you would, right? Like that's where we're talking about the observance and connecting to God, abstaining from all or some kind of food or drink with the purpose of connecting to God. [01:02:52] (22 seconds)
We see shorter fasts. We see 21 days of fasting where Daniel is fasting for three weeks. 21 days where he says that he doesn't eat any meat or pleasant foods while he's waiting to hear the voice of God. We also see Daniel in chapter number one of the book of Daniel, where for 10 days, when they wanted him, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, to eat all of the different foods of the king, they said, no, we're not going to defile ourselves. [01:08:35] (28 seconds)
We fast for direction. If you are making a big choice, especially a big choice, a life-altering choice, decision, fast. Ask God, is this what he has for you? Is this what he has for you? Is this what he wants for you? Fast. Too many times, we just make decisions on things that are good, but not God, because we didn't fast to hear his voice. [01:21:43] (29 seconds)
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