Embracing Consecration: A Call to Spiritual Renewal
Summary
As we gather at the start of a new year, it's a time to reflect on the past and prepare our hearts for what lies ahead. The joy of being together, whether in person or online, is a testament to the power of community and the presence of the Holy Spirit among us. This year, we are called to move from a season of feasting on worldly pleasures to a time of fasting and feasting on Jesus. This transition is not just about abstaining from food but about setting ourselves apart for God, consecrating our lives to Him, and seeking a deeper relationship with Jesus.
Fasting is a powerful spiritual discipline that helps us let go of the visible and grasp the invisible. It aligns our hearts with God's, allowing us to experience His presence more profoundly. As we enter this week of consecration, we are reminded that revival begins within us. It's not something that happens externally but starts with a personal renewal and a rekindling of our first love for Jesus. We are the movement God wants to use to bring His kingdom on earth, and it begins with our willingness to be set apart for His purposes.
Jesus exemplified this through His life, relying on the Holy Spirit and spending time in the secret place with the Father. His ministry was empowered by His consecration and intimacy with God. As we follow His example, we are called to lift Him up in our lives, trusting that God will draw people to Himself. Our role is to seek His face, not just His hands, and to align ourselves with His heart.
This year, let us embrace the call to "Come Alive in 25," to thrive and revive in the Holy Spirit. As we consecrate ourselves, we prepare for the amazing things God will do among us. It's a time to recalibrate our spiritual lives, to seek the breaker for the breakthrough, and to let go of the hold of the flesh. As we do, we will see the fruit of revival in our lives and communities, marked by joy, passion, and transformation.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Power of Fasting and Consecration: Fasting is not just about abstaining from food; it's about letting go of the visible to grasp the invisible. It aligns our hearts with God's and prepares us for a deeper relationship with Him. As we consecrate ourselves, we set apart our lives for God's purposes, allowing His Spirit to move powerfully within us. [49:17]
2. Revival Begins Within Us: Revival is not an external event but a personal renewal that starts within us. It's about rekindling our first love for Jesus and allowing His Spirit to transform our lives. As we experience personal revival, it overflows into our communities, bringing transformation and renewal. [57:05]
3. The Secret Place of Prayer: Jesus' ministry was empowered by His time in the secret place with the Father. Prayer is the momentum and power for our lives, and it's essential for experiencing revival. As we spend time in prayer and intimacy with God, we align ourselves with His heart and purposes. [58:45]
4. Lifting Up Jesus in Our Lives: Our role is to lift up Jesus in our lives, trusting that God will draw people to Himself. As we exalt His name and seek His face, we create an environment for His Spirit to move and bring revival. It's about seeking the breaker for the breakthrough, focusing on Jesus rather than just the miracles. [01:05:59]
5. The Cost and Fruit of Consecration: Consecration comes with a cost, requiring us to let go of our own desires and align with God's will. However, the fruit of consecration is renewal, passion, and transformation. As we dedicate our lives to Jesus, we experience the fullness of His Spirit and the joy of living for His purposes. [01:10:27]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [47:08] - Family and Fellowship
- [49:17] - The Call to Fasting
- [57:05] - Revival Starts Within
- [58:45] - The Secret Place of Prayer
- [59:36] - Consecration and Preparation
- [01:05:59] - Lifting Up Jesus
- [01:06:43] - The Other Side of Consecration
- [01:07:50] - Revival in Our Church
- [01:08:50] - Activation and Mobilization
- [01:10:27] - The Cost of Consecration
- [01:16:14] - Communion and Dedication
- [01:20:16] - Closing Prayer and Worship
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. John 5:19 - "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does."
2. Joshua 3:5 - "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you."
3. John 12:32 - "And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself."
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Observation Questions:
1. What does the sermon suggest is the primary purpose of fasting, beyond just abstaining from food? [49:17]
2. How did Jesus exemplify the importance of the "secret place" in His ministry according to the sermon? [57:05]
3. What role does personal revival play in the broader context of community transformation as discussed in the sermon? [01:07:50]
4. How does the sermon describe the relationship between consecration and experiencing the supernatural? [59:36]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. In what ways does the sermon suggest that fasting and prayer can help believers "let go of the visible to grasp the invisible"? [49:17]
2. How does the sermon interpret Jesus' statement in John 5:19 about doing only what He sees the Father doing, in the context of our own lives? [57:05]
3. What does the sermon imply about the cost of consecration and its impact on personal and communal revival? [01:10:27]
4. How does the sermon connect the act of lifting up Jesus in our lives to the drawing of others to Him, as mentioned in John 12:32? [01:05:59]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current spiritual practices. How can you incorporate fasting as a means to deepen your relationship with God this year? [49:17]
2. Identify a specific area in your life where you need to experience personal revival. What steps can you take this week to rekindle your first love for Jesus? [01:07:50]
3. Consider your "secret place" with God. How can you prioritize and protect this time to ensure it remains a source of strength and guidance in your life? [57:05]
4. What are some practical ways you can lift up Jesus in your daily interactions, trusting that God will draw others to Himself through your example? [01:05:59]
5. The sermon mentions the cost of consecration. What personal desires or habits might you need to let go of to align more closely with God's will? [01:10:27]
6. How can you actively participate in the revival of your community, starting with personal renewal and transformation? [01:07:50]
7. Reflect on the idea of "Come Alive in 25." What specific actions can you take to thrive and revive in the Holy Spirit this year? [01:08:50]
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing the Invisible through Fasting
Fasting is a spiritual discipline that transcends mere abstention from food. It is a deliberate act of letting go of the visible to grasp the invisible, aligning our hearts with God's. This practice prepares us for a deeper relationship with Him, setting our lives apart for His purposes. As we consecrate ourselves, we invite the Holy Spirit to move powerfully within us, transforming our desires and aligning them with God's will. This week, as we embark on a journey of consecration, we are reminded that fasting is not just a physical act but a spiritual posture that opens us to the divine. [49:17]
Isaiah 58:6-7 (ESV): "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? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?"
Reflection: What visible distractions in your life can you let go of this week to focus more on the invisible presence of God?
Day 2: Personal Renewal as the Seed of Revival
Revival is often perceived as an external event, but it truly begins within us. It is a personal renewal that rekindles our first love for Jesus, allowing His Spirit to transform our lives. As we experience this personal revival, it naturally overflows into our communities, bringing about transformation and renewal. This week, let us focus on the internal work of the Holy Spirit, inviting Him to renew our hearts and minds, so that we may become vessels of His love and grace to those around us. [57:05]
Ezekiel 36:26-27 (ESV): "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need personal renewal, and how can you invite the Holy Spirit to begin this work in you today?
Day 3: The Power of the Secret Place
Jesus' ministry was empowered by His time in the secret place with the Father. Prayer is the momentum and power for our lives, essential for experiencing revival. As we spend time in prayer and intimacy with God, we align ourselves with His heart and purposes. This week, let us prioritize our time in the secret place, seeking God's face and allowing His presence to transform us from the inside out. [58:45]
Matthew 6:6 (ESV): "But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."
Reflection: How can you create a dedicated time and space for prayer this week to deepen your intimacy with God?
Day 4: Exalting Jesus in Our Lives
Our role is to lift up Jesus in our lives, trusting that God will draw people to Himself. As we exalt His name and seek His face, we create an environment for His Spirit to move and bring revival. It's about seeking the breaker for the breakthrough, focusing on Jesus rather than just the miracles. This week, let us commit to lifting up Jesus in every aspect of our lives, trusting that as we do, He will draw others to Himself. [01:05:59]
John 12:32 (ESV): "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself."
Reflection: What specific actions can you take this week to lift up Jesus in your daily interactions and decisions?
Day 5: The Cost and Fruit of Consecration
Consecration comes with a cost, requiring us to let go of our own desires and align with God's will. However, the fruit of consecration is renewal, passion, and transformation. As we dedicate our lives to Jesus, we experience the fullness of His Spirit and the joy of living for His purposes. This week, let us embrace the cost of consecration, trusting that the fruit it bears will be worth every sacrifice. [01:10:27]
Romans 12:1-2 (ESV): "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
Reflection: What desires or habits do you need to surrender to God this week to fully consecrate your life to Him?
Quotes
I've heard you guys had some amazing services the last couple of weeks to be in the room. Like Heather said, there's nothing like being in the room, the electricity of the Holy Spirit, the anointing. Yes, it comes through the airwaves, but it's nothing about being in the room with your people together, logs together, when logs are burning and brighter and brighter, the Holy Spirit moves brighter and brighter and revival will come. I'm so excited about being back and I love you guys talking, but now I'm talking. [00:45:46] (28 seconds)
Tomorrow. We go from feasting on food to feasting on Jesus. Now we're going to be fasting on food and fasting of the things of this world and the flesh. And now we're going to be feasting on Jesus. How wonderful that will be. I can't wait to start tomorrow and be honest with you. It's far not easy. After two weeks of indulging myself in the sun and the food. [00:50:54] (25 seconds)
Prayer is the one hand with which we grasp the invisible and fasting is the other hand which will let go of the visible and no think people are more closely connected with the word with the world sense than the need and the enjoyment of food food is such a joy to have one of the things that we need to have is the need to have the need to have the most wonderful we can experience as a person on the earth before we go to heaven and become a spiritual person is food food is very connected very strong in our lives. [00:51:54] (30 seconds)
We don't cry out for the Holy Spirit revival to come no we say Lord I am revival revival is you Jesus was revival he brought revival because he was revival it was who he is and was and yes when we come into revival and renewal in our lives then we will start touching people because the overflow will always comes out of this revival of your own life but it starts with us amen it's in you it's in you say it's in me say to your neighbor it's in you and God wants to partner with you and with me to bring his kingdom your kingdom come you will be done on earth as it is in heaven. [00:55:37] (45 seconds)
Jesus' ministry was birthed out of his secret place. It was birthed out of his time with the Father every day. He would go somewhere in the wilderness and spend time with his dad. Prayer was the momentum. Prayer was the power for his life, his inner life and his intimacy with the Father. Jesus says this in John 5, 19, I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. [00:58:02] (30 seconds)
See, if we want to see amazing things among us, and through us and in the world and in our workplace and wherever we are in our families and what's the amazing things if we want to go into our promised land and the destiny that god has for our church and for our ministry and for our lives and for our work and for our everything for our families then we also need to consecrate ourselves consecration is aligning to jesus aligning to his heart it is what i wrote down here it's a recalibration of our spirit life and some of us need a recalibration after the indulgence. [00:59:57] (33 seconds)
See when we want to see god do amazing stuff what we do is we seek that stuff we seek his hands see we seek the stuff we want that stuff lord we want that breakthrough we want that thing we want that thing on that thing and jesus says you got the wrong way around because the way the breakthrough is going to come the way the miracles are going to come is actually through me so i want you to seek the breaker for the breakthrough anointing it's the breaker you need the breaker in your life you need to have fellowship with him and time with him and pray with him know what he has on his mind what's going on in this life is so important we need to consecrate our lives. [01:01:22] (42 seconds)
Revival is not what happens outside in the world. Revival. Revival is what's happened in you, in our church. And unless we see a revival in this house and in your life, we will never see a revival out there. So are you responsible? Yes. Performance? No. Responsible? Yes. Steward? Yes. We are called. There's no other gospel. There's no other people. There's no other church. You are the church. [01:07:41] (32 seconds)
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