Prayer and Fasting - Pastor Randy Rasmussen

that he fits us with. But it's deeper than that. He literally says, no, I am your armor. So when we say put on the armor, he's saying put on me. And remember that word in duo in the Greek, put on? It means to sink in. Sink into. So the word is telling us to sink into the armor and God is saying and I am your armor. So sink into me. [00:51:52] (26 seconds)  #SinkIntoTheArmor

Even as we read his word and spend time in his presence, his will becomes apparent in our life and we begin to align our hearts and our desire and our will with him. So it's so much more than just communication. I think a similar word but is much a deeper word that is that is a better definition would be the word communion. Prayer is really communion with God. [00:57:57] (33 seconds)  #PrayerIsCommunion

You know, in the world, they would teach you this, that to be dependent on anything or anyone is a sign of weakness. Right? Yeah. If you're dependent on something or someone, that is an absolute sign of weakness. But but as a believer, as a disciple of Christ, we understand that that is complete opposite. Here's the upside down kingdom. We have to live our lives in a way that we are completely destitute without God. We are completely dependent upon God. [01:08:48] (40 seconds)  #DependentOnGod

And then I realized, man, I never got that lyric really, the depth of it, until I really studied what being poor in spirit really is all about. Has nothing to do with finances. Has nothing to do with money. What being poor in spirit is all about is is this, is that I realize my need for God. I realize that I am spiritually bankrupt without God. That's what being poor in spirit is is that you realize that I am utterly and completely dependent upon God. I can do nothing. I can do nothing in my own wisdom, my own strength. Nothing of significance at least. [01:10:52] (52 seconds)  #PoorInSpirit

As desperate as we have been in times of need in our life, as desperate as we are in the valley of the shadow of death, are you gonna remain desperate for him on the mountain of glory? When things are beginning to turn around in your life. You wanna know why they're beginning to turn around? Because you cried out to God in your desperation. Don't forget that. Don't forget to cry out to him on the mountaintop. Don't forget to cry out to him on the journey on the way back up because guess what? There are ebbs and flows in this life. But you have to fight to remain desperate for him. You have to fight to remain dependent upon God in your life. That's what poor in spirit is all about. [01:12:00] (52 seconds)  #StayDesperateForGod

I think it's important as we fast to understand that there is a difference between hunger and craving. Different. I think simply you could say this, craving happens from the neck up. Hunger happens from the neck down. Craving comes from a desire to taste something specific that often brings temporal pleasure and instant gratification. But most of the times, it leaves you feeling guilty, shameful, and definitely without any real fulfillment. That's what giving into your cravings often do. Hunger, on the other hand, is simply this. It's your body telling you that I need nourishment to survive. That's what hunger is. [01:23:15] (54 seconds)  #HungerNotCraving

Maybe you need deliverance in your life. You need protection from the Lord. You can go into a time of fasting as part of your repentance to God. Say, Lord, I'm returning to you. I'm sealing it with this time of fasting that I'm gonna go through. You you can go into a time of fasting because you need God to move in a specific way in your life or a specific situation. You need God to move. You can fast as a way to overcome temptation. You bring your flesh into submission. That absolutely is gonna help you overcome temptation in your life. [01:25:05] (46 seconds)  #FastForDeliverance

But here's the thing to understand. We just talked about a lot of different biblical reasons for fasting. The greatest thing that you get from God's presence, from from going into a time of fasting are not the answers to all the questions that you have. It's not even the guidance. It's not even the direction. It's not the deliverance. It's not any of these things. The greatest thing that you get is God himself. [01:26:53] (30 seconds)  #PresenceOverAnswers