Reclaiming Life: A Digital Fast for Spiritual Awakening

Devotional

Day 1: Awakening from Digital Slumber

Technology can numb us to spiritual realities, distracting us from the abundant life Jesus offers. Ephesians 5:14 calls us to awaken from this digital slumber. Our devices, with their constant notifications and endless streams of information, can subtly steal our time, attention, and even our sense of self. Recognizing this influence is the first step toward reclaiming our focus and attention. By becoming aware of how technology affects our spiritual and emotional well-being, we can begin to prioritize our relationship with God and the people around us. [04:51]

"Therefore it says, 'Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.'" (Ephesians 5:14, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific way you can limit your device usage today to be more present with God and those around you?

Day 2: Guarding Against the Thief

John 10:10 warns of a thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Our devices can be tools of this thief, subtly stealing our time and attention. We must be vigilant and intentional in how we use technology to prevent it from robbing us of life. By setting boundaries and being mindful of our digital consumption, we can protect our spiritual and emotional well-being. This vigilance allows us to focus on what truly matters and to live the abundant life that Jesus promises. [09:05]

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one app or digital habit that often distracts you. How can you modify or eliminate it to guard your time and attention?

Day 3: Navigating the Attention Economy

We live in an attention economy where our focus is the currency. Tech companies design devices to capture our attention, often at the expense of our well-being. Recognizing this can help us resist the pull of constant notifications and distractions. By understanding the tactics used to capture our attention, we can make conscious choices about how we engage with technology. This awareness empowers us to prioritize our spiritual growth and emotional health over the demands of the digital world. [17:02]

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." (Colossians 3:2, ESV)

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to focus your mind on things above rather than the distractions of technology?

Day 4: Embracing a Digital Fast

During Lent, we are called to a digital fast, a time to reset and reclaim our lives from technology's grip. This fast is about liberation, freeing ourselves to experience life more fully and connect with God and others more deeply. By eliminating non-essential apps and limiting screen time, we create space for spiritual growth and meaningful relationships. This intentional break from technology allows us to refocus our priorities and align our lives with God's purposes. [26:33]

"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." (James 4:8, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific way you can participate in a digital fast this week to draw closer to God?

Day 5: Resisting the Roaring Lion

1 Peter 5:8 describes the devil as a roaring lion seeking to devour. Our devices can be tools of this lion, distracting and isolating us. By resisting these influences, we can awaken to the life God intends for us and experience true freedom. This resistance involves being intentional about our digital habits and prioritizing our spiritual well-being. By doing so, we can live a life that is free from the distractions and isolation that technology can bring. [40:38]

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively resist the distractions of technology today to experience the freedom and abundant life God offers?

Sermon Summary

In today's exploration of technology's role in our lives, we delved into the profound impact it has on our spiritual and emotional well-being. Technology, while a powerful tool, often masquerades as a divine entity, offering us omnipresence and omniscience. Yet, it subtly steals our time, attention, and even our sense of self. This digital world, with its constant notifications and endless streams of information, can numb us to the spiritual realities around us, distracting us from the abundant life Jesus promises.

Ephesians 5:14 calls us to awaken from our digital slumber, to recognize the delusional influences that lull us into complacency. The thief, as described in John 10:10, comes to steal, kill, and destroy, and our devices can be his tools if we are not vigilant. The statistics are alarming: increased anxiety, depression, and loneliness are rampant, and our attention spans are dwindling. We are in an attention economy where our focus is the currency, and tech companies are vying for it.

To combat this, we are embarking on a digital fast during Lent, a time to reset and reclaim our lives from the grip of technology. This fast is not about deprivation but about liberation—freeing ourselves to experience life more fully and to connect with God and others more deeply. We will make our smartphones "dumb" by eliminating non-essential apps, limit screen time for personal use, and focus on using digital tools only during work hours. This is a call to resist the roaring lion of distraction and to awaken to the life God intends for us.

Key Takeaways

1. Awakening to Reality: Ephesians 5:14 urges us to wake up from our digital slumber. Our devices can numb us to spiritual realities, distracting us from the abundant life Jesus offers. Recognizing this influence is the first step toward reclaiming our focus and attention. [04:51]
2. The Thief's Tactics: John 10:10 warns of a thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Our devices can be tools of this thief, subtly stealing our time and attention. We must be vigilant and intentional in how we use technology to prevent it from robbing us of life. [09:05]
3. The Attention Economy: We live in an attention economy where our focus is the currency. Tech companies design devices to capture our attention, often at the expense of our well-being. Recognizing this can help us resist the pull of constant notifications and distractions. [17:02]
4. Digital Fast for Lent: During Lent, we are called to a digital fast, a time to reset and reclaim our lives from technology's grip. This fast is about liberation, freeing ourselves to experience life more fully and connect with God and others more deeply. [26:33]
5. Resisting the Roaring Lion: 1 Peter 5:8 describes the devil as a roaring lion seeking to devour. Our devices can be tools of this lion, distracting and isolating us. By resisting these influences, we can awaken to the life God intends for us and experience true freedom. [40:38]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[04:51] - Awakening to Reality
[09:05] - The Thief's Tactics
[13:03] - The Price of Our Devices
[17:02] - The Attention Economy
[21:37] - The Impact on Mental Health
[26:33] - Digital Fast for Lent
[30:30] - Making Smartphones Dumb
[37:45] - Tools vs. Being a Tool
[40:38] - Resisting the Roaring Lion

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

According to Ephesians 5:14, what are we being called to awaken from, and why is this awakening important in the context of our digital lives? [04:51]
How does John 10:10 describe the tactics of the thief, and in what ways can our devices be used as tools by this thief? [09:05]
What does 1 Peter 5:8 warn us about, and how does this relate to the distractions caused by our devices? [40:38]

Interpretation Questions

In what ways does technology make us feel omnipresent and omniscient, and how might this perception affect our spiritual lives? [04:51]
How does the concept of the "attention economy" challenge our ability to live abundantly as described in John 10:10? [17:02]
What are the potential spiritual consequences of allowing our devices to distract and isolate us, as warned in 1 Peter 5:8? [40:38]

Application Questions

Reflect on your daily routine. How often do you find yourself reaching for your phone out of habit rather than necessity? What steps can you take to reduce this behavior? [13:03]
Consider the idea of a digital fast during Lent. What specific apps or digital habits would you choose to eliminate, and how do you think this might impact your relationship with God and others? [26:33]
Identify a moment in your day when you could replace screen time with prayer or meditation. How can you make this a consistent practice? [17:02]
Think about a recent time when you felt overwhelmed by notifications or digital distractions. How did it affect your mood or interactions with others? What strategies can you implement to manage these distractions better? [21:37]
How can you use your phone as a tool for good, rather than allowing it to control you? What boundaries can you set to ensure it serves your needs rather than the other way around? [30:30]
Reflect on a relationship that may have been affected by digital distractions. What steps can you take to be more present and engaged with that person? [21:37]
How can you encourage others in your community to join you in a digital fast or to be more mindful of their technology use? What support or resources might you need to facilitate this? [26:33]

Sermon Clips

"We are about here at Crossroads. We're wanting to see an awakening. We want to see the Spirit of God move across our region and for people to see God, to actually come in relationship with Him, for things like miracles to take place, healings, refreshing of our hearts and relationships, for the cultural milieu to change. That's an awakening. But you know what? That awakening doesn't happen unless we're awake. We as individuals wake up." [00:05:34] (27 seconds)

"There is a digital world that actually affects and infects the spiritual world and void of you being aware of this and being aware of the schemes of an evil entity who wants to hurt us, numb us, isolate us, divide us, depress us, anxiety us. Without knowing that, you can't go forward. There is a price for your device." [00:06:09] (31 seconds)

"Excessive screen time is linked to a 30 percent increase in obesity risk because it's sedentary lifestyle. That comes from the Harvard School of Public Health. Sixty one percent of young adults, that's 18 to 25, report feeling lonely due to decreased face to face interactions." [00:23:45] (18 seconds)

"First Peter 5 .8 says this. Be alert and sober minded. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around. Looking for somebody to devour. Resist him. He prowls about like a roaring lion. Resist him. All the things I'm saying right now, it's roaring at us." [00:24:28] (23 seconds)

"When the roaring lion is trying to devour you, a roaring lion looking for someone to devour, or maybe an entire culture to devour, as 1 Peter 5 .8 says, what do we do? We resist him. And the idea of devour. It's the idea of swallowing up. These devices are swallowing us up." [00:26:12] (22 seconds)

"Weird, weird. When we do this fast, it's going to start in a few weeks. It's going to start in a few weeks. So we're just spending a couple of weeks. It's like getting ready to count the cost, figuring out if I want to do this. And by the way, you will decide what your reset looks like." [00:26:52] (17 seconds)

"Eliminate apps for 40 days because it's going to be Lent. Lent is a season that Christians historically from all over the globe have said, for 40 days, I'm going to not do with something. I'm going to do without something because I want to take that time and energy to think about God and to sacrifice a little bit because Jesus sacrificed for me." [00:34:11] (26 seconds)

"Awake, you sleeper. Rise from the dead and Christ will shine upon you. Can we all just admit that maybe we're just a little bit more a little dead? Can we just see that we're not the person we could be? Right? Just forget about culture out there. Do we not see that we just don't have attention?" [00:39:04] (29 seconds)

"Your children are distracted, and yet you hang in there with us, and you're patient. Your children are antsy and consumed with all kinds of things that you don't care at all about, and yet you still are faithful. Come on. God, help us to be children who are full of life, children who laugh, children who run, children who look people in the face, children who have a sense of wonder." [00:40:35] (31 seconds)

"We trust in you to do that. We commit that that's who we want to be. Amen." [00:41:08] (7 seconds)

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