Welcome to the Illuminate Church podcast.
We hope today's message is encouraging to you.
At Illuminate Church, we start. Each year since our first year
in 2012 with a time of fasting together and this year we're
doing a 21 day. All Church.
Fast from next Sunday January 18th to February 7th. 21 days
now. I had to clarify someone,
someone said 21 days of no food. No, in fact, I would not
encourage that. That sounds kind of dangerous.
OK. Unless the Lord's very.
Clear to you. It means 21 days of fasting
something or from something and we'll talk.
About that today, we hope you choose to be part of the Church.
21 day fast. You.
We hope you. Participate and that is what?
Today is all about because. Fasting Biblical fasting will
impact your life and. Today we'll talk about why.
And how? But I don't want to assume.
You're already a fasting expert. I don't want to assume.
You're already excited about. Fasting In fact, you may not be.
You may be like I was when I first became a.
Believer. I was 32.
Years old and the church I went to in Minnesota back then, they
said something about fasting and I thought to myself, that sounds
terrible, miserable. I mean that sounds.
Bad. I don't know about you, but I
like to eat food. And the idea of being hungry, I
mean it just I don't like missing a meal.
So I not only didn't understand it, I didn't want to hear about
it. I didn't want to learn.
I was. Like La La La La La La.
Ears plugged. And how many of you, if you were
completely honest, when you hear we're going to talk about
fasting, you're kind of like, yay, I think we can all.
We're all we're all there, and we'll talk about why that is.
But today we're going to. Talk about the.
Benefits of fasting because that's.
How I was, that's the way I was before.
I understood the reasons and the benefits to my life for fasting
about 10 years ago. I decided.
I want to learn more about this for the first time.
I went from La La La La. I don't want to hear.
It to I really? Want to learn more about what?
What is the purpose? Why?
Why did Jesus fast before? He went out in the desert, and
Satan was tempted by. Satan, what is this?
Purpose to fasting. What's it all about?
South About 10 years ago, I studied fasting.
What is it? What is?
Its purpose and today I'm going to share with.
You what I. Learned through that process, I
have found one thing about people, myself included, and
that is we don't like being. Told what to do if.
We don't understand the reason for it, the why.
Tell me why. Starts when we're little kids,
right? Why my wife Heather.
We've been married 39 1/2 years. She buys this stuff at the
store, this bottle with the lid. You know.
It's a pressed green juice. Drink pressed green juice a
vegetable drink called suja. That's what it's called, suja.
You can buy it at the stores. We call it green drink.
Doesn't that sound yummy? Green drink?
MMM. On a cold, on a refreshing day,
it's like, what? What's in it?
There's only six ingredients. Cucumber, celery, grapefruit,
lettuce, lemon and Chard. Those are the ingredients.
What is Chard I have? No idea, but I do know it's
green. That's all I know.
Chard sounds like something that's been on the.
Barbecue grill a little too. Long and someone says is that
burnt? God, it's just a little Chard
Chard. And at first when you drink.
This stuff called suja, it's pressed green juice.
I'll be. Honest with you, it tastes.
Really, really bad. It tastes bad.
It's it's. Juice from these vegetables only
do mix. In a little grapefruit.
And lemon to kind of. Add a little whatever.
But after you've had it a while after you get used to it, it
still tastes really, really bad. That's the truth.
But because. I understand the benefits to me,
the nutrition, the vitamins, what it's good stuff in there.
I choose to drink it. Can you believe that?
Not by how it. Tastes.
I would there's. Things that taste much, much
better, including water, right? But I want to drink it because
of the benefits to me and my life.
So today, we're not going to just announce that the church is
going to do a fast and you should do it, whether you
understand it or not, or because everyone's going to do it.
We're going to explain what a fast.
Is what it's for. Its purpose and why we.
Fast. So if you've never fasted.
Before. That's OK if you're.
Not excited about fasting? We're glad you're here.
But what I do ask you today, I ask you for your.
Benefit. If you're kind of feeling like
you when we talk about the word fasting, will you at least
listen today? Will you open your minds?
Your ears, your hearts to hear what God has to say, what the
purpose. Is what the benefit is to you
and your life regarding fasting. Happy New Year to the mezzanine
people. I also don't want to forget the
people over and overflow. They are no less important than
anyone sitting in this room. I don't want them to feel that
way. Everybody say hello Overflow.
So listen with. An open mind and open hearts.
And I encourage you, if you have something to write with, take
notes. I'm going to go through some
points today. I find I take notes every Sunday
and it just helps me retain information or or kind of just
so another way of hearing it actually is by writing it down.
But the mission of Illuminate Church.
You might have heard it before. You may know what it is that the
mission of this. Church is to help you.
Find abundant life in Jesus and I hope.
That what you hear today. Is how fasting.
Is a big part. Or an important part of how you
find abundant. Life but I believe through
especially the study that I've. Done and have been doing that.
Fasting might be one of the most overlooked and ignored parts.
Of a Christ followers life. We don't like it and we tend to
avoid we don't things we don't like unless we understand
there's enough benefits So let's start we're going to talk about
fasting today we're. Going to talk about what it is
but. We're also going to talk.
About what? It isn't what?
Fasting isn't. Let's start with.
That is biblical. Fasting isn't a punishment.
Biblical fasting isn't taking away things we like as a
punishment for our sin or. Because.
We're bad, or we've done. Bad things, Jesus.
Paid the punishment for our sin, so that's not what.
It's about also biblical. Fasting isn't primarily.
For health reasons or health? Benefits.
You'll hear a lot of. Health experts in the.
World talk about the health. Benefits of fasting and
intermittent fasting and. It's all true how it helps
people lose weight, how it helps people.
Have more energy? Because it gives your digestive.
System an opportunity to rest so it can heal.
Other parts of your body. And and that's kind of the
theory behind and it's true, but that isn't what biblical fasting
is about. Or for.
It might be a side. Effect.
It might be a byproduct benefit of biblical fasting, but it
isn't the reason we do it. Fair enough.
What biblical fasting is the definition?
What it is for? Is this biblical fasting?
Is intentionally giving up something?
Physical, usually for a. Specific period of time to gain
something in the spiritual. That's what fasting is for.
Fasting is taking something. Physical that you value and.
Giving that up intentionally, voluntarily.
Usually for a specific. Period of time, but sometimes
permanently if God's telling us to.
Do that to gain. Something spiritual or grow
spiritually or to gain strength. In your spiritual life.
I'll say it one more way. Fasting is giving something up
that's important to us in the physical to gain or.
Grow spiritually. Which is more?
Important that in a nutshell. Is what?
Biblical fasting is now the physical thing we might give up
usually and often involves food or certain kinds of food,
something that our physical. Body craves.
I have a sweet tooth so I love. December and it's hard for me to
say I am going to. Fast, all sugar, all things that
taste good. In the month of January, why
would I do that? It's not just for health, it's
because my physical body is craving it and that taking that
away. Is what gets our physical.
Body's attention the most. If that doesn't make sense yet,
stick with me and hopefully this will make sense what I'm talking
about when I say physical and spiritual.
Everything you see and touch, look around the room.
Look at the Earth. Everything you see and touch is
the physical. But reality is, there is also.
A spiritual realm, a spiritual world, and they exist at the
same time. They both exist now if.
People say yeah, but I can't see the spiritual.
World that may be true, but it doesn't make.
It less real. In fact, some people.
Would say the physical world is less real because it's.
Temporary. The spiritual realm is forever.
It's eternal. So they both.
Exist at the same time, and God is a.
Spirit God is a spirit. But he created everything we see
in the physical, John 424 says. God is, God is.
Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and
truth. So the spiritual.
Created everything we see in the.
Physical Are you with me? So question, what created
everything in the physical? The planet, the stars, the
earth, life, animals, everything.
A God denier would say nothing created everything.
It's incredible to me that anyone could believe that
everything came from nothing. Nothing created everything in
perfect order. It takes a lot of faith to
believe that. Our answer is the Bible.
'S answer is a creator. Created everything.
His name is. God with a capital.
G and God the Creator. Who is a spirit created the
physical? And you and I.
Have a physical body? You're here.
Right, you're on this. Side of the grass, right?
You have a physical body. And you have a spirit.
You don't get a spirit. When you die.
You have a physical body. And you have a spirit right now,
so say this with me. Say I have a body.
And. I have a spirit both.
Got it. Thank you.
So when this physical body. Perishes, which it will for all
of us, your. Spirit continues forever,
eternally. That's why Jesus said.
In John 11/26 he said everyone who lives and believes in me
shall never die. He wasn't talking about.
Our physical body. He's talking about our spirit.
You have both. He doesn't say you'll get a
spirit. So right now you have a.
Body, what the Bible calls your flesh.
And you have a spirit. And here's the key.
To fasting. Here's the key to.
This morning's message. So if I'm losing you already,
pay attention to this one line one of.
Those two your flesh or your spirit?
One of those two. Is going to rule your life.
It's going to rule your decisions.
It's going to rule everything you do 1 of.
Those two will dictate. Your decisions, your words, your
actions, your life and those two.
Parts of you which exist. Right now are in a battle flesh.
Versus spirit for which? One is going to rule and run and
control your life. Have you ever felt that battle?
Going on inside. Of you before.
Inside your mind, inside your. Thoughts.
Inside your decisions, which one wins?
A battle. Is going on inside your soul,
between your flesh and your spirit all the time.
And here's the key point. We are designed and created by.
God, our Creator to live. By and be.
Ruled by our spirit. And not our flesh, but sin and
the sin nature we are born with. And the sin nature that exists
in this world defaults to, leans to, bends to The world we live
in, pulls us to, and encourages. Us to the flesh, the writer Paul
the Apostle Paul tells us about the results.
In our lives, depending on which decision we make.
If we are led by our spirit or we are led by our flesh, those
are the 2. Options we have now the majority
of the world. Without Jesus are led by their
flesh. Our the majority of people.
Live their lives led by their flesh.
But we have the option. Our spirit is alive when we are
saved. When?
We're born again. We have a spirit that becomes
born again when we accept Jesus and we get to choose.
This is what Paul. Says in Galatians chapter 5,
verses 16 through 24. If you have your bibles.
Turn to the book of Galatians. It's in the New Testament.
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1st and 2nd Corinthians,
Galatians. Somebody tell me I got.
That right? Praise God, Galatians.
Turn to chapter 5. If you need a Bible, raise your
hand. I'm not sure we'll bring one to
you. If you don't have a Bible.
Keep it, take it home. We'd love to give that to you.
Keep. It everyone should have a Bible.
But this is what Paul. Wrote in Galatians chapter 5.
Now listen. Don't just listen to the.
Words listen to what he's. Saying to the church.
About the effects of living by our flesh or living by our
spirit. Will you do that?
Let's read it together. I'll say it, but just.
Listen, but I say walk in the spirit.
Walk by the. Spirit and you will not.
Gratify the desires of the flesh, for the desires of the
flesh are. Against the Spirit and the.
Desires of the Spirit are. Against the flesh for these.
Are opposed to each other opposite.
Ends of the spectrum to keep you from doing things you want to
do. Or you feel like.
Doing but. If you are led by the spirit
keyword if. You are not under the law now
the. Works of the flesh are.
Evident what does the? Works of the flesh.
Mean the results, what comes from it, what comes from living
by the flesh. This is what it says.
Sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery,
enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries,
dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and things.
Like these he could go. On and on and on.
You get the point. Right now I was thinking about
this and I was thinking about the people Paul was writing to
at that time when he said things like this.
We have the. Same results in our lives.
Today, but the world. Has made it much more
convenient. It used to be to have a fit of
anger on someone, you had to actually meet a person you.
Had to be face to face today. Sexual or morality right here.
Fits of anger stir division. Idolatry, envy, jealousy.
We can, we can. We don't.
We don't need to go meet
somebody. We got it right in our pocket.
Isn't it nice, the world? Has made it.
Easier and more convenient for the works of our.
Flesh, but it has. Let me go.
Back to what Paul says. He says.
I warn. You, as I warned you before,
that those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of
God. But the fruit of the Spirit, the
results? Of living by the Spirit, the
results in your life of being led.
By your spirit. Are you with me?
Are. What Love, joy, peace.
Patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control. Against such things there is no
law and those who belong to. Christ Jesus has crucified the
flesh with its. Passions and desires.
Now let me ask you a question. Let me ask.
You a question which life a life led by the flesh or LED by the.
Spirit do you think sounds like? A better life which?
One do you think lead sounds like a more satisfying life, a
more fulfilling life? Which one do you think would
lead to a better marriage? Which one do you think leads to
the abundant? Life, that Jesus said, is.
Possible when he said I have come that they might have life
and have it more abundantly and what fasting does and only
fasting does say only. Fasting does is tell our flesh
it gives a loud. Message to our flesh that you
are not in charge, You are not the ruler of my life.
You will not lead my life. You are not in charge my life.
Will be ruled by dictated by led.
By my spirit like God intended and not my.
Flesh because we know. From God's Word, and many of us
know from our past experiences what it means in Romans. 86
where it says. The mind.
Governed by the flesh is death, but the.
Mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace now.
Tough decision Quiz time. You ready?
You didn't. I didn't tell you.
There's going to be a quiz. Which one do you want?
Which life do you want? A or B?
Death or life and peace, It seems like a no brainer.
It seems like an easy decision, but the world makes.
It very difficult. We have a choice.
God gives us free will. But he won't.
Force us to choose the. One that benefits us the most.
Our body and our spirit are working in us all the time,
seven days a week, and one of them is the dominant decision
maker. It can't be both.
It can't. Be a tie.
It can't be both. I want to live in the world and
I want to live in the spirit. I want.
I want to do these things and I want to do these things. 1 is
going to be in charge. One of them is going to dominate
the other. Which one?
Whichever one's the strongest. When our flesh is dominant.
When our flesh is strongest. We do whatever.
We want to do whatever we feel like doing, whatever we want to
do right now. We cast off restraint and many
times we regret those decisions. Later, like have you ever said
or thought to yourself, what was I thinking?
Why did I do that? Again.
And all that is, is evidence of our flesh ruling our lives.
When our spirit is dominant, when we are led by our spirits,
then our life can be. Lived how God?
Designed us to live. We can live a.
Satisfying, fulfilling fruit of the.
Spirit. Filled life and what makes
fasting and prayer together so powerful is fasting weakens our
flesh and puts it in its place, and at the same time prayer
strengthens. Our spirit, so it's.
Doing this at the same time, it's not just suppressing one,
it's raising the other, it's putting things back in.
Order. It's like a good chiropractic
adjustment. What's the I?
Go to a chiropractor. People say you have a bad.
Back No, I don't want a bad. Back I go to a chiropractor
because the world. Gets things out of alignment.
I carry a shoulder. Bag I carry grandkids I do.
I sit at a computer. I do all.
These things that gets the the design of my spine out of
alignment and I go to the chiropractor so he can.
Go and put it back like it should be.
That's. What fasting is, And that's what
fasting is for in our lives. So I'm hopeful that you now have
a better understanding of what fasting is and what and what
it's for. And I hope you are willing to
make the decision to join or participate in the All Church 21
Day Fast starts next Sunday, not just because Illuminate Church
says we're doing. This or other people are.
Doing it, but because you want your spirit.
To rule over your flesh this year, you want your life to be
led by your spirit, which results.
In life and peace and the. Fruit of the Spirit.
In our lives so. Today I have 5 biblical.
Fasting principles for you to apply fasting to your life to
understand it better hopefully you have an understanding now of
what it's for but five principles that you can apply to
your life #1 fasting should. Be.
A regular discipline. A regular discipline.
Fasting should be a normal. Regular part of our lives.
Because unfortunately we can't fast once a year and say I'm
good till next January. It'd be nice, but it's not.
Reality. The world we live.
In we need to fast and reorder re prioritize our lives often
and regularly in Matthew chapters 5 through 7.
Jesus gave. A message on a mountainside.
To a crowd of people. So they named it in the Bible,
Sermon on the Mount, great name, right Sermon on the mountainside
3 chapters long in the book of Matthew.
And in chapter 6 he said 3 when you.
Phrases 3. Times, he said when you do
something 3 when you statements. That he expected to be regular
parts of his. Followers lives normal things.
First, he said. When you pray second, he said.
When you give third, he said. When?
You fast. Jesus didn't say if you pray, if
you give, or if you fast. His expectation was an hour.
That we will pray we. Will give and we will.
Fast. There's a big difference between
when you and if you and Jesus said when you.
If I say to. You when you shower, when you
brush your. Teeth.
I'm assuming those are normal regular things you do.
I would hope I wouldn't say to you.
If you brush your teeth. You with me?
We'd have to have a. Personal conversation about why
people are avoiding you in the lobby.
Right. Fasting is designed to be normal
and regular. Part of a follower of Jesus's
lives as. Regular and normal as prayer,
giving, church attendance, worship, a normal discipline of
A. Disciple of Jesus it was.
Then and it. Is for his followers.
Now now a question you might have then is.
Why doesn't the church talk? About it more I was having
dinner with my wife. About two weeks ago and.
We were talking about this message and things I was
learning and things I was hearing and things I was going
to share and how I, I was like, this is really, I mean, Can you
imagine the church not talking? About prayer and.
I'm not talking. About this church, we talk about
it OK, but of course we do. And she?
Asked me, she said why do you? Think it is that the church
doesn't talk more about fasting. And I said that's a good
question. Let me let me do some research.
So I found out one of the reasons the church in general
doesn't talk a lot about fasting is that 4 or 500 years ago, the
church in Rome, centuries after Jesus had become very religious
about fasting. In fact, they made mandatory
fasting rules. That the church said.
Don't eat this. Don't eat this on this.
Day all all these. Rules that everyone was required
to follow. Keyword mandatory and part of
the Protestant Reformation in the 1600s said fasting should
not be mandatory or. A rule set by the church.
It should be a. Decision someone makes, but not
because it's a rule. But but the pendulum on fasting
went so. Far the other way.
That it became not talked about. It went from mandatory to gone.
Not talked about at all. That's one reason fasting isn't
talked about a lot in the church, or at least as much as
it should be. But I think another reason might
apply more to the United States than any other part of the
world. Now, this is not United States
bashing. I love the United States.
I'm proud of the United States, greatest country in the world.
Glad to. Live here, How about you?
But tell me if I'm wrong. Our culture is in America.
Abundance, comfort, and immediate gratification,
especially. With food.
And fasting is the. Exact opposite of that.
It's the. Exact opposite of the American
culture and fasting, especially in the United States is counter
cultural. It's uncomfortable to our flesh.
Being hungry doesn't appeal to comfort and.
Prosperity focused people America.
I think this could be I could be wrong but I.
I would say it's at least. One of the few countries in the
world. You will ever hear this phrase?
I could eat. Are you hungry?
I could eat. Great.
We don't we don't like being hungry is the point.
I looked on Amazon doing some more research and found there
were over 2000 books that I just.
Pulled up right away. On the topic.
Of prayer, I thought, great. That's good.
I'm sure there's some good. Resources there.
I'm glad there's. But I looked on the topic of
fasting and there was less than 100.
Why is? That I would say probably
because no one would buy it. People aren't interested.
Who would buy that book? Maybe we all should So this
year. In 2026, we're not going to just
fast together to church once a year.
We're going to fast together one day per month.
All of 2026, not just 21 days. To start the year.
And you'll hear more about that soon.
And you may choose to even do more than that.
You may choose to do something once a week.
You may choose to do something. I don't know.
I'm not going to tell. You what to fast How?
Often to fast that's between you.
And God, but I hope. That you're starting to think I
want. To do whatever it takes.
To keep my spirit on the throne of my life #2 Fasting is for
spiritual strengthening. We fast to increase or boost our
spirit's. Strength and even the original.
Disciples back. Then 2000 years ago.
Who were with Jesus? In the flesh walked.
With Jesus, listened to Jesus, lived with Jesus.
Needed to do this this. Is a story that takes.
Place in Matthew chapter 17 and this is a quick summary in
Matthew 17. Jesus is with his disciples.
You don't have to go there right now.
I'm going to paraphrase it. And he takes.
Three of his. Disciples John, James and Peter
up on a mountain, up on a mountaintop, and he has an
experience there with Elijah and Moses, and it's incredible.
It's called in your Bible the Transfiguration.
But when that was over and the four of them came back down the
mountain, they ran into Jesus, ran into a problem.
The 9 disciples who were who had stayed behind ran into a problem
they couldn't fix and they needed.
Jesus's help so. Picture this scene.
I'm going to read it to you. This is when they came back down
the mountain. Jesus comes back to the 9.
He's probably wondering like. How'd it go?
How were? Things.
Let me tell you about my. Day, this is what he.
Says in first. This is what it says in verse 14
of Matthew chapter 17. It says when they came back and
when they had come to the multitude, a man came to him,
kneeling down to him and saying, Lord have mercy on my son, for
he is an epileptic and suffers. Severely, for he often falls
into the. Fire and often into.
The water. So I brought him to your
disciples. But they could not cure him.
And Jesus answered and said, Hey, that's.
What? He said sigh.
I roll. Oh, faithless and perverse
generation, how long shall I be with you?
How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to me.
And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the
child was cured from that very hour.
Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said privately
crowd was gone. Jesus, why couldn't we do?
That you did it. It was so easy.
You you cured him. Why couldn't we do it?
Why couldn't we cure him? And this is what Jesus.
Said. Because of your unbelief for.
Assuredly, I say to you, if you have.
Faith as a mustard. Seed you will say to.
This mountain move from here to there and it will move and
nothing will be impossible. For you, however.
This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.
So. Jesus, you can see, was
disappointed. He expected more from his
followers. How many of you think him even
maybe? A little bit.
That calling his disciples. Perverse was maybe a little
harsh. Was he having a bad?
Day. Was he tired?
Maybe he's in a bad mood that day.
We don't know. But what, what when?
When you understand it more? The word in Hebrew that Jesus
used when we translate it to the word.
Perverse is the word. I'm going to try to say this
right. The extremity, the extremity,
That's what he said when he said.
You're you're perverse. Faithless and perverse, he has
D. Extremity, which means twisted,
distorted. Turned away from what is right
or turned away from? The right path Jesus wasn't.
Calling them perverted, he was saying.
You're not living like you should be.
So the disciples thought their. Problem was, we couldn't.
Heal the boy. What?
What's? Wrong.
Why couldn't we? Do it, but Jesus.
Said no, your real problem is you're not operating.
Spiritually. Like you're designed by.
Your creator. That's your problem.
So in Matthew Chapter 7 verse 19 he says then the disciples came
and said why? Couldn't we cast it out if?
You jump to verse 21. Jesus answer is this kind does
not go out. Except by prayer and fasting.
He said the solution, the answer, what you need to do.
To get your life back to the way it should be, that's what.
The extremity means is prayer and fasting.
Prayer connects us with God. Prayer strengthens our
relationship with. God, but Jesus said prayer and.
Fasting, and it's like this. Prayer is our spiritual acts.
And fasting is our axe sharpener because fasting.
Decreases the power and control of the flesh.
That's its purpose, that's its tool.
If there was a better one or a different one, God.
Probably would have told us about that and told us to do it,
but he told us to fast. And that's the best tool we have
available number. 3 Fasting requires a clear.
Plan a clear, precise plan. How long am I going to fast?
What am I going to? Fast.
Which food is it? All food.
Certain times, certain days, How long, Which meal?
Maybe it's something other than food, TV or entertainment.
Shopping or. Spending.
Maybe we need to fast from that after December.
Social media phones, fasting our phones.
Let's not go overboard. Secular music, What is it?
What is it that our flesh craves?
The most that you denying yourself of it.
Will get your flesh's. Attention.
We'll get the message clearly. Across.
To your flesh. I think one of the mistakes when
it comes to fasting that many of us make is we want to say we're
fasting, but we choose something that's not.
Really a sacrifice, But it's expected to be a sacrifice.
Something our flesh really cares about, and you'll know you're on
the right. Track if your flesh start
because you had. That battle going on, right?
If your flesh starts going, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, let's
no, not that. Let's not get crazy here.
Let's not go. Overboard.
I mean, let's keep some balance to this.
Thing right if we're going to do this.
Not that anything, but that if that's what you're hearing,
you're probably on the right track.
This is what Jesus said. When he talked about fasting in
Matthew chapter 616 through 18, he said when you fast, do not
look gloomy like the. Hypocrites, for they disfigure.
Their faces, they walk around like, oh, so I'm fasting, I'm
fasting, I'm just. Getting holy with the Lord.
I'm fasting. They disfigure their faces.
To be seen by. Others, truly, I say to you,
they have received. Their reward but when you fast
anoint your head, wash your. Face that you're fasting.
May not be seen by. Others, but by your father.
Who is in secret and your father who sees in secret?
Will reward you. You can read between the lines
to. See that what you're?
Fasting might affect how you. Feel how you look.
It might affect your mood. Your flesh might get mad at you,
upset with you. It might.
Throw a hissy fit like a toddler.
Your flesh. Your flesh is pretty used to
getting its. Way and and I don't want to say
that like a fact, but for most of us.
That's probably true. So pray first, Jesus said.
Don't let. Anyone know God knows your goal
isn't sympathy or attention from?
People ask God. What?
He wants you to fast? Listen to His spirit.
Don't listen to your flesh. Do what your Holy Spirit.
Says and obey #4 Fasting creates self-control, and if there's one
thing we need more of in this world.
Is self. Control, but let me.
Tell you a fact, our willpower isn't very powerful.
We know that our willpower is weak.
Jesus. Said in Matthew 2641, the spirit
is willing, but the. Flesh is weak.
We can't. Count on rely on our own, our
willpower alone to do or accomplish anything.
It's only by the power of the Spirit in US and through us that
we have the self-control we need to live.
A victorious life over sin. And one of the fruits of the
Spirit, not the only and I believe there are more than
nine. There were nine listed by Paul.
There are many, many other good things, but one of the.
Fruits of the Spirit. Is self-control, and that means
it naturally comes out of you when you're walking in the
spirit, not by our power. But the.
Holy Spirit's power in us. So one of the questions people
ask sometime is OK. I've been fasting for a while.
I've been making it a part of my life.
How do I know if it's working? How do I know?
I mean like sometimes you can't like see unless other people
comment like I've noticed a difference in you.
What? How do I know if it's?
Working. Here's how if you.
Notice more good fruit more. Fruit of the Spirit More.
Joy. More peace, more love, more
patience. If you see those.
Things coming out of you naturally and less fruits of the
flesh like anger, envy, impatience.
That's how you know it's making a difference.
You'll see those things changing you on the inside, and you'll
know. By your fruit so.
If you need more. Self-control or if.
You don't have strong. Self-control, which is most of
us when we're. Living in the flesh.
That is a. Symptom that we're walking or
being led. By the flesh poor.
Self-control is a fruit. Of the flesh a result.
Of being led by the flesh and when we try to change.
Ourselves by our willpower or our.
Determination Have you ever. Said things like this today.
Before, I will never do that again.
I am determined. I will try harder.
I will be stronger. I will not do that.
How long does that last? We almost always fail.
We are not strong enough without the Spirit leading our lives and
then the make it to make it worse.
The enemy says you. Are a failure you?
Are a disappointment to God. But the truth is, it's just a.
Symptom that we're human and we're being led by our flesh and
it can change. It can change.
That's a good news. People can have lived in their.
Flesh their whole lives. And from.
This day forward, start living by the Spirit.
That's when you're going to see a changed life in a home, in a
marriage, more joy, more peace. It can change and God wants it
to change for all of us. So if you need more
self-control. Walking by the Spirit.
When the Spirit is controlled, you will see the evidence.
The fruit of the Spirit. And we all need that to have
victory over sin in our lives. Number. 5 This is the last.
One say yay, last one fasting. Can lead to spiritual
breakthrough. Fasting can lead.
To spiritual breakthrough so if you've ever felt stuck
spiritually if you've ever felt like God is quiet if you've ever
felt like. I'm not really feeling very
close to God right now. If you're in a dry season of
your life spiritually or if you've never felt ever in your
life close. To life close to God.
Fasting can be like a soaking rain on a.
Dry field. And turn everything green again.
So it's OK to be. Expected to be optimistic.
It's good to be excited about what God is going to do.
I'm. Excited to see spiritual
breakthrough. In this church in lives.
I believe there will be. Answers to uncertainty and
direction people need. I believe there will be healing,
physical and emotional healing. I believe God is going to do
great things during the season. I really do.
He is faithful. There will be miracles.
There will be breakthroughs. There will be.
Chains broken, do you believe? That do you believe?
It can happen. For you I do.
Here's my encouragement to do to you.
Today, if you're still. Feeling uncomfortable or unsure
about fasting? Maybe you're even feeling
skeptical. You know what I say.
Try it. Do it and see what happens.
Taste and see. For yourself, what will your
life be like if you start your year?
By connecting more with God and choosing to allow your spirit.
To lead your life. How will things change?
How will things? Change in your life you'll.
Experience more joy, more peace doesn't always happen overnight,
but wouldn't it be nice to get on that trajectory in life?
So as we close today, I want to talk.
To you about what to do next. What?
To do this week. The church 21 day Fast begins
next Sunday, and I hope that now you're more excited than you
were 30. 5 minutes ago. Good.
Here's some things to do between now and next Saturday.
Next Sunday, Number one, make a plan.
Spend this week making your plan a clear plan.
Pray and ask God what to do. What to fast?
Listen to what the Holy Spirit reveals to.
You #2 choose. What type of fast you will do
there are. Resources the church has sent up
on the church center rap there's videos on.
How to fast? What to fast?
There's resources there. Use those to really decide what
type of fast you will do. And #3 get.
Excited about the results Focus? On the benefits?
There are people. Around this room that are going
to help you and encourage you. It will be an amazing year,
possibly like we've never seen before.
So as I've said. A few Times Now 21 day fast, all
church fast starts next Sunday. So that means when you arrive
here next Sunday. The fast will have already
started Saturday. Night.
Whatever. I mean, whatever, Whatever time.
So today isn't. The day to start the.
Fast. But what we can do today is make
a commitment and I'm going to give you a moment right now to
listen and make a decision. It doesn't have to be a decision
of what you're going to fast or what you're going to do.
It's just making decision that I will fast this year.
I'm in you're saying I will take part in the church 21 day fast?
This year I will start. My fast next Sunday morning,
whatever my personal fast is, if you are going to be a part of
the church 21 day fast, you've made that decision.
Maybe you don't know the details, but you're say I am
going to do that this year. I'm going to see in my own life
what changes in 21 days. I'm going to ask you to just
stand up at your seat right now. I want to pray for you.
Just stand up right where you're at right now.
I encourage you, but this isn't mandatory.
It's not about rules. It's about.
You wanting to be? Led by your spirit.
In 2026 if. That's you, which I hope it is.
Wow. And if you're not standing yet,
don't feel left out. You can still make that decision
this week. Or as we pray.
Stand up. If the Holy Spirit.
'S leading you or encouraging. You I understand.
It's not an easy decision. It's countercultural.
It's like, oh, my flesh may not like this.
Some of this might be. Hard, but the results of the of
of. Being led by our.
Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.
So worth it so. Let me pray for you, Father God,
we come to you today. As your people, your church, and
we thank you for the gift of this church where we seek you.
Together and grow in faith as one body in Christ.
Holy Spirit, we invite you to lead us in this time, search our
hearts and reveal to us any place we have become perverse,
the extremity. Where are we off?
We confess that too often We. Rely on our own strength, our
own plans and the comforts. Of this life instead of.
Depending on you, Father, as we deny ourselves.
Food or whatever form of. Fasting we choose may this act
become a living sacrifice of. Worship to you.
Replace. Our physical hunger with
spiritual hunger for you. Draw us closer to you and let
this facts fast break every yoke.
Of bondage, loose the chains of oppression and bring
breakthrough in our lives, our homes, our families, our church
and our nation. We trust you, Lord, to meet us
in powerful ways over the 21 days of the Fast, and we do not.
Fast buy our own power. But it is strength of Christ who
is in US. Thanks for joining us today.
We hope God is speaking to your heart through this message.
If you'd like to connect with us, you can text Connect to
4:07. 588. 0115 or visit Illuminate dot Church.
Have a great week.