SEEK & FIND 1 – FAST, 1-4-26, Pastor Jeff Aenk, New Hope Christian Church
1. What’s the Problem?
Matthew 9:35-38 - 35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
A. Our Community Problem - The People around Our Church & Homes & Work Places, are REALLY Hurting! Many are Struggling Relationally with Divorce & Family Issues & Single Parenting & Violence. Many are Financially Struggling, or Out of Work. Many are Addicted to Drugs or Alcohol, Lonely, or Feeling Hopeless. Many are Homeless, On the Streets, or in Gangs. And Many Kids are Growing Up without Parents Around. Many People are Sick & Broken & Feel Little or No Purpose in Life.
B. Our Personal Problem - We’ve all at Times allowed life’s Busyness to keep us from Really Seeking God, Putting Him first, & Letting Him Really Lead our Lives Consistently by His Holy Spirit. So we just keep doing what we’ve been doing & getting the same unsatisfactory results. In our Lives, we end up just Surviving, Instead of Thriving. Our Plans become More Important than God’s Plans. We don’t Grow Spiritually to our Potential. And sometimes we’re not receiving the healing & freedom we need & joining Jesus in What He is Doing on the Earth. We get Stuck in a Rut.
2. What’s the Solution?
Luke 4:18-21 - 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me (Jesus), because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 Then he (Jesus) rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Jesus is the Solution to BOTH Problems! As the Creator & Savior of Human Life, Jesus alone can & wants to Bring Hope, Healing, Freedom, & Transformation to the People in our Community! And He wants to Start with Us! And then Work Through Us to Bring Jesus & His Love & Transformation to the Other People Around us!
3. What’s Our Part? What do We need to Do?
Key Verse – Matthew 6:33 - But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
*Let’s Seek God 1st this Year through Fasting & Prayer, Asking Him to Direct our Goals, Priorities, & Actions, & Letting Him Have His Way, & Fully Move In & Through Us, & Our Church.
*What Is Fasting? Denying the Physical & Natural for a Time, to Focus more Intently on the Spiritual & Super-Natural God Instead.
*When Fasting, a Person: 1. Goes without something physical (Food or Anything) that is Needed or Desired, 2. For a Period of Time, 3. With the Express Purpose of Accomplishing Something Greater Spiritually with God. (See Page on Chair for More Info on Fasting Explanation & Scriptures.)
*Fasting Connects us more Closely & Deeply with Jesus, & makes it Easier for us to Focus On & Hear Him & Feel His Presence & Direction.
Mark 2:19-20 - 19 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20 But the time will come when the bridegroom (Jesus) will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.
*We Can Also Fast From Addictions & Strongholds the Enemy has Used to Destroy Us, to Help Us Break Free, & Find Healing & Transformation, While Focusing on God. Isaiah 58:6-9a - 6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
4. Why Us? John 15:16-17 - 16 You did not choose me, but I (Jesus) chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
5. Why Now? 2 Corinthians 6:2 - For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. *The Time is NOW!!! Let’s Move from Surviving to Thriving! Free, Healed, & Sharing Jesus Love!
Here’s What I Want us To Do this WEEK
1. Seek God by Taking our FASTING Challenge. Ask God to Show You what Thing(s) SPECIFICALLY would be the Best for you to Fast From & Fast For, for at least 1 Day, & then what Thing(s) to Fast From & Fast For, for at least 1 Month. ***For Examples, You Could:
Fast FROM – Food (Still Drink Water), Sugar, Drugs, Marijuana, Alcohol, Porn, Perfectionism, Social Media, TV, Phone, Video Games, Cigarettes, Vaping, OR Literally Anything that has More of your Focus than God, Etc., &
Fast FOR – Prayer, Worship, Time in God’s Word, Deeper Closer Connection with Jesus, Victory, Freedom, Healing, Health, Transformation, to Hear what God Wants you To Do, God’s Movement in your Family, People’s Lives, Church, Community, State, Country, World, Etc.
*A Good Plan with Fasting, is to Spend the Exact Time you would normally do the Thing you are Giving Up (for Example, eating, scrolling, smoking), Doing something Instead with That Time to Help you Focus on God – (Praying, Reading Bible, Writing, Worshipping, Thanking, Praising, Listening.)
*In Fasting, We Deny the Physical, to Focus on the Spiritual, & also Train our Body (Flesh) to be Subject To (Led By) the Spirit.
*When Fasting, a Person: 1. Goes without something physical (Food or Anything) that is Needed or Desired, 2. For a Period of Time, 3. With the Express Purpose of Accomplishing Something Greater Spiritually with God. (*To Learn More about Fasting, Read the Fasting Explanation & Scriptures on Your Chair.)
*Fill In the Blanks Below with your Commitments to Fast, & then Share them with Another Person & Ask them to Hold you Accountable.
*I Will Fast FROM: _(?)______________________ & FOR: ___Hearing & Writing God’s Goals for Me___ for: _(?)_______Day(s).
*I Will Fast FROM: _(?)_____________________ & FOR: ___God’s Movement In & Through Me & Our Church__ for: _(?)________Month(s).
2. Seek God’s Vision & Plan for Your Life This Year, & Set Appropriate Goals to Take the Next Steps from Where you are Now, to Where God Wants you to Be This Year, by getting Alone with Him & Filling Out the Life Development Plan Goal Setting Form on Your Chair.
Ephesians 5:8 - For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light
Matthew 9:35-38 - 35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
A. Our Community Problem - The People around Our Church & Homes & Work Places, are REALLY Hurting! Many are Struggling Relationally with Divorce & Family Issues & Single Parenting & Violence. Many are Financially Struggling, or Out of Work. Many are Addicted to Drugs or Alcohol, Lonely, or Feeling Hopeless. Many are Homeless, On the Streets, or in Gangs. And Many Kids are Growing Up without Parents Around. Many People are Sick & Broken & Feel Little or No Purpose in Life.
B. Our Personal Problem - We’ve all at Times allowed life’s Busyness to keep us from Really Seeking God, Putting Him first, & Letting Him Really Lead our Lives Consistently by His Holy Spirit. So we just keep doing what we’ve been doing & getting the same unsatisfactory results. In our Lives, we end up just Surviving, Instead of Thriving. Our Plans become More Important than God’s Plans. We don’t Grow Spiritually to our Potential. And sometimes we’re not receiving the healing & freedom we need & joining Jesus in What He is Doing on the Earth. We get Stuck in a Rut.
2. What’s the Solution?
Luke 4:18-21 - 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me (Jesus), because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 Then he (Jesus) rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Jesus is the Solution to BOTH Problems! As the Creator & Savior of Human Life, Jesus alone can & wants to Bring Hope, Healing, Freedom, & Transformation to the People in our Community! And He wants to Start with Us! And then Work Through Us to Bring Jesus & His Love & Transformation to the Other People Around us!
3. What’s Our Part? What do We need to Do?
Key Verse – Matthew 6:33 - But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
*Let’s Seek God 1st this Year through Fasting & Prayer, Asking Him to Direct our Goals, Priorities, & Actions, & Letting Him Have His Way, & Fully Move In & Through Us, & Our Church.
*What Is Fasting? Denying the Physical & Natural for a Time, to Focus more Intently on the Spiritual & Super-Natural God Instead.
*When Fasting, a Person: 1. Goes without something physical (Food or Anything) that is Needed or Desired, 2. For a Period of Time, 3. With the Express Purpose of Accomplishing Something Greater Spiritually with God. (See Page on Chair for More Info on Fasting Explanation & Scriptures.)
*Fasting Connects us more Closely & Deeply with Jesus, & makes it Easier for us to Focus On & Hear Him & Feel His Presence & Direction.
Mark 2:19-20 - 19 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20 But the time will come when the bridegroom (Jesus) will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.
*We Can Also Fast From Addictions & Strongholds the Enemy has Used to Destroy Us, to Help Us Break Free, & Find Healing & Transformation, While Focusing on God. Isaiah 58:6-9a - 6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
4. Why Us? John 15:16-17 - 16 You did not choose me, but I (Jesus) chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
5. Why Now? 2 Corinthians 6:2 - For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. *The Time is NOW!!! Let’s Move from Surviving to Thriving! Free, Healed, & Sharing Jesus Love!
Here’s What I Want us To Do this WEEK
1. Seek God by Taking our FASTING Challenge. Ask God to Show You what Thing(s) SPECIFICALLY would be the Best for you to Fast From & Fast For, for at least 1 Day, & then what Thing(s) to Fast From & Fast For, for at least 1 Month. ***For Examples, You Could:
Fast FROM – Food (Still Drink Water), Sugar, Drugs, Marijuana, Alcohol, Porn, Perfectionism, Social Media, TV, Phone, Video Games, Cigarettes, Vaping, OR Literally Anything that has More of your Focus than God, Etc., &
Fast FOR – Prayer, Worship, Time in God’s Word, Deeper Closer Connection with Jesus, Victory, Freedom, Healing, Health, Transformation, to Hear what God Wants you To Do, God’s Movement in your Family, People’s Lives, Church, Community, State, Country, World, Etc.
*A Good Plan with Fasting, is to Spend the Exact Time you would normally do the Thing you are Giving Up (for Example, eating, scrolling, smoking), Doing something Instead with That Time to Help you Focus on God – (Praying, Reading Bible, Writing, Worshipping, Thanking, Praising, Listening.)
*In Fasting, We Deny the Physical, to Focus on the Spiritual, & also Train our Body (Flesh) to be Subject To (Led By) the Spirit.
*When Fasting, a Person: 1. Goes without something physical (Food or Anything) that is Needed or Desired, 2. For a Period of Time, 3. With the Express Purpose of Accomplishing Something Greater Spiritually with God. (*To Learn More about Fasting, Read the Fasting Explanation & Scriptures on Your Chair.)
*Fill In the Blanks Below with your Commitments to Fast, & then Share them with Another Person & Ask them to Hold you Accountable.
*I Will Fast FROM: _(?)______________________ & FOR: ___Hearing & Writing God’s Goals for Me___ for: _(?)_______Day(s).
*I Will Fast FROM: _(?)_____________________ & FOR: ___God’s Movement In & Through Me & Our Church__ for: _(?)________Month(s).
2. Seek God’s Vision & Plan for Your Life This Year, & Set Appropriate Goals to Take the Next Steps from Where you are Now, to Where God Wants you to Be This Year, by getting Alone with Him & Filling Out the Life Development Plan Goal Setting Form on Your Chair.
Ephesians 5:8 - For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light