Series: Renewal 2021
Key one for Renewal – Reconnect with the Holy Spirit thru Prayer & Fasting
Thesis: The first key to renewal/revival from a biblical and historical context is making the commitment to reconnect with the Holy Spirit through prayer and fasting. These two spiritual disciplines are a powerful link to revival and renewal.
Scripture Texts to ponder:
Psalm 42:
Introduction to text from sermon Reconnecting with God by https://freetobelieve.org.uk/uploads/3/4/5/7/34574639/reconnecting_with_god.pdf:
“In the 42nd Psalm the Psalmist cries "As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God." He has lost his sense of personal contact with God. Today a great many people share that experience. When in 1882 the prophetic German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche announced that God was dead it was a sign we were entering a period when belief in God was becoming problematic. Today increasing numbers of people find it hard to believe in God or find such belief unreal. Quite a few dismiss religious faith as obviously untrue without even seriously considering the possibility…”
Psalms 42:1-11 (NIV)
1As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.
2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
3My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
4These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.
5Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and
6my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
7Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.
8By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life.
9I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?”
10My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
11Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
Scriptures on Prayer:
I Chronicles 4:9-10:
9Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” 10Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.
Matthew 7:7-12: Ask, Seek, Knock = ASK!
7“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
9“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
I Chronicles 5:18-22:
18The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had 44,760 men ready for military service—able-bodied men who could handle shield and sword, who could use a bow, and who were trained for battle. 19They waged war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish and Nodab. 20They were helped in fighting them, and God handed the Hagrites and all their allies over to them, because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him. 21They seized the livestock of the Hagrites—fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep and two thousand donkeys. They also took one hundred thousand people captive, 22and many others fell slain, because the battle was God’s. And they occupied the land until the exile.
Introduction:
For many the question races through the minds “Why should I pray and fast?” Some think it’s religious and even old school thinking! But I would like to answer that question today. Over the years I have heard many people who say we need revival. We need it in the church and in this nation. I want to remind us of what we did in January when we made the Covenant Contracts with the Lord and sent them up to Him in a Burnt Offering! How many did a contract? Do you remember it? What you put into it? The promise you made to God?
How are you doing in keeping that promise with the Lord? Do you need to renew that commitment to the Lord again? Do you need to reconnect with Jesus? Do you need to reignite the passion for Jesus? Are you continuing with the process of renewing your mind? Are you staying refreshed in His presence through prayer and even fasting! Are you still contending for Renewal and Revival in 2021?
So back to the big question of 2021 “Do you still want revival and renewal in 2021 in your life?”
Well over the next few weeks we will be exploring 7 historical keys to revival and renewal. Of all the great revivals in the past where God moved supernaturally there were 7 common keys to revival and renewal movements.
The first preceding key to revival is the combination of prayer and fasting. All throughout church and biblical history these two spiritual disciplines combined together preceded great revivals.
Floyd notes:
When we read about the great revival of 1858, we need to notice that there were many contributing factors that set the stage for its manifestation. One element was a concerned group of Presbyterian churches across the land. The yearning for an awakening had come to hungry hearts, and out of that spirit came a special convention, held in early December 1857, in the city of Pittsburgh (My home town). The purpose was to pray for spiritual revival. Two hundred people attended the meeting. One brother under the Holy Spirit’s leadership stood and said, “It appears to me that if we want to see God move, why don’t all of us preach on the subject of revival on the first Sunday in January of 1858. And then, let us declare the first Thursday of 1858 a day of humiliation, prayer and fasting?” With that encouragement – and its immediate implementation-the Spirit of God brought a grieving to their hearts. On the first Sunday in 1858, hundreds of pastors across America stood in their pulpits and preached to their congregations on the subject of Holy Spirit revival. Then, a few days later, on the first Thursday of that year, thousands of God’s people across the nation took up the challenge, obeyed, and experienced a day of humiliation, prayer and fasting for revival in their time” (34).
There is something very powerful about doing these two disciplines together. It’s as though we open up the floodgate of God’s power and it rushes out and things happen from the flood of His presence. But the key to the floodgate is prayer and fasting! The lethal combination of prayer and fasting seems to align the heart of man with the heartbeat of God. The heart of man starts to change his heart beat changes during times of prayer and fasting and it starts to beat in sync with God’s heartbeat. Why, because you are putting the flesh down and uplifting the spirit!
This is one of missing keys of the church today. Prayer and fasting are the two essential ingredients to unlocking more of the power of God into our lives and into the church.
Bill Bright states:
I believe the power of fasting as it relates to prayer is the spiritual atomic bomb that our Lord has given us to destroy the strongholds of evil and usher in a great revival and spiritual harvest around the world (4).
Yet I don’t hear of many people who practice this spiritual discipline today.
Let me ask some questions how many of you want to experience a revival in your life? How many want to experience revival here at Christian Hills? How many want to see revival in the city of Chicago and Orland?
Then I encourage you to pray and fast!
I am calling a Day of Prayer and Fasting on Thursday April 1 8am-12 and 4-8pm in our sanctuary. Yes, I know it’s “April Fools Day” but this act of love toward God is not foolish but wise and can help usher in a great revival/renewal.
Then on April 2nd Good Friday we are encouraging you to tune in to One Body - One Blood event from Jerusalem at 8am our time – it’s an international event being simulcast into our Sanctuary – you can also register for free to watch it at home too.
See insert for more details.
Transitional Statement -But for revival to happen in our hearts and lives, at Christian Hills Church or in this nation we must revisit and practice the spiritual discipline of prayer and fasting. There is a link between revival and prayer and fasting! Let us first explore prayer and see how it reconnects us with the Lord.
I. Let’s first look at what happens when we decide to pray. When PRAYER happens then God takes ACTION!
a. It’s been a proven fact that prayer is a key to seeing God move into action in our lives and others lives.
i. Yes, it still amazes me that He chooses to work through vessels like you and me.
ii. He never forces anything on us – He waits for us to pray for it. To ask!
iii. Illustration: Have an object to give away but someone has to ask for it (T Shirt).
iv. Jesus: “You have not because you don’t ask!”
b. The prayer of Jabez (I Chronicles 4:9-10) Reference the book The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkerson.
i. He wanted to be blessed by God so He asked!
ii. He wanted to have his territory expanded so it was!
iii. He wanted God’s hand on him and it was!
iv. He wanted to be kept from harm so he was!
v. The Bible says, “God granted his request!”
c. The prayer of the 2 1/2 tribes of Israel (I Chronicles 5:18-22)
i. God helped theses 2 1/2 tribes win wars because they cried out to God for help.
ii. We are also told that this happened because they trusted God.
iii. Movie Eutopia – S – see / F – feel / T – trust
1. Share the movies theme and message!
d. Both of these texts reveal to us how prayer unleashes the power of God into our lives.
i. It will help us be blessed by God.
ii. It will help us expand our territory.
iii. It will help us win the battles we are in.
iv. It will help us by having God’s hand on us.
v. It will protect us from harm.
B. Numerous Scripture passages urge us to pray.
a. Notice that in each of the following examples, prayer precedes action on God’s part.
i. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. (John 14:13)
ii. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:14)
iii. Up to this time, you have not asked a single thing in My name . . . but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive. (John 16:24, Amplified)
iv. Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7)
v. Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. (Matthew 18:19)
vi. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer. (Matthew 21:22)
vii. You do not have, because you do not ask God. (James 4:2)
1. Sargent states, “The clear teaching of all these verses is, prayer opens the door for God’s response.”
a. Information above from Unlocking God’s Power By Rod Sargent
T.S. – Prayer is a must in reconnecting or connecting with God but watch out when you link together prayer and fasting – it changes things – it pushed back the flesh and advances the spirit of the Lord.
II. Prayer @ Fasting ( THE POWER LINK)
a. But now take the two disciplines of prayer and fasting and put them together and you will find that they produce a deeper intimacy with God or a reconnection with God. This combination will always help us to evaluate where our heart is and it will awaken us to our spiritual needs and the spiritual needs of others.
i. “These special prayer times can become anchor points in your life, times when you “drive a stake” as a landmark and go on from there. Your daily quiet time is more effective as you pray into day-by-day reality some of the things the Lord speaks to your heart in protracted times of prayer. The quiet time in turn is the foundation for “praying without ceasing,” going through the day in communion with God “(Lorne Sanny)
b. Prayer combined with Fasting brings divine revelation from God and spiritual focus.
i. It gives us FOCUS – focus on the divine plan -- not man’s plan.
1. F stands for – Faith -- in His plan – Prayer and fasting helps us see through the eyes of faith.
a. Faith – Complete trust on and reliance on something!
b. Hebrews 11:1: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
2. O stands for – On – To stand on Christ as the foundational support for all that we build and do in our lives.
a. On- Webster defines on as, “Slanting toward, in position above, but in contact with and supported by; upon.”
b. 1 Corinthians 3:11: For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
i. Pray combined with fasting gets us back on our foundation of Christ!
3. C = Christ – see Him as you rock, your foundation as your support. He is the base on which you should stand when you make decisions in this life. He is the base you should be anchored to in your life.
a. Matthew 7:25
b. Isaiah 28:16
c. Matthew 16:18
4. U = Understanding – This is a key to doing God’s will, it is understanding His ways.
a. This happens through the premise of listening to His Word, reading His Word and meditating on His Word.
b. Divine understanding comes from standing on Christ!
c. Divine understanding comes from prayer – the focus in prayer is on God. It’s the connector to reconnecting with God.
d. Divine understanding happens best and clearer in the context of prayer and fasting – because in this time there seems to be a deeper level of communion with God.
i. A deeper level of connection with God and His presence.
ii. This happens because the combination of prayer and fasting help us to crucify our own flesh!
1. Galatian 5:24: Life by the Spirit requires times of crucifying the flesh:
a. 16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. 19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self–control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
5. S = Scripture – The only way to understand His plan and stay focused on Jesus is by staying imbedded in the Word.
a. The problem in our society today is people – Christians - do not want to be embedded in the Word. They are not living a prayed up and fasted life. Listen to these statistics from Barna and Pew Research Group:
i. Only 9 percent of people read their Bibles daily in the USA in 2020.
ii. In January 2020, 27.8 percent of American adults were Bible engaged. By June, after months of quarantine and church closures, that figure was down to 22.6 percent.
iii. Only 4% of Christians tithe.
iv. The divorce rate among Christian is 50% same as the world.
v. 1 in 6 Christians claim they are committed to at least 6 different local churches.
vi. Only 65% identified in the USA as Christians in 2019. Christians are in decline by 12% from 2009 where the number was 77% identified as Christian.
1. Christianity is declining in America!
ii. FOCUS gives us direction and spiritual insights into the spiritual climate of our age and unveils the great deception going on:
1. There is also the practice of a quiet time or morning watch-seen in the life of David (Psalm 5:3), of Daniel (Daniel 6:10), and of the Lord Jesus (Mark 1:35). This daily time specified for meditation in the word of God and prayer is indispensable to the growing, healthy Christian. Then there are examples in the Scripture of extended time given to prayer alone. Jesus spent whole nights praying. Nehemiah prayed “some days” upon hearing of the plight of Jerusalem. Three times Moses spent forty days and forty nights alone with God.” (Lorne Sanny, Discipleship Journal).
2. See You Version plans to read or listen too devotional plans – today we have more resources at our disposal and less devotional time happening in America!
a. See the app!
iii. Learning from God is the key to success in life and these ultimate learning times seem to be linked to the discipline of prayer and fasting.
1. “I believe it was in these special times of prayer that God made known his ways and his plans to Moses. He allowed Moses to look through a chink in the fence and gain special insights, while the rank-and-file Israelites saw only the acts of God as they unfolded day by day” (Lorne Sanny, Discipleship Journal).
2. Remember Scripture exhorts us to pray and fast.
a. Matthew 6:9 –18
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 Forgive us our debt.
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
16“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,
18so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
b. Mark 2:18-20 -18Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”19Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.
c. Luke 2:35-38 - 35so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” 36There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.
d. Acts 13:2 - 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
e. Acts 14:23 - 23Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.
iv. It points us to what really matters in life, prayer and fasting always FOCUS’ us on God’s direction, God’s plan. God’s way, God’s love, God’s personality, God’s touch, God’s presence, and God’s insight for our life.
1. FOCUS – will help us do the SFT (Movie – Eutopia’s theme starring Robert Duval) - S= See His Face (see the field of life through His eyes) F = Feel His presence (Feel in the moment – Fell His direction and touch and feel what is the right thing to do in that moment!) T = Trust God (Trust that He is with us – leading us – guiding us and in the moment with us).
Transitional Statement: We have explored why we need to pray and fast but some may be thinking but “How should you pray and fast?” Let us explore some practical steps to praying and fasting.
III. Bill Bright gives us practical insights on the 7 Basic Steps to prayer and fasting (pages 7-17).
a. Set your objective!
i. Why are you fasting?
ii. Is it for spiritual renewal, for guidance, for healing, for resolution of problems, for special grace to handle a difficult situation?
iii. Ask the Holy Spirit to clarify His leading and objectives for your prayer fast.
iv. Answering these questions will be important to help you focus on specifics and be strategic in your approach.
b. Make Your Commitment
i. Pray about the kind of fast you should do.
1. How long will it be?
2. What kind of fast?
a. Water only, juices?
b. Social media?
c. News?
d. TV?
e. Computer games?
f. Facebook?
g. Amazon?
h. Sugar?
i. Caffeine?
j. Other?
3. What physical or social activities you will cut back on?
4. How much time during the day will you devote to prayer and the reading of God’s Word.
c. The third step - begin to prepare yourselves spiritually.
i. The foundation of fasting is humility, which leads to repentance creates a reconnection with the Lord.
ii. Part of the goal of prayer and fasting is to get us right with the Lord.
iii. Any unrepentant sin will hinder our prayers and keep up disconnected. So, we need to do the following just prior to our time of prayer and fasting.
1. Ask the Lord to help you make a list of your sins.
2. Repent of every sin that the Holy Spirit has reminded you of and then embrace the forgiveness that comes from Jesus.
3. Seek forgiveness from all who have offended you, and forgive all who have hurt you.
4. Make restitution if the Holy Spirit leads you to do so.
5. Ask God to empower you with His Holy Spirit.
6. Surrender your life fully to Jesus. Let the flesh be put under foot by the Spirit.
7. Meditate on the attributes of God.
a. His love I Cor. 13
b. His sovereignty
c. His power
d. His wisdom
e. His faithfulness
f. His grace
g. His compassion
h. Read the Psalms 48:9,10; 103:1-8; 11-13
8. Begin your time of fasting and prayer with a great expectation – Hebrews 11:6
9. Keep a journal while you pray and fast.
a. Write down your prayers then enter in your journal when they are answered.
b. Write Psalms to the Lord.
c. Share insights God gives you while you are praying and fasting.
10. Be prepared to face spiritual opposition from the enemy of God while you’re preparing and going through your fast.
d. Prepare yourself physically for the fast – God always gives wisdom!
i. Fasting requires reasonable precautions.
1. Consult your physician 1st
a. Especially if you are on medication or have a chronic ailment.
b. Some people should never fast without professional supervision.
ii. Altar you diet slowly as you go into the fast.
1. Do not rush into your fast
2. Prepare the body by eating smaller meals
3. Avoid high fat and sugar foods
4. Eat raw vegetables for two days before starting a fast
iii. While you fast
1. Abstain from solid foods
2. Avoid drugs, even herbal drugs – But medication is to withdrawn with the physician’s supervision.
3. Limit your activity
4. Exercise moderately. Walk one to three miles a day if convenient and comfortable.
5. Rest as much as your schedule will permit.
6. Understand that you will have temporary mental discomforts, such as impatience, crankiness, and anxiety.
7. Expect some physical discomforts, especially on the second day such as:
a. Fleeting hunger pains
b. Dizziness
c. The “blahs”
d. Withdrawal from sugar and caffeine – usually headaches are the sign.
e. Physical annoyances such as:
i. Weakness
ii. Tiredness
iii. Sleeplessness
8. The first two to three days are usually the hardest.
9. AS you continue your fast you will likely experience a sense of well-being both physically and spiritually!
e. Put yourself on a schedule similar to this:
i. Morning
1. Begin your day in praise and worship
2. Read and meditate on God’s word.
3. Invite the Holy Spirit to work in you.
4. If you are married pray with your spouse.
5. Invite God to use you.
a. Ask Him to show you How to influence your world for Him.
b. Do the same with your church, your community, and your family.
6. Pray for a vision for your life.
ii. Noon
1. Return to prayer and God’s Word.
2. Take a short prayer walk.
3. Spend time in intercessory prayer for your nation and community, and church leaders. Prayer for lost people.
iii. Evening
1. Get alone for an unhurried time of seeking God.
2. If others are fasting with you meet together for prayer.
3. Avoid TV. and any other distractions.
iv. The dietary routine: From Dr. Julio Ruibal
1. Early Morning 5-8am – Fruit juices, preferably freshly squeezed or blended and diluted in 50 Percent distilled water if the fruit is acidy.
a. If you cannot do your own juicing buy juices without sugar or additives.
2. Mid-morning 10:30am – Fresh vegetable juice made from lettuce, celery, and carrots in three equal parts – or V8 Juice.
3. 2:30-4pm – Herb tea with drop of honey. Avoid black tea with caffeine.
4. 6-8:30 pm – Broth from boiling potatoes, celery, and carrots with no salt. After boiling about half an hour, pour water into a container and drink it.
v. Tips on juice fasting:
1. Drinking fruit juice will decrease your hunger pains and give you some natural sugar energy. The taste and lift will motivate and strengthen you to continue.
2. The best juices are made from fresh watermelon, lemons, grapes, apples, cabbage, beets, carrots, celery, or leafy green vegetables. In cold weather, you may enjoy warm broth.
3. Mix acidic juices (orange, tomato) with water for your stomach’s sake.
4. Avoid caffeinated drinks. And avoid chewing gum or mints. They stimulate digestive action in your stomach.
f. End your fast gradually – slowly eat only a little at a time.
i. Do not eat solid foods immediately.
1. This will cause stomach and digestive problems. Even dangerous ones.
2. Try smaller meals and work up.
3. Bill notes, “If you end your fast gradually, the beneficial physical and spiritual effects will result in continued good health.
g. Expect results.
i. Bill states, “If you sincerely humble yourself before the Lord, repent, pray, and seek God’s face; if you consistently meditate on His Word, you will experience a heightened awareness of His presence.”
ii. You will receive a fresh revelation of Jesus.
iii. You will receive focus and spiritual direction
iv. You will see God’s power unleashed in your prayers and life.
Challenge Question: How many desire to tackle this spiritual discipline?
Then lets prayer for God’s hand to be on you and lead you through this spiritual discipline which paves the way for revival.
