{"id":31300,"date":"2022-09-10T15:24:56","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:24:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/a-key-to-transforming-your-church-through-uncertain-seasons\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T15:24:56","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:24:56","slug":"a-key-to-transforming-your-church-through-uncertain-seasons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/a-key-to-transforming-your-church-through-uncertain-seasons\/","title":{"rendered":"A Key to Transforming Your Church Through Uncertain Seasons"},"content":{"rendered":"
KTMD photo – Unsplash <\/p>\n

By Andrew Hudson<\/em><\/p>\n

I\u2019m fairly certain I\u2019m not alone when I say this is the most turbulent seasons I\u2019ve ever seen. Between the COVID-19 pandemic\u2014and all that comes with it (loss of life, community, jobs, etc.), racial injustices, civil unrest, and heated election campaigns, we\u2019re weary.<\/p>\n

And we need for God to move. Not only in our circumstances, but even more so in our hearts and in our personal lives. The people in your church\u2014the people you lead and serve\u2014need transformation. How can you lead them in petitioning God to move?<\/p>\n

One way to do this to lead your church in a community fast. Fasting is something we see in Scripture, but don\u2019t see done very often in our churches. It\u2019s something that\u2019s assumed will happen; Matthew 6:16 doesn\u2019t say, \u201cIf<\/em> you fast \u2026,\u201d it says, \u201cWhen<\/em> you fast \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Fasting isn\u2019t magic. It\u2019s not a way to convince God of what we want or even to pressure God into acting. Fasting is a way to tune our hearts to God\u2019s. It\u2019s a way to listen and to pray more intentionally.<\/p>\n

Daniel, after fasting, declares in chapter three, \u201cIf the God we serve exists, then he can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he can rescue us from the power of you, the king. But even if he does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up\u201d (Daniel 3:17\u201318).<\/p>\n

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Before approaching the king, Esther says, \u201cIf I perish, I perish\u201d (Esther 4:16). I\u2019m reminded of a quote from Edith Schaeffer:<\/p>\n

\u201cIs fasting ever a bribe to get God to pay more attention to the petitions? No, a thousand times no. It is simply a way to make clear that we sufficiently reverence the amazing opportunity to ask help from the everlasting God, the creator of the universe, to choose to put everything else aside and concentrate on worshiping, asking forgiveness, and making our requests known\u2014considering His help more important than anything we could do ourselves in our own strength and with our own ideas.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

As you prepare for your next fast, whether it is your first or your fiftieth with your church, consider leading them through these next steps in preparation:<\/p>\n

Heart <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Before beginning your next fast, take some time to ask God to prepare your heart. Ask Him to show you areas of your life that need more compassion or empathy.<\/p>\n

Are there any areas of emotional sin that you need to seek forgiveness for? Are you fearful or anxious about what you will learn during this season of fasting? Ask God to reveal and calm feelings of uncertainty and to increase your awareness of ways you can love Him and others better.<\/p>\n

I have found that emotions that are within me are only amplified when I fast. Do you harbor resentment or anger toward anyone or any situation? Is there any disunity in your relationships with others? 1 John 1:9 says, \u201cIf we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.\u201d<\/p>\n

How can you be more honest with yourself and with others as you enter into this season? Is your heart ready to receive whatever God lays on your heart?<\/p>\n

Soul <\/strong><\/h3>\n

When you fast communally, consider the prayers of the group. If you are individually fasting, pray for clarity and wisdom. Pray for the lost around you. Pray that God would use you in a spectacular way and that He would give you the courage of Esther, Daniel, or Joshua to stand up to the opposition.<\/p>\n

Find a journal to record your prayers, thoughts, and journey as you progress through this season. Find a few friends to join you in intentional prayer times and record the requests and answers along the way.<\/p>\n

Prepare your soul to listen intently to the small utterances of God and that those would be amplified in your life.<\/p>\n

Mind <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Take a moment and realize the very real implications of your next fast. Dietary restrictions, health restrictions, social implications\u2014how will the fast affect your regular life?<\/p>\n

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See also  8 Ways to Persevere in Ministry<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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So much of life can be filled with coffee meetings or lunch appointments, dinner parties and nights out with friends. Consider how you will change your habits while you fast. My pastor says, \u201cFasting is a disruption to our lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Take the time to preplan what your days will look like, what juices or broths you\u2019ll consume, and in what quantities. Think about what Scripture passages to study and if there are any other commentaries or books that will help focus your attention.<\/p>\n

Discuss with your spouse or household how the coming days may look different. Invite them in on your journey and ask them for prayer.<\/p>\n

Strength <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Before any fast, you should consult a physician and discuss what you are wanting to do and see if you\u2019re healthy enough for the undertaking you are wanting to do. Drink a lot of water. Maintaining proper hydration is key.<\/p>\n

Before you begin your fast, it\u2019s important to begin eating healthier foods to make the transition easier. Foods with high vitamin content will help you not shock your system. You\u2019ll lose weight. You\u2019ll lose energy. You\u2019ll find yourself lethargic at times and have spurts of energy at others.<\/p>\n

Maintain steadiness throughout your regimen. Don\u2019t overexert yourself\u2014fasting is not a time to start (or even continue) going to the gym or training for the next marathon.<\/p>\n

Finally, prepare your response. This can be an intense season of focus and spiritual awakening. Throughout your fast, recall the reasons that you decided to spend the next period of time focused on God and what your intentions were.<\/p>\n

Avoid thoughts of pride or an embellishment of self. Be honest with yourself and what you want God to reveal to you\u2014seek those answers! Be patient. Be diligent. Be mindful. Think through how you might respond to others that notice you\u2019re not eating or the times you\u2019ve removed yourself from friends.<\/p>\n

You shouldn\u2019t be dishonest, but you also don\u2019t want to broadcast what you are doing (see Matthew 6:16-18). To me, one of the hardest challenges of fasting is the social aspect. Even if my wife isn\u2019t fasting, dinner time is a different experience for the entire family.<\/p>\n

During one of my first extended fasts, we would spend 30\u201345 minutes preparing the meal only to scarf it down in moments. This observation has caused us to become more intentional with our cooking time as a family and we\u2019ve dramatically slowed down the meal.<\/p>\n

Spiritual disciplines, fasting included, are things we do religiously. This doesn\u2019t mean we have to do the discipline every day, or even every week, but we need to start practicing the disciplines on a regular basis.<\/p>\n

I pray that when you fast, you hear God in small ways and in large, in the mundane and spectacular. I pray that God meets you on your journey, and that you and your church will never be the same again.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll leave you with the words of Richard Foster:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe fast for many reasons. We fast because it reveals the things that control us. We fast because it helps to give us balance in life. We fast because there is an urgent need. Most important of all, we fast because God calls us to it… the spiritual discipline of fasting can bring breakthroughs in the heart and mind that will not happen in any other way.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

Bible Studies for Life is offering a free e-book, How to Fast<\/em>. <\/strong>Download it for free<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

ANDREW HUDSON (@andrewhudson)<\/strong> is the brand manager for Bible Studies for Life and leads the Creative Media team at Lifeway Christian Resources. <\/em><\/p>\n

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Dig Deeper at Lifeway.com<\/div>\n
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The Power of Prayer and Fasting: 10 Secrets of Spiritual Strength<\/h2>\n

Ronnie Floyd<\/p>\n

FIND OUT MORE <\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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12 Truths of Building a Culture of Prayer in Your Church What Do Pastors Believe About the End Times? What Do Pastors Believe About the Book of Revelation? 3 Ways to Reach Non-Religious People in Your Community <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

KTMD photo – Unsplash By Andrew Hudson I\u2019m fairly certain I\u2019m not alone when I say this is the most turbulent seasons I\u2019ve ever seen. Between the COVID-19 pandemic\u2014and all that comes with it (loss of life, community, jobs, etc.), racial injustices, civil unrest, and heated election campaigns, we\u2019re weary. And we need for God … Continue reading “A Key to Transforming Your Church Through Uncertain Seasons”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31300","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31300","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31300"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31300\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31300"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31300"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31300"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}