Seeking God s Face Exodus 33:15-16 Psalm 27:4 One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. What can we do to experience more of God s presence and see His glory? Exodus 33:18 Moses says to God Then show me your glorious presence. God does not hide his face from us. He gives us clear direction on how we can find Him and experience His glory. Two ways to experience God are through prayer and fasting. Why prayer and fasting and what should be the focus of our prayer and fasting? 1. Repentance and revival in our own hearts and then our church and communities. 2. Great Commission... fast and pray for many new salvations in 2014 and that our church would grow as we disciple new followers of Christ. 3. A greater revelation of God s Glory Deuteronomy 34:10 There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. 1
Both prayer & fasting, require sacrifice on our part. Prayer = Time Fasting = Food Challenge: Fast primarily to seek God s face not His hand. Prayer is connecting with God; fasting is disconnecting ourselves with the world. We want to connect at a deeper level with God; but to do so we need to first disconnect ourselves from the world. Prayer and Fasting do move the hand of God as well. Mark 9:29 This kind only comes out with prayer and fasting. Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but it is against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6) Fasting is one of the most powerful tools that we have. Fasting is an accepted and potent spiritual discipline; it breaks the power of the enemy and the power of sin. If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. Test 2
Some biblical examples of fasting. 1. Jesus - Matthew 4:1-2 a 40 day fast 2. Moses - Deuteronomy 9:9 Moses did a 40 day fast before he received the two stone tablets from the Lord 3. Esther - Esther 4:16 4. Jehoshaphat - 2 Chronicles 20:2-4 5. Ezra & The Exiles - Ezra 8:21 6. The city of Nineveh - Jonah 3 7. Isaiah 58:3-12 God is concerned about the heart Ten S s of Fasting 1. Fast sensibly. A. B. C. D. Fast according to your faith A Daniel fast Juice and water fast Ask a doctor (before doing a long fast) 2. Fast silently, but not secretly. A. Don t boast or draw attention to your self (Matthew 6) B. Don t deny you are fasting when asked 3. Fast Sensitively. A. Expect revelation, dreams and visions. Acts 13:1-3 B. Spend extra time reading the word. 4. Fast Systematically A. Matthew 6:16 Jesus says when fast, not if you fast. B. Do regular Spirit-lead fasts. 5. Fast Sacrificially. A. Joel 2:12-13 B. Not some kind of token fast (Should include some element of food). C. This is not just a diet. 3
6. Fast Specifically. A. Ask God for a specific focus or target. B. On different levels (as a small group). C. Fast for breakthroughs. 7. Fast supernaturally. 8. Fast Submissively. A. Psalm 35:13 B. 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and will heal their land. C. Ask God to reveal any area in your life that is not pleasing to him. 9. Fast smartly A. It is a spiritual battle expect that as soon as you start fasting, you will get desperately hungry. B. Start and stop correctly. C. You may need to sleep more. D. Ask a doctor for advice E. Be aware that you will be opposed. 10. Fast with the Sacred Assembly. A. There is a powerful affect of many believers coming together and worshiping and fasting and praying (Joel 1:14). B. Joel 2:12-16 Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly. Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders C. Fasting as a church is following biblical commands. 4
The Lord s Response to Fasting Joel 2:25 I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten. Joel 2:28-29 And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. January 2-22, 2014 Fast & Pray for: 1. Repentance and revival in our own hearts; in our church; and in our nation. 2. Salvations resulting in church growth as we disciple new believers. 3. A greater revelation of God s Glory. 5