Make Room for Power - Fasting

Hey everyone, this is Charlie from Encounterchurch Henley and thanks so much for tuning into our

podcast. Our prayer is that through this podcast you can have an encounter with Jesus that will

change your life and now get ready for an inspiring message from our preaching team.

So we are doing a series right now called Make Room about different spiritual practices

and I'm going to start with a little bit of a story because I was thinking how often we're faced

with decisions that we have to make and sometimes we have a decision and we kind of poke around it

a little bit and we think about it and then eventually we realise we just can't avoid making a

decision any longer. We've got to verbalise it and the words start falling out of our mouth and we

start to panic because we know what's going to come but here are the words anyway.

What do you want to have for dinner tonight?

And if that conversation goes anything like it goes in my house it is met with anguish

and horror because the response is always the same. I don't care but you do care Cara, I mean

people, you do care. You do mind. Now you can ask some people if you're getting takeaway or

something what should we have asked Pastor Mike who we talked about before his answer will always be

Indian Temptations out of prospect. It doesn't matter the occasion, it doesn't matter the time,

it doesn't matter the expense, that will always be the answer. Try it, trust me.

Not try Indian Temptations although you should try asking Mike what he should be getting for

takeaway for tonight. For my lovely wife it's not quite as easy because every answer that she

does give is kind of a failure to give a different answer, right? She's met with like this little

bit of anguish of like what about the choice I didn't make? Like I'm going to feel her anguish.

There's a pretty good reason for that I think is because the average adult actually makes 35,000

decisions every single day. Sounds like a big number trust me, I checked it and then I checked

it again just to make sure. That's more often than we blink and more often than we breathe.

It's pretty astounding. There's instant stuff that we do which is things that we just don't,

we just don't think about it or what we say, how we're going to say it. There's the slightly more

active thought required, should I do that load of washing? Yeah, I probably should. There's some

things we need to think about a little bit more and we kind of struggle with which like do I really

need that fourth coffee today? And the answer is probably not but I probably will. And that's

without even tackling anything of actual importance. These are just the small things that kind of roll

and flow as we go. We make these decisions using our unconscious mind and far too rarely we actually

let our rational mind have any opportunity to have any input whatsoever. Every decision we make

is guided by subjectivity and bias and ego and how quite often actually how difficult that

decision is going to be to make which leads us to just kind of suck at making decisions

because objectively we just suck at being objective. I'll give you this now just so you

don't have to sit there and feel bad. I'm going to give you a list of some bad decisions that

Texas made in the past which I'm sure none of you will be able to relate to so that's good,

you're all in the clear. How about the girl that was really really bad for me that I was convinced

would change for me? Yeah it's not Kara again. I was talking about her before, I was talking about her before not now,

this is someone else. Spoiler alert, she did not change, she was bad for me, I was probably bad for her.

An impossible job in a toxic work environment that I knew I was the right guy to fix. Spoiler alert again,

no longer with their company. Don't worry, it's all going to be fine, this was all part of the plan.

How about the keyboard that you almost kicked over and the mic with it?

And how about avoiding a calling from God, a God that I had claimed to the Tim is like I can't.

Avoiding a calling from God that I had claimed was sovereign over my entire life

and my life sure but my plans, my finances, my ideas don't you dare. Are we just trying to work

out what else I might trip? You know I can see you, it's fine. There we go, anyway. So I was

going to say I can see you like you're right there, it's very helpful. I can mostly as long as the

font's really big I can kind of catch on what's going on. So the final one was yeah, a God that I

genuinely had said sovereign over everything, sing the songs, pray the prayers, follow the path but

as soon as I thought that it might impact my way, my life in a way that I was not 100% comfortable

with, I ran away from that for as long as I possibly could. And the truth is I was just giving myself

far too much power and far too much control because I say that I believe in a God with limitless power

who wants to speak to me and he wants to guide me yet far too often I'm not using that as my

starting point. I'm relying on me far too often and I am completely unreliable. As Dallas Willard

eloquently puts it, our failure to hear his voice when we want to is due to the fact that we do not

in general want to hear it, that we want it only when we think we need it. I'm going to repeat that

with a bit of a difference this which is when we think that we need it, not when he wants to speak

but when we think we want to hear him speak or embarrassingly when times get hard enough that

we think it's probably the right time now to involve the big guy. God has more power than

we can comprehend and we are just doing everything in our power to not embrace that. We're doing

everything we can to still remain in control despite the fact that we know he's more powerful

than we are, has a better plan than we could ever imagine. We're still avoiding embracing that. So

as we turn back to today's teaching text we find ourselves with Jesus as he is about to enter into

40 days of fasting. Now Luke's gospel, I know we're preaching from Matthew's gospel today but bear

with me, Luke's gospel will tell us that Jesus full of the Holy Spirit left the Jordan and was led

by the Spirit into the wilderness. So we'll start by just remembering and looking at here is that the

Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness and we know where it led him from, oh sorry we know where it

led him to but we've not really clarified in this statement is where it led him from and Jesus

actually went straight into the wilderness from his own baptism. Now I don't, it's one of these

things, it wasn't that long ago I got baptized about six years ago and I kind of, I'll never forget

it. I'll genuinely never forget that feeling on that day, that feeling that not only had something

begun but something had also finished somehow at the same time. Yeah I remember, honestly I

remember that night not wanting to, okay stay with me, not wanting to have a shower like I could

still taste, I was fortunate enough to have like a baptism in the sea, I was baptized down at Horseshoe

Bay and I remember still tasting kind of the salt water and being like, just that weird thing, like

if I wash this off of my somehow washing off some of that magic, that power, that incredible start

that I've got here, like I said that beautiful kind of opening and finishing all at the same time.

Now Jesus fresh out of his baptismal waters is led into the wilderness in preparation.

Readiness for God's next move, this is before Jesus public ministry has actually begun

and despite being the literal Son of God, preparation is still necessary. He is not

yet ready to begin. So the Spirit leads him where there will be nothing begging for his

attention. To know other forms of commitment, there's no distraction, there's no ministry,

there's no disciples, none of this has started yet. He now has 40 days in the wilderness

of fasting and prayer to proceed everything else.

Now before we go on because you're going to hear me talk about fasting as we go, I just want to

be really clear that the biblical origin for the word fasting comes from the Hebrew Psalm,

which means to abstain from food. I'm making that really clear because in modern culture you'll

quite often hear people talk about fasting from social media or fasting from fast food or fasting

from Netflix, Benjy and all this and that's a really probably helpful behavior but that is abstaining

from a behavior that is not the same as fasting. So as we enter into this next period, I just wanted

to make that super duper clear. So why fasting and why prayer in conjunction with fasting? There's

Thomas A. Terrence, who was the former president of the C.S. Lewis Institute and he puts it thusly,

think of prayer with fasting as knocking loudly on the gates of heaven. We resort to

fasting out of a deep sense of our weakness and need in order to seek God in a more urgent,

earnest and heartfelt manner for something of great importance to us or to his kingdom.

It is a response of faith to God's promise, you will seek me and find me when you seek me

with all your heart. Entering into any fast is willingly entering your body into a period of

earthly weakness in pursuit of something greater. We are giving up in the immediate with hope of what

God has promised for the future. We are leaving behind the wants of here and now for the promises

of when kingdom come. We are rejecting our strength for God's. Now it's one of those

interesting things. I think this is the temptation of Jesus and the wilderness, something we hear

about a lot. As I was kind of looking into and studying, there's this realization that like,

this was not an event that was witnessed by 5000. This was an event that was witnessed even by the

12 by Jesus in a circle. The only way for people to have known about Jesus' temptation and the

wilderness is for Jesus to have told them about his temptation and the wilderness, which means

in a weird way, this isn't Jesus having like a look at me moment. This is him retelling a story

of his own trials, of his own temptation and then using it as a proclamation of God's power

along with an example that we can follow. Now after 40 days, I quote, Jesus was hungry.

He feels like that's like the biggest no brainer in the Bible, but Jesus was hungry after 40 days,

no kidding. And it's here and now that the devil strikes offering the Jesus the opportunity to

abuse his power to take immediately what God has promised for the future, assuming that in Jesus

weakened state the human tendency that we talked about earlier to defer to subjectivity, preference

our own willpower that these would be the things that would take control. Jesus has removed all

resilience, all resilience, all resilience. Jesus has removed all reliance on earthly

sustenance at this point. The only rational reason at this point for his ability to withstand what

is to come is heavenly power. Now from the devil there are three temptations. The first is the

devil says, you must be hungry with this power of yours. Why not turn the stones into bread?

Now Jesus responds, it is written, man is not meant to live on bread alone, but on every word that

comes from the mouth of God. Now I love this, there's a blink in your mishap moment in there,

which is that the devil actually recognizes Jesus power in this moment. With this power of

yours, not with this potential power of yours, not with this inferred power of yours, he actually

sees it, owns it and recognizes it in the moment. The devil is saying you have this godly power.

This isn't theoretical at this point. Jesus has literally spent 40 days and nights with

nothing to sustain him but the Word of God through prayer and time spent in direct pursuit of God

himself. And he's a living embodiment that the power of God is greater than the power here on

earth. Bread absolutely not sir. What I have, I cannot get with bread. I don't need the bread,

I have sustenance coming from somewhere much higher, much more fulfilling and the devil

absolutely knows it. Now the devil then takes him up to a mountain and tells him to throw himself off,

uses scripture to reinforce, God's going to protect you, it's okay, you can do this.

Jesus responds, it is written, do not put the Lord your God to the test.

Now again, the devil is literally using scripture to support a false point.

Isn't it said that he commands his angels concerning you and Jesus doesn't mince words?

He is short and to the point in his response, a lesson for some of us. But equally important,

this is Jesus showing us the power in knowing your Bible. Another lesson for some of us.

The devil declares, he will command his angels concerning you and they will lift you up in

their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. This is straight from

Psalm 91, a Psalm that's been accredited to Moses. It's a great Paul devil, well done.

But here's the line directly before you that he doesn't include.

The Lord, if you say, the Lord is my refuge and you make the most high your dwelling,

no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent, then he goes into where

the devil starts with his scripture, for he will command the angels and that's where he kicks off.

Now this Psalm is not a call of testing in God, this is a call for confidence in God.

It's a cry to turn from cynicism to trusting God in his mercies and his power and Jesus knows this

and as a result is able to rebuke and rebuttal the devil immediately. Now church, you need to know

your Bible. You need to read it, you need to study it and you need to know the subtleties it presents.

There is power in the inspired Word of God, but that power is diminished if we paint it with

our context, our bias and our preference. If we allow it to be used only to suit our own means,

not to be spoken through the lens in which God is intended.

After this the devil shows him all the kingdoms, bow down to me and all of this will be given to you.

Jesus doesn't mess around here. Away from me Satan, for it is written,

worship the Lord your God and serve him only. Then the devil left him and the angels came

and attended to him. Now Jesus responds in this final moment in spiritual power at a time when

he would have physically been at his weakest. Jesus is filled with so much power that he

literally drives the devil away. Jesus responds to the devil by showing his willingness to depend

on God's provision and power, not his own. The devil comes to tempt the body, the mind and the heart.

Jesus comes straight from the waters of baptism into the fires of temptation.

And in this great moment of weakness shows us exactly what it looks like to be fully dependent on God.

Church, until we are actually tested, our submission and our conviction and our ability to stand,

our ground, our theoretical, and too often when we're tested we are found lacking.

We sing songs declaring that we're making room for God

and then we do everything in our power to muscle him out of the way.

And we want to maintain our own position and our preference at every single turn.

We lament the fact that we don't hear God's voice, but too often when faced with trial

or a difficult decision we've already decided what we want him to say.

Even Jesus didn't choose 40 days in the wilderness, don't forget he was led there by the Spirit.

But his willingness to respond, to commit and hand over trust and power in that moment,

and for the 40 days that followed, that's exactly where the power he needed was found.

And when Jesus is asked later, what is the most important commandment?

Mark 12.30 tells us, love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul,

and with all your mind, and with all your strength.

Now at a time when Jesus physical strength would have been at its absolute lowest,

the devil tempts body, mind and his very soul.

The only explanation for Jesus having the power to defend all three was found through God himself,

through prayer and fasting and the inspired word of God he was equipped and empowered to defend all three.

So if we accept that we need God's power not our own, we accept that fasting is one way to do so.

How do we do it? I'm sure we're doing it for the right reasons.

The first is don't forget why you're fasting.

You are fasting to seek God's presence and power.

Fasting is not about legalism, it's about posture.

And if you find yourself tempted by any other desire during the fasting process,

I suggest you repent, reassess and then resume.

Point two, I covered it before but I just thought I'd mention it again.

Fasting is always about food. Please do abstain from too much Netflix, too much social media,

too much whatever, but it's not the same thing. There is something about that dependence on God

for an earthly sustenance that changes everything.

Point three, there's actually four points today so everybody relax.

I know everybody's like, what do you mean four points? Isn't this a sermon? It's okay,

we're going to go three into four. Three, fasting without prayer is dieting.

When you are fasting, I'll tell you how easy it is to fast. I'm fasting right now. I'm really

looking forward to breaking my fast with you guys tonight. When you are fasting, you are

absolutely going to feel hunger pangs. It's about training your body to think about that as a little

reminder. That tummy grumble is a moment of weakness but it's a greater reminder that the

act of fasting is declaring that you are hungry for something much more important than food.

That you are hungry for God to speak and to move and for God's power. So speak to him.

God knows the desires of your heart. We know that already but that doesn't mean he doesn't want to hear

them. Best way I've ever heard somebody put this was when for any parents in the room or people

have kids in their life, they're really important. I love my kids. I know that they love me. It's

vice versa. It really works. I tell you man, as a parent there's nothing more important in the world

than when your kid brings you their problems and they feel comfortable to do so. Or when your kids

come up to you out of the blue and say, hey, I love you dad. Genuinely that is nothing, no better

feeling in the world. That is an earthly manifestation of that. God wants to hear your voice. He wants

to hear your problems. He wants to hear you tell him that you love him. It's no different.

When I'm fasting and I am struggling and let me tell you I struggle when I fast, this is one of

those really great spiritual practices that is not my favorite. I do it because I need, for that

very reason, that's the truth. I do it for that exact reason because I really struggle too fast,

which tells me I'm on the right track. When I struggle, I just have like a little simple,

it's not always like this. It looks really good when you write it down. Honestly,

normally it's some kind of a version of something like this. I would just start with a simple God,

be with me in this moment. Speak to me and let my discomfort be a small sign of my faithfulness.

I'm talking to God. You've got to talk to God through the whole process.

I'm point four. If the above still feels like a bridge too far,

well, you're not quite sure where to start. Fast for a cause. Fasting as a way of seeking God's

presence is reason enough and it should be reason enough and hopefully eventually you get to that

point. Because fasting can ask more of us physically than a lot of other spiritual disciplines,

it can be hard to find a good rhythm with it. So why not try and fast for a cause?

For generations, the church has prayed and fasted in times of great distress.

When we fasted as a, sorry, I'm going to stop actually, we had a group of us fast for a cause.

We were seeking a movement of God's power. We had a friend of ours that was carrying a very

sick baby and there was a group of us that decided that we were going to fast and sorry,

we were going to fast and pray and seek God in that moment.

Sorry, I didn't hear one person complain in that group about hunger pangs or

what it meant like to go without sugar or coffee or food for a day. Not one person.

You're not sure where to start. Find a cause that hurts you. Start there.

Maybe you got a heart for the disadvantaged. Maybe you're not sure what the future holds

for you will work. Maybe you got a sick family member.

You need to remember we're not fasting for God. We're fasting to draw closer to God,

to become more dependent on Him. We want to seek His power to replace our own and absolutely to replace our purpose.

You can probably start coming back up now. Charlie, what's left of your setup?

Hebrews 4.15 tells us that we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our

weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are yet without sin.

Church, we have been on an endless pursuit of fighting desperately to control our lives and

live by our preferences and it is completely exhausting.

And it's also completely unnecessary.

Through Jesus we see a God who has a holy and perfect plan and path for us, yet He humbles

Himself and becomes a man and allows Himself to be tempted and then eventually relinquishes

all control of preference ending with His own death and our salvation.

As Jesus prayed in the garden, the temptation to flee the path of the cross

and let the world face the judgment it deserved was undoubtedly available and present to Him.

But He didn't flee. He stayed.

And in His moment of temptation and weakness He prayed the most desperate prayer of His entire

life and ministry. If it is your will, let this cup pass from me.

Yet not as I will, but as you will.

In this moment Jesus has laid His own preference bare.

But Jesus was willing to submit to God's plan,

to be dependent on God, to live out His mission.

A mission and a life and a sacrifice that we are still living out of today.

Jesus entered into our battle and He lived under the conditions of our struggles

and saw it through to its bitter and beautiful conclusion. Church, it's time to stop.

It's time to stop trying to live by our own means, by our own measure,

by our own preferences, by our own power, by our own ego, our own desires.

Because that's just a better source.

There's a better way. There's a better path and it's available to all of us.

It's available to all of us in an endless supply. Katie can't take my supply of grace.

The staff can't take my supply of power. Even Tim can't take my supply away.

It's an endless supply of power, grace and love and forgiveness.

Jesus gave up control and preference so that we could realize our need for Him

and in turn, with a great peace, we could give our control and our preference to Him.

The power that is only available through Jesus Christ.

Thanks so much for tuning into this week's message. If you felt challenged or need prayer,

we would love to hear from you on Instagram, at encounterhenley.

Or if you're interested in how you can support this ministry, please go to our website,

www.encannadelaide.com.au. Thanks again for listening. God bless you.