Kingdom Practice: Fasting Part 2 | Filling The Space with Him | Pastor Trev Evans

Amen. Come on, let's get ready to get

into the word of the Lord today. Grab

your Bible. Whether that is a paper

Bible, your phone, tablet, whatever you

have, e church, grab it and lift it up.

And come on, let's make our confession.

Say, "This is my Bible.

>> It is God's word.

>> It reveals to me.

>> It reveals

>> God's will.

>> Therefore,

>> therefore,

>> it's the final authority.

>> The final authority

>> to which I submit

>> to settle all the issues

>> of my life."

>> of my life. It's the standard standard

>> of my conduct

>> and the basis

>> the basis

>> of all my expectations of all my

expectations.

>> Shout it out. I am

>> I am

>> what it says I am.

>> It says I am.

>> I possess

>> what it [music] says I possess.

>> It says I am.

>> And I can do

>> I can do

>> absolutely everything.

>> Absolutely everything

>> it says I can do.

>> It says I can do.

>> I'm a believer.

>> Not a doubter.

>> I'm a doer.

>> Not just a hearer. Not just

>> And my life

>> And my [music] life

>> my everyday life

>> is the better

>> after having heard

>> after having

>> the word of faith

>> faith comes by hearing

>> and hearing

>> and hearing byar

>> the word of God word of God.

>> Let's ride. You may be seated in the

presence of the Lord.

Amen. Amen.

Hallelujah.

Yes, sir.

>> Yes, sir.

>> Hallelujah. Go with me with ma to

Matthew chapter 12.

Matthew 12 · chapter mention

>> Matthew chapter 12 verse 43.

Matthew 12:43

>> We'll get there in just a moment.

>> Last week we were talking about we

talked from the subject make room for

him. Yes.

>> And this is a message this last week and

this week preparing us for this fast

that we are coming up on.

>> We are on a a fast that will begin

February the 17th

>> through April the 3.

>> Now let me let me let me bring a little

clarity here. We have what we call this

year called turndown Tuesdays. And that

is the third Tuesday of the month where

we turn down our place totally from 6:00

a.m. to 6 pm. During the fast, we will

not do turn down Tuesday. Our 40-day

fast will engulf turnown Tuesday. So, we

have two third Tuesdays during the fast.

You don't have to not eat on those third

Tuesdays. You eat staying in alignment

with the fast and the restrictions we're

already on.

>> Does that make sense?

Thank you, Jesus. All right. And so,

we're preparing for this fast. And so,

what we talked about last week is that

we don't want to be the people of Isaiah

Isaiah 58 · chapter mention

chapter 58 who fast but did not bring

any type of disruption, discomfort, or

disconnection to their lives.

>> That if we are going to make room and

allow God to do what he wants to do in

our lives, we have to first allow this

fast to disrupt our routine.

>> Amen.

>> Yeah. Secondly, that we have to embrace

the discomfort that a fast brings.

>> Understand something. You are going to

get hungry.

>> Do not spend the entirety of the fast

trying to not get hungry.

>> You and I must embrace this discomfort.

>> And thirdly, we said we must disconnect

from distractions.

>> That when we do these things, we make

room for God in our lives during this

fast. However, God continued to speak

and he said to me that it is not enough

for us to just make room.

>> That you and I must also fill the space

we've created with him.

>> Amen.

>> We must allow him to fill the space in

our lives because vacancy can be a

vulnerability.

>> A vacancy can be a vulnerability. Let's

let's ride Matthew 12 verse 43.

Matthew 12:43

What an interesting text.

>> Amen.

>> It says, "When an unclean spirit goes

out of a man, he goes through dry places

seeking rest and finds none. Then he

says, I will return to my house from

which I came. And when he comes, he

finds it empty,

swept,

and put in order. Then he goes and takes

with him seven other spirits more wicked

than himself. And they enter and dwell

there. And the last state of the man is

worse than the first.

Now, can we just talk?

>> That don't seem fair

because I have gone through I have

cleaned up. I have moved out what was

bad

>> and now it is empty. And you mean to

tell me that I've done all that and

still can end up worse in the end than I

was before I started ever doing the

cleaning?

>> And for so long, I've always looked at

this text and focus in on the the demon

and the unclean spirit. But God began to

lift a principle to me that that you and

I must be careful because vacancy can be

a vulnerability

>> that IT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR US TO CLEAR

things out if we don't fill that space

with the right thing.

>> You you know what I I found Let me tell

you something I found. Now this is

[clears throat] no this is not an Apple

or Android moment. So just everybody

just relax.

[laughter]

But you know what I found? I I found

that our devices when you take when you

when you have your device connected to

Wi-Fi and you remove your device from

Wi-Fi, your device does not just idally

stand by.

>> If you look at your phone once you take

it off of Wi-Fi, it's actively trying to

connect with the network.

you you you once you take it off, you

remove yourself from the network. If you

will look, there'll be other networks

that pop up.

>> WHY? WHY? WHY IS THAT? BECAUSE THAT THE

EVEN THE phone was not and the DEVICES

WERE NOT MEANT TO JUST STAY VACANT.

>> THERE'S ALWAYS A CONSTANT looking to

connect with the network. AND AS IT IS

WITH THE DEVICES, SO IT IS with us.

that it is not enough for US TO JUST GET

OFF THE bad network.

>> Because we'll be always looking for

another network to connect to.

>> That's how some of us have ended up in

bad relationship after bad relationship

because we disconnected from THE BAD

NETWORK BUT NEVER REPLACED IT WITH

JESUS. AND SO NOW WE CONNECTED TO WHAT

WAS CLOSE ALTHOUGH IT WAS HARMFUL.

It's not enough

>> to just It's NOT IT'S IT'S NOT ENOUGH.

OH, THANK YOU, LORD. It's It's not

enough, husband, to to not just not to

just have that girl on the side no more

if you don't feel that space with your

wife.

>> Uhhuh.

>> Ladies, this is not it's not enough TO

TO TO NOT HAVE THE work husband.

They didn't know I knew about that one.

Yeah. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Yeah. It's not

ENOUGH TO NOT HAVE THE WORK HUSBAND IF

YOU DON'T FILL THAT SPACE WITH YOUR REAL

HUSBAND.

[cheering and applause]

>> WHY? Because you and I are always

looking to connect.

>> That That's why it's because catch this.

If if you don't worship God, you going

to worship something.

[cheering]

>> Oh. Oh, no. No, no, no. If if you don't

worship God, THAT THAT'S WHY YOU CANNOT

TAKE COMING TO CHURCH FOR GRANTED.

THAT'S WHY YOU CAN'T TAKE HEARING THE

WORD FOR GRANTED. THAT'S WHY YOU CAN'T

TAKE AN ALTAR APPEAL FOR GRANTED.

Because if you don't take the time TO

CONNECT WITH GOD, YOU ARE GOING TO

CONNECT WITH SOMETHING.

>> And most often times the something that

we connect with is damaging to us.

It's not enough to make room if we don't

fill the space with the right one.

>> This is the whole premise of what Jesus

is talking about. And I want us not to

focus on the demon but focus on this

principle that you and I must fill that

space with the right thing.

>> You and I must fill the space with the

right thing. So today I want to talk

about three things that that we need to

fill that space with. We need to fill it

with scripture.

>> We need to fill it with supplication.

>> And we need to fill it with catch this

solitude.

[laughter]

>> Yeah. We we have to make time to fill

these spaces because if we don't, we

will fill it with something. The Bible

says in Ephesians 5:18, you just write

Ephesians 5:18

it down for your notes. It says, "Do not

get drunk on wine.

>> [laughter]

>> Yes, sir. It says, "But but be filled

instead with the spirit."

>> See, you and I are going TO BE FILLED

WITH SOME YOU AND I ARE GOING TO USE

SOMETHING TO FILL OUR LIVES WITH.

>> And what God is saying is don't use the

things that bring temporary fixes.

>> With things and people and and apps and

social media and entertainment, THOSE

THINGS ARE GOOD. BUT YOU AND I CANNOT BE

FILLED WITH THAT kind of stuff. Amen.

>> Amen.

>> Psalms 119:1, he says, "Thy word have I

Psalms 119:1

hidden

>> in my heart that I might not sin against

you."

An empty heart is a vulnerable heart.

Disconnecting from distractions is ne is

a necessary step, but it is not the only

step.

>> It is the first step to transformation.

And you and I must fill our lives with

him.

>> We must fill it with scripture,

supplication, and solitude. Lord, help

me get through all three. Let's ride.

Number one, you and I must fill the

space with scripture.

>> Catch this. When I'm talking about

scripture, I'm talking about reading and

meditating on the word of God.

>> Understand something. I'm not talking

about right now in this moment. I'm not

talking about sermons.

>> Amen.

No, in this moment I'm not talking about

sermons because we can get filled on

sermons. But what God wants us to do

during this fast is to get filled with

the scriptures.

>> GOD GOD WANTS TO FILL US WITH THE

SCRIPTURES. YOU AND I, CATCH THIS, YOU

AND I HAVE THE ability for God to feed

us from the word.

>> Let me slow down. See, because we live

in a day now where we have we have made

sermons synonymous with scripture

>> AND SERMONS HAVE THEIR PLACE.

>> BIBLE SAY, how can you hear without a

preacher?

>> How can he preach unless he been sick?

You need you need both. But what HAPPENS

IN IN OUR GENERATION, we have put this

down and picked up sermons.

>> And when we say we're GETTING A WORD,

WE'RE NOT PICKING UP THE WORD. WE'RE

GOING TO HEAR A WORD.

>> [cheering]

>> But God WANTS US TO GET BACK TO reading

and letting the word talk to us.

>> See, I I remember we were feed we were

growing up a kid, Lord Jesus. He's 16

years old. He's 16. And uh I told you

this story before when when we he was uh

being fed and baby was feeding him. And

you know, I'm the kind of dad I was just

like really over the top. I was I was

still heating his milk up at two. He

too. He can drink cold milk.

I was just over the top. And so I

remember one day coming in and baby

would put him in a high chair. She would

feed him. And then one day I came in and

she she she wasn't she wasn't feeding

them. She sat the food there and walked

away.

I said, "Man, what what we got going

on?"

She said, "Baba, there comes a point

where he has to learn to feed himself.

I can't continue sit here and speed food

speed food speed

>> spoon feed.

>> Hey, mark that one down for the end of

year review.

[laughter]

She said I can't continue to spoon feed

him.

And as it is in the natural,

>> so it is in the spirit.

>> You don't you you hear what I'm telling

you. You need the gathering.

>> We need the word. We need a pastor. We

need We need those things.

>> But you have to be able to let God SIT

YOU IN THE HOT CHAIR.

>> SIT THIS BIBLE DOWN IN FRONT OF you

[cheering]

>> and feed yourself

>> BECAUSE THERE'S COMING A DAY

>> WHERE YOU AND I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET

TO A GATHERING LIKE THIS. AND WE NEED TO

BE ABLE TO FEED OURSELVES.

the scripture to to to read and meditate

on the scripture.

>> Catch this. Hebrews chapter 4:12.

It's necessary for us to to embrace this

because filling the space with scripture

is critical because God's word is alive.

>> OH, THIS WORD this word is alive. THIS

IS NOT A BOOK. DR. ALICIA said it's a

voice.

>> It is THE WORD OF GOD that speaks TO US,

THAT TALKS TO US. ALL OF THESE YEARS

LATER, THIS BOOK IS STILL RELEVANT. YES.

>> Hebrews chap 4:12

it says, "For the word of God

>> is alive

>> and active, and it is sharper THAN ANY

TWO-EDGED SWORD,

>> PENETRATING EVEN TO DIVIDE SOUL AND

SPIRIT,

>> joints and marrow. IT JUDGES THE

THOUGHTS and attitudes OF THE HEART."

CAN I TELL YOU SOMETHING? THE REASON WHY

YOU AND I NEED TO GET FILLED with this

spirit, with with this word of God, is

because we need something

>> to HELP US DIVIDE GOD'S VOICE FROM OUR

VOICE. [cheering]

>> You can you can think some stuff

>> and feel SOME STUFF

>> AND FEEL IT SO STRONGLY THAT YOU THINK

IT'S GOD.

>> AND IT'S NOT UNTIL WE GET THE WORD OF

GOD ON IT,

>> RIGHT?

WHERE GOD'S WORD CAN COME THROUGH

>> AND CUT SOUL

>> FROM SPIRIT.

>> TO CUT HIS voice

>> from my voice.

>> TO CUT HIS VOICE FROM WHAT THEY TOLD ME

IN THE BARBERH SHOP. TO CUT HIS VOICE

FROM WHAT THEY SAID IN THE SALON. TO CUT

HIS VOICE.

>> IT'S THE SWORD of the spirit.

>> Ephesians says it's the word of God.

>> I know y'all nervous about this sword.

It's just

the Bible says that man shall not live

>> by bread alone,

>> but by every word

>> that proceedth out of the mouth of God.

Can I tell you something? The word OF

GOD IS YOUR SWORD, BUT IT'S ALSO also

your sustenance.

>> IT'S YOUR SWORD. IT IS WHAT YOU USE to

divide your thoughts from his thoughts.

But it is also what it is that we live

by.

>> It is what it that's what's going to

sustain us during this fast.

>> Amen.

>> It's the word of God.

>> And catch this. I'm not talking about

just reading the Bible.

Oh yeah. Let's let's ride. I'm not

talking about reading the Bible. I'm

talking about you and I have to meditate

on it. Yes. Yes.

>> You you you and I have to have to

meditate on it. Joshua 1:8, it says,

Joshua 1:8

"Keep this book of the law always on

your lips." He says, "Meditate on it day

and night so that you may be careful to

do everything that is written in it."

When I started to look at the word

meditate, the word meditate don't mean

just think.

>> That's right.

>> Cuz when we think of meditate, we think

of yoga. All right.

>> I was going to get down in the pose, but

I'm not ready.

>> But we think of just meditating and

quiet.

>> But when we talk about meditating on the

word, this word meditate here means to

murmur,

>> to repeat,

>> up under your breath,

>> that that that you ought to get a

scripture

>> and hold that bad boy all day up under

your breath. Yes.

>> The Lord is my shepherd.

>> I shall not want.

>> The Lord is my shepherd.

>> I shall The Lord

>> The Lord

>> The Lord is

>> not was

>> not will be,

>> but is. The Lord is

>> mine. [screaming]

>> Not my grandmas, not my aunties, NOT MY

UNCLE. HE'S MY [screaming]

>> MY SHEPHERD. [cheering]

>> THE ONE THAT WALKS WITH ME

>> AND GUIDES ME and leads me.

>> HE'S SO GOOD THAT I SHALL NOW.

>> So you YOU WANT TO GRAB A HOLD OF THAT

WORD AND AND AND WRESTLE WITH IT ALL

DAY.

>> I told you this story before. One time I

went down to my my wife's uh we went to

meet her for the meet her parents for

the first time, Brooke. And I was so

proud, you know, I put on my good

clothes, got my haircut, all that kind

of stuff. You know, they they country,

they eat like eat.

So we went down and I got my plea

together and I'm eating and I had my

chicken and I ate my chicken and they

started looking at me funny cuz I was

finished

and I didn't realize what it was until

after we got back in the car and she

told me that her mama was upset with me

because I still left meat on the bone.

CAN I TELL YOU SOMETHING? THERE'S SO

MUCH MEAT

>> THAT'S LEFT ON THE BONE OF THE WORD OF

GOD. YOU AND I HAVEN'T EXHAUSTED

EVERYTHING OUT OF THIS BOOK. IT'S A LIE.

>> YOU CAN GRASP PSALMS 23 AND GOD WILL

TALK TO YOU ALL DAY LONG.

>> One verse.

>> He said, "Meditate on it. HE SAID THINK

MUTTER IT UNDER YOUR VOID under your

breath.

>> Under your breath. AND THEN HE SAID

PONDER. THINK ABOUT IT.

>> MEDITATING IS ACTUALLY THINK HOW DOES

THAT APPLY? HE'S MY SHEPHERD.

>> He's my See, WHEN YOU START THINKING

ABOUT IT LIKE THAT, THEN YOU START

LOOKING BACK OVER YOUR LIFE. [cheering]

>> AND YOU REALIZE HE'S ALWAYS BEEN MY

SHEPHERD.

>> HE'S ALWAYS [screaming] BEEN HE'S ALWAYS

STOOD BY MY SIDE.

THE LORD HAS ALWAYS I HEAR THE SONG IN

MY HEAD BEEN MY GUIDE.

>> Meditate on it.

>> Meditate

>> to put it under your breath. Speak. Talk

about it to yourself under your breath

all day.

>> And then think about it. And then I

thought this was interesting. It said it

said it was like it likened it to

growling

>> like a lion

>> getting ready to devour his prey

>> that when you and I meditate on the word

of God. IT'S NOT SOMETHING passive

>> but but I have a passion about this

word.

>> I'M GETTING READY TO DEVOUR. THIS WORD

IS GETTING READY TO FEED ME IN A WAY

THAT NOTHING ELSE CAN. CAN I TELL YOU

SOMETHING? YOU AND I ARE

We

We're getting ready to hear God in a way

that we can't hear him when we fool.

>> We're getting READY TO HEAR GOD IN A WAY

THAT WE CAN'T EVEN HEAR him when we When

you start to meditate on that word,

putting yourself aside

and you start leaning in to the word of

God,

>> you start making room and to start

filling that space with him.

>> Let me tell you something. You can hear

from God.

>> Yes.

>> No. Yes, you can. You can hear from God.

>> AND CATCH THIS. GOD WANTS TO TALK TO

YOU.

>> You know, Bishop, I have been saying all

week. I said it last week. I said, uh,

there's a part of me that that's not

even looking forward to the fast. And

and God said,

but there is somebody

who's been waiting for this time.

>> And I was like, who, Lord? He said, me.

Finally,

I get you a sign. Finally, I GET YOU

WITHOUT ESPN AND STEPHEN A. SMITH.

FINALLY, I GET YOU

>> WITHOUT SOCIAL MEDIA DISTRACTING YOU.

FINALLY, it's me and you.

>> When we was at the marriage retreat,

Lord have mercy. I got when we were at

the marriage retreat, one of the things

I much appreciate about the marriage

retreat is that finally

>> we pull to the side and what I have been

glancing at I get an opportunity to gaze

upon

>> see often times we just glance at the

scriptures.

We just glance at Lord my shepherd shall

not want make me lie down green passion

leave t still water store my soul that's

glancing

>> he said no no no I don't want you to

glance I want you to gaze

>> I want you to meditate in such a way

>> that now you begin to see what is that

Psalms 119

open my eyes

>> that I can behold wondrous things out of

your law

>> why Because now I'm taking time to look

at it. And there's some things that I'm

noticing.

>> That's right.

>> That I didn't notice before.

>> There's some things that I realize that

I desire and I want and it's been here

the whole time.

>> But I couldn't see it because I was

glancing rather than gazing.

>> Jesus.

>> God said meditate on my word.

>> Meditate. Fill fill your space, your

mind with scripture.

>> How? by meditating on the word. My God,

Jesus did this when he was in the

wilderness. Write down Matthew chapter

4:1. He fasted 40 days. And when he was

tempted, he said, "It is written.

>> It is written. It is written." He

meditated on the WORD SO THAT WHEN HE

WAS TEMPTED, WHAT CAME UP WAS NOT A CUSS

WORD.

>> OH. OH. I believe God going to help us

to keep from slipping.

>> Oh, I believe GOD GOING TO HELP US TO

KEEP FROM SLIPPING. WHY? BECAUSE WHEN WE

MEDITATE ON THE WORD OF GOD, THAT'S

WHAT'S GOING TO COME UP. IT IS WRITTEN.

>> You and I got to fill this space with

his word. Oh, we got to fill the space.

How do I fill the space? Give me slide

number four. How do I fill this space

with the word of God? Oh, how do I fill

this space with the word of God? Catch

this. Number one, catch this. I want you

to start small. Start with a short

passage each day and read it slowly and

reflect on it. Somebody say start small.

>> I don't need you to grab a whole

chapter.

>> Amen.

>> No, I don't NEED YOU TO GRAB a whole ch

I need you to start small.

>> Secondly, meditate on a key on a key

verse. Write down one verse that stands

out to you. Catch this. And carry it

with you throughout the day.

>> Carry that scripture with you throughout

the day. And repeat it, think about it,

and pray it back to God.

Woo!

>> This is how we going to meditate.

>> Thirdly, catch this journal reflection.

Keep a journal during the fast. Now, if

this your fast journal, it can be that.

But keep a journal during the fast,

writing down what YOU SENSE GOD IS

saying through you, through his word to

you.

>> Now, understand something.

The only thing your journal should not

only contain morning devotional notes.

>> That's right.

>> Amen. Your journal should have some of

the things that God has said to you in

quiet.

>> Your journal should HAVE SOME THINGS

THAT GOD HAD. HE HEAR ME GOOD. Your

journal should have some things that you

have that God has spoken to you out of

the scriptures.

>> It should not just be all morning

devotional notes.

>> It needs to be some things that God has

said to you.

>> Why? Because we're taking time to

meditate on the word.

>> We feel catch this. Oh yeah. God,

>> I don't need to just

read the word. I need to let the word

read me.

>> I need to let the word read. I don't

need just read it. I need to let it read

me.

>> Because when I let it read me, it starts

to show me and talk to ME ABOUT ME.

CATCH THIS. About areas that I normally

won't look at.

>> The word

is like a mirror.

I don't go to the mirror to read the

mirror.

>> That's right. I go to the mirror so the

mirror can read me.

>> I'M NOT GOING TO THE MIRROR TO JUDGE THE

MIRROR.

>> I'm going to the mirror so the mirror

can judge me

>> and the

this can be uncomfortable

>> CUZ I'VE GOTTEN OLD enough TJ

THAT WHEN I TURN TO CERTAIN SIDES

THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS I SEE, ANNA,

WHEN I TURN CERTAIN WAYS THAT I DON'T

see

>> in other ways.

>> That's right.

>> WHEN YOU AND I GET IN FRONT OF THE WORD

OF GOD,

>> and we allow it to

>> do what IT DOES IN OUR LIVES,

>> IT'LL SHOW US SOME things that we Oh,

God. It'll show us some things that we

can't see when we in FRONT OF PEOPLE.

>> [cheering]

>> I DON'T NEED TO JUST READ THE WORD,

>> I want the word

>> to read me.

>> I need to fill that space with

scripture. Number two, not only do I

need to fill the space with scripture,

but I need to fill the space, catch

this, with supplication.

>> What is supplication? It is praying a

specific

prayer

communicating your urgent need.

>> Go to Philippians chapter 4 verse 6.

Philippians 4:6

4:6.

Philippians 4 Paul writes in verse 6. It

says, "Do not be anxious about

anything." Amen.

>> It says, "But in every everything,"

catch this, "by prayer and supplication

with thanksgiving, let your requests be

made known unto God." Interestingly

enough, I've always put the two

together.

But in looking at it just a little

deeper, prayer and supplication, Paul

says, "I want you to go to God with

both."

Catch this. Prayer.

Do I got my next slide? Prayer. What is

prayer?

Prayer, yes, is a broad term that refers

to general communication with God.

>> It includes praise and worship,

confession and thanksgiving. That's

cool. That's a part of what it is that

we should do that when we pray, we bring

these things before God. We engage. We

praise and we worship. We let him know

who he is. We confess.

But he said, not just prayer, but he

also said supplication.

Give me the definition for supplication.

Supplication, catch this, is a specific

earnest request made to God. It is a

focused and intentional form of prayer

that is that is from a deep sense of

need

and urgency.

When you get in front of the word of God

and the word of God start bringing

things up,

>> it moves you from a place of just

general prayer

>> to where you have to now start making

supplication.

>> Where you start asking God specifically

for his help in this specific area.

>> You and I NEED TO FILL THIS time with

God with being specific

>> about what we need from him. Amen.

>> See, DOC, PASTOR SHAWN AND I, WE CAN WE

I I enjoy Doc. I can call Doc over to

the house and we sit down and we have a

conversation and we talk. Hey Doc, man,

how you doing, man? Good, good, good to

see you, man. You know, man, I just

appreciate you for coming over here,

man. All the things you got going on,

you could be anywhere. You can come over

here and sit with me, man. How you been

doing? You're doing good, man. I've been

doing all right.

That's good. That's appreciation,

>> right?

But it's not until I said, "Doc, you

know what? I got something going on in

my life.

>> Catch this."

And and and it's it's anger.

>> I've been getting angry. I've been going

off. And

I don't want to make any excuses.

Can you help me? Can you help me stay

accountable?

>> That's good.

>> To do the things I need to do so this

this thing does not destroy my life.

One is reverence, the other is

relationship.

>> One one is one is just me speaking and

me enjoying each other and me honoring

him. I appreciate him for coming over.

But if I don't ever open up

>> about what it is that I need.

>> I never move into supplication.

>> SEE, I'M NOT JUST ASKING HIM FOR GENERAL

STUFF. I'm being specific.

>> I didn't just ask, "Hey man, will you

just pray for me?" That's not

supplication.

Amen.

>> NO. DURING THIS FAST, GOD WANTS US TO

get specific

>> I know you got specific about your

vision board. I'm not talking about that

right now.

>> I'm talking about about you,

>> about me,

>> ABOUT WHATEVER GOD BRINGS UP. Oh yeah.

See, during this fast, there'll be some

things, especially during these first

two weeks, there'll be some things that

you're not necessarily proud of that's

going to come up.

>> No, there going TO BE SOME DON'T QUIT

THE FAST WHEN you see some behavior that

you don't like.

>> Amen.

>> Because your flesh IS GOING TO FIGHT

YOU.

>> Understand something. WHEN IT COMES UP,

lay it at his feet.

>> When it comes up, it's giving you

SOMETHING TO PRAY ABOUT.

>> WHEN it comes up, IT'S GIVING YOU YOUR

prayer list.

>> You didn't even know you STILL HAD A

CUSS IN you

>> until you told yourself, "NO, WE ARE NOT

GOING TO COOK OUT.

NO, I I I YOU WILL NOT HAVE something

sweet after you eat.

>> You don't need it.

>> That's right.

>> You talking about a You talking about

prayer requests coming up then?

>> Father, I need you.

>> This flesh of mine is out of control.

It's trying to talk me into going

against what I said I was going to do.

God, help me to stay strong in my

commitment to you. HELP ME NOT TO WAVER.

HELP ME NOT TO GO BACK AND FORTH.

>> Somebody say specific.

>> Specific

>> supplication. When I put it out there

>> during this fast, this is not a time to

pray. Married people. This is not a time

to pray about your spouse.

>> This is a time for you to let God work

on you.

single people. Y'all thought I was going

to leave y'all out. Uh uh. Yeah, I KNOW

YOU'VE BEEN PRAYING ABOUT I KNOW YOU'VE

BEEN PRAYING ABOUT THAT HUSBAND. RIGHT

NOW, IT'S NOT ABOUT PRAYING ABOUT THAT

HUSBAND. LORD, make me whole. [cheering]

>> LORD, MAKE LORD, HELP ME. HELP ME, LORD.

SO, SO THAT SO THAT SO THAT uh so that

my con so I don't automatically to just

just connect with any network that's

around. [cheering]

GOD, FORTIFY ME AND GIVE me the the the

staying power to to stand long enough TO

AT LEAST EVALUATE TO SEE IF THEY GOT

SOME SENSE.

>> HELP ME NOT TO BE SO HORNY AND SO

DESPERATE. [cheering]

>> OH Y'ALL. YEAH. HELP ME, LORD. GIVE ME

STAYING POWER.

>> SOMEBODY SHOUT SPECIFIC.

>> SPECIFIC.

make my supplication.

>> Put it out there.

>> NOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA WITH GOD.

>> GOD, this is where I am. This is what I

need.

>> I need this from you. And Lord, and it's

a sense of urgency. Hey Lord, if you

don't help me,

>> if if IF YOU DON'T HELP ME, LORD,

>> FATHER, I STRETCH MY HAND TO THEE. NO

OTHER HELP I KNOW. IF THOU WITHDRAW

THYSELF FROM ME, WHERE SHALL I GO?

>> I DON'T HAVE NO OTHER HELP.

>> I DON'T HAVE NO OTHER HELP, GOD.

[screaming] I DON'T HAVE NO OTHER

RESOURCES, GOD. I DON'T HAVE A PLAN B.

YOU ARE PLAN A AND THAT'S ALL I GOT.

[cheering]

>> Somebody shout supplication.

>> I need to fill the space with scripture.

I need to fill the space with

supplication. Oh God.

Hebrews. Hebrews. Just let's write down

the write 1 Peter 5:7. Let me at least

1 Peter 5:7

say this to you. 1 Peter 5:7. It says,

1 Peter 5:7

"Cast all your anxiety on him

>> because he cares for you."

>> Have you ever dealt with somebody who

could help you, but didn't care nothing

about you?

>> SEE, UNDERSTAND. THIS IS NOT HOW GOD IS.

WE CAST OUR CARES ON HIM, NOT ONLY

BECAUSE he's able, but also because he

cares.

>> I'm bringing these things to him because

he cares.

>> I'm putting it OUT THERE BEFORE HIM

BECAUSE HE CARES.

>> SAY, cast your cares upon me.

>> For he cares for you. Hebrews chapter 4,

Hebrews 4:16

verse 16, write it down. It says, "Let

us therefore come boldly to the throne

of grace that we may receive mercy and

find grace to help us in our time of

need."

>> I'm coming to God because he has the

power to help me.

>> And he didn't tell me to come

sheepishly.

>> He said, "Come boldly."

>> No, he said come boldly.

>> When you need something, come boldly.

I was thinking about that because even

with my kids, I want my kids to come to

me a certain way.

>> OH YEAH. COME TO ME LIKE YOU KNOW WE got

relationship.

>> Don't come to me like no peasant or no

somebody on the street. I can see

somebody on the street come you know

what pastor tread do you know you think

you might be able to

I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT QUESTION CUZ THEY

DON'T KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT THEM.

>> That's right.

>> But these two right here I need them TO

COME TO ME JUST LIKE OKAY THEY JUST GOT

THROUGH DOING WRONG. THEY DEAD. I NEED

SOMETHING.

>> WHY? Because they understand that I care

for them.

>> They understand that their concerns and

what it is that bothers them or matters

to them, it matters to me.

>> They coming to me NOT JUST BECAUSE I'M

ABLE, BUT but also because I care.

>> And God said, if you got enough sense in

your world to do that, how much more

>> do you think I want to be there for you

in that way? Will you come to come to me

boldly? Come to me with the

understanding THAT YOU KNOW THAT I THAT

I NOT ONLY CAN I DO IT,

>> but I want to do it for you.

>> That's right.

>> Fill that space with scripture. Oh man,

I want to fill that space with

supplication. But thirdly, I want to

fill that space with solitude.

I want to fill that space with solitude.

Now, when we say solitude, solitude is

holy, quiet time in God's presence.

>> Now, admittedly, this seems oxymoronic

to the last two we just talked about.

>> But if you and I are going to fill this

space in our life, we need solitude.

Solitude is not isolation.

>> Solitude is not just emptiness. When we

say what's solitude, solitude, catch

this, is the intentional stepping away

from the noise and distractions of life

>> to be fully present with God.

>> When we say solitude, it is the

intentional stepping away from the noise

and distractions of life to be fully

present with God. Amen.

>> You know, we were talking in the back

about what it is that we're looking

forward to out of the fast and what we

want God to do for us in the fast. And

and and the majority, we had all

different things, but one of the the

things that came up in terms of the one

of the consensus of the group is

clarity.

is that we desire to have clarity in our

thought life, clarity in our

relationship with God, clarity.

>> And can I tell you that that what we're

looking for in terms of clarity is found

in solitude with God.

>> Silence, catch this, isn't empty. It's

full of God's voice.

Silence

is not empty.

It's actually

full of God's voice.

Sometimes

we get so

agitated

by quiet.

And what God wants to do is he wants to

pull us to the side

>> and just be with us.

It feels uncomfortable

at times. But can I tell you this is

what God is longing for.

He's longing for quiet time with us.

There's so many things that are grabbing

at our attention.

So many so many things I I I when I go

to pray I, you know, I have to take my

phone and like throw it across the room

because even while in praying, there's

just notifications and dingings that are

going off

>> that pulls your mind.

>> And even catch this. Even when you take

the phone and throw it across the room

and take the laptop and shut it down and

turn it off, even your own mind fights

you.

[laughter]

>> EVEN YOUR OWN MIND FIGHTS YOU. BUT I

NEED YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT solitude is

not withdrawal from life. It is a

retreat into God's presence to be

renewed and strengthened.

>> IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO PULL AWAY INTO

HIS PRES. OH, thank you, Dr. Alicia Brit

Scholey and Dr. Barry Scholley who

teaches us to just sit with him.

>> It's just you don't always have to you

don't you don't have to perform for God.

>> You don't have to you you have to

perform a lot for people. You got to be

on for people. But can I tell you God

just wants you

>> to be with him. You don't have to come

to him with a whole list or dissitation

or written out. Now, ain't nothing wrong

with praying. We already talked about

supplication.

But there are times where I don't have

to fill that space with words.

I can just come there and be with him.

Many of the things that we're looking

for

is going to be found in solitude.

Many of the things we've been asking God

for and begging God, God, will you just

give me this? Will you just give me? He

said, if you just sh

I remember my mom, she was quick to tell

us hush.

There will be times where we'd be

anxious and and agitated and there was

something that we want and and and we

didn't realize that what we wanted was

already in our vicinity.

We were just so that she was sh

look around.

And if you would take time to look

around, you'll find that the very thing

that you need, the very thing that

you've been praying for and asking GOD

AND CRY, "GOD, I JUST NEED YOU, GOD.

GOD, I JUST NEED YOU. OH GOD, he said,

[laughter]

I just thought about you.

>> Is that is that is that that first Kings

19?

>> We said Elijah, he said he he looked for

him. He wasn't in the fire.

>> He wasn't in the wind.

>> But the Bible said a still

>> small voice

>> which says it is possible for God to be

there. You and I miss him

>> because because we're we're so we're so

we're so we are so worked up.

>> But God said, "What I want to do in this

fast, I want to pull you to the side for

some quiet time.

I want to put you to the side for some

for some quiet time." Mark 1:35, it said

Mark 1:35

Jesus got up early while it was dark and

went to a solitary place

>> and prayed.

If Jesus needed solid solitude,

>> how in the world do you and I think we

can just I feel my mama now. Rip and

run.

Where my whole saying Uh-huh. rip and

run.

How do you think we can keep ripping and

running

and not need solitude?

Isaiah

got to bring this up. Isaiah 30:1 15

Isaiah 30:1

>> it says in repentance and rest is your

salvation in quietness

sh

quietness

confidence shall be your strength the

strength that you're looking for

can often times be found in solitude

>> the peace that you're looking for can be

found

in solitude

The clarity that you're asking God to

give you can be found in solitude.

This how we live right here.

Get up in the morning, pray on the way

to work. God bless us. Keep us Jesus

name. Amen. Get to work.

Have have pray over your food. Bless it

Lord Jesus name. Amen. Eating lunch.

Scarf it down. Get back to work and you

got to leave. Go pick up the kids. Fold

the clothes. Check on your parents.

Get home. Half watch the news a little

bit. See what's going on.

And then by the time you sit down,

your world is swirling.

Hardly any clarity,

>> foggy,

>> but when you and I take a moment to sit

and settle,

>> it's not all the way clear cuz there's

some gunk in there,

but the gunk hadn't taken over.

>> I've had time for it to settle. And if

we really want to be technical, it's

settled to a place where God can reach

in and do something about it.

>> It It's settled in a place where I can

allow the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, if

you would, Psalm 139,

>> 23 and 24, search me, oh God,

>> try me and know my thoughts. And if YOU

SEE ANY WICKED WAY in me, lead me in THE

WAY EVERLASTING. BUT IF I'M ALWAYS LIKE

this

>> and never sitting long enough to settle,

I'll never have clarity.

I'll never have peace. And I will think

that God has done me wrong.

>> When in fact, God has been calling you

into a moment of solitude

so that he can show you what's been

there the whole time.

If you and I

gonna make room in this fast,

we need to fill, we don't need just make

room

because vacancy is a vulnerability.

>> We need to fill that space

with the scripture. We need to fill that

space with supplicate, earnest prayer

>> and we need to fill that space with

solitude. Let me tell you something.

This fast is going to refresh you.

>> This fast is going to refresh you. What

God wants to do and he's going he's

going to refresh you during this fast.

Many of us can be like this sponge.

This sponge is designed to clean,

to scrub,

but in the current state that it's in,

>> it's no good

>> because it's dry

>> and it's brittle

>> before. But

this how some of us can be in certain

areas

>> in certain areas of our life. All of us

>> have some area where we're dry

>> and brittle

>> and God can't use us,

not like he wants to.

>> And before he can use you like he wants

to,

>> before he can do what it is that he

wants to do in you, he wants to refresh

you.

>> Before I can use this sponge, guess what

I need?

on Tuesday.

>> On Wednesday, your flesh going to try to

get you to get out.

>> Just like stepping in a cold pool.

But no,

stay there.

Stay there

and allow the presence of God

through his word,

>> through supplication,

>> through solitude,

>> let him feel you.

>> When you make space for, let him feel

you.

And I tell you, I don't mean I don't

believe it may take the whole 40 days,

but what'll happen is is that you'll

become in the words of Dr. Alicia,

you'll become splashy.

>> You'll become you'll become splashy in

the presence of God such that wherever

you go,

>> you leave an impact

>> and an imprint

>> that wherever you been,

you're not still there. But I leave a

little bit OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD

wherever I've been. [applause]

>> It's what God wants to do in you.

>> That's what he wants to do in you.

>> All the sponge did was make itself

available.

>> All the sponge did was put itself in the

right place. Come on here.

>> And if you put yourself in the right

place, God wants to fill you

>> to overflowing.

>> Let's pray.

[applause]

>> Father,

in the name of Jesus, we thank you

>> for this opportunity around your word.

Father, we thank you because you're

giving us this invitation

to be with you on these 40 days. And

Lord, although our flesh is kicking up

and crying out already,

you are excited

because you long to spend time with us,

to pull us aside, to talk to us

uninterrupted.

You want to fill the space that we have

created. And Lord, we want you to fill

that space. So Lord, we ask you to help

us as we make room. Help us not to just

stop there.

Help us, Lord, to fill that space with

scripture, with your word

in a way, Lord, not not to just glance

at it, but to gaze upon it.

Not to just read it, but let it read us.

Father, may we come away when we come

away with reading your word, Lord,

there'll be things that we'll see that

we may not be proud of. Father, help us

not to get discouraged or fall in

condemnation or depression, but Father,

help us to make our supplication

[music] and be very honest with you

about what we see. God, we can do that

because you care and you want us to

bring it to you. So Lord, let us come

boldly to your throne of grace and we'll

find mercy [music] and grace to help us

in our time of need. And Father, help us

to pull aside

start [music] with five minutes to just

sit in your presence. Not to perform,

but to just be with you

so that you can speak to us.

So that you can bring certain things to

our mind. so we can find the peace and

the clarity that we desire.

Father, it's there in your presence.

Help us to sit there [music] and just be

with you.

Father, we honor you and we thank

[music] you because you want to refresh

us. That's our prayer is that Lord, as

we head into these 40 days, when we come

out of them, we will be better [music]

than we was when we went in

for everything that will be

accomplished, done, and revealed.

Father, we'll be careful to give your

name the honor and the glory.

And we'll be quick to let others know

that you did it. And we praise you for

it in Jesus name.