3 - Dry Places
Dry Places • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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9 But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
Introduction:
We had a great time watching the movie ty
Dry places Messages so Far.
Session 1
Humility brings nearness
Focus brings clarity
Perseverance brings results
Session 2
understand the assignment
jesus is the teacher
repeated failure brings heartache
there is no heartache jesus wont fix
The first two weeks of our fast we have looked at what fasting can do for us…what does fasting do for God?
sure if we are brought closer to God then he is closer to us.
However there is more and today. in Dry Places were gonna talk about the True Power of Fasting and Praying...
Question… How do we Glorify the Father in this fasting?
Illustration Story…OF when i played peewee football
See i had an opportunity to be on the field. untrained, unskilled, totally oblivious…then had the audacity to cry about it a few games later....
I made up for it in the championship game i was put in…on defense. and i cant catch the ball but i have a knack for making sure others dont catch the ball either.
See if only i had one more person on that side of the field for me. See if i had block someone else to read the situation with me…that would have been my touchdown…I would have been drafted in 2016 at #2 overall to the philedelphia eagles instead of carson wentz…but God knew the eagles needed a real superbowl win in 2018.
Most people come into faith expecting to run a play where they get the ball and are running against the opponet by themselfs..but listen to me…You arent by your self…You can be part of a team.
I say you can…Because theres a choice before you get there.
Romans 6:22–23 (NIV)
22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We Glorify God by accepting Jesus as Savior
The stipulation is being set free from sin…the only way to do that is what?
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
2. We Glorify God when we opt into the benefits
Romans 6:22–23 (NIV)
22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Read this about benefits..
what benefits…well it that you are part of a team
More specifically the word of God calls it a body.
1 Corinthians 12:12–14 (NIV)
12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
Look to your neighbor and say you ARE a Part.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way.
That powerful, yet sensitive blessing you receive in services, in worship moments, in prayers, in reading the scripture. Its the power that unites us all.
we are all unified by the Spirit. That powerful, yet sensitive blessing you recieve in services, in worship moments, in prayers, in reading the scripture. Its the power that unites us all.
3. We Glorify God when we are unified.
Example of this...
Acts 13:1–3 (NIV)
1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.
2 While 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.”
3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
4. We Glorify God when we symbolically die.
you wanna be set apart...
its not just simply your ideologies
its not just simply the activities that you now do
its not just simply about YOUR sacrifices
its not just where you spend your money
its not what you know.
its about what is happening inside of you
Watchmen Nee said this in The Spiritual man.
“The enemy attacks from the outside and effects the inside.
God changes the inside which effects the outside.”
In acts 13 we see Paul worshiping the Lord, fasting in communion with God in the Holy Spirit....Then the Holy Spirit speaks....and sends Paul on a mission...
Now if you dont know what im talking about then im going to teach you.( 2 tim 3:7)
7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.
If you know but havent recieved then the time is now. …(now my eyes will be opened and ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.)
You once walked in it and went under attack and never walked in it again
lastly we will look at this....What will happen in the day of preparation of the return of the Lord Jesus Christ...
12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
Pertaining to the gifts and calls that God places upon his people. I think we get confused on how this happens…we get so discouraged. On my Time with the football field i found myself at running back, i find myself in a position of wide reciever..doing running back duties, I found myself being on defense holding down the tallest player, and dont get me wrong I was pretty good at that position. But when you have a dry place like we are currently in we are finding out through the power of the Holy spirit that we must stop, allow, and listen for the direction of the Holy Spirit…
You know the most beautiful and ministering moments of my Pastoral Position. Is not when ive planned ever word out like today, but instead when i stop sit back and listen for God and speak to people where they are.
Im not happy about ever ministering moment, but i am encouraged when i get out of the Way of God.
Just like my journey you are embarking on your own and i pray that this 21 days of finding God. Starving your carnal self to learn where your Spiritual Self resides.
There is either one of two places. Your Spiritual life is empty and or controlled by your flesh. Or you are submitted to God.
How do you tell the difference is when you Realize you have been sitting in trials and still allowing the peace of God to come over you.
Question…how does our fasting Glorify God?
It boils down to this…..
We glorify God when we obey.
If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
I have set my heart on your laws.