Latest / Growing Closer to God with Guided Meditation / The Transformative Journey of Spiritual Fasting
Transcript
- 0:01Pastor Robert Young: Ever wonder how and if the Bible has relevance for today.
- 0:04Pastor Robert Young: On this podcast, we provide biblical answers to today's tough questions.
- 0:09Pastor Robert Young: Hi friends, I'm Pastor Robert Young.
- 0:11Pastor Robert Young: We have 30-plus years of church planting and mentoring other pastors, 30-plus years of training leaders in evangelism and discipleship.
- 0:19Pastor Robert Young: Our team of missionaries go into jails, rehabs, parks, street corners, coffee houses and any place unchurched people gather.
- 0:28Pastor Robert Young: We present the true, untainted gospel.
- 0:31Pastor Robert Young: We ask questions and give answers as we conduct surveys.
- 0:35Pastor Robert Young: We do this so that you can make a true, informed decision about Jesus Christ.
- 0:40Pastor Robert Young: And today our topic is fasting.
- 0:43Pastor Robert Young: Hi friends, welcome back to Not your Parents Religion Podcast.
- 0:46Pastor Robert Young: I am your host, pastor Robert Young.
- 0:48Pastor Robert Young: We don't have any of our co-hosts with us today, so I'm going to attempt to discuss and explain our subject matter today, which is fasting.
- 0:59Pastor Robert Young: Fasting, like prayer, bible study and other disciplines, are an integral part of Christianity.
- 1:05Pastor Robert Young: In the Bible, fasting is often associated with prayer, repentance and seeking God's guidance.
- 1:10Pastor Robert Young: The act of fasting involves abstaining from food and sometimes drink, for a specific period of time.
- 1:19Pastor Robert Young: Now, in our modern times, it can often include abstaining from social media, as well as news media, movies and even radio.
- 1:28Pastor Robert Young: One of the most prominent examples of fasting in the Bible is found in the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus himself fasted for 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness before beginning his ministry.
- 1:40Pastor Robert Young: You can find that in Matthew 4, chapter 4, verse 1 through 11.
- 1:45Pastor Robert Young: This act of self-denial and discipline prepared Jesus for the challenges that lay ahead and strengthen his connection with God.
- 1:54Pastor Robert Young: In this way, fasting can be seen as a spiritual discipline that helps believers draw closer to God and seek his will in their lives.
- 2:04Pastor Robert Young: Without the distractions of the world, we are better able to hear God's voice.
- 2:09Pastor Robert Young: Throughout the Bible, there are numerous references to fasting as a means of seeking God's guidance and intervention.
- 2:16Pastor Robert Young: In the Book of Acts, the early church fasted and prayed before making important decisions and seeking God's direction Acts 13, verse 2 through 3, and also in Acts 14, verse 23.
- 2:31Pastor Robert Young: In the Old Testament, people such as King David, elijah and Daniel all engaged in fasting as a means of seeking God's help in times of need.
- 2:44Pastor Robert Young: Fasting is also associated with repentance and mourning over sin.
- 2:47Pastor Robert Young: In the Book of Joel, the prophet calls for a fast as a way of turning hearts back to God and seeking his forgiveness.
- 2:56Pastor Robert Young: We can find that in the Book of Joel, 2, chapter 12 through 13.
- 3:01Pastor Robert Young: The act of self-denial and humility before God is seen as a way of demonstrating genuine repentance and seeking restoration with God.
- 3:11Pastor Robert Young: In addition to these spiritual benefits, fast can also have physical and mental benefits.
- 3:18Pastor Robert Young: Many people report feeling a sense of clarity and mental focus during periods of fasting, and some studies have suggested that intermediate fasting can have health benefits such as weight loss and improved metabolic health.
- 3:34Pastor Robert Young: Overall, the practice of fasting is an important spiritual discipline in our faith.
- 3:39Pastor Robert Young: It can help believers grow in their faith, draw closer to God, seek his guidance and intervention and demonstrate repentance and humility before God.
- 3:49Pastor Robert Young: Now, as with any religious practice, the key is to approach fasting with a sincere heart and a desire to grow spiritually by hearing and ultimately obeying God's will.
- 4:02Pastor Robert Young: So, spending uninterrupted time with God through self-denial and repentance, believers can experience a deeper connection with God and seek his will for their lives.
- 4:17Pastor Robert Young: Let me say that again, spending uninterrupted time with God, through self-denial and repentance, you can experience a deeper connection with God and seek his will for your life.
- 4:32Pastor Robert Young: Beyond discerning God's will while fasting and even repentance, spending uninterrupted time in the presence of God just for fellowship's sake, is the purest joy that a human can experience on this side of heaven.
- 4:47Pastor Robert Young: Now imagine when we do get to heaven Now.
- 4:52Pastor Robert Young: I hope that that helps you out a little bit.
- 4:55Pastor Robert Young: As far as fasting and why you should do it is a what we call a spiritual discipline, something that you should do because you want to, because you want that deeper connection and fellowship and relationship with God, and fasting is one way.
- 5:11Pastor Robert Young: The fast itself has no nothing.
- 5:13Pastor Robert Young: It's just that uninterrupted, undistracted time spent in the presence of God that does the work.
- 5:21Pastor Robert Young: Now, on our next episode, we're going to discuss some of the ways to do an actual fast.
- 5:27Pastor Robert Young: Now, if you have been listening to this podcast for any length of time and you have said to yourself listen, I know that I want this Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.
- 5:38Pastor Robert Young: And I've been listening to this podcast for sometimes and I know what I need to do.
- 5:43Pastor Robert Young: I need to come to God in full repentance.
- 5:46Pastor Robert Young: I've heard of the joy and the peace and the love and all the things that comes with having a relationship with him, and I want it.
- 5:54Pastor Robert Young: I feel something in my heart drawing me to him and I want it now.
- 5:58Pastor Robert Young: Then, friends, repeat this sinner's prayer with me Father, I know that I am a sinner and I repent of my sins.
- 6:08Pastor Robert Young: I believe that Jesus Christ died on that cross so that I could be forgiven, and that he rose again on the third day so that I could have a right back to the tree of life.
- 6:21Pastor Robert Young: I receive him now as my Lord and my Savior, and my God and Father fill me with the free gift of the Holy Ghost.
- 6:31Pastor Robert Young: I believe that right now I am saved, and I thank you in Jesus' name, amen.
- 6:39Pastor Robert Young: Now, friends, if you've said that with a sense of heart, the Bible lets us know that your name has been written up in heaven in a book called the Lamb's Book of Life.
- 6:47Pastor Robert Young: But there's two more things I need you to do.
- 6:48Pastor Robert Young: I need you to seek out a church in your community and a Bible believing God, honoring God, worshiping church in your community and join that church.
- 7:00Pastor Robert Young: Be a blessing and receive a blessing from that church.
- 7:04Pastor Robert Young: Also, don't forget to have home Bible studies in your own home with your own family, prayer and dedication.
- 7:10Pastor Robert Young: And now fasting.
- 7:12Pastor Robert Young: And remember, next week we're going to be talking about some specific ways to do fasting and listen, If you need any more information or clarification on anything that we've said, do not hesitate to get in contact with us in all of the ways to get in contact with us in the description box below.
- 7:32Pastor Robert Young: So until next time my co-hosts, will be back.
- 7:35Pastor Robert Young: I am your host, pastor Robert Young, for Not Japan's Religion Podcast, and may God bless you.