Pastor Bart Bornhorst gives a message about the importance of fasting. His sermon centers around two points, fasting helps us to see our weaknesses and it also produces a humble mind.
Sermon Notes
Notes:
What is the purpose of fasting?
v. 27 -- The 10th day of the seventh month shall be Atonement, you shall afflict your souls.
We need to be focused and determined to save our spiritual life. We are doing battle to hold onto it. God uses fasting to set our focus on the battle.
It sets us with the right frame of mind. We don’t have any power against Satan, but God does.
Fasting helps us to see our weakness.
Any army must know his weakness, you must know where you are most vulnerable. Our physical life is hopeless without God, but we need to follow His lead.
Where would we be if God stopped providing for us? For all of mankind? Our Earth would look like the moon.
Job 12:
! Cor. 1:22-26 → Not many wise, mighty, or noble are called. Do we view ourselves in this way? God has chosen the foolish and the weak. -- God has chosen the weak things because He can work though weak things.
He who glories, let Him glory in the Lord.
The warrior who does the worst in battle is to overestimate their strength because you lay down your guard to the enemy. Our confidence cannot be in ourselves but in God.
Phil. 1:6 → God is starting a work in you and He will complete
Fasting produces a humble mind.
Gen. 2:7 → We were formed out of dirt, dust of the ground. It doesn't get much lower.
Sometimes we can walk around with a high opinion of ourselves and it hurts our spirituality.
Prov. 16:18 -> Pride goes before destruction. A prideful spirit is an evil spirit.
Esther 3:1-4
Est. 6:1-14 → We can see how the pride of Haman led to his downfall.
Est.7:1-10
Pride is the destruction and fall of so many people.
Isa. 14:12 → How does Satan’s fall begin?
Satan was full of pride and of his own beauty. It has put him where he is today - full of pride and fear.
Eze. 28:1
Prov. 6:16-19 → God hates a proud look or a lying tongue, one who sows discord with the brethren. These are all things that describe Satan.
God is always working on our hearts if we are yielding to Him.
Deut 8:2 → God working with the Israelites as He works with us.
God works to humble us.
Jer. 17:9-10
This day is all about our heart and keeping it humble before God.
God is the almighty and has power before all.
Rev. 9:1-2
Rev. 9:11 → There is angel of the bottomless pit. This is Satan, prince of all the Earth.
Rev. 20:1
The times we live in are serious and keep watch of our hearts as God does. We need to remain humble because Satan and his demons will take advantage of any of our weakness.
