Daniel Fast Jan 2019 Week 1 Takeaways

Two days into the fast I got convicted mighty quickly. 

• God does not like complaining and he gets angry about it so I should stop

So now we get to add on some more Takeaways 

• Sit down, shut up, stop trying to be seen, and stop campaigning
• Do you really want to get well or are you comfortable where you are?
• You cannot prioritize your comfort over your calling
• If you're serious about leveling up, then there is a cost and a price to pay.
• Your "time" and your life will be restored to you
• People are watching:  This is bigger than you
• 2019 will be about an intense study and revelation of the word because if I'm going to lead worship, teach, and write then I need to know the word in order to help liberate the people.

Sit Down, Shut Up, Stop Trying to Be Seen, and stop campaigning

2 Chronicles 20:17

 But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!”

That's what I had been told earlier on but I guess I just didn't want to believe it.  I still found myself wanting to prove that I was somehow worthy.  The Lord challenged me to shut up, stop trying to be seen, and running my campaign because it was unnecessary.  Stand Still and see the salvation of the Lord.

One week in and I can say that this a good strategy (Duh!) and much less tiring than my nonsense.

Do you really want to get well or are you comfortable where you are?

 I can't seem to get away from this story of the lame man on his mat for 38 years.  Pastor Javier preached about it on Sunday and then I really had the chance to marinate on it while reading Christine Caine's book, Unexpected.

John 5:5-6

5 One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”

On the surface this is a silly question but once you dig deeper it makes more sense.

As Christine Caine said in her book, Jesus had a purpose in asking this question. He was asking the man far more than if he wanted to get well. He was asking him:

Do you really want things to change?

Are you willing to take on all the responsibilities that will become a regular part of your life if I heal you?

Oof.  Do I?  On the surface the answer is: YES OF COURSE but am I ready to get uncomfortable which brings us to the next point.

I cannot prioritize my comfort over my calling

During my fast, I was listening to sermons from National Community Church on podcast.  Since I am a Mark Batterson fan, I enjoy the lessons as much as I enjoy his books. All of the sermons were outstanding and one of the questions posed by Pastor Joshua Symonette was:

Are we prioritizing comfort over our calling?

I know I am.  

We are all on board with our calling as long as it doesn’t mess with our schedules, or interfere with watching our favorite Television show, or going against the cultural grain where people will criticize us.

During the fast it was made clear to me that I needed to be ready to sacrifice the comfort of my mat and get up and walk.  

If you're serious about leveling up, then there is a cost and a price to pay.

One of my rock goals this year is to join the worship team and become a worship leader.  So with that I signed up for the Worship as a Lifestyle class at Shiloh.  Shiloh Church has a rich worship history and I'm ready to be equipped to help lead God's people in the worship.

One thing I love about Pastor Katy Wade is that she believes that WORSHIP LEADERS OUGHT TO KNOW THE WORD OF GOD AND BE ABLE TO SPEAK THE WORD IN WORSHIP.  AMEN.  Too much of worship has turned into a circus act and people trying to be Michael Jackson!

That is not what worship is about!

Anyway in our class Pastor Katy said that if you're ready to go up the Hill, then you must pay the cost.  Anybody offering God anything must sacrifice.  We have a great example of this in the Old Testament.

2 Samuel 24:24

But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it, for I will not present burnt offerings to the Lord my God that have cost me nothing.” So David paid him fifty pieces of silver[a] for the threshing floor and the oxen.

Why do we think that we are going to see the Glory of God without paying for it? We should be like David here and WANT to pay for what we offering to the Lord.

Your "time" and your life will be restored to you

One of my big fears is that I have missed my chance.  I've blown it and missed my opportunity.  During this fast I am hearing this scripture in Joel with regularity.  I first heard it this summer but now it's landing even harder.

I keep hearing that word restoration which is important because I'm circling that big time.

Joel 2:25

The Lord says, “I will give you back what you lost    to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts,the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts.[a]    It was I who sent this great destroying army against you. 

All the time I think I've lost is going to be restored to me.  My life will be restored as well. 

People are watching and it's not all about me

I've been sharing what I'm doing on the fast mainly because I think there's a story to all of this and I think these types of stories make more of an impact when people see them in real time over people who like to sanitize their testimonies.

 People are watching and may think this is all crazy but I'm willing to do crazy and get uncomfortable if it glorifies God.

2019 will be about an intense study and revelation of the word because if I'm going to lead worship, teach, and write then I need to know the word in order to help liberate the people.

I've known for years that my call to action is Isaiah 61 and that was confirmed on the mountain.  HOWEVER you cannot liberate nobody without knowing the word of God.  Otherwise you're going to be spouting the same fluff that is rampant in all these circles that produces no change.

As an aspiring teacher and worship leader I am focused on learning the word so that I am not one of these fluff-o teachers and that people really are liberated and set free.

WHEW that's a lot of takeaways for just the first week!! Two more weeks to Go!