PASTOR VLAD SAVCHUK: WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY
TO SUSTAIN OURSELF IN BURNING FOR GOD.
WE ARE NOT A FIRE THAT DOESN'T DIE.
HE IS THE FIRE THAT DOESN'T DIE.
REBECCA LAMB WEISS: THAT HE DID THE HARD WORK
THAT WE MAY ENTER INTO HIS PRESENCE,
BUT UNDERSTANDING THE BLOOD OF JESUS OPENS UP THE WAY.
VLAD: WHAT IS PRAYER?
IT'S YOUR CONNECTION TO GOD.
WHAT IS FASTING?
YOUR DISCONNECTION FROM THE WORLD.
PRAYER DOESN'T TAKE TIME.
PRAYER SAVES TIME.
A LOT OF OUR PROBLEMS WHERE WE HAVE DEFEATS IN THE VALLEYS.
IF WE'RE BEING VERY HONEST,
WE HAVE A DEEP CONNECTION TO THE WORLD
AND CASUAL CONNECTION TO THE LORD.
WHAT PRAYING, FASTING DOES,
PRAYER STRENGTHENS MY CONNECTION TO THE LORD
AND FASTING WEAKENS MY CONNECTION TO THE WORLD.
REBECCA: HEY, GUYS, WELCOME BACK TO THE PODCAST.
I'M HERE WITH PASTOR VLAD SAVCHUK.
VLAD: YES, GLAD TO BE HERE.
REBECCA: I'M SO HAPPY YOU'RE BACK.
VLAD: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME COME BACK.
REBECCA: YOU'VE GOT A NEW BOOK.
LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.
VLAD: YEAH.
SO IT'S A BOOK THAT DEALS WITH PAUL'S STORY.
PRETTY MUCH THE BACKGROUND IS PAUL BEING A PRISONER
AND THEN PAUL IS BEING, AND PAUL IS ON THE SHIP.
THERE'S A STORM, THERE'S A SHIPWRECK.
AND THEN HE LANDS ON THE ISLAND.
THEY BUILD FIRE.
THE NATIVES START THE FIRE.
THE BIBLE SAYS, BUT PAUL GATHERS A BUNDLE OF STICKS,
PUTS ON THE FIRE.
THE SNAKE COMES OUT,
BITES PAUL'S HAND, AND INSTEAD OF BLEEDING TO DEATH,
HE SHAKES OFF THE SNAKE, AND THEN YOU FIND HIM
ACTUALLY LAYING HANDS ON THE SICK AND THE LORD
IS HEALING PEOPLE.
AND SO THE SPIRITUAL LESSONS FROM THAT
IS SOMETIMES WE GO THROUGH STORMS,
WHICH THEN WE LOSE SHIPS.
WE CAN LOSE CERTAIN THINGS IN THOSE STORMS,
BUT GOD IS STILL FAITHFUL, AND WHEN GOD DOESN'T DELIVER US
FROM THE STORM,
HE WANTS TO DELIVER US THROUGH THE STORM.
SOMETIMES HE STOPS THE STORM AND SOMETIMES HE HELPS US TO SWIM
LIKE IT HAPPENED WITH PAUL.
AND HAVING GREAT FAITH DOESN'T MEAN YOU'LL ALWAYS
EXPERIENCE A SUPERNATURAL INTERVENTION.
SOMETIMES GOD WILL BE WITH YOU, WALK WITH YOU,
AND THEN WE HAVE TO BUILD FIRE,
MEANING WE GOTTA CULTIVATE OUR INTIMACY WITH GOD
IN THE MIDST OF VERY CONTRADICTORY CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND WHEN WE DO BUILD FIRES,
SOMETIMES SNAKES WILL COME OUT. THE ENEMY MIGHT NOT BE HAPPY,
AND WE HAVE TO PERSEVERE AND SHAKE OFF THE SNAKE.
AND SO PRETTY MUCH TO SUMMARIZE THE BOOK.
REBECCA: THAT IS AMAZING.
THERE'S SO MUCH TO THAT I WANT TO UNPACK,
BUT I WANT TO GET INTO BUILDING THAT FIRE.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW DO WE CULTIVATE THE FIRE.
VLAD: SO BUNDLE OF STICKS, AS I LIKE TO SAY, THERE'S MANY WAYS
THAT CONTRIBUTE TO OUR FERVENT LOVE FOR JESUS.
I ALWAYS LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE THAT IN ORDER TO
BURN ON FIRE FOR THE LORD,
YOU REALLY HAVE TO BECOME MORE CONSCIOUS FIRST
THAT HE LOVES YOU,
THEN FOCUSING ON YOUR LOVE FOR HIM
BECAUSE WHEN WE FOCUS OUR LOVE FOR THE LORD
ON OUR LOVE FOR THE LORD,
WE GET DISCOURAGED BECAUSE WE TAKE TWO STEPS FORWARD,
THREE STEPS BACKWARDS.
IT'S JUST A HUMAN NATURE IN US. BUT IF WE FOCUS ON
HIS LOVE FOR US,
IT HELPS US TO LOVE HIM MORE. AND SO I WANT TO LAY THAT
AS A FOUNDATION, BECAUSE ANYTIME WE FOCUS
ON OUR LOVE FOR HIM AND HOW TO BUILD THAT
WITHOUT FIRST REMEMBERING THAT IT'S HIS LOVE FOR US,
AND WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON THAT, THEN WE FALL INTO LEGALISM
AND WE TURN. WE MAKE A GOD OUT OF DISCIPLINE
INSTEAD OF USING DISCIPLINE TOWARD GODLINESS.
AND SO I LIKE TO SAY
THAT FIRE NEEDS FUEL, AND TO HAVE THIS FUEL,
I SAY THREE THINGS: IT'S PRAYER,
IT'S FASTING, AND IT'S GIVING. NOW, WHY THESE THREE THINGS?
JESUS SAID TO DO THESE THREE THINGS IN SECRET
IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 6, AND IF WE TRACK IN THE BIBLE,
WE SEE THAT OUR MAIN THREE ENEMIES
ARE GREED, PRIDE, AND LUST.
PRAYER HELPS US TO DEFEAT PRIDE,
BECAUSE THE REAL REASON PEOPLE DON'T PRAY
IS NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE BUSY.
IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE PROUD.
PRAYERLESSNESS IS PRETTY MUCH A DECLARATION TO GOD,
I GOT IT.
I DON'T NEED YOU.
AND SO WHEN PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S NOT BECAUSE
OH, I DIDN'T HAVE TIME; NO, IT'S BECAUSE I'M PROUD.
IT'S BECAUSE I AM MY OWN GOD,
IT'S BECAUSE I GOT IT UNDER CONTROL.
BUT PRAYER IS A DECLARATION OF HUMILITY.
PEOPLE WHO PRAY AREN'T NECESSARILY
PEOPLE WHO HAVE TIME,
THERE ARE PEOPLE HUMBLE ENOUGH TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS A GOD. IT'S NOT THEM
AND THEY RELY ON GOD.
FASTING HELPS US TO CONQUER LUSTS OF THE FLESH
AND GIVING HELPS US TO CONQUER GREED.
REBECCA: YOU SAID DON'T MAKE A GOD OUT OF DISCIPLINE,
BUT USE DISCIPLINE AS A MEANS TOWARD GODLINESS,
BECAUSE IF YOU MAKE A GOD OUT OF DISCIPLINE,
YOU'RE GOING TO PUT UP WITH PRIDE.
YEAH, AND THEN YOU'LL FALL INTO DISCOURAGEMENT
WHEN YOU FAIL IN YOUR DISCIPLINES
BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO SUSTAIN OURSELF
IN BURNING FOR GOD.
IT IS HIM WHO SUSTAINS US. WE ARE NOT A FIRE THAT DOESN'T DIE.
HE IS THE FIRE THAT DOESN'T DIE.
AND SO AS LONG AS WE'RE CLOSE WITH HIM,
WE RELY ON HIM,
WE LEAN ON HIM,
THEN HE SUSTAINS US. AND SO OTHERWISE WHEN WE FOCUS SO MUCH
ON THE DISCIPLINES,
WHEN WE FOCUS SO MUCH ON OUR LOVE FOR HIM,
WE WILL GO INTO TWO EXTREMES FAST.
FIRST ONE IS GOING TO BE PRIDE.
AND THE SECOND ONE IS GOING TO BE A VERY DEEP DISAPPOINTMENT.
REBECCA: AND I LOVE THAT YOU SAID FOR THE FOUNDATION
OF OUR LOVE FOR JESUS IS THE UNDERSTANDING OF HIS GREAT LOVE
FOR US AND ALSO UNDERSTANDING THAT HE DID THE HARD WORK
THAT WE MAY ENTER INTO HIS PRESENCE AND NOT THINKING
WE HAVE TO DO A CERTAIN THING OR LIKE GET IN A CERTAIN
LIKE KNEEL DOWN OR DO THIS AND BECOME LEGALISTIC.
BUT UNDERSTANDING THE BLOOD OF JESUS
OPENS UP THE WAY TO COMMUNION WITH HIM, RIGHT?
VLAD: THAT'S RIGHT.
I LIKE TO COMPARE STORIES TWO GUYS IN THE BIBLE.
PETER AND JOHN. WHEN JESUS SAYS THAT HE'S GOING TO BE CRUCIFIED
AND EVERYBODY WILL DENY HIM,
PETER PUFFS UP AND HE SAYS, I WILL NEVER DENY.
HE IS LIKE ALL OTHERS PROBABLY WILL.
THEY'RE JUST A BUNCH OF WEAKLINGS.
ME, ON THE OTHER HAND,
I'M SO LOYAL TO YOU, JESUS.
AND YOU LOOK AT PETER'S LIFE IN THE GOSPELS
AND YOU SEE THIS NEED TO PROVE ALWAYS THAT HE'S BETTER.
HE'S FIRST.
WHO DO PEOPLE THINK I AM? YOU'RE THE SON OF GOD
HE'S ALWAYS LIKE THE FIRST, HE'S VERY LOUD.
AND, YOU SEE, JESUS TELLS PETER, YOU'RE GOING TO DENY ME
THREE TIMES.
SO HE GOES FROM PRIDE TO VERY DEEP DISAPPOINTMENT
WITH HIMSELF. JOHN, ON THE OTHER HAND, IT WAS DIFFERENT.
IF YOU READ THE GOSPELS OF JOHN,
YOU SEE JOHN REFERS TO HIMSELF AS A DISCIPLE.
JESUS LOVED. I'M LIKE, JOHN,
WHY DON'T YOU PORTRAY YOURSELF AS A DISCIPLE THAT LOVED JESUS?
JOHN COMPARED JESUS' LOVE FOR JOHN
WITH JOHN'S LOVE FOR JESUS, AND FOUND JESUS' LOVE FOR JOHN
SO GREAT THAT HE DIDN'T WANT TO
TAKE PRIDE IN HIS LOVE FOR JESUS, BECAUSE IT WAS SO SMALL.
IT WAS SO FICKLE.
IT WAS WEAK
COMPARED TO HOW STRONG JESUS' LOVE
FOR JOHN WAS. AND HE KEEPS REFERRING TO HIMSELF,
IT'S ALMOST LIKE PETER WAS IN THIS COMPETITION.
I LOVE JESUS MORE, AND JOHN'S LIKE, I DON'T CARE, HE LOVES ME.
IT'S NOT THAT JESUS LOVED JOHN MORE THAN OTHERS.
IT'S THAT JOHN WAS AWARE OF THAT LOVE.
I FEEL LIKE MORE THAN OTHERS WHO WROTE MORE ABOUT LOVE
THAN ANY OTHER DISCIPLE.
IT'S JOHN WHO HAD THIS ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS RESURRECTED CHRIST
WHERE HE ALMOST FELL DEAD.
I MEAN,
LISTEN, JOHN LAID AT HIS BOSOM.
HE KNEW ABOUT JESUS.
HE STOOD AT THE CROSS AND HE HAD A FRESH ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS
TOWARD THE END OF HIS LIFE
WHERE HE ALMOST DROPPED DEAD IN FRONT OF HIM.
TO HAVE THESE FRESH ENCOUNTERS WITH THE LORD,
THEY DON'T COME FROM A PLACE OF STRIVING.
THEY COME FROM A PLACE OF SURRENDER TO THE LOVE
THAT JESUS HAS FOR US.
IF WE FIND OURSELVES IN THE PLACE OF IT'S ABOUT DOING,
IT'S ABOUT EVEN PRAYER, AND IT'S ABOUT FASTING.
IT'S ABOUT GIVING, ALL OF THAT IS AN OVERFLOW
OF I AM SO LOVED BY GOD.
I AM SO LOVED BY HIM.
I'VE EXPERIENCED HIS LOVE SO POWERFULLY,
I'M WILLING TO LIVE LIKE THAT NOT TO EARN IT,
BUT BECAUSE I RECEIVED IT. AND YOU LOOK AT PETER'S LIFE,
HE GOES FROM FOCUSING ON HIS LOVE FOR JESUS,
THEN HIS PRAYER LIFE GOES TO SLEEP,
BECAUSE IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE
HE IS SLEEPING WHEN HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE PRAYING.
THEN YOU SEE PETER FOLLOWS JESUS AT A DISTANCE
WHY? BECAUSE NOW IT'S COSTING HIM SOMETHING.
THEN YOU SEE PETER WARMING HIMSELF AT THE WRONG FIRE
PRETENDING TO FIT IN WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE
WHO ARE CRUCIFYING JESUS, DENYING JESUS,
EVEN THOUGH HE DOESN'T BELONG THERE, AND THEN YOU SEE PETER
DENYING JESUS. AND I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE
THERE IS A FIVE-STEP SPIRAL TO DENYING JESUS.
IT STARTS FIRST WITH FOCUSING ON YOUR LOVE FOR HIM.
NOW, AT FIRST,
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS NOTHING RUN WITH THAT.
EVERYTHING IS WRONG WITH IT BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS
WE LOVE HIM BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US.
WE DON'T START WITH OUR LOVE FOR HIM.
IT STARTS WITH THE CROSS.
IT STARTS WITH THE BLOOD.
THE SECOND STEP OF US WALKING AWAY FROM THE LORD
IS WHEN OUR PRAYER LIFE GOES TO SLEEP.
THE THIRD STEP IS WHEN WE FOLLOW JESUS AT A DISTANCE
TO PROTECT OUR COMFORT. THE FOURTH STEP, WHICH WE WILL
END UP AT, WHERE WE WARM OURSELVES WITH THE WORLD'S FIRE
THAT BECOMES ENTERTAINMENT, BECOMES PORNOGRAPHY,
FOR SOME PEOPLE, IT'S DRUGS, FOR SOME PEOPLE, IT'S EATING.
PRETTY MUCH WHEN WE HAVE NO MORE FIRE.
SO WE NEED TO HAVE FIRE. AND THE DEVIL WILL ALWAYS
OFFER A COUNTERFEIT FIRE FOR PEOPLE
WHO FOCUSED ON THEMSELVES, THEIR PRAYER LIFE WENT TO SLEEP.
THEY FOLLOWED JESUS AT A DISTANCE
SO THEY CAN PROTECT THEIR INTERESTS.
IT'S NO LONGER ABOUT THE CROSS,
IT'S ABOUT THE COMFORT. AND NOW THEY HAVE TO FIND THEMSELVES
AT THE WRONG FIRE, AND THEN THEY END UP WHERE PETER DID,
GOING BACK TO THEIR OLD LIFE,
AND PETER DID. HE WENT BACK TO FISHING, ONLY TO FIND
THAT LIFE EMPTY.
REBECCA: BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GOING TO FOLLOW JESUS,
IT'S GOING TO COST YOU.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SAY I'M A CHRISTIAN,
BUT THEY'RE NOT LIVING THAT OUT;
THEY'RE NOT COMPLETELY SURRENDERED. AND ONE THING
THAT'S STOOD OUT TO ME ABOUT YOUR BOOK
IS THAT IF WE FOLLOW HIM,
WE WILL HAVE STORMS.
NOW, THERE'S DIFFERENT KINDS OF STORMS.
THERE'S STORMS THAT ARE FROM YOUR OWN DOING FROM SIN,
AND THEN THERE'S, BUT THERE'S STORMS
THAT ARE COST OF FOLLOWING HIM.
THERE'S TRIALS THAT WE GO THROUGH.
VLAD: YOU KNOW, JONAH WENT THROUGH A STORM,
AND IN THIS STORM,
HE WAS AWAY FROM GOD.
HE WAS RUNNING FROM THE WILL OF GOD.
JESUS WAS IN THE STORM, AND JESUS WAS THE WILL OF GOD
EMBODIED.
PAUL WAS IN THE STORM WHERE MY BOOK IS BASED ON.
PAUL WAS IN THE WILL OF GOD. AND SO THIS IDEA THAT
IF I'M GOING TO HAVE GREAT FAITH, HAVE THE GIFTS
OF THE HOLY GHOST, BE FULL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT,
I WILL AVOID STORMS.
IT IS NOT BIBLICAL BECAUSE JESUS WENT THROUGH IT,
PAUL WENT THROUGH IT, AND WE HAVE TO REFRAME
OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE CLOSE TO GOD
AND JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE CLOSE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT
THAT EVERY STORM WILL HAVE A MIRACLE ENDING
WHERE GOD WILL SUPERNATURALLY END IT, SPLIT THE RED SEA,
PROVIDE THE WHALE, AND YOU WILL BE RESCUED.
GIVE YOU A SHIP. IN PAUL'S CASE,
THERE WAS NO INTERVENTION.
THE STORM RAN ITS COURSE.
WHAT GOD DID WITH PAUL, THOUGH,
IS HE PROTECTED HIM IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM.
THAT'S WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS. I WALKED THROUGH
THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, AND I FEAR NO EVIL.
YOU KNOW, WE WALK THROUGH THE FIRE AND WE'RE NOT CONSUMED.
WE WALK THROUGH THE FLOOD AND WE ARE NOT DROWNED.
AND SO MANY BELIEVERS HAVE THIS UNDERSTANDING.
AND HONESTLY,
I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU,
I HAD THAT, THAT IF I FAST ENOUGH,
PRAY ENOUGH,
GIVE ENOUGH, SERVE ENOUGH, THAT IF I EVER END UP IN THE STORM,
IT'S BECAUSE GOD WILL PLANT SOME KIND OF A
SUPERNATURAL POWERFUL INTERVENTION.
AND SOMETIMES
THE LORD, TO A MAN OF FAITH WHO WROTE TWO-THIRDS
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
GAVE STRENGTH TO SWIM. HE DIDN'T STOP THE STORM,
DIDN'T SAVE HIM FROM THE STORM, AND DIDN'T SPLIT THE SEA
FOR HIM TO WALK ON THE DRY GROUND.
REBECCA: AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PROBABLY ONE OF
THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE NEED TO BE HAVING DISCUSSIONS
ABOUT IN THE BODY OF CHRIST, WHICH IS UNDERSTANDING SUFFERING
AND UNDERSTANDING WHEN GOD
DOESN'T DO THINGS THE WAY THAT YOU WOULD HAVE HOPED FOR.
I THINK ABOUT SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO
WHERE THEY BASICALLY SAY, WE BELIEVE THAT GOD CAN
DELIVER US FROM THE FIRE.
BUT IF HE DOESN'T, HE'S STILL GOD.
AND BASICALLY WE'RE STILL GOING TO WORSHIP HIM AND RESPECT HIM,
BUT THERE IS THIS ATTITUDE OF, WHATEVER HE DECIDES,
WE'RE GOING TO HONOR HIM AND TRUST HIM.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO SOMEONE WHO'S STRUGGLING WITH GOD
DIDN'T DO SOMETHING
THE WAY I WANTED IT TO BE DONE?
HE DIDN'T DELIVER ME THE WAY I WANTED TO BE DELIVERED.
VLAD: I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A BIBLICAL UNDERSTANDING
OF SUFFERING. THE BIBLICAL DOCTRINE OF SUFFERING
HAS THREE MAIN COMPONENTS.
THE FIRST ONE IS SIN BROUGHT SUFFERING.
THE SECOND ONE IS, THROUGH SUFFERING, WE ARE SAVED
THROUGH CHRIST'S SUFFERING. SO WE SHOULDN'T DEMONIZE SUFFERING,
BECAUSE SUFFERING CAME THROUGH SIN ONE HUNDRED PERCENT.
GOD DIDN'T CAUSE IT, BUT IT'S SUFFERING GOD USED
TO BRING FORTH REDEMPTION. THE SUFFERING OF JESUS.
AND THIRDLY, GOD USES SUFFERING TO REFINE US
IF WE DON'T LET IT DEFINE US.
SO IF THE SUFFERING DOESN'T DEFINE US,
MEANING WE DON'T TRY TO USE SUFFERING TO COME TO CONCLUSIONS
WHETHER GOD IS WITH US OR NOT, WE DON'T USE SUFFERING
AS THE BASIS TO SAY,
WELL, I MUST NOT HAVE ENOUGH FAITH, BECAUSE, LOOK,
I'M GOING THROUGH THESE THINGS. BUT WE GO THROUGH THE SUFFERINGS
AND WE ALLOW THE LORD TO REFINE US,
ALLOW THE LORD TO CLEANSE US, ALLOW THE LORD TO PURIFY US,
WHAT SUFFERING DOES TO OUR FAITH,
IS SUFFERING IS LIKE FIRE TOWARD,
LIKE IF YOU THINK ABOUT OUR FAITH,
OUR FAITH IS LIKE GOLD.
PETER TALKS ABOUT YOUR FAITH BEING PURIFIED LIKE GOLD.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE COME UP TO ME AND THEY'RE LIKE,
VLAD, I'VE LOST MY FAITH BECAUSE OF WHAT I'VE WENT THROUGH.
I SAID, EXCUSE ME?
THE BIBLE SAYS YOUR FAITH IS LIKE GOLD. GOLD DOES NOT
STOP BEING GOLD BECAUSE OF WHAT IT GOES THROUGH.
GOLD ACTUALLY BECOMES MORE PRECIOUS, BECOMES MORE PURE,
AND BECOMES MORE EXPENSIVE WHEN IT GOES THROUGH THE FIRE.
THE GOLD COULD NEVER HAVE A TESTIMONY THAT SAYS
BECAUSE I WENT THROUGH THE FIRE AND IT WAS SO HOT,
I STOPPED BEING GOLD AND I BECAME ASHES.
I SAID, PAPER BECOMES ASHES WHEN IT GOES THROUGH THE FIRE.
IF THE STORM DESTROYED YOUR FAITH,
YOU DIDN'T HAVE FAITH.
WHAT YOU HAD IS,
YOU HAD FAITH IN FAITH.
YOU HAD FAITH IN YOUR EMOTIONS OR YOU HAD FAITH IN MIRACLES.
FAITH IN GOD IS NOT DESTROYED IN THE STORM.
IT'S ONLY PURIFIED BY THE STORM. AND WHAT I THINK HAPPENS,
AND THE LORD ALLOWS THAT,
HE SEES THAT OUR FAITH IS VERY FICKLE.
OUR FAITH IS VERY SHAKY.
OUR FAITH IS BASED ON OUR FEELINGS.
OUR FAITH IS BASED ON OUR OWN IDEAS, IN OUR OWN SELVES.
AND WHAT THE LORD DOES IS HE ALLOWS THESE THINGS TO
EXPOSE THE FACT WE DON'T HAVE ANY FAITH, NOT TO REMIND US,
OH, LOOK, YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY FAITH TO SHOW US,
HEY, NOW THAT YOU KNOW THAT YOU NEED FAITH, COME TO ME,
AND I WILL GRANT YOU THAT FAITH. AND SO ANYTIME LIKE PEOPLE SAY,
YOU KNOW, WHEN I WENT THROUGH THIS TEMPTATION,
I LOST MY PURITY. THAT TEMPTATION
DIDN'T TAKE YOUR PURITY.
TEMPTATION REVEALED
YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY.
ALL YOU HAD IS CONVENIENCE
OF THE FACT THAT YOU WERE NOT TEMPTED.
BUT NOW BECAUSE REAL PURITY IS VISIBLE IN TEMPTATION,
IT'S NOT VISIBLE WHEN YOU'RE NOT BEING TEMPTED.
REAL FAITH SHINES IN A TRIAL. SO WHEN I DON'T HAVE ANY FAITH
IN THE TRIAL, THAT MEANS I DIDN'T HAVE ANY FAITH.
ALL I HAD WAS JUST EMOTIONS, ALL I HAD WAS JUST HYPE,
WHICH IS, GOD SEES THAT HE'S LIKE, MAN,
YOU NEED TO GO THROUGH THAT SO I CAN REALLY REVEAL
WHAT'S HAPPENING INSIDE OF YOU,
AND THEN I CAN REFINE YOU IF YOU COME TO ME.
AND SO I THINK STORMS ARE CRUCIAL,
AND SUFFERING IS VERY CRUCIAL
BECAUSE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD PRODUCES THE FRUIT
OF LONGSUFFERING, AND I'M THINKING,
HOW CAN HE PRODUCE THE LONGSUFFERING WITHIN ME
IF I AVOID SUFFERING?
REBECCA: EXACTLY. AND YOU'RE GOING BACK
TO I THINK, WHICH IS SO FOUNDATIONAL TO THIS TEACHING
THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY
IS UNDERSTANDING THAT OUR TRUST IS IN GOD.
IT'S NOT IN OURSELVES.
AND A VERSE THAT'S BEEN PIVOTAL FOR ME IN THE PAST YEAR
HAS BEEN JEREMIAH 17, WHICH SAYS, BLESSED IS THE MAN
WHO TRUSTS IN THE LORD.
HE'LL BE LIKE A TREE
WHOSE ROOTS GO DOWN DEEP INTO THE WATER.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF DROUGHT WILL COME
BECAUSE HIS LEAVES STAY GREEN BECAUSE THE ROOTS,
IT'S ABIDING IN THE LORD IS BASICALLY. AND THE WORST
THAT PRECEDES THAT, IT SAYS, CURSED IS THE MAN WHO TRUSTS.
EXACTLY. AND THAT CAN ALSO MEAN YOU.
VLAD: THE CHALLENGE THAT HAPPENS IS WHEN YOU GO INTO A STORM,
YOU BELIEVE FOR A MIRACLE. WHEN YOU COME OUT OF THE STORM,
YOU TRUST IN THE MIRACLEMAKER.
WHEN PAUL WENT THROUGH STUFF HE WENT THROUGH,
HE SAID, I KNOW IN WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED.
MANY CHRISTIANS KNOW WHAT THEY BELIEVE FOR.
WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN.
BUT TO KNOW WHO YOU BELIEVE,
SEE, GOD IS THE OBJECT OF OUR FAITH,
NOT A MIRACLE. WHERE THE DISAPPOINTMENT HAPPENS
IS PEOPLE LIKE, WELL, I BELIEVE THAT GOD WILL HEAL
MY MOM.
SEE, YOU BELIEVED IN THE HEALING. THAT WILL FAIL YOU
BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU GET HEALED, YOU'RE STILL GOING TO DIE.
SO IF YOUR FAITH IS IN HEALING,
YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED.
IF YOUR FAITH IS IN AN ANSWERED PRAYER,
YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED SOONER OR LATER.
IT'S A MATTER OF TIME.
IF YOUR TRUST IS IN THE ONE WHO LOVES YOU, GAVE HIS SON
FOR YOUR SALVATION,
LET HIS SPIRIT DWELL INSIDE OF YOU, WROTE YOUR NAME
IN THE BOOK OF LIFE AND HAS ANGELS READY TO PICK YOU UP
THE MOMENT YOU DIE. THE MOMENT YOU DIE,
THEY WILL TAKE YOU AND CARRY YOU TO HEAVEN.
THEY WILL ENCIRCLE YOU
IF YOU FEAR THE LORD.
IF YOUR TRUST IS IN HIM, IN A PERSON,
NOT FOR WHAT HE'S GOING TO DO WHAT HE PROMISED
OR WHAT YOU'RE EXPECTING HIM TO DO,
YOU WILL NEVER BE DISAPPOINTED.
I'M NOT SAYING YOU WILL NOT FEEL DIFFICULT MOMENTS.
THAT'S WHY WHEN JOB WENT THROUGH THE STUFF THAT HE WENT THROUGH,
HE DIDN'T SAY,
I KNOW MY REDEMPTION IS COMING.
HE SAID, I KNOW MY REDEEMER LIVES.
WE START WITH, HE'S GOING TO GIVE ME A BREAKTHROUGH.
HE WILL ANSWER MY PRAYER.
HE WILL GIVE ME A CHILD.
HE WILL GIVE ME A HUSBAND.
HE WILL GIVE ME A WIFE.
HE WILL GIVE ME A BLESSING.
WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THE STORM, ALL OF THAT GETS BURNED.
I'M NOT SAYING
GOD'S PROMISES ARE NOT TRUE.
THEY ARE. I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES.
I BELIEVE IN BREAKTHROUGH.
BUT TO SURVIVE THROUGH THE CHALLENGES
AND VICISSITUDES OF LIFE,
YOUR FAITH CANNOT BE IN A MIRACLE.
IT HAS TO BE IN HIM.
JESUS NEVER INVITED PEOPLE TO BELIEVE IN THE MIRACLE.
HE SAID, BELIEVE IN ME. ME. ME.
FOLLOW ME.
I AM THE OBJECT OF YOUR FAITH.
NOT WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO GET FROM ME AND NOT FOR
WHAT I'M ABOUT TO DO FOR YOU.
REBECCA: YEAH.
THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH IT SAYS IN HEBREWS,
AND IT ALSO SAYS IN THE GOSPELS, BUILD YOUR LIFE
ON THE FOUNDATION OF HIM,
NOT IN WHAT YOU EXPECT HIM TO DO, BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS
HE IS THE ONE.
IT SAYS WE'RE LED BY HIS SPIRIT.
WE'RE WALKING IN FAITH,
AND HE'S BASICALLY THE AUTHOR OF OUR STORY.
WE'RE LIVING IN OBEDIENCE.
AND SO WHAT I'VE SEEN IN MY OWN LIFE IS IT MIGHT NOT BE
THE TIMING THAT YOU WANT AND IT MIGHT NOT BE THE OUTCOME,
BUT HE WILL WORK EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
IT JUST IT'S NOT GOING TO, I HONESTLY, IT'S NOT
PROBABLY GOING TO LOOK HOW YOU THINK, BUT HE HAS THE BEST PLAN
IF WE SUBMIT TO IT. AND ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I WANTED TO SAY TOO IS THE REASON WHY,
BECAUSE I WANT TO GET INTO FASTING AND GIVING
AND ALL THIS STUFF IS BECAUSE I WANT TO GO AT IT
FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THAT YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN SOURCE,
THAT HE IS YOUR SOURCE, BECAUSE PEOPLE,
AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT FASTING AND STUFF
AND A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD WITH PRAYER, BECAUSE FOR ME,
I GREW UP IN AN ENVIRONMENT
THAT TALKED ABOUT ALL THIS KIND OF STUFF,
BUT IT HAS TO COME FROM THE RIGHT PLACE
OR IT'S NOT GOING TO BE FRUITFUL.
ALL THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE GOING TO COME AT THIS PLACE
UNDERSTANDING THAT GOD IS OUR SOURCE
AND THAT WE'RE BEING LED BY HIS SPIRIT, AND THAT WILL PRODUCE
HUMILITY WITHIN US. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT FASTING,
BECAUSE FIRST OF ALL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SEE
A LOT OF THE TIME IS, AND YOU CAN JUST TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK
ABOUT THIS, PEOPLE WILL ANNOUNCE THEIR FASTS
LIKE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
HOW DO WE HANDLE THAT? BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS
DON'T LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU'RE FASTING, RIGHT?
VLAD: YEAH, AND YET, AND THEN IN THE BIBLE,
THERE ARE CULPRIT FASTS WHERE THE BIBLE CLEARLY,
FOR EXAMPLE, IN ACTS CHAPTER 13, IT SAYS THAT
THE CHURCH OF ANTIOCH FASTED. SO THAT MEANS
THE FACT IT ENDED UP ON THE PAGES OF OUR BIBLE,
PEOPLE KNEW THEY WERE FASTING.
SO I THINK THERE IS TWO SIDES TO IT IS WHEN THE BIBLE SAYS THAT
DO NOT ANNOUNCE YOUR FASTING, DO NOT ANNOUNCE,
DON'T BLAST YOUR PRAYER LIFE,
AND DON'T ANNOUNCE YOUR GIVING,
IT DEALS WITH YOUR PERSONAL MOTIVATION INSIDE.
WHEN A PASTOR LEADS THE CHURCH INTO A CORPORATE FAST
AND ENCOURAGES THEM TO FAST,
I THINK THAT IS DIFFERENT.
I THINK THE ANNOUNCEMENT PART DEALS WITH OUR MOTIVES.
AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE MEAN WELL
WHEN THEY JUST DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BOTHER THEM.
AND SOMETIMES I'M LOOKING AT,
I'M LIKE YOU HAVE RESPECTFULLY 500 FOLLOWERS.
THEY WILL NOT MISS YOU IF YOU STOP POSTING.
OKAY?
SO YOU CAN DISAPPEAR FOR THREE DAYS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO TELL US. IN FACT, MOST OF US WILL BENEFIT
FROM NOT SEEING YOUR STORIES.
SO WE WILL BE GRATEFUL AND WE'LL BE LIKE,
THE LORD IS WORKING ON THIS PERSON.
SO I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO POST IT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW
BECAUSE ULTIMATELY YOU'RE TRYING TO GET A REWARD FROM GOD,
NOT AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM MEN.
REBECCA: EXACTLY.
BUT LIKE IF YOU'RE A LEADER AND YOU'RE GIVING AN EXPLANATION,
THAT'S OKAY.
VLAD: OR ESPECIALLY WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING WITH OUR ELECTION
WHERE THERE'RE LEADERS
WHO WOULD CALL PEOPLE TO THREE-DAY FASTS
OR A DAY OF FASTING FOR OUR NATION.
YOU KNOW, LIKE I THINK THOSE THINGS ARE DIFFERENT,
BUT EVEN THOSE LEADERS, THEY DON'T HAVE TO TELL US
THAT THEY'RE FASTING OR WHAT THEY'RE FASTING,
AND WE DO HAVE TO GIVE A TEACHING ON FASTING
WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES, BUT IT IS NOT DONE SO THAT
WE CAN GET EITHER SYMPATHY OR RECOGNITION
OR TO FEEL MORE SPIRITUAL BECAUSE OF THAT.
REBECCA: SO IT REALLY GOES DOWN TO
THE MOTIVATIONS OF THE HEART.
VLAD: YEAH, AND PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND.
FASTING DOES NOT INCREASE YOUR WORTH,
IT ONLY INCREASES YOUR WEIGHT.
IT INCREASES YOUR WEIGHT IN THE SPIRIT REALM.
IT DOES NOT AFFECT YOUR WORTH TO GOD, SO THEREFORE
WE SHOULDN'T BE BLASTING IT ANYWHERE.
WHY? BECAUSE IT DOESN'T CHANGE WE'RE NOT MORE LOVED MORE BY GOD
OR LESS WHEN WE FAST, OR WE DON'T FAST.
FASTING IS TEMPORARY IN HEAVEN.
WE WILL NEVER BE FASTING. SO WE'RE FASTING
BECAUSE WE'RE LIVING IN THE BODIES.
THE FIRST TEMPTATION HUMANITY FACED WAS WITH FOOD.
THE FIRST TEMPTATION ISRAEL FACED
WHEN THEY CAME OUT OF EGYPT, FOOD.
THE FIRST TEMPTATION
JESUS FACED IN THE WILDERNESS WAS WITH FOOD.
SO FOOD IS A BIG DEAL TO US.
IT'S A GIFT FROM GOD. BUT EVERY GIFT FROM GOD WHEN IT IS GIVEN
AND RECEIVED BY GOD AS A GIFT USED FOR GOD'S PURPOSES IS GOOD.
THE ENEMY PERVERTS IT. THAT'S WHY IN PHILLIPPIANS,
PAUL TALKS ABOUT SOME PEOPLE MADE A GOD
OUT OF THEIR STOMACH. AND SOME PEOPLE DON'T WORSHIP GOD,
THEY WORSHIP KING EXALTED, KING BELLY,
WHY? BECAUSE WHILE WE LOOK AT THE WORLD AND WE JUDGE THEM
WHEN THEY GO TO THE CLUB
WHEN THEY'RE DISCOURAGED, WE RUN TO THE FRIDGE.
WE TURN FOOD INTO A PLACE OF COMFORT.
WE USE FOOD AS A PLACE OF WHEN WE'RE BORED, WE EAT.
WHEN WE'RE STRESSED, WE EAT.
SO THAT BECOMES A LITTLE BIT OF A NUMBING MECHANISM.
IT BECOMES A COMFORTING THING. SO FOR MANY CHRISTIANS,
IT'S EVEN HARD TO FAST BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BREAK
AN AFFAIR THEY HAVE WITH FOOD BECAUSE THEY STARTED TO
DRAW COMFORT FROM A PLACE
THAT'S NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT.
IT'S A FRIDGE THAT WE NEED TO BREAK THAT AND SAY, NO,
I NEED TO GO AND SEEK COMFORT FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT
INSTEAD OF THAT. BUT THE REASON WE'RE
BLASTING IT ONLINE AND SHARING IT ANYWHERE
IS COMPLETELY POINTLESS IS BECAUSE THAT DOES NOT
IMPROVE YOUR VALUE TO GOD. YOU'RE NOT MORE LOVED BY GOD
WHEN YOU FAST OR WHEN YOU DON'T FAST,
BUT YOUR WEIGHT IN THE SPIRIT REALM DOES CHANGE.
YOU LOSE YOUR PHYSICAL WEIGHT, BUT YOU GAIN IT IN THE SPIRIT.
REBECCA: DESCRIBE WEIGHT IN THE SPIRIT.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
VLAD: SO FIRST THING WHAT BEGINS TO HAPPEN IS THIS:
FASTING IN THE BIBLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN CONNECTED TO PRAYER.
IF YOU NOTICE, THE BIBLE DOESN'T SAY,
AND PEOPLE FASTED WITH PRAYER.
THEY SAID THEY PRAYED WITH FASTING.
SO FASTING STRENGTHENS YOUR PRAYER LIFE,
WHICH REALLY CHANGES YOUR SPIRIT PERSON
AND YOUR AUTHORITY IN THE SPIRIT REALM.
THE SECOND THING IS FASTING IS THE BIBLICAL WAY
OF HUMBLING OURSELVES.
THERE'S MANY REFERENCES WHERE DAVID AND OTHERS WOULD SAY,
I HUMBLED MYSELF WITH FASTING.
WHEN THE BIBLE USES THE PHRASE, MY PEOPLE HUMBLE THEMSELVES,
IN THE CONTEXT, IT ALWAYS REFERS TO PEOPLE.
ONE OF THE WAYS
THEY WOULD HUMBLE THEMSELVES IS THEY WOULD FAST
OR REND THEIR GARMENTS, PUT SACKCLOTH ON THEM, ON THEMSELVES
SO WHEN THE BIBLE SAYS, HUMBLE YOURSELF BEFORE GOD,
ONE OF THE BEST WAYS WHERE THAT IS DONE IS THROUGH FASTING.
SO WHAT DOES HUMILITY BRING? FAVOR.
GOD'S EXALTATION AND GOD'S HONOR.
GOD BEGINS TO HONOR HUMILITY.
WHEN WE FAST, IT ATTRACTS THE FAVOR OF GOD
WHY? BECAUSE IT IS A BIBLICAL WAY OF HUMBLING OURSELVES.
SO IT STRENGTHENS PRAYER.
IT IS A BIBLICAL WAY OF HUMBLING OURSELVES.
THIRDLY, WHAT IT DOES IS IT SUBDUES OUR APPETITES.
WE ALL HAVE APPETITES, AND THOSE APPETITES ARE VERY DANGEROUS
IF THEY'RE NOT BRIDLED, IF THEY'RE NOT CONTROLLED.
AND WHAT FASTING DOES IS FASTING IS
A PREPARATION FOR TEMPTATION.
SO WHEN THE BOXER GOES TO A BOXING RING,
THAT'S NOT WHERE HE PRACTICES.
HE PRACTICES FOR MONTHS BEFORE, AND THEN IT'S HIS SECOND NATURE
TO FIGHT IN THE RING.
WHEN PEOPLE GO INTO A TEMPTATION,
THE FLESH TAKES OVER.
WHY DOES THE FLESH TAKE OVER IN TEMPTATION?
BECAUSE BEFORE TEMPTATION,
THE FLESH WAS NEVER TRAINED IN LIKE A SIMULATED TEMPTATION
WHERE EATING THE CRACKER,
YOU KNOW, IS NOT SIN.
BUT IF YOU SUBDUE YOUR APPETITE FOR A CRACKER,
LET'S SAY, AND INSTEAD OF EATING THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE FASTING,
YOU'RE TRAINING YOUR FLESH, YOU DON'T GET
WHAT YOU WANT WHEN YOU WANT IT. NOW, IT'S EASIER
TO DO IT WITH THE CRACKER, BUT THEN YOU HAVE A TEMPTATION
WITH SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS AND SINFUL.
THE FLESH IS NOW TRAINED, AND IT'S TRAINED THROUGH
DENYING ITS ACCESS TO WHAT IT WANTS TO GET.
AND FASTING IS ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO TRAIN YOUR APPETITIES
NOT TO GET WHAT THEY WANT TO GET.
AND THE FOURTH THING THAT FASTING DOES
WHICH INCREASES OUR SPIRITUAL WEIGHT
IS IT SHARPENS OUR SENSITIVITY TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.
OUR SENSES BECOME MORE SHARPER. AND WHY?
BECAUSE THE SPIRIT, WE HAVE A SPIRIT, SOUL, AND BODY.
THOUGH WE ARE SPIRITUAL, BUT MANY OF US LIVE SOULLESS LIVES.
OUR SPIRIT IS SO CLOGGED UP
AND OUR SOUL IS REALLY THE ONE THAT MAKES ALL THE DECISIONS
AND TAKES THE QUEUES FROM THE BODY.
WHEN FASTING HAPPENS,
THE SOUL IS REMOVED FROM THE PLACE OF THE THRONE.
THE SPIRIT IS PUT BACK AND THE BODY IS SUBJECT TO THE SOUL
AND THE SOUL IS SUBJECT TO THE SPIRIT.
WE'RE NO LONGER CARNAL CHRISTIANS.
IT'S EASIER TO HEAR THE VOICE OF THE LORD
BECAUSE YOUR SPIRIT IS REALLY HAVING A FEAST.
OF COURSE, YOUR BODY IS CRANKY FOR A LITTLE BIT.
YOUR SOUL IS KIND OF CONFUSED, LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON?
WHY IS NOBODY PAYING ATTENTION TO ME?
YOU KNOW,
I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS.
THIS IS NOT FAIR.
THIS IS NOT RIGHT.
AND THE SOUL EVENTUALLY COMES DOWN.
AND THEN THE SPIRIT BEGINS TO DICTATE AND PEOPLE SAY
AFTER FOUR DAYS OF FASTING, THEIR THOUGHTS ARE CLEARER.
THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD,
YOU JUST LIKE SAY JESUS, AND THE SENSITIVITY.
IT'S NOT THAT GOD BECAME CLOSE.
YOUR AWARENESS OF HIM BECAME CLOSE.
REBECCA: YEAH, BECAUSE HE'S ALWAYS WITH US.
VLAD: HE'S ALWAYS WITH US.
REBECCA: BUT IT HEIGHTENS OUR AWARENESS OF HIM
AND IT DULLS DOWN THE VOICE OF THE FLESH,
AND IT BASICALLY BUILDS UP YOUR SPIRIT MAN.
VLAD: THAT'S WHY I SAID THAT IT INCREASES OUR WEIGHT
IN THE SPIRIT.
REBECCA: YEAH, AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS.
UH, I LISTENED TO THIS DAVID WILKERSON SERMON
AND HE WAS TALKING ABOUT TRIALS.
AND HE SAID, BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BOXING,
AND IT GOES IN WITH THIS BOOK.
HE SAID THAT TO GET SOMEONE REALLY GOOD AT FIGHTING,
THEY'LL PUT THEM IN A RING WITH SOMEONE WHO'S BIGGER
AND STRONGER AND FASTER THAN THEM.
AND SO WHEN WE GO THROUGH DIFFICULTIES AND WE MIGHT GO,
WHY AM I GOING THROUGH THIS, GOD IS BUILDING US UP IN HIM.
VLAD: THAT'S RIGHT.
REBECCA: SO FOR FASTING,
THIS IS MY QUESTION, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES AT CHURCH,
THERE'S LIKE THAT ONE YEAR,
YOU KNOW, LIKE ONCE-A-YEAR FAST AROUND NEW YEAR'S.
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN TO FAST? THE FREQUENCY OF IT?
WHAT TO FAST?
LIKE BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING I'M CURIOUS FOR MYSELF,
HONESTLY.
VLAD: SO JESUS PUT FASTING ON THE SAME LEVEL
OF PRAYER AND GIVING, DO WE TITHE ONCE A YEAR?
REBECCA: REALLY, HE DID?
VLAD: HE DID IN THE SAME PLACE
WHERE HE TALKED ABOUT PRAYER,
HE TALKED ABOUT FASTING AND HE TALKED ABOUT GIVING
IN THE SAME CHAPTER. SO IF YOU READ THAT,
HE ADDRESSED THREE OF THESE THINGS IN THE SAME CHAPTER
AND HE REFERRED TO THREE OF THEM. DO THEM IN SECRET.
NOW, AT THAT TIME, JEWISH PEOPLE FASTED TWO DAYS A WEEK.
REBECCA: ARE YOU SERIOUS?
VLAD: TWO DAYS A WEEK, THE JEWISH LAW COMMANDED ISRAEL
TO FAST ONCE A YEAR ON THE DAY OF ATONEMENT,
SO THE LAW COMMANDED THEM TO AFFLICT THEIR SOULS,
WHICH IS A REFERENCE FOR FASTING. AND ONCE A YEAR.
BY THE TIME THAT JESUS CAME, PHARISEES ADDED TO THAT.
THEY HAD, I THINK, FOUR MORE DAYS THAT THEY ADDED.
ONE OF THEM WAS THE ESTHER'S FAST.
AND THEN THEY HAD TWICE A WEEK THAT THEY FASTED.
NOW, JESUS CAME ALONG AND HE DIDN'T SAY DON'T FAST
AND HE DIDN'T SAY IF YOU WILL FAST.
SO HE'S IN THE CULTURE
WHERE FASTING IS DONE EVERY WEEK TWICE.
NOW, THEY DIDN'T DO IT.
24 HOURS,
THEY ENDED IT AROUND AFTERNOON.
SO ABOUT 3 TO 4:00 TWICE A WEEK, HIS DISCIPLES,
EARLY CHURCH FOLLOWERS. SO DISCIPLES OF JESUS
TOOK THE TEACHING OF JESUS.
NOW, THIS IS HOW THEY APPLIED IT.
SO IF YOU READ IN THE CHURCH DOCUMENTS,
YOU WILL SEE THEY FASTED TWO DAYS A WEEK.
THAT WAS THE CULTURE OF A CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
SO IT WAS HABITUAL.
IT WAS REGULAR.
TODAY, WE WOULD THINK IT'S NORMAL TO PRAY EVERY DAY.
RIGHT.
WE WOULD THINK ALSO IT'S NORMAL TO GIVE EVERY TIME
WE GET PAID TO HONOR GOD.
NOW, WE CAN DISAGREE ON TITHING AND EVERYTHING,
BUT EVERYBODY WILL AGREE
EVERY CHRISTIAN IS TO PUT GOD FIRST IN THEIR FINANCES.
WHEN IT COMES TO FASTING, MOST OF US TREAT FASTING
NOT ON THE SAME HABITUAL PART OF SPIRITUAL WALK WITH CHRIST
AS PRAYER AND GIVING. AND I THINK THAT
WE NEED TO RETURN TO THAT,
BECAUSE IN THE EARLY CHURCH CULTURE,
IT WAS LIKE THAT.
JESUS TALKED ABOUT IT ON THE SAME LEVEL WITH THAT.
AND I'M NOT SAYING TO DO 40-DAY FASTS EVERY SINGLE MONTH,
BUT TO GO REGULARLY TO FAST
I THINK IS VERY BENEFICIAL TO OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE
SO WE CAN BE LED TO FAST BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.
JESUS WAS LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS.
WE CAN BE LED TO A FAST BY OUR PASTOR WHERE THE PASTOR
LEADS A CORPORATE COMMUNITY INTO A FAST.
AND THIRDLY, WE CAN CHOOSE TO FAST
BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO OR BECAUSE WE ARE SENSING
OUR SPIRITUAL SENSES ARE NOT WHERE THEY USED TO BE
OR BECAUSE WE ARE REALLY HUNGERING FOR THE LORD,
DEVELOPING A HUNGER FOR GOD. WE'RE NOT FEELING LED.
WE LEAD OURSELVES BECAUSE WE KNOW THIS IS THE RIGHT THING
TO DO AND THIS IS ONE OF MY WAYS TO HUMBLE MYSELF,
RECONNECT WITH THE LORD, AND THAT IS COMPLETELY OKAY.
AND GOD WILL HONOR THAT. AND IN FACT,
IT WILL BE EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL IN OUR LIFE.
SO THOSE ARE THE THREE WAYS WHY PEOPLE SHOULD FAST.
TYPICALLY, PEOPLE WAIT FOR A GREAT LEADING FROM GOD TO FAST,
AND I TELL THEM,
WELL, DID YOU DO THAT WHEN YOU TRIED LAST SUNDAY?
NO, YOU MADE A DECISION. AND PAUL TELLS US IN CORINTHIANS,
GIVE AS YOU PURPOSE IN YOUR HEART.
SAME THING AS WITH PRAYER.
I DON'T HAVE TO HEAR THE LORD TELL ME TO PRAY.
I OPEN MY BIBLE REGULARLY.
AND SO IN FASTING,
I THINK EVERY PERSON SHOULD DEVELOP
SOME KIND OF A HABITUAL WAY OF FASTING,
WHETHER IT'S ONCE A MONTH, WHETHER IT'S ONCE A WEEK, A WAY
THAT IS SACRIFICIAL. SO LIKE MISSING BREAKFAST
AND SAYING, WELL, I, YOU KNOW, I FASTED TODAY,
BUT IF YOU DON'T EAT BREAKFAST AT ALL,
THAT'S NOT SACRIFICIAL. DON'T CALL THAT A FAST.
YOU KNOW, THAT WAS JUST PART OF YOUR DIET.
REBECCA: JUST INTERMITTENT FASTING.
VLAD: YEAH, INTERMITTENT FASTING, YEAH.
BUT IT'S INTERESTING
HOW EVEN OUR BODIES WERE DESIGNED BY GOD TO FAST,
BECAUSE THE FIRST MEAL IS CALLED BREAKFAST, BREAK FAST.
AND SO WE WERE CREATED BY GOD, WE NEED TO FAST.
THAT'S PART OF OUR BODY STRUCTURE.
SO WHEN YOU'RE FASTING,
YOU'RE JUST EXTENDING HOW GOD CREATED YOUR BODY
TO BE A LITTLE BIT LONGER,
AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FASTS.
THERE'S THE PUBLIC ONE.
THERE'S THE PRIVATE ONE. NOW, IN THE UNITED STATES,
WE HAVE FASTING TODAY, FOR SOCIAL MEDIA IS FASTING.
DANIEL FASTING, AND OTHER. BIBLICALLY SPEAKING,
THERE IS REALLY ONE FAST, AND THAT IS, YOU DON'T EAT FOOD.
OR THERE IS A DRY FAST.
IT'S WHEN YOU DON'T DRINK AND YOU DON'T EAT FOOD.
THE DRY FAST IS MORE RADICAL, AND IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED,
BUT IT HAS BEEN DONE MULTIPLE OCCASIONS.
WE SEE THAT IN THE BIBLE, AND THE BIBLE HIGHLIGHTS IT.
NO FOOD AND NO DRINK.
AND WHEN IT SAYS THEY FASTED,
THEY DIDN'T EAT. THAT INDICATES THEY DRANK WATER.
SO LIKE THE LORD,
IT SAYS ABOUT THE LORD JESUS
THAT HE DIDN'T EAT ANY FOOD. AND RIGHT AWAY,
PRETTY MUCH INDICATES THAT HE PROBABLY DRANK WATER.
BUT WHEN THE BIBLE HIGHLIGHTS THEY DIDN'T DRINK WATER,
THAT MEANS THAT IT WAS A DRY FAST.
SO THE FASTING WHERE YOU ABSTAIN FROM CERTAIN FOODS
IS NOT A BIBLICAL FAST.
NOW, THE LORD ACCEPTS IT
AS A SACRIFICE.
IT IS ABSTAINING FROM SOMETHING.
IT COSTS US SOMETHING. GOD HONORS THAT, BUT TO CALL THAT
A FAST IS REALLY CONTARY TO THE WORD FASTING
BECAUSE THE WORD FASTING MEANS TO CLOSE YOUR MOUTH,
MEANS YOU'RE NOT EATING FOOD.
SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE WHEN CATHOLICS SAY THAT THEY
BAPTIZED A CHILD BY SPRINKLING WATER,
AND THEY SAID THAT WAS BAPTISM, WHEN THE WORD BAPTISM MEANS
IMMERSION. BUT I KNOW WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM
IN OUR NATION.
BUT BIBLICALLY, FASTING IS ABSTAINING FROM FOOD
FOR SPIRITUAL REASONS AND IT'S VOLUNTARILY ABSTAINING FROM FOOD
SO IF YOU ARE STARVING, THAT'S NOT A FAST
BECAUSE THAT'S NOT VOLUNTARY.
IF YOU ARE FORCED BY SOMEBODY, THAT'S NOT A FAST
BECAUSE IT'S FORCED. SO IT'S VOLUNTARILY ABSTAINING FROM FOOD
FOR SPIRITUAL REASONS.
AND SO THAT IS A BIBLICAL FAST. AND SOMETIMES GOD WILL
LEAD A PERSON TO ABSTAIN FROM FOOD AND FROM WATER.
DOCTORS WOULD NOT RECOMMEND FOR THAT TO BE DONE
FOR MORE THAN THREE DAYS, BECAUSE YOU WILL DIE,
BUT WITHOUT FOOD, A PERSON CAN GO FOR 40 DAYS
IF THEY'RE HEALTHY WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS
BEFORE THEIR BODY EVEN ENTERS STARVATION STAGE.
REBECCA: YEAH, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS SO INTERESTING.
I'VE LISTENED TO DOCTORS TALK ABOUT THE HEALING EFFECT
OF FASTING.
WHEN YOU'RE FASTING, YOUR BODY
GOES IN AN AUTOPHAGY, AUTOPHAGY WHERE YOUR BODY
BEGINS TO DETOX AND HEAL ITSELF, BUT YOU HAVE TO.
IT'S JUST SO INTERESTING.
YOU'RE RIGHT.
THERE IS A DESIGN TO IT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS COMING TO ME
IS OUR FOOD IN THIS DAY AND AGE,
ESPECIALLY IN THE UNITED STATES, IS SO FAR FROM FOOD,
OUR PROCESSED FOOD, AND IT'S INTERESTING
THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE SAID IS OUR CULTURE
IS ONE OF THE FEW IN HISTORY THAT DOES NOT FAST.
FASTING WAS A REGULAR THING FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS,
AND IT'S JUST KIND OF, I DON'T KNOW,
IT'S JUST KIND OF HITTING ME HOW OUR FOOD REALLY HAS
TURNED INTO A DRUG FOR SO MANY OF US,
AND HOW IT'S EVEN SO FAR FROM BEING WHAT THE FOOD THAT GOD
INTENDED.
AND I THINK SO MANY PEOPLE ARE DOING IT UNINTENTIONALLY,
BUT IT BECOMES A HABIT,
IT BECOMES A NEED, RIGHT.
IT BECOMES A DRUG. AND I THINK A LOT OF TIMES
WE DON'T TALK ABOUT IT IN THE CHURCH,
BECAUSE IT IS SO COMMONPLACE AND WE'RE THINKING,
WELL, YOU'RE NOT DRINKING AND YOU'RE NOT DOING THIS.
SO WHAT WOULD YOU SAY FOR SOMEONE WHO'S STRUGGLING
WITH FOOD AS A SOURCE OF COMFORT?
WHAT IS, HOW CAN THEY HANDLE THAT?
VLAD: WELL, I THINK THAT THERE IS A STRONGHOLD.
FOOD CAN BECOME A STRONGHOLD.
YOU KNOW THE FOOD WAS GIVEN TO US FOR PLEASURE
AND IT WAS GIVEN US TO US FOR STRENGTH.
AND SO BECAUSE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, ENJOY, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG
WITH ENJOYING EATING FOOD,
BUT IT CAN ALSO BECOME AN ADDICTION FOR PEOPLE,
AND YOU CANNOT DEAL WITH A STRONGHOLD OF FOOD
WITHOUT DEALING WITH THE ROOT BECAUSE WHY ARE WE USING FOOD
AS AN ADDICTION? TO CREATE A SOLUTION
TO AN UNDERLYING PROBLEM.
EVERY ADDICTION IS A SOLUTION.
NOW, IT'S A WRONG SOLUTION, BUT IT'S A SOLUTION.
YOU'RE LONELY, YOU'RE REJECTED, YOU'RE HURTING,
AND SO TO TRADE SOLUTIONS
WITHOUT DEALING WITH THE ROOT AND DEALING,
OKAY, WHY AM I OVEREATING? WHY AM I REACHING FOR THIS?
WHY AM I DOING THAT? AND ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO GO FOR THAT.
ONLY THEN WE CAN REALLY BREAK THE STRONGHOLD OF FOOD.
FOOD IS GOOD
IF IT IS TO BE ENJOYED AND IT'S HEALTHY FOOD.
BUT I THINK ALSO FASTING COULD HELP.
I'M NOT SAYING FASTING WILL BREAK THE FOOD ADDICTION
BECAUSE IT COULD EXPOSE THAT WE HAVE A ROOT,
BUT IF WE DON'T DEAL WITH THE ROOT,
AND DR. MICHAEL BROWN HAS A BOOK
CALLED BREAKING THE FOOD ADDICTION .
ACTUALLY DID AN INTERVIEW WITH HIM,
AND IT WENT, A LOT OF PEOPLE STARTED TO REACH OUT
AND ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE FREEDOM WHEN HE DEALT WITH
HOW HE WAS OVERWEIGHT.
NOT ONLY OVERWEIGHT,
HE HAD SO MANY SICKNESSES.
HE TRAVELED WITH A SLEEP APNEA MACHINE.
HE COULDN'T SLEEP AT NIGHT,
AND HE WOULD TAKE SO MUCH MEDICATION,
AND THE LORD STARTED TO DEAL WITH HIM,
YOU KNOW, ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND HE EXPERIENCED FREEDOM.
HE GOT CURED OF EVERY DISEASE THAT HE HAD.
DOES NOT TAKE PILLS ANYMORE.
SLEEPS.
I MEAN, YOU SEE HIM.
I MEAN, HE'S DOING PUSHUPS IN HIS OLD AGE.
AND SO HE HAS. I WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO HAVE
AN ADDICTION TO FOOD OR WHO HAVE FOOD AS A STRONGHOLD
TO READ THAT BOOK.
I DON'T GET ANYTHING BY SAYING THAT
EXCEPT I LOVE DR. MICHAEL BROWN.
AND SO, BUT THAT REALLY, REALLY HELPED PEOPLE
TO BREAK THROUGH IN THAT AREA,
BUT SOMETHING ABOUT THAT YOU MENTIONED ABOUT FASTING,
THE CULTURE, INTERESTINGLY, IF YOU TYPE "FASTING" ON YOUTUBE,
YOU WILL SEE HOW IT'S PROPAGATED NOW BY FITNESS INSTRUCTORS,
NEW AGE GURUS. AND WHAT SADDENS ME IS,
I'M LIKE, WHY DIDN'T THE CHURCH RECLAIM THAT?
THIS IS LITERALLY IN THE BIBLE.
OUR SAVIOR DID IT. HE LAUNCHED HIS MINISTRY.
MOSES DID IT.
ELIJAH DID IT.
ALL THE GREAT NOTABLE MEN OF GOD PRACTICED THAT.
AND WHY IS THE CHURCH
NOT TALKING ABOUT IT?
BUT THEN YOU COME INTO THE CHURCH, AND I'M JUST GOING
TO BE HONEST WITH YOU,
WE ARE OBESE.
A LOT OF DISEASES WE FACE, WE BROUGHT THEM
BECAUSE OF OUR OVEREATING AND UNHEALTHY EATING.
AND THEN IF SOMEBODY TALKS ABOUT FASTING
OR ADDRESSES BIBLICAL FASTING,
YOU KNOW, DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO.
AND SO BECAUSE WE PROTECT THOSE IDOLS
AND WE REALLY MADE THE STOMACH INTO A KING,
AND IT'S SUPER EXALTED, WE BARELY CAN SEE OUR FEET.
AND SO WE NEED TO BRING THIS KING FROM BACK FROM THE THRONE
AND WE NEED TO PUT JESUS BACK ON THE THRONE.
AND OUR STOMACHS SHOULD NOT BE OUR GODS.
WE CANNOT LIVE A CARNAL LIFE.
WE HAVE TO PICK UP OUR CROSS.
JESUS SAYS, IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW ME,
YOU HAVE TO DENY YOURSELF, MEANING CHRISTIANITY
IS NOT SELF-DISCOVERY, IT'S SELF-DENIAL.
AND WE WILL EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF GOD.
I BELIEVE WE'LL EXPERIENCE GREATER HEALTH.
I BELIEVE HEALING WILL SPRING FORTH
JUST BY PHYSICALLY FASTING, BUT I BELIEVE EVEN GOD'S POWER
IS GOING TO START FLOWING, AND WE WILL EXPERIENCE I WOULD
RATHER BE LIGHTER IN THE FLESH AND HEAVIER IN THE SPIRIT
THAN THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
REBECCA: YEAH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STOOD OUT TO ME WAS,
I REMEMBER IN THE BIBLE
JESUS CAST A DEMON OUT OF A PERSON, AND THE DISCIPLES
HAD TRIED AND WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL,
THEN JESUS COMES ALONG AND DOES IT, AND THEY SAID,
WHY DID IT WORK FOR YOU AND NOT FOR US?
AND HE SAYS THIS ONE ONLY COMES OUT BY PRAYER AND FASTING.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT?
VLAD: BUT I DO WANT TO JUST MAKE IT A LITTLE DISCLAIMER.
LET ME MAKE IT THIS WAY
BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WHEN
I SAID THIS,
I NEED TO MAKE A DISCLAIMER.
IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING WITH WEIGHT, THIS WAS NOT ME SAYING
THAT THIS SOLUTION OR THAT THIS ISSUE THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH
APPLIES TO YOU.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE GENETIC ISSUES.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE REAL HEALTH ISSUES.
AND SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN GENERAL TERMS
TO A LOT OF BELIEVERS WHO ARE NOT PRACTICING DISCIPLINE.
SECONDLY, FASTING IS NOT FOR EVERYONE.
FASTING IS NOT FOR NURSING MOMS.
FASTING IS NOT FOR PREGNANT WOMEN.
FASTING IS NOT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ON HEAVY MEDICATIONS.
AND FASTING IS NOT FOR CHILDREN.
AND SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT I HIGHLIGHT THAT
SO IF YOU'RE LISTENING TO THIS RIGHT NOW,
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, I NEED TO GO FAST: IF YOU'RE PREGNANT,
NURSING, OR YOU'RE ON MEDICATION, YOU KNOW,
CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR. OR IF YOU ARE RIGHT NOW, YOU ARE A CHILD,
YOU ARE NOT TO FAST, YOU KNOW.
YEAH.
YOU CAN FAST. SOCIAL MEDIA, THOSE THINGS ARE GOOD FOR YOU.
YOU CAN ABSTAIN FROM THOSE THINGS, BUT FASTING
IS NOT FOR YOU, BUT WHAT YOU JUST HIGHLIGHTED
IS VERY POWERFUL BECAUSE JESUS REBUKES HIS DISCIPLES.
AND HE SAID, YOU PERVERSE AND UNBELIEVING GENERATION.
NOW, PERVERSE DEALS WITH OUR CONNECTION TO THE WORLD.
UNBELIEVING DEALS WITH OUR CONNECTION TO GOD.
JESUS IS SAYING THE REASON WHY YOU COULDN'T DO THIS MIRACLE
IS BECAUSE THERE'S A CONNECTION TO THE WORLD
AND THERE IS NOT A CONNECTION TO GOD.
PERVERSE AND UNBELIEVING.
AND THEN HE GIVES US THE CURE.
HE SAYS, THIS KIND WILL COME OUT BY PRAYER.
NOW, WHAT IS PRAYER?
IT'S YOUR CONNECTION TO GOD.
WHAT IS FASTING? YOUR DISCONNECTION FROM THE WORLD.
REBECCA: WOW.
VLAD: SO A LOT OF OUR PROBLEMS WHERE WE HAVE
DEFEATS IN THE VALLEYS, BECAUSE JESUS WAS ON A MOUNTAIN,
THEY WERE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE MOUNTAIN
AND THEY COULDN'T GET THAT BREAKTHROUGH.
SOME OF OUR VALLEY ISSUES,
IF WE'RE BEING VERY HONEST,
WE HAVE A DEEP CONNECTION TO THE WORLD
AND CASUAL CONNECTION TO THE LORD,
WHAT PRAYER AND FASTING DOES IS PRAYER STRENGTHENS
MY CONNECTION TO THE LORD AND FASTING WEAKENS MY CONNECTION
TO THE WORLD, WHICH THEN POSITIONS ME
TO A PLACE WHERE I HAVE SPIRITUAL BREAKTHROUGH
IN MY LIFE.
REBECCA: YEAH, AND IT'S LIKE IF WE'RE GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE
IN THIS EARTH,
WE NEED TO BE DOING THOSE THINGS.
WE NEED TO BE IN THE WORLD,
BUT NOT OF THE WORLD, AND WE NEED TO BE CONNECTED TO GOD.
AND, I MEAN, JESUS DEMONSTRATED THAT HIMSELF.
VLAD: AND HE DIDN'T NEED TO FAST.
THAT'S THE THING.
HE DIDN'T NEED TO FAST,
BUT THAT WAS THE WAY OF PREPARATION FOR THE MINISTRY.
AND WHAT I FIND INTERESTING, REBECCA,
IS THAT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT,
I ALMOST DON'T RECALL ONE FASTING
WHERE THERE WAS A PROBLEM. IN THE OLD TESTAMENT,
THEY ALWAYS FASTED BECAUSE OF A CRISIS. IN THE NEW TESTAMENT,
THEY FASTED FOR A DEEPER CONNECTION
AND FOR THEIR CALLING.
SO I TELL PEOPLE THERE'S FOUR REASONS TO FAST.
NUMBER ONE IS CRISIS.
IF YOU HAVE CRISIS, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, FAST.
SECOND ONE IS YOUR CALLING.
JESUS FASTED AS PREPARATION FOR THE MISSION
THAT THE FATHER HAD FOR HIM.
AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE CRISIS, YOU CAN STILL FAST
BECAUSE YOU HAVE A CALLING.
OUR LIFE ISN'T JUST ABOUT FIXING CRISIS.
WE NEED TO FULFILL OUR CALLING. THE THIRD PURPOSE OF FASTING
IS OUR DEEPER CONNECTION,
BECAUSE FASTING STRENGTHENS OUR PRAYER.
JESUS SAID TO HIS, IN FACT, HE SAID TO THE PHARISEES
WHEN THEY TOLD HIM YOUR DISCIPLES ARE NOT FASTING,
AND HE SAID, WHEN THE BRIDEGROOM IS TAKEN AWAY,
HE SAID, THEN THEY WILL FAST.
ANYTIME YOU SENSE THE BRIDEGROOM TAKEN AWAY,
NOT THAT THE LORD LEAVES US, BUT HIS MANIFEST PRESENCE
IS NO LONGER AS TANGIBLE AND SENSITIVE,
BEGIN TO FAST FOR THAT CONNECTION.
FASTING IS RESTORING THAT HUNGER.
YOU GO PHYSICALLY HUNGRY.
AND IT'S CRAZY HOW IT HAPPENS.
IT ACTUALLY RESTORES YOUR SPIRITUAL HUNGER FOR GOD,
NOT WHILE YOU'RE FASTING,
SOMETIMES WHILE YOU'RE FASTING,
YOU'RE JUST CRANKY.
IT'S AFTER THE FAST.
YOU JUST SENSE THAT DEARNESS, THAT PRECIOUSNESS TO JESUS,
THAT HUNGER FOR GOD'S WORD.
SO CHRIST IS CALLING CONNECTION. AND THE LAST ONE IS CONQUEST.
AS YOU CONQUER ENEMIES THAT YOU COULDN'T CONQUER BEFORE
IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, MANY TIMES,
MEN AND WOMEN OF GOD,
WHEN THEY COULDN'T CONQUER CERTAIN ENEMIES, THEY FASTED.
AND THE FACT THAT JESUS TELLS US THIS KIND
DOESN'T COME OUT EXCEPT BY PRAYER AND FASTING,
MEANING THERE ARE THINGS IN OUR LIFE, SPIRITUAL BATTLES
WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE THE UPPER HAND
UNTIL WE HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFORE GOD AND WE BEGIN TO FAST.
REBECCA: ONE OF THE THINGS
I WAS THINKING ABOUT WAS JOHN PAUL JACKSON.
HE TALKED ABOUT THE LAW OF ATTRACTION, WHICH THE NEW AGE
MOVEMENT HAS PERVERTED, BUT THAT SPIRITUAL CONCEPT
THAT WHEN WE LESSEN OF OURSELVES AND WE MAKE SPACE FOR GOD,
IT ATTRACTS HEAVEN, AND GOD COMES TO US.
AND SO I JUST THINK THAT'S SUCH A COOL PICTURE
OF HOW GOD, A SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLE OF HOW GOD OPERATES.
I WANT TO TALK JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PRAYER.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES,
PEOPLE THINK PRAYING IS ABOUT TALKING,
BUT I'M READING THIS BOOK BY DR. DENNIS CLARK,
AND IT'S ABOUT THE SECRET PLACE, AND HE TALKS ABOUT
HOW IT'S ABOUT COMMUNING WITH GOD AND HOW PRAYER IS COMMUNING
WITH GOD AND HOW YOU CAN BE JUST CONNECTING TO HIM
AND HIS PRESENCE AND LISTENING TO HIS VOICE.
HOW WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE FILLING UP PRAYER
WITH US SPEAKING, AND I THINK THAT WOULD HELP PEOPLE,
BECAUSE HOW LONG CAN YOU SPEAK FOR, YOU KNOW?
10 MINUTES, 30 MINUTES.
VLAD: YOU COULD ALWAYS PRAY IN TONGUES.
REBECCA: YEAH, THAT'S TRUE, TOO.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT PRAYER.
HOW DO WE PRAY?
VLAD: SO WHEN IT COMES TO PRAYER,
I THINK WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS DEVOTION
AND DEVOTIONS. DEVOTION IS MY LIFE
COMMITTED TO THE LORD. DEVOTIONS IS MY TIME SPENT WITH THE LORD.
IT'S, I CALL IT MARRIAGE. AND A DATE NIGHT IS NOT MARRIAGE.
BUT MARRIAGES HAVE DATE NIGHTS.
AND SO A MARRIED COUPLE IS LOYAL TO EACH OTHER.
THEY LOVE EACH OTHER EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT IN THE SAME ROOM
WITH EACH OTHER. IN FACT, WHEN THEY'RE NOT
SPENDING A LOT OF TIME TOGETHER, THEIR HEARTS GROW FOND
AND THEY MISS EACH OTHER AND THEY RECONNECT WITH EACH OTHER.
THEY DON'T SAY
I'M SORRY.
THEY SAY I MISS YOU. WHY? BECAUSE IT'S A RELATIONSHIP.
WHEN THE PERSON VIEWS PRAYER LIFE AS
THIS IS MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD,
THEY MISS THE WHOLE POINT. RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
IS YOUR HEART BEING COMMITTED TO HIM, LIVING WITH HIM,
WALKING IN HIM, HAVING YOUR BEING WITH HIM.
AND ONE OF THE VERY GOOD CLASSIC BOOKS ON THAT IS
THE PRACTICING OF THE PRESENCE BY BROTHER LAWRENCE,
WHERE HE TALKS ABOUT, YOU'RE LIVING WITH THE LORD.
YOU'RE WALKING.
THAT'S WHAT JESUS SAYS. ABIDE IN ME, AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU.
AND THEN I THINK IN VERSE 8 OF JOHN CHAPTER 15,
HE SAYS, AND THEN YOU ASK ANYTHING
YOU'RE LIKE, WAIT.
I THOUGHT THAT I'M ASKING YOU
YOU KNOW WHEN I'M ABIDING, BUT ABIDING IS LIVING WITH
IN THE AWARENESS OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD,
LIVING IN THE AWARENESS HE LOVES ME, AND EVERYTHING I DO,
I DO FOR HIM, AND THINGS THAT I DO FOR HIM, EVEN IF I'M
NOT PRAYING AND READING THE WORD, ARE AS SPIRITUAL
AS IF I'M SPENDING TIME WITH HIM.
AND SO THAT BECOMES THE FOUNDATION OF A DEEP POWERFUL
PRAYER LIFE. THEN FROM THAT PLACE, WE GO INTO PRAYER.
NOW, WHAT CHANGED MY LIFE WHEN IT COMES TO PRAYER, TWO THINGS,
ONE, IS TO GO TO PRAYER TO BE WITH GOD INSTEAD OF TO FIND GOD.
WHEN I WAS YOUNGER,
I WOULD ALWAYS GO INTO PRAYER TO FIND HIM.
NOW, THE BIBLE DOES TALK ABOUT SEEKING HIM.
THE BIBLE DOES TALK ABOUT DRAWING NEAR TO HIM.
BUT WHEN IT SAYS TO SEEK THE LORD,
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT GOD IS PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK.
IT WOULD BE EQUIVALENT TO ME PURSUING MY WIFE.
IT'S NOT BECAUSE SHE'S RUNNING AWAY FROM ME.
WE COULD BE IN THE SAME ROOM.
ME PURSUING MY WIFE, MEANING I AM BEING
INTENTIONAL TO THE PRESENCE
THAT IS WITHIN MY PRESENCE.
I'M NOT TRYING TO CHASE HER AROUND TOWN
BECAUSE SHE'S TRYING TO ESCAPE FROM ME.
IT'S THAT WE'RE IN THE SAME PLACE IN THE SAME ROOM.
I'M JUST BEING INTENTIONAL.
I'M TRYING TO BE IN TUNE TO HER, SO ME SEEKING THE LORD
DOES NOT MEAN HE'S NOT IN THE ROOM.
IT MEANS THAT I AM CONSCIOUS OF HIM.
I'M PURSUING HIS PRESENCE.
THAT'S WHY WHEN JESUS TALKED ABOUT, HE SAID,
GO TO YOUR SECRET PLACE. PRAY TO YOUR FATHER,
WHO IS IN SECRET. WAIT.
SO HE'S ALREADY THERE?
THAT MEANS WHEN I COME TO MY SECRET PLACE,
HE IS ALREADY THERE.
HE WAS WAITING FOR ME, ALREADY THERE.
SO THE THINKING THAT I HAD HAD TO RENEW MY MIND,
I'M NOT COMING THERE AND TRYING TO WORK UP SOME STEPS
TO GET HIM HERE. IN FACT, HE'S BEEN HERE.
EVEN IF I COMMIT SIN, HE'S ALREADY THERE
BECAUSE WHEN ADAM COMMITTED SIN IN GENESIS 3:9,
GOD SHOWED UP, AND WHAT WAS GOD'S QUESTION?
ADAM, WHERE ARE YOU?
WHY DIDN'T YOU SHOW UP?
GOD KNEW WHAT ADAM DID AND HE STILL WAITED FOR HIM
TO TALK TO HIM.
SO THAT MEANS THAT MY SIN SHOULDN'T BE AN EXCUSE
WHY I DON'T GO TO GOD FIRST AND TALK TO GOD
BECAUSE GOD IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN HELP ME
GET RID OF MY SIN THROUGH THE POWER OF THE BLOOD.
SO THAT WAS MY FIRST THING. IT CHANGED MY PRAYER LIFE
WHEN I GO TO PRAYER TO BE WITH HIM VERSUS TO GO TO PRAYER
TO TRY TO FIND HIM. AND SECOND THING IS,
GOD LOVES MY PRESENCE MORE THAN I LOVE HIS.
AND THE BIBLE MAKES IT CLEAR:
FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON.
THE BIBLE MAKES IT CLEAR THAT HE DELIGHTS IN HIS PEOPLE.
HE WILL BEAUTIFY HIS PEOPLE. AND THE LORD LOVES US.
YOU KNOW, AND NOW I GOT A SON.
YOU KNOW.
HE IS SEVEN MONTHS OLD. HIS NAME IS SAMUEL,
AND I ENJOY THAT LITTLE BUNDLE OF JOY.
HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND YET HOW MUCH I LOVE HIM.
I LOVED HIM BEFORE HE WAS BORN.
I WANTED HIM
THAT WHY HE'S HERE ON THIS EARTH,
I AM PROVIDING FOR HIM.
HE HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING YET
EXCEPT TOOK AWAY MY SLEEP.
IT'S COSTING ME A LOT OF MONEY AND HE'S A COST,
AND I'M NOT ONLY WILLING, MORE THAN WILLING,
TO PAY FOR THAT AND PAY TEN TIMES MORE, AND WHEN I HOLD HIM,
IT'S LIKE SO THERAPEUTIC FOR ME, LIKE AND I KISS HIM
AND I JUST LIKE I JUST LOVE HIM SO MUCH.
NOW, I THINK HE LIKES ME BECAUSE WHEN I COME AND HE SMILES,
AND LIKE I COULD SEE
HE'S ALREADY DISCERNING ME.
BUT EVEN BEFORE HE DISCERNED MY PRESENCE,
I LOVED HIM SO MUCH. AND I'M THINKING IF GOD,
IF THIS IS JUST A SLIGHT REFLECTION OF WHAT GOD FEELS
ABOUT HIS CHILDREN,
CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW MUCH GOD LOVES US
WHEN WE SPEND TIME WITH HIM?
REBECCA, I HAD THIS ONE TIME WHEN MY PRAYER LIFE
KIND OF TOOK A LITTLE HIT AND I STRUGGLED
TO CONNECT WITH THE LORD.
IT WAS PRETTY DRY FOR A WHILE.
AND I KIND OF GOT HONEST.
I WAS ALREADY MARRIED.
I SAID, LORD,
AND I WAS COMING VERY EARLY LIKE AT 5 A.M.
AND I WAS LIKE, LORD,
I DON'T GET ENOUGH SLEEP TO COME HERE.
YOU'RE NOT SHOWING UP.
I LEAVE MY PRAYER TIME A BIT CRANKY.
I COME WITH AN ATTITUDE BACK HOME.
MY WIFE IS NOT HAPPY WITH ME.
I SAID I THINK IT'LL BE BETTER FOR ME, YOU, AND ALL OF US
IF I JUST DON'T SHOW UP TO PRAYER BECAUSE I THINK
AT LEAST I'LL WAKE UP, I'LL WAKE UP WITH GUILT
INSTEAD OF WAKING UP BEING CONSTANTLY CRANKY,
AND I'M NOT GETTING ANYTHING OUT OF THIS, AND IT'S BEEN A MONTH
LIKE THAT ALREADY. SO I WAS VERY BRUTAL WITH THE LORD
AND I FELT THE LORD TO MY HEART,
HE SAYS, WHEN YOU COME TO PRAYER,
YOU'RE COMING TO FIND MY PRESENCE.
HE SAID, HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT
THAT THE REASON WHY I WANT YOU HERE IS BECAUSE I ENJOY YOURS?
AND I SAID, WHAT IS THERE TO ENJOY ABOUT ME?
I'M A SINNER.
I DON'T EVEN LIKE MYSELF HALF OF THE TIMES.
I KNOW ALL MY FAULTS. BUT HE SAYS, YOU'RE MY SON
AND I LOVED YOU.
IF I LOVED THE WORLD WHEN THEY WERE STILL IN SIN,
CAN YOU IMAGINE YOU'RE MY CHILD HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU?
HE SAYS, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT YOU FINDING MY PRESENCE
AS A FATHER.
I LOVE YOU AS MY SON, AND WHY NOT IN A NEW AGE IS SELFISH
SPARKLE OF THE UNIVERSE WAY,
BUT IN A GENUINE BIBLICAL WAY, GOD LOVES ME.
SOMETHING JUST FILLED MY HEART.
I GOT FLOODED WITH TEARS
AND THE FACT THAT HE LOVES ME.
SO NEXT DAY,
WHAT I DID IS I CAME, I SAT THERE,
AND I SAID, LORD, HERE I AM.
ENJOY ME.
REBECCA: IT'S SO GREAT.
VLAD: AND I RELAXED AND I SAID,
I DON'T NEED TO DO ANYTHING.
I JUST NEED TO BE HERE.
AND THEN MAYBE 15, 20 MINUTES, THE PRESENCE OF GOD
JUST CAME SO STRONG, AND I REALIZED PRAYER
IS NOT ABOUT ME FEELING HIM, EXPERIENCING HIM,
IT'S ALSO ABOUT HIM. HE LOVES ME.
IMAGINE IF I WANT TO COME AND I WANT TO EMBRACE MY SON
AND HE DOESN'T WANT ME TO EMBRACE HIM.
IT WOULD HURT ME.
SO WE SOMETIMES FORGET GOD REALLY LOVES US.
WHEN HE INVITES US INTO HIS PRESENCE,
HE WANTS TO POUR THAT LOVE AND LOVE IS HURT
IF THE OTHER PERSON IS NOT GIVING THEMSELVES TO YOU
TO LOVE YOU.
REBECCA: THAT'S KIND OF LIKE A RECENT BREAKTHROUGH I'VE HAD
IS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE DOING ALL THESE THINGS
TO GET TO HIM, BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT
HE WANTS TO BE WITH YOU
AND THAT YOU CAN JUST SIT IN HIS PRESENCE AND BE WITH HIM
AND FEEL THAT COMMUNION IN YOUR SPIRIT.
AND, OF COURSE, YOU PRAY OUT LOUD.
WE PRAY IN TONGUES AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
BUT THAT WAS WHAT I WAS REFERENCING,
IS THIS UNDERSTANDING THAT HE WANTS TO BE WITH US.
YAND IT'S ABOUT BEING WITH HIM.
AND IT TAKES,
HE'S DONE THE HEAVY LIFTING.
HE'S DONE THE HARD PART
SO THAT WE CAN BE WITH HIM.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE THAT BREAKTHROUGH
IN YOUR UNDERSTANDING THAT I'M A CHILD AND HE'S MY FATHER,
OH, THAT SHIFTS EVERYTHING. IT SHIFTED FAITH FOR ME, AS WELL.
I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BELIEVE GOD,
BECAUSE HE WAS MY FATHER, AND I KNEW HOW A FATHER LOVES A CHILD,
BECAUSE I'M A MOM THAT LOVES MY KID.
I HAVE A, YOU KNOW,
I HAD MY FATHER, MY HUSBAND.
I SEE HIM AS A FATHER TO OUR CHILDREN.
AND SO IT JUST COMPLETELY CHANGES YOUR THINKING.
AND I JUST THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH IT HAD TO KILL GOD
AND HOW SO MANY OF US BELIEVERS THAT ARE IN THIS SITUATION
LIKE YOU WERE IN THAT
IT'S LIKE ABOUT DOING AND THIS AND THAT I'M GOING TO GO PRAY,
AND THEY'RE MISSING OUT ALL THE JOY OF RELATIONSHIP
AND COMMUNION AND BEING WITH HIM,
AND I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO ROB THEMSELVES AND TURN A QUIET TIME
WHICH I HAD STRUGGLED WITH THIS SOMETIMES MYSELF,
OF SOMETHING THAT YOU CHECK OFF A LIST,
AND YOU'RE MISSING OUT ON THE JOY OF COMMUNING WITH HIM,
AND YOU WILL COMMUNE WITH HIM SO MUCH MORE
WHEN YOU FALL INTO THE EASE AND THE REST THAT HE'S GIVEN US
THROUGH HIS SON JESUS, AND NOW THAT HIS SPIRIT DWELLS WITHIN US
AND THAT WE CAN SPEND TIME WITH A LOVING FATHER
WHO LOVES US.
IT CHANGES EVERYTHING.
VLAD: EVERYTHING.
GOD IS TO BE ENJOYED, NOT ENDURED.
WE ENDURE SUFFERING, WE DON'T ENDURE GOD, YOU KNOW.
HE IS WORTHY OF OUR JOY.
HE IS WORTHY TO BE OUR JOY.
AND THERE IS A COMPONENT OF DISCIPLINE
THAT SOMETIMES NEEDS TO BE APPLIED.
BUT IF DISCIPLINE IS THE SOURCE, IF DISCIPLINE
IS THE STRENGTH OF OUR PRAYER LIFE,
THEN WE'RE NOT REALLY.
I THINK EVEN LAST YEAR WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT IT
THAT WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO BE DISCIPLINED.
WE'RE TRYING TO BE DELIGHTED IN THE LORD.
WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE A COMMUNION WITH THE LORD,
AND WE DO KNOW THIS.
SOMETIMES WE NEED TO APPLY A LITTLE BIT OF DISCIPLINE
BECAUSE OUR FLESH IS THROWING A FIT.
REBECCA: WELL, YEAH, DISCIPLINE, IT'S BECAUSE IF YOU CARE
ABOUT SOMETHING, YOU'LL BE DISCIPLINED ABOUT IT.
AND WE LOVE HIM.
HE LOVES US FIRST, BUT IT'S AN OVERFLOW.
BUT IT'S SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT.
I THOUGHT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE SAME THING WITH WORKING
AND DOING THINGS WITH EXCELLENCE.
YOU CAN'T EXPECT TO LOOK AT THE GROUND AND A PLANT'S
GOING TO COME OUT.
YOU GOT TO DO THE WORK.
YOU GOT TO TILL THE SOIL.
YOU GOT TO PLANT THE SEEDS.
YOU GOTTA WATER IT.
IT'S THE SAME THING WITH OUR FAITH.
AND THAT, YOU KNOW,
I READ A WHOLE BOOK ABOUT SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES
BY DALLAS WILLARD, AND IT WAS GREAT.
AND HE SAID THAT THE GREATEST ATHLETES IN THE WORLD,
THEY PRACTICE EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR THAT MOMENT
WHERE THEY GET UP TO THE PLATE AND THEY HIT THAT HOME RUN.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE READY FOR THIS GREAT SPIRITUAL MOMENT.
YOU'RE NOT.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT'S GOING TO COME.
YOU WALK EVERY DAY WITH HIM, AND THEN YOU'LL BE READY
WHEN THAT MOMENT COMES.
AND SO DISCIPLINE IS REALLY A FORM OF WORSHIP.
IT'S SAYING THAT YOU CARE,
BUT IT'S LIKE WE GOTTA BE INTENTIONAL WITH EVERYTHING
IN OUR LIFE,
AND SO DISCIPLINE IS APART OF IT.
IT'S JUST IT'S NOT COMING FROM OUR STRENGTH.
IT'S COMING FROM HIS STRENGTH, AND IT'S COMING
FROM THE UNDERSTANDING HE LOVES US,
SO I'M GOING TO BE INTENTIONAL WITH HIM.
AND I THINK WE'RE LIVING IN A WORLD
THAT'S FIGHTING FOR OUR AFFECTION,
THAT'S FIGHTING FOR OUR ATTENTION.
AND SO WE NEED TO BE INTENTIONAL OF LIVING IN HIS PRESENCE,
WALKING IN OBEDIENCE,
BUT THEN ALSO CARVING OUT THAT TIME TO BE WITH HIM,
ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S A MILLION THINGS, YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE A FATHER, A PASTOR A HUSBAND,
YOU'RE DOING ALL THESE THINGS.
SO YOU NOW KNOW MORE THAN EVER HOW MUCH PEOPLE
ARE PULLING ON YOU FOR TIME, BUT HOW YOU NEED TO
MAKE TIME FOR HIM.
VLAD: YEAH, YEAH.
ONE HUNDRED PERCENT.
I THINK THAT IF WE DON'T OVERCOME, FOR SOME PEOPLE,
IT'S AN EXCUSE FOR NOT SPENDING TIME WITH THE LORD IS SIN.
THEY'RE STRUGGLING WITH STUFF RIGHT NOW,
AND THE ENEMY USES THAT TO SAY,
YOU'RE NOT WORTHY. SHAME. GUILT.
AND WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND
IS THAT YOU DON'T GET RID OF SHAME AND GUILT
BY STAYING AWAY FROM HIS PRESENCE.
YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO GO INTO HIS PRESENCE AND READ THE GOSPELS.
YOU SEE, SINFUL MEN AND WOMEN CAME CLOSE TO JESUS
AND THEY LEFT DIFFERENT.
THEY WERE NEVER SHAMED. IN FACT, THEY WERE CHANGED
BECAUSE OF HIS PRESENCE.
JESUS' PRESENCE IS SO POWERFUL,
IT CAN CHANGE YOU. THE BLOOD OF JESUS CAN CLEANSE US.
THE SECOND EXCUSE
IS BUSYNESS, SO IT'S A SHAME, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S BUSYNESS.
REBECCA: YEAH. SOMETIMES WE WORSHIP BUSYNESS
IN THIS CULTURE.
VLAD: BUSYNESS IS A, YOU KNOW,
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING BUSY,
BUT GOD DIDN'T CALL US TO BE BUSY,
HE CALLED US TO BE FRUITFUL.
AND SOMETIMES WE ARE MORE LIKE MACHINES
THAN ACTUALLY HUMAN BEINGS BECAUSE WE'RE CONSTANTLY
NEVER TURN OFF.
WE NEVER STOP.
YOU KNOW, ONE TIME, REBECCA,
THE LORD DEALT WITH ME FROM THE STORY OF ESTHER.
WHEN VASHTI WAS INVITED TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF A KING
AND SHE WAS BUSY WITH THE WOMEN'S FEAST
AND SHE DIDN'T COME WHEN SHE WAS COMMENDED, SHE LOST HER CROWN.
SHE PROBABLY BECAME A CONCUBINE.
SHE NEVER LOST THE PALACE.
SHE JUST STOPPED BEING SOMEONE THAT WAS A QUEEN.
ESTHER, ON THE OTHER HAND, WAS NEVER INVITED,
BUT SHE CAME TO THE PRESENCE OF THE KING.
ESTHER LED WOMEN TO FAST. VASHTI LED WOMEN TO FEAST.
VASHTI LOST HER CROWN, ESTHER SAVED HER GENERATION.
AND SO ANYTIME WE USE BUSYNESS AS AN EXCUSE,
NOT ONLY WE LOSE INTIMACY,
WE LOSE INFLUENCE IN THE SPIRIT REALM
AND WE START OPERATING ON, REALLY, A CONCUBINE LEVEL.
WE'RE CALLED TO BE THE BRIDE.
WE'RE CALLED TO HAVE INTIMACY, AND WE CAN CHOOSE
TO DISTANCE OURSELVES FROM THOSE INTIMATE MOMENTS
BECAUSE OF OUR BUSYNESS, AND THEN WE'LL BE WORKING
FOR THE LORD.
WE DON'T KNOW THAT LORD THAT WE'RE WORKING FOR.
WE WILL BE OVERWHELMED.
WE WILL BE STRESSED OUT LIKE MARTHA; OVERWHELMED,
WORRIED ABOUT MANY THINGS, RUNNING,
YOU KNOW, MAKING SANDWICHES
JESUS JUST NEVER ORDERED AND JUST CONSTANTLY BEING
FRUSTRATED, ANXIETY, TAKING PILLS, AND ALL OF THIS STUFF,
AND BECAUSE WE'RE JUST WE'RE JUST DOING ALL OF THIS STUFF
FOR GOD, BUT WE'RE NOT DOING IT WITH HIM
BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH HIM.
AND I THINK THAT THE LORD WANTS US TO OVERCOME THAT BUSINESS.
IT IS A STRUGGLE.
IT'S TO SOME DEGREE A SPIRITUAL WARFARE
WHERE WE MAKE A CONSCIOUS PRIORITY.
AND THIS IS WHERE I THINK DISCIPLINE COMES IN WHERE,
NO, THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT. PRAYER DOESN'T TAKE TIME.
PRAYER SAVES TIME. AND I ALWAYS TELL MYSELF PRAYER SAVES TIME.
I'D RATHER SPEND 30 MINUTES WITH THE LORD,
THAN 30 MINUTES ON A COMPUTER, BECAUSE THEN HE CAN FIGURE OUT
AND BLESS THE REST OF IT,
AND THEN WHAT PRAYER DOES FOR ME WHEN I SPEND TIME
IN THE MIDST OF BUSYNESS IS IT HELPS ME TO SLOW DOWN
THE PACE OF MY LIFE THAT I DON'T RUN FASTER
THAN THE GRACE OF GOD CAN SUSTAIN ME
BECAUSE THEN YOU GET ON THIS TREADMILL
WHERE YOU'RE RUNNING FAST,
YOU'RE SAYING YES
TO EVERY OPPORTUNITY AND YOU'RE TRYING TO OPTIMIZE YOUR GIFT
AND REALLY JUST REACH YOUR POTENTIAL,
REACH THE WORLD. BUT YOU'RE MISSING THE WHOLE POINT.
WHAT DID HE CALL YOU TO DO?
JESUS DIDN'T REACH THE WORLD.
HE DIDN'T EVEN TRAVEL A LOT, AND HE MINISTERED
FOR THREE-AND-A-HALF YEARS.
BUT AT THE END OF HIS LIFE,
HE COULD HAVE SAID, IT IS FINISHED.
I DID EVERYTHING THE FATHER ASKED ME TO DO.
TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT, YOU HAVE TO BE CLOSE TO THE FATHER
TO KNOW WHAT ARE THE TASKS HE HAS FOR ME.
JUST BECAUSE MY NEIGHBOR, MY FRIEND,
MY COLLEAGUE IS DOING THIS, THIS DOESN'T MEAN I HAVE TO DO THAT.
BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A SECRET PLACE,
YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MOVED BY WHAT
EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING.
YOU'LL RUN AT EVERYBODY ELSE'S PACE, IGNORING YOUR FAMILY,
RUNNING YOUR FAMILY OVER, RUNNING YOUR HEALTH OVER,
BEING INVOLVED IN EVERY SINGLE THING
INSTEAD OF RUNNING AT THE PACE THAT THE GRACE OF GOD
CAN SUSTAIN YOU AND LIVING WITH THIS INNER WITNESS,
MY LIFE IS PLEASING TO HIM.
IF I DIE TODAY,
I KNOW HE WILL LOOK AT ME AND HE WILL SAY,
FAITHFUL AND GOOD SERVANT.
I DIDN'T WRITE EVERY BOOK I NEEDED TO WRITE.
I DIDN'T SPEAK EVERYWHERE
I NEEDED TO SPEAK.
I DIDN'T SAVE EVERY SOUL.
HE IS THE SAVIOR.
HE IS THE GOD IN CONTROL.
I JUST PLAY A SMALL PART IN THE BIG POND OF HIS KINGDOM.
AND AS LONG AS MY PART IS FULFILLED, AND THE WAY I KNOW
THAT PART IS FULFILLED
IS THAT I LOOK IN HIS EYES EVERY DAY AND I SEE,
IS HE PLEASED WITH ME TODAY? IF HE'S NOT PLEASED WITH ME,
THEN I NEED TO CHANGE SOME THINGS. BUT IF I DON'T
LOOK IN HIS EYES REGULARLY, IF I DON'T SENSE HIS PRESENCE,
ALL I'M DOING IS I'M LOOKING OVER WHO'S DOING WHAT.
AND I'M TRYING TO COMPETE WITH EVERYBODY ELSE'S PACE OF LIFE
AND MINISTRY, AS A RESULT,
I USUALLY END UP RUNNING OVER MY FAMILY, MY MENTAL HEALTH,
MY PHYSICAL HEALTH, AND MY SANITY.
REBECCA: THE KEY, REALLY, IS THE SECRET PLACE,
HE FILLS UP OUR CUP.
IT'S THAT PSALMS 23. HE RESTORES OUR SOUL.
WE HAVE TO PROCESS CONSISTENTLY.
WE HAVE TO FORGIVE, AND HE FORGIVES THROUGH US.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE DO EVEN WITH HIM,
BUT WE HAVE TO GET IN THE SECRET PLACE.
AND THAT NOT ONLY IS OUR SOURCE, BUT THAT'S WHERE
WE HAVE OUR IDENTITY.
THAT'S WHERE WE FIND OUR PACING.
BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO LESS OR MORE.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO
JUST EXACTLY WHAT HE'S CALLED US TO DO.
AND THERE'S THAT ASPECT OF IDENTITY,
AND SO WE'RE NOT LIVING FROM A PLACE
THAT I NEED TO DO TO BE.
I AM, SO THEREFORE I DO.
BUT ALL OF THIS, THE KEY OF ALL OF THIS,
IS UNDERSTANDING THAT HE IS OUR SOURCE,
AND THAT WE SPEND TIME WITH HIM AND SO IT'S JUST THAT'S SO GOOD,
VLAD: BECAUSE OTHERWISE WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR GENERATION,
REBECCA, AND I'M SEEING THIS WITH YOUNGER EMERGING LEADERS
RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY THE ONES
WHO ARE REALLY TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, REACH THE NATIONS
THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, WHAT I'M SEEING IS
A CRAVING TO BE VISIBLE.
THEY DRAW THEIR VALUE FROM THEIR VISIBILITY.
THEY DON'T FEEL VALUABLE IF THEY'RE NOT VISIBLE.
AND THE WAY YOU BECOME VISIBLE IS TO BECOME VIRAL.
SO EVERYBODY IS FISHING FOR, I WANT TO BECOME VIRAL.
I WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT MAKES ME VIRAL.
I WANT TO MAKE A VIRAL VIDEO, BECAUSE I WANT TO BE VISIBLE,
BECAUSE IF I'M VISIBLE, I'M VALUABLE.
PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE A SECRET PLACE THINK LIKE THAT.
WHEN YOU HAVE A SECRET PLACE,
YOUR VALUE COMES FROM YOU'RE LOVED BY GOD,
YOUR INDWELLING BY THE SPIRIT.
YOUR VALUE SYSTEM IS DIFFERENT, AND EVEN IF
YOU'RE NOT VISIBLE, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT VIRAL,
EVEN IF YOU BECOME IRRELEVANT TO THIS CULTURE,
NOBODY IS INTERESTED IN YOU,
NOBODY CARES ABOUT YOU, NOBODY INVITES YOU, NOBODY SUBSCRIBES,
NOBODY LIKES,
IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE WHY, BECAUSE MY VALUE IS NOT
DETERMINED BY THAT. MY HEART IS NOT VISIBLE.
IT IS VERY VALUABLE.
MY HEART DOESN'T HARBOR AN OFFENSE TOWARD MY EYES AND SAID,
THAT'S JUST NOT FAIR.
EVERYBODY SEES YOU EVERY DAY, AND YOU'RE GETTING
ALL THE CREDIT AND YOU'RE GETTING ALL THE RECOGNITION.
AND THEN I DON'T GET ANY RECOGNITION.
THERE ARE PARTS IN MY BODY THAT WILL NEVER BE VISIBLE,
BUT THEY'RE SO VALUABLE, AND THEY ARE. THEY ARE EXACTLY
WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE. THERE'RE MANY MEN AND WOMEN
OF GOD THAT GOD WILL NEVER PUT IN THE PLACE OF VISIBILITY,
BUT THEY'RE AS VALUABLE AS ANYBODY ELSE
WHO IS IN THE PLACE OF VISIBILITY, AND IF WE DON'T
DRAW OUR IDENTITY FROM OUR INTIMACY WITH GOD,
WE WILL DRAW OUR IDENTITY FROM THE TITLES,
FROM WHAT MEN CALL US,
FROM OUR VISIBILITY, AND THAT IS SO FAKE
AND THAT IS SO TEMPORARY, AND IT'S LIKE CHASING THE WIND.
IT WILL NEVER TRULY SATISFY.
REBECCA: NO, IT JUST FEELS SUPER EMPTY.
AND YOU CAN EXHAUST YOURSELF
BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO RUN TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN.
BUT THAT SECRET PLACE
IS WHAT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
WELL, THIS HAS BEEN AMAZING. FOR PEOPLE
WHO WANT TO GET YOUR BOOK,BUILD A FIRE ,
WHERE DO THEY GET IT?
VLAD: THEY JUST CALL YOU,
AND THEN YOU GIVE THEM IT.
[ LAUGHING ]
REBECCA: I'LL HOOK YOU UP.
[ LAUGHING ]
VLAD: YOU CAN GO ON AMAZON AND GET IT ON AMAZON.
IT'S IN KINDLE, PAPERBACK, HARDCOVER, AUDIBLE.
SO MOST PEOPLE LIKE AUDIBLE AUDIO IF YOU'RE YOUNGER
AND YOU WANT TO CONSERVE TIME.
OR THEY CAN DOWNLOAD IT FOR FREE ON MY WEBSITE,
PASTORVLAD.ORG.
YOU CAN GO THERE AND JUST DOWNLOAD,
AND THERE'S RUSSIAN VERSION,
THERE'S ROMANIAN VERSION, THERE'S A SPANISH VERSION,
THERE IS, OF COURSE, ENGLISH VERSIONS,
AND I THINK THERE'S ABOUT A FEW MORE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON,
GERMAN AND ANOTHER ONE,
AND THEY CAN DOWNLOAD, NO STRINGS ATTACHED AND FOR FREE,
THAT BOOK.
REBECCA: THAT'S AMAZING.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
VLAD: MY PLEASURE.
THANK YOU, REBECCA.
REBECCA: COME BACK AGAIN, OKAY?
ALL RIGHT.
VLAD: IF YOU INVITE ME, I WILL.
REBECCA: I WILL.
NO, I WILL.
I GOT IT ON RECORDING.
ALL RIGHT.
AND THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR LISTENING TO
THE REBECCA WEISS PODCAST .