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Happy New Year. River Valley Church. Come on. Are you happy to be in church this year? 2026 already off to a great start. I want to welcome everybody joining online, some of our other campuses as well this weekend. I don't know about you, but I'm thankful for all God did in 2025, in and through our church, in our family, in myself. And I just, I'm believing that you think of the same thing. Grateful for an amazing year and for those that are believing for the miraculous, believing for breakthrough. We're starting as a church this week, 21 days of prayer and fasting to believe alongside of every single person. River Valley Church. We're gonna believe for the miraculous. We're gonna believe for breakthrough. We're gonna believe that God's got more. We're gonna believe that God's got beyond what we could ask, think or imagine. Is anybody expectant for 2026 ready for the year? I know it's a lot of call and response. You know, not as many claps on that one. It's right. The goal of this message, just talking about prayer and fasting really is to build within each person from the word of God a desire to fast. Pastor Connor shared earlier just about the, you know, New Year's resolutions. And really I just, I'm praying that this message right now would make it within your spirit. Resolute. I'm gonna make it resolute. I've got a conviction that I'm gonna participate this year in 21 days of prayer and fasting because I believe that God can do the miraculous. That is what we believe. Before we get into the scripture, we're going to go to Matthew, Chapter 9, 2025. Our vision was forever glory as a church every single year. And actually in just a few weeks, Pastor Rob is going to cast brand new vision for the year for our church that you, if God has planted you here, you are a part of the vision that God has. You can receive. What is the vision for our church saying? I want to participate in it. Just like we forever glory. Lord, I want to live not for glory here on this earth, but I want to live for eternity. And because we're just a couple weeks out from the vision weekend, I'd love to read what was last year's vision verses one more time to the church. Because in light of prayer and fasting, this verse applies dramatically. In Second Corinthians, chapter 4, verses 16 and 17, it says this. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are Being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory, a forever glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes on what is not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. Since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Jumping into prayer and fasting is an opportunity to fix your eyes on what is unseen, to engage in a spiritual discipline, to say, God, more than any momentary affliction, more than any trouble, more than any desire, more than any my will for my life, God, I yield to that. I want you more. I want your will and your way more. Matthew, chapter nine. Here's the context for that. Jesus was walking on the earth. The disciples were hanging around with him. And John the Baptist followers came up to Jesus and they were taking a religiosity temperature. How spiritual are Jesus followers? And they're kind of focused on the wrong thing. They're like, we fast. Why don't your disciples fast? Let's just read that verses 14 and 15 together. Then the disciples of John came to him saying, why do we and the Pharisees even fast? But your disciples do not fast. And Jesus said to them, can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them. Talking about his ascension to heaven. Jesus leaving this earth to be at the right hand of the Father, which is the time we live in today. He says, the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them. And then they will fast. That's the title of the message today. Then they will fast. We are they, and we will fast. Amen. Lord, we thank you for this time together in your word. And I just pray right now, as we jump into this topic, really focusing on fasting, we're gonna pray as well. And we're gonna pray all year long. But I just pray that you would awaken within us a hunger for more of Jesus, that you would purify our hearts during this fast, that you would cleanse us from within, that you would help us align our lives with your will. I pray that there would be a growing hunger to hunger. Lord, would you grow within each and every one of us a hunger to hunger for righteousness and for what is good and for what is true and for what is godly? Lord, that we would get desperate for the things of God, for the way of God, the way that leads to life? Lord, I just pray right now, even in this moment, just give a moment of silence Lord, would you speak to each and every heart about how they can participate this year saying, God, I'm seeking the kingdom first. This year I'm putting you first. This year I'm removing distractions. I want more of you. Speak to us, Jesus, and it's in your name we pray. Everybody said, amen. Many of you have been around the church a long time or grew up in church and you've heard this concept of fasting, spiritual discipline. Great book by the way is by Jensen Franklin called Fasting. It's a great resource that you could even read just over the next few weeks. Another resource by Richard Foster. This is a classic celebration of discipline where you can learn more about the discipline fasting. But I'd love to just give a brief definition. Fasting is a voluntary spirit led separation from one's usual activities of life. Typically it is practiced individually by members in the church body or corporately together by means of separating certain foods and liquids from one's diet. Normally fasts are held in accompaniment with prayer and are intended to heighten focus, intensify fervor and gain control over one's fleshly cravings and human will. Fasting is not about earning forgiveness. It's not about performance. It's not about earning love. If I could just be loved by God, that's not what it's about. Fasting is not about earning forgiveness of sin or earning salvation, but it is taking time away from food. And Jesus actually talked about fasting outside of Matthew 9 and Matthew 6. Earlier he talked about fasting for the Christ follower, that it would be a normal part of our walk with Jesus, that this would just become a normal part of following Jesus. Matthew 6, 16, 18 says this, and when you fast, Jesus talking, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly I say to you, they have received their reward. He's giving instructions on how to fast. Verse 17. Again he says, but when you fast, anoint your head, wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others, but by your Father who is in secret. And your father who sees in secret will reward you. Jesus is talking like fasting's gonna be a part of our life. And I'll just give some examples. Personally learning and growing in this discipline of fasting. I'll just tell you, when I start fasting and giving up food, it's usually about the first meal time that I get extremely sad. I just gotta be real. The soul is Mind, will and emotions. And as soon as you start skipping meals, it's like, what am I even doing? Like, I'm experiencing a grief. And it is funny. It is crazy how quickly we realize, like, we are dependent. But the purpose of fasting is to realize I'm not as dependent on food as I am the word of God, and to be close with Jesus. I just. I like grief, and I feel like a child. Kaylee could testify. She'd be like. I'm like, dude, this is hard. Fasting is difficult. As a side note, it's been said, if fasting means nothing to you, it means nothing to God. You gotta give up something that means something to you. Saying, I'm gonna abstain from that so that I can live out my faith. I believe that there's something supernatural happening as I fast. It prompts time and time again the hunger pains during fasting. It prompts time and time again conversation with God. Why? Because you're like, I'm hungry. What am I doing? I'm fasting, Lord. Like, that's the progression that happens in my head and my heart, Lord. And then I've got a decision to make in a fast to say, God, I want you more. Over the next 21 days. As we launch into this, it's an opportunity to say time and time again, we're living different than the world, and God, I want you more. And praying that prayer over and over during a fast can transform your life. I believe this, and I've experienced this when you fast biblically and fast, fast in the right way that is modeled by Jesus. I believe that there's a different type of grief on the end of the fast because you experience a closeness with the Lord. I'm not saying it's all warm and fuzzy and easy, but you experience something spiritually and supernaturally, and you know that this. This time of fasting is coming to an end. And it's like, God, I'm ready to eat. But I have loved removing the distraction from my life. That's been the progression of fasting for me. The first point, I've just got four statements that I think you can hang onto. If you're taking notes, you can just hang onto. During the next 21 days. There are four I'm fasting statements. So we're just believing we're all in. We're doing this. We believe in faith that God will do the miraculous, that this can provide breakthrough, that we're gonna get closer to Jesus. And that's the first statement. I'm fasting for Jesus and for more of him in my life. The days will come when the bridegroom's taken away away from them and then they will fast. If you put that in reverse, it's like I'm fasting to be close to Jesus. Fasting is an act of worship. It's sacrifice, it's obedience. Fasting is a God designed holy limitation that makes room for God himself. And when you get more of him, you get the more and the better that flows from Him. Fasting is a real practical way to live out your longing for Him. I long for you on the inside. This is a practical external way. God, I'm. I'm going to live out my longing for you. It's like what the psalmist wrote in Psalm chapter 73. And a lot of times you can pray this prayer when you're sick, when you're hurting, when you're going through trouble. But you have an opportunity to pray this prayer in the middle of a fast. Verses 25 and 26. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. And you've got an opportunity to pray that prayer like never before during a fast. It's also a way to draw near to God. You know this famous verse if you've been around church any length of time, James 4:8. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Fasting is a way to draw nearer to God. It means more of him and less of us. That famous saying is from John the Baptist in John chapter 3, where John 3:16 comes from. John chapter 3 later, verses 28 and 30. You yourselves bear me witness, John the Baptist talking that I said, I'm not the Christ, but I've been sent before him. The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. Referencing the same language. Jesus is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease. Fasting is an opportunity, a way to live out your faith and to say, God, I want you to increase. And I want my flesh to decrease. My will, my craving, my sinful desire. I want that to decrease. And God, I want you to increase. I'll be honest, just reflecting on this and preparing for the message. Less of me think about that statement. Less of me usually requires all of me to do this. It's like God. I have to be completely surrendered. I want less of me in every area of my life and more of you. And the promise is you get more of the power of God and more of God himself, which is the ultimate. The second statement that you can say, I'm fasting for Jesus to be like Jesus or for more of Jesus. The second point. I'm fasting like Jesus because Jesus fasted so that I can live like Jesus. Okay, follow me here. We've got the garden and the wilderness. Think about in the book of Genesis. You've got Adam and Eve in the garden. They've got specific instructions. Be fruitful and multiply. You can eat of any tree in the garden except one. It has to do with eating. It has to do with appetite. It's this test to keep free will involved, that are you living for the living God. And in that moment, there's this failure. But here's the command. I just want to read the command. Genesis 2, 16, 17. The Lord God commanded the man, saying, you may surely eat of every tree in the garden, but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat. For in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die. And in that moment, death came into the world because of Adam and Eve's sin. That's why we're now born into sin. Death really is the separation of soul and spirit from your body. They weren't originally created to die. They were originally created in a sinless world with the opportunity to choose God every day of their life. And in the moment sin entered the world, death entered the world. And you know, Jesus is actually called the second Adam. Everything went wrong in the Garden of Eden. And then think about this story. As Jesus is walking this earth, he emptied himself to put on humanity and to be tempted as we were tempted. And before he started his ministry, Jesus fasted all food, 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness. It's so amazing, the frailty of humanity. Adam and Eve in the garden can eat anything, and they eat the one, one thing they shouldn't. And Jesus in the wilderness after 40 days is tempted. I'd love to read it. Matthew, chapter four. This is the reversal, symbolically, of what happened as sin entered the world. And it was finalized more than symbolically, but in reality, on the cross and in the empty tomb. Matthew 4, verses 1 through 4. Then Jesus was led up by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. That is a. A verse. And after fasting 40 days and 40 nights, he was hungry that's also a verse that's like, wow, of course. And the tempter came and said to him, if you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread. But Jesus answered him. It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of. In the moment in the Garden of Eden, Adam's first command. It wasn't complicated from God, do not eat of that tree. But Adam listened to his appetite more than he listened to God. He chose what tasted good over what God said. He preferred the meal over the mandate. The first human fall was the moment when hunger ruled instead of God, when appetite took authority over the Word of God. And this is an opportunity to say, appetite does not rule my life. The Word of God rules my life. I know you came here just excited to get into fasting. You know, it's like, been looking forward to it. I will say we fasted the year we lost a child in miscarriage and believed that God would do a miracle and allow us to have more children. Naturally, we pursued the adoption process. And in that after fasting, Kaylee became pregnant with ivy, who's now 7 years old. I believe we have received a real miracle in a child as a result that. Not to earn, but because God is a good father who loves to bless his children. Okay, the motive, it's. It's not this motive of I deserve, but the motive of God. I'm yielding to youo. I'm submitted to youo. I'm giving youg all of my life and I'm seeking youg. You are the only one that can make this happen. And I believe that. You know, the joke is you didn't come here for fasting. A different way to say it in reality is when you experience the blessing and the miraculous nature of God as a result of prayer and fasting, you will look forward to it year after year after year. And as the Holy Spirit leads you into your own personal fasting throughout the year, the third point, or the third statement that you can hang onto, cause again, meal, skipping a meal. You know, if you go through a day or two or if you go through multiple days, you're like, what am I doing? The third statement is, I'm fasting to destroy what wants to destroy me. And that's the spiritual discipline of fasting, has the power to destroy what is coming after your life. Early Christians talk about this all the time. Tertullian and I'll read something that he wrote and Augustine, they talk about two appetites Gluttony is one of them. In the church, we're like nervous to talk about gluttony. We don't have to be lust, those two. Gluttony and lust are best friends and your enemy. And fasting is a way to combat those. Gluttony and lust, not just in food, but as that seeps into every area of our life. The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life, the ambition and the desire of I need this power and position and money and success. All of that starts to creep into our life attached to gluttony and lust. And fasting is a way that you can break that off of your life. Tertullian said this, and this is he was born in 155 A.D. so the people of God have been fasting all through the Old Testament. People of God in the church in the New Testament fasted 155 A.D. he says, first the belly and then immediately the materials of all other species of lust through the love of eating, love of impurity finds passage. Augustine says this fasting cleanses the soul, raises the mind, subjects one's flesh to the Spirit, renders the heart contrite and humble, scatters the clouds of passion, quenches the fire of lust, kindles the true light of purity. Those are all reasons, reasons why fasting exists. To break that off of your life, it's putting reins on what is trying to rule us. And it you can look around for two seconds at your own life, but especially in the world and in culture, to go gluttony and lust run rampant and unchecked. And in the church of Jesus Christ and for the people of God, we choose to engage in fasting as a way, as a spiritual warfare tactic to break that off of our life. James 1:14 and 15 says this. But each person is tempted when he's lured and enticed by his own desire. Gluttony and lust and our will growing up in our life. Verse 15. Then desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin. And when sin is fully grown, it brings forth death. Here's a statement that I think we need to walk in is. And this is like a parental statement. I'm receiving it as a child, just so you know, I'm not trying to give it parentally. I'm just saying this statement. We should all receive as children of God. Get control of your cravings. Get control of your will. What are your cravings? What is your will? All throughout the Bible are stories of people that made the Wrong decision and the consequences had to live out the consequences of those wrong decisions. And they serve as a warning to us. Say, I want to live a different way. I want to keep my craving in check. I want to keep my will in check. I don't want the pride of life and the pursuit of whatever the world says is successful and joyful and fun. I want to pursue what Jesus says leads to life. We already talked about Adam and Eve. Think about Esau. Immediate physical gratification. Moses and the rock. In anger, in frustration. These are cravings that they yielded to in the moment. Saul, the first king of Israel, he was impatient. He had the fear of man. He had pride. David and Bathsheba. It's the lust of the flesh. And he lost a child because of that. The consequences Samson and Delilah, Judas and the 30 pieces of silver. Ananias and Sapphira. In the New Testament. I'm telling you today, as we enter 21 days of prayer and fasting. Lord, would you speak to each person and give us a resoluteness, a conviction that I'm going to participate in what the people of God have done since the beginning of time? The people of God fast. I'm fasting. Then they will fast. Jesus said, when you fast. Jesus said, lord, would you speak to us and give us a conviction? I want to live this discipline out because I want to have more of you, Lord. I want to live like you, Lord. Your spirit, man needs to rise up and tell your body and your soul, which is mind, will and emotions. We are putting cravings to death. I want Jesus more. And if you think that's too strong. Romans 8:13. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die. But if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Colossians 3:5. Put to death. Therefore, what is earthly in you? Sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil, desire, covetousness, which is idolatry. Fasting is the outward practice of this living sacrifice. Romans 12:1. I referred to it earlier. I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. This act of worship God, I'm engaging in 21 days of prayer and fasting to be a living sacrifice. David Campbell says this. We're getting ready to close. When Christ came into the world, he came. Paul tells us to empty himself, to pour himself out. Maybe we should ask not to be filled up, but to be poured out. It's in the pouring out that we are filled up. There's people in our church that have been praying, God, would you. God, I need you. Would you fill me? While living their life totally distracted and busy and in the hurry and rushing and I'm trying to control and. And I'm trying to make it happen and I'm trying to succeed and I'm living in all of this. And maybe we shouldn't. Say God, fill me up, say God, I'm gonna empty myself of all of that striving. I'm gonna empty myself for a period of time from food and social media is good and streaming services is good and alcohol couldn't recommend. Give that up. I couldn't recommend that more drugs, illegal. Give it up. It's in the emptying of yourself. Will you be filled by the spirit of God? Restricting what I want to do to release what God wants to do. The last statement. I'm fasting to receive the more God has for me. There's a supernatural exchange when we limit things in our life. It positions us to receive what God wants to give us. You can receive direction, receive his presence, receive life, receive grace, receive peace, receive strength, healing and freedom. The fruit of the spirit, the gifts of the spirit, the armor of God. Blessing after blessing after blessing. When we limit ourselves, we're positioned to receive. Lord, I thank you. Right now, just as we close, We read your word and we obey. But I do believe that the Holy Spirit right now can swell within our hearts and our minds, that we would all get a conviction that we're going to empty ourselves. We're going to engage in prayer and fasting because we're believing for spiritual breakthrough. I'm fasting for Jesus and for more of him. I'm fasting like Jesus and to be like Jesus. I'm fasting to destroy what is trying to destroy my life. And I'm fasting to receive the more that God has for me. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.