======================================================================== (CLIP) DO YOU HAVE THE FIRE OF THE SPIRIT？ by Shane Idleman ======================================================================== Summary: This sermon emphasizes the power and importance of prayer, highlighting the need to change our mindset when prayer feels boring or challenging. It discusses the significance of fervent prayer, the impact of fasting to fuel spiritual desire, and the transformation that can occur through genuine repentance and surrender at the altar. Scripture References: Matthew 6:6, James 5:16, Mark 9:29, Romans 12:11, Psalm 51:10, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Matthew 17:21, Acts 3:19, James 4:8, Hebrews 4:16 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DESCRIPTION ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This sermon emphasizes the power and importance of prayer, highlighting the need to change our mindset when prayer feels boring or challenging. It discusses the significance of fervent prayer, the impact of fasting to fuel spiritual desire, and the transformation that can occur through genuine repentance and surrender at the altar. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENT ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Let my prayer be set forth as incense before you. So remember that when prayer is boring, you need to change your thinking. I'm offering an incense to the Lord. My prayers are going up to God. God is, it's the one thing, it's the one promise that Jesus even gives us. Go into your prayer closet, shut the door, and the Father will hear you. The power of prayer, that's why it's so hard, that's why it's so difficult, that's why it's so challenging, it can be boring. Do you know the least attended event at any church is a, just let that sink in, let that sink in. The most important, important thing that we can do is the least attendance, a least attended. And it's really a reflection of our heart, is it not? The fire of God. And maybe we don't think God really answers. I mean, I know not everyone can make things. I know, I understand that. But it really is an indication of where we're at spiritually. There's no fervor, there's no desire. And often it's because there's no desire for that because that desire hasn't been fueled all week. If you've been praying and fasting all week full of the fire of God, you can't wait till the next prayer meeting. If I've been on Netflix and Voodoo and Amazon Prime and eating too much and drinking too much, and oh my goodness, I have no desire for that. My taste buds are dull to the things of the Spirit. And that's why we threw out there that challenge. There's a phone number you can text us at. It should be in front of you on a sheet. Where if you text us the word fasting, we will add you to the fasting text messages that go out. There's about 183 people right now from this church who are fasting. Well, some are out of town probably. But who are fasting and praying for Ren and the Heavens and for our nation. And the biggest encouragement is to get back up and start again. And the things I hear more than anything, Dave's a good example. How many, three weeks? Yeah, three weeks, mainly just water. And he's crying, he's holding, he's like, now I know why you talk about it. Because you're starving the appetites of the flesh. And whenever you do that, you get filled with the Spirit of God. I have to fast before I preach. I have to pray. I prayed this morning, God, speak life into this message. And that's why we do encourage people to come to the altar. Because it's a place of death where we lay down certain things, certain struggles, addictions, strongholds that have had us in bondage for years. We lay that down, a place of death. Lord, I am dying here. And I need to come up revived and filled with Your Spirit because genuine repentance took place. It's powerful. I've seen more lives. The reason we stress it a lot is I've seen more lives changed at the altar than anywhere else. There's not even a close second. Not even a close second. Marriage is restored. There's been times it's like, hey, such-and-such is divorced. Man, we're praying, and then a month later, we see them both down here crying together. Whoa! Third recovery home. Marriage is about over. We see the prodigals we've been praying for. See them over there. People healed, set free. A place of death that gives life. It's so important. ======================================================================== Video: https://sermonindex2.b-cdn.net/-FmNP7yxrbU.mp4 Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/shane-idleman/clip-do-you-have-the-fire-of-the-spirit/ ========================================================================