Pressing on with Kingdom Purpose
We have so much to celebrate with our new location at 1011 Wilson Ranch Place in Cedar Park! It’s full of light, available to us 24/7, and the presence of the Holy Spirit is evident. This is a time of joy but it’s not a time to rest on our laurels or pat ourselves on the back. While the Lord used many people in getting us here, all glory belongs to Christ.
On August 22nd, I called for a corporate time of prayer and fasting from August 23-September 2nd, encouraging our church members to read through the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. They were doing a great work in rebuilding the Temple and Jerusalem. Many enemies arose to oppose the work of the Lord, but the work went on with Ezra and Nehemiah praying and fasting and leading the people to do the same.
Fifteen percent of our church has signed up to participate in this time of prayer and fasting. There may be more silently doing so as well. As a pastor, this fills my heart with joy. I thank the Lord for Spirit-led people with a burden for the Kingdom.
Today, as I was reading Day 11 of “Fast Forward” by Vlad Savchuk (I HIGHLY recommend this book), I was given a revelation by the Lord. It came after the devotional from Acts 13.
Acts 13:1-3 says, “Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers; Barnabus and Simeon (who was called Niger), and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were ministering to the Lord and FASTING, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for Me Barnabus and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then, when they had FASTED and PRAYED and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”
We often pray and fast because we have a “problem”. There are so many examples of fasting for a problem in the Old Testament. But as Vlad Savchuk wisely noted, in the New Testament people fasted for purpose (page 74 of “Fast Forward”). Jesus fasted before his ministry began, not because he had problems. The ministers and prophets at Antioch fasted and prayed, not because they had problems. Their fasting and prayer resulted in the Holy Spirit calling Barnabus and Saul into the mission field.
The purpose of this season of corporate prayer and fasting, specifically in regard to changing the name of our church, cannot done because we have a “problem”. Changing the name of a church is not a problem, it’s a ministry tool and an opportunity to step into a new season of Kingdom focused ministry as a community of called-out believers. We do not have a problem. We are in pursuit of a purpose.
The purpose of praying and fasting MUST be for God’s Kingdom and Christ’s glory in any season of life. We must seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to us (Matthew 6:33). We must fast and pray for more of God’s presence. We must fast and pray for more passion for God and less passion for ourselves and what we want. We must decrease so Christ can increase (John 3:30). We must fast and pray for preparation and power for a new season of Kingdom focused ministry that we will be equipped to do the work God has called us to do to revive generations and nations with the Living Word, make disciples of Jesus Christ, and spread Scriptural holiness across the globe as we worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly. We fast and pray for PURPOSE, not problems.
No matter what this community of believers calls themselves, the work of the Kingdom will go on. Jesus promises us in Matthew 16:18 that the gates of hell will NOT prevail against his ekklesia (community of called out ones). He has given us the keys to the Kingdom, not just a building. He has sent us to a new mission field: the city of Cedar Park and the surrounding neighborhoods and businesses. And he is calling us deeper still. Our work will not be done until Cedar Park, Williamson County, Texas, America, and the World knows that Jesus Christ is Lord.
In this season of prayer and fasting may our heart’s cry be: “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, in our church and on earth as it is in heaven.”
For Christ’s Kingdom and His Glory,
Rev. Lauren Green Yates, MDiv.
Pastor of Austin Global Methodist Church
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