Fasting to Slow Us Down

This sermon explores fasting as a vital spiritual discipline that helps believers slow down in a busy world and refocus on God. Using the metaphor of a lumberjack sharpening his axe, Pastor Bernard explains that fasting is how we sharpen our spiritual tools to see breakthrough in our prayers and lives. The message emphasizes that Jesus expected His followers to fast, not for show or recognition from others, but as a private act of worship done in secret for God alone. Fasting is presented as deliberate abstinence from physical gratification to achieve greater spiritual goals—whether seeking God's guidance, expressing grief, overcoming temptation, or simply worshiping God. The sermon challenges believers to examine what they hunger for most, as this reveals what they truly worship, and encourages the practice of fasting to reorient desires toward God.