How to Fast from Negativity and Enjoy it The world is full of negativity. Russian is trying to un-alive Ukraine. Refuges are second-class Citizens. Everyone but Putin is trying to avoid WW III. Not only internationally but in our own neighbourhood, this week our doors were kicked in. Over the last 2 years we’ve had relationships fall apart, finances be in ruins and health scares abounding.
You can’t control what happens to you, you can only control how you respond to what happens to you.
Watch How to Fast from Negativity and Enjoy it
I want you to never forget:
- You are a child of the King( Matthew 6:9-10).
- You are a friend of God (John 15:15).
- You have the Spirit of wisdom and counsel to help you (Isaiah 11:1-3).
- You have the Kingdom of God around you and growing within you (Luke 17:21).
- You have the same power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead alive in you (Ephesians 1:19-20).
You don’t have to respond or be overwhelmed by the negativity of the world around you. It’s not about closing your eyes and hiding your head. It’s not about ignoring all the negativity around. It’s not about accepting you have negativity inside you.
It’s about using lament and trusting your good Father.
If you want to you Sign up for the Live LIGHT Negativity Fast today for free at http://revtrev.link/fast and get 46 Daily Reflections and 46 daily Devotionals, a weekly Conversation Cafe, Quick Connect AND you get a life-giving community so that you can move from toxic negativity to life-giving positivity. If you sign up today, you’ll go to just a few days after Easter.
What is a negativity fast?
Negativity is any thought, word or action that is not in line with the will of God expressed in Scripture.
A fast is permission to grow in positivity.
Since 2006 I’ve been helping people fast from negativity. I’ve been amazed how it’s developed.
- A vicar in England created a small group study based on the material
- A youth leader in the US developed a youth curriculum.
- There are groups on Facebook that meet to encourage people to live positively.
- When I started there was not 1 Christian site on the first 30 pages of Google that taught on negativity fasts. In 2011 my site was outranking Oprah’s call for a negativity fast
A negativity fast is an opportunity to change our thoughts, our words and our actions so they agree with God’s. It’s a chance for us to train ourselves to be intentional with what we think, what we say, and what we do. It’s not about following a legalistic list of rules. It’s about experiencing and responding to the grace of God in our lives.
I’d like to do a little word association game with you to make sure that we’re all on the same page.
You plant a kernel of corn and you expect...corn will grow.
You plant a wheat seed and you expect...wheat.
You plant an acorn and you expect...an oak tree.
Like produces like right? On the third day God said “Let there be vegetation and let their seeds reproduce after their own kind.” (Genesis 1:11-12) He’s ordained that what we sow we reap. Right?
I know this might seem a little basic, but you can tell it’s going somewhere right?
When you see a lemon squeezed you expect to get... lemon juice
When you see an orange squeezed you expect to get... orange juice
When you see a Christian squeezed you should expect to see... Christ
I don’t know what your experience is I hope we all have people that we can walk with through difficult times and see the love and the grace and the hope and the confidence of Christ as they are put through the press.
But in my experience that’s unfortunately very few people. It’s my goal to help change that.
I’ve asked Christians “What to get when you squeeze a Christian...” and once they realize it’s not the set up for a joke they’ll usually respond “un-christian” and then go on to explain that must mean people who said they were Christian weren’t really Christian to begin with.
I’m reluctant to agree. Mainly because I’ve been squeezed and Christ hasn’t always oozed out. And all that means to me is I need to deepen my relationship with Him.
How can you not love a God who loves us so much that even when He needs to rebuke us He doesn’t push us away? I want to be like Him.
REMAIN
John 15:4 NLT Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
Psalm 73
R - Remember the good
E - Engage your identity
M - Mark the words you say
A - Act like Jesus
I - Ignite change around you
N - Notice God in everything
R - Remember the good
I’ve found a Psalm that has a lot of the elements of a negativity fast. Psalms are great because they give us a language to pour out our emotions to God.
Psalm 73:1-3 (NLT) Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure.But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone. For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
How do you fast from negativity? You choose to remember the good.
Where is your focus? Are you looking to what God has done and is doing or do you only see what He hasn’t yet done? Do you choose to be thankful? Do you choose to agree with the promises of God despite what you experience? Do you choose to live unoffended at God?
I’ve found over the years that the biggest struggle for overcoming negativity is believing that you have a choice to be positive. I’m not talking about slapping a smile on your face. I’m talking about controlling what you think about. Jesus said
“For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” (Matthew 12:34 NIV)
We’ve already agree that we reap what we sow, right? The same principle is with our thought life. For you programmers out there maybe you understand “garbage in - garbage out”. It’s a universal principle. That’s why Paul said:
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9 (NLT)
My question for you is: Will you choose to think on these things? Will you stop thinking negative thoughts?
It’s not of matter of saying “I won’t think those thoughts”. You need to remember the good because out of the abundance of your heart the mouth speaks.
Will you fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from people who love Jesus—everything you heard from them and saw them doing.
God will help you, but you may need to make the choice to think about what you think about.
E - Engage your identity
Let’s move on to verse 4. The Psalmist starts describing what he sees when he looks at the prosperity of the wicked:
Psalm 73:4-14 (NLT) They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong. They don’t have troubles like other people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else. They wear pride like a jeweled necklace and clothe themselves with cruelty. These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for! They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to crush others. They boast against the very heavens, and their words strut throughout the earth. And so the people are dismayed and confused, drinking in all their words. “What does God know?” they ask. “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?” Look at these wicked people— enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply. Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason? I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain.
Let’s be honest. You don’t have to raise your hand, but be honest with yourself... how often do we compare ourselves to others and only see what we lack? The only way to break that thinking off us it to know whose you are and who you are. You need to know...not just in your head but in your heart you need to know your identity. I’ve got a tool set up you can get to through the button my MyKWC.ca . You can print off a personalized Identity in Christ.
You should go there and do that and memorize it.
But just like Peter had the revelation of who Jesus was, you need to have the revelation of who you are. It’s not enough to simply memorize truth, you need to experience that truth. You need to know you’re accepted. You need to know you’re a child of God. You need to know the Father heart of God. You need to know that adoption is an event not a position. You need to know He’s for you not against you. You need to know He’s good all the time.
That comes by spending time with God. That’s why we do it over a longer season.
It starts by replacing the lies you believe about yourself with the truth God says about you. You do that by focussing on what God says about you.
M - Mark the words you say
Let’s go on to verse 15. The psalmist has just finished his complaint to God and he says something extraordinary.
Psalm 73:15-16 (NLT) If I had really spoken this way to others, I would have been a traitor to your people. So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is!
2/3rd of the psalms are Psalms of Lament. Most of those are personal songs. They didn’t originate to be sung by the community. I love going through the Psalms until I get to one that speaks my situation and how I feel. Then I camp out there for a while and meditate on what’s in it.
God isn’t interested in masks. In ancient greece the actors wore masks. The actors were called “Hypocratis.” It’s were we get our word hypocrite. God isn’t interested in us play acting before Him. He’s given us language in His word...especially the Psalms...that we can use to pour out our emotions to Him.
But that doesn’t mean we share our struggles with everyone. Yes, we need people who will walk along with us (Galatians 6:2) (and husbands you need to let your wives share their feelings, and wives don’t judge your husband when he finally shares his feelings) but at the same time we don’t want to do or say anything that causes someone else to stumble (1 Corinthians 10:32-33). Recognize that:
Life and death is in the power of the tongue. (Proverbs 18:21).
I’ve seen a philosophy rise up in churches that says “Be Real, Be Transparent”. How I’ve seen that worked through is that struggles are shared without victory, sin is shared without repentance, and my fallen state overrules who I am in Christ.
The Psalmist said it this way in another version “If I had spoken out like that I would have betrayed your children.”
The Psalm is ascribe to Asaph. We don’t know exactly what that means. It could be in style of Asaph, by Asaph, by the sons of Asaph...It’s not really important. The sons of Asaph were assigned by David to prophesy "to the accompaniment of lyres, harps, and cymbals" (1 Chronicles 25:1-2). It’s safe to say that the person who had these thoughts and put them to song was a person of authority. He had some influence. He wrote: “If I had spoken out like that I would have betrayed your children.”
You have influence. You influence your family. You influence your workplace. You influence your friends. You influence you church. You influence your small group. You influence everyone who God has placed around you to have influence with.
You serve the One who spoke “Peace” and the storm settled. He’s in you to do the same with the storms of life that others have. Never forget -
Life and death is in the power of the tongue. (Proverbs 18:21).
Too often we forget that and we use the phrase “That’s just how I feel” to justify talking off any kind of godly filter from our mouth. But look what Paul says in Ephesians 4:29 listen to how the Amplified version puts it:
Ephesians 4:29 (AMP) Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God's favor) to those who hear it. (AMP)
The NLT puts it this way:
Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
We are responsible for our tongues. You need to decide how you’re going to use your tongue. It’s a choice. It’s a decision of your will. You can train yourself to only speak the words of life. But it’s not an easy thing to change. Get people around you to help you. (snap bands)
Now what if you’re around people who don’t choose to speak only the words that build up others?
SOW
S - Shine - knowing you’re responsible for your tongue
O - Open to the “why” of of what they say. What wound are they acting out of?
W - Welcome the gold God sees in them. Ask God what he loves about them.
So you need to decide: Will you choose to speak only words of life?
A - Act like Jesus
Let’s move on to verse 17. The psalmist has just told us that he was troubled with all the thoughts going on in his head about how the wicked prospers while he has to suffer. He goes on to say:
Psalm 73:17-20 (NLT) Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked. Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction. In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors. When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.
Do you see what our actions bring us? We reap what we sow. Paul wrote to the Galatians:
Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Galatians 6:7-9 (NLT)
God isn’t a God of lists and rules. When He tells us how to live it’s because He knows the consequences of our actions when we don’t live that way. He loves us too much to allow us to hurt ourselves and others without consequences.
We need to realize we become what we worship. (Psalm 115:8)
I read about Brad Pitt’s spiritual journey. He was raised in a Christian home but couldn’t reconcile why God wants us to worship Him. How can God be God and still want our worship? Apparently Brad saw this as God on an ego trip and so choose to believe God doesn’t exists.
I’m praying that the Holy Spirit can have someone get through to him that God wants our worship not because He needs an ego boost but because we become what we worship.
The evil ones that the Psalmist was lamenting about weren’t worshipping God and the Psalmist realized what their end would be.
You and I can’t allow anything in our lives that is contrary to God’s will for us. Too often we mistake God’s grace with His approval. Let me give you an obvious example:
Out of 29 of the most prominent prayers of the Bible that God said “no” to, over half (17) of the no’s to prayers were because of sin in that individual or the people as a whole. Scripture tells us God will not listen to our prayers if...
- We have unconfessed sin Ps 66:18
- We live in sin Isa 59:2; Joh 9:31
- We don’t give God our best Mal 1:7-9.
- We’ve turned from God Jer 14:10,12.
- We’ve rejected His correction Pr 1:24,25,28
- We ignore His precepts Pr 28:9; Zec 7:11-13
- We ignore the poor Pr 21:13
- We attack the innocent Isa 1:15
- We put other gods before Him Jer 11:11-14; Eze 8:15-18.
- We’re proud Job 35:12-13
- We stand in our own righteousness Lu 18:11-14.
- We’re an enemy of His people Ps 18:40-41; Mic. 3.2-4
- We’re godless... Job 27:8-9
But I know people who justify their sin because God still answers their prayers. They’ve mistaken the grace of God with His approval.
Don’t be someone like that. You are a new creation in Christ. Live up to what you’ve already attained (Philippians 3:16).
The psalmist was changed when he went to worship God. We’re changed when our focus changes to worship. So as you worship God daily... if you pick up a book and read it as part of your devotion; if you download a Bible Reading Plan and take the season just to listen to God; If you sign up for a daily email and take the 5 minutes every day to consider the thought for the day...
Because I know when you do He draws near to you (James 4:8) and when He draws near we’re changed and we become more like the One we worship.
So...Will you choose to get rid of all the actions that hurt you and others? Will you be more and more like Jesus?
I - Ignite change around you
When we worship God good things happen. That’s when our perspective changes. This is what happened to the Psalmist - verse 21.
Psalm 73:21-24 (NLT) Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.
When you start connecting with God on a personal and daily basis, He’s going to show you the things in your life He wants to change. He’s going to teach how to avoid bitterness. He’s going to give you tools to forgive others and live unoffended at God.
There is a better way to live. You can change your environment instead of being changed by it. You serve the One who spoke peace to the storm. You’re someone who can do the same.
It starts by controlling what you can control and letting God take care of the rest. You can choose not become bitter. You can choose to forgive. You can choose to live unoffended at God. Others see your good deeds and glorify your Father who is heaven.
This is what the psalmist did. He admitted his pain and how he reacted because of it. And he didn’t dwell on his failures he moved on to God’s goodness.
Will you choose to change your environment?
N - Notice God in everything
The psalm ends up - as most Psalms of Laments do - with praise to God.
Psalm 73:25-28 (NLT) Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you. But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.
Oh yah. It’s going to be good. I’ve done this enough to know it’s going to be very good. I didn’t say easy. Nothing worth doing is ever easy. But it’s good.
For most of us, fasting from negativity brings a reaction. Offense rises up in some people. Humility rises up in others. Those who seek after God find Him and good things happen.
I have had people sign up for the Negativity Fast who get really upset that they need to change their thoughts, words and actions. Sometimes people say they just can’t handle that kind of challenge right now. They’d rather just hold onto their offense. I occasionally get really nasty emails from people who try to justify their negativity. These people are hurt and don’t know how to heal and a daily reminder of the choices they’ve made just isn’t going to cut it. They need healing relationships. If that’s you this church is a place to be healed. Get connected and see God put on flesh in the people He connects you to.
Now we’ve also had some really fun comments from people that I like to share:
“While I was fasting from negativity, my boss gave me a gift certificate for $100 for being the most positive person in the company.” (your results may vary)
“After the negativity fast my boss asked what my secret was for looking younger as I got older. I had to mention giving up negativity.” (your results may vary)
There is nothing in what I do to help people fast from negativity that earth shattering or purposefully revolutionary. In fact it’s so basic I just met a brand new baby Christian and told her “Go through it...” It’s that basic and that foundational.
Many people don’t even need the daily reflections and devotionals. I make them available because they are good tools and they lend themselves to a community event.
But if …you want to
R - Remember the good
E - Engage your identity
M - Mark the words you say
A - Act like Jesus
I - Ignite change around you
N - Notice God in everything
Then get on with it.
You’ve got the Holy Spirit to teach you all things (John 14:26). Live up to what you’ve already attained. Be the agents of change this city, our province our country and our world needs.
Invitation
Sign up for the Live LIGHT Negativity Fast today for free at http://revtrev.link/fast and get 46 Daily Reflections and 46 daily Devotionals, a weekly Conversation Cafe, Quick Connect AND you get a life-giving community so that you can move from toxic negativity to life-giving positivity.
If you want to go through with others …
Do you want to do it again with friends and family or co-workers? You can do another negativity fast with others whenever you want. Here's some tips to help with that.
FAST
F - Figure out how you’ll do it.
A - Accentuate the positive
S - Scrub out the negative
T - Trust others enough to do it together.
Can I pray for you?
How to Fast from Negativity and Enjoy it Notes
Where to begin?
- You are a child of the ___________( Matthew 6:9-10).
- You are a friend of __________ (John 15:15).
- You have the Spirit of ____________ and counsel to help you (Isaiah 11:1-3).
- You have the _____________ ___ ________ around you and growing within you (Luke 17:21).
- You have the same power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead ________ ____ ____ (Ephesians 1:19-20).
Remember:
Like ________ like
Matthew 16:13-24
R - R__________________ the good - Psalm 73:1-3
Matthew 12:34
Philippians 4:8-9
E - E_______________ your identity - Psalm 73:4-14
M - M____________ the words you say - Psalm 73:15-16
Galatians 6:2
1 Corinthians 10:32-33
Proverbs 18:21
1 Chronicles 25:1-2
A - A____________ like Jesus - Psalm 73:17-20
Galatians 6:7-9
God will not consider our prayers if...
- We have unconfessed sin Ps 66:18
- We live in sin Isa 59:2; Joh 9:31
- We don’t give God our best Mal 1:7-9.
- We’ve turned from God Jer 14:10,12.
- We’ve rejected His correction Pr 1:24,25,28
- We ignore His precepts Pr 28:9; Zec 7:11-13
- We ignore the poor Pr 21:13
- We attack the innocent Isa 1:15
- We put other gods before Him Jer 11:11-14; Eze 8:15-18.
- We’re proud Job 35:12-13
- We stand in our own righteousness Lu 18:11-14.
- We’re an enemy of His people Ps 18:40-41; Mic. 3.2-4
- We’re godless... Job 27:8-9
Live up to what you’ve already attained (Philippians 3:16).
James 4:8
I - I___________________ change around you Psalm 73:21-24
N - N__________________ God in everything Psalm 73:25-28
John 14:26
Invitation
Sign up for the Live LIGHT Negativity Fast today for free at http://revtrev.link/fast and get 46 Daily Reflections and 46 daily Devotionals, a weekly Conversation Cafe, Quick Connect AND you get a life-giving community so that you can move from toxic negativity to life-giving positivity.
Here's some tips to help with that.
FAST
F - Figure out how you’ll do it.
A - Accentuate the positive
S - Scrub out the negative
T - Trust others enough to do it together.
Going Deeper...
What are some thoughts to avoid? (see Col. 3:13; Luke 7:23; Romans 14:4; 1 Peter 2:13-17; 2 Timothy 1:7; Matthew 6:25-29; Proverbs 3:7; Ephesians 4:31; Joshua 1:8-9; Isaiah 43:1-2; Romans 8:1; Philippians 4:6; 1 Peter 5:7)
What are words we need to avoid? (see Matthew 12:35-37; Proverbs 10:19; James 1:19; Proverbs 12:18; Numbers 32:7; Philippians 2:14-16; Ephesians 4:25; 4:29-31; 5:4; Proverbs 16:28; Proverbs 20:19)
What are some actions God warns us against? (see 2 Corinthians 12:20; Ephesians 5:3; Matthew 11:28-30)
What words should be coming our lips? (see John 6:68; Proverbs 12:18; 12:25; 15:1; 16:2; 25:15; Ephesians 4:15; 4:25; 4:29; 5:4; Psalms 30:4; 32:2; Isaiah 50:4; Philemon 1:6)
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