Reviving Your Spirit

Introduction

Indeed, as we have just sung, that is the aim of my message this morning, that we might indeed be revived. We hope that your participation among us this morning has further encouraged you to seek the things of the Lord in your life. To put those in value above everything else. And to realize the benefit of having done so.

Now I can’t remember whether it was Waylon or Tim who was teaching that night. But I want to review what we talked about last Sunday morning. Some of you were not here for a lesson on true worship from John 4 and verse 24. Hopefully, that is indeed what we’ve rendered today. Worship that is true, acceptable before the throne of God. Worship that’s not me centered, but God and others centered, because that’s what true worship is. It’s not about finding a certain feeling, but glorifying God. Feelings may indeed result. It is not physically focused, that is, upon a building and people, as much as it is spiritually focused in the spirit realm, not simply meeting an obligation, but a way of expressing my gratitude toward God. And when we’re done, that’s not the end.

When we finish here in about 25 or 30 minutes, that’s not the end, but a means to an end. That is a greater holiness in our lives, a greater God focus. I’m also going to tie in what Daniel said without the slides on Sunday night about how to get what you want. Be proactive. He taught us. Keep the end in mind and put first things first. And if we do those things, we can accomplish what we want, of course, spiritually, was the idea of the lesson. But as I thought about this particular lesson and what was presented last Sunday, I told Daniel, maybe we need to take one step back from those thoughts. Because I think as we talk about this, some people say, well, but I’m just not feeling it.

I’m just not energized in this direction, especially for the kind of work Daniel was talking about. I’m just not energized to do that. And so I want to take one step back from the instruction that we received last week. And simply ask this question. Where’s the fuel? We’ve talked about the car where the car needs to go, but where’s the gasoline? Where’s the power for the vehicle? Because as I’ve said, I’m really not feeling it. Now, one of the reasons for that could well be what Jesus said, and this was a warning. Wake up, pay attention to this. Matthew chapter 6 and verse 24. Do you know what Jesus said there in the Sermon on the Mount? In fact, when we’re looking for fuel, it occurs to me that the Sermon on the Mount’s a good place to look.

Starting with the Beatitudes of chapter 5. But in the middle of that sermon in Matthew 6 and verse 24, Jesus makes an interesting observation. He says, You cannot serve God and mammon. You hold to the one, despise the other, cling to the one, reject the other, is the idea. You absolutely cannot serve God and mammoth. Now, here’s the thing about that, and I think it was, I’ve heard so many sermons in the last seven days. I think this was Edwin Crozier on Tuesday morning over in the woodlands, he was talking about this. And he made an observation. Jesus did not say you should not serve God and mammon. Obviously, you should serve God and not the things of this world. That’s what mammon represents. But he did not say you should not.

He said you cannot. It isn’t possible to do it. And so, if your focus is this life, this world, it’s stuff, and that’s what drives and motivates you more than anything else, then you cannot serve God. And so we’re here to encourage you to make a different choice. We’re here to encourage you to a different way or kind of thinking. And this is a very familiar text in the Proverbs 4 and verse 23. Keep your heart or guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it flows the issues of life. The graphic says it will determine the course of your life. That’s all correct. If we’re going to offer true worship unto God, and this was implied in the five points that we had on the screen a moment ago, it’s going to all start right here.

With the way you think, your focus, your outlook, your perspective. And that’s what I want to work on with you for a minute this morning from an Old Testament text in Genesis chapter 45. We were studying the life of Joseph. Genesis 45. I could probably go on for the last 20 minutes just about this text, but I’m not going to. Genesis 45, and I’m assume you know the story. If not, you can go back and catch it later in Genesis 45, one of the fascinating stories of the Old Testament, where Joseph finally reveals himself to his brothers who had once sold him off into slavery, thinking he was long gone, if not dead, and here he is, second in command over all of Egypt. And finally, after a long ordeal, as it seems, he is testing them, he reveals himself, and he said, You sent me here.

It was not you that sent me here, but God. And I would just say that’s another one of those sovereign statements in the Bible that we I’ve been talking about a lot with you over the last couple of years. There was evil involved. His brothers did evil toward it. You meant it for evil, he would say later, but God meant it for good. God had a greater plan that trumped your evil conduct. And that’s what God does so amazingly.

God sent me here to preserve life, he says in verse 5. Well, where does this story go from there? Now that the brothers know, and they’re like in awe. I love the reaction. They don’t know what to say. They were dismayed at his presence. It says in verse 3. And so then he says, You’ve got to go tell your father. You’ve got to go back home and get him and bring him here. And I just noticed a little while ago that it says, do not quarrel on the journey. I can see a lot of finger pointing. You caused this, you know, you sent him into slavery, you know, and now look at this. We’re going to get retribution for this. They could have started blaming. Don’t quarrel.

He knows his brothers, and that’s what brothers do. They quarrel. Do not quarrel on the journey. So they go back and tell their aged father. Verse 26. Joseph is still alive. Now, you thought your beloved son, the one to whom you gave the coat of many colors, has been dead for over a decade. Maybe something like 12 or 13 years. And indeed he is ruler over the land of Egypt. Jacob’s response, he was stunned. For he did not believe them. And then this.

And when he saw the wagons, the stuff that Joseph had sent back home with him, when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him. Notice this, verse 27. The spirit of their father Jacob revived. That’s the phrase that I want you to focus in on in Genesis chapter 45 and verse 27. The spirit of Jacob was revived. Something happened within. And we know the reason why. My son Joseph is alive. Can you imagine the news of that? And so what happened? His perspective changed. His thinking changed. News. Information came that changed the way he looked at things. His spirit was revived. Now he’s excited. He’s got something to live for. He’s going to go down to Egypt and see his long lost son.

His spirit revived. And so that tells me something very important about reviving our spirits. Maybe what we need is to be supplying our minds with the right information that revives our spirits. And I’m going to give you seven things really quickly, and may I suggest you write these down or take note of them. Put them somewhere in your Bible. And when you’re feeling down and low and discouraged, not wanting to do the kinds of things Daniel was talking about on Sunday night, not wanting to worship the Lord, at least not in the way that is prescribed in John chapter 4, true worship that we talked about last week. How can I get my spirit, my focus, my perspective, my outlook to be what it should be?

1. I Was Dead, But Now I'm Alive in Christ

And so I began compiling the list that night, sitting in the class, and I’d lost it. And this is what happens to me all the time. I lost it and I discovered it again. I found it. Oh, I need to preach that. And so when I thought about what revives our spirit, I thought about this important point. What energizes me spiritually and gives me fuel is I realized that I was dead. But now I’m alive in Christ. So many passages of the New Testament talk about where we used to be versus where we now are, without hope and without God in the world. Paul says in Ephesians chapter 2, verses 12 and following, talking specifically about the Gentiles there, but that’s certainly true of our experience.

He says, you were dead in your trespasses in sin, Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 1. And I think sometimes we take this for granted, we lose sight of it. That when I did what Cato did on Thursday night, and I was baptized into Christ, I went from death to life.

I was a corpse spiritually. And I was made alive. Even so, and this is this interesting, Romans chapter 6 and verse 11. Even so, consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. That’s interesting because these people have already been baptized into Christ. In fact, in the whole context, he’s reminding them of what their baptism meant. We use that passage to try to teach people the role of baptism in salvation. We’ll go to Romans 6 3 and 4, burial, rising to walk in the newness of life, see, you need to be baptized. It’s not an afterthought in God’s salvation process. But that’s not his primary purpose in Romans 6. In Romans 6, his primary purpose is to teach people like you and me.

2. With God's Fellowship, My Future Is Very Bright

That’s what your baptism meant, so therefore don’t say, let us continue in sin that grace may abound. You must not have understood what baptism meant. And then he comes to verse 11 and he says, Hey, remember what happened that day when you obeyed the gospel? Make application of it again. Consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God. That’s point number one. Point number two. With God’s fellowship, my future is very bright. And all these points, the next several points are all going to go together because a lot of times we need revival spiritually and are feeling so down and discouraged because things in my life and my circumstances are disappointing. And we think this isn’t turning out like I had planned, like I had imagined.

Somewhere I got derailed. How can I be God’s child in the midst of such disappointment? I think that’s where a lot of people find themselves. Maybe it’s their marriage that’s disappointing. Maybe it’s their financial circumstances. Maybe it’s a failed marriage altogether. Maybe it’s children and their behavior, all kinds of financial circumstances, lots of things. And people could say, I don’t know what the point is of going on. Now listen. God has a plan. You have a future and a hope. He tells his people in Jeremiah 29, which is sort of interesting when you consider where that is located. Jeremia 29 is a message to the exiles. Okay, they’re not living where they would like to be living. They are exiles in Babylon. They’re among an uncircumcised people.

They’re not living in their homeland. They’re separated from the place of worship, the temple. And Jeremiah sends a message and says, Now you’re going to be there 70 years. He just says that in verse 10. This isn’t going to be over in a day. Seven decades. I haven’t even lived that long, right? I’ve not even lived that long. He says, 70 years. And he says, For I know the plans that I have for you. Verse 11 declares the Lord plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. And so I don’t know a lot about your circumstances necessarily, but however devastating and disappointing they are, if you’re in fellowship with God, you have a bright future.

Your future is very bright. I have plans. And God’s plans always come about. And may I add this to point number two? My pain is not permanent. So I don’t know. From the standpoint of where I’m at now, this is never going to go away. Well, it may not in your life here. Somebody said, Whew, I’m not in pain.

Well, strap your seatbelt on. You’re going to be in some. If you live long enough, you’re going to experience some pain, whether it’s physical, spiritual, or emotional. You’re going to go through some pain. And I’m here to tell you your pain isn’t permanent. And I will just give you one text. 2 Corinthians chapter 4, where Paul says, My outer man is decaying, my inner man is being renewed day by day. And that’s what we’re trying to do with this lesson renew the inner man. My outer man is decaying, my inner man is being renewed day by day. He says, therefore we do not lose heart. Okay, that’s what we’re talking about. Being revived in our spirits, not losing heart. He says, My outer man is a mess.

My outer man is decaying. That’s not all he says. I started you in the middle of the context. I want you to see the whole enchilada, as we say here in Texas. Paul even says in the context, death works in us. But life in you. Let me tell you how bad it is for Paul. It’s not just that his outer man is decaying. He says, Death works in me. This is a man who’s undergone all kinds of persecution, will eventually be martyred for the cause. He says, death works in us, but life in you. Previous to that, he has talked about, which is one of my favorite verses in the New Testament, one of my favorites. We have this treasure in earthen vessels. That’s, we talked about vessels last week in worship.

He’s talking about us. We have this treasure in earth and vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not of ourselves. We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord in ourselves as bondservants for his sake. He said, We’re just the Lord’s vessels, and ultimately it is going to mean our collapse, physical destruction and demise. But the result is life in you. And then he says this. For our momentary light affliction. I love it. Now, what is mine if his is momentary in light? His momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory. Back to number two, an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. For we do not look to the things which are seen.

3. Not in This Alone: A Family Who Cares

Going back to serving God in Bammon, very first point. We do not look to the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen. The things that are seen are temporal, short-lived, not permanent. Whatever is seen in the world, this is all we’ve ever known, so we tend to put all of the eggs in this basket, and I’m in pain. I may be in pain the rest of my life. It’s not permanent. We do not look to the things which are seen. That’s not our focus and perspective, but to the things which are unseen. Those things are eternal, Paul says. We have a house with God, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. I’ll tell you something else about your pain. These are all subpoints, I guess, but another reason to be revived in your spirit is I’m not in this alone.

I have a family who cares. I said, What? Are you talking about physical family or spiritual family? In my case, it’s both. And that’s a blessing if that’s the case for you. My physical family happens also to be my spiritual family, and they care about me. That’s a plus. Not everybody has that, but even if you don’t have that, you have a spiritual family who cares, who will bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. And if for some reason I’m overlooked, I know that all I have to do is reach out and say, help me, and they’ll be there. Don’t be sitting back on the side, like, well, the people don’t care about me. First of all, they’re not mind readers. Your brethren don’t know what’s going on necessarily in your circumstances.

And there’s a lot of people to tend to. So if you feel like you’re neglected and that nobody cares about the very real struggles, reach out for help, and I guarantee you they’ll be there.

4. He Gives You Equipment to Face Any Challenge

And you’ll have no one else who cares about you so deeply and genuinely. And may we be those kinds of people toward each other. I have a family who cares, who will help me no matter what the trial and trouble is. Point number five. This is big. You know, God doesn’t delineate all the circumstances of our lives for us. This is what you could encounter, this is what you could encounter. But I’ll tell you what he does. He gives you equipment to face any challenge. There’s not any circumstance that you’re ever going to face where the word of God is not relevant to your behavior and your thinking in that crisis. His word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Psalm 1105.

What do you mean? It shows the way. I may not have an answer for this trouble. Again, that trouble may always be with me the rest of my life, but I know how to walk in my life in the midst of that trouble, whatever it is. Powerful illumination. Thy word is a it shows the way. This is the way to glory. This is the way to that bright future I talked about. It’s clearly delineated or outlined for us in God’s word. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him, and he will direct your steps. Proverbs 3, 5 and 6. It’s refreshment to your spirit and healing to your bones. I like this one.

This is just a sub point of verse underneath 5. O taste and see that the Lord is good. Would you mark Psalm 34 and go back to it this week? Psalm 34. Because I don’t have time to go through the entire context of Psalm 34. Would you see the heading underneath Psalm 34? This was a very dark time in David’s life. This was not mountaintop time. This was not time as king. He has to feign death, or feign madness, rather.

It says, before Abimelech, who drove him away. This was just to make it through this difficult period in his life. And he says in the midst of that in verse 4, I sought the Lord and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. I have that underlined. The poor man, this poor man, verse 6, cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all of his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him. That’s the ministering spirits of Hebrews 1 and verse 14. Sent out to serve the elect. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him. Look into the spirit realm when you’re going through trial and difficulty and trouble. And the angels are involved in your circumstances.

Yes. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. How blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you his saints, for to those who fear him, there is no want. And that’s really the idea of Romans chapter 12 and verse 2, when it says, be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, and that’s where revival begins. By the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Again, it’s not that passage is saying you need to prove to the world how good the will of God is. The will of God is good. You need to show or demonstrate how good it is as you live it in your life.

It is good for you.

5. Diligence Is the Path to Accomplishment

Point number six. Notice I didn’t start with this one. This really applies to the message that Daniel gave on Sunday night. I need to remind myself that diligence is the path to accomplishment. Nothing is accomplished by doing nothing.

Having a better grasp of the powerful illumination that guides my feet will only come about as a result of my diligence. When I give attention and effort to knowing the will of God, to really understanding the contents of God’s book. This illumination will take all new shape. You’ve got to give some diligence to that. And I know that’s the last thing. Hard work. We hate it in our culture. Nobody wants to be diligent. But diligence is the path to accomplishment. And we know that’s true. That’s true in every realm. Rarely does life lay all of its treasures into the feet of one who does nothing. Or into the lap of one who does nothing. We need to remind ourselves, stay busy, even in pain, even when we don’t feel like it.

6. Investing in My Soul Always Pays Dividends

Stay busy in the things of the Lord. And then this final point, again, these are all somewhat linked. Investing in my soul always pays dividends. And that’s what you tell yourself when you would rather sit in the recliner and let your mind go to mush. Remember, when your mind goes to mush, you don’t accomplish number six. Diligence is the path to accomplishment. That’s more like the sluggard texts of the Proverbs. Okay? The sluggard who’s hinged to his bed. That’s one of Sherry’s favorites. You know, he just can’t get out. He’s hinged. He’s, you know, he’s physically connected to his bed. He can’t get out. Because he forgets point number six. And then number seven. Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. That’s number six.

Knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. That’s number seven. On Monday night, I was able to go to Kleinwood and hear my good friend D. Bowman preach the gospel. Many of you know the story. I might not have ever chosen to preach had it not been for D. Bowman and a lecture I heard him give back in 1983. I decided that night I was going to pursue preaching. 33 years later, here I am. Some of you are still wondering about that decision.

But I’m sitting there, and Brent Moody, I saw him over here, and he said something afterwards. He was doing the same thing I was doing. We’re looking at D, going, okay, this is not the D I remember from 20 years ago. The guy who was fiery.

But I was sitting there thinking the impact that this man and his wife Norma, who was sitting there on the second row, the impact that they’d had on my life. And the impact they’re still having on people’s lives as they end, as they near the end of their journey. Maybe we all are, but as they end their journey, all that they have invested through the years in helping the Lord’s people. How many people have they helped?

How many people are they helping through the likes of me and others and Brent? How many people are you helping? You know, here’s the thing. Not that you have to be a preacher. That’s not even the point here. My point is, when you invest in spiritual things like you’re doing today, you’re helping. You’re helping. You’re moving, as I’d like to say, moving Jesus in his story a little bit further down the road. This is about future generations. What we’re doing here in this place. It’s about what happens 10 years from now or 20 years from now, if the Lord wills that the earth stands that long. Every Sunday matters. We’re moving the story further down the road.

It’s probably true that nobody goes to hell by themselves and nobody goes to heaven by themselves.

Sometimes people think, oh, I’m not that big of a fish in the sea. What I do doesn’t matter. I’ll just quit coming. They won’t even notice. Well, what if everybody said that and there were only 20 people here today? Do you think our worship might have been a little different? How much better that there’s 200 people here striving to serve and know the Lord and be an influence on each other’s lives as a family as a local church? Investment in spiritual things pays dividends. Don’t ever forget it. It’ll revive your spirit when you’re feeling low.

Conclusion

The shortened, the condensed message of the conclusion of the sermon that was preached in Acts 3, Peter and John are there. Repent and be converted. That’s the message of the gospel. You’ve got to change. You’ve got to adopt a new way of life. You’ve got to sign on to let Jesus be the King of your life. Repent. Turn from vain things and serve a living and true God. Turn from sin. Set your mind toward being alive to God in righteousness as we saw in Romans chapter 6. Repent and be converted, that your sins may be washed away. That’s where it starts. That’s where revival begins. But that’s not the end of the verse. And this has always been my favorite part of Acts 3.19. Repent and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away or blotted out.

And times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. I’m experiencing one of those times this morning. Being with you. Lifting our voices in praise to the throne of God together. But it’s all of this. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. You set yourself to revival. And you’ll know the times of refreshing that comes from the presence of the Lord. Can we assist you in the journey in any way? Let’s stand and say.