Renewed by the Spirit

In the western suburbs of Chicago, a church in Naperville, Illinois, was boasting about new bells in their belfry. The church was built two decades ago, but the congregation has held off on its plans to hang bells in a large open space above the sanctuary. Due to limited funds; the congregation suggested mounting a cross in the space or a series of liturgical banners that could be hung according to the seasons of the church year. In conjunction with the church's 25th anniversary, the church finally found the means to spring for three bells to fill the vacant hole – They are beautiful.

However, you'll never hear these bells peel on Sunday mornings (or any other day of the week for that matter). And it doesn't have to do with city ordinances or complaining neighbors opposed to bells playing hymns. It has to do with the fact that the bells aren't real – they don't have clappers. Although they look authentic, they are made of resin. They are plastic! [1]

At various times in our lives, many followers of Christ can identify with those bells. We express our faith through our words and actions, yet internally we may feel a lack of the divine power that once resided within us.

In the coming weeks, I'll be posting a sermon series on my BLOG entitled “A Brand New You: Becoming the Person You Were Created to Be.” Why? You ask. Because a lot of us need a spiritual makeover. We require a new outpouring of God's power in our lives to fulfill His calling for us, both as a church and as individuals. Our starting point should be the revival of the Holy Spirit within us. I urge us to engage in some introspection by reflecting on two crucial questions that are essential to... Spiritual renewal.

Big Question Number 1: Ask yourself, do I need to be renewed by the Holy Spirit

We all need renewal of some kind. We seek renewal of health, youth, and beauty. It is a dream and obsession of modern life. Imagine an elderly Amish man, steeped in his traditional ways, taking his first steps into a modern mall. He sees an elevator, a contraption he's never encountered before. He stops to watch as an elderly bent-over woman pushes a button and doors slide open. She enters the mysterious room he saw when the doors opened. “Where did she go,” he thought to himself. Suddenly, the doors open, and a young, beautiful woman steps out. He does a double take, looks down at his grandson, and says, “Jr., Go get your granny.”

Ask yourself Do I need Renewal, a Holy Spirit Renewal. In other words, now be honest, is spiritual renewal even an issue for you? Ask yourself, “Do I have it together in this area, or do I need help?”

If I ask, "DOES THE CHURCH NEED HOLY SPIRIT RENEWAL?" We would say absolutely yes. Holy Spirit renewal is vital for the spiritual growth and transformation of the church. The Holy Spirit revives our hearts, aligns us with “God’s will, and empowers us to live out our faith” fully.[2] Without it, we can become stagnant, relying on our strength rather than God’s power. But that was not the question I asked of you. I asked you to ask yourself if you need Spiritual Renewal. We, at times, won’t admit that we need spiritual renewal.

The Jews of Ezekiel days were all caught up in worshiping idols, living adulteress lives, rejecting God and claiming him as dead, turning their backs on their neighbors, and sacrificing their children. When confronted by Ezekiel about their lives of sin, they refused to repent, but God! Oh, how I love a strategically placed “but.” The Jews are about to see their beautiful city of Jerusalem and the temple of God destroyed. The nation, the people, of Israel would taken to Babylon to live as exiles, but God tells Ezekiel that if they repent. “A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. Ezekiel 36:26-28 (NSV)

This passage addresses the theme of renewal, offering everyone a new heart and spirit, regardless of place or time. How do we experience this renewal? It only happens through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit enabling us to shift away from rigid, dead practices to a dynamic, engaging relationship with God. This transformation or renewal is not simply a one-time event but a continuous journey of surrender and rejuvenation. During your journey, where have you seen the need for renewal? Here are four questions designed to help us all make that decision.

1.   Am I Eager to Serve God?

We need to examine our motives for doing anything in the local church's ministry. Do I do it out of a sense of “I have to,” and that means I am obligated to do it? Or do I do it because I love God and it is something I want to do for Him?

“But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we are slaves not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit.” Romans 7:6 (NRSV)

In this passage, Paul claims that we have been discharged or delivered from the law’s dominion. In Colossians 1:13, Paul writes that we have been rescued from the “dominion of darkness.” There is a distinction between those still under the domination of the law and doing things for God because it is legally required of them and those who do them because the Spirit of God empowers them to serve. Where are you at on this? If serving God is a chore for you, you have slipped back into the law’s domination and need a Holy Spirit renewal.

2.   Would you describe your time with God as enjoyable?

Let me ask: are you reluctant to come before God in prayer?  Do you find that your quiet time, when you try to do it, has become boring time or, worse, snoring time? Do you hunger for God’s Word and look forward to spending time in study?

But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. Romans 14:17-18 (NRSV)

I love to be with my wife, Marsha. Being with her is enjoyable, fulfilling, and joyous. If you’re not experiencing that in your relationship with God, you must ask the Holy Spirit for renewal.

3.   Would you describe your relationship with God as growing?

Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation. I             Peter 2:2 (NRSV)

This phrase "long for" means that this is something I crave – and what I am to long crave is the spiritual milk, or the Word of God. Do you ever feel a deep longing for the precious moments you share with God through His Word? Perhaps you yearn for the sense of closeness and connection that comes from immersing yourself in Scripture, seeking to understand His messages, and drawing nearer to Him in your faith journey If that doesn’t describe you seek Holy Spirit Renewal.

4.   Would you say that you are a Godly example for others to imitate?

Have you ever thought about what it would be like if everyone in your church shared your views on life? If every person was just as committed to God and the church as you are, would that make your community stronger and livelier, or could it end up making things less engaging? Consider how your own beliefs and actions affect those around you. Do they encourage growth and help build stronger connections, or do they miss the mark in lifting everyone up?

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ:1 Corinthians 11:1 (NRSV)

When we live a life that is truly inspired and enhanced by the Holy Spirit, we should feel confident saying, "Yes, I am setting a good example for others to follow, just as I follow Christ." If you find it hard to say that, it might be a sign that you need a refreshing experience with the Holy Spirit.

Recognizing this need for renewal isn’t hard. If you answered "No" to even one of the questions presented, it suggests you could benefit from this renewed connection. The next step, however, can be a bit more challenging. We need to take a moment to reflect and really think about our situation if we want to make any positive changes in our lives.

Big Question Number 2: HOW CAN I BE RENEWED?

Short of finding a magical elevator (which doesn’t exist), we first need to admit that we need to be renewed spiritually, not just once but many times. I heard a pastor claim that he would be shocked if less than 8 out of 10 people concluded they do not need spiritual renewal. That is disturbing!

Everyone requires renewal from time to time. Recognizing this isn't something to be embarrassed about; on the contrary, it's helpful to accept it, confront it, and then progress toward becoming the individual God wants us to be.

and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. – Colossians 3:10 (NRSV)

In this verse, Paul speaks about us taking on a new self and having clothed ourselves with a new self that is still being renewed – it’s an ongoing process. This process is called sanctification, and it is an ongoing spiritual process.

If you’re listening to or reading this hoping for a quick fix, easy solution, you won’t get it. Rather, I will give you three necessary steps that need to be repeated every time we find ourselves moving away from our relationship with God.

1.   Renew your commitment

It has been over a year since the Revival or Holy Spirit Awakening visited Asbury University. Thousands of students and others came to Wilmore, KY, to seek spiritual renewal and a commitment or recommitment to Christ.

When I was a student at Asbury, periodically after chapel, someone would come forward to the front of Hughes Auditorium and recommit or give their life to Jesus Christ. I was often one of those students. Don’t misunderstand me; I was already saved, yet there were times I had not been walking with the Lord as I should, and I had to have an old-fashioned “come to Jesus meeting.” I was under the conviction that I needed to recommit myself to Jesus and that it should be public. That is some of what happened at the “revival” at Asbury in the Spring of 2023.

Renewing our commitment to Christ is a meaningful act – a vow to God and a promise to follow Jesus as Lord. This can be done privately, but when done publicly in front of the church, it motivates the congregation to pray and support the renewal process.

King David wrote about his renewal in Psalm 51:8, 10 (NRSV)

    8           Let me hear joy and gladness;

    let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.

    10      Create in me a clean heart, O God,

    and put a new and right spirit within me.

To experience renewal by the Spirit, I must recommit myself to Jesus Christ. Without commitment, I can't expect God to bring renewal. It's not just about praying and expecting an instant change but about dedicating myself to God and His plans for my life.

2.   Surrender your will

In the 1990s, a group of Washington children participated in an eight-year anti-smoking campaign, but the results weren’t impressive. Of the group that went through the program, 25.4 percent now smoke regularly, and of those in the control group—those who didn’t participate in the study, 25.7 percent now smoke regularly. The education campaign hardly made any difference at all. [3]

In our society, there is a belief that if we throw enough money at it, education can solve all our cultural problems. While this is true for some issues, it is not the solution for many others. People don't necessarily need new ideas or techniques but a renewed sense of inner strength. True renewal before God comes only by first surrendering our wills to the Holy Spirit.

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. – Romans 8:9 (NIV)

To be under the control of the Holy Spirit means that I am relinquishing control of my own life. Until I willingly submit my will to the Holy Spirit, I will continue to struggle with sin, depression, a lack of vision, and a sense of hopelessness. This will prevent me from functioning as the fully empowered child of God that He intends for me to be.

If you found yourself in the middle of a battle without a weapon, and an enemy was standing beside you with a gun pointed at your head, what would you do? If you had any sense, you would raise your hands in surrender and voluntarily submit to the control of the opposing forces.

The good news is that when I surrender to God, He doesn’t force me or wish me harm. Instead, He patiently waits for me to acknowledge that I have lost the battle by trying to achieve victory on my own. Only then am I ready to turn everything over to Him. When people raise their hands in prayer or worship or sing praises to His name, isn’t that what they are symbolizing? We express, “God, I am ready to hand it all over to You.”

Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit,– Ephesians 5:18 (NRSV)

Don’t worry; I am not going to launch out into a Hell and Fire Temperance message advocating abstinence but let me ask you this. What happens when you drink too much alcohol? Don't you surrender your mind, body, and will to it? You come under its control. Paul writes that it is “debauchery” or sin to be drunk.  God dislikes what you do and says, “Don’t do that,” instead, “Let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.” Like alcohol, the Holy Spirit will take over your mind, body, and will when you surrender to Him, but unlike alcohol, the results are all positive. Holy Spirit renewal must be preceded by surrendering our will to God.

3.   Live in obedience

We all know that children will act out and disobey their parents if they think their parents don’t love them. One way we can demonstrate our love for our children is through discipline.  

“For the Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every child whom he accepts.” Hebrews 12:6 (NRSV)

This verse highlights that God's discipline is a sign of His commitment to love and care for us, much like a parent corrects their child out of love. Understanding God's commitment to us allows us to live as loved individuals, which is evident in our obedience to Him. In other words, when we don’t think we are loved by God, we react by living in a way that does not demonstrate love for Him. When we fully accept His love, we react by obeying Him. When we feel unloved by God, our actions often reflect that belief, leading us to live in ways that do not show love for Him. However, when we fully accept His love, we respond by obeying Him.

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” – John 14:15 (NRSV)

What do you think is the result of obeying Jesus’ commands? We will be living lives of renewal.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. – Galatians 5:16 (ESV)

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. – Galatians 5:25 (ESV)

Jesus understood, as did Paul, and now we also realize that our obedience to God's commands leads to a life lived in the Spirit. When we follow God's instructions, we are better equipped to connect with Him on a spiritual level. In other words, by being obedient to God, I become more like Him and gain a deeper understanding of who He is and where He is coming from, which enhances my relationship with Him.

Conclusion:

To begin our journey towards becoming “brand new” individuals, we must start with the Holy Spirit. He has the power to transform our perspectives, attitudes, behaviors, and desires. If you are open to the suggestions we discussed today, you are prepared to embark on an exciting adventure to become the person God intended you to be.