Times Of Refreshing 2 Series

What happens when refreshing comes from the Lord?

We have come to the final moments of 2015. If you can look back and see where God has brought you from and what he has done, you cannot keep quiet but thank God. And even more,

If we are seeing this moment it is because God was in control this year. Yes, down to the smallest details of our life had been guided by God. Some of you may be sitting here with regrets but it is time to get over it and receive 2016 by faith.

You see! It is certainly easy to step into the New Year with the experiences of the previous year, focused on what did not work out, on who hurt us and on the mistakes we made. But as long as you are living in regrets, focused on the failures of the past, it is going to keep you from the bright future God has in 2016.

So, you got to let go of what did not work out, let go of the hurts and pains, let go of your disappointments and your failures, take valuable lessons from 2015 and move forward to 2016. You cannot do anything about 2015 but you can do something about 2016. You may have had an unfair past but let it not stop you from a successful 2016.

Even more, every year that God gives to us is a gift and you have the responsibility to receive that gift and maximize it. Hence, there is a blessing in every season and there is a promise for every year and you got to receive it and maximize it in your life.

The theme for 2016 – Times of Refreshing!

Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.

Refresh means to revive, revitalize, restore, freshen.

1. Meaning of Biblical refreshing. Times of Refreshing.

The Biblical theme of refreshing has a variety of physical and spiritual meanings. So let’s see how to have the times of refreshing in a biblical way.

a. Times of Refreshing in Rest.

In the Scripture, we read of refreshment by resting on the Sabbath. Exodus 23:12 Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the slave born in your household, and the alien as well, maybe refreshed.

b. Times of Refreshing in Cool drink.

With cool water after physical activity. Judges 15:18-19 18Because he was very thirsty, he cried out to the Lord, “You have given your servant this great victory. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?” 19Then God opened up the hollow place in Lehi, and water came out of it. When Samson drank, his strength returned and he revived. When I was a small boy, I used to walk 3 km from school to my home. My school leaves at 3 pm and by then I would have exhausted my water. I had to take a 40-minute walk to my house. Sometimes I would be very tired finding it difficult to keep even a step. I remember, there used to be a public tap somewhere in the middle of the route. I would wait to reach there. There in the shade of the tree I drink enough water, fill my bottle and then continued refreshed to my home. It was a place where my thirst was quenched, a place where my tiredness was replaced with refreshing.

c. Times of Refreshing in Music.

Heavenly, godly music or worship can revive us. 1 Samuel 16:23 Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.

d. Times of Refreshing in the Holy Spirit.

In the NT we find refreshing given by the Holy Spirit. And also, Times of refreshing were promised by the prophets.

Jeremiah 31:25 I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint. I do not know if at the end of this year you are weary and faint. You have struggled enough. You have wandered enough, you have gone through some dry patches, you have been waiting enough, I know you have gone through a tough time, hold on, times of refreshing are coming.”

Today I want to concentrate on the Holy Spirit refreshing. As we know the book of Acts starts off with Jesus’ resurrection, appearance to his disciples, and ascension to heaven, Then all of a sudden they were left alone in the dark and they did not know what to do. Then Jesus asked them to stay in Jerusalem. And then in Acts 2, we see that they were filled with the Holy Spirit and a new season of refreshing started in their lives. Furthermore, Peter preached and 3000 were saved in one message.