Question 1

If my life is a mess, how can I begin to experience renewal?

Accepted Answer

Jeremiah 31:18“I have heard Israel saying, ‘You disciplined me severely, like a calf that needs training for the yoke. Turn me again to you and restore me, for you alone are the Lord my God.’”Acts 3:19“Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.”Personal spiritual renewal beings with our desires. Those who truly want to change, to start over, are ready for the renewal that only God’s Spirit can bring.Psalm 32:3-5When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. . . . Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.Psalm 51:10Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.Ephesians 4:21-24Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.Colossians 3:10Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.Sometimes we are weary because we are clinging to sin and disobedience. If this is the case, to be renewed, we must confess our sins and let God cleanse our hearts and lives. He promises to make us brand new!Ezekiel 36:26-27“I [the Lord] will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.”Renewal comes with the gift of a new heart from the Holy Spirit. As we submit to him, God will change our deepest desires and inclinations and align them with his.

Question 2

In what ways does God renew me?

Accepted Answer

Romans 12:1-2Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.God renews our minds when we submit fully to him and determine to live his way.Philippians 2:12-13Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.God renews our desires by helping us want to obey him and giving us the power to do so.Psalm 19:7The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.Psalm 119:25I lie in the dust; revive me by your word.God renews us through his Word. When we fully submit to God, his Word becomes the nourishment we need to revive our souls. And his Word provides us with the wisdom we need to avoid sin.Psalm 23:3He [the Lord] renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.God renews us by strengthening and guiding us.Psalm 94:19When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.God renews us by giving us hope and joy.Psalm 119:40, 93I long to obey your commandments! Renew my life with your goodness. . . . I will never forget your commandments, for by them you give me life.God renews us when we obey his commands.2 Corinthians 4:16That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.God renews our spirits despite our physical troubles.

Question 3

How can I experience spiritual renewal on a more continual basis?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 23:1-3The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.God promises us spiritual renewal and refreshment if we dwell in his presence daily. Peace, confidence, and energy flow naturally from fellowship with the Lord.Psalm 127:2It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.God renews us as we rest in him. God designed us to need and enjoy rest. Work is necessary, but not at the expense of rest. Faith means that we rest in God, trusting in his promise to provide for our needs.2 Corinthians 5:16-17So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!Ephesians 4:21-24Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.Colossians 3:10Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.God renews us by helping us see life from his perspective each day.

Question 4

If I am a new creation, then why don’t I act like one?

Accepted Answer

2 Corinthians 5:17This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!Romans 12:2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.In Christ, we are made completely new. Our past mistakes, regrets, and old ways no longer define us—the old life is gone. Through Jesus, we are given a fresh start and a new identity rooted in His grace. In Him, the old life is gone and a new life has begun! Each day is an opportunity to walk in this new life, trusting that God is shaping us more and more into the likeness of Christ.John 10:10The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.The enemy would like nothing more than to keep us stuck in the past, stealing our joy, and destroying our hope. But Jesus came to give us abundant life—free, full, and new.Galatians 5:17The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.Romans 7:18-20And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.Ephesians 6:12For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.Notice how the enemy tries to pull you away from your faith. Does he whisper lies to you? Attack your identity? Discourage you or tempt you to despair? Remember, as believers, we face this battle daily, but we can pray for God’s protection and stand firm in His truth.John 10:28-29“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.”No matter what —you belong to God! And nothing can snatch you away from His hand.Galatians 6:7-9Don’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.