A TIME TO BE REFRESHED
The Word of God is full of accounts of great men of God who came to the end of their rope, having lost all strength. I preach a message entitled “The Making of a Man of God” which discusses three things Jesus faced in the Garden of Gethsemane: a cup of pain, an hour of confusion, and a night of isolation. All men and women of God have gone through this.
Perhaps your present suffering has been self-inflicted. How many wives suffer now because they married men God warned them not to marry? How many children are breaking the hearts of their parents, bringing them to the end of their rope? So many despair from AIDS and other diseases because of past sins. But it is now time to move on from what caused your trouble and into brokenness, repentance, and faith. It is time to receive a new infusion of Holy Ghost strength and be renewed and refreshed!
If your heart feels godly sorrow and you love Him, you may be down, but He won’t let you go out. When walking by faith in repentance, David said: “For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. For who is God save the Lord? Or who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places. He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath held me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. . . . For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me” (Psalms 18:28-36, 39).
God promises strength to His anointed: “Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed. Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up forever” (Psalm 28:6-9).
If you will cry out, He will pour His strength into you: “In the day when I cried thou answered me, and strengthened me with strength in my soul. . . . Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me” (Psalm 138:3, 7).
Perhaps your present suffering has been self-inflicted. How many wives suffer now because they married men God warned them not to marry? How many children are breaking the hearts of their parents, bringing them to the end of their rope? So many despair from AIDS and other diseases because of past sins. But it is now time to move on from what caused your trouble and into brokenness, repentance, and faith. It is time to receive a new infusion of Holy Ghost strength and be renewed and refreshed!
If your heart feels godly sorrow and you love Him, you may be down, but He won’t let you go out. When walking by faith in repentance, David said: “For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall. As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. For who is God save the Lord? Or who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places. He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath held me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip. . . . For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me” (Psalms 18:28-36, 39).
God promises strength to His anointed: “Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed. Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up forever” (Psalm 28:6-9).
If you will cry out, He will pour His strength into you: “In the day when I cried thou answered me, and strengthened me with strength in my soul. . . . Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me” (Psalm 138:3, 7).