How to Experience a Renewal of Joy 9/27/98
Psalm 51:9-13
Page 840 Come Alive Bible
JESUS CHRIST redeems by His precious blood. When He saves us it is a once and for all time experience. However, there are many times in life when we need to be refreshed and revived.
Remember the last time you were real hot, thirsty, and tired. Recall when you found a comfortable and cool place to sit and sip deeply of cool water. What a sensation! Reflect on that wonderful feeling.
An experience more exhilarating than that awaits those who are spiritually in need of revival.
Historically revival always begins with prayer.
God wants to mature you through prayer. Matthew 15: 21-28 illustrates this.
A woman cried out to Jesus, “Have mercy on me…my daughter is severely demon-possessed.”
Jesus seems to ignore her. The disciples said, “Send her away.”
The woman persisted, “Lord, help me.”
Jesus seemed to insult her by what appeared to be a put-down: “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”
He did so in order to give her the opportunity to show her desire and persistence. She did and replied, “True, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ tables.
Having given her an opportunity to mature in her faith, Jesus rewarded her by saying, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.”
Great must have been her joy!
Scripture says, “The joy of the Lord is thy strength…” Question: “how strong are you?”
A haze hangs over America as private immorality is focused upon publicly. Self-exoneration and public apathy regarding improper conduct gives cause for consternation. Why do so many people condone immoral actions. The answer is found in a scenario incorporated in Romans 1. It is basically this: You approve of my sin and I will applaud yours. A reversal of that is, “I’m not going to condemn anyone for fear someone might condemn me.” Much of the public response indicates many have sin in their lives about which they are apprehensive. If so how should one respond to it? Let’s search a poignant passage for the answer and apply it in order that conscience might be free and joy abound.
God doesn’t want us to come face to face with our sin and go away remorseful over guilt but rejoicing over grace.
King David had sinned. Under the convicting energy of the Holy Spirit he knew he needed to forsake his sin. An interesting, often overlooked aspect of sin, is that at the time a person is involved in it there is a sense of it being right. Wonder of wonders is that a person’s mind can be changed and a sense of the sinfulness of sin awakened. That happened to David. What he did in committing adultery with Bathsheba seemed enjoyable. What he did in having her husband killed seemed plausible. Both sins were self-excused. His self-excusing was his third and equally as evil sin.
Sin is a defect in character which remains until the character is altered. When character is altered then a genuine abhorrence for sin results. A “what have I done” mentality emerges. It is at this point repentance begins.
Realizing the sinfulness of sin David prayed, “Do not cast me away from Your presence” (Vs. 11a).
The word for “repent” is not METAMELIA, which means to feel sorry for what has been done. Judas felt sorry for betraying Christ and hanged himself.
The Greek word translated “repent” is METANOIA, which means to have a change of heart. Be sure your repentance is deep and absolute and not an attempt to buy God’s favor. It is to seek His forgiveness and that is the biggest of favors. Repentance is a change of inner attitude, not just outward actions.
This very apparently happened to David. His broken heart did not contain any excuses for his sin. He made no effort to tone down the seriousness of it or to blame anyone else. He accepted the fault as his. He spoke of it as “my transgressions,” “my iniquity,” and “my sin.”
There was none of the “Bathsheba, sinned also,” or “If Uriah had done what I told him to I wouldn’t have had to have him killed.”
Realizing his sin David prayed – – –
“CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, O GOD…” (Vs. 10a)
Download I John 1:9 and store it in your memory. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
“RENEW A RIGHT SPIRIT IN ME…” (Vs. 10b)
This is a plea to charge his spiritual battery. The reasons for his improper spirit are often paralleled by our preludes to sin. They are revealed in II Samuel 11: 1ff.
I. THE CAUSES FOR A WRONG SPIRIT
A. LETHARGY
“…at a time when kings go out to battle … David sent Joab … But David remained in Jerusalem” (Vs. 1c). He wasn’t where he should have been. He should have been with his army.
This was a case of “Here am I — send him.”
When we get out of place we get out of God’s will.
B. LAZINESS
“one evening David arose from his bed” (Vs. 2a). What was he doing sleeping late? He was out of sync. He wasn’t where he ought to be, and he wasn’t doing what he should have been doing.
C. LUST
“…he saw a woman bathing…” It is amazing how many sins are introduced by the word “saw.”
Lust comes in a variegated bouquet. There is lust for power, possessions, position, prestige, and praise.
II. THE CONDITIONS OF A RIGHT SPIRIT
We are saved by grace, kept by grace, and can only be renewed by grace. We can’t lose our salvation but we can lose the joy of our salvation.
A fellow went to a barber shop wanting a shave. He had never seen anyone shaved by a barber but thought it would be different. His barber’s name was Grace. She did a super job giving a smooth clean shave. When he asked how much he was amazed to learn it was $45.00. He thought that was excessive but paid.
The next day he looked in the mirror and didn’t need a shave. Each day for a week this happened. Finally he went back to see Grace. His pastor was in the shop and he asked his pastor if he had ever gotten a shave there. Being assured he had the man asked his pastor how long it was before he needed another shave. “I haven’t needed one have you?” “No and I don’t understand it.” “Well,” said the pastor, “the answer is easy. Once shaved always shaved when you have been shaved by Grace.”
Once saved always saved, but the joy can be lost — rejoice, it can also be restored.
A. LOVING
“… do not take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation” (Psalm 51: 11c & 12a).
The right spirit is the Holy Spirit. David’s spirit was one of humility. GOD NEVER REVIVES A PROUD PEOPLE.
One new convert exclaimed, “I am happier now when I am not happy than I was before when I was happy.”
Galatians 5: 22 lists “joy” as part of the fruit of the Spirit. One exuberant believer was described: “He must go to heaven every night because there is no other way he could be so joyous every day.”
Joy is the banner that is flown over the castle of the heart when the King is in residence.
B. LIBERATING
“… uphold me with Your generous Spirit…” (Vs. 12).
C. LONGING
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart — These, O God, You will not despise” (Vs. 17).
David’s personal revival brought him HOPE. It does the same for us. It gave him a sense of
HOLINESS. Holiness means set apart. He set himself apart for the use of the Lord.
David prayed for three things:
A “pure heart” (Vs. 10a).
A “steadfast spirit” (vs. 10b).
The “joy” of his salvation (vs. 12a).
OBEDIENCE. He said, “Then will I teach transgressors thy way” (Vs. 13a).
Let me digress to say that in this day in the life of our nation and the ministry of the church there needs to be a revival of commitment to our reason for being as illustrated by an event in the un-civil Civil War. Our community has streets named for such generals of the war as Cheatham, Hood, and Cleiburn.
During a heated period of the war General Hood relieved General Johnston. The first thing he did was send his adjutant to find General Cheatham. The adjutant returned and reported him killed in action.
General Hood then sent for General Evans. After his search the adjutant returned and reported him missing in action.
General Hood then sent the adjutant with this message to General Cleiburn: “Give him my love and tell him I require his hand at the fort at the locust grove.”
Upon receiving the message General Cleiburn stirred in his saddle, raised his saber and to his forces shouted, “First Missouri brigade, to the fort at the locust grove, C-H-A-R-G-E!”
When the fury of the battle was over General Cleiburn reported to General Hood. He dismounted and with dignity said, “Sir, I am pleased to present to your hand the fort at the locust grove.”
One day we will stand before our Commander after having received orders in our earthly spiritual warfare. How will we report. “We were on leave.” “We had some quarrels in the company we had to settle.” “We ….” Or, “Lord, I am pleased to present to your nail scarred hand the sphere of influence you entrusted to me.”
Will we present to His hand the conquest of the charge given us?
POWER. He had the power to love as His Lord loved. The power to overcome sin.
EVANGELISM. “And sinners shall be converted to You” (Vs. 13b).
Having the joy of his own salvation restored and knowing how wonderful it is, the Psalmist wanted others to have the same joy therefore he sought to bring people to the Lord. We who enjoy our own salvation want others to have the same joy.