How can we prepare for "times of refreshing" from the Lord today? Why the Lord Sends “Times of Refreshing” • “that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19-20). • The phrase looks back to revivals God has already given (Acts 2) and forward to the final restoration when Jesus returns (v. 21). • Scripture shows the Lord loves to renew His people in foretaste after foretaste until the ultimate renewal of all things (Isaiah 44:3; Joel 2:28-29). Step 1 – Turn From Sin Immediately • “Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away” (Acts 3:19). • Genuine repentance is more than regret; it is a decisive break with whatever God calls sin (1 John 1:9). • 2 Chron 7:14 promises national and personal healing on this foundation. Step 2 – Turn Toward Christ Actively • Peter links repentance to “that He may send Jesus” (Acts 3:20). • Saving faith is not passive; it deliberately fixes the heart on Christ (Hebrews 12:2). • Keep the gospel central so that every refreshment magnifies the Savior, not an experience (Galatians 2:20). Step 3 – Keep the Heart Soft • Hosea 10:12 urges us to “break up your unplowed ground… until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.” • Practical ways: – Daily ask the Spirit to expose hidden hardness (Psalm 139:23-24). – Quickly forgive and seek forgiveness (Ephesians 4:32). – Regular fasting loosens the soil of self-reliance (Matthew 6:16-18). Step 4 – Open the Main Channels: Word & Prayer • The refreshed tree “delights in the law of the LORD… whatever he does prospers” (Psalm 1:2-3). • Early church pattern: “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer” (Acts 1:14). • Suggestions: – Read or listen to Scripture before touching a screen. – Pray Scripture back to God (e.g., Psalm 23 line by line). – Set hourly two-minute “presence pauses” to realign with Him. Step 5 – Welcome the Spirit’s Fullness • “Be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). • God’s promise: “I will pour water on the thirsty land” (Isaiah 44:3). • Ask, yield, obey: 1. Ask specifically for fresh filling (Luke 11:13). 2. Yield any area He points out. 3. Obey the next step He shows, no matter how small (Acts 4:31). Step 6 – Walk in Restorative Community • Corporate unity attracts heaven’s dew (Psalm 133:1-3). • Refreshing multiplies when believers confess sins and pray together (James 5:16). • Guard unity by refusing gossip, championing encouragement, and quickly reconciling. Step 7 – Maintain Expectant Hope • Farmers wait for precious harvest rains (James 5:7-8). • Keep watchfulness alive: – End the day recalling evidences of God’s nearness. – Talk often of His return (Revelation 22:17, 20). – Celebrate every sign of grace, no matter how small. A One-Week Readiness Checklist □ Examine and confess sin promptly. □ Meditate on at least one gospel passage daily. □ Pray morning, midday, and night—brief or long, but real. □ Schedule one period of fasting (skip a meal or media). □ Encourage another believer face-to-face. □ Serve someone anonymously. □ End each day with thanks, asking, “Lord, keep me open for tomorrow’s refreshing.” When these rhythms stay in place, the soil of the heart stays loose, the channels stay open, and “times of refreshing” can break in at any moment—from a quiet morning Scripture to a church-wide awakening—until the ultimate refreshing at Christ’s appearing. |
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