Sometimes you need to restart it

Intro

Computers and cellphones are amazing things. They connect us to friends and family all over the world. They allow us to asscess information at the push of a button. they preform mind numbing calculations is the blink of an eye. They take stunning photos, let you watch your favorite moves, listen to your podcasts and so much more!

But we have all had the experience of out pohones or computers not working properly. Your apps might crash and not load, your computer becomes slow and things dont work like they should.

This often happens after heavy usage, when the system is or has been strained.

Sometimes our phones stay on for days, even weeks, we plug them in before the battery dies and keep them on.

We update, or install new programs on your computers, or maybe delete a few propgrams - this is often when we find such issues.

And it could be so many things: Our memory catches might be full, or there might be a few missing important files, or mabe a file or directory got corrputed - whatever the reason, after straining the system you often find problems.

But in 95% of the cases, the solution to getting every back to normal is very simple and easy: Just restart the phone or restart the computer.

This will clear all the blocked catches, repair any missing files, clear up any error messages.

If only life were as simple, well in fact it is.

I have spoken to so many people, who have been put under strain this year, and even thjough things are getting much easier, even though they should be doing better, things just are not working properly within them.

They are missing a few files, like joy and peace.

Certan apps keep crashing, like hope and love.

And some functions are not working like patience and faith.

My friends i propose today that some of you need a restart, in fact most of us need a restart every now and then - just to get things back to working order.

Alexander Wyte said:

The victorious christian life is a series of new beginings

The biblical word for “restart” is the word RENEW.

It simply means to make new, to start again.

2 Corinthians 4:16 KJV 1900

16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

Here is the thing: Not many people actually know how to properly restart or renew their life.

This iphone - there is not a restart button, you have to puch this and that button at the same time - and you have to know that if you want to restat the phone.

Well how are we renewed? How do we restart?

Like an iphone you have to push and hold a few buttons:

Repent + Reform + Rejoice = Renew.

Repent:

Sometimes our computers dont work because there is a junk file or a corrupted file that keeps casing the system to crash and untill that file is deleted it will not work properly.

Sin is always a junk and corrupted file. And while that sin remains, we will not function as God wants us to function - it must first be deleted.

I look at King David. That man commited adultry, he conspired the murder of an innocent man - David was in desperate need of a restart. When he realised this the first thing he did was fall on his knees in repentance - the whole of Psalm 51 is his prayer, and look at vers 10:

Psalm 51:10 KJV 1900

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me.

What is he asking? For a fresh start, clean slate for his heart and a spirit that sees evil for what it is.

Times of refreshing only come after times of repenting.

Acts 3:19 KJV 1900

19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

My friends there is always some sin, some thought, some seed of wickedness, some root of bitterness that needs to be repented of and that is the first buttoin you must press and hold for a restart.

2: Reform

When God formed the nation of Israel, he knew that eventually they would neglect aspects of their faith, and as a result, they would experience exhustion, fatige, sorrow...

To help them God organised their entire lives around the faith and around the regulations for their faith.

Every morning, every meal, every night, every law, every financial transaction would be a reminder of their calling.

However if they drifted away and began to neglect their spiritual life, God would allow exhustion, fear, terror, stress, all these terrible things to come upon them - for a very specific purpose: Reformation.

Leviticus 26:23–24 KJV 1900

23 And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me; 24 Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.

What does it mean to be reformed?

To put it simply: It means to get back to the biblical way of doing things and living your life.

Morning and eveing prayer

Thangsgiving at every meal.

Daily bible reading.

Daily times of devoitional

faith sunday attendance

faithful midweek attendance

faithful tityhing

Loving your wife as christ loves the church

submitting to your husband

Honoring your parents

Reformation is ordering your life on the Word of God.

You succsesfully restart, while you hold down repentance you must hold down reformation.

There is one mnore button you press and Hold:

Rejoycing

One of the main reasons why computers and smart phones stop working properly is that they aften get infected with viruses or malware.

There are forergn files that have no buisness there except to do damage and steal your computers resources.

And the only way to get rid of them is to use a good anti-virus program. This program will go in, find the malware, find the virus and get rid of it.

We also often get infected with malware and viruses - no not covid 19.

Worries and depressing rthoughts, fears and anxioties - all they do is steal our joy and take up recouses, they rob us of our sleep, our rest, our peace.

Rejoying is God’s anti-virus software for the christian.

When you run the rejoycing program, the Holy Spirit moves through your life and removes any and all satanic malware from your mind.

Philippians 4:4 KJV 1900

4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

Look what Paul says:

Philippians 2:28 KJV 1900

28 I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.

The phlipians rejoice cured Paul of his sorrow.

There is no greater cure for a downcast spirit that to rejoice in the Lord.

We have got to rejoice in all circumstances in all seasons.

Renewal

When you hold these 3 buttons down: Repentance, Reformation and Rejoycing, you have to hold them down for a little while, and the next moment, your life will beghin to reboot, restart and you will experience Renewal by the Holy Ghost.

Your mind will be renewed.

Ephesians 4:23 KJV 1900

23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

Your strength will be renewed:

Isaiah 40:31 KJV 1900

31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings as eagles; They shall run, and not be weary; And they shall walk, and not faint.

Your very youth will be renewed!

Psalm 103:5 KJV 1900

5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; So that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Waters of refreshing will come, peace like a river will flow, joy unspeakible will grow, hope unfaling will rise!

Church, I stand here, accountible to God and you - that is i speak false hope may the Lord judge me for laying, but I lie not!

My Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Word of God bears this wittness, that if you do not experience a powerful renewal by doing what i tell you I am not fit to be behind this pulprit.

There only question that remains is:

Will you be just a hearer or a doing of the Word?