Refreshed Part 3 Cleansing (2)

Cleansing is Pre-Requisite to Refreshing

Acts 3:19 AMP

19 So repent (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return [to God], that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean), that times of refreshing (of recovering from the effects of heat, of reviving with fresh air) may come from the presence of the Lord;

Acts 3:19 NKJV

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

Cleansing is prerequisite to seeing the refreshing, the revival, the outpouring of God's spirit on his people and on the earth.

In order to be vessels of honor, fit for the masters use we have to go beyond mere repentance and change. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to change us. Part of that change is allowing him to cleanse us of things that would be between us and him. Things that would impede the free flow of the river of refreshing flowing out of us as Jesus cried out on the temple steps if any man thirst let him come into me and drink and out of his belly will throw flow rivers of living water and he was Speaking of the spirit.

So to begin, let's go back to the Old Testament and see that God has created this law of cleansing.

The people had returned to Jerusalem after 70 years in Babylonian exile. The people were very excited and ready to rebuild Jerusalem, the temple, and reclaim their land.

They found Jerusalem in ruins.

Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed and burned the temple so the temple was a big pile of rubble.

After a short time, the people became discouraged and began building their own houses instead of building the temple of the Lord.

Haggai 1:2 NKJV

2 “Thus speaks the Lord of hosts, saying: ‘This people says, “The time has not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built.” ’ ”

So the word of the Lord came to the prophet Haggai.

Haggai 1:3–10 NKJV

3 Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 4 “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?” 5 Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways! 6 “You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.” 7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways! 8 Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says the Lord. 9 “You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says the Lord of hosts. “Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit.

In response to this word from the Lord, God stirred up the spirit of two men zerubbabel and Joshua who was the high priest at that time and on the 24th day of the six month in the second year of king Darius according to verse 15 of that same chapter, they began the work on the House of the Lord.

In chapter 2, we see that the people were discouraged again but this time for another reason. As they begin to build the House of the Lord, those who had come back from exile who had seen solomon's temple in all of its glory, began to complain that this house that was being built was going to be nothing in comparison to the way it was in the good old days. So the word of the Lord comes to hagai to encourage zerubbabel who is being a attacked along with Joshua by this constant complaining. And I believe that the word of prophecy given to Haggai applies to us today.

Haggai 2:1–9 NKJV

1 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first of the month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying: 2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying: 3 ‘Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing? 4 Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says the Lord; ‘and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,’ says the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ says the Lord of hosts. 5 ‘According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!’ 6 “For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; 7 and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts. 8 ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts. 9 ‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.”

The desire of all nations is used to refer to Christ. So haggai is receiving a dual prophecy, not only referring to the house that was being built but also referring to a last days revival that I believe we are on the brink of today.

The revival that's coming is going to be the greatest outpouring of God that this world has seen. However, it won't look like any house you've seen before. It won't look like any revival you've seen before. God knows how to bring good things out of bad things. We are heading into a time of uncertainty like nothing we have ever seen before.

If you're paying attention at all, the baby formula crisis is only the beginning of the shortages that are headed our way. Do a little bit of research and you'll see that supply chain shortages are going to be affecting all of us. We are already seeing those who are protesting currently directly attacking Christianity. So this move of God is going to come. But it's going to come in a time that is not going to look like anything we've known in the past from any outpouring that we've been a part of.

I encourage you to make some preparations. Buy some extra food-staples like beans and rice that you can store. I'm not saying this to create any panic because we have a God who takes care of his people. I'm not saying this for any political motivation. I'm saying this for the people of God in genesis chapter 12 verse 2 God says to Abraham I will bless you and because we are the seed of Abraham through Jesus Christ, that promise comes to us as well God will bless us! But the promise doesn't end there. He says I will bless you and make you a blessing. God wants his people to be prepared to be a blessing to those who are unbelieving. God wants his people to be prepared by building the House of God now so that we are ready for this last days revival.

But you might say, pastor, we already have a building. It's pretty nice. We don't need to build a new church. And we do have a nice building. But a physical building doesn't function as the House of God. Not unless the spiritual building inside that house is also complete.

Often, we work with a skeleton crew. Because we have a physical house, but people are missing in the spiritual house. We cannot reach this community, this region, this state, this nation, or the world, unless the people of God stop focusing all of their attention on building their own house and begin to build the House of the Lord. It's time we climb the mountain and find some wood. We want the fire of God. We want the fire revival. But we're not willing often to climb the mountain and get the wood for the fire. God wants us to shift our attention from our selfish pursuits toward his Kingdom.

I told pastor Keith standing in the altar area last Sunday that we've stopped asking the right question. We ask do you believe in God? We ask, are you a Christ follower? What we used to ask, is this: are you living for Jesus? That's an altogether different question. We have many who believe in God but according to scripture, the devils believe in tremble. We have many who say they are Christ followers, but who are living for themselves with the name of Christ attached loosely. The only thing they've really changed, is their title.

It's time we, as the people of God, stop living for ourselves and start living for Jesus again. God has called us out of darkness and into his marvelous light, according to Peter, so that we may show forth his praise. In other words, that we might demonstrate with our actions that we are truly Christ followers. That we are disciples. We call ourselves disciples, but when Jesus called his disciples the Bible says they forsook all and followed him. Peter and John left the biggest catch of fish they had ever encountered as fishermen. Matthew left a very prosperous job as a tax collector who could basically set his own salary at any rate he wanted. Luke left his position as a doctor.

I don't think that God asking us all to quit our jobs. rather, I believe he is asking us to make him the focus of everything we do.

Colossians 3:17 NKJV

17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

This verse is about focus. It's about taking the focus off of you in your pursuits and putting the focus back on the Kingdom of God and his righteousness in whatever you're pursuing. God is calling us all to be full time ministers. That's kind of a misnomer. We think a full time minister is someone who makes his living, his career, in ministry. And while that's true, all of us are called to be ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ wherever he has placed us. In whatever scenario we find ourselves in. Understand, you're not on the job that you have by mistake. You don't live in the neighborhood you live in by mistake. You don't shop at the store you shop in by mistake. God has strategically placed you in the Kingdom for such a time as this so that you can show forth the glory of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. God wants us to be ready to minister, at anytime, for his Kingdom and for his glory.

What I have been sensing strong is my spirit, is that God is ready to do something big in his people and in the earth. At the same time, I have been sensing that God is tired of playing church with us. It's time that we cleanse ourselves from those things that distract us and draw us away from God and his purpose. God cannot accomplish what he wants to accomplish in the earth with half hearted, half committed Christians.

Romans 12:1–2 NKJV

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

God wants all of you.

So let's go back to the rebuilding of Jerusalem and look at what's happening. They began building in the six month, started complaining in the 7th month, and on in the 9th month they started complaining again. But this time for a different reason

Haggai 2:15-19

The people are wondering that since they're building the House of the Lord, why are they not being blessed? I mean after all, they're coming to the temple, they're doing the work, they're doing all the external things, but they're not being blessed and so they're discouraged again.

God gives Haggai the reason and he goes to the priest with a question?

Haggai 2:10–14 NKJV

10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 11 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Now, ask the priests concerning the law, saying, 12 “If one carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with the edge he touches bread or stew, wine or oil, or any food, will it become holy?” ’ ” Then the priests answered and said, “No.” 13 And Haggai said, “If one who is unclean because of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?” So the priests answered and said, “It shall be unclean.” 14 Then Haggai answered and said, “ ‘So is this people, and so is this nation before Me,’ says the Lord, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.

Here we find the law of cleansing.

The clean thing touching the unclean thing does not make it clean.

However, the unclean thing touching the clean thing makes it unclean. This is the law of cleansing.

We see this again in the New Testament

2 Corinthians 6:17–18 NKJV

17 Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” 18 “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

“The chief danger that confronts the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, heaven without hell.” - William Booth

an encounter with the spirit of God makes us aware of our need for cleansing

Isaiah 6:1–8 NKJV

1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” 4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.” 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

“The chief danger that confronts the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, heaven without hell.” - William Booth

2 Corinthians 6:17–18 NKJV

17 Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” 18 “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

So we need to define “THEM”:  As we read from the previous scriptures, them is defined as:

Unbelievers

Lawless

Followers of Belial

Idol worshipers

Belial is a compound word, believed to have been taken from the Hebrew beliy, meaning “not,” and ya'al, meaning “profit” or “benefit.” It is used twenty-six times in the Old Testament, usually translated as “worthless” in the New American Standard Bible, but also as “base,” “destruction,” “rascally,” and “wicked.” In the earlier books of the Old Testament, when describing a wicked person, the King James sometimes uses “son of Belial” (or “daughter,” “man,” or “people” of Belial). Like many other uses of the term son of, the expression “son of Belial” doesn’t imply that Belial is a real person who fathers children; rather, it’s a description of people characterized by worthlessness or corruption. A less accepted theory is that belial comes from beli 'ol, meaning “without yoke”; the definition would remain about the same, however: a “son of Belial” would be someone who is “lawless” or “rebellious.” Either way, the Old Testament uses Belial as a personification of evil, not an actual entity. Later, the personification began to be thought of as an actual person, and in the New Testament Belial is used as a proper name of Satan in 2 Corinthians 6:15.

Psalm 1:1–4 NKJV

1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

Mark 2:18–22 NKJV

18 The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”

Acts 8:9–24 NKJV

9 But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” 11 And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done. 14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” 24 Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.”