Renew Sermon Series
Part 3
The Promise of Renewal
Isaiah 40:31 They that wait upon the Lord SHALL RENEW their strength.
Intro: In this series, we have looked at the PREREQUISITES of Renewal. Then we looked at the PREMISE for Renewal. The key is letting God do it; not trying to do it yourself. WAIT ON THE LORD – that is the condition; the premise for renewal.
The word RENEW here is the Hebrew word chalaph (khaw-laf’) which means: to change, substitute, alter, change for better, renew, to come on anew, sprout again
It is clear in the Scriptures that man does not have the power to renew himself. That is why waiting on God is essential.
I. The Authority of the Promise – God Can!
Verse 28 explains the AUTHORITY behind the promise to renew.
- Isaiah 40:28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
We’ve all experienced the disappointment of people making promised that they didn’t have the authority to make.
There has never been anyone more qualified or able to make this promise.
This promise is backed by an Omnipotent, Sovereign Power.
This promise is made by One that has never failed at anything.
God has all the authority necessary to make this promise.
They that wait upon the Lord SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH.
Not they might renew; not they could renew; not it’s possible or it’s likely to renew.
He said they SHALL RENEW.
Isaiah 43
- 15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King.
- 16 Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters;
- 17 Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow.
- 18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
- 19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
The word SHALL is a promise that you and I can claim.
This is a check written on the bank of Heaven.
No possibilities of it bouncing or coming back as INSUFFICIENT FUNDS.
I can assure you that the God of the universe is fully authorized to make this promise.
Nobody stole His checkbook.
Nobody hacked His account.
Nobody stole His identity and nobody is impersonating Him.
God – the Creator of the universe promised to renew your strength, and you can take that to the bank!
II. The Authenticity of the Promise – God Has!
Let’s be clear. God is fully capable to renew.
Not only has this promise from God been authorized; but it has been authenticated.
God has not only PROMISED to renew, but He has PROVEN that He can renew.
Many times throughout Scripture, this promise to RENEW has been proven.
ILLUSTRATION: There are a lot of things on the market today that promise to RENEW but doesn’t.
There is a Renew eye drop. It doesn’t make your eyes new. It just moisturizes them.
There is a Renew skin moisturizing cream. It doesn’t give you new skin. It just greases up the old skin.
The list of renew products are endless. But they really do not renew; they only temporarily relieve.
Man’s idea of renewal many times is a self-deceptive patch job with temporary improvements.
Man’s idea of renewal is more of a psychological crutch than a literal renewal.
Man’s idea is self-reformation; cleaning one’s self up; turning over a new leaf so to speak.
Make no mistake; when God makes something new, He makes it new.
ILLUSTRATION 1:
For the doubters, the Bible is filled with examples of God’s power to make new.
Our Bible begins with a testimony of God’s power to renew.
The Bible says that the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
God started with an epic mess and made it new.
ILLUSTRATION 2:
What about Naaman? Dying with leprosy. Went and found the man of God and watch what happens:
- II Kings 5: 14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
Imagine that! Imagine Naaman going back home to his wife with no leprosy, and no hair on his legs!!
When God makes it new, it’s new!!
III. The Availability of the Promise – God Will!
A. For the Believer
The promise that God has made to the Child of God is unimaginable.
I never cease to be amazed at the saved people that feel they are the single exception to God’s promises.
They respond to a promise from God with, “But you don’t understand…”
They proceed to try and explain how that their situation is completely outside of God’s ability to change.
They work so hard to find grounds for limiting God’s renewing in their life.
Their level of fainting and weariness is somehow beyond God’s ability to renew.
Have you forgotten what He did for you when you got saved?
Have you forgotten the extent of His renewing power that He performed in your life when you were BORN AGAIN?
It was the ULTIMATE RENEWAL!
Are you faint and weary?
- Hebrews 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
When we came to Him for salvation, He didn’t just do a spit-polish.
He didn’t just wipe us off and clean us up.
He transformed us. He regenerated us. He started over.
When God said in 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new, He meant it!
If you are saved, you ARE a new creature. Old things REALLY DID pass away; All things REALLY ARE become new.
Whether you realize it or not, when you waited on the Lord; looked to the Lord; leaned upon the Lord to save you, He gave you a:
- New Creature – 2 Corinthians 5:17
- New Family – Ephesians 3:15; 1 Peter 2:10
- New Father – Galatians 4:6, 7
- New Inheritance – Ephesians 1:13-18
- New Mind – 1 Peter 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:7
- New Heart – Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26
- New Name – Isaiah 66:22
- New Identity – 1 Peter 2:9
- New Life – Ephesians 2:1-5
- And He’s building you a New Mansion in the New Jerusalem! – John 14:1-3
So, here’s my question: If God was able to do all of that when He saved you, do you not believe he could RENEW YOUR STRENGTH?
When you get faint and weary from the struggles and from the battle, can you not rely on God’s promise to renew?
He promised in II Peter to create a new heaven and a new earth.
- II Peter 3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Somehow, you believe he can make the heavens new, and the earth new, but He cannot renew your strength?
B. For the Unbeliever
If you are here today, and you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, this portion of the message is for you.
Whether you realize it or not, you are also weary and in desperate need of the Creator to REWEW YOUR STRENGTH.
Jesus died on the cross to do that very thing.
- Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
To claim the promise of God in Isaiah 40:31, you must first trust in God’s promise to save every one that cometh to Him.
God has promised that if you’ll come to Him, believing, He will IN NO WISE cast you out.
- John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
You are NOT ABLE to save yourself. But God is!
- Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
He promised in Matthew 11 –
- 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
- 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
- 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
He also said:
- Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Conclusion: Will you trust the promise of God this morning to RENEW YOUR STRENGTH?