The Great Reset
(This Weekly Prayer Summary was written by Irene Sentosa, from the CBC English Prayer Ministry Core Team, and edited by Brigitta Tedja)
Watch full sermon here
Pastor Joyce continued City Blessing’s theme for October, “The Great Reset”, and she began by asking a question: What would usually be the first thing that comes into your mind when you wake up in the morning? Is it your work, school, kids, cell phone, or is it God? Do you have a desire to worship Him before you start anything when you wake up every morning? She shared that sometimes she would get out or get up out of her bed and want to start working on all things that needed to be taken care of, but there is a reset button inside her that she will press occasionally so that she will not be carried away by a busy life.
When we think about the word “reset,” we usually use the reset button when we are stuck with our electronics. It is the same with our spiritual lives, there is a reset button in our hearts that needs to be pressed from time to time so that:
1. We can align our faith back to the Lord
2. Our daily hope rests in Jesus alone
3. Our first love to God stays forever
Reset Our Prayer Life
An important reset that we need to do is to return to the secret place by seeking God alone through our time alone with God (TAWG) so that we can experience His wonders.
Psalm 5:3 NIV: “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice. In the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.”
Psalm 63:6 NIV: “On my bed I remember you, I think of you through the watches of the night.”
Many Christians today do not read the Bible regularly because it is hard to think about God, and with all our busyness, it is so hard to engage with God. In Joshua 3:5, Joshua told the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” To “sanctify” means go to that secret place.
Waiting Upon the Lord in Your Secret Place Actually Yields Better Results
When we wait upon the Lord, we will hear that still small voice that will guide our lives and we will be realigned with God’s heart. We will experience His presence which is much more wonderful than our successes. It is worth it!
We as Christians are called for a different lifestyle which requires prayer, reading the Bible, worship, serving others, reaching out to people, evangelism, etc. which may take some of our time. The question is: Are you willing to answer to this type of lifestyle as a Christian? Are you willing to make the reset so that you can be radiant every day? To “Rise Up and Be Radiant” is not just our Church’s theme for this year, but it is an assignment that God wants us to do this year and beyond.
Some of us may think that it is a hard reset or assignment, but we need to remember that Jesus has equipped us with the Holy Spirit to enable us to execute this lifestyle and assignment.
John 20:21-22 NIV: “Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
We have the Holy Spirit who helps us to accomplish the assignments God has given us.
1 John 2:27 NIV: “As for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, and as that anointing is real…”
Remain in Him (Jesus)
This anointing is real and amazing, but we need to remain in Him by going to His secret place every day. However, many times the problem is that we are too busy, therefore, we are not aware of the Holy Spirit and forget that we have a real anointing from Jesus alone. If we remain in Him, nothing is difficult for us to do.
If we remain in Him, it would be impossible for us to have an unstable life. We would not have a life which is up for some time and then down another time, or we sin again then repent again, that is not the life God want us to live. When we remain in Him, our hearts will be clean, right before God, and blessings, joy, peace will flow in our lives.
Our Christian life will not grow if we do not mingle with the Word of God and love His words. It is not enough to just listen to the sermon every Sunday. If we do not know His words, our prayers will be shallow, just on the surface, no intimacy, no substance, no power.
There is one obstacle or distraction that is so strong today that hinders us from having our time alone with God – It is our cell phones! We are so connected to our cell phones that we are so disconnected to God! Many people become frantic when they left their cell phones at home, yet when we forgot to pray, we feel it is okay.
What can we do to overcome this obstacle or distraction?
Make a decision every day that you will not be dictated by your cell phone.
Turn it around; change your site from Netflix to YouTube worship.
Turn it around from ungodly sites to YouTube or websites that builds your spiritual life.
Watch or listen to things that build you spiritually, mentally, and intellectually.
Download the Bible app so that you can start listening to audio Scriptures.
Connect with your cell phone to get close to God. Reverse It!
God is looking for a people who are hungry for His character and a deeper relationship with Him—a people who pursue holiness over happiness, over fun, and over self-entertainment. He will shake anything in our lives that distracts us from Him, so we must seek Him with all our hearts and press into Him as never before.
Pastor Joyce reminds all the parents that we are required to read the Bible and pray regularly so that we can be radiant in our own home. We cannot expect our children to go to Church but we are not real at home. When we read the Bible and pray regularly, we will be powerful parents and our children will see that we walk the talk and not just live as an artificial Christian.
Pastor Joyce also shared her experience with her 2nd daughter, Lorraine, who faced challenges with a business deal she had been working on for her work. As Pastor Joyce prayed for Lorraine, God instructed her to pray with Lorraine over the two verses in Proverbs 3:5-8 and 13:12. They prayed together in agreement with God’s words in these two verses. The next day she received news from Lorraine that she will be able close the business deal! This is the power of agreement with His words. Every parent needs to draw near to the Lord and when you do that, you will be able to say the right words at the right time to your children.
Proverbs 3:5-8 TPT: “Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make. Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go. Don’t think for a moment that you know it all, for wisdom comes when you adore him with undivided devotion and avoid everything that’s wrong. Then you will find the healing refreshment your body and spirit long for.”
Proverb 13:12 NIV: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”
Every time we face challenges in any area of our lives and do not know what to do, pray in agreement with His words in Philippians 4:3: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Or maybe we have family members or loved ones who are sick, pray over Psalms 34:6 TPT: “When I had nothing, desperate and defeated, I cried out to the Lord and he heard me.” Remember the Holy Spirit has anointed us and He talks to us through His words in the Bible.
Reset Our Worship
WORSHIP IS NOT ONLY READING A SONG AND SINGING IT. WORSHIP IS ALSO MEMORIZING A SONG SO THAT YOU CAN SING IT PERSONALLY FROM YOUR HEART AND THROUGH YOUR MOUTH TO BE HEARD BY THE LORD ALONE.
When you worship, you express your honor, love, and reverence for God. He is looking for true worshippers. How long has it been since you came to His secret place? If you have been so busy with your life, ask and allow the Lord to reset your prayer life and come back to the secret place again today. Your time alone with God starts again today. Go back to worship. Get connected to God and His heart again today so that you can experience His wonders.
Prayer Points:
1. Pray for a reset of our prayer lives that:
We will be reconnected to God and His heart again and our prayers will be the place out of which His PURPOSE and POWER flow in our lives.
We will make a decision to go to His secret place every day before we start doing anything else despite all the busyness and challenges we are going through.
We will be more sensitive to hear the Holy Spirit who will help us to accomplish the assignments God has given us and have the obedient heart to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading.
We can develop consistent Bible reading time and to meditate on His Words.
2. Pray for a reset in worship that:
We will have a burning passion again to worship, seek His face again, and to have a hunger and thirst again for the Lord – Psalm 84:10: “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere. . .”
We have the understanding of the importance and power of praise and worship as weapons of warfare, to unlock the heavenlies in our lives so that we can experience His wonders.
A heart of true worshippers to rise upon the Church, not just during the Sunday services, but everyday wherever we are.