Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
General Christian
Relationships and Religion
How to Experience Spiritual Renewal: 10 Ways

How to Experience Spiritual Renewal: 10 Ways

Last updated on: September 24, 2022 at 3:42 pm by B. J. Oropeza

410 Comments

How to Experience Spiritual Renewal: 10 Ways 2022-09-24T15:42:42-07:00 B. J. Oropeza

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

How does a person experience personal spiritual renewal? Nehemiah 8–9 gives us some good biblical principles to follow on the subject of spiritual renewal. After the Jews returned from the Babylonian captivity (c. 6th century B.C.E) Nehemiah, the Persian King’s cup-bearer, felt burdened to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

After he completed rebuilding the walls, the Israelites held a celebration beginning the first day of the seventh month, during the Feasts of Trumpets and Feast of Tabernacles. Some of the characteristics of that worship-celebration provide us with potentially good tips for personal rejuvenation.

Ten Ways to Spiritual Renewal

Extensive Scripture reading (Neh. 8:1–3a): Ezra the scribe read the Law of Moses before the assembly. He read it from “daybreak till noon,” and this went on “day after day” (Neh 8:18).

Attentive Listening (Neh 8:3b): The people listened to Ezra’s reading. Hence, the Word of God was the center of attention.

Worship (Neh 8:5-6): Ezra praised God as the people “lifted their hands” and “bowed down” as they worshipped the LORD.

Sound Teaching (Neh 8:7–8; cf. 8:12): The Levites instructed the people in the Word of God “making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read” (NIV).

Emotional Responses Permitted with Guidance (Neh. 8:9–12a; cf. 8:17): The people wept, apparently convicted of their sins. But since this was a time of celebration, Nehemiah thought it inappropriate. Thus, he encouraged them to rejoice instead, for the “joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Almsgiving (Neh. 8:12 cf. 8:10): Nehemiah directed the people to share their blessings of food and drink with those who were less fortunate.

Proclaiming the Word of God to Others (Neh. 8:13–16): The heads of the Jewish families were encouraged to share the message of God’s Word regarding the Feast of Tabernacles throughout their towns. This would seem to be the equivalent of sharing your faith; evangelism.

Repentance (Neh. 9:1–3): The people fasted, humbled themselves with sackcloth and ashes, separated themselves to the LORD, and “confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers.” A quarter of the day was spent in the Word of God and another quarter spent in confession and worship.

9 & 10. Prayer and United Fellowship: Now let us compare these points with renewal in the New Testament in the Book of Acts. We find, among other things, the importance of prayer and united fellowship (Acts 1:14; 2:1, 42–47).[1]

Take Home Points

Do you desire spiritual strength and renewal? If the revivals of Nehemiah and in Acts are worthy to inform us here, renewal happens largely when gathering together with other believers and not merely by yourself. Do you attend a thriving church and fellowship group? This, I would suggest, is the first step towards renewal.

The second is to carve out time every day to develop a prayer and devotional life that includes reading and studying Scripture.

If these pieces are in place and you are applying the principles above by faith, then I trust that you will be on your way.

Notes

[1] For these and other principles on revival, as well as discernment principles, see my book, A Time to Laugh: The Holy Laughter Phenomenon Examined.

Image: Woman Girl Curler Hairstyle Facial Expression via pixabay.com

Progressive Christian

Evangelical

Eastern Orthodox

Contemplative

Catholic

Relationships and Religion

About B. J. Oropeza

B. J. Oropeza is Professor of Biblical and Religious Studies at Azusa Pacific University. Among his many books and publications include Bible Commentaries, Biblical Theology, studies on the Apostle Paul and his letters, and on the lighter side of things, the Gospel according to Superheroes. You can read more about the author here.

Previous Post

April 14, 2022

Revival and Worship Today: Lessons from the Great Awakening

Next Post

May 22, 2022 Can a Christian Be Demon Possessed?

Recent Comments

410 Comments | Leave a Comment

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category "in Christ" 1 Corinthians 1 Enoch 1 John 2:19 1 Peter 1 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 1Peter 2 Corinthians 2 Timothy 400 years of silence A. I. A. M. Hunter Abraham Achilles Tatius Acts 13 Acts 19 Acts 22 Acts 26 Acts 9 addiction adultery Aesop's Fables Affliction afterlife allegiance allusions amanuensis Amen Ananias Ancient Biography Andrew Wilson Andronicus Angels anger Anglicanism anointing aorist tense Apep apocalypse apocalyptic Apocrypha apologetics apostasy Apostle Apostle Paul Aquinas archaeology archangel Ardel Caneday Arminianism armor of God article from journal artificial intelligence Asbury ascension atlas atonement Augustine Augustus authorship Awakening awards baptism Battle of Armageddon beasts behemoth Belial Beliar belief Benediction between Testaments Beverly Roberts Gaventa Bible Bible discrepancies Bible Gateway Bible reading Bible reading plan Bible Study Bible translations Bible version Bible versions biblical inerrancy Biblical Theology blasphemy blindness Boethius boldness Book of Acts Book Review Born Again bravery burial Caesar calling Calvinism canon canon Cassius Dio Catholics Channing Crisler charistmatic Christ Christian behavior Christian origins Christian theology Christians Christology church church fathers Church of England Chuza Cleopas Commandments Commentaries congregation conversion Corinthian letters coronavirus courage Covenant covenant theology covenantal nomism coveting COVID-19 Craig Keener Crescens crocodile Cross crucifixion curse custom Cyprian Daily Bread Dale Allison Damascus Damascus Experience Damascus road David Moffitt Day of Atonement deacon dead Dead Sea Scrolls death Deity of Christ Demas demonology demons determinism Deuteronomy Devil devotion dinosaur Dio Chrysostom divided I Divine Christology divine punishment divorce Do not fear Doxology dragon E. P. Sanders Eastern Orthodox Ebeneazer Urga echoes ekklesia election Elijah the Prophet Elymas embodiment of the gospel embodying the gospel emperor empty tomb Encouragement end times enlightement Ephesians Ephesus Epistles of Paul eschatology eternal life Ethics (Christian) euchlaion Eusebius of Caesarea evangelical evangelism evidence exile extreme unction Ezekiel faith falling away false prophet fate father Father's Day favorite Fear film Final Judgment Flood foreknowledge foreordain forgiveness fornication freewill from Saul to Paul Galatians Gary Cooper Genesis Gentile studies Gentiles geography giants gift gift giving global perspective Glossa Ordinaria God God perception good news gospel gospel 2.0 Gospel of John Gospel of Luke Gospel of Mark Gospel of Matthew Gospels grace gratitude Great Awakening Greco-Roman Greco-Roman world Greek Greek classic literature Greek lexicon Greek Orthodox Greek prepositions greetings guilt Habakkuk hair Halloween head covering head coverings healing heaven Hebrew Hebrews hermeneutics Hesed high Christology Higher Christology highlights holiness holy Holy Bible Holy Scriptures Holy Spirit Homer hospitable hospitality how to read the Bible human effort I Am sayings imperialism in Adam In Christ inspiration intercession Interpretation intertestamental period Intertextuality Interview intimidation Isaiah Israel Israel (land of) James James D. G. Dunn Jason Staples Jerome Jesus Jesus sayings Jesus traditions Jesus: Studies Jewish literature Jewish names Jewish Scripture Jewish studies Jews Joanna Job John John 3:16 John Chrysostom John Hyrcanus John Mark John of Damascus John the Baptist John Wesley Josephus joy Judaism Judgment day Julia Junia Justice justification kerygma King Kingdom kingdom of God Krister Stendahl lament Law lecture hall letter writing Letters of Paul Leucippe et Clitophon Leviathan Leviticus light Logical fallacy looting Lord Lord's Prayer lose salvation Lot Lotan love lovingkindness Lucifer Luke lust Luther LXX maenads Malachi Marcion marginalization marital affair marriage martyrdom Mary Matt Damon Medieval theologians Medieval theology memorization mercy Michael the Archangel miracles Mishnah missiology mission missionary missions monergism monogenes monster monsters Mysterious Ways mythology N. T. Wright name change names narrative Nephilim New Birth new covenant new covenant pneumaism new creation New Perspective on Paul New Testament New Testament use of Old Testament Noah Noah's ark non-Christian oath obedience Odysseus Odyssey oil Old Testament only begotten Origen Outpouring pagan pagans parable paraceratherium Parousia participation in Christ Pastoral Letters patristic theology Paul in prison Paul letter of Paul teaching Paul the Apostle: Studies Paul within Judaism Paul's calling Paul's conversion Paul's death Pauline Theology persecution perseverance perseverance of the saints Persis personal devotion pesher Peter Abelard Philo philosophy Phoebe Pink Floyd pistis Plague plutarch pneuma pneumagism popular culture sayings Porneia Post-New Perspective on Paul praise prayer preaching predestination Prisca Priscilla Prison Epistle Prophecy prophets Psalm Psalms Pseudepigrapha Q Q source quest for the historic Jesus quotations Rabbi Pinhas be Yair Rabbinic literature Rainer Riesner raised from the dead rapture reading missiologically reading plan recipients reciprocity reconciliation Red Herring red letter edition redemption Reformation Regeneration rejoicing reminder renewal repentance restoration resurrection revival righteousness riot Roman Antiquity Roman names romance Romans Romans 12-16 Romans 16 Romans 4:25 Romans 7 Rome Rufus's mother sacrificial system salvation Salvation/Soteriology sanctification Satan Satan's fall Saul the Pharisee SBL Scholars school Scripture Second coming of Christ Second Temple Judaism secretary Septuagint Sergeant York Sergius Paulus Servant in Isaiah sex and sexuality sex ethics sexual immorality sheep sick sin sinful nature single Christians and dating social justice Society of Biblical Literature sons of God soteriology spinosaurus spiritual gifts spiritual renewal spiritual warfare Stephen Wilson struggle Study Bible studying the Bible Suetonius suffering Suffering Servant suggestive commentary Survey synergism Synoptic Gospels Tacitus teacher teaching telos temptation Tertius The Chosen the flesh Theology Thomas Aquinas Thomas Robinson Thomas Schreiner Thorn Thucydides Timothy Titus tongues Top 10 top 12 Torah trust Tryphaena Tryphosa Tyrannus U2 Ugaritic Ukraine Ukrainian Uncategorized unconditional love unforgiving Union with Christ unity/solidarity unpardonable sin Valentine's Day veils vice vices victory warnings Watchers witnessing Woman ministers women women ministers women speakers women teachers word of God works works of the law worship writing YouVersion Zen Hess

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does the voice in Revelation 6 say about food prices?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A day's wages for a measure of wheat No one will go hungry Free food for all Food will be multiplied