In this sermon, Pastor Debbie explains that she is preaching in place of Pastor Rob and her son Tim, who are away at baseball state tournaments with their teams. She'd felt this message on her heart and is glad to share it, planning to draw on a few family stories as illustrations.

Read the summarized highlights of the sermon below, listen to the full sermon here, or watch it here.

Sermon Highlights

The Central Idea: Spiritual Refreshment

Drawing from Philemon 1:7, Pastor Debbie highlights Paul's praise of Philemon for having "refreshed the hearts of the Lord's people." She defines spiritual refreshment as using words and actions that bring encouragement, faith, and renewed strength to fellow believers, referencing the Ephesians 5:26 expression, "by the washing with water through the Word."

Just as natural refreshment comes through water (an ice-cold drink, a pool, sprinklers), spiritual refreshment flows from the water of God's Word.

We Don't Always Notice Whether We’re Spiritually Refreshing Others

Using the example of Tim, who didn't realize a large tree in his yard had died until a neighbor pointed it out, she warns that we can go through life without noticing whether our words refresh others or instead spread confusion, doubt, and suspicion.

Partnership in the Faith

She unpacks the word "partnership" (Greek: koinonia), describing it as a close relational bond among believers — including those who believe a little differently. Since Christians won't reach full unity of doctrine on this side of eternity, we are still "part of the whole" and joint heirs in the body of Christ. Through partnership, we learn from one another and deepen our understanding of "every good thing we share for the sake of Christ."

Testimonies That Refresh

Pastor Debbie shares two encounters that refreshed her during a difficult stretch:

• Chuck, a man she'd known since 1989, had been given essentially no time to live by his doctor. Instead of despairing, he chose to "count it all joy," stand on God's Word, and throw a party. She was stunned to see him at a baseball game, walking, laughing, and recovering.

• A minister's wife (a Baptist) had been diagnosed years earlier and given three years to live. A motorcyclist handed her a book of healing Scriptures. As she meditated on the Word, she was healed, not through others praying for her, but by taking the Word of God and using it herself. Later tests showed the condition completely gone.

The lesson: hearing testimonies of what God has done builds faith, and refreshment often comes through the Word we take hold of personally.

How Refreshment Works

It Begins With Repentance, and It’s a Two-Way Street

Citing Acts 3:19, she notes that "times of refreshing" come from the Lord through repentance. Additional verses reinforce the theme, including Proverbs 11:25 ("whoever refreshes others will be refreshed"), 1 Corinthians 16:18, and Jeremiah 31:25.

Staying refreshed isn't automatic. We stay refreshed by refreshing others and by continually "drinking" the water of the Word.

The Opposite of Refreshment

Doubt and Its Progression

She warns that spreading doubt starts a chain: doubt leads to unbelief, which leads to a hardened heart, which closes the door to God's promises. Because "faith comes by hearing" (Romans 10:17), whatever we feed on, negativity or the Word, is what our faith grows toward.

The "Fruit Inspectors"

Her grandfather worked as a railroad fruit inspector, flagging and discarding produce that didn't meet strict standards. Today, she says, many Christians appoint themselves as spiritual fruit inspectors — especially on social media — evaluating and tossing out any believer who doesn't match their strict interpretations, no matter how much good that person has done.

Even ministers who stumbled or fell near the end of their lives shouldn't be discarded "like rotten fruit," she argues, pointing to the sacrifice and fruitfulness of figures like Watchman Nee.

"Satan Knows What Sells"

She contrasts two sets of words:

• What sells (the "S" words): suspicion, sabotage, scrutiny, and salacious talk. These are the things that get clicks online.

• What refreshes (the "G" words): glory, grace, goodness, and gratitude.

Scriptures cited here include Galatians 5:15, 5:26, and 5:19–21 (the acts of the flesh, dissensions, factions, and discord), along with the warning against being "in love with your own opinions."

Doubt vs. Unbelief

Pastor Debbie draws a key distinction between doubt and unbelief:

• Doubt comes from not knowing what God's Word says. It's cured by learning the Word and repeating it until it takes root.
  

• Unbelief is knowing a promise and choosing not to believe it. That's disobedience, and it's cured by obedience.

Mixing Faith With the Word

Referencing Hebrews 6:1–2, she urges believers to move beyond "elementary teachings" (like relying only on others laying on hands) toward maturity: taking the Word and mixing it with faith to bring about a miracle with "just you and God alone." She calls this a higher form of answered prayer.

The Israelites, she notes, heard God's promise but failed to mix faith with it; the ten spies spread a negative report, and none of them entered the Promised Land.

Closing Charge

Faith is a spiritual force that comes from hearing the Word, while fear is its "reverse gear" and comes from hearing the word of the Enemy. She encouraged the congregation to spread faith, share testimonies, and keep the focus on "the great salvation," being especially careful because a brand-new Christian may be listening.

Asked how long we should keep this up, she answers with her sermon title: "As long as it is called today."

She closes in prayer, asking God to help each listener commit to speaking refreshing words and to grow their faith by continually hearing the Word of God.

Tune Into the Word With Word of Life Church

Word of Life Church is dedicated to making the world a better place by spreading the Word and love of God. Our mission is to create an authentic and welcoming worship community that empowers Christians to live a life of faith and service in the name of Jesus.

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