Refresh
by The Salvation Army Gwinnett
Coming to you from The Salvation Army of Gwinnett County, Georgia, "Refresh" is a podcast designed to revive, recharge, and renew your faith and give you the tools needed to follow Jesus.
Podcast episodes
Season 8
40 Days (Week 6: Temptation)
The 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness represent a crucial model for spiritual preparation and warfare. Unlike other biblical figures who entered the wilderness seeking God, Jesus intentionally sought an encounter with Satan, facing Him in human form. Through extended fasting, Jesus demonstrated the powerful connection between denying physical desires and building spiritual strength.During this time, Satan employed three distinct types of temptation: physical needs, testing divine identity, and offering worldly power without sacrifice. This pattern reveals Satan's limited arsenal - temptation is his only weapon. The progression of these temptations also shows how spiritual attacks often begin with basic physical desires before advancing to more complex spiritual challenges.This wilderness experience provides practical guidance for modern spiritual warfare. It teaches that fasting should be reserved for serious spiritual matters such as intense spiritual warfare, seeking divine direction, leadership decisions, and crisis intervention. When we fast, we can expect increased spiritual opposition, but with persistence and proper preparation, victory is assured.
40 Days (Week 5: Desert Wondering)
Life often includes challenging wilderness seasons - periods of separation, change, and transformation that serve a greater purpose in God's plan. Like the Israelites' 40-year journey, these times separate us from worldly influences and transform our identity from slaves to God's chosen people. The wilderness acts as a divine quarantine where God detoxes us from cultural pressures, shapes our character, and teaches us to trust Him fully.Three key aspects define these wilderness experiences: separation for identity restoration, formation through trust, and covenant relationship development. Through separation, God breaks cultural influences that reshape our identity and returns us to biblical truth. The formation process moves us from control to surrender, teaching complete dependence on Him. Finally, our covenant relationship with God deepens as we transform from slaves to sons and daughters, building genuine worship and faithfulness. Today's believers face similar challenges to the Israelites, including powerful cultural forces reshaping identity and pressure to conform to worldly standards. These wilderness seasons aren't punishment but preparation for greater purpose. Instead of rushing to escape these times, we're invited to surrender control and trust God's process of transformation, allowing Him to realign our identity with biblical truth.
40 Days (Week 4: 10 Commandments)
The story of Moses on Mount Sinai illustrates the transformative power of encountering God's presence. After spending 40 days with God, Moses's face physically glowed, providing visible evidence of divine encounter. Today, while our experiences might differ, God continues to meet people in various locations and circumstances - whether in childhood homes, churches, quiet prayer rooms, or during morning devotions. These divine encounters serve multiple purposes: receiving vision and direction, experiencing spiritual refinement, addressing doubts, and receiving specific callings. While these mountain-top experiences aren't permanent, they're pivotal moments designed to transform us and prepare us for greater impact. The true measure of these encounters isn't just in the moment itself, but in how they change our daily lives and influence others around us. When we genuinely experience God's presence, it becomes evident through our actions, attitudes, and the spiritual fruit we bear.
40 Days (Week 3: Spies)
Standing at the edge of promised lands - whether opportunities, callings, or destinations - often comes after seasons of preparation and waiting. The biblical account of Israel's twelve spies exploring Canaan illustrates the common struggle between faith and fear when facing God's promises. While the land proved to be exactly as God described, flowing with milk and honey, the majority chose to focus on obstacles rather than opportunities.Fear manifests as a battle between head and heart, where intellectual understanding of God's promises conflicts with emotional trust. This internal struggle can lead to retreat rather than advancement. The Israelites' choice to embrace fear resulted in forty years of desert wandering, with an entire generation missing their destiny. This powerful example demonstrates how our response to God's promises directly impacts our future.Faith, like physical endurance, requires consistent conditioning through regular spiritual discipline and progressive challenges. Moving forward in faith demands courage to face giants, fortified cities, and overwhelming odds. The key lies in aligning our head and heart with God's truth, choosing to focus on His faithfulness rather than apparent obstacles.
40 Days (Week 2: Gavid and Goliath)
The legendary confrontation between David and Goliath represents more than just a physical battle - it embodies the triumph of faith over intimidation. For 40 days, the mighty Philistine warrior Goliath, standing nine feet tall, challenged the Israelite army while they remained paralyzed by fear. Despite King Saul's generous offers of wealth, marriage, and tax exemption, no soldier dared to face the giant. This period of inaction reflected a deeper issue of trust and perspective among God's people. When David arrived on the scene, his response dramatically differed from his fellow Israelites. Instead of seeing an unbeatable opponent, he recognized someone who dared to defy the armies of the living God. His confidence stemmed not from personal prowess but from his unwavering trust in God's power and faithfulness. The story highlights the crucial difference between arrogance and true confidence - while arrogance seeks personal gain, genuine confidence focuses on advancing God's kingdom. This timeless narrative challenges us to examine our approach to life's obstacles and remember that with God, no giant is too big to overcome.