As Easter approaches each year, our family has the usual conversations about who’s going to host the brunch or dinner and what church service we’ll attend. Who’s up for sunrise service and who wants to sleep in later? You probably have similar discussions.
Our Easter will look different then in the past since hubby is having spinal fusion surgery four days before and might even still be in the hospital on Easter. If not, he’ll be in recovery mode and I’ll be in caretaker mode, but it doesn’t matter where we are or what’s happening in our life physically on Easter because spiritually Jesus is with us everywhere we go. We can worship and celebrate Him anywhere, anytime.
It’s easy to become preoccupied with our traditions: performances, cantatas, pageants, new clothes, family gatherings, decorating the house, egg hunts, and Easter baskets. All good things. Soon one of the holiest days of the year is over. We probably went to church, said a prayer before meals, maybe even read some Bible passages about the Last Supper, Gethsemane, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection.
But did we take time to praise God for the painful sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, and consider how it changed our life? Last week, I wrote a very important blog The Bible Is Offensive to Those Who Tolerate Sin. In the article, and when I posted it on social media, I asked how many of your pastors even talk about sin, which is the whole reason Jesus went to the horrific Cross. Only two people responded that their pastor speaks about sin boldly and courageously. That was disappointing and disheartening to me that so many pastors may say Jesus wants us to turn from our sins but never define sin. They may venture into talking about salvation this Easter but never mention what we’re saved from.
A Holy Spirit inspired pastor knows exactly how to speak the Gospel truth, especially on Easter when many worldly sinners who need to hear the truth will be attending to appease family members or out of tradition. It might be their only opportunity to be convicted and convinced that living a godly life forgiven of their sins is superior to living a carnal sinful life.
Easter commemorates the foundation of our Christian faith. The Gospel! The Good News! Without Easter, there would be no hope. Easter is the reason we have forgiveness for our sins and the assurance of eternal life. As the Apostle Paul reminded the Corinthians:
Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
Many pastors might read the above passage this Easter while glossing right over the definition of sin. Many people listening might consider themselves “good people,” but never consider that they’re living the sins delineated in Galatians 5:18-21, which would be a great transition for pastors.
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Gal. 5:18-21 NLT
Congregants and guests need to hear that when we ask Jesus into our heart and receive the merciful forgiveness of our sins that nailed Him to the cross, we experience a spiritual rebirth. Hallelujah! Then, as we grow in our faith, we need a daily empty-tomb reawakening, not just annually at Easter.
Jesus lives within the heart of every Christian and He wants us to live as if we believe it!
The life of Bible-believing Holy Spirit filled Christians is one of evolving renewal! It’s not once and done when we become a Christian.
We continually cast off old patterns of sinful thinking and behavior as we transition into a richer more fulfilling faith.
But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. Colossians 3:8-10
5 Ways to Experience Spiritual Renewal This Easter
1. Renew Your Mind
What we let enter into our mind—positive or negative—controls our emotions, actions, and beliefs. What is bothering you right now? What is seeping into your psyche that keeps you up at night or troubles you during the day? Can you identify it? The news. Politics. Television. Social media. Stock market. Family crises or dysfunction.
Whatever is stressing you, try a mental fast! Free your mind from everything that furrows your brow. You may never want to let those things have dominion over your thoughts again. Admittedly, it could be your job. You can’t just walk away, but maybe you could initiate a plan to find another job more suitable for you. God will guide if you let Him.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2
Personal Renewal: God wants us to rid our mind of worldly ways and saturate our mind with His wisdom. Proverbs is God’s Book of Wisdom, so try reading a proverb every day and write it on an index card. When your thoughts begin to drift to things of this world, recite the day’s proverb. If you’re ambitious, read an entire chapter in Proverbs daily and in thirty-one days you’ll have read the entire Book of Proverbs. When you finish, start back at Proverbs 1:1. You can never be too wise!
The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.—Proverbs 18:15
2. Renew Your Heart
God created us uniquely with our mind, heart, and spirit intertwined. A renewal of one, affects the other two. A mind change touches our heart and our spirit nudges us to act according to our mind and heart. If our heart fills with compassion for a situation, our mind follows suit and again our spirit reminds us of how God wants us to act.
We are to have the mind of Christ and what breaks His heart should break our heart too.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26
Personal Renewal: Who could you invite to Easter services? Maybe you’ve asked them to join you at church before and they’ve declined or it’s someone you’re sure would say no. Perhaps your heart has become a bit hardened toward their spiritual future. Ask God for the courage to ask them anyway. This could be the Easter their life changes forever.
If they say no, then commit to pray for them to say yes to God someday soon. We never know when Jesus will come for His people.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10
3. Renew Your Commitments
A commitment is a sacred vow, a promise, to honor your word. Commitment often involves a sacrifice of putting others’ needs before your own needs, even when it’s inconvenient or painful.
Our Christian faith hinges on a commitment we make to Christ to follow Him and adhere to His Word, whether easy or difficult. At Easter, we remember the ultimate cost Christ paid on the cross to fulfill His commitment to save a lost world. Now he expects us to honor our commitments to Him and to others.
Don’t let your mouth make you sin. And don’t defend yourself by telling the Temple messenger that the promise you made was a mistake. That would make God angry, and he might wipe out everything you have achieved. Ecclesiastes 5:6 NLT
Practical Renewal: Have you committed to something you wish you hadn’t? We’ve all been there. Learn from it and pray next time before you make a decision; but this time, follow through on your commitment. Backing out of a promise damages the credibility of your Christian witness.
All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. Matthew 5:37
4. Renew Your Testimony
There is no greater witness to God’s goodness than sharing what He has done in your life. No one can question your testimony because it’s your personal experience. The Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) isn’t just for disciples and pastors; it’s for every follower and believer of Jesus Christ. You don’t have to be an evangelist to share your story.
As we mature and evolve spiritually, we retell our testimony to benefit others. You and I are Christians today because twelve disciples obediently followed Jesus’ command to tell the world the Good News. They shared their personal gospel experience with anyone who would listen and with many who didn’t listen.
When we become Christians, our charge is to tell the world why we love Jesus!
Your story becomes your testimony when the focus is on God, not on you. This would be a great Easter verse for a pastor to gently discuss sin and how grace sets us free.
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:3-7
Personal Renewal: When you give God the glory for something in your life, you testify to God’s goodness. Your salvation testimony shares your life before Jesus. How He changed your heart and spiritually, maybe literally, saved your life.
God has given you a story to share, so seize every opportunity to tell it. Sometimes God redeems your testimony by surrounding you with people who need to hear your past so it doesn’t become their future.
Who needs to hear this Easter what Christ has done for you?
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 1 John 5:11-12
5. Renew Your Soul
Easter is springtime in our souls! God is calling His people into a closer relationship with Him so that we can share Jesus with others who need more of Him in their life . . . or don’t yet know Him. The world is full of unsaved people stumbling in spiritual darkness. God calls every Christian to help those lost in darkness to find their way to the redeeming Light.
When Jesus spoke . . . he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
We need to refresh, renew, and refuel our body, mind, and soul so the illuminating joy of Christ radiates from us!
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:30-31
Personal Renewal: Let the songs you sing on Easter, and the messages you hear, revive your spirit and speak directly to your soul. Bask in the glow that Jesus is alive!
If you’re ready to arise and be God’s messenger, start praying now for those divine appointments where God will use you in a hurting and lonely world.
I pray this Easter season finds you refreshed and renewed in your relationship with Christ and the purpose He has given each of us to keep the memory of Easter alive and vibrant, every day in our hearts, speech, and actions. Let us never forget:
You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. Colossians 2:13-14 (NLT)
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16
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President Trump issued a Easter proclamation from the White House, and what better way to start a Spiritual Renewal with his words of affirmation of this Holy Week: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/04/presidential-message-on-holy-week-2025/
The new White house Faith Office is planning for an extraordinary week-long celebration to give great emphasis, honor, and reverence in Holy Week and Easter with the righteous, Christ-honoring observance it deserves. This includes a special time of prayer and worship at the White House to be shared with Americans celebrating the week leading up to Resurrection Sunday.
What a stark and unholy contrast to Biden’s Easter celebration last year, declaring that Resurrection Sunday instead be the the blasphemous and anti-religious “Fabulous Transgender Day of Visibility”; and performing antics along with his deviant circus of celebrants.
Yesterday on Palm Sunday, President Trump issued a message on his social media account with the unapologetic moral clarity of our founding Fathers. We have not seen this kind of gallant spirituality in decades past from Presidents, and he clearly and boldly gave God the Glory. I am sure this will put the seculars on a “theocracy” political edge, but they hardly have a leg to stand on.
In truth, it walks out and underscores the fact that the First Amendment protects religious liberty, not the absence of it! Our nation’s history has been steeped in a public acknowledgement and display of faith since it’s founding. The role of faith and religion was at the epicenter of the “American Experiment”, and they became essential to maintain freedom and moral self-restraint in order for our republic to survive and be sustainable.
President Trumps proclamations are leading this country’s soul back to spiritual awakening, and a return to our historical faith roots. It’s hope and prayers that are “feet” moving in the right direction…. back to faith in God. Christ is risen indeed!
Thanks for sharing Suzanne. I had posted all of this on my social media too. Truly is a blessing to have a President in the White House who honors Jesus and isn’t afraid to say so.