This title sounds like a shampoo advertisement, and just like shampoo these things sound like things we would want. These ads often tout the special ingredients like exotic oils that will make your hair healthy and beautiful. God is concerned about our physical health. He promised Israel that if they kept His commandments, they would be free from the diseases He brought upon Egypt (Ex 15:26). Some of the dietary laws in the law of Moses were to teach His people spiritual principles, but they were also to keep them physically healthy. Jesus took many stripes with a cat-o-nine tails for our healing (Is 53:5, Jn 19:1, 1Pet2:24). 3John 2 says, "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth". God has provided for both areas (Ps 103:1-2). There are also parallels between the two.
However, God is much more concerned with our spiritual health than our physical health. Our bodies will die unless we are alive and are caught up when the rapture happens (Gen 2:17, Gen 3:19, Rom 6:23, 1Thes 4:13-17, Heb 9:27). Our soul will continue for eternity, either in the blessed eternal city with God or in eternal flames (Jn 5:21-29, Rev 21-22). It doesn't mean as much to be physically healed or healthy as it does to be so spiritually.
Our bodies can fall into ill health for many reasons. Sometimes it is just part of living in this fallen world. Sometimes it is genetic. Sometimes it is because of a failure to eat well and exercise. The bodies of Christians are the temple of the Holy Ghost (1Cor 6:19, 2Cor 6:16). We cannot ignore our responsibility to do our part in taking care our health without consequences (1Cor 3:16-17). How much more important is our soul? Jesus said it is worth more than the whole world (Mt 16:26).
We cannot save ourselves by ourselves. Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation (Jn 14:6). However, that does not mean we have no responsibility to participate in God's work in us. The basis of salvation is not our works. It is the grace of God. Yet we are not saved so that we can continue in sin. He saves us from our sins, not in our sins. There must be a lifestyle change (Mt 3:8, Rom 6:1-4, Eph 2:8-10, Jude 4). If we live an idle lifestyle and eat nothing but junk food, we will suffer the consequences. If we continue in sin, we will likewise reap what we sow (Gal 5:15-26, Gal 6:7-10).
The ideal is to never sin, but the sad reality is that we sometimes do (1Jn 1:5-2:6). If we repent, God will forgive us and His blood will cleanse us. Just as our natural blood serves to nourish and cleanse our natural man, the blood of Christ can cleanse and nourish our spiritual man.
The Lord can revive us when we are at a spiritual low. Some people think of new people coming into the church when they think of revival. That is evangelism. For something to be revived, it has to have been alive once. We are all dead in sin until the Lord saves us and gives us new life through His Spirit (Rom 6-8). Contrary to the doctrine of Calvinism, it is possible to fall back into sin after being saved. There are over 100 scriptures in the New Testament with the word if connected to the need to continue in the faith (Jn 8:30-32). If is a conditional word. It is also possible for our passion for Christ to cool off (Rev 3:15-16). We can become discouraged (Num 21:4), disappointed (Prov 13:13), or offended (Lk 17:1). Perhaps God did not do what we had hoped He would. Maybe we were hurt by someone that should have been helping us. Maybe we just got weary from the difficulties we encounter in our journey. It is easy to take our eyes off of the Lord and focus on our circumstances (Mt 14:23-33).
There are Biblical solutions to these common problems. When we are discouraged, God can remind us of His promises (Jn 14:26). Other people can encourage us (Lk 22:32). Sometimes we have to take the initiative and encourage ourselves (1Sam 30:6). Asd the Lord told the Laodiceans, if we become lukewarm we can be zealous and repent (2Cor 7:9-11, Rev 3:19). We can be filled with the Holy Ghost and be revived (Ps 85:6, Ps 138:7, Eze 37:1-14,Hos 6:2, Hab 3:2, Titus 3:5). Not long after the initial outpouring of the Holy Ghost in Acts 2, the disciples had a prayer meeting after early persecution in which "they were all filled with the Holy Ghost (Acts 4:31)". We must forgive to be forgiven (Mt 6:12-15, Mt 18:21-35).
Renewal is similar to revival. We can be renewed in our minds (Ps 103:5, Rom 12:2, Eph 4:23). This can be something that happens continually on a daily basis (2Cor 4:16). If we have a life of prayer (Lk 18:1). We don't have to wait until we are weary, but we can recall what Jesus suffered and how He endured by staying focused (Heb 12:1-4). When the Lord chastens us, we can know that it is not because He hates us, but because He loves us (Heb 12:5-12). Just as Naaman's leprous skin was renewed like a baby's (2Ki 5), our inner man can be made new again. At the end of the world, God is going to make all things new (Rev 22:1-5). Everything lost in the garden of Eden will be renewed (Is 65:17, Is 66:22, Rom 8:18-23, 2Pet 3:13, Rev 21:1).
We can compare restoration to that of antiques. An old, neglected item may seem to have no value to some because of its current condition. Another who knows antiques can look at it and know its value and that the effort to restore it will pay off. Years ago, soda pop used to come in glass bottles. After they were emptied, they could be returned to the store for a small amount of money. The company would sanitize and reuse the bottles. The bottle held no real value to the consumer, but the company who made it saw value in it. They could clean it and make it valuable and useful again. The world will use and abuse people until it appears they have no more value, but their Maker still sees value in them. He has paid the price for their souls with His own blood (Acts 20:28). He can restore them and make them productive again.
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