All Things New: The Power of Perception

·43 min·4 clips

What if God actually pays attention to the changing of years to do a new thing in you?

The episode is a sermon by Pastor Caleb Schaefer at Redeemer's Church, recorded during week three of the 'All Things New' series and day 15 of a 21-day prayer and fasting period. He begins by acknowledging the church's mission and his recovery from the flu, then transitions into the series focus: whether God uses the new year as a moment for divine renewal. Pastor Caleb revisits week two's theme on moving past 'former things' that block new experiences, citing Isaiah 43:18 where God urges forgetting the past. He lists three former things: mistakes/failures/sins, past successes (termed the 'Uncle Rico Syndrome'), and former moves of God, warning against idolizing old ways. He briefly promotes counseling resources from the Center of Hope as a tool for freedom. The core of the sermon delves into perception, distinguishing between 'see' (physical sight) and 'perceive' (interpretation with heart and mind). Pastor Caleb illustrates this with anecdotes, such as a student mistakenly entering his car and the glass half-full analogy, highlighting how perception shapes reality. He discusses how skewed perception can empower negative forces, referencing a personal experience where he perceived demonic attacks during a youth conference until corrected. Biblical examples reinforce the power of perception: the Israelites' fear of giants versus Joshua and Caleb's faith, Jesus' rejection by his family and hometown, and Samuel's misjudgment of Eliab. Pastor Caleb argues that faith itself is a perception that should shape what we see, not vice versa. To improve perception, he offers four steps: change your perception of 'new' (using the formula same God + same people + different thing = new thing), renew your mind (Romans 12:2), check your influences (Proverbs 4:23), and get God's perspective by hearing His voice. He closes with Ezekiel 37's vision of dry bones, where God's perspective reveals an army, emphasizing that God's word changes perception. The sermon ends with a prayer for renewed minds and perception.

As heard by us

A Christian message on how perception can turn fear into a spiritual obstacle or a place for renewed discernment.

Pastor Caleb Schaefer treats perception as a spiritual battleground, arguing that the way believers interpret pressure can either cloud reality or help them notice what God is doing.

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Why you'd press play

Need a faith-centered reset when your read on life starts working against you?

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