Repentance

“Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.  Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord…” Acts 3:19-20 [emphasis added]

You will defeat your enemies in Jesus Name. But there are some things you need to remove from your life for that to happen. One of the greatest lies that has hit the church today is, once you are saved you do not really need to repent. There is nothing more you can do because Jesus has done it all. It is one big, twisted lie. Do not buy the lie. Repentance always comes before refreshing. Until you remove these things from among you, says the Lord, you will not be able to stand.

But since you are going to Stand, those things need to be removed. “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.  Then…” Acts 3:19-20 [emphasis added]. Repentance is turning around, changing course. Confession is not repentance. Confession is acknowledging and verbally owning up. Confession is the beginning of repentance but confession is not repentance. So start with confession but repent. What is repentance? Let me illustrate with two opposite locations – North and South. Mr. X is heading south and if nothing happens, he will end up South. Then suddenly, he sees a sign that reads ten kilometers South. So he says, I am going in the wrong direction – that is confession. You can acknowledge [confess] that your direction is wrong, if you continue in the same direction you will still end up south.

But if you recognize it, confess it, and make a U-turn then the south is no longer your destination, you will end up north. That is repentance. It has nothing to do with your value. Your value is secured in God. Repentance has everything to do with where you end up. There are many valuable people in hell.

A college professor held up a hundred dollar bill in front of his class and he asked who wanted it. The class chorused yes. He said, “what if I tear it, rumple it, and then I step on it, will you still want it”? The response was the same. Then he said, whatever happens to this bill does not affect the value. I am saying to you, whatever has happened to you does not affect your value in God’s eyes. What repentance does is clean you up, straighten you out, and if you have been torn, it puts you together and heals you so that you can end up in the right place. Do not buy the lie that you do not need to repent.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins and turn to God. Please wipe away my sins and as I remain in Your Presence, refresh me completely, in Jesus Name.