7 Things - The Repentance Process

 I love this verse from Joel - the concept of repentance here, is that we come to God, but we also have to keep on coming to Him:

Joel 2:12 "Therefore also now, says the Lord, turn and keep on coming to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning [until every hindrance is removed and the broken fellowship is restored]. (Amp)  

1. Sorrow over sin is the secret to the foundation of repentance.

Confront yourself

Psalm 38:18 But I confess my sins; I am deeply sorry for what I have done. (NLT)

Repentance is not only being sorry for our sin - however, we cannot have repentance without being sorry that we sinned. That sorrow can come when we take God's side in the matter and agree with Him over the seriousness of our actions. In order to truly repent, we need to understand the extent of what we have done, and how it has hurt our relationship with the Father. In fact, continued sin leads to death (Rom. 6:23)

2. Confession of sin is the secret to the power of repentance

Death to self

Confession doesn’t give you any more forgiveness, but it does put the full extent of our sin on record so that the full extent of His forgiveness can be applied. We don't necessarily need to confess to a person, although that can sometimes be helpful.

Prov. 29:13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. (NKJV)

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness.

We know that we have already been forgiven (1 John 2:12), but sin separates us from the Father. Confession propels us back to Him as we see the true extent of what we have done. Confession walks us through the door of repentance – it takes us from the destructive attitude of wallowing in shame to rejoicing in the reality of His forgiveness. True confession states clearly what we have done without offering excuses.

3. Turning is the secret to the heart of repentance.

Turn yourself

Matt. 3:2 And saying, Repent (think differently; change your mind, regretting your sins and changing your conduct), for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

This means to change our hearts, minds and actions. Most scholars agree that true repentance means to be sorry, turn around and go in the opposite direction. Not only should we feel sorry for our actions, we must yield our heart so that it can be turned or changed until we have God’s heart for sin – a hatred for it. Only then will our actions follow along and we will have the strength to change our behavior.

It's one thing not to sin - it's another not to want to! Jacquelyn K. Heasley

Jeremiah cried out to God – asking Him to help in the process of turning and restoring his heart:

Jer.  31:18-19 Restore me, and I will return, For You are the Lord my God.

Surely, after my turning, I repented; And after I was instructed, I struck myself on the thigh; I was ashamed, yes, even humiliated, Because I bore the reproach of my youth.' (NKJV)

Turn me again to you and restore me, for you alone are the LORD my God.

I turned away from God, but then I was sorry. I kicked myself for my stupidity! I was thoroughly ashamed of all I did in my younger days.' (NLT)

4. Forgiveness is the secret to the release of repentance.

Wash yourself

Ps.86:5 O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask your aid. (NLT)

We must receive the forgiveness that the Lord has so freely given to us. It is not enough to believe in forgiveness, we have to receive it, walk in it, and minister it to others.

>Forgiveness comes through Jesus – Acts 13:38

>The Lord is eager to minister forgiveness to us – 1 Peter 3:9

>There is no unforgivable act. All sin has been fully dealt with on the cross. The total penalty has already been paid for your sin – 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 John 2:2

>Simply ask God to forgive you – then by faith, receive His forgiveness

>As we receive forgiveness, we release joy into our lives

>The process of forgiveness means that we must forgive others – Matt. 6:12
>The process of forgiveness means that we must forgive ourselves

“I think that if God forgives us we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than Him.” C. S. Lewis

5. Restoration is the secret to the healing of repentance

Believe in yourself

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12

It is important to realize that the Lord has lifted the burden and shame of sin from us. He doesn’t just stop at that, He wants us to walk in full restoration. Once again, it is not enough to believe in forgiveness, or even to receive it by faith. Our hearts are healed as we move on from there and walk as forgiven people – restored to fellowship with Him, and participating in the destiny He has declared over us.

Acts 3:19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord…

6. Obedience is the secret to proving your repentance

Rise up for yourself

Matt. 3:8 Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God. (NLT)

The time for words is over. If we want to see the fruits of repentance (Matt. 3:8), we must be walking in obedience. Our lives, and the changes we make will prove that we have really turned ourselves around.

Radical obedience will change your life

I love this verse that lists the 7 changes that come in our character as we walk in obedience and repentance:

2 Cor. 7:19-11 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

7. The fear of God is the secret to maintaining repentance

Guard yourself

The fear of God causes us to walk carefully and to respect the Lord above all things. When we walk in the fear of God, we become worshipers – our eyes are on the Lord, and we leave no room for our old sinful behavior.

Prov. 8:13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil (NIV)

Prov. 16:6 …the fear of the Lord makes men turn from evil. (NEB)

Job 29:28 …the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to turn from evil is understanding. (NEB)

The temptation of the age is to look good without being good. Brennan Manning

More on Repentance: HERE and HERE and HERE