Sometimes repentance is hard because we are physically, spiritually and emotionally taking our beings to turn into another direction, one that feels unfamiliar but one that God wants us to inhabit, one that feels uncomfortable, one that feels like a major shift or a stretch in our Christian walk. But let me ask this, would you want to feel comfortable walking in your usual ungodly patterns of life knowing that it leads to death? That is a scary thought, to know your comfort took priority causing you to be blinded by the fact that step by step you are being led to spiritual death and sin that leads to permanent death. The comfort is a disguise! “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 PETER 5:8.
He [The enemy] watches your moves, so he wants you to slip into this delusional comfort knowing fully that it leads to death. HE wants to Pacific you with lies so that you are soothed into deeper sin and this is dangerous. Open your eyes the word says to be WATCHFUL.
Do not be anxious by these thoughts “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4: 6-7. If you choose instead to pray about everything and quiet your voice to hear GOD the Holy Spirit speak in your spirit this is the first and crucial step in the midst of repentance. Praying, listening and acting on what God has said.
HE says to confess your sins and as you do so you are being made free. CONFESS and and ask for forgiveness and he will forgive you, never doubt this thought because God does not lie. Psalms 32:5 KJV. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. David, a great man of faith, strength and perseverance has also struggled which is where this Psalm most likely came from. He struggled with lust and disobedience as we as Christians often do, but he confessed shamelessly and repented. We must look into the word this way and look for examples to follow. This is more than just reading the words on the page but actually looking to it for guidance and ACTING upon it!
1 st step to repentance: PRAYER: CONFESS YOUR SIN or shortcoming.
Release it in prayer
2 nd step to repentance: ASK FOR FORGIVENESS and truly know that you are forgiven don’t second guess it. If you do it means you’re doubting God and who are we to do so. GOD DOES not lie.
3 rd step: ASK GOD FOR YOUR NEXT STEP AND LISTEN: often we get fed up when we don’t hear God answer us right away but be still. Ask and be still to listen, if you’re willing in your heart God will speak to you in gentle ways and even if he doesn’t right away continue to confess any hidden sins and wait on him, his spirit guides us and nudges us in the way we should go when we allow him in. We can’t allow him in with sin still lingering, acknowledge the sin and confess it as sin.
4th step TURN IN THE OPPOSITE WAY this step merges with step 3 and can interchange. In repenting we turn the opposite way. “The Hebrew word we translate as ‘repentance’ is teshuva (תשובה, pronounced “teh-shoo-vah”). And teshuva is a lot more than a feeling of guilt or regret. In fact, it derives from the verb ‘to return’! ” taken from https://firmisrael.org/learn/what-did-jesus-mean-by-repent-the-hebrew-meaning-of-teshuva/
So returning looks like turning around to go to clean place, a place where this sin did not exist. That is physically making steps to turn away as well. Whatever you need to do the Spirit will direct it to you. As you turn away physical steps must be made as well, clean out your phone, speak to that person, walk in a different direction, pray and fast, whatever God speaks to you, be obedient. I struggle with this aspect at times so you are not alone but together if we encourage one another we can do this through Christ. I Love you and Christ Loves you more.
Prayer of repentance: [You must mean this from your heart before you begin] God looks at our hearts as we speak so be genuine if you genuinely are sick and tired of living the same way in sin, I know I sure am. Go in a quiet space, close the door if possible and let’s begin:
Dear Heavenly Father I surrender to you my entire being I surrender in prayer this morning/afternoon/evening to you. I confess that I have sinned in ____________________ and have been disobedient in listening to your calling for me, help me to turn completely away, I want to. I desire to be holy as you are holy and I desire to be cleansed, I can’t live like this anymore. I ask that you help me not to give into to the voice of fear becaus sit only seeks to keep me in the same stagnant place but instead I decide to step out and say do what you must in my life to make me fully clean and fully repentant. I turn away today from my sin and help me to do what it takes physically and spiritually to turn in Jesus name I pray Amen.
Reach out if you need additional prayer.
