Repentance is Turning to Following Jesus
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Repentance is Turning to Follow Jesus
The view I saw in the first scene of The Beautiful Dream was dark with only a few wavy white horizontal strands of light. I sensed someone approaching from behind me on the right side. The moment I turned my face away from the darkness and looked into His face, I knew something good was about to happen.
The Love of Jesus had already begun to draw my heart to Him. So when He asked me to dance I did not hesitate. I said yes, and the instant He touched me I was transformed! All darkness and shame left me. Nothing else mattered from that point on— only Jesus!
Turning away from evil to follow Jesus, the Son of God, who is merciful, patient and loving is called repentance. Repentance changes the way we think and live. We agree with Jesus and follow His lead instead of going our own way. When we do, He comes to live inside us and our whole life changes! We are born again by God’s Spirit! (John 3:5-8)
From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17 NASB
Sometimes Even Christians Need to Repent
Even we Christians can find ourselves in a dark place, holding on to only a few strands of God’s light. When that happens, we have forgotten who we are in Christ and who God truly is! (2 Peter 1:3-9) We have misunderstood the Good News of God’s Kingdom. Through Jesus, we are royal sons and daughters of God!
Some Christians try to live in the kingdom of darkness and the Kingdom of Light at the same time. But the ways of this world and the ways of God are polar opposites. Satan, the ruler of darkness, will drive you like a taskmaster to do more, do better and succeed, and then call you a failure. But the King of the Kingdom of Heaven is a gentleman, inviting you into His dance of love. When you repent of sin and say yes to His love, He forgives, cleanses to make you holy—set apart for Himself! You aren’t a slave to sin and shame anymore! You belong to Jesus!
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Matthew 6:24 ESV
Repentance doesn’t try Jesus out for a while or only believe some of the things He has said in the Bible. When we turn to Jesus, He rescues us and makes us one with Him! We follow Him for life. And after death, we will live with Him in Heaven for eternity. Satan will never tempt or harm us ever again!
Following Wholeheartedly
Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me. John 12:25-26 NLT
Repentance is letting go of your own desires and giving your whole heart to Jesus. It is choosing to be where God is spiritually in the heavenly realms, (Ephesians 2:1-10) instead of being grounded in the world. This is done by faith—not because you have every question answered but trusting Jesus because He has all the answers.
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV
Repentance is turning your gaze away from the earthly realm and being seated face to face with Jesus in the heavenly realms. We follow Jesus by His Spirit and learn about Him through His Word – the Bible. The Lord will help you think differently, and change your priorities. In His presence He will give you supernatural love for others. Even though you are completely saved by God’s grace because you believe in Jesus, your mind, will and emotions will need to grow in God’s truth. You used to live by patterns of the world, but now you are transformed daily by God’s Spirit.
The Holy Spirit Empowers Us to Live for Jesus!
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:38-39 CSB
God Loves you so much! He wants to bless you with the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God will give you supernatural power to live in God’s pure love and help you with every decision you make.
Our Father in Heaven Teaches Us
Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I rebuke and discipline [showing them their faults and instructing them]; so be enthusiastic and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will]. Revelation 3:19 AMP
Jesus warns us to stay close to Him through the Holy Spirit so that His love in us for our new Family stays strong. If you give your life to Jesus, He will never leave you! He won’t break His covenant with you. But if you decide to disown Him, it is possible for you to leave Him. Disobeying Jesus can harden your heart so you don’t spiritually see or hear clearly. It is so difficult to find your way back home when you are spiritually blind and deaf. But with God all things are possible! The Spirit is always waiting to help us fine our way back to the Father!
God is Faithful to Forgive When We Repent
When the Spirit reveals actions or attitudes that aren’t from God, be humble, repent and ask His forgiveness. He is faithful to forgive! (1 John 1:9) Don’t live your life fearing that you might not be saved! If you keep telling God you are so sorry about things you have already repented of, your faith in God’s grace is weak. It gives God great joy when we believe that Jesus’ death on the cross paid for us to be free from sin! Rejoice in the Lord!
Pride Keeps Us From Following Jesus
John the Baptist (John who baptized) spoke harshly to the Jewish religious leaders because they claimed to love God but their hearts were full of evil pride. They were not compassionate for people in need. They were dishonest and cruel.
But when he [John] saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”Matthew 3:7-10 NLT
The religious leaders thought of themselves as better than everyone else. They knew scripture but they didn’t know God Himself who changes hearts. Those who turn to Jesus have experienced His love and know that we are all very special in His eyes!
Jesus Came to Save Sinners
After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:27-32 NIV
The prideful do not follow Jesus. But God specializes in the humble ones who know they need to follow Jesus. We are like sheep that cannot survive without our Shepherd!
Following Jesus Refreshes the Heart!
Therefore repent and turn back so that your sins may be wiped out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord…Acts 3:19-20a NET
If you have repented of your sin and said yes to Jesus you have been made right with God. Your past, present and future sin has been forgiven because you believe that Jesus atoned (paid the penalty) for your sin on the cross. There is no more judgment, shame or condemnation awaiting you. (John 3:16-17) (Romans 8:1-4) You are accepted by God and now you can know Him by His Spirit! God has brought you into His Family! He is your Father and your King! You can rejoice!
Thank you for reading! I am praying for you!
