Godly Repentance

II Corinthians 7:10 NKJV
[10] For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
There are three different scenarios when it comes to believers and sin.
First, there are professing believers who overlook sin because of hardened hearts. Second, there are professing Christians who believe the lie that we are all by nature sinners, that the blood of Jesus is powerful enough only to free us from the penalty of sin, but not from bondage to it. These two groups, being given to sin, are like kryptonite in the body of Christ, bringing weakness to the entire body because of their willful disobedience to Christ.
However, there is a third group—believers who are in a struggle to get free from sin. This is the group I want to talk to today.
I John 1:9 NKJV
[9] If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
First, Jesus will never stop forgiving you. He sees the torment your sin brings you every time you fall. He knows you truly want to be free. He also wants to cleanse you of ALL unrighteousness. And by His Grace, these words today can help you.
I was part of this group for many years because of an addiction to pornography from a very early age. I became addicted several years before coming to Christ and struggled even after coming to Christ, I could not get free. I once had one of the most well-respected evangelist in the area lay hands on me and pray for me to be delivered from my addiction. None of it worked.
My freedom didn’t come until I changed my priorities. In the beginning, I wanted God to set me free because I was worried my sin would get in the way of pursuing ministry. But then my heart shifted, and I began to focus on how my decisions were affecting my intimacy with Jesus Christ. I started caring about how my sin affected my relationship with God and how it grieved the Holy Spirit.
In 2 Corinthians 7:10, Paul contrasts two kinds of sorrows—Godly sorrow that leads to salvation, and worldly sorrow that brings death. My personal story illustrates both of these sorrows. At first, my sorrow was worldly, worrying about what would happen to me. But later, my sorrow became godly, concerned over how my sin hurt God and others.
Ephesians 3:20 NKJV
[20] Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
Dear friend, God’s power is available to set you free from sin and give you a supernatural life.  Pursue godly repentance, receive God’s forgiveness, and boldly live your new life IN CHRIST.
Pastor Lowell

No Comments


Recent

Archive

Categories

Tags