As Jesus was about to come on the scene, God released a forerunner ministry. That ministry was encapsulated in John Baptist, a man who became a messenger by fermenting in the wild and places of solitude rather than the path of polished religion. And his message was simple: repent. Change your ways. Get ready.
Friends, John was a prophet. He was preparing the way for the Lord. And right now we are in a prophetic hour. Jesus is fixing to come again. Coincidentally, just like last time, God has activated a forerunner ministry. The wilderness is a place of prayer and consecration rather than fanfare and notoriety. And the messengers will have the same message of preparation: repent. Change your ways. Hurry…Get ready.
We must repent. We must humble ourselves. We must see where we’ve been wrong, where we’ve been blind.
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.
As we repent and humble ourselves, God is merciful and will cleanse us and fix us up.
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Get ready. Repent. No more playing games. Don’t miss this moment. Have faith instead of distractions.
Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.
Rather than destroy us, God is trying to shake, alarm, awaken us. He is being patient. He is waiting on us to repent, to return to our first love.
So, what does repentance look like? Well, if, after praying at an altar (or something in lieu), a person’s life, lifestyle, habits, and language haven’t started to dramatically change, then they didn’t repent. They might have apologized, but they didn’t repent.
Repentance is way more than an apology.
This “change of thinking” is a powerful born-again kind of moment that catapults a person into change of actions.
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Jeremiah was also a messenger of repentance.
Over the last few years I have been having discussions about Jeremiah’s words. I have been absorbing the seriousness and timely relevance Jeremiah presents to us. Ergo, this sobering commentary from a respected voice is highly important and accurate,in my opinion. Take heed:
“I’m being confronted with Jeremiah’s message. He’s not giving Isaiah’s message: “Repent and the Lord will turn away from wrath.” He’s not even giving Joel’s message: “Repent and perhaps the Lord will relent.” Through Jeremiah, the Lord is saying, “Repent. Humble yourselves. You ARE going into captivity. Don’t repent because you think I will change My mind. I won’t. Repent because of Who I am. I’m worthy of your fidelity even if you’re in captivity. You didn’t yield to Me in your liberty. Now you need to trust Me to bring forth My covenant promises even though you suffer greatly in captivity and barrenness.”
-Jonathan Boegl
Keith Green was a modern voice that was equipped with and anointed to carry the message and song of repentance. For example, Green penned these words from the perspective of God to believers:
“You love the world and you’re avoiding me.”
Similarly, James, the Apostle, wrote these words under inspiration from the Holy Ghost:
“friendship with the world is hostility towards God.”
Dear friends, every other god is an idol. Jesus must be our first love. Anything other than Jesus that creeps into our top spot of passion and devotion is Luciferian, idolatrous.
The good news is we can humble ourselves, repent, and return to first love lifestyle with the help of Holy Spirit. But we have to see it. We have to see our need for a soft heart before the Lord. We have to recognize our lack. We can’t be defensive when Holy Spirit is kindly attempting to bring conviction. Over and over again we need Holy Spirit to help us, correct us, guide us.
If John Baptist were the guest speaker at any big, upcoming charismatic conference, he might declare that the church needs to be born again. Yes, I’m convinced that even the church needs to repent. From the person in the tv pulpits to all-the-rest of the lukewarm drifters, we need a wave of salvation.
When righteousness is ministered by preaching, teaching, or writing, conviction often happens to people. Interestingly, conviction is a manifestation of the kindness of God. It’s a kindness that will lead us to repentance if we don’t war against the conviction.
When Jonathan Edwards preached Sinners In the Hands of an Angry God there were salvations that came from it. However, some didn’t respond correctly. Some people got up and ran out of the meeting, getting as far away from the sound of that sermon as they could. The same is true today. People either accept the kindness of conviction and respond to it by allowing God to draw them, cleanse them, change them…or, they separate themselves from the message and shrug off the wooing of God’s holy call.
In this day we’re living in, many are going through what is being called a deconstruction and they’re rethinking their religious beliefs. Thus, let me suggest: In your deconstruction of religion, don’t allow the enemy to fool you into only accepting a message that feels good. Hell doesn’t feel good, so the pied Piper will encourage folks to eliminate it, or stop believing in it. Thus, the Piper will trick-lead folks straight into its eternal flames.
2 Timothy 4:3
For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine and accurate instruction [that challenges them with God’s truth]; but wanting to have their ears tickled [with something pleasing], they will accumulate for themselves [many] teachers [one after another, chosen] to satisfy their own desires and to support the errors they hold
Romans 2:4
Or are you [so blind as to] trifle with and presume upon and despise and underestimate the wealth of His kindness and forbearance and long-suffering patience? Are you unmindful or actually ignorant [of the fact] that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repent (to change your mind and inner man to accept God’s will)?
Repentance is the language of revival. If we want to talk to God in a way that He will surely hear and respond, repentance is the way.
Repentance is something that only works when it is personalized. It can’t be generalized. It can’t be spoken forth as something others need to do. It must be what I do. Being self-righteous, justifying ourselves, or defending ourselves is the wrong response.
Decreeing and declaring revival doesn’t work. Its the wrong posture, God doesn’t respond to it. God instead interacts with the humble, the repentant.
Furthermore, thinking God will approve of our ongoing corporate existence without a burst of supernatural help—revival—is just another self-reliant, prideful stance and another reason to repent. We need revival. The Upper Room was never meant to be a one-and-done deal. No. It was an emphasis stating that our existence must be fueled by Holy Spirit wind, fire, power.
Revival happens when a group of believers repent and seek God with all their hearts.
We need messengers of repentance. John Baptist possibly had some sort of audience with King Herod. John had evidently personally explained to him the message of repentance, pointing out to Herod that taking Herodias as his wife was wrong and a sin that Herod must correct. Herodias was Herod’s niece and his sister-in-law. Nevertheless, Herod took her to be his own wife, a luxury that must have been awarded to him because he was the ruler and able to claim special rights and desires. But John cut him down to the level of every other man and told him the truth..he told him to fully repent. Herod listened to John because he respected and revered him. Herod protected John and even enjoyed listening to his messages. This reminds me of the unique relationship that Tommy Barnett had with Elvis. Barnett had repeatedly discussed the Gospel with Elvis, who had been raised around church. But ultimately, Elvis though often weeping under conviction, just wouldn’t repent. And it also reminds me of the relationship between Benjamin Franklin and George Whitefield. Franklin greatly admired Whitefield and occasionally listened to his messages. Franklin and Whitefield had private meetings multiple times. Although Franklin was kind toward Whitefield and the revival that was happening, it doesn’t seem like Franklin ever whole-heartedly surrendered his own will.
Friends, it’s not enough to be close to the cross. It’s not enough to believe in the existence of God. It’s not enough to be a generally good person. It’s not enough to attend, give to, or respect the church. You must be baptized, and by that I mean you must be all the way in. You must bury your old man and old ways. You must rise to a new way of life, a life in Christ.
If we say that we repented but there is no evidence, or fruit, then we aren’t followers of Christ, we’re a hypocrite. If our lifestyle doesn’t manifest the proof of our repentance, then we’re just playing some sort of game, and our religious charade is little more than a sham, a farce that doesn’t fool God.
Matthew 3:2 Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
If you hear a message of grace, don’t misunderstand it and think it’s a Hall Pass. It’s not a permission slip to go sin.
We need repentance and I believe the goodness and kindness of God is about to come down on us like a blanket. This will woo us and draw us to repentance.
We can’t get right and clean on our own works and endeavors. However, when Holy Spirit awakens throngs of us to recognize our need and accordingly enables us—through conviction—to willingly break down at the altar of God, we’ll know we’re seeing a move of God.
God just needs us to be a people of soft hearts and simplicity. Hence, if we must be lions, let us be lions in repentance. Let us be bold in confessing our faults. Let us roar against our own selves as we endeavor to crucify the flesh. Let us contend to be the king of fools, the last, the lowly, the servant of all, the ones destined to die. Let us not be denied in our quest to intercede for the guilty party that lives in our mirrors. Let us follow the king-lion. Let us take up our crosses, turn the other cheek, be meek, be gentle, and humbly pray for the will of God to be done. Let us learn that Godly lions are really…lambs.
Let us not forget:
If we don’t present the Truth, the message of repentance, the fear of God, and an emphatic warning then we don’t have love. And if we don’t have love, everything else we’ve got is just a sham.
The God of love is a God of kindness that leads us to repentance. God isn’t vicious and vindictive. His heart is always full of love. He is patient beyond our own ability to be patient. He’s always waiting, ready to forgive and to restore. Humility catches his eye. Repentance gets His attention. Prayer is something He’s always listening for.
Accordingly, the message of repentance MUST come from a life of love.
Obviously the message of repentance is not a new idea. God has always responded to iniquity. He did so in Heaven with the angels. He did so with man and woman in the Garden. He has oftentimes done so with His chosen people. In Revelation, the letters to the seven churches reveal that He still notices and responds, even terribly when necessary.
God recently gave Dolly Parton a song in a dream. The song is an expression of this aspect of God. It was a warning for us to change our ways. And this is also the message of revival. When God draws near, conviction and holy fear return. Accordingly, repentance starts spreading.
God is good:
To be good is to be righteous. God is righteous. The truest kindness is God allowing us to be led into repentance. God is kind. The ministry of calling people into repentance is a true kindness.
Fruit and Repentance:
John and Jesus both referred to fruit in regards to repentance. Fruit is evidence. Repentance produces evidence. John preached to people telling them their lives should be evidence of repentance.
Have I repented? My lifestyle, actions, attitude should be proof of that repentance. I’m most accountable for that man in the mirror. If I spend all my time trying to change and fix everybody else while becoming blind to my own weaknesses, blemishes, and faults…I’m a rock thrower and just judgment will come back at me. So let us live humbly and be quick to repent.
Matthew 1:15 The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel
Prayer Posture:
So how do we pray in this hour? Well, we need more prayers born from the qualifiers listed in 2 Chron. 7:14. Humility, repentance, and steadfastly seeking His face.
There is no revival where there are no tears.
There is no revival where there is no deep repentance.
The depth of repentance very well may determine the depth of revival.
And what is this revival I’m talking about? Revival is when the church humbles itself in brokenness, hunger, thirst, tears, and repentance. Revival is when the church prays.
Conviction is oftentimes released as an impartation from watchmen, messengers of repentance. Repentance is the message of true watchmen. One of the premier roles of a true watchman is to preach repentance.
A watchman must not concern themselves with popularity. The duty of a watchman is a matter of peril. Thus, a straightforward, no nonsense, hammer, sword, fire kind of word is all that will do.
I pray that God will grace us with repentance. And we all need humility. Pride must die; it has spread among us like a contagious virus. Humility is the way forward. Brokenness—not hype— is the ingredient that is Scripturally connected to revival.
Repentance and Love
As a Christian I don’t get to choose who is worthy of love. Nor do I get to choose who I am supposed to treat with dignity and respect.
Jesus was always stretching and challenging his followers and listeners concerning love.
Who is my neighbor? In Luke 10, Jesus answers this question by telling the story of the Good Samaritan. This story stretched the listeners, especially concerning class and racism. He stripped away their limitations, forcing them to be neighborly to everyone they would come in contact with, rather than just the people who were like them or somehow close to them.
This story of neighborly behavior portrayed marvelous acts of compassion, and generosity.
Furthermore, Christ consistently challenged sexism, or gender biases. His conversation with the woman at the well, His interactions with Mary and Martha, the association with Mary Magdalene, and the women who followed and financially supported His ministry gave us an example that was counter to chauvinism as well as stretching the norms of that day.
And, while the message of repentance was a staple of Christ’ ministry, His treatment toward the humanity of sinners displayed a wonderful love. The fact that Jesus allowed a woman who still carried the reputation of being a prostitute to wash His feet, and the way Jesus handled the situation of a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery clearly demonstrated how He expects us to drop our stones. He wants us to go to the world with love, just as He came to the world with love.
This doesn’t remove the message of repentance from our briefcase. It just helps us to voice the thunder from a bleeding heart, and weepy eyes.
Nineveh was a big city. It was not a godly city. Rather, the inhabitants were crooked enough to draw shouts of impending judgment. But, to the surprise of a preacher, God’s fondness for that place smiled on their repentance.
I reckon we can learn something from that. Probably we shouldn’t hate people and places that God would prefer to redeem.
Repentance is repentance
I ain’t trying to pretty it up. It is what it is. Repentance, the message of repentance, is still repentance.
The spirit of revival that John and Jesus operated in was tough, especially on the temple (church) folks. The Baptist revivalist and the holy Christ addressed issues of lifestyle, behavior, and attitude that had long been accepted in the religion of their day. The people were existing in a religion that was void of the anointing. They carried out their dutiful practices with good intentions. However, when John started his public preaching ministry, there was a quickening that electrified the atmosphere of the times and it clashed with what had become the norms of religiosity. Jesus then emerged in public ministry and He didn’t soften the blows of John’s righteous axe-wielding. No, together they released a message that was counter to every other message in the land. They brought bold truth to the areas that religion was turning a blind eye to. John dealt bravely with things that religious leaders were staying quiet on. Jesus didn’t correct or change John. Jesus followed suit and challenged the religious teachers who had succumbed to a more tolerant stance on some issues.
Religion, no matter how studious and committed to its traditions, prefers a more tolerant stance. The spirits that hide within their powerless forms of religion work hard to reason away ideologies that might shake the boat, or cause an uncomfortable stir within the crowd, and society.
Revival, on the other hand, is: a fresh anointing, a breath of boldness, an unflinching face, a call to repentance, a plea to change, a revelation that beckons the masses to a better way.
In Luke 3 we get to sit and listen to a sermon from John Baptist. “every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
The fire is Hell.
Hell is real.
Hell is death forever.
Hell is a punishment that we choose instead of receiving the kindness of repentance.
Therefore, praying for revival is coming in agreement with the heart of God.
John Baptist tells us to get ready for Jesus’ coming. To rightly respond, we must allow the axe of God’s Word to hit at the root of
our vices,
our habits,
our addictions,
our filthy language,
our compromises,
our perversions,
our lying,
our hatred,
Our constant bad attitudes,
Our tempers,
Our prejudice,
Our racism,
our sin.
The cursed tree in Luke 3 represents a hypocrite. It is leafy which announces its fullness and life. Nevertheless, without fruit, the evidence that is produced by the tree is …hypocrisy.
If it must be said, one of the reasons we continue in repentance is because we fear God.
Luke 3:9b Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Philippians 2:12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling
Repentance must be ongoing, rather than a one-time ticket to Heaven purchase. It’s how we work out our salvation. It’s the heart’s posture of fear and trembling.
As we help people find salvation through the door (Jesus Christ), we should instill in them the knowledge that salvation is a process—a journey. It’s a relationship that begins with a prayer, but doesn’t (mustn’t) end there. Furthermore, the reach for salvation is something beyond an apology. It’s a relationship that begins and then continues with intentional cultivation.
I like what Jamie Freeman recently said, “A revival movement is a repentance movement. There’s no such thing as a revival where awe-inspired holiness isn’t the message!”
After prayer at an altar…how we live matters. Grace is God being for you, rather than against you. Because He is for us and because He is kind, he leads us to repentance. And Repentance affects the way we live.
The preaching of John Baptist laid an axe to the root of the fruitless tree. However, John also offered the remedy, which was repentance. True repentance produces fruit.
Fruit is evidence. Repentance produces evidence. John preached to people telling them their lives should be evidence of repentance.
Have I repented? My lifestyle, actions, attitude should be proof of that repentance. I’m most accountable for that man in the mirror. If I spend all my time trying to change and fix everybody else while becoming blind to my own weaknesses, blemishes, and faults…I’m a rock thrower and judgment will come back at me. So let us live humbly and be quick to repent.
In Luke 3 John Baptist was laying an axe to the fruitless tree. In Mark 11, Jesus was cursing the fruitless tree. People without lifestyles that testify of repentance are the fruitless trees.
Brothers and sisters, let us humble ourselves. Let’s Go low. Let’s Be meek. Let’s Show love. Let’s Weep with those who weep. Let’s Live on the altar, or as Jon Boegl has been saying…let’s get to the threshing floor.
Repent
Great Expectations 
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