Repentance is key for believers. We must know how to repent, and we must participate constantly in repentance. But many believers do not understand how to repent. We never see the disciples coming to the Lord and saying, “Oh Lord, teach us how to repent,” and yet it is one of the most important things that we need to understand because of what transpires through and because of our repentance.

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Show Notes:

We tend to relate to repentance as something we do every once in a while when we find ourselves caught in a sin or we do something terribly wrong. This is a wrong approach. Repentance should be looked upon more like prayer or worship. It’s something we should do every day. In fact, we should begin our day with repentance.

Greek definition: metanoeo means to change one’s way of life as a result of a complete change of thought and attitude with regard to sin and righteousness, to change one’s way. More than that there is a change of a thought, but a change that takes place in you.

Hebrew definition: teshuvah means to return or to go back to a previous place from which we have departed or to bring back. In the process of turning, you are turning away from your action. You’re turning away from sin, and you are turning to the Lord.

Let us begin to enter into repentance on a daily basis. We should get up in the morning and stand next to our bed and turn to God and say, “Lord, by faith, I turn to you this day to walk in your Word and to walk in your ways, and I believe to be effective in doing this.” Then, all through the day, we should continually pause for a moment and think about if we stepped away from Him. Have we turned from Him? Are we distracted from Him? Because as He comes to us, He will transform us. The greatest result that we will receive from our repentance is that we will be transformed into His image.

Key Verses:

• Mark 1:4. “John the Baptist appeared … preaching a baptism of repentance.”
• Matthew 3:7. “Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism.”
• Luke 24:46. “Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead.”
• Acts 2:37–38. “Repent, and each of you be baptized.”
• Acts 26:1–19. “Paul … proceeded to make his defense.”
• 2 Corinthians 7:8–11. “Sorrowful to the point of repentance.”
• Malachi 3:6. “For I, the Lord, do not change.”
• Isaiah 31:6. “Return to Him from whom you have deeply defected.”
• Jeremiah 4:1–3. “If you will return, O Israel.”
• Jeremiah 36:2–3. “In order that every man will turn from his evil way.”
• Ezekiel 18:20–21. “But if the wicked man turns from all his sins.”
• Ezekiel 18:23. “He should turn from his ways and live.”
• Ezekiel 18:30–32. “Therefore, repent and live.”
• Zechariah 1:3. “Return to Me … that I may return to you.”
• Joel 2:12,14. “Return to Me with all your heart.”
• Hosea 6:1. “Come, let us return to the Lord.”
• Jeremiah 29:11. “For I know the plans that I have for you.”
• 2 Chronicles 7:12–16. “My people who are called by My name.”
• 2 Corinthians 3:15–18. “Whenever a person turns to the Lord.”

Quotes:

• “Repentance is something that many believers do not understand and do not know how to do; it is something that few of us engage in properly and consistently.”
• “Every day is a good day for repentance, just like every day in our walk with God is a good day for prayer.”
• “We are to be fruitful as we turn to God in repentance, but the true fruit of repentance is that He returns to us.”
• “When we turn to the Lord in repentance, not only are judgments against us removed, but greater than that, God begins to bring blessings to us. There’s a complete reversal. Not only do we escape the consequence of our sin, but as we turn to Him, we enter into the blessings that come from pleasing Him.”

Takeaways:

1. Repentance goes way beyond being sorry for our sins and misdeeds.
2. True repentance requires a fruit or a change because of that repentance—and the fruit that is brought about by repentance is our turning away from the actions of wickedness and sin by turning to the Lord and following His ways.
3. True repentance is something we should do every day and multiple times a day. It’s something we are constantly engaged in as we walk with God.