The Gift of Repentance

In my life, I have discovered that personal and community repentance is a gift that flows from the very presence of Yeshua. 

Yes, we begin on our level, with a free will; with a yearning to know who God is...but something prompts or awakens this desire to repent, to grow & change. Something sweet, something like a soft gentle breeze, a breath of heavens air. (John 3: 8)

When I pray for our nation or an individual I ask for "the gift of repentance". Because when repentance came to me, it was a gift. 

The Voice of the Lord touched my heart and the hardness created by hurt, anger and stress just began to melt. 

Scripture promises "He will take away our stoney heart" in Ezekiel 11:19 and 36:26.

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes." 

In a recent well known national prayer movement they were announcing that our nation would not turn back from the abyss it was headed for... unless we all individually and corporately Repented. 

Something in that statement just did not sit right with me though I knew it was based in a fundamental truth from 2 Chronicles 7:14,15. I did not feel it was wrong or false...just missing something key.

Repentance is not a work of man, it is a work of The Spirit.

I began to pray, "Lord would you release, would you grant us, your gift of repentance"? Why? Because you cannot contrive or strive or work up repentance...it is a supernatural work of the Spirit.

It comes from the sound of His voice. In the Gospels, Jesus first proclamation was, "Repent for the Kingdom is at hand." 

He wasn't inquiring or pleading or asking. He was commanding. Yet His very countenance exuded the love, perfection and goodness of God. 

People flocked to Him to confess, repent and turn. People flocked to Him for healing, cleansing and deliverance from demonic oppression. 

He was not condemning...He was safe. He did not list their sins, they already knew their need. The teachers of the law had taught them and John had loudly called out their needs as they were baptized. 

Now...as Jesus appeared upon the scene...He released the grace gift of repentance. It was a gift.

He is The Word of God...He was declaring, decreeing, releasing a creative word- for repentance to fill the atmosphere. Just as He had proclaimed in the Genesis.. "Let there be light". 

Those who were willing immediately received the ability to repent. John the Baptist had prepared the way to hear His voice but it was Jesus proclamation which released the softening of the heart.