“IT'S TIME TO REPENT”
AF004
IT'S TIME TO REPENT
Matthew 4:17
"From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, REPENT: for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand."
The essence of the preaching of Jesus as He delivered that message from the Heart of the Father was that we "REPENT." As I look at the state of the Church today around the world, I'm noticing something significant. There is a terrible neglect of preaching "repentance of sins" to the church. And so, as a result of this, God's people are full of sin. And people today are still crying for revival, but they are still full of sin. Hear me, Church! God's arm is not short that it can not save you from sin. Nor is his ear too heavy that He can't hear. But our sins have come between God and us. This is why we don't see the many works of deliverance that we could see in the church today.
Isa. 59:1-2 says:
"BEHOLD THE LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear.
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear."
Here is what Jesus did, He opened their understanding so that they might understand the scriptures. Repent is a powerful word because God always accompanies it by saying 'for the Kingdom of God is at hand." In other words, Repent because the entire Kingdom of God is right next to you, ready to unfold into your life.
Genuine repentance is an awareness you are going in the wrong direction. Do you know why there is no power in your life? You are going in the wrong direction. It is spiritually impossible to be going with Christ and not experience the power of God.
Paul put it this way in Gal 2:20;
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."
He didn't just say Christ was crucified for him. He said, "I have been crucified with Christ." But he also added, "nevertheless, I live." Did Christ die? Was he raised again? Did you die? Has the living resurrection life of Christ flooded your life? Did God send the power of the Holy Ghost into your life to give you victory over the consequences of sin and victory over the power of sin? If there is no resurrection power, then sin has won. But Christ was raised from the dead, and that resurrection power was released that same power that raised Jesus from the dead. This same power is given to everyone who believes (Eph. 1:18-21);
"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.
Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places,
Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:"
Are you experiencing resurrection power? If you have repented and are in union with Christ, you will experience the Mighty Move of God. Repentance says to God, "O God, don't let me be casual or careless in my walk with you. Don't let me ever be satisfied with living without your expressed presence and power in my life. Whatever prevents you from working in my life. Please reveal it to me, and immediately, I will repent of it. Many of you are just a prayer away from totally yielding to God. For some reason, we hesitate with one simple prayer. Lord, I surrender everything in me to everything in you. I'm not going to stay in this place that has separated me from you.
SEVEN MOTIVES FOR TRUE REPENTANCE:
1. The sovereign Rights of God
2. God's Person
3. God's Word
4. The Love of God
5. The Body and Blood of Jesus Christ
6. God's Wrath
7. God's Aspirations for Us
The word preach here in Matthews 4:17 means "to announce as a herald." Jesus proclaimed with authority the Good news that the Kingdom of heaven was at hand. The phrase the Kingdom of Heaven is found thirty-two times in Matthew's gospel. The term Kingdom of God is found only five times. In our reverence for the holy name of the Lord, the Jews would not mention "God" but would substitute the word heaven. The Prodigal Son confessed that he had sinned "against heaven," meaning against God. In many places where Matthew used the Kingdom of Heaven, the parallel massages in Mark and Luke used the Kingdom of God. In the New Testament, "Kingdom" means "rule, reign, authority," rather than a place or a specific realm. The phrase "Kingdom of heaven" refers to the rule of God. The Jewish leaders wanted a political leader who would deliver them from Rome, but Jesus came to bring the spiritual rule to the hearts of mankind. Is the Kingdom of God in you? It cannot be if you have sin in your life you have not repented from. So, let us repent today and return back to the peace of God. Let us run to the altar and offer ourselves to God. KEEP THE FAITH AND RECEIVE THE BLESSING!!
Love
Bishop T. W. Jackson I, ThM
