- Godly sorrow is repentance, worldly sorry is regret (2 Cor 7:10).
- Repentance implies that if we had the opportunity to commit the sin again, we would not. Regret, on the other hand, suggests that we would do it again, but in such a way that we would try to avoid the consequences.
- Repentance means that we see the intrinsic wrong of our sin. The outworking of this is that when confronted with the same temptation again, we will say no. Regret is only sorrow about not covering our tracks.
- True repentance occurs when we begin to see sin from God's point of view and how it breaks His heart.
- God's heart aches over our sin. It alienates us from Him and from our fellow believers.
- In order to have victory over sin, we must ask God to show us what sin does to Him. As we begin to understand His great all-encompassing love for us, despite how much we have hurt Him, turning away from sin is the natural thing to do. This is the test of our sincerity and level of desperation to get right with God. The Holy Spirit is continually at work in our hearts to help us respond in this manner.
- Set aside time with God where you can ask Him to continually show you your heart from His perspective.
- Each of us needs to see our sin from God's point of view, but we also need to go on and claim the victory and joy He has for us as we overcome. God does not want us to be stuck in a state of guilt. The whole purpose of repentance is victorious Christian living.
- Ask for forgiveness from God and receive it by faith, being fully committed to repentance. However, if you do sin again, come back to the Lord once more. If the thought of being hypocritical comes to mind, agree in principle but do not accept that there is no hope. Each time you fall, come back to the Lord again. Let your weaknesses drive you back to Christ.
- This enemy wants to use our failures to keep us away from the Lord, but do not give in to His lies. Rather, tell the enemy that yes, I have committed the same sin again, but I bring it to Jesus.
- 1 John 1:9 - the promise of forgiveness.
"a thousand times I failed, still Your mercy remains. Should I stumble again, I'm caught in Your grace."
How great is the love of God.
Soli Deo Gloria,
†darrenshakers
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