Monday, April 29, 2013

REPENTANCE, Prayer & Fasting, Day 2

For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. (1 Peter 1:18 NLT)

Yesterday we reiterated our TRUST level needed to b of such, that if we didn't "get what we want," we would still confidently trust in him.

Today, because we trust a God who has proven faithful even in our UNfaithfulness, we are going to surrender ourselves and repent.

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. (Romans 5:6 NLT)

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8 NLT)

To have fellowship and communion with us is the core of God's will. From the Garden of Eden till now, the only physical ability we've had to hide our sin from God, so that in his perfection he could commune with us, was life's blood. The verse above reminds us, he didn't pay our ransom with mere gold or silver. Christ was that Almighty God himself. And he took on the "form of a servant," so he would have the ability to pay the ultimate price for our redemption; his OWN life's blood.

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, (Romans 3:23-25 NLT)

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. (Isaiah 53:4, 5 NLT)

We're dealing with a Savior so perfect & holy, that our best, righteous deeds are as filthy rags in comparison.

O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness; you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked. Therefore, the proud may not stand in your presence, for you hate all who do evil. (Psalms 5:4, 5 NLT)

The bottom line is that our arrogance must be snuffed out. Our stubborn will must be surrendered to him. Our weaknesses and sins must be confessed to him. When we confess our sins, weaknesses & failures we are able to "hide" our sin. Not beneath our own pretense, because unlike the crowds around us, he can actually see the reality of our hearts.

He covers our unholiness and imperfections beneath the precious blood he shed. And the covering of his blood is what makes it possible for us to "boldly approach the throne of grace."

Repentance is an act of faith and trust.

We should ask for God's blood-covering daily. Speak this aloud so that God, the devil, your atmosphere, and your own self hear you acknowledge your sinful, carnal state, and your total dependence on God's grace and mercy.


This repentance and seeking of forgiveness through faith and prayer puts you in a very strong state of authority in this life, making you able to tear down the devil's strongholds.

And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die. (Revelation 12:11 NLT)

Pray in this manner, "God, forgive me for ______. Show me what i need to do differently and better. Cover my past, present and future in your blood."

Try this link for information about fasting.

Click here for yesterday's devo.

1 comment:

  1. Thank you Sister Denee!
    This makes my spirit fat!! Oh to lose in the flesh and gain in the Spirit that is my goal!
    God bless you. Always in my prayers luv ya.

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