Repent! Gk: Metanoeo: It means “to perceive afterwards, implying to change.” Think of it as making a “Spiritual U-Turn.”
If you read Jesus’ messages to the seven churches in Revelation Chapters 2 & 3, you will see the word “repent” used eight times. The only churches not called upon to repent are Smyrna and Philadelphia. Poor Ephesus and Thyatira are each told twice to “repent!”
One of the first things I’m learning about Pursuing His Presence in Revival for our church today is that the call to repent is still very much alive. There is a convicting awareness of personal and corporate sin. As seekers for God’s presence to awaken the church, there is a consuming recognition of sin both in the church and in our nation. While that sin may not be mine personally, it is mine by association. I am a Christian and I am a citizen. Just as Nehemiah, Samuel, Daniel, Moses and other intercessors identified with their nation in their day – and interceded in repentance – so must we if we want to see a spiritual awakening.
Repentance, as I said, requires a convicting awareness of sin. We don’t talk much about sin anymore. We talk about personal choices and discuss gray areas of behavior and attitudes. Sin, obedience, are words that are disappearing from our vocabulary – even in the church! It’s time to resurrect them, beloved. If we don’t have an awareness of what it means to obey God, or a conviction about the consequences of disobeying God (sin), we will not have a spiritual awakening. Honestly, I’m tired of slumbering through life.
Awaken! Repent!
