[This article is reprinted form Prophetic Insight and Family Focus Issue 14, the Newsletter of World for Jesus Ministries, Inc. MSC #402, 497 N. Clovis Ave, Clovis CA 93611-0373]
Many are the avenues through which we can grow closer to God. As the believer continues to seek the Lord, He will bring the diligent seeker into fellowship with Himself through many of these different ways. He does this to allow us to know Him in many of His wonderful faces and facets. However, among those many and varied avenues, one of the more important is repentance. For that reason we are going to share on that vital subject in this writing.

The Lord spoke to us saying: "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in a high and holy place, with him also that is of a con, trite and humble spirit. to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite one". Is 57:15

In revealing this mystery to His people He gave us great hope' for if we desire to dwell with Him in deep intimacy, we have now discovered a way to see our hearts longing fulfilled. We can humble ourselves, invite Him to convict us of our sins and experience a godly sorrow which opens the door to freedom from the bondage of even the deepest rooted sins, and in repentance be freed, thus allowing us deeper intimacy with Jesus. Worship. is important, as is a Word life. Obedience is also a pre requisite to a closer relationship, as is a life of prayer. We cannot know Jesus in a greater way with out all of the above. Yet, one of the most important facets of experiencing Jesus is little talked about, that is the life of repentance. One man called a life of contrition, a life of repentance worship. And I agree with him. I have walked with Jesus for nearly twenty years and during most of that time, as I have asked Him to lead me into deeper levels of repentance. He has always, much to my chagrin at times, found something to deal with in this manner. Of course, once the dealing is under way, His wonderful presence fills the air as well as my heart and I am delighted as I once again enter this divine chamber of spiritual worship.

So, how do we go about the art of repentance? I 1 Corinthians 7:10 & 11 answers that question for us. First we must ask for godly sorrow over our sins. How will we recognize it when it comes? According to vs. 1 we will feel God's sorrow over our sins. We will also feel His love for our souls. This experience will lift us up to see our sin and our souls from His perspective. We will feel such a careful love and protection for our soul, that we will come to hate the sin that once bound us. Further, we will feel how our sin has wounded Him. That will bring great pain. But not, condemnation. It will stir in us an indignation toward the sin, even a revenge toward the sin, and final ly, we will judge our sin and demand that it be removed from our hearts. From that point on, the Christian will never simply tolerate that sin again. They will repent, which means to turn away from it, having gained God's view point of its wretchedness.

By this means we open a path for the Lord to enlarge us in Himself, and in communion. Further, by this method we are freed from long standing strong holds in our life.

In my new book,, "Overcoming Life Through Prayer" I share how while in a time of repentance Jesus appeared to me on the cross. Each time I repented

of something of which I was being convicted, I would see this stream of grace flow from Him and enter into me releasing a soothing balm over my whole soul. I knew that the grace was given to grant me full deliverance from that particular sin. So, you see that when we enter into this form of contrition, it becomes a source of communion. Further, it opens up new channels of fellowship, both with Him and with others.

Each time Jesus takes me into a season of repentance, He always follows it by giving me more of Himself in relationship, and in fellowship. As I look back over my life in Him, I am so thankful that He has allowed me this privilege of being set free from my enemy and elevated into increasingly new and wonderful level of relationship with Him.
Your Friend,
Nita Johnson

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