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Repentance leads to revival
2 Chronicles 7:14 shows that God revives those who turn from their wicked ways. In Acts 3:19-20, Peter tells the crowd of religious people to repent so their sins may be blotted out and times of refreshing may come.
What does repentance look like?
Repentance is not just turning from sin. It’s turning toward God. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God says he’ll revive those who seek my face and turn from their wicked ways. Peter says in Acts 3:19-20 to repent, seeking times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. The word translated refreshing carries the idea of breathing easy. Just turning from sin doesn’t bring revival; it brings spiritual suffocation. It is not enough for a drowning man to fight the water; he must find air.
Think of the
Pharisees. They were aggressive at turning from sin; but passive at turning toward God – and they were spiritually deformed and unhealthy. This type of Christianity is like going on a no-bad-foods diet. It’s true that McDonald’s and Oreos will kill you. But it is not sufficient to stop eating McDoland’s and Oreos. You have to eat healthy foods. Repentance is not just turning from the bad; it’s turning aggressively toward the good. Not just fleeing sin, but seeking God.
How do we repent?
We need to see our sin clearly so we can turn from it, but in determining our sin, we have to be careful. It’s easy to drown in morbid introspection or to be consumed by the enemy’s accusations. 2 Corinthians 7:10 says For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For Christians, the path of repentance, though arduous, doesn’t feel like condemnation (there is no condemnation for those in Christ). Rather it feels like the shedding of regret.
The Bible teaches that our hearts are deep and hard to understand (Jeremiah 17:9). It’s best to ask the Holy Spirit to search our hearts and reveal our sin, leading us to truth, convicting us so we can repent (John 16:4-15). When the Holy Spirit convicts, there is specific sin to confess and turn from, not a vague guilt.
Walking in the Spirit in this way also gives the resources to change. Those struggling with habitual sin, remember that self-control is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). It’s easy to feel so guilty over our sin that we never move forward. But in Christ, we’re already cleansed and forgiven. We have to move forward, toward God; forgetting what’s behind and pressing on toward the goal of the upward call God has given us (Philippians 3:13).
Turn from specific sin, confessing clearly to God and the appropriate people. Then turn toward God in specific ways. Turn from your sin toward scripture. Turn from your sin toward prayer. Turn from your sin toward serving your spouse, kids, coworkers, etc. Turn from your sin toward worship (more on worship next Sunday).
Discussion Starters
1. In Acts 3:19-20, how can we find times of refreshing? Where is the refreshment found? What might this look like for us as a church?
2. Divide Luke 15:11-32 and read aloud.
a. How does this parable portray repentance?
b. Contrast the brothers and how they related to their father.
c. What does the father character reveal about our Father?
3. How does Jesus’ teaching about repentance (see Luke 5:27-32) effect his choice of company?
a. How then are we as Christians to relate to sinners and the righteous?
4. What is the difference between feeling guilty and repenting? (See 2 Corinthians 7:10-11)
5. Questions for personal reflection, to be shared with group at your discretion:
a. From what specific sins do you need to turn?
b. In what concrete ways will you turn from your sin toward God?
6. How can we serve one another in light of these passages?
7. How can your group pray for you this week?
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