Epiphani
Happy Sunday, Garden Fam 🌸
I pray you are doing WELL!
Today’s message is just a reminder that we must be mindful of the words we speak about or over someone while they are still in bondage or not [yet] saved.
There are people that will be a part of the Jesus’ sheepfold, or who already are, but are on a journey of sanctification and/or deliverance. No matter how much sin, ignorance, or spiritual blindness someone may be walking in today, there’s no limit to what Jesus can do! We must be mindful not to cast final judgment upon others, or throw away hope that their reality will change. Jesus says there are sheep who are not yet in the sheepfold but will be… Therefore, we must be mindful not to speak idle, harmful words in a season where we can’t yet see what God desires to do in their lives.
Yes, we must operate in wisdom about who we are in close relationship with, who we take advice from, etc., but we don’t want to later be judged for idle words against one of God’s chosen just because we met them before they were saved, before they were delivered, or before they were sanctified.
I publicly repent if I have ever done so, and I encourage all to repent as well!
God desires that none should perish, but that all will be brought to repentance. As such, we should desire the same & our words should reflect that (or we shouldn’t be speaking at all). So in other works, speak life or zip it!
Love you 💞
Scriptures
John 10:16 NLT
“I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.”
Matthew 12:36-37 NLT
“And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.””
2 Peter 3:9 NLT
“The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”
Watch the Video
Turning away from sin, the world, and your own ways TO God through Jesus Christ in sincerity — positions you to become all that God originally ordained for you to be and to have all that He originally had stored up for you.
The Lord is inviting you to change your mind, change your life, and start anew today! The best part is that it’s free and you don’t have to do it alone 🙌🏾
Watch today's video to learn more about what it means to repent and change your mind!
Love you bunches 💞
Scriptures Mentioned & Referenced
Romans 12:2
Ephesians 2:8-10
Ephesians 4:1-3
John 3:16
Romans 10:9-10
Romans 8:30-31
Video Notes
Repentance is a decision & a commitment, not a feeling.
The commitment of repentance happens in an instant. You confess your sins and confess belief in Jesus and the finished work of the Cross — that Jesus is God’s Son and that He died and rose again for your sins to be forgiven.
Overall, repentance includes a commitment to doing things God’s way, usually before you even know what God’s ways are, and trusting the Holy Spirit to guide your life to the good, the pleasing, and the perfect will of God.
Then, the transformation begins & the transformation takes time.
Repentance Puts You In Position
True repentance positions you to become all that God originally ordained for you to be and to have all that He originally had stored up for you
Our repentance must result from a true desire to follow and serve God through surrendering to Jesus being led by the Holy Spirit.
Once you have sincerely turned back to God by accepting and making a commitment to follow Jesus, you should know that you are in right standing with God and are in position to receive the promises of God, carry out the plans of God, and live out the calling He has on your life.
Note: the right standing happens immediately, but again, coming into the promises, plans, and calling will be a journey.
Repentance Opens the Door for Grace
The power of repentance is that once you turn to God through accepting His Son, Jesus, grace is made available to you.
Ephesians 2:8-10 says, “God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
Our faith was the only qualifier.
If your good works couldn’t qualify you, then neither could your dead works disqualify you for this free gift made available to all.
Know that with assurance!
& now that you’ve received this free gift, walk in it. Don’t go on living like you’re still a slave to sin or the world. Don’t go on living as if you’re disqualified. Walk worthy of the call of God on your life, “for you have been called by God.”
A Call to Repentance
Humanity as a whole was in line to receive God’s judgment and wrath. Sin had separated us from Him, but God in His graciousness made a way for us to be reconciled back to Him by sending Jesus Christ to die on the Cross for us, taking on the curse for all of our sins, past, present, and future. Then, He rose again on the third day, taking victory over death, hell, and the grave.
He did all of that for us to be able to be made right with God again.
The only “price” we must pay to receive this free gift is our faith.
Romans 10:9-10 says that, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.”
The Prayer of Salvation (Read it aloud)
Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins
And for rising again on the third day.
I confess that I am a sinner and that I need you in my life.
I repent today and make a commitment to follow you.
I accept you as my Savior.
And I declare today that You are Lord of my life
Take me over and make me over.
My life belongs to you.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
As my spiritual leader would say, “Welcome or welcome back to the family of God” 💞
I am rejoicing for you and I’d like to believe that heaven is, too!
The Power of Repentance
Romans 8:30-21 👉🏾 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”
The power of repentance is that this is now your reality. Walk in it, sis 🙏🏾
Hey Garden Fam 👋🏾
I hope you are doing well and that you’ve had a wonderful week!
God has really had me driving home this topic lately, but it is soooo key to our walk with Him.
Walking by the Spirit and trusting in the finished work of Jesus Christ is a foundational truth, posture, and privilege that is not only available to us as children of the Most High, but also, it is absolutely essential to living out this life as followers of Christ.
There’s a subtle misunderstanding that we need to ‘get things right’ so that our works may show our faith, but it’s really the other way around; that when we truly have faith in and lean on Jesus, our works will reflect that. The Pharisees thought so highly of themselves for how pious and religious they were, but their works were of the flesh, meaning, they themselves were the source of their living. Their religious legalism required no trust in God and thus, shined the light and put the glory back on them, not God. Even when Jesus arrived on the scene, they not only missed the fact that He was the Messiah, but also, they failed to see their need for Him as their Savior, and worse, persecuted Him because He relied on and operated by the power of the Father. Though they were “doing all of the right things,” they were still under the ‘law of sin,’ the one Paul told us only had the power to point out what is wrong, but lacked the power to modify those wrongs (Romans 8:2-3).
What does this mean for us today?
Well, unfortunately, many of even the most well-meaning Christians still find themselves under bondage to the law of sin. To clarify, being under the ‘law of sin’ does not necessarily mean living a life full of sin per say—I mean, like I said, the Pharisees were under the law of sin, but did “all the right things” (or so they liked to portray at least). Being under the law of sin simply means living by works, trying to be made right with God and continue doing what is right in God’s eyes by the power of human strength. Today, I find that showing up as striving to be a ‘good Christian,’ to avoid sin, and to represent Christ well, and overall, this IS something we should desire to do. However, it is often presented and internalized as if it is up to us to make this our reality. It is not. Our part is to choose to yield and submit to Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit, to put our trust in Him and the finished work of His death, burial, and resurrection, and the power that operates through us because of His sacrifice! It is up to us to choose to allow the Holy Spirit to lead our lives. Otherwise, even in believing in Christ, we live Christ-less lives. When Jesus died, He defeated the law of sin in the sense that through His sacrifice, we were freely made right with God through our belief in Him (Jesus). Then, after His resurrection, He left the gift of the Holy Spirit to empower us to live lives that are pleasing to God, not only in avoiding sin, but even more so to go forth and do even greater works than Jesus did while on earth, like casting out demons, healing the sick, and working miracles by His power that works in us. That power is available, but not active in us as long as we are stuck operating in the flesh, trying to produce good works, and not relying on and living through the finished work of the cross.
So, long story long, in today’s video, I talk about the importance of not returning to bondage under the law of sin (works) once you’ve been set free by Jesus to live in freedom under the law of the Spirit (grace). I discuss the misconceptions, deceptions, and misunderstandings that have led to much of the church (the body of Christ) leading lukewarm, carnal, powerless lives, which was NEVER our portion!
I believe God has me sharing this before we get into the rest of the series, because it is so important that when He sets you free from bondage, you don’t submit yourself back under another form of bondage (ie. trying to get things right in your own strength). When we are delivered from bondage, it is to serve God, but we are to do so through the power of His Holy Spirit. So, Kill the flesh and embrace the grace daily to maintain your freedom in Christ Jesus!
Focus Scriptures
I definitely recommend reading the full chapters, and even the whole books for the scriptures mentioned below.
They will definitely help to deepen your understanding and strengthen your relationship with Christ!
Matthew 12:43-45
Colossians 2:20-23
2 Peter 2:17-22
Galatians 5:4, 7-18, 24-25
Romans 7-8