REPENTANCE IS NECESSARY FOR SALVATION, AND FOR FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD, AND REVIVAL AMONG GOD’S PEOPLE. Prayerfully consider the following questions. Every “yes” answer means sin in your life.
IN READING THESE QUESTIONS, AS YOU ARE CONVICTED OF SIN, CONFESS IT AND REPENT AT ONCE TO GOD. Be willing to make it right. Then you can claim cleansing and forgiveness. I John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
BE SURE TO NAME YOUR SIN TO GOD, AS…”Lord, I have not put thee first in my plans.” Or, “I have neglected thy Word and prayer.” Do not make the least excuse for sin of any kind in your life. Proverbs 28:13, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
No mater what others do, or do not do, Christian: leave nothing undone on your part. God wants to work through you to bring about a great spiritual awakening. He can begin by your fulfilling every requirement shown by the Lord through the Holy Spirit and His Word. A revival from the Presence of the Lord begins today IF YOU DESIRE IT. (Read the Scripture first. Ask the question. Give a truthful answer – “yes” or “no.”)
- Matt. 6:14-15
Is there anyone against whom you hold a grudge? Anyone you haven’t forgiven? Anyone you hate? Anyone you do not love? Are there any misunderstandings that you are unwilling to forget? Is there any person against whom you are harboring bitterness, resentment, or jealously? Anyone you dislike to hear praised or well spoken of? Do you allow anything to justify a wrong attitude toward another?
- Matt. 6:33
Is there anything in which you have failed to put God first? Have your decisions been made after your own wisdom and desires, rather than seeking and following God’s will? Do any of the following, in any way, interfere with your surrender and service to God: Ambition, pleasures, loved ones, friendships, desire for recognition, money, your own plans?
- Mark 16:15
Have you failed to seek the lost for Christ? Have you failed to witness consistently with your mouth for the Lord Jesus Christ? Has your life not shown to the lost the Lord Jesus?
- John 13:35
Are you secretly pleased over the misfortune of another? Are you secretly annoyed over the accomplishments or advancements of another? Are you guilty of any contention or strife? Do you quarrel, argue or engage in heated discussions? Are you a partaker in any divisions, or party spirit? Are there people whom you deliberately slight?
- Acts 20:35
Have you robbed God by withholding His due of time, talents, and money? Have you given less than a tenth of your income for God’s work? Have you failed to support mission work either in prayer or in offerings?
- I Cor. 4:2
Are you undependable so that you cannot be trusted with responsibilities in the Lord’s work? Are you allowing your emotions to be stirred for things of the Lord, but doing nothing about it?
- I Cor. 6:19-20
Are you in any way careless with your body? Do you fail to care for it as the temple of the Holy Spirit? Are you guilty of intemperance in eating or drinking? Do you have habits, which are dwelling in the body?
- I Cor. 10:31
Do you take the slightest credit for anything good about you, rather than give all the glory to God? Do you talk of what you have done rather than of what Christ has done? Are your statements mostly about “I”? Are your feelings easily hurt? Have you made a pretense of being something you are not?
- Eph. 3:20
Are you self-conscious rather than Christ-centered? Do you allow feelings of inferiority to keep you from attempting things you should in serving others?
- Eph. 4:28
Do you underpay? Do you do very little where you work? Have you been careless in the payment of your debts? Have you sought to evade payment of debts? Do you waste time? Do you waste time for others?
- Eph. 4:31
Do you complain? Do you find fault? Do you have a critical attitude towards any person or thing? Are you irritable or cranky? Do you every carry hidden anger? Do you get angry? Do you become impatient with others? Are you ever harsh or unkind?
- Eph. 5:11
Do you listen to unedifying radio or TV programs? Do you read unworthy magazines? Do you partake in worldly amusements? Do you fund it necessary to seek satisfaction from any questionable source? Are you doing certain things that show that you are not satisfied in the Lord Jesus Christ?
- Eph. 5:20
Have you neglected to thank Him for all things: the seemingly bad, as well as the good? Have you virtually called God a liar by doubting His Word? Do you worry? Is your spiritual temperature based on your feelings instead of on the facts of God’s Word?
- Phil. 1:21
Are you taken up with the cares of this life? Is your conversation or heart joy over “things” rather than the Lord and His Word? Does anything mean more to you than living for and pleasing Christ?
- Phil. 2:14
Do you ever by word or deed, seek to hurt someone? Do you gossip? Do you speak unkindly concerning people when they are not present? Do you carry prejudice against true Christians because they are of some different group than yours, or because they do not see everything exactly like you do?
- Phil. 4:4
Have you neglected to seek to be pleasing to Him in all things? Do you carry any bitterness toward God? Have you complained against Him in any way? Have you been dissatisfied with His provision for you? Is there in your heart any unwillingness to obey God fully? Do you have any reservations as to what you would, or would not do concerning anything that might be His will? Have you disobeyed some direct leading from Him?
- Col 3:9
Do you engage in empty and unprofitable conversation? Do you ever lie? Do you ever exaggerate? Cheat? Carefully consider – do you overcharge?
- II Tim. 2:22
Do you have any personal habits that are not pure? Do you allow impure thoughts about the opposite sex to stay in your mind? Do you read that which is impure or suggest unholy things? Do you indulge in any entertainment that is unclean? Are you guilty of the lustful look?
- Heb. 10:25
Do you stay away from the meetings or preaching the Gospel? Do you whisper or think about things while God’s Word is being read or preached? Are you irregular in attendance at services? Do you neglect to attend or participate in meetings for prayer? Have you neglected or slighted daily or private prayer? Have you neglected God’s Word? Do you find the Bible and prayer uninteresting? Have you neglected thanksgiving at meals? Have you neglected family devotions?
- Heb. 13:17
Do you hesitate to submit to leaders in the church or elsewhere? Are you lazy? Do you rebel at requests given to you in the work of the Gospel? Do you in any way, have a stubborn or unteachable spirit?
- James 1:27
Have you allowed yourself to become “spotted” by the world? Is your manner of dress pleasing to God? Do you spend beyond what is pleasing to God on anything? Do you neglect to pray about things you buy?
- James 4:6
Do you feel that you are doing quite well as a Christian? That you are not so bad? That you are good enough? Are you stubborn? Do you insist on your own way? Do you insist on your “rights?”
- James 4:11
Have you dishonored Him and hindered His work by criticizing His servants? Have you failed to pray regularly for your pastor or other spiritual leaders? Do you find it hard to be corrected? Is there rebellion toward one who wants to restore you? Are you more concerned about what people will think, than what will be pleasing to God?
IF YOU HAVE BEEN HONEST AND TRUE IN THE MATTER OF REPENTING OF YOUR SINS, THEN YOU ARE READY FOR GOD’S CLEANING. Remember these things: 1. If the sin is against God, repent to God, and make things right with God.
- If the sin is against another person, repent to God and make things right with the other person.
- If the sin is against a group, repent to God, and then make it right with the group. IF THERE IS FULL CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE, THERE WILL BE FULL CLEANSING. Then the joy of the Lord will follow.