If we want to change our behaviour, we must deal with our old thought patterns. Modern psychology has found this to be true, and behaviour modification techniques rely on the practice of retraining old mental patterns.

However, the Bible got there first; the root meaning of the Greek word for ‘repentance’ in the New Testament is to change the way we think; this is why Paul says we can be transformed by the renewing of our minds [Romans 12:2]. Our aim must be to align ourselves with God in our thoughts and words, as what we think and say about ourselves and our circumstances has spiritual power to effect change.

Choosing faith when circumstances are difficult; choosing trust in His word when our experience contradicts; choosing not to blame God when we don’t understand; choosing to speak out the truth in the face of adversity – this is the way of the cross. But if we persevere we will receive the rewards.

With these things in mind, over the next few weeks I will be exploring Psalm 23 in this blog. An all-time favourite, this beautiful song is David’s declaration of his faith in a good God; the challenge to us is to go beyond quoting familiar words and make it truly our own.

THIS SERIES: CREATE SPACE FOR LIFE

This jetsam, the normal consequence of living, which is regularly thrown up on our household surfaces has a corresponding manifestation in our inner world. We live on a fallen planet, and it leaves its scars. Our failures, and those of other people, past experiences, health issues, financial problems, disappointments – all the stuff of living leaves its mark. And a lifetime’s accumulation of unresolved issues has a devastating effect on the life we live in the present.

Whether or not you belong to a traditional church, this season is a good time to declutter those unresolved issues in your life. And the place to do it is at the Cross, which has the answer for every human need. Why not plan in time over the next few weeks to face up to the issues in your life which stop you really living? Why not make this Easter the time when you experience Resurrection Life in all its power?
 
The digital magazine below is a free resource from Rhythms of Grace to help you with this process - I hope you will be blessed by it. Let me know - feedback is always appreciated!

If you would like a PDF file of the magazine, please use the request button below.

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In the last few posts we have been looking at how we can walk into freedom through repentance, and how this involves changing the way we think & speak, and forgiving and being forgiven. In the last post we also looked at how a new identity was  essential for change; we have been made new people, and our spirits have been reignited by the power of His Spirit.

But there is a final key to walking in freedom: God  wants to fill us with Himself (ie the Holy Spirit),  to empower us to live in a new way:

Click on Overflowing with Life to find out how this happens…..

The good news is that repentance and change is not really about our will power. It's about God's ability in us.

Having received His life in us, we need to co-operate with the Holy Spirit's work in us by...

1. Asking for & receiving forgiveness as we go. Sin grieves & quenches the Spirit, so we need to keep short accounts with the Lord,. And we also need to keep ‘topped up’ – asking the Spirit to come & fill us again – and again.

2. Believing in our new identity, and in God's  power at work in us, declaring it over ourselves, daily.                                                                          
The 'story' we tell ourselves & other people is important. (Jesus renamed Simon, 'the reed', as  Peter 'the rock', long before he was one in experience.) See last post for a great resource on ‘declarations’.

3. Obeying His promptings.

4. Cultivate an attitude of thanksgiving. Jesus said that ‘rivers of living water’ would flow from the depths of our being [John 7:38]. Thanksgiving creates one of the channels for those rivers.

In this series we have looked at the importance of walking in forgiveness, and aligning ourselves with what God says. However our walk into freedom also requires change. For many of us that translates into a renewed attempt to conquer  a sinful habit - followed by failure and discouragement.

Jesus had some words of wisdom on this:

The fundamental issue with change is one of identity. Who we think we are, and what we believe about ourselves, will affect how we behave.

There is wonderful exchange in the film ‘The Kingdom of Heaven’ when the knight-hero, Balian, is left to defend Jerusalem with untrained common people. The renegade bishop sneers that not being part of the noble elite, such people could not measure up; to which Balian responds by calling on all the men to kneel to be knighted.

‘Do you really think that calling someone a knight, will make him a better warrior?’ jeers the Bishop. ‘Yes!’ is Balian’s joyful response.

Jesus came to change our identity, to 'make the tree good'. The issue is what we choose to believe: our experience and history, or what God says:

We can look at all  our failures, and choose to believe that's who we are; in that case, as Kris Valloton says, if  we believe  we are  sinners,  we'll sin by faith! However, the truth is, we were sinners, but now  we have a new identity: we are  new creations, made in the image of God and filled  with His life.

It will take time to change the habits of a lifetime, and when we fall, we know we can receive forgiveness [1 John 1:9]. But the foundation for change is a new identity - and that has been already been purchased for us on the Cross.

To walk into freedom, not only do we have to change our way of thinking, (see last post), but we also have to turn away from the offending pattern of living, and deal with the guilt which comes with falling short. And to do that we need to be forgiven.

New Testament forgiveness means more than a vague ‘It’s ok, it doesn’t matter’, our usual response to an apology, but is a powerful doorway to freedom. The Greek word used for ‘forgive’ means ‘to send away or set free’.

What are the sins you need the Lord to send away today? What are the failures and shortcomings which cause a cloud of guilt to rest on you? What are the specific issues which trouble your conscience? You do not need to live with these a moment longer.

Nor do you have to live with any feelings of condemnation, that is, the sense that you deserve punishment.

When Jesus died on the cross, He took all of our sins upon Himself, bearing the punishment we were due, so that we could be free. Repentance is about accepting that free gift of forgiveness, and stepping out into a new life. And it’s not just about that initial encounter with the Lord, when we’re born again, it’s an ongoing process.

In fact, rather than waiting for a special time or season for repentance, it is good to keep short accounts with the Lord. One way of doing this, is by reviewing each day with the Lord at bed-time. Along with thanksgiving for the blessings of the day, we can receive forgiveness & cleansing for the mistakes and failures.

Although we do not need an intermediary to receive forgiveness, it's sometimes helpful to confess our sins to another person, when the conscience is particularly troubled. Choose someone who is humble, trustworthy, & understands their authority in Christ to bind & loose [Matthew 18:18].
Hearing a faith-filled declaration of freedom, in the name of Jesus, can bring a greater depth of healing & release to a troubled soul.

And sometimes of course, it's necessary to take action: to make an apology, or reparation, withdraw from a relationship or situation, stop an illegal activity and so on.

Whatever it requires, take steps today to deal with  guilt - freedom beckons!

The next few weeks have traditionally been a period of reflection & penitence in preparation for the festival of Easter. The Oxford Dictionary defines ‘repent’ as “to think with contrition about….; to be regretful about….; to wish one had not done….; or to resolve not to continue wrongdoing in…..” This seems a good description of a lot of the practice during this time. However, often the focus is on the determination of the individual to be better. The problem is, many of us want to be ‘good’, but can’t seem to change.

​Happily, the good news is that these definitions are rather weak interpretations of a powerful Biblical truth.

Repentance in the Bible is all about our response to a Holy God. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word translated ‘repent’ comes from a root word meaning ‘to sigh’ & speaks of human sorrow at our inability to measure up to God’s standards. The Old Testament is the story of that failure, and each one of us can identify with it – try as hard as we might, we can’t measure up.

​The New Testament, however, tells a different tale: how Jesus came so man could be forgiven & set free, & how He sent the Holy Spirit to enable people to live different lives. New Testament repentance isn’t just about contrition or resolution, it’s about empowerment.

​Interestingly, in the New Testament, the Greek word translated ‘repent’ means ‘to think differently’, ‘to change one’s way of thinking’. The starting point for change is to agree with God, to align ourselves with His thoughts.

..... be transformed by the renewing of your mind, says Paul in Romans 12:2

What if what God says doesn’t line up with the evidence of our eyes? Abraham faced this problem, and chose to believe the higher reality [Romans 4:19,20]. Eventually his experience caught up with his faith. We are to follow his example.

​We can start that process of transformation, in this, the run up to Easter, by reflecting on what has been purchased for us through the Cross. Click on the link below for some daily meditations: