Victory over your sins is not in continual confession of habitual sins but in complete surrender to God. In this sermon, Dr. Stanley reveals that total trust in Jesus is the only way to combat our transgressions. God is asking for repentance—not confession; Repentance is heartfelt sorrow in our hearts for our sins followed by a sincere commitment to forsake it and walk obediently towards Him.
if you’re genuinely saved you will never
be happy or satisfied living in sin you
will not you cannot you know why because
you have a whole different nature you
have the Spirit of God within you
convicting you of sin many people tell
you that they’re saved they’re not saved
they believed about him but they not
truly believed in him surrendering their
life to Him
next on InTouch the missing link
do you find yourself confessing the same
sin to God over and over again what do
you think that’s happening you say well
because I’m committing the same sin over
and over again
well why would you have to why would you
have to commit the same sin over and
over again you think it’s because you
haven’t dealt with it to begin with you
say well the Bible says if I confess my
sin he’s going to forgive me we need to
read the whole verse what is he really
saying he says if we confess our sins
he’s faithful and just to forgive us our
sins and they cleanse us from all
unrighteousness I think a lot of people
who become a Christian but they don’t
have any Victor in their life they
become a Christian with failures in
their life sins in their life ask God to
forgive them they trust Jesus Christ as
their personal Savior they they really
didn’t truly believe that that’s the
thing to do and they’ve done that then
when it comes to dealing with sin it
appears that the same old sins are
either still there or when they confess
them it seems that nothing happens and
they read that verse and I think well
why don’t I have it a victory I want to
answer that question in this message so
I want you to listen carefully
wherever you are you may be lost that is
you’ve never trusted Jesus as you say
you desperately need this if you are a
Christian you could equally as
desperately need it because you’re not
having victory in your life you don’t
having a real peace because you’re still
sinning in your life you’re doing things
that you know you should not do in fact
you don’t even want to do them in fact
you you look at the Romans chapter 7 you
say well I sound like the Apostle Paul
who said I do the things that I don’t
want to do and I don’t do the things
that I want to do so what’s the real key
what’s the missing link and real victory
in your daily life and oftentimes
continuous defeat so I want you to turn
to the last chapter of the Book of Luke
and this last chapter the 24th chapter
Jesus is giving a message to
his apostles before he leaves them and I
want you to notice what he says
beginning in this particular verse verse
44 of the twenty-fourth chapter now he
said to them they watch this now had in
seriousness is now these are my words
which I spoke to you while I was still
with you that all things which are
written about me in the law of Moses and
the prophets and the Psalms must be
fulfilled then he opened their minds to
understand the scriptures and he said to
them thus it is written that the Christ
the Messiah Jesus would suffer and rise
again from the dead the third day and
that repentance for forgiveness of sins
would be proclaimed in his name to all
the nations beginning from Jerusalem you
witnesses of these things and behold I’m
sending for the promise of my father
upon you but you to stay in the city
until you clothed with power from on
high and he was referring to the coming
of the Holy Spirit what I want you to
notice here he says this is your message
this is your message that repentance for
the forgiveness of sins would be
proclaimed in his name to all the
nations beginning from Jerusalem to the
uttermost parts of the earth
now when I look at that passage and I
think about what Jesus is commanding
them he uses the word repentance here
and so first of all let’s find out what
repentance means and confession means
which we’ll come to later but I want you
to notice how many times the message of
repentance is found in the scripture
when Jesus was coming up on the scene
John the Baptist shows up and he said in
the 3rd chapter of Matthew I want you to
like two passengers in Matthew the 3rd
chapter of Matthew is the first one and
you remember John the Baptist
coming up on the scene at the same time
he said then those
days John the Baptist came preaching in
the wilderness of Judea saying repent
for the kingdom of heaven is at hand so
John the Baptist message in those days
were repentance if you turn over to the
fourth chapter and let’s go to the
seventeenth verse from that time Jesus
began to preach and say repent but the
kingdom of heaven is at hand so that’s
what he told them and that’s what he was
preaching he told them that at the end
of his earthly reign he begins his
ministry following John the Baptist
insane when Peter for example began to
preach at the end of Pentecost what did
he say he said repent and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ for the forgiveness of your sins
it’s the same message of repentance
repentance and repentance when the
Apostle Paul for example
was preaching in 2nd Corinthians the 7th
chapter and notice if you will what he
says in the seventh chapter he says I
now rejoice not that you were made
sorrowful but that you were made
sorrowful to the point of repentance
that is it’s not enough that you just
regret what you’ve done he says but
that’s sorrow that regret should bring
you to the point of repentance for you
were made sorrowful according to the
will of God so that you might not suffer
loss in anything through us for the
sorrow that is according to the will of
God produces repentance that is it’s one
thing to be sorry that you got caught
I’ll be sorry that you said something
and did something you knew is not right
but he says it should be a sorrow a
regret that leads you to repentance he
says and leads you to salvation but the
sorrow of the world produces death that
is when we regret our sins before
Almighty God that should lead us to
repentance not just simply feeling sorry
for so that was his message and then of
course up in the book of the revelation
you recall when he was speaking to the
church at Ephesus
what did he say he said to them
therefore brim
from where you have fallen and repent
and do the deeds you did it first or
else I’m coming to you and will remove
your lampstand
out of its place unless you repent so I
simply wanted you to see all the way
through John the Baptist introduces the
message with repentance Jesus preaches
the message of repentance that’s what
Peter did that’s what Paul did that’s
what John did all through the scriptures
and if you look through the Bible for
example you’ll discover that 24 times in
the New Testament the word repent is
found in the Gospel of John it’s not
even found so what does that mean and
we’ll come to that but repentance is a
very very vital part of the message now
let’s ask the question what does that
really mean
in other words it’s it’s one thing to
say well I’ll depend on my sins and what
does that mean so I want to give you a
couple of definitions one of them sort
of elaborating on the other one and the
first one says simply this to repent
means I have a heartfelt sorrowful this
in my heart for sin followed by
renouncing of sin and the sincere
commitment to forsake it and walk in
obedience to Christ now watch this
repentance isn’t just feeling sorry
about it
but it’s feeling sorrowful in my heart
toward God about it and followed by a
renouncing of it it doesn’t fit who I am
it doesn’t fit in my life and a sincere
commitment to forsake it to walk away
from it in obedience to Christ so the
very word repentance talks about what it
means a change in direction if I’m
heading in this direction the wrong
direction in my life and our genuine
repent what I’m going to do is I’m going
to head in the other direction which is
the right direction now I want to give
you another just elaboration on that
definition for a moment repentance is
the recognition that sin is wrong it
isn’t just a mistake sin is wrong
it is against God followed by a definite
decision to turn away from sin and walk
in obedience to Christ that is there’s
something definite that happens when a
person genuinely repents it’s a
reckoning
of while they are sorrowful their
sinning against Almighty God not just
themselves and maybe others and it’s a
sorrow that doesn’t stop at feeling bad
for being caught or feeling guilty it’s
a sorrow that leads to genuine
repentance which means I don’t need that
in my life I don’t want that in my life
because God doesn’t want it in my life
and I choose to walk in a different
direction and to walk away from that and
the walk in obedience to Christ which
simply means repentance is all about a
change of life and so often we don’t
think about that we think about well if
I just you know confess my sins until
God I’m sorry and so forth and that’ll
be the end of it but if you turn for
example to the 55th chapter of Isaiah
and the Old Testament listen to how he
says it in this sixth verse seek the
Lord while he may be found call upon him
while he is near let the wicked forsake
his way and the unrighteous man his
thoughts and let him return to the Lord
that is forsake his old way forsake a
life of disobedience all of us before we
were saved were living in disobedience
to God there was sin in our life which
we tolerated we accepted we practiced in
some fashion and so sin is against God
sin does not fit in the life of a
believer you say well are you telling me
that if I’m gonna live a Christian life
that I’m not to live with in his sin in
my life I’m coming to that but I want
you to see this that sin doesn’t fit who
you are he says you know I’ve been
predestined to be conformed to the
likeness of his son Jesus repentance is
listen repentance is about when you’re
convicted by the Holy Spirit of sin in
your life you’re lost condition
repentance is about a change that needs
to take place that change will take
place upon your faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ your trust in him for the
forgiveness of your sin and that
repentance speaks of a change of life a
change of direction
you trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your
personal Savior you’re not going to if
you really mean that you’re not going to
live like you used to live I didn’t say
that you would never sin again I’m
saying that your life will not be the
same why because the very word itself
speaks in terms of a change now sin is
against God and it sent us against God
it’s also against us if we tolerate sin
in their life we are working against
ourselves listen I can be saved in
disobey God I can live in obedience and
trust the Lord still have problems and
heartaches and burdens at times but
living in willful known sin there needs
to be repentance in the life of a person
who is living in willful known sin
against God and think about this this is
the devil’s lie Satan will tell you
here’s what you have if he’ll do this
and here’s what you have if you do this
and if you believe that what he doesn’t
say to you is this here are the
consequences of disobedience here is the
consequence of this sin and so you can
ever win living in disobedience to God
if we live continually with sin in our
life and never dealing with it and just
excusing it and saying I’m sorry God
then we are losers every day listen you
cannot improve on the will of God he has
though he has a will for each of us
that’s for our benefit I didn’t say that
you’d never suffer or that you never
sinned but it’s for our benefit in every
way and so repentance is the word John
the Baptist use Jesus used Paul
news/peter use all the way through
scripture is the last book of the
revelation repentance is a change it’s a
change that takes place in a person’s
life with listen on the basis of their
willingness to repent on the basis of
their willingness to deal with anything
in their life that looks like feels like
smells like anything that is an act of
disobedience when we live a godly life
we don’t tolerate sin
I didn’t say you’d never sin I didn’t
say you’d be perfect but I didn’t say I
said you and tolerance you wouldn’t just
ignore it and say well god I’m sorry for
it so
well let’s think about the place of
repentance when he comes to salvation
because we believers are to repent about
sin but what about salvation what part
does that have somebody says well you
just believe in Jesus and that’s it
well let’s think about this for a moment
there’s it watch this there’s a
difference in believing about him and
believing in him
I can believe about Jesus I can believe
everything the Bible says about Jesus
and say yeah that’s that’s probably true
but believing in him means that I accept
him for who he is and as a result of
that knowing him as the Christ the
Messiah the Savior and the Lord I yield
my life to Him many people believe about
it and they’ll tell you oh yes I believe
in Jesus what they’re saying is I
believe about him they don’t question
that the Bible is true oh they don’t
question the fact that God loves us and
they can have all kind of general ideas
but to believe in Jesus involves
repentance and I give you a couple of
verses for example that the word
salvation could be mean the same thing
back to Luke the fifth chapter and the
32nd verse listen I’ve not come to call
the righteous but sinners to repentance
well in here he’s speaking of salvation
I mean I’m calling I’m calling sinners
to repentance because Jesus was simply
saying you you you want to be saved
there’s got to be repentance of sin you
have to deal with sin listen carefully
you can John every Church you want to
join you can be baptized sprinkle
immersed poured on bleh you name it you
can be a member of every kind of
denomination possible you can go to
church you give your money you do a lot
of good things if you have never
repented of your sins if you’ve never
trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior if
you have never believed in him as Savior
and Lord surrendering your life to him
none of that is going to do you any good
because salvation involves listen not
only confession of my sinfulness
repentance toward God and laying them
aside and so when we think of repentance
we think in terms of well for example in
2nd Peter a very important passage 2nd
Peter that 3rd chapter and the ninth
verse listen to what he says the Lord is
not slow about his promise as some count
slowness but is patient toward you not
wishing for any to perish but for all to
come to repentance so here the word
repentance implies and speaks of
salvation that is a change in heart
repentance isn’t just being sorry
repentance means be sorrowful under the
conviction of the Holy Spirit to the
point that I make a change I turn to
repent means that I turn I’ve been
walking this way all of my life and when
I repent of the way up and walking I’m
going to turn and go in the opposite
direction and so repentance is a very
key word it was the message of John the
Baptist a message of Jesus Paul Peter
you name it in the book of John which is
a book about faith and trusting Jesus
repentance is never mentioned not one
time you say well maybe it’s not
important well it’s not that it’s not
important this simple effect that john
saw and interpreted and it is true that
believing in the lord jesus christ if we
truly believe in him that you believe
who he is and the result of believing in
him as the savior in the lord the master
and the only way to salvation what
happens i place my trust in him now
place my trust in him for my salvation
if i place my trust in Jesus Christ as
my savior what I’m saying is the life
that I’ve been living is not right I’m
ready for a change in my life I’m
willing to place my life in his hands
deliver godly life to trust him to God
me and to lead me and so John’s whole
concept in the gospel for example he
says for God so loved the world that He
gave for he gave His only begotten Son
that whoever believes in him would not
perish but have everlasting life
he didn’t say believes about him he said
leaves inhale and to believe in him is
to accept what he says about himself as
true and as a result of believing that
he is the savior the Messiah I only hope
no one comes to the Father but by me he
said believing that placing your trust
in him as Savior Lord and Master that is
salvation but that also involves
repentance confession and repentance so
you can have one without the other
somebody says well now I do believe that
Jesus Christ is my Savior but not Lord
let me think let’s think about this for
a moment do you realize how ridiculous
that is Jesus Christ who is the Messiah
man’s only hope of salvation
who said apart from me there is no
salvation there is no hope all through
the scripture there is that message in
one form of the other now when somebody
says well love I’m willing to accept him
as my savior but not Lord here’s what
you say if you’re saying I’m willing to
accept Jesus Christ as my savior you’re
thinking primarily you know my sins are
going to be forgiven I’m going to heaven
and so forth but not as Lord what you
saying that Jesus is I want to be saved
I want to be forgiven I want your
blessings but after you after you save
me stay out of my life now words don’t
try to be Lord of my life telling me how
to live and there are people who believe
that who else is he except Jesus Christ
the Messiah the Savior and the Lord he
is the Lord and so many people have the
idea that well I can just accept him as
my savior and that’s it probably because
it has not been explained clearly to
them and so they don’t think about his
lordship his lordship means listen he
has the position and the privilege the
right the authority the power to rule in
my life if I don’t want him as the ruler
of my life and I say well I accept Jesus
my Savior but not as Lord you have
missed it and that very confession is a
confession of your selfishness that you
just want what he has to give but you
don’t want him telling you how to live
your life we received the Lord Jesus
Christ not just Jesus not just Messiah
he is the Lord Jesus Christ he has the
position the power the authority of the
right and the will of the Father that
Jesus Christ rule in our life and people
have all kind of ideas they go to church
and think that’s enough they give they
think that’s enough and they say well I
believe in Jesus what this thing is I
believe about him but God meant for to
be simple listen to this when the
Apostle Paul was in prison and God let
him loose by earthquake what did he say
to the jailer the Philippian jailer when
delivering jailor fell at his feet and
said sirs what must I do to be saved
and what was Paul’s answer believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ believe in him as
your Savior believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ and you’ll be safe and your
household well there’s some folks who’d
interpret that to say well if the Father
and the house is saved that covers
everybody don’t you wish it did I wish
it did but that’s not what he’s saying
he’s saying listen not only can you be
saved but everybody and your family can
be saved was he saved yes he was and
taking those disciples and Silas and
Paul and washing their feet
fixing my big dinner and the whole
family got saved
baptizing him but what happened it
wasn’t just the fact that he believed
about Jesus he believed in Jesus for
what reason
but what the fact that Paul and Silas
was saying or singing but God sent an
earthquake opened all the jails so sales
that meant death for the jailer but they
weren’t even leaving they were saying
you know what that’s okay we’re not
going anywhere
God used different things that to get
the jailers attitude and his attention
sometimes God sends real tragedy into
people’s lives to get their attention to
get them to wake up and to think about
their life he will open doors he’ll do
all kind of things you’ll send people to
you to talk to you about the gospel that
may be
you hadn’t even thought about godly use
lots of things to get our attention but
the ultimate decision is mine and yours
and bears am I willing to receive to
accept Jesus Christ that some of the
Living God the Messiah my only hope of
heaven and salvation am I willing to
accept him as my personal Savior and
Lord of my life that is the question and
the truth is this you don’t have it two
choices no one comes to the Father jesus
said but by me you say well how can they
be so narrow man not narrow minded the
reason Jesus said it is because he’s the
only one who was absolutely perfect
who was sinless who is the son of God
who was sent for the primary purpose of
dying on the cross shedding his blood as
payment for man’s sin nobody else could
take that position and therefore taking
that position
Jesus could say no one comes to the
Father but by me
you say well he’s been gone a couple of
thousand years now what if steal by him
it’s a matter of us declaring who he is
that he’s the savior the Lord the master
of our life and so repentance is my
willingness to let God turn me around
and send me in a whole different
direction you say well now what a minute
if salvation means I’m forgiven and
repentance means have a change of life
suppose I sin again am I lost no well
then how do I deal with that no it’s
what’s God’s attitude here is God’s
attitude about that that’s so absolutely
crystal clear if you turn to 1st
Corinthians chapter 3 for a moment and
remember that current was one of the
most it was considered the most wicked
city in those Roman times in fact you
couldn’t be more sinful and wicked and
vile and ungodly than being a
Corinthians listen to what he said that
watch this now to the Christians living
in current verse 1 of chapter 3 and I
brethren could not speak to you as the
spiritual men matul people in the faith
as men of flesh you know having a
problem with sin in their lives as two
infants in Christ I gave you milk to
drink
he says I’ve taught you the simple
things of the Word of God not solid food
but you were not yet able to receive it
that he knew what they could understand
and couldn’t understand he says I taught
you the simple things because you
weren’t ready to see the others indeed
even now you’re not yet able watch this
for you are still there believers still
fleshly for since there is jealousy and
strife among you are you not fleshly and
are you not walking like mere men and he
began he keeps on talking about that so
what is he saying a person can be saved
by the grace of God repent of your sins
trust him as Lord of your life but
because it’s a brand-new life you have
the Holy Spirit living within you to
enable you to live a godly life well who
knows that I think about when I was
saved and I know I was saved and never
doubted on that Sunday morning I got on
my knees at the altar and ask the Lord
to save me I didn’t know much I’d
listened to the past through week after
week i cell in his second row every
Sunday right at the end and I couldn’t
ever tell you a thing he said and it was
in a revival meeting when a lady came
and preached her name is mrs. Wilson she
preached that morning I have no idea
what she said but when they gave the
invitation I was the first one down on
my knees and my Sunday school buddies
there were five of them they knelt down
they came up to the altar knelt down
beside me and pray that I’d be saved
then those days in the Pentecostal
church sometimes had to have a little
help to get saved they thought and so
around me pray praying for me to be
saved and I was very grateful I got up
the pastor said Charles come up and tell
the people what Jesus has done for you
now I didn’t know anything much except
that I was a sinner I did know that part
he came up on me to tell them what Jesus
had done for me and I told them
everything I knew he had done for me in
one sentence and I said I don’t know
everything is done for me that was a
classic statement
I don’t know everything he’s done for me
but I know he’s saved me this
money was I saved yes I was saved how
much truth did I know what did I know
about anything and yet did I sin after I
was saved sure what I know about the
Holy Spirit nothing and those days don’t
think I know about the whole this really
few if you they would say if you got him
you would speak in tongues or something
like that it didn’t bother me but I knew
that morning I would say that I have
never doubted it what did I know about
living the Christian life not too much
did I sinned after I was saved yes I did
did I get convicted about sin yes I did
I was convicted did you repent every
single time I’m not even sure I
understood what were pendants was about
as a young lad twelve years of age I
didn’t understand much I was exactly
what the Apostle Paul was talking about
he says you’re still babes in Christ and
so what Paul is saying is this even
though we’ve been saved by the grace of
God if we are immature in our faith and
some people are amateur in that faith
because they choose to be if you’ve
trusted him as you said you have the
responsibility of learning the Word of
God you so I don’t have anybody to teach
me if you keep listening the intouch you
begin to learn it’s not the only place
but it’s one place you have a
responsibility to learn what it means to
live a Christian life to live a godly
life to repent of sin because repentance
is is naturally a part of all of that
and so when we come to that passage that
simply means this I can be saved but I
still have a difficult time of
overcoming things for example let’s take
the person who is an alcoholic and he
genuinely gets saved
does that mean there’s no more desire
their people and testimonies I’ve heard
people got saved lost all desire for any
other people get saved and they struggle
for different reasons and their people
for example have a bad habit of their
language they use profanity to get saved
and and you know three or four days a
week or two weeks go by and they think
praise God he’s delivered me and then
all of a sudden they get in the
situation they come up with something
that oh god please forgive me Lord Jesus
name
that’s looking like I’ll sound like a
Christian be listen because we’re not
perfect now watch this we’re not perfect
but we are responsible I’m responsible
but what I do what I say and every
aspect of my life I’m responsible as a
believer will live a perfect life no one
the Apostle Paul said in that seventh
chapter of Romans and everybody’s read
that one that what in the world did that
mean he says the things I don’t want to
do I find myself doing the things that I
want to do find myself not able to do it
he was going through a stage in his life
but listen if you’re genuinely saved you
will never be happy or satisfied living
in sin you will not you cannot you know
why because you have a whole different
nature you have the Spirit of God within
you convicting you of sin many people
tell you that they’re saved they’re not
saved they believed about him but
they’ve not truly believed in him
surrendering their life to Him if
somebody says well if you’re saved you
won’t sin not even the Apostle Paul said
that so the issue is this and it’s not a
fine line it is simply a matter of
understanding I place my trust in Jesus
Christ as my personal Savior surrender
my life to him and I repent of my sins
and it’s best done on my heart I give
myself to him it’s best I understand at
that particular point in life and I’ll
start living a Christian life then what
happens if I’m genuinely truly saved and
I sin against God the Spirit of God is
going to convict me I’m going to ask him
to forgive me and I’m going to repent of
it you say well how many times you have
to do that well I don’t have any idea
how many times I’ve had to say God
forgive me for that I’d should I turn
the repent of that sin because remember
when you not save we’re like babes and
we grow in our Christian life we don’t
tolerate it we don’t excuse it we deal
with sin when it becomes a part of their
life so there are there are those who
say well now wait a minute doesn’t the
Bible say for by grace are you saved
through faith that not of yourselves is
a gift of God not of
for less than dimension both and the
answer’s yes you not listen you’re not
saved by your works you say but the
grace of God the goodness and the love
of God brought about at the cross the
shedding of his blood as a result of
that then I certainly want my life to be
and just like you wants your life to be
one of good works you’re not doing good
works to get saved
listen it’s faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ repentance of your sins believing
what he said that somebody says okay but
now let’s talk about this matter of
confession for a moment because that’s
what we usually hear about do you know
how many times confession is used in the
New Testament twice only twice and when
you think about that only that it’s only
there two times and then repentance is
there twenty-four times they don’t tell
us something but let’s have a definition
I want to give you of confession for a
moment because this is what people say
well I’ve confessed my sin watch this
carefully to confess is to agree well
that’s what it means I confess this I
agree with is to agree with say the same
thing as God would say if I confess that
I’ve sinned I’m agreeing with him that
what I did was wrong to agree with God’s
view of our sin that it is wrong should
be removed from our life repent of it
agreement is not enough it must go it’s
so fun somebody says well I can it
if I sin against God I just confess it
usually what that means is I just tell
him about it and as far as I’m concerned
that’s the end of it
no no confession is the first part
confession is agreement with God and
repentance is second part it’s not a
matter of works it’s a matter of the
attitude of the heart and so when you
see confession in that form it means we
agree with God about what he’s saying
about our sins and that is they don’t
belong there and so just think about
this for a moment a sanctified life is a
life
that is set apart by God for God for His
purposes when you get saved you trust
him as your Savior he listened he not
only redeems you he pays the price he
justifies you he declares your righteous
he reconciles you bringing you back to
himself he sanctifies you which means he
sets you apart for himself for his
purposes
that’s why living in sin once you’ve
been saved does not fit who you are
because the Holy Spirit came into our
life to sanctifies the cetas apart as
the children of God to do what to live a
godly life listen to what he said he
predestined that means he determined
beforehand he predestined you and me to
be conformed shaped spiritually be
conformed to the likeness of his son
that’s Jesus not physically but
spiritually his goal he predestined that
is he predetermined before it all began
he predetermined that once you and I
saved what would happen he would begin
to form in our lives that a character
conduct a conversation like that of his
son that’s his will and purpose for us
we can’t ever excuse sin if we sin in
our life we ought to confess it and
repent of it deal with it right then god
this doesn’t fit Who I am
and so I’m asking you to forgive me and
cleanse me and any listen any confession
that has no repentance is incomplete now
let’s look at first John 1:9 if you
don’t know whether it is turn the
revelations you third second first John
backwards look at this first John 1:9
let’s say let’s start with verse let’s
let’s start with verse seven but if we
walk in the light as he himself is in
the light we have fellowship with one
another and the blood of Jesus his son
cleanses us from all sin he’s running to
Christians if listen if we’re walking in
the light as he is in the light
this is what he says he says here’s what
happens we have fellowship with him with
one another and the blood of Jesus
Christ his son is continually cleansing
us from sin that’s if we’re walking in
the light I’m not walking in the light
that’s not true look if we say that we
have no sin we are deceiving ourselves
and the truth is not in us if we confess
agree with God about our sin now let me
ask you a question what do you think
God’s thinks about your sin you know
it’s wrong he doesn’t belong in your
life it doesn’t fit who you are it
doesn’t fit your relationship to him it
shouldn’t be that all therefore we need
to repent of it amen okay amen now
listen if we confess our sins
what is confessed we agree with God that
it’s wrong he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness
that is he makes things different
so his confession important yes it is
this is what Paul said he said do you
change clothes take it off this when he
said in Colossians at 3rd chapter 8
verse he said he said put it away but
put it put away those things they do not
fit who you are as a child of God but
I’m away take it all and so he uses the
term and agree like you take off your
clothes
take it off it doesn’t fit who you are
if you’ve ever trusted Jesus Christ as
your personal Savior and you’re in a
minute then you confessed your sins to
him maybe you didn’t know what
repentance was all about is what it’s
all about it’s about your confession and
agreeing with God about it and then what
deliberately willfully doing what
walking away from that in your life
because you don’t want that in your God
can read your heart he knows whether you
want it or not he knows when will fail
but he knows our heart he knows that we
don’t want to and there are times when
people get themselves in situations they
don’t want to be disobedient but they
find themselves doing and do what then
or you weep over it and the more
sorrowful you are notice what he said
sorrowful unto repentance god I don’t
want that in my life remember what you
have you have the Holy Spirit living
within you who will enable you to
overcome anything and everything that is
not of God it’s a choice we make is it
easy choice
no is it a choice that you failed
sometimes yes he didn’t say be perfect
he said the obedient and there are times
in our life when we have to ask him God
forgive me for saying that are thinking
that I genuinely Pat I don’t want that
no words I don’t have to I tell him this
and you would tell him this we don’t
have to convince God of whether we’re
sincere or not he already knows and he
answers accordingly Amen if you’ve never
trusted Jesus as your Savior
think about this woman yeah you living
in a world that’s a fouled up mixed-up
horrible mess and so it’s just you
against the world what you need is to
ask the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive you
of your sin fulness genuine repent of it
Lord God I don’t want it in my life in
the longer I genuinely want you to
remove this from my life somebody says
well you mean to tell me that I can’t be
saved unless our repent of my sin well
let me ask you what what’s believing all
about we explain that it’s all about you
putting your trust in him on the basis
of you know about your sinfulness and
that only he can forgive you and that he
will when you ask him sincerely and
repent of it that is you choose to walk
away from it I’d be perfect doesn’t mean
you’ll never do it again but your whole
heart you want him to have your life he
makes everything different if you’ll
trust him and father we pray the Holy
Spirit will take the truth of your word
and let it be like fresh water cool
spraying to those who’s struggling and
wondering if you’ll ever forgive them or
cleanse them enough to be clean and pure
in their life I pray that they’ll be
willing to acknowledge sinfulness ask
you to forgive them and genuinely repent
of that sin and trust you to enable them
to walk a godly life because that is
your will purpose for every single ones
and we ask this in Jesus name and for
his sake amen
repenting of sin starts by confessing it
and then sincerely forsaking it in
obedience to Christ at InTouch to RG
learn more about following Jesus and
living in the strength of the Holy
Spirit there you can see today’s message
the missing link
and find a library of free and inspiring
messages from dr. Stanley sermon notes
and resources to help reinforce your
resolve to choose obedience to God’s
plan for your life
download the intouch app to take the
teaching of dr. Stanley on-the-go or
follow us on YouTube Facebook and
Twitter money relationships faith
employment theology if you’ve got tough
questions dr. Charles Stanley has
biblical answers in his handbook for
Christian living this comprehensive
reference is your go-to guy for both
areas and puzzling matters of dr. agon
practical scriptural and easy-to-use
Charles F Stanley’s handbook for
Christian living is the book you’ll turn
to again and again order the handbook
for Christian living at in touch to our
G there’s something about waiting we
don’t like we naturally become impatient
because we’re living in a world where
not only do we want it now we can have
it now
but that’s not the way it is with God
the u-value God’s choice enough to wait
leading people worldwide into a growing
relationship with Jesus Christ and
strengthening the local church in touch
with dr. Charles Stanley is a
presentation of in touch ministries this
program is made possible by the grace of
God and your faithful prayers and gifts