"Do not fall under the notion that the necessity for repentance is over. I have heard it said that repentance is "merely a change of mind." I wish that those who so speak had undergone that change."

"He who looks sin ward has his back to God—he who looks God ward has his back to sin."

Jesus said in John Chapter 10: "The thief comes not but for to kill, steal, and destroy: I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly."

Jesus loves us! He wants us to have a good life and even more to have an eternal life!

Therefore, our topic of discussion today is repentance, the 7 steps that

lead to life.

Turn with me to James chapter 4:1-10 as it reads:

"From whence come wars and fighting’s among you? Come they not hence, even of the lusts that war in your members? Ye lust and ye have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war; yet ye have not because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not because ye ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts. You Adulterers and Adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the world is the enemy of God? Do you think that the scripture says in vain, the spirit that dwells in us lusts to envy? But he gives more grace. Wherefore he says, God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble."

Herein we see our biggest problem in life: the fallen spirit of man! The fallen spirit in man lusts, it lusts towards envy. Envy is the desire to have all for you. The fallen spirit of man is prideful and selfish! We desire, yet we ask not or we desire and we ask according to the world’s ways instead of what God has determined to be good and healthy for us.

Verse 5 clears it all up for us:

"The spirit that dwells in us lusts to envy."

Before Christ and sometimes even after, we decide for ourselves to ask of God things that are of this world, things that would do absolutely no good purpose in our lives or in the lives of others, yet we want them for ourselves. We ask amiss!

But thank God for his wisdom because he resists us as it reads in verse 6;

"But he gives more grace." Hasn’t he already given enough? Yet he gives more because he realizes how foolish we are when we ask amiss. But he gives more grace:

Wherefore he says, God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble!"

Now here is the secret, pride or humility. If you are walking in your pride he will resist you, but if you humble yourself he will assist you!

Friend, God has never intended to resist us but in our pride is sin and he cannot and will not look upon it.

Ok so here is what he tells us to do if we have fallen into the distresses of life caused by our lust, our envy, and our pride.

These seven steps are as follows:

1. Submit yourselves therefore to God

Romans 12:1 reads: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect will of God."

It is reasonable for us to give ourselves over to God, to submit our will to him, to take up our cross and follow him after that he has given all for you! It is reasonable for us to give up the lies of this world in exchange for the truth of God!

God has compassion on the broken and hurting heart that turns from the errors of their ways.

2. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you

1Peter 5:8,9 reads: "Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world."

The Devil is as a roaring lion, he is NOT a lion in fact he is a wormy serpent that is on his belly! Genesis 3

God says be sober so that takes away all dependence on alcohol and drugs!

God says resist the devil STEADFAST, be steady at resistance, continue always to resist his ways and the ways of this world which are but lies from the devil. Resist in the faith. In the faith is in God’s word and his teachings. Resist the devil with Gods words of truth!

3. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.

Hebrews 10:22 reads: "Let us draw near to God with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water."

Isaiah 12:3 reads: "Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation."

Friend, God has given a great mystery here. Pure water is God’s word!

The wells of salvation are Jesus, his words, and his love!

Draw near to his love and his words!

4. Cleanse your hands ye sinners

Free yourself from filth! What can wash away my sin, nothing but the blood of JESUS!

Hebrews 9: 13,14 reads: "For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works."

Friends when you draw near to Jesus and ask him into your heart to take over your life he cleanses you completely removing all filth!

The blood of Jesus washes our minds and frees us from all unrighteousness.

Ye were bought with a price. While ye were still yet sinners Christ died for YOU!

5. Purify your hearts ye double minded

Commit your heart to Jesus only!

James 1:8 reads "A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."

A doubting person is unstable you never know which way they will turn or what they will do next and they cannot be trusted.

Friends, doubt and unbelief are from the devil, which we are to resist steadfast!

Proverbs 3:5,6 reads: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean NOT to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Jesus, and he shall direct your path."

Are you unsure about something? Cast it on the Lord and trust only him and his counsel!

6. Be afflicted and mourn and weep, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

Friend, God can see all things!

God can see your heart! He knows when we are serious. He wants to see that you grieve over the things that can cost you or anyone eternal life. Show him that you hate sin! Show him that you see the price that he had to pay for our souls and to the cost of redemption.

John 3:16 reads: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

For your sin God gave his life!

Be afflicted; be sad over your sin and his pain, his hurt that he takes when you commit sin!

Psalm 34:18 reads: "The Lord is near unto them that are of a broken heart."

Does your heart feel the pain over your sinful ways: God is near to you!

7. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you up.

This last step tells us to come to him as a child that needs a Fathers love. Jesus loves us and the sooner we really look deeply into this the sooner we can come to him with love and the more we too can love others.

Mathew 23:12 reads: "Whosoever exalts himself shall be abased, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted."

If you have the right heart he will lift you up.

Proverbs 29:23 reads "A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit."

Love God enough to hate sin, love the brethren enough to serve them.

Jesus is love! He gave his all. He teaches us to repent and live!

Friends there may be among us today one that is wavering, one that is struggling with this faith, or even one that hasn’t received Jesus into their heart. God has called us to believe on his son Jesus, to repent of our sins and receive his son into our hearts and lives to live with him from this time forth and forever in eternity. God has given us 7 steps to follow to get our hearts right with Him and to live life more abundantly.

Repentance is the way to forgiveness, forgiveness is the way to healing!

Again let us start with his grace! Father give us grace to repent of our addictions

and to turn to you and walk with you in newness of life, In Jesus name we pray!

Amazing Grace

Amazing grace how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost but now am found, Was blind but now I see

Twas grace that taught my heart to fear

And grace my fears relieved, How precious did that grace appear

The hour I first believed

Thru many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come

Tis grace that brought me safe thus far

And grace will lead me home., When we've been there ten thousand years

Bright shining as the sun, We've no less days to sing God's praise

Then when we first begun.

Lord we pray that you will help us as we repent before you of our past ways, we seek your forgiveness and ask for your acceptance of our apology. We pray today that this is the beginning of us drawing closer together again we are ready for you to take over and remove all addiction in our life. Jesus hear us we repent of our ways and heal us, In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

We are ready to have God remove our addiction, now we turn away from it, choosing not to do it anymore, Lord we turn to you for help.

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." James 4:10

"Let this mind be in you, which is also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5

Repenting of our ways, is there a certain way to repent? This is a very important part of recovery, it is laying the foundation to building a new life. We are now making a commitment to stop doing what we have done in the past. These seven steps is that certain way! As we have read these, we are now ready to apply them in our effort to be free from addiction, remember they are;

1. Submit to God.

2. Resist our addiction. (the devil)

3. Draw near to God.

4. Cleanse our hands from this wrong.

5. Purify our heart by doing what God wants.

6. Be sorry for all that we have done.

7. Humble yourself before God.

"The Lord is near unto them that are of a broken heart." Psalm 34:18

Let God be near to you! Remove your pride and allow him to work in your life,

"A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit." Proverbs 29:23

Jesus loves you, love him enough to hate your addiction and have compassion for all who struggle with an addiction.

Chapter Seven God Is Able To Cleanse Us