Repentance

Jim Smith

©Jim Smith April 2019

This material may be downloaded and copied for personal, group or church use. It is not to be changed and it is not to be sold.

jimsmithghana@yahoo.co.uk kayisefa.gh@gmail.com

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Contents

The beginning The “steps” to repentance * Waking up * Turn and obey * Putting God first * Intercession before the Lord. * Confession * Attacked * Crying out * The Lord answered Further material

“Oh God, make broad my heart that I may be able to see your love.”1

(Richard Rolles)

1 Richard Rolles

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The beginning

The call to repentance is not new! This appeal was written at Healdsburg, California, May 30, 1882, to be read at the camp meetings. It’s worth reflecting on the words:- No matter who you are or what your life has been, you can be saved only in God's appointed way. You must repent; you must fall helpless on the Rock, Christ Jesus. You must feel your need of a physician and of the one and only remedy for sin, the blood of Christ. This remedy can be secured only by repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Here the work is yet to be begun by many who profess to be Christians and even to be ministers of Christ. Like the Pharisees of old many of you feel no need of a Saviour. You are self-sufficient, self-exalted. Said Christ: “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” The blood of Christ will avail for none but those who feel their need of its cleansing power. These words come from one of the main Preachers in the Welsh revival:- "The emphasis of Roberts’ message could be summarized in four principles. First, he insisted Christians must put away any unconfessed sin. Second, he called on them to renounce any doubtful habit. Third, he told them, “You must obey the Spirit promptly.” Finally, he urged people to confess Christ publicly." (Welsh Revival 1904) This vision came to me:- I saw a huge wave - a tidal wave, a Tsunami – rolling across the spiritual world. I was afraid because it was so powerful and it was heading for me. There was nowhere to run to, so I just had to let it hit me. It had huge energy and power. Inside, the Spirit was active as fire and strength. When it had passed, I was burning and on fire for repentance. “What is this wave?” I asked. The Lord replied “This is the mighty power of repentance which I am ready to release. When it passes over people, it sets them on fire with the desire to repent before me. “ I fell down on my face and the fire burnt in me -burnt deep into my spirit and I cried out in pain “Lord forgive your people. Remember Ghana is your child. This burning will destroy us.” Love flowed over me. “No” he said, “this fire will purify my child and then I can move in the power among you as I once longed to do.” His tears for the child Ghana fell into my heart.

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The common experience before all renewal and restoration is repentance. But what is it? There are so many different ides around, but we need a common foundation. Fortunately, the Bible gives us one.

The “steps” to repentance Repentance is a process. It begins with the move of the Spirit, and results in changed lives, changed churches and changed nations. This is from America:- "Drunkenness was immediately cut in half, and many taverns went bankrupt. Crime was so diminished that judges were presented with white gloves signifying that there were no cases of murder, assault, rape or robbery or the like to consider. The police became unemployed in many districts. Stoppages occurred in coal mines, not due to unpleasantness between management and workers, but because so many foul-mouthed miners became converted and stopped using foul language that the horses which hauled the coal trucks in the mines could no longer understand what was being said to them. (D.L. Moody writing about the Chicago revival in 1900’s) Repentance is a dangerous spiritual force, which radically changes people and situations. Let’s look at what the Bible shows us:- * “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty. But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.

So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the Lord Almighty”. (Malachi 3:1-5)

* When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.

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All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4) * When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honour. Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. (Acts 19:17-20) We must not think that we are entering a comfortable area. We are about to touch the fire. Let’s look at what happened at Mizpah. It will give us some idea of what to expect.

First step. Waking up So the men of Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord. They brought it to Abinadab’s house on the hill and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the ark of the Lord. The ark remained at Kiriath Jearim a long time—twenty years in all. Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord. (1 Samuel 7:1-2)

For any renewal, there has to be a stirring in the hearts of God’s people. Here is another comment from the Welsh Revival:- "But it has been definitely ascertained that for some time previously there was a yearning in the heart of many devout and godly people for such an awakening, and amongst the faithful an expectation of it.” The people of Israel were far from God. But then something happened. They began to “lament and mourn.” (This is a better translation of the Hebrew “Nahah”). The Spirit stirred them to such an extent that they grieved for their loss as if they had lost a child. This is easy to take into our minds, but what about taking it into our hearts? Look at this from “The Way of the Cross.” The Prophet was standing at Calvary, in the dust and the spite and the pain. He heard a voice above him crying in agony – “Oh my son. Oh, my beloved son. Oh, my son Ghana, what have you become?” The Prophet saw the Lord’s broken hands and grieved with all his heart that God’s people of Ghana did not see them, or want them, or reach for them. For the children of Ghana had hands full of the possessions they had stolen from the King’s house. Their hearts were full of greed and arrogance.

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There was no place in them for the Lord’s broken hands - no place for those hands to touch and heal. No place for the child Ghana. And this from “Touching the Gold.” I saw the Lord staggering up to Calvary. His cross was so heavy. “I am bearing the weight of sorrow, disappointment, failure, sin, grief and death” he said. “These burdens I bear. The heaviest of all I bear is my wasted child Ghana. This is the weight of the cross.” Is Ghana lamenting? Is Ghana aware of what it has become? This was what was seen in China, and we need to see it in Ghana:- The next morning, one of the elders of the church came to see Goforth before the scheduled morning meeting. As soon as the two were alone, the elder began to weep uncontrollably, telling his story: In the Boxer year, I was treasurer of the Church. The Boxers came and destroyed everything, the books included. I knew I could lie with safety. There were certain Church funds in my keeping which I swore I had never received. Since then I’ve used the money in my business. Yesterday, during your address I was searched as by fire. Last night I couldn’t sleep a wink. It has been plain to me that the only way that I can find relief is to confess my sin before the Church and make full restitution. (China 1907.)

Second step: Turn and obey Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you want to return to the Lord with all your hearts, get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Turn your hearts to the Lord and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” (1 Samuel 7:3) There has to be action following yearning. The story of the Elder, mentioned above continues:- At the invitation to confess, a man came to the front of the meeting place with tears flowing down his face. It was the elder who two days earlier had cried out yet had resisted confessing his sin. Now the Spirit of God had broken through earlier barriers. He turned to face the congregation and began his confession. “I have committed adultery,” he confessed. “I have tried three times to poison my wife.” Then, looking at the bracelets and rings he was wearing, he took them off and placed them in the offering plate. “What have I,” he said, “an elder of the Church, to do with these baubles?”

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Then he reached into his pocket and took out his elder’s card. He tore it in pieces and scattered them on the floor. “You people have my cards in your home. Kindly tear them up. I have disgraced the holy office. I resign my eldership.” There’s a lot of challenge in this step: - * We must want to return. Without this desire, the spirit of repentance cannot flow. Do the people of Ghana long for a return? Or long enough for a life changing experience of repentance? * We must want to return with all our hearts. Repentance has to come from the heart, not the head. Longing and yearning flow from the emotions and the spirit. David knew this: - Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place. (Ps 51:1-6) * We must want to “Get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth.” Plenty of false gods in Ghana – “My personal blessing.” “My year of abundance.” “My year of overcoming.” My! My! My! All this has to go, along with the prosperity message which is the foundation for all this self-promotion and self-building up. It all has to go. So has a lot of wealth, stolen or obtained by bribery and corruption. It has to be brought into the Assembly and put before the Lord. Then it can be purified, and the people released from its chains. The image of the suffering servant, of the obedient servant, of the sacrificial servant which has been the backbone of faith for 2000 years has been abandoned in Ghana for one of prosperity and wealth and comfort. This false image has to go. The Ghanaian attitude that “God will never judge us, whatever we do” has to be abandoned for a humility and a trust in a loving God who has standards of justice which we have to keep.

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Even at the beginning, repentance is looking like a radical change of attitude and behaviour. I suspect few people will want to abandon their comfort for this rugged pathway. But, like it not, it is the only pathway left to us. Look at this:- "Of course, it may be all to the good that we should be all shaken up; and tornadoes clean the air, and earthquakes are wholesome, but they are not particularly welcome to those who are at ease in Zion.”" (William Stead. Editor Methodist Times 1905) Repentance is like this for God’s people: - I saw a path - a narrow path, covered with thorns. As I looked, in the distance I saw a figure walking. His feet were broken and cut by the thorns, but still he walked on. I was filled with longing, and I cried out “Who are you? Why do you walk this way? Why do you carry on?” He turned, and I heard his voice. “Love.” I wanted to follow, but I was afraid of the thorns and the pain and the sacrifice and the cost. I wanted to follow, but if I started, could I carry on? I didn’t have his courage, but I could hear his voice. Love - could I love enough to walk on pain? Did I love enough to make the sacrifice, and keep making it? * We must turn our hearts to the Lord. This is a powerful challenge. The people of Israel had not just got into a mess by accident. They had deliberately turned away from the Lord. Now, they have to do another very hard thing - turn their hearts back to him. This means not only getting rid of the wrong, but beginning to walk in the ancient paths again – serving, being humble, trusting in him and not on themselves, hoping for his mercy, depending on his love. Ghana is in the same position. Turning our hearts back to the Lord is a whole new way of living. The Lord spoke this to me, and it shows us the challenge we will have to face.

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Open a new channel to me I will close many of the old channels. They once honoured me but now they only hinder themselves. They say “This is the way” and many follow. But their way leads to the desert where they will die. I will close them. They have become an offence to me. I will remove their power and their protection. This is my work to clear the way. This is a work of the Holy Spirit - releasing the spirit of repentance and bringing hearts back into line with the Lord. It is a work of grace, but it requires our positive co-operation. * We must obey him alone. But we have been obeying our heart’s desire - taking and keeping, trusting in ourselves, looking for comfort and blessing. Changing this is not easy. Ghana has forgotten what the voice of the Lord sounds like, so obeying that voice is not going to come back easily. And as for “Alone?” There is already a very strong voice of another god calling, and many are obeying that voice. Hearing the true voice is getting increasingly difficult. Our disobedience has not only wrecked our lives, it has wrecked the spiritual life of Ghana. The repairs needed are massive. Are enough of us prepared for it?

To die is to live To sacrifice is to serve To be humble is to be great With this heart we can come and wait again on your command

* Then he will rescue you from the Philistines. God does want to call us back. But there is the word “Then.” Only if we begin the repentant path does he want us back. Not because he hates us, but because he loves us and needs us to change from what we have become so that we can become what he longs for us to become. Samuel might well have agreed with this verse:-

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Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Third Step: Putting God first So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only. (1 Samuel 7:4) This is not an easy step. No step in the repentance steps is easy. Look what happened to Israel when the people returned from Exile:- “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your panelled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” (Haggai 1:4) The people had returned physically but their hearts had not returned. They gave all the signs of returning yet carried on in their old ways. This will not do. Compare this with Ephesus:- When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honour. Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. (Acts 19:17-20)

Repentance has to show Repentance has to show. No matter how much we internalise it, fruits have to show as John the Baptist made clear - Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. (Matt 3:8) In one awakening, many thieves were convicted and brought the things they had stolen to the church and put them at the feet of the Preacher. Jonathan Edwards was worried by the conversion of a well-known prostitute. What effect would it have on the church? But she lived such a changed life that many followed her into the kingdom. This might remind us of this:- But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

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Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:8-10)

It’s not enough to say, “We have repented.” We have to live the repentant lifestyle, put God first in all things, follow the Lord, take up the cross, serve and live a lifestyle in keeping with the gospel.

This is going to challenge many. In all awakenings, from Ephesus onwards, people begin to become aware of their sin and confess it openly. Then they have to live changed lives. I have always felt that many ministries in the church, when asked to do this, will be profoundly embarrassed. There is so much that is corrupt and world centred. These things have to come out and this deep conviction of the Spirit often leads to opposition to repentance, as people try to hide their sin.

Fourth step: Intercession before the Lord

“Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the Lord for you.” (1 Samuel 7:5) Central to repentance is moving the heart of God. The Intercessors have started to do this already. But the intercession has to change at this point. From urging the Lord to release the longing for repentance, now we intercede for the Nation itself, that the people - the whole body of Christ will be open to the Lord moving in repentance. What is the basis for repentance-based intercession?

* Serve the cross

“For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Cor 2:2) If we are going to release repentance through our intercession, then we have to have a very firm understanding of the place of the cross in our lives. Nothing else can break through. If we are going to save Ghana, we have to bring the Nation back to the cross. How do we do this?

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Three pictures

I have had three pictures about the cross and Ghana. Let’s see if they can teach us how to serve the cross as repentant intercessors.

1. The whirlwind

The whirlwind was roaming across the continent of Africa. Everywhere it touched down it destroyed lives, communities and nations. The enemy rejoiced in this destruction. “It is so easy” he said. Then at last he turned his eyes to the nation God loved with a passion - the nation he called his Beloved. “This one I must destroy” he said and sent the whirlwind of destruction towards it. “Nothing can stop me now” he gloated, “I have been destroying this place for decades. Now my moment has come.” But as he drew near, he saw something which he had not seen before. Everywhere there were small trees where there had been no trees before. He was puzzled and looked closer. To his horror he saw that they were not trees but crosses, scattered everywhere and growing slowly into a forest, stretching as far as his eye could see across the whole land. “Oh no. Not that!” he groaned. “That I cannot overcome.” With bitter anger and spite he turned away from the land God loved. His attack was broken. The cross is the one thing Satan cannot stand or withstand. Once we begin to live the cross and lift high the cross, all things become possible. But here is the problem. The cross can only be uplifted by obedience, endurance, sacrifice and suffering. Obedience:- And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! (Phil 2:8) Endurance: - For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2) Sacrifice:- To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. (1 Peter 2:21) Suffering:- Just as there were many who were appalled at him—his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness. (Isaiah 52:14)

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This is how a hymn writer saw it:- Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim till all the world adore his sacred name. Come, Christians, follow where the Master trod, our King victorious, Christ the Son of God. Led on their way by this triumphant sign, the hosts of God in conquering ranks combine. Each newborn servant of the Crucified bears on the brow the seal of him who died. O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree, your death has brought us life eternally. So shall our song of triumph ever be: praise to the Crucified for victory!

2. The wave

The cross is hard, but it can make a powerful difference. Standing on the seashore, I saw, in the distance, a small wave coming towards me. As I watched it got bigger and bigger and bigger. But it was not like any wave I had ever seen before. It was a wave of crosses, and it was being driven forward by a mighty wind towards the shore. When it got near to me, I saw that there was a figure on each cross. There were men, women and children. They were not suffering for themselves but crying in great pain and anguish for the land on which I stood. I was greatly shaken, and I cried out to the Lord “What is this I am seeing? What are these crosses? Who are these people? And what is their pain?” The Lord came to me and said: - “These are living crucifixions. These are the ones who have taken my burden for this land into their hearts, and are living daily the pain of rejection and disobedience which is in the hearts of the people of the land. These living crucifixions are companions of my suffering. The mighty wind is the Spirit, urging them on to be planted in the land before it is too late.”

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While I watched, the great wave of crosses broke on the shore, and driven by the mighty wind, they were swept across the land. The Lord took me up to a high mountain and I looked out over the land. Everywhere I saw the living crosses standing, and those on them crying with the pain of the rejection and the burden which this land has placed in the Lord.

The question is - are we willing to be lifted up on the cross, to live cross- bearing lives, to be servants of the cross?

3.Living Crucifixions The power of the cross, and the difference it makes can only be fulfilled in our lives. Here is part of another picture the Lord gave to me:-

I came again, after all my wanderings, to the cross. My journey had achieved little. The Lord looked at me and said “You must have an ocean of compassion in a world of pain. You must be a strong tower in a forest of destruction. You must be a blazing fire in a land of ice and cold. You must be a bright light in a night of darkness. You must be a rain cloud in a barren sky. You must become a cross of forgiveness in a world of guilt. Live among the lost, and be finder and found, a rock in the rubble, a fortress in the fear.2 Being living crucifixions means facing some really tough spiritual forces. But only by breaking them can we break their hold on Ghana. The cross can do it. But it has to be living in us. It’s a hard challenge. Only the Spirit can call us to such a burden, and only the Lord can sustain us. But first, we have to be willing to accept the call. Until we do that, the cross cannot live in us and be released into the land. Repentance will never flow. The Lord is searching for those who will become living crucifixions. Are we one? * Take up the cross We have to do what Jesus commanded – “Take up your cross and follow me.” (Mark 8:34) If we want to place the cross in the nation of Ghana, then we have to understand what he is trying to say to us in this verse. As we look more into the Bible, his message becomes clear.

2 From “Touching the Gold.”

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Taking up the cross is a path of suffering

This should not come as a surprise to us. We already know we have to be living crucifixions. A path of suffering will open up to us, which will begin to purify the nation and bring it to the place of repentance. Peter points us in the same direction: - “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” (1 Peter2:21) This is very hard for us, because the path of suffering becomes ours, but what else can we expect? The path of suffering is the path of victory - the only path to victory. Unfortunately, few Christians are prepared to walk on this path. Prosperity has robbed us of the ability to suffer and endure. Yet this was the Lord’s way, and if we want to release the power of the cross, there must be a great wave of people prepared to bear the pain, suffering and sorrow of Ghana to the cross. Taking up the cross reveals sin The deep sins of the nation will be revealed by the presence of the cross in the land. This exposure is essential. It will allow the blood of the cross to flow for mending and healing. Isaiah made this clear: - “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” (Isaiah 1:8) If we can get the sins of the Nation exposed and into our prayers and emotions, then the cross can release its healing flow. The cross will reveal all the hidden sins and offences so that we can bring them to the cross. Then we might see the fulfilment of Zechariah’s prophecy - “On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.” (Zechariah 13:1) Here is another passage from “Touching the Gold”:- From the cross a new river began to flow. This river was called “Cleansing and new beginnings.” This river too had many tributaries – hope, renewing, refreshing, healing, peace, security and the power of the Spirit. These tributaries flowed out of the cleansing flow of the cross. These flowed from the love of the cross and so were pure and could not be defiled. Many came to this river, were brought to the cross and were healed. They were hallmarked with the love of God and were lost forever to the river called “Filth” and all its tributaries.

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Taking up the cross breaks the enemy The works of Satan, deep within the soul of the nation can be revealed, broken and replaced with the Spirit’s power. This is what the sacrifice of the Lord on the cross does: - Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. (Hebrews 2:14-15) The Satanic hold on Ghana can be broken. The cross broke every power he claimed and left him defeated and hopeless. He may be a dangerous foe, but if he is holding on to Ghana, he is a liar. We need to take the strong name of the cross and move out in it. Repentant Intercessors must be servants of the cross. This is the heart of all that we are trying to do.

“The goal of prayer is to be transformed into the image of the Crucified One. This means we become vessels of God’s compassionate love for others.” (St Clare of Assisi, companion of St Francis. 12th Century. Italy.) “Be strengthened in the holy service which you have undertaken out of your desire for the poor Crucified one, who for the sake of all of us took on himself the passion of the cross.” (St Clare)

Fifth step: Confession When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, “We have sinned against the Lord.” (1 Samuel 7:6) Here is something from the Korean Mission of 1903: Just a few months later, in October of 1903, missionary advocate Fredrik Franson arrived in Korea and was invited to preach. The meetings were marked by open confession of sins. Many admitted to theft and offered to make restitution. Church members insisted that restitution be made to the Lord rather than to themselves. As a result, funds were raised for evangelism in the area.

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This is from the New Zealand revival of 1936:- “Revival actually began as students confessed various sins in prayer. The next speaker decided not to preach, so they could continue the prayer. Orr sensed that God was about to do something significant during his visit to New Zealand. (New Zealand 1936) Repentance involves confession - confession of those things which have separated us from God. Israel is about to do this - and do it openly. Others have done the same. Nehemiah did this:- I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you.(Nehemiah 1:6) David did this:- For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. (Ps 51:3-4) It is the key turning moment in repentance. It is reversing Adam and Eve. They just tried to blame others:- The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.” Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?” “The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.” (Gen 3:13-14) These days have to end. We have to be willing to say, “We have sinned.” How will this work? First, it has to work at the personal level. “I have sinned.” This will lead to changed lives. I have always thought that this is how the Lord would have saved Sodom. With ten repentant people living in the city, living repentant lives, a ripple effect would have started to change others. We might think about this verse:- If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:8-10) At the wider level it is not so easy. But Joel expected us to do it, so we will have to work out a way:-

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Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly. Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber. Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord. (Joel 2:15-17) It can work nationally as well. The Chronicler taught us:- If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14) Perhaps we can begin with small group of repentant people. I read this recently:- In 1857 Jeremiah Lanphier, a Dutch Reformed home missionary, began a lay prayer meeting in the Fulton Street Church of New York City, which began with only six in attendance. Within a few short months, however, the little prayer meeting sparked an awakening that eventually spread across America and around the world. This revival period takes its name from that meeting. There was no leading preacher through whom God brought revival, nor were there great crusades. Instead this was a movement of lay people who simply prayed, and in response, God worked in their lives and communities.

Sixth step: Attacked! When the Philistines heard that Israel had assembled at Mizpah, the rulers of the Philistines came up to attack them. (1 Sam 7:7) The enemy always attacks repentant people He knows and fears repentance. He knows that God is forgiving and that a repentant and re -vitalised people will be much harder opponents.

How do the attacks come?

* Personal: - This attack on Jesus was personal:- Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips.” (Luke 23:71) We can expect the same.

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* Physical: - It can become physical:- There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. (Hebrews 11:35-38)

* Emotional:- The attack can touch our emotions:-

When Esther’s eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. (Esther 4:4) * From institutions. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. (Mark 3:6) * Spiritual And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. (Luke 22:44) Our protection is the sacrifice of the cross:-

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:14-15)

Seventh Step: Do not stop crying out Do not stop crying out to the Lord our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines.” Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and sacrificed it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. He cried out to the Lord on Israel’s behalf, and the Lord answered him. (1 Samuel 7:8) Here we see the key to releasing the spirit of repentance - the sacrifice of the lamb. Here are some key verses:-

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* He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7) * When John saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36) * For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. (1 Peter 1:18-19) The sacrifice of Jesus is the key to all new beginnings. A new stream begins to flow from the cross. Here is how I saw it while I was in the spirit:- I was on the cross. Looking down, I saw a river of love. The river was deep, vast and eternal and it was flowing from his body. I saw broken people coming to the river. There they found healing and the strength to bear their sorrows. An angel came to the cross and proclaimed, “Perfect love drives out all fear.”3 Reading these verses is not enough. We have to live the sacrifice – become living crucifixions every day and in every place. We could reflect on these words:- I will offer up my life in spirit and truth Pouring out the oil of love, as my worship to you In surrender I must give my every part Lord, receive this sacrifice of a broken heart Jesus, what can I give, what can I bring To so faithful a Friend, to so loving a King? Saviour, what can be said, what can be sung As a praise of Your name for the things You have done? Oh, my words could not tell, not even in part Of the debt of love that is owed by this thankful heart.4 Or these:-

Father, I abandon myself into your hands; do with me what you will. Whatever you may do, I thank you: I am ready for all, I accept all. 3 From “Touching the gold.” 4 Matt Redmann CCLI 515001

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Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures - I wish no more than this, O Lord. Into your hands I commend my soul: I offer it to you with all the love of my heart, for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself, to surrender myself into your hands without reserve, and with boundless confidence, for you are my Father.

Charles de Foucauld

Or these: Knowing the pain of rejection, He does not reject. Unworthiness demands for me a crown of shame, yet he only wants to love. He wears the thorns so that I need not. In the presence of such love what can I say? I see only the emptiness of my own life and grieve for the waste.

Final step. The Lord answered him It is hard for us to believe that the Lord can save a nation. It seems such a huge task, and we feel so small. That’s because we see things from the earthly perspective. We may be small, but God is not! If we follow the path of repentance, personally and for our Nation, God can do it, and as we see here at Mizpah, will do it. Here are some visions, which might help us in our praying and reflection.

Visions for prayer * 1 The angel of the Lord is searching the land, carrying a light in one hand and blazing fire in the other. The angel is beginning to search – looking for hearts which can be set white hot ablaze for the honour of the Lord. * 2. I saw the lamps of many churches being taken away. Those churches lost their power. As I watched, I saw the Lord standing in the room where I was praying. He was holding a lamp with a different light inside it.

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The light was called “repentance and the broken heart.” I saw many angels also standing, holding the lamps. We all waited quietly, and then one person stepped forward and took one of the lamps with the flame of repentance and the broken heart. They placed the lamp on the ground and a few people gathered round it. The light shone, and the people began to feel the brokenness of the child Ghana. One by one they came forward, and the light of repentance burnt into them, and they were in pain. They laid things before the lamp – things which had to be released before the light of repentance could begin to burn in them. Tears poured down and became a small trickle which ran towards the feet of Jesus. His tears ran and mixed with the tears of the people. He began to intercede in Gethsemane pain. “Father” he cried “have mercy.” * 3. I saw a huge reservoir, but it was broken and empty. The dam was broken and no water was being collected. The people were crying out for water, and grieving that their dam was broken. “What is this?” I asked the Lord. “Who broke the dam?” Tears streamed down the Lord’s face, but he gave me no answer. Then I knew that we, his people, had broken this dam and lost the life-giving water. But a I watched a few people came with old tools and began to try and rebuild the dam. It was a slow job, because they were few and their tools were old. But they were strong old tools which had been used many times in the past for this job. As they worked, they were filled with sorrow at the loss of the water and the destruction of the dam. But what they did not see as they worked was tiny drops of rain were beginning to fall, forming a tiny lake in the reservoir. This reservoir had a name. “Hope of new beginnings.” The vision changed. I saw a mighty torrent of water, rushing across the land. It was tearing up trees and smashing down walls. It was flowing fast and with great determination. I was in the water and was being swept along by it. But I was not afraid. This mighty torrent had a name. “The waters of cleansing.” * 4. I saw Elijah on Mount Carmel, waiting for the fire to fall. I stood with him. But when the powerful fire fell, I was afraid it would consume me - that I would become the sacrifice on the Altar. “Yes” said the Lord. “Fire is in the land of Ghana, but who will be the sacrifice?”

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If these visions are from God, and they do have to be tested of course, they suggest that after so many decades, heaven and earth are moving. The angel of the Lord is searching for hearts which will bear the heat of repentance and pray it into ever greater intensity. The initiative is coming fro heaven. That, in itself is very exciting. It is going to be a painful and costly experience. But it is our choice. The Intercessors have prayed the lamp of repentance into reality. But as always the Lord does not force us to repent. The lamp suggests that he is ready to receive our repentance. But he leaves it up to us. This is frightening. If we fail to respond, he will not force us. But that leaves only judgement as the alternative. This is the cost to him and to us of being free to accept or reject him. Some are already aware an are tying to repair the damage. Individuals repenting is always the beginning of a flood of repentance. We must not despise the day of small beginnings. This could be the preparation for the mighty flood of the Spirit as repentance sweeps across the church. This has always been the way great things begin, and we need a great thing to happen in Ghana before it is too late. But yet again, we are alerted to the cost of what we are wantig to see. All great moves of the Spirit are costly. Now comes the final challenge - “Who will be the sacrifice?” There is a warning here. It may not be easy for the Lord to find a sacrifice. We are back to freedom again Everything has to be done freely and willingly on our part. If we are unwilling then that is no sacrifice. We might like to reflect on these verses as we conclude:- In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage: rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8)

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Further reading I have referred to my own material:- The Way of the Cross Touching the Gold The Wasted Child The Great Betrayal and the House of Mercy Laying the Cross over Ghana. All these and much other material, including “Touching the Soul of Ghana” can be downloaded, free of charge from:-

www.touchingthesoul.org Details of the Serving Africa Mission can be found at our website

www.servingafrica-mission.org .