Repentance activates the promises of God - the Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people’s conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you! The Lord is not causing the delay; our lack of repentance is causing it!
Repent, or repentance is the Greek word ‘μετάνοια’ or ‘metánoia’ – it literally means ‘changing the way you think’, or ‘changing your mind’. We have to renew our minds and change the way that we think if we want to receive the promises of God. If, a believer ‘for instance’ tries to earn God’s promises through works, the Lord will patiently wait until that believer renews his mind… He will not reward unscriptural actions based upon unscriptural precepts. The Lord will patiently wait until that believer receives by grace through faith and not of works.
If you have been standing on the Word, believing to receive a promise but have not received… it may be that the Lord is patiently waiting for you to renew your mind concerning receiving His promise. Meditate upon the Word in the area of your need and change your thinking as well as your confession as the Spirit leads. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to the right scriptures, the right teachers of the Word and the right way of thinking, speaking and acting.
I tried for years to come down in weight… I stood upon the Word, I confessed the Word and I tried every diet under the sun… it seemed like the more I tried, the fatter I got. Eventually it was really effecting my health in many ways. One day out of desperation I asked the Lord… why am I not having victory in this area?
The Lord’s answer to me was this… “Ask me for grace to lose weight” – I was relying on my efforts, my research and my discipline as much as I was relying on the Lord. I immediately renewed my mind and placed TOTAL trust in the Lord and upon His grace… I responded, “Lord, I receive Your grace right now concerning my weight issues”. That was what the Lord was patiently waiting for… He immediately led me onto His road of receiving my promise of health, fitness and freedom from continually gaining weight. He freed me from constantly going from one diet to another and the bondage of obesity.
My weight slowly started coming down and as of now, I have lost a total of one hundred pounds, I am much fitter, much healthier, and best of all… I am not on a diet – I am free! I have received His promise and continue to receive it day by day! It took me renewing my mind, changing the way that I thought (New Covenant repentance) – the Lord patiently waited until I stopped and allowed Him to lead me to His way of living.
‘The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people’s conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.’
Blessings on you, Nick
