AS JESUS’ DISCIPLE – Lesson #1
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7nMqbDHH2nuEGC5LqAyvgt
WHAT WOULD YOU LOOK LIKE?
Repent
“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17).
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
The greatest pronouncement and call to readiness for all Christians: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
The hour has arrived. Final preparations are being made. Ready yourself for the Heaven’s final assault upon the earth. Satan is to be defeated, and you and I are part of God’s invading force.
This is not a metaphor. It is not hyperbole. It is the literal call from God through His Son, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Repent, in the Biblical sense, literally means, “To change one’s mind; to change one’s mind for the better” and it comes from two root words which mean, “Hereafter, have this understanding or perception”.
Repenting is the act of changing your mind which means your mindset, your values, and your worldview is changed. Some would say you then live by new standards. But it is much greater than just living by new standards.
A person of sound mind cannot simultaneously think one thing and do another, repentance results in a complete change of mind and direction of one’s life.
Another way of saying this is, “As a man or woman thinks, so are they”.
BOTH A COMMAND AND A PROPHETIC WORD
Interestingly, Jesus, the Son of God, in fact God Himself, said these very words which are recorded in Matthew 4:17. Remembering, this is both a Command and a prophetic Word from God.
Jesus said this is what we are to do – Repent – in order to become His disciple and to follow Him, and, this is what will happen is we repent.
The disciples echoed and repeated these very words as they continued to do the Works of God, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is now at hand”.
Jesus says for each of us to Repent as an act of our will and that Repentance will allow the Holy Spirit to come into our bodies, our minds and regenerate our spirits. We will become One with Him.
Our fleshly desires begin to fade and our new desires emanate from the Holy Spirit of God. It is not us producing Spiritual Fruit, it is from The Holy Spirit, and it should pour out of us, liberally.
We begin to desire the Things of God. We are made new and we can now walk with certainty, with purpose and power in our New Life. MANIFESTATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Once we Repent, our new desires move us to a new way of living, new actions, which are the direct manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
Repentance means it is no longer you, or I who live, but it is Christ, literally, living in us.
Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me”
If you are living in the sin of doubt or fear, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
If you are living under the oppression of poverty, sickness, lack or want, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Rise up. Proclaim the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness, help all who are ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; heal them all. Matthew 4:24
Go and tell others this exceedingly Good News, telling them to “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
HOW WILL YOU DO IT?
HOW WILL YOU TEACH IT?
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young