HAVEN HEIGHTS BAPTIST CHURCH

HAVEN HEIGHTS BAPTIST CHURCH

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HAVEN HEIGHTS BAPTIST CHURCH

A Week Long Guide for Repentance

(Copied from Praying God’s Heart by Gregory Frizzell)

 

In this urgent call to prayer, it is absolutely critical that serious repentance be a central part of the emphasis. Unfortunately, many modern calls to prayer are somewhat lacking in deep examination and repentance. For this reason, there is often lessened impact toward true revival. Biblically and historically, true revival prayer always involves deep, Bible-based repentance. This five day journey is designed to produce specific steps of lasting repentance. Genuine biblical confession must involve specific, lasting change. (Proverbs 28:13) Though this particular cleansing pattern is laid out in a five day process, it could also be done on a Sunday afternoon. Whether we do it in five days or one, the important thing is that we take sufficient time and let God speak. Prayerfully read the following Scriptures and reflective questions. Ask God to cleanse and renew your heart.

Day One

Pure Thoughts and Attitudes

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my thoughts; And see if there is any

wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23-24) "For as a man thinketh in

his heart, so is he." (Proverbs 23:7a) "Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all

your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’" (Matthew 22:37) "But seek first the kingdom

of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:33) "But I say

to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his

heart." (Matthew 5:28) "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in

Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14) "Casting down imaginations and

every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every

thought to the obedience of Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5) "God resists the proud, but gives grace to

the humble." (1 Peter 5:5b)

Prayerfully work through the following reflective questions. Fully confess and forsake whatever God

brings to mind. Trust God to fill and empower you with His Spirit. After each of the following

questions, pause and allow God to speak.

Questions for Reflection — (a) Do I tend to think more about worldly things than spiritual? ___

(b) Does the focus of my thoughts often indicate a lack of first love passion for Jesus? ___ (c) Do I spend

more time on hobbies, sports or recreation than God’s word and prayer? ___ (d) Do I have any

patterns of unclean or lustful thoughts? ___ (e) Have I opened the door to impurity by anything I view

on-line or in other media? ___ (f) Do I frequently have thoughts that are envious or jealous? ___

(g) Am I overly competitive and self-exalting? ___ (h) Am I interested in serving God only if I can have a

preeminent role? ___ (i) Am I determined to get my way? ___ (j) Am I overly interested in being

noticed? ___ (k) Do I often have thoughts that are angry or resentful? ___ (l) Am I frequently

dominated by thoughts of doubt instead of trust? ___ (m) Do I consistently harbor thoughts of

bitterness and unforgiveness? ___ (n) Do I frequently brood about harsh things I would like to say to

certain people or groups? ___

Please confess and forsake whatever God has revealed. Surrender your thoughts and yield them to

Jesus. Remember, you are fully accepted and forgiven in Christ! Believe Christ to live through you by

the Holy Spirit. (Romans 6:11)

For Prayer and Repentance — Go back and review the issues God revealed for repentance.

Resolve now to put off all sinful thoughts and put on Christ by faith. Be very specific in what you

confess and forsake. Place strong focus on identifying the specific righteous thoughts that will replace

those that are wrong. List some of your key points for change.

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Pause in prayer and trust Jesus to empower you with the Holy Spirit. Believe Him to fill you with His

thoughts. Trust God for the fullness of the Holy Spirit. (Luke 11:13)

Day Two

Holy Speech and Godly Communications

"A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart….A fool vents all his

feelings, but a wise man holds them back" (Proverbs 18:2, 29:11) "But I say to you that for every idle

word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment." (Matthew 12:36) "Let no

corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that

it may minister grace unto the hearers…Neither filthiness nor foolish talking, nor jesting which are

not convenient; but rather giving of thanks." (Ephesians 4:29; 5:4) "Do not lie to one another, since

you have put off the old man with his deeds." (Colossians 3:9) "In everything give thanks: for this is

the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18) "So then, my beloved

brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath." (James 1:19)

As seldom in history, sins of speech (and emails) are epidemic among believers. The current

generation has witnessed a virtual explosion in everything from gossip and slander to angry outbursts

and ungodly emailing. Little affects fellowship and spiritual power like unyielded tongues and

reckless keypads. Fully confess and forsake all sins of speech or email. Trust God to fill and empower

you by His Spirit. After each of the following questions, pause and give God time to speak.

Questions for Reflection— (a) Have I uttered any inappropriate or slang speech? ___ (b) Do I have

patterns of cursing or off-color words? ___ (c) Am I prone to exaggeration or lying? ___ (d) Do I

have patterns of complaining and griping? ___ (e) Am I guilty of any form of divisive speech? ___

(f) Have I in any way spread criticism or lack of support for my spiritual leaders? ___ (g) Do I have any

patterns of critical, judgmental speech? ___ (h) Have I blogged, emailed or forwarded anything that

violated Scripture or grieved God’s Spirit? ___ (i) Have I blogged or forwarded material when I was

not entirely sure of its accuracy or appropriateness? ___ (j) Do I have a tendency to hurt and offend

others? ___ (k) Have I said things when alone that would cause great shame if made public? ___

Remember, all will be revealed! (Romans 6:11) Claim God’s grace and trust Christ’s indwelling

Spirit for your victory.

For Prayer and Repentance — Resolve now to put off all ungodly speech and wholly yield your

tongue to Christ’s Lordship. Be very specific in your confession and repentance. List your key steps

for obedience. ____________________________________________________________________________

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Trust Jesus to fill your heart and empower your speech. Believe Him for the fullness and power of the

Holy Spirit. (Luke 11:13)

 

 

Day Three

Right Relationships and Biblical Reconciliation

"Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught

against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother,

and then come and offer thy gift…..For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will

also forgive you; but if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your

trespasses." (Matthew 5:23-24; 6:14-15)

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also

love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

(John 13:34-35) "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their

word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in

Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them,

that they may be one just as We are one" (John 17:20-22)

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that

He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word…..And you, fathers, do not

provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord."

(Ephesians 5:25-26, 6:4) "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.... Children, obey your

parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother," which is the first

commandment with promise." (Ephesians 5:22, 6:1-2) "And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those

who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very

highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves." (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13)

With God, everything is about relationship! At its heart, spirituality is about loving God and one

another. (Matthew 22:37-39, 5:23-24, 6:14-15) Virtually nothing grieves God’s Spirit or blocks

prayers like ignoring broken or damaged relationships. For this reason, it is vital that believers

continually confess and forsake all relationship sins. Take your time and be very thorough! After each

of the following questions, pause and allow God to speak.

Questions for Reflection — (a) Is there anyone (past or present) that I have offended but have not

asked forgiveness? ___ (b) Have I failed to seek full reconciliation and make restitution to anyone I

have offended or in some way harmed? ___ (c) Do I harbor the slightest unforgiveness and anger

toward anyone? ___ (d) Do I privately rehearse angry things I would like to say to certain people? ___

(e) Have I in any way cooled off spiritually because of disappointments with God or people? ___

(f) As a father, am I leading and training my family spiritually? ___ (g) As a mother, am I sacrificially

and joyfully serving my family and guiding them spiritually? ___ (h) Have I in any way failed to

honor, respect or give adequate attention and time to my parents? ___ (i) Have I spoken or emailed

negatively about anyone? ___ (j) Have I publically criticized or maligned a fellow believer without

first talking to them about the issue? ___ (k) Have I forwarded items when I was not certain of their

source? ___ (l) Am I involved in any form of gossip or negative, critical speech? ___ (m) Do I tend to

hurt and offend people with my words or emails? ___ (n) Is there any pattern of failing to respect and

support my spiritual leaders? ___

All sins of relationships are very serious with God. Confession must be specific and repentance

complete. Ask God for clear revelation of specific steps you may need to take. Resolve to be utterly

honest with yourself and resist the human tendency to rationalize our sin.

For Prayer and Repentance — Determine now to put off sins of relationship and let Jesus be the

Lord of all. Are there indeed certain people from whom I need to ask forgiveness? ___ Do I need to

take specific steps of restitution? ____ (Restitution means repaying something I have taken or

publically seeking to restore a reputation I have damaged.) Is there some offense or bitterness I need

to finally release? ___ Be completely honest with God and yourself. (If people are coming to mind

with whom you need to make a contact for reconciliation that is very likely God speaking to your

heart.) Take time to write out specific steps for obeying God in relationships.

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Pause for prayer and believe Christ to fill you with His love and power. Claim His full life and victory

to operate in you. (Romans 6:6-14) Ask in faith for the fullness and power of the Holy Spirit. (Luke

11:13)

 

 

 

Day Four

Victory Over Sins of Commission

"For I acknowledge my transgressions; and my sin is ever before me." (Psalms 51:3) "Therefore

having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,

perfecting holiness in the fear of God." (2 Corinthians 7:1)

Put simply, sins of commission are doing, saying or thinking anything God has forbidden. These can

be anything from actions and words to thoughts or relationships. Fully confess and forsake all sins of

commission. After each of the following questions, pause for God to speak.

Questions for Reflection — (a) Am I engaged in any form of physical, mental, on-line or phone

immorality? ___ (b) Have I compromised by viewing anything unclean via movies, TV or Internet?

___ (c) Do I have habits that abuse or neglect my body? ___ (d) Do I commit idolatry by placing

anyone or anything over loving and serving God? ___ (e) Have I dabbled in any form of gambling or

new ageism? ___ (f) Am I doing anything about which I do not have perfect peace? ___ (g) Am I in

any way harsh or unkind to others? ___ (h) Do I often confess the same sins but fail to fully forsake

them? ___ (i) Have I abused God’s grace by taking sin lightly? ___

For Prayer and Repentance — Resolve now to put off disobedience and put on full surrender to

Christ. Be very specific in your confession and repentance. List your actual steps for making the

changes. __________________________________________________________________

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Pray now and trust Jesus to fill you with His Spirit and power for full repentance. Claim the

glorious victory described in Romans 6:6-14. Ask for the fire and passion of the Holy Spirit. (Luke

11:13) Don’t stop asking, believing and repenting until He powerfully touches your heart!

Day Five

Overcoming Sins of Omission

"Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." (James 4:17) "He who

covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy." (Proverbs

28:13, emphasis added) "And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or

do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes." (Luke 12:47)

Sins of omission are those areas in which we consistently fail to do things God has commanded. In

short, it is not doing or being what God tells us to do and be. Fully confess and forsake any patterns of

omission. After each of the following questions, pause and listen for God’s impressions.

Questions for Reflection — (a) Am I failing to abide in Jesus by neglecting regular time in His

word and prayer? ___ (b) Do I neglect consistent times of deep Scripture-based examination and

confession? ___ (c) Have I confessed certain sins but failed to fully repent and make restitution? ___

(d) Do I neglect to be a daily witness and fail to generously support evangelism and missions? ___ (e)

Have I neglected to discern and use my spiritual gifts? ___ (f) Am I allowing any point of spiritual

bondage to remain in my life? ___ (g) Have I failed to support and respect my spiritual leaders? ___

(h) Am I failing to daily pursue holiness? ___ (i) Am I robbing God by failing to tithe and give

generous offerings beyond the tithe? ___ (j) Have I neglected to work at improving my marriage and

family life? ___ (k) Do I fail to regularly pray with and disciple my family? ___

For Prayer and Repentance — Resolve now to put off your specific sins of neglect and put on full

obedience. Be very specific in identifying your areas for repentance. List the specific ways you will

repent. ____________________________________________________________________________

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Plan your actual steps for making the changes. Pray now and believe Christ to fill you with a spirit of

total obedience. (John 14:15) Ask in faith for the fullness of Christ in you by the Holy Spirit. (Luke

11:13)