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OCR Street Ministry
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO REPENT OF OUR SIN AND SURRENDER TO GOD?
Surrender is a term that is generally used to refer to losing or giving up in a battle. When we surrender to God, we are choosing to give up the fight between our selfish sinful man and God. We surrender our will to His and this helps us to have a relationship with Him. Each time we surrender more of ourselves to Him, we are able to become more filled with and guided by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). The reason we have to make the choice to surrender to God is because of the original surrender of this world to the Devil at the fall of mankind (Genesis 3:17–19). This made Satan the "god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4) and caused all people to be born under the power of sin because of Adam's sin (Romans 5:12). Until Jesus returns and takes His rightful place as the final authority and ruler over all, we have to make the decision over and over to surrender our minds, wills, and actions to Him (Romans 8:20–22; 12:1–2).
OUR FIRST STAGE OF SURRENDER
Our first stage of surrender is the surrender of our lives to God when we are saved. The Holy Spirit draws us to Christ and we make the choice to surrender ourselves to Him and receive His free gift of salvation (John 6:44; Acts 2:21). When we choose to submit to the lordship of Jesus Christ, we become God's children (John 1:12; 2 Corinthians 5:21). We are new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). As we continue to grow in our walk with the Lord, it becomes more natural and more necessary to surrender more of our lives to Him so that we may know Him more closely and serve Him more effectively. This continuation of our surrender enables us to be filled more and more with the Holy Spirit, showcasing His character and the fruit of the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:22–23). When we seek God, we find Him (Jeremiah 29:13; Matthew 7:7–11). This leads us to multiple points of decision throughout the course of our lives. Each decision we make comes down to surrender: Will we surrender to God and His will for our lives, or will we live for ourselves without submitting to Him? The battle to surrender our will to God is a difficult and ongoing one, but it is for our good. The choice to engage in the battle is ours (Joshua 24:15).
GOD CALLS US TO LIVE
lives that are surrendered to Him so that we may be "instruments of His righteousness" (Romans 6:13), denying our fleshly desires for the greater cause of Christ (Mark 8:34). When we surrender our minds, wills, and actions to Christ, we exchange our life for His: "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). Jesus surrendered His life for ours, so we surrender our lives for Him. In doing this, we grow closer to Him, help draw others to Him, and reap a heavenly reward (Luke 6:22–23).
Prayer Of Repentance
God offers love, forgiveness, and restoration. if this fits you, then you must seek for repentance and restoration that can help you find renewed joy, hope, and life which is only found in Jesus Christ, do you believe this with all of your heart? (get on your knees, raise hands)
Lord Jesus, i repent of my sin and now stand before your throne of grace asking for forgiveness of my sin. today, i (name of the person) with my own heart, mind and soul declare that Jesus Christ is the sustainer of all life. my heart is now tender to your leading. i (name of the person) now exchange my temptations for your truth taking my bad thoughts captive and confessing them immediately before the throne of God today I (name of the person) confess my desperate need for Jesus Christ. I believe you have promised that if we will confess our sin, you will forgive us and make us clean again. Lord, root out the darkness and light up my life with Your holy presence. I want to be filled up deep down inside with your joy and peace beyond all understanding. Lord, may your restoration include new boundaries around my life. In restoring me, teach me how to say no again to things which could harm myself or my testimony. If my actions have wounded others, show me where and to whom I need to ask forgiveness or how to make amends. Help me to surround myself with positive encouragers who will hold me accountable and who will speak the truth in love. Lord, I am repenting for all the wrong I have done and for dishonoring and disrespecting the Life and Death of MY Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I want to be a part of The Royal Kingdom of God, please forgive and accept me and be MY Lord and Savior Amen i believe you place grace next to my regrets and now I trust you to give me hope for a new future, all of this I say with a contrite heart . . . in Jesus name I pray amen
Romans 10:10
The words "repent" and "repentance" occur 56 times in the New Testament. It is similar in meaning to the word translated "convert" or "turn", which is also common. The main theme of the preaching of John the Baptist, who prepared the way for the coming of Jesus, was: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 3:2). The first recorded words of the public ministry of Jesus are also "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 4:17). Jesus declared that the purpose of his coming and ministry was to call "sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:32). When Jesus sent out his disciples to preach, we read that "they went out and preached that people should repent" (Mark 6:12). After his resurrection from the dead, he declared that "repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations" (Luke 24:47). He declared that unless people repented they would perish, and in order to enforce the message, he repeated it (Luke 13:3,5). In each of Peter's two recorded sermons after the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was given, he told people to repent (Acts 2:38; 3:19). In Paul's recorded sermon to the Athenians he said that God "commands all people everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30). He said that the message he declared to both Jews and Greeks was that "they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus" (Acts 20:21). Peter declares that God is "not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).