Godly Sorrow
by Peter Brokaar
We’ve probably all heard and contemplated many messages on the work of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life. Through God’s Spirit the Lord gives us many wonderful things. He bestows powerful gifts, He produces beautiful fruit, He brings deep joy, lasting peace and He strengthens our inner man. But there’s another vital work of the Holy Spirit we can’t overlook. He brings us true repentance.
True repentance takes place when God’s Holy Spirit moves in our heart, showing us the reality of the horridness of our sin, and helping us hate it. Thus He motivates us to turn away from the most harmful and destructive influence in our lives, our own sin.
In Ellel Ministries we teach extensively on how Satan uses guilt, shame and condemnation to control the lives of Christians around the world. We teach people to resist Satan’s condemnation, to counter his accusations and to break free from the controlling feelings of false guilt and false shame. But though we should be aware of these enemy tactics against us, we shouldn’t confuse them with the work of God in our lives in bringing conviction of sin.
It may be that, once God starts convicting us of sin, we start feeling ill at ease. Our flesh doesn’t feel comfortable with God’s holiness. We might be afraid of it. We might believe the erroneous idea that if God wants us to be happy, He wouldn’t bring us these feelings of guilt and remorse. We might be tempted to quickly shut feelings of conviction down. If we do, then we can be blocking the work the Holy Spirit is wanting to do in us. As a result we won’t receive the fullness of what the Lord wants to bring us. Without realising it, we could be restricting the Holy Spirit.
God brings conviction of sin because He loves us, and because He wants what’s best for us. When He moves, and when He convicts, be encouraged to let Him do His work! Don’t try and rush true repentance. Don’t run or hide from it. Genuine, God-given repentance will produce a wonderful harvest in your life. God-given repentance leads us into true life!
Prayer: Father in heaven, I want to thank You for the work of conviction You do in my life through Your Holy Spirit. I’m sorry if I’ve ever resisted this in my life. I want to invite You today specifically to convict me of sin, because I trust this will bring me true life! In Jesus’ holy name. Amen.
Peter Brokaar is Director of Ellel Ministries Scotland and has been there together with his wife Liz since 2005. They have 3 kids, all born in Scotland! In his free time he likes reading, cooking, running and surfing. Being at Ellel Scotland has given him the privilege of getting to know God deeper and sharing that joy with many others.
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