Tag: deliverance

What Is True Repentance?

~ Kim Balogh ~ 3 Comments

For salvation to occur, repentance is required.

I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Luke 13: 3

Salvation, yasa in Hebrew means to save, help in distress, rescue, deliver, set free.

This includes salvation from eternal death and anything that a believer needs saving from.

In particular, salvation refers to being saved from sin.

Sin is defined as “transgression of God’s law.”

In other words, violation of the law of God as set out in both the conscience and the Bible.

To be saved from our sins we must repent. In the Greek language, this word is, Metanoeō which means to think differently, reconsider, and feel moral compunction. (That is to feel guilty for doing something wrong)

True Repentance, according to the scriptures has several steps or parts.

For repentance to occur in our life we must recognize our sins.

Romans 7: 7-25 tells us that God’s law shows us our sins. When we see that we have failed to live up to God’s expectations as put forth in our conscience and in the word of God, we need to, first of all, recognize we have sinned against God. If we lie to ourselves, disregard the scriptures, and hide our sins we will not prosper. Also, if we do not listen to God’s word, eventually our sins will find us out. They will be exposed. Sometimes publicly, to others.

People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. Proverbs 28:13

But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out. Numbers 32: 23

Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Luke 12:2

For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Luke 8:17

After we acknowledge our sin then we must confess our sin. That means owning up to our stuff. We can confess to God alone, or sometimes it is good to also confess to a friend we trust or a church leader we trust. This is so we can have prayer support.

Acknowledging our sins means taking accountability. We come to the realization that we messed up. The onus is on us, not the other guy. Even if they had a part in our sin. Our responsibility is to confess for our part in the matter.

In Psalm 32 David acknowledges his sin. That is he saw his sin for what it was. He recognized his failure to live up to God’s law. Then David said that he did not try to hide his sin. He looked at his failure well and called it for what it was. Breaking God’s law. 

Many of us have failed to take a good look at our actions, our thoughts and our motives. We justify our sin. 

“Well, you know they did such and such. They said such and such. I’m in the right. I had just a little slip.” 

Failure to own up to our sins will cause us to reap many consequences. Some of us think we are going through trials because God is proving us or it’s appointed for us to suffer, when in actuality, we have unconfessed sin in our hearts and we are reaping the results of our sins! 

Now I’m not saying there isn’t persecution for the righteous but trials we are going through many times are to deal with our stuff! Our bad attitudes, our justifications for wrong behavior, our slothful diligence in spiritual matters.

Jesus told us that Satan came to him but he couldn’t find anything in him to accuse him. That’s because Jesus had no sin. 

I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world comes, and he has nothing in me. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father commanded me, even so I do. Arise, let us go from here. John 14: 30,31

Peter went through the fire. His heart was exposed. Peter denied Jesus three times. He failed many times in his faith, but he repented and became a mighty man of God! (Matthew 16:22-23)

David Committed adultery, lied, and murdered, but he also repented, and God used him to write the beautiful Psalms. 2 Samuel 11, 12

David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 2 Samuel 12:13

Paul persecuted Christians and even sanctioned their death. (Acts 9)

Just about every Bible character found out through their trial what was in their heart.

Even righteous Job found out he was not so righteous because God challenged him about it. (Job chapter 39)

When our sin is revealed to the light by God then we need to own up to it. 

We must recognize our sin as sin against God’s word, then we must confess our sin.

What does confess actually mean? In Hebrew yâdâh means to bemoan or be sorry for. That is having intense regret. To toss away as bad.  

In Greek confess is homologeō which means to acknowledge, but also to make a promise not to do the wrong behavior again. The word actually means making a covenant agreement.

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3670/kjv/tr/0-1/

We agree with God that our sin is wrong. We agree we broke God’s law. We are sorry to the point of changing our behavior. Then we agree in a covenant or promise with God not to continue in that sin.

Some sins, however are so ingrained in us that we need supernatural divine intervention. Addictions are like that, but so are some cultural practices that differ from the word of God. Sometimes it’s our upbringing or training in violation of scriptures or our many years of thinking a certain way. 

Whatever the sin issue is, if we acknowledge that it is against God’s word, if we are sorry, if we want to change then we can work with the Holy Spirit to bring down the strongholds of sin in our life. 

Not everything is a quick deliverance fix. Some things need action from our decision and will. We then cooperate with Holy Spirit to be delivered entirely. This repentance fruit may take a process of time. It is up to us to make that first step.

Renouncing our sin makes the demonic powers who have had their hand in our sin somewhere know we mean business with God. 

Renounced is apeipomēn in Greek. It means to disown or refuse to have a connection to. 

In other words, stop the sin, disconnect from the sin, or any demonic powers associated with that sin.

Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” John 8: 10,11

Finally, we must bring forth fruits of repentance. This means that if we are genuinely repentant, our lives will begin to reflect it. We will walk in the light of the Lord. Then those old sins will not have a hold on us anymore. 

Bring forth, therefore fruit worthy of repentance. Matthew 3:8

God’s blessings flow into our lives when we genuinely repent of our sins. The darkness will have no more control over us. Obedience to the word of God always brings blessings with it!  

If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to carry them out, then I shall give you rains in their season, so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will bear their fruit. Indeed, your threshing will last for you until grape gathering, and grape gathering will last until sowing time. You will thus eat your food to the full and live securely in your land. Leviticus 26:3-10

If only you had paid attention to My commandments!
Then your well-being would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea. Isaiah 48:18

He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” Luke 11:28

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Work Out Your Salvation !

~ Kim Balogh ~ 2 Comments

According to Philippians 2:12,
We are told to work out our own salvation with godly reverence. Then we are told in vs 13 that God works in us his desire and purpose.

On first glance this sounds like an oxymoron but when you look at the fact that the word “work” for vs 12 is a different word than vs 13 then you can see there are two different operations at play here.

In vrs 12 we are called to “work out” which uses the word katergazomai which means to accomplish something. To perform an action. To finish a task.

When we “work out” something we may be striving for a goal, working out kinks or finishing up a project.

The emphasis for that working out is on the self or the person. In other words we have to put in some effort to get the job done.

Paul talks about godly exercise. When we work out at a gym for our physical bodies It has some profit or benefit but when we exercise towards godliness the gains are much more beneficial because there are eternal benefits.

What are we working out? The Bible clearly tells us that we are to work out our salvation or sōtēria which means deliverance, health, preservation.

We are called to perform an action, accomplish a task or finish a project in regards to our health, preservation and deliverance.

There are some Christians who won’t like to hear this because they think because God is sovereign he just drops everything in our plate at his whim but it doesn’t work that way according to the Bible

The good news however is that God has given us a helper. He is called the Holy Spirit. He is our teacher and coach. Like a spotter when we are working out. The one who helps us lift the weight, carry the burden, and trains us to run the race.

Vrs 13 says that it is God who is at work in us to perform all his good pleasure. That word for work is energeō.

Translated it means activating power, effectual energy.

So in other words we are performing an action and the Holy Spirit is giving us his power to perform that action.

God is working in us by his Holy Spirit power releasing his energy in order for us to work out our salvation.

In order to be saved from our old sinful selves (sanctification)it is an on going process. The Bible tells us that we have been saved, are being saved and will be saved.

Jesus died once for our sin. He took our sins and also destroyed the power of sin. By doing that he saved us from eternal death and has given us eternal life.

Automatically when we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord we become a child of God born of his Holy Spirit and a joint heir with Jesus Christ but we still have to by the power of the Holy Spirit work out our salvation with reverence while we are living in this world.

Let me put it this way. When we give life to children they become our family. It is a natural birth and heritage. The children have our DNA. However as they grow their responsibility as our children become greater.

Let’s put it this way, just because you are my child does not mean that you don’t clean your room!

You will have to pick up your toys, make your bed and brush your teeth too!

It’s the same way in God’s kingdom. He expects us to pray, exercise our faith, read our bible, fast and clean our house!

He expects us to take the garbage out too. That means get rid of the sin stinking up his house.

As a parent we help our children along. Give encouragement, help rearrange furniture, put new sheets on the bed. It is the same with the Lord. He will give us his energeō to get the job done.

Do you need deliverance or healing today? Then get ready for your work out! Take up that bed and walk!

Believe God’s word. That’s your part. Exercise your faith and rely on Holy Spirit power to perform his part.

Do you need salvation? Need to be saved out of debt or discouragement? Need to be free from a bad habit?

Then work out your salvation with the Holy Spirit. Call on your coach to help you lift that weight, give you a word of wisdom, and lead you in the right direction.

If you try to work in your own power you will fall on your face but if through the power of the Holy Spirit that is in you, you “work out” your salvation then you will achieve your goal! You will get the victory! Accomplish the task and finish the race!

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Godly Sorrow

~ Kim Balogh ~ Leave a comment

The Bible says that godly sorrow works repentance not to be repented of again. (2 Corinthians 7:10)

Godly Sorrow

In other words if our repentance comes from godly sorrow then we will have victory over that sin and there will be no need to keep falling and then being sorry all over again.

True repentance stops sinning. If the sin persists then there was no true repentance. Let me explain.

We can be sorry for our sin. Feel bad about it, and even shed tears over it but unless God works godly sorrow into our hearts we will keep falling under that sin again.

Worldly or human sorrow works death the Bible says. In other words being sorrow from a human perspective does not produce godliness. Rather it brings condemnation, guilt, depression. Not godly reformation.

How do we get this godly sorrow?

Let’s take a look at a classic case in scriptures.

Esau was not granted repentance even though he was sorry. Why? Esau was a carnal man. He did not value his birth right from a spiritual perspective.

He was sorry for losing all the benefits associated with loosing his inheritance but he did not value the spiritual position of his inheritance, that his line was to be a godly line bringing forth the Messiah.

When Esau realized what he had done by allowing his carnal lust to steal his birth right he was sorry. However, his sorry was not godly sorrow. His sorry was worldly sorrow.

Esau was sorry that he lost his blessing. He was sorry that he allowed his brother to deceive him. He was sorry that he got caught being a carnal man. Red handed. His lust for carnal things rather than spiritual things was made evident and public. Esau was sorry for that.

What Esau was not sorry for was his disregard for spiritual matters. He regarded the man of this world as ideal and not the realm of his spiritual inheritance.

Esau was not granted repentance even though he was sorry. Why? Esau was a carnal man. He did not value his birth right from a spiritual perspective.

How many of us have been like that? We prefer the world’s ideas, the world’s blessings, the world’s knowledge and positions far more than spiritual realities.

What about Jacob? What did Jacob value?
Jacob wanted the spiritual inheritance so bad that he resorted to deceptive means to get it.

The first born birth right did not belong to him. He knew the only way to get it was to use trickery.

He was aware that Esau did not value what he had. He lived for the now. Not for eternal things. Jacob on the other hand did value the Messianic lineage and all the spiritual benefits associated with the first born inheritance.

So because Esau pursued carnal things instead of spiritual things he suffered a great loss.

Even though Jacob was a wet behind the ears young man and second in line he was so envious of Esau’s’ position that he did not care if he has to rail road his brother to get it.

Ever known a zealous person like that? One who is so annoying with spiritual matters that they go around upsetting everybody’s apple cart? Look out here they come! Showing us up! Making us look bad! Spiritual zealots upsetting our status quo apple carts!

This is the key to godly sorrow working repentance not to be repented of again.

When we value our spiritual inheritance we will want to give up everything to attain the blessings attached to that inheritance.

Carnal things are cast aside no matter what we have to do to get rid of them.

If that means going through the fire of the Holy Spirit then that’s what we have to do.

See if their be any wicked way in me and deal with it David said. (Psalm 139:23-24)

Godly sorrow comes when we seek the Lord and he reveals our sin to us. When he shows us what our sin really is.

When the Lord shows us by his Holy Spirit how our sin affects others and the damage it does to ourselves we see it in a new light. With a new perspective.

All of a sudden that sin don’t seem so good. We see how it grieves the Lord and because our hearts value spiritual things above the things of this world we come into a place where godly sorrow comes. We mourn over our bad attitudes, our bad habits, our bad witness.

We see our sin the way God sees it and we want to get rid of it but quick!

When we know the truth about our sin and we want to be set free from it then the Lord will bring his deliverence. He will change our hearts and grant us repentance.

When we desire to please the Lord we will get things right. Say sorry when we need to and make restitution too. (2 Corinthians 7)

We will with godly passion set about interceeding for those who have hurt us, being loving to disagreeable people, and patient with those who have annoyed us.

Godly sorrow works repentance. Repentance is turning away from sin and being reformed by the Holy Spirit.

True repentance will come to those who value spiritual blessings above any thing this world has to offer.

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His Mercy Endures Forever!

~ Kim Balogh ~ Leave a comment

The greatest remedy for our sins, failures, bad choices, and mistakes is God’s unfailing love in which he demonstrated to us through the gift of the Savior Jesus Christ.

This love undeserved is called grace but did you know that grace and salvation stem from God’s heart of compassion in which he releases to the undeserved his mercy.

Mercy called chânan in the Hebrew means to bend in kindness to an inferior; to bestow favor upon. To have pity. Eleeō in the Greek means mercy is the divine grace of almighty God. Mercy is in effect the Lord’s compassion.

Mercy according to the Bible triumphs or is victorious over judgment. All sin is judged by God whose throne is established in justice and righteousness.

Legally speaking God’s laws when broken must be judged. That judgment always leads to death. Christians many times want to blame the devil for every thing but it is not the devil who activates God’s judgment upon us when we sin. It is in fact our own doing.

What the devil does is take advantage of a legal precedent. Sin is an open invitation for Satan to have access to a person’s life. That is why Paul said. Don’t give Satan any place!

Satan is always looking for some one to devour. He wants to kill, steal and destroy in any way he can. So what can we do against this formidable foe who is a merciless devourer that takes advantage of our weakness?

Scriptures give us the answer! Yes, it is God’s mercy! When we confess our sins and ask for help in our weakness the Lord has a legal precedent that triumphs over the law of judgment.

Symptoms of emotional and physical distress often stem from sin and are projected through Satanic attacks. When we suffer from these symptoms we need to look into our hearts and find out how we let Satan get an advantage of us. Then we need to repent.

Whether personal or generational sin has a penalty. That penalty is death. Not just eternal death but non life or dark consequences both material and spiritual. These consequences are manifest through various kinds of torments, afflictions and lack.

Mercy does not need a price for it to bring the remedy for our sins.
Mercy is bestowed freely to the contrite and broken heart of repentance from a loving God. Mercy is not given to the proud or self righteous but to the humble who recognize their weakness and desire help from an all powerful God.

James 4:6
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Mercy from the Lord comes also when we are persecuted, misunderstood, and attacked by unscrupulous people.

Let me show you from scriptures how the mercy of God can be applied to our lives.

In our distress or trouble we can call on the Lord for his mercy and he will hear us and deliver us.

When we are weak and suffering with affliction we can call on the Lord for his mercy. When we are hated and persecuted we can ask for God to pour out his mercy. When we are poor, depressed and alone we can also appeal to God for his mercy for God’s mercy endures forever.

God’s mercy will bring us forgiveness and deliverance. His mercy sent from the throne of Grace will gives us strength and empowers us to live a life that pleases him.

God’s mercy will protect us and defend us from our enemies. God’s mercy will preserve us from trouble and keep us from the power of the wicked one.

God’s mercy will make us stand and be strong in his mighty power.

God’s mercy will teach us Biblical truth and cause us to walk in his ways.

Are you in need of God’s mercy today? Call upon him in your brokenness for he will bend his ear down to hear your cry. He will come to your rescue and save you out of all your trouble for whoever calls on the name of the Lord in sincerity shall be saved!

Psalm 4:1
When I was in distress have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

Psalm 6:2
Have mercy on me in my weakness and suffering and heal me.

Have mercy when I suffer from those who hate me. Lift me up out of death. Psalm 9: 13

Through the mercy of the Lord I shall not be moved. Psalm 21:7

For your mercy’s sake don’t remember my sins
Psalm 25:7

Remember mercy because I am desolate. Left alone. Forsaken. And afflicted. Depressed, needy and poor. Psalm 25:16

Have mercy. Be my helper. Psalm 30:10

Have mercy for I am in trouble and sorrowful. Psalm 31:9

Those who trust the Lord will have mercy. Psalm 32:10

Send forth your mercy to me from heaven. Psalm 36:5 psalm 57:3

Gods mercy has been my defense and refuge in trouble. Psalm 59:16

Your mercy and truth preserve me. Psalm 61:7

Show mercy and bring deliverence psalm 85:7

In your mercy give me strength and save me
Psalm 86 :16

Let your mercy keep me and your covenant stand for me
Psalm 89:28

Extend your mercy to my children psalm 103:17

Let your mercy deliver me because you are good. Psalm 109:21

According to your mercy teach me your word. Psalm 119:24

Deliver me from my enemies in your mercy. Psalm 136:26

Hope in his mercy.

The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. Psalm 147:11