The Connection Between Repentance and Your Miracle

This is the Truth Network. Welcome to Running with Horses, a podcast devoted to inspire you, concerning a relationship with Almighty God that empowers you to accomplish things you never thought possible.

Surely Weaver wants to take you there. And now, here's today's episode. Have you noticed that the Lord is doing some things really quickly, bringing forward things that have been in the distance, maybe on the back burner, some for years, some a long time, settling things that have been up in the air, business deals, family issues. And there is, I believe, a specific connection between what He is doing right now to the miraculous, connecting us to His Son's wonders and miracles, really the things that we pray for, we're believing for, the miracle that you need, may have been waiting for for some time. That specific connection is repentance, which is a Bible turn that means basically to turn. The Hebrew word is teshuvah. It means to go the other way.

If you're going east, turn, go west. It is a turnaround in our thinking and in our actions, because we're compelled by the Lord, His working in our heart, and again, these things are happening quickly, that actually puts us in the position to receive the very thing we prayed for, have prayed for, sometimes over a long period of time. I think one explanation is in Romans 11 22, the verse says, Behold, both the goodness and the severity of the Lord.

In other words, think about this. Behold, both His goodness and His severity. You can see His goodness, and you can see the way He contends, the way that He deals with us and doesn't allow us to stay in error or to stay off the path. His Spirit working in the heart of the individual contends with us.

He can be severe in the sense that He doesn't just pour out His goodness when there's something wrong. You know yourself, if there's a wound, the first thing you do is clean the wound. The wound cannot heal properly if there is contamination.

Same principle here. Behold, both the goodness, the healing, and the severity, the cleansing of the wound of the Lord. Mark 1 15 speaks something that Jesus said as His time was fulfilled, that the kingdom of God is at hand. Therefore, Jesus' words, repent, believe. The connection here, again in Jesus' words, repent and believe. The way I heard it, first time I recall hearing that verse, is there's a connection. I can believe to the extent that I respond to this compelling of God to bring me to the place of repentance, to the cleansing of the wound. And you know, sometimes you don't know you have a wound. You're so dull.

You're so dull in your sensitivity that you're harboring things not even aware of. So in a severe kind of contending, the Lord removes the covering, the thing that is holding in the contamination or the infection, the thing standing in the way of the miracle you want, the one you are believing for, that you have prayed for, asked God for. So before you lose hope, before you turn and harden your heart, listen, there's a connection.

There's a responsibility we have. Matthew 3 tells us that John the Baptist came as forerunner before the ministry of Jesus was unveiled, revealed, saying this very thing. He came out of the wilderness preaching repentance. You know, Noah was a preacher of repentance. The prophets preached repentance.

It's not a new concept at all. Matthew 4.17, from the time that Jesus began his ministry, he preached, saying, Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. It's true right this minute. The kingdom of heaven is at hand. It is as close as our ability to be sensitive to what the Lord is saying and to hear him clearly in this now.

He is just calling us to repent. It's not that you're that bad. It's not that you are a hopeless case. You are human. And some things are big. Some things are small. But if they're standing in the way, I know you, you don't want that. I don't want that. As we said earlier, there are some things the Lord can settle now.

Those business deals, those family matters, those things of the heart, important things in your life. The Lord wants to move to settle those. But there's something standing in the way. And we, you, I, just keep bumping up against them.

They're just in the way. The very last chapter in Mark's Gospel speaks, you know, really of the last words of Jesus before his ascension. We refer to this as the Great Commission. Really, it's ascending message. It's what Jesus said to his disciples before he went and sat down at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, okay? He told them go into all the world, preach the good news to everyone, to everyone.

That preacher on the street corner, you know, that draws so much disdain. He's just doing what this verse says to do. Go into all the world, preach the good news to everyone and anyone who hears you and believes and is baptized, they'll be saved. Anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. And then he lays out basically four miraculous signs that follow those who believe.

Follow those who preach this way and follow those who believe. They will cast out demons. In my name, Jesus said, they will speak with new languages. If they handle anything deadly, they will be protected.

If they drink anything poisonous, it won't hurt them. And they'll lay hands on the sick and see the sick recover. The sick will be healed because you lay your hands on them. When Jesus finished, verse 19, when he finished talking with them this way, he was taken up into heaven. And he sat down in his place of honor at God's right hand and the disciples went everywhere. And they preached and the Lord worked through them.

How? Get this, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs. So it's very clear this is in the heart of God. It's why we have this very thought in our heart that we could believe for a miracle. And so we say, I need a miracle. She needs a miracle.

He needs a miracle. Where did that thought, where did that possibility come from? Because the Lord has set eternity in your heart. The book of Ecclesiastes says he has set, placed eternity, eternal matters, eternal possibilities in your heart. Signs, wonders, miracles are in the heart of the Father, in the heart of the Son, in the Spirit of God working through you. Therefore, your heart enlarges to receive signs, wonders, and miracles.

The connection for you is to clear out the clutter that may be there contaminating your heart, defiling it in some way, holding back strong belief, confidence in God, peace that he will do what only he can do, no matter how long it takes or what the conditions are. See, what you want is to be free of the burden of doubt or unbelief, all that comes with unbelief. This matter of repentance is for you.

It's really a gift. Again, teshuva, turn, turn, turn from going that way, pursuing that direction that is really away from the Lord, turn toward him so you can trust him completely. That's what repentance is. So Father, today we pray this way. We bring to you everything and every place where we have hardened hearts, where we have hardened in our thinking, in our believing, in any way that separates from the miraculous outcome that you've already made arrangements for.

It's already intended, already planned. So we open up right now, we say, Father, forgive, forgive us, forgive me, cleanse my heart, cleanse every part of me, deliver me from every defilement, contamination, everything that keeps me back, holds me down in any way. And I say that I trust you completely and believe you absolutely.

I trust and believe, and thank you God, that your highest and greatest intention for me is blessing, which includes everything that is there in Mark chapter 16. These miraculous signs shall follow those who believe. Hallelujah. I'm a believer. Amen.

Amen. You have, you have the mind of Christ. So you think like him, you have the thought life of a king and you walk with him because of this ability to repent. You are cleansed and clear and you are connected therefore to the miraculous. Repent ye and believe. And these signs follow you in my name, Jesus said. Hallelujah.

Amen. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode and you'd like to help support this podcast, please share it with others. Post about it on social media or leave a rating and review. Don't forget to check out the show notes or visit acleartrumpet.org where you can subscribe to Shirley's email list. Download the ministry app and purchase your very own copy of Shirley's 365-day devotional, Running with Horses. Thanks again and we'll see you next time.