Revelation 2:5 “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works”.
Repentance in the New Testament means to “change your mind”, to align your thoughts with the thoughts of God. To get into His way of thinking and doing things instead of our own.
This passage in Revelation reveals that repentance also means once we have “changed our mind” and aligned our thoughts with God’s that we are to get back to the top. Back to God’s perspective, back to His ways, back to His truth, His calling, and plan and purpose for our lives, and to see ourselves as God sees us.
God wants to turn our mistakes into a miracle. To rebuild, restore and renew our lives back to the old heights – and even higher. He wants to give us the highest life!
He did it for David after a terrible cycle of sin, denial, loss, scandal and depression. He did it for Peter on a lonely seashore following an all out betrayal. He did it for Joshua after a crushing loss to an inferior foe. He has done it for countless others that I minister to and see every week, and He will do it for anyone who comes to Him with genuine repentance. Our mistakes don’t have to be the end of God’s vision in our life.
“Nothing you’ve ever do is so repulsive that God can’t redeem your potential and love you through it. And the small stuff matter as well. The very sin you’ve been ignoring and minimising may be the one that’s limiting your ability to rise to greater heights in God. The most powerful sin in your life is the one you haven’t confessed yet.
If you want to see God do the impossible in your life. You can’t try and ignore the things you’ve done wrong. Don’t hide them. Don’t deny them. And certainly don’t crumble beneath the weight of them. Bring them to Jesus. And let him make something miraculous out of them.” (Steve Furtick – “Sun Stand Still”)