Part 2: How to Get Empowered With God's Power Today
Some people feel like they need to try to completely “clean up their lives” before coming to Jesus. They feel unworthy and ashamed, and think they need to “get themselves right” before seeking the Lord for the Holy Spirit. Guilt is a good thing because none of us are ever worthy, but it is this very self-judgment that enables us to humbly come to God in repentance and then receive from Him (from His position of mercy toward us).
Romans 3:23, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” (NLT)
2 Corinthians 7:10, “For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.” (NLT)
Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (NKJV)
Titus 3:5, “…he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” (NLT) (Note: This was written by the apostle Paul to Titus who was a Spirit-filled believer)
Certainly, make changes in your life as best you can toward the will of God (Luke 3: 8, “Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance…”), but don’t get trapped in a debilitating, self-imposed mindset that hinders you from receiving the gift of God that Jesus died to make available. Not one of us is worthy of God’s mercy and compassion, Christ’s sacrifice, nor the abundance that God desires to bestow upon us in return for our obedience. It’s sufficient to recognize with all sincerity the error of our fleshly ways and the need to reconcile with God, and obedience is not our reluctant, forced response to God’s offer of reconciliation; rather, it is a wholehearted desire to follow Jesus because we fully recognize and appreciate that God knows what is best for us.
It is sin (transgression against righteousness) that separates us from God, our Creator, and it’s only through the process of being born again that we can be redeemed (freed from the bondage and consequences of sin, the ultimate consequence being death). God does not want us to strive by our own strength; He wants us to rely upon Him and His Spirit for our provision, overcoming, healing, etc.:
Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Neither is it necessary to be scripturally educated to be born again of the Holy Spirit. Some people anchor themselves by determining to attend a certain series of worship services or to read a certain amount of the Bible before praying for the Holy Spirit anointing. By all means, study some of the fundamental scriptures and familiarize yourself with the Bible, especially with who Jesus is and what He accomplished, but don’t mistakenly believe you must reach a certain level of knowledge of the Scripture or understanding of God’s ways before you can receive the Holy Spirit. God wants us to come to Him in simplicity, like a young child who fully relies upon his parents for his needs.
Luke 18:16, “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.”
Matthew 18:3, “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
It’s not necessary to confess to the Lord every single sin you’ve ever committed before receiving the Holy Spirit. The reality is that this would be impossible. But certainly, if this is how you feel moved, pour out your repentant heart to God, however long it takes, and confess to Him what is particularly weighing upon you. Even confession in the presence of a loving brother or sister who wants to help you be reconciled with God can have miraculously liberating results.
Proverbs 28:13, “He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.”
James, 5:16, “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, [k]fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
The bottom line is that God is our all-knowing Creator, and He searches the hearts. God knows what you are going to say and do before your words and actions are ever formed. If you feel urged to confess your faults, then do so. It could be the very key to opening the door to the Holy Spirit coming to dwell within you. After all, if you remain full of “self,” how can you ever be filled to overflowing with Him? However, don’t let the reality of your unworthiness create a stumbling block to drawing near to God. He is ready with open arms, brimming with grace and mercy.