Execution Style Repentance

Oftentimes in our lives we punish ourselves in the face of conviction. We let our flesh take the Holy Ghost hostage and speak to it with malice. “Shut up,” we say, “Nobody will ever know.” We’ve fallen. We’ve betrayed Him. The Adversary has lied to our face and told us this hostage, one we barely recognize...Deserves death. And we listen. 

We take it to a dry, desolate place in our hearts with a hood over its head, not entirely sure who He is. We don’t ask. We follow the voice that says, “He’s the enemy.” Sure, we know it’s wrong, but we hold on telling ourselves that it will be over soon. 

We tell our hostage not to speak and to “GET ON YOUR KNEES!” We don’t have time for questions. We are just carrying out orders. We can’t have our cake and eat it too. He must go. 

We expect Him to ignore the cold, hard barrel pressed against its temple. We’ve done this before. We’re not disillusioned to the fact that we’re making a mistake, but we choose not to think about it. 

We ask Him to tune out the sound of the bullet loading into its chamber. We do, it’s familiar to us. We give our flesh permission to unload a round of compromise into the face of this Hooded Stranger. 

It becomes quiet, He knows why we have brought Him here. He heard us when we didn’t take up for Him. He took the blame when He saw us partake in the things EVEN WE did not want to partake in. He held us, when we came back from a fight with the enemy bloodied and dying. He didn’t ask questions, He just gave us a blood transfusion. And He felt it when we sold out to The Adversary agreeing to His terms to become a slave. 

Then, feet pressed down in the gravel, eyes adjusting to the darkness, we see a little more clearly. 

Suddenly, the Stripes upon His back are more prominent. Our grip loosens. WHY DOES HE SEEM SO FAMILIAR?! We shake it off, we couldn’t possibly turn back now. But then we see His hands, fingers laced behind His head, and something seems more and more familiar about Him. How did those holes get there? Then, the atmosphere shifts just as our resolve returns and we tighten our grip. Why are we crying? 

Before we can form another thought, we hear Him say, “I forgive you,” and “I love you.”

That’s when it hits us. Dead in the chest. Realization tackles us to the ground and now it’s us who can’t breathe, we realize who we have brought to this place. “FATHER?!” We throw the loaded weapon away, far out of reach and fall to our knees. We untie His hands and feet wracking with sobs. How did we not know it was Him the whole time?

Yanking the black hood off His head we look Him in the eyes through a veil of tears and our hearts cry out in repentance. We expect Him to scold us. We brace ourselves for the lashings we deserve and a cold reprimand. We anticipate that He will say He can’t do this anymore. “I can’t forgive this.” 

On our faces, realization setting in that we had our Father on His knees awaiting his execution, we plead with Him to forgive us. “I knew I shouldn’t have done this!,” we cry, “Please, please, Please forgive me Father.” 

And even though He already said that He did, we don’t quite believe Him. We almost buy into the lie that He’s forgiven us one time too many. 

Instead of bringing truth to the lies we have told ourselves, He lifts our head and repeats what He had moments before. “I forgive you,” He places His hands on our face and adds, “I love you.” 

After all we put Him through? We chose to listen to the Devil when he said, “No one has to know.” We elected to listen to, “You can come back to God anytime you want.” And we bought into the lie that, “He won’t forgive you. Just get rid of Him.”

What love is this?! 

Well, I’m going to tell you. 

This love? This love is a Father who gave EVERY. LAST. DROP. Of His blood JUST to know you. This love is a King who traded a crown of Glory for that of thorns. This love is Jesus Christ. 

Let me tell you this, Man/Girl, you’re NOT too far gone. Your sin is not too great. Your past may have cost you more than you had to give - you owed a debt that you could not pay...You May have sold yourself to the One who Imprisoned you in the first place - BUT HEAR ME WHEN I SAY: Your sin does not own you. 

Not only did your Heavenly Father PAY off your debts - HE bought the whole bank. 

He reached into the billfold of Heaven, paid our debt, and THEN He gave us His word that anytime we needed to make a withdrawal...the funds would always be there.

Our prison we made out of fear, doubt, temptation, temporary happiness, and lingering lust of the flesh is no match for He who defeated Hell. 

So next time this jailer - This Adversary tells you that you cannot leave, you owe him too great a debt or that He owns you...

LAUGH IN HIS FACE

He’s a joke. A big ugly baboon in a rainbow striped wig. 

Don’t you dare believe a word he says. He’s just talking out of his big, red behind. He doesn’t even own the keys to his own house. Own you? Pfft. In his monkey dreams. 

Our Father not only owns the bank, but he owns the land. (Insert shout music)

Today, let’s focus on repentance and thankfulness in prayer.

Today’s prayer template: 

“Lord, please forgive me when I don’t stand up for you in my school, workplace, friendships, and or relationship. Help me to attune my ears unto your voice alone that I would stray from all alternative sources of direction. Tune me into your frequency that I may recognize your voice when you are calling me to turn away from things that I shouldn’t partake in. Keep my mind stayed upon you and your will for my life that I wouldn’t get distracted or sway in my personal convictions or conversation. Forgive me when I sacrifice you for the sake of appeasement of my flesh. 

Thank you for your forgiving me when I mess up, when I believe the lies of the enemy, and for revealing and returning your love to me when I am lost. 

These things I both bring to you, and thank you for in advance - In Jesus Name, Amen.”

Stay strong this week, y’all. Practice listening for His still small voice - even through the noise of life - He speaks to those that wish to know and hear from Him. I, and God, am rooting for your success in your every natural AND Spiritual endeavor. 

Where would we be without His everlasting Love and Mercy?!

Remember your Faith