It’s critical that we pray for our nation to turn back to the Lord, but before we can expect the country to repent, we must first be willing to repent ourselves – even in the “moment by moment” of our daily lives.
In this month of Elul leading up to Rosh Hashanah, we are reminded to repent. However, especially in these end times, repentance cannot be just a seasonal focus, it must be a way of life – actually, a continual way of prayer.
God is raising up an end-times army that will not allow enemy infiltration among its ranks. When we maintain a 24/7 attitude of repentance, we break any handle or authority that we’ve given the enemy in our lives, thus preventing him from infiltrating God’s army!
What does it mean to have a 24/7 attitude of repentance? It means being aware on a moment-by-moment basis of any thoughts, emotions, words, or attitudes that block intimacy with God and that give the enemy a handle or ground in your life. Often they are areas that you may not even consider to be sin, such as stress. When you stress, you give the enemy ground because behind the stress you are believing a lie about God or yourself – and the enemy is the father of lies! For example, you might believe that:
- You have to hold everything together
- It’s all up to you. You have to carry the burdens
- You’re on your own
- You’re not going to make it
- God’s just watching and waiting for you to get it right
- God’s not involved or interested in the mundane every day details of your life
- God is disappointed or mad at you so why would He help you?
- You’re not worth or don’t deserve God’s focused time and attention
Other areas (besides stress) that block intimacy and give the enemy a handle in your life are:
- Fear (including fear of failure, rejection, the future, etc.)
- Putting yourself or others down
- Shame
- Inadequacy
- Envy, jealousy, comparing yourself to others
- Anger
- Frustration
- Unforgiveness
- Perfectionism
- Pride
- Gossip
- Being critical and negative
- Complaining
- Being controlling or manipulative
- Self-pity
Furthermore, Isaiah 52:11 exhorts those who “carry the sacred vessels of the Lord” to touch nothing unclean and to purify themselves. When you are partnering with God to release HIS end times plans and purposes, you are “carrying the sacred vessels of the Lord.” Also, throughout Deuteronomy, we are told to “purge the evil from among you.” Therefore, in addition to repenting of your thoughts, emotions, words and attitudes on a 24/7 basis, I believe that God is calling you to ask Him daily for revelation of anything in your life that might be defiling – meaning it is not of God and is not appropriate for a daughter or son of the King who is fearfully and wonderfully made and has royal blood running through their veins. Defilement might exist in the following areas:
- How you are spending your (His) money
- What and How you are eating and drinking – including medications, supplements, foods, drink – anything you take into your body
- How you are spending your time
- What your thoughts, eyes, ears, bodies are exposed to
- How you are interacting with others
- Your relationships
- Overall care for your bodies – sleep, exercise, eating, medical treatments, etc.
- Spiritual disciplines – whether and how you are fasting, praying, reading God’s word, praise, corporate worship, etc.
- Hobbies, places of work, school, or worship
- Where you live, what you drive, what you wear – anything at all that might be defiling or give the enemy ground in your life
Once God shows you an intimacy blocker or an area of defilement where you’ve given the enemy ground or a handle in your life, I’ve found that the most powerful and effective way to cut that rope is to pray the following:
- Ask God to show you the lies you’re believing about yourself or Him that are at the root of the thoughts, emotions, words, attitudes, actions, areas of defilement, etc.
- Confess these lies as sin
- Forgive anyone who has hurt you or was associated with your belief in these lies
- Cancel the authority you’ve given the enemy by believing the lies
- Ask God to show you His truth about this
When you maintain a continual attitude of repentance and a sincere desire for revelation of anything that is defiling in your life, then:
- You will be fit for God’s end times army
- You will be effective in releasing His end times plans and purposes, and
- You will be a cleansed and pure vessel – able to show forth HIS light and life
It is HIS light and life through you that will get others’ attention and help draw this nation back to God. We cannot expect a holy God to continue to bless a defiled and unholy nation. Do your part today – pray, fast, and maintain a continual willingness to expose and repent of your sin – not just at Rosh Hashanah, but as a 24/7 way of life.
