God the Holy Spirit, Mentor's Guide, MG14

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G O D T H E H O L Y S P I R I T

with feelings of regret. It is the word used by Job when he said, “ Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes ," Job 42.6.

c. The most visible outward signs of a changed heart are emotional anguish and brokenness of spirit. The most reliable outward sign of a changed heart is that the contrite person is teachable . They are through with being stubborn, prideful, or resistant to help.

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3. Repentance involves a change of WILL.

a. Repentance versus worldly sorrow

God wants more than just worldly sorrow (2 Cor. 7.10), that is, sorrow that is nothing more than guilty feelings or fear of consequences. The Spirit’s goal is a reorienting of the person’s will toward God so that life-change results. True repentance always produces a determination to change.

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b. The Scriptures consistently teach that true repentance always includes a firm resolve to change wrong behaviors.

(1) Righteous, loving actions are what make it evident that a person belongs to God, 1 John 3.10.

(2) Bear fruit in keeping with repentance, Matt. 3.8.

(3) The parable of the gardener with the unproductive fig tree, Luke 13.1-9

c. The “fruits of repentance”

(1) Repentance is, first and foremost, an act of faith.

(a) Acts 26.20