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The Benefits of Repentance
The book of Daniel mentions several benefits for those who have a repentant heart. Indeed, for all who acknowledge their sin, God does the miraculous!
I want to show you just four of the many benefits of repentance. These four things came to Daniel as the result of his heartfelt confession. And each is available to us if we will repent:
1. One benefit is a new and clearer vision of Jesus Christ.
Read what happened after Daniel's repentance: "Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. And I Daniel alone saw the vision..." (Daniel 10:5-7).
Who do you think this person was that Daniel saw in the vision? It was Jesus! What a wonderful benefit the Holy Ghost opened to Daniel when he confessed his sin. He gave him a clear vision of Christ in all His glory!
Please understand: Daniel was not praying for this vision. All he was doing was repenting - confessing and mourning over sin. Jesus took it upon Himself to come to Daniel in this revelation; the Lord initiated it! You see, when we repent and make all things right with God and others, we don't have to seek a revelation. Jesus will manifest Himself to us!
Now, Daniel had friends who were godly also, because he walked only among the righteous. Yet Scripture tells us none of them saw the vision Daniel received: "...the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. Therefore I was left alone..." (Daniel 10: 7-8).
A truly repentant heart never has to hide from the Lord - because there is no longer any fear of judgment! If you acknowledge your sins, evidencing godly sorrow and making restitution, you can look confidently into the Master's face. You don't have to quake with fear when you hear the thundering word of reproof - because you'll see Christ in His glory. You'll stand before His flaming eyes while everyone else is fleeing!
2. A second benefit of repentance is the removal of all fear.
"And, behold, an hand touched me... And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright... Then he said unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words" (Daniel 10:10-12).
Show me a Christian who refuses to acknowledge his sin - who says, "My hands are clean" - and I'll show you someone with a false piety. Such a person puts on a big smile, has a confident walk and boasts that all is well. But it's all a facade! The Bible makes it clear that if anyone hides his sin, that person will not prosper. God lifts His Spirit from him, and his soul is tossed like the waves. His unrepentant heart is full of fear and restlessness!
But show me a repentant Christian - one who is sensitive to sin, willing to be searched, crying out, "I'm guilty, O God!" - and I'll show you one who soon will walk each day without any trace of fear. God will reach His mighty hand into that believer's heart and pluck out all roots of fear. And soon that person will know the immeasurable favor and blessing of God!
"...O Daniel, a man greatly beloved ...stand upright..." (Daniel 10:11).
Jesus told Daniel, "Stand upright, repentant one! I'm going to take away all your fear and trembling. And I'm going to put you on your feet and bless you with My favor!"
Beloved, let God search and examine your heart. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal everything you have said or done that is grievous to Him. Think of anyone you have slandered or gossiped about, and admit how sinful it was. Go to that person, or get on the phone, and make restitution.
Now, it's not enough to say, "If I've wronged you in any way..." That isn't repentance. Repentance is admitting that what you did was a sin! So spill it out. Tell the person exactly what you said or did, and then make it right.
I promise you - if you make all things right, you will release in your life such favor from God as you have never known! The Lord will open your eyes, ears and understanding - and you will be given a revelation of things to come: "...(you will) understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days..." (Daniel 10:14).
3. A third benefit of repentance is a new pair of lips.
Daniel was given new lips that had been touched by God's purging hand: "And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake..." (Daniel 10:16).
Now whenever Daniel spoke, he spoke "as unto the Lord"!
Isaiah was a godly man who had issued mighty prophecies. But when he stood before the Lord in all His holiness, this prophet could only say, "...I am a man of unclean lips..." (Isaiah 6:5).
God took coals of fire from the altar, put the tongs on Isaiah's lips, and burned out all dross, self and flesh - everything that was unlike Himself. And He gave Isaiah a new pair of lips! I believe the prophet never again had to have his lips purged.
Yet God does this for every person who repents! Once your tongue and lips are purged, you will never again want to speak anything that is unlike Jesus. The words that flow from you will be pure!
4. Finally, a fourth benefit of repentance is peace and strength.
"...peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me" (Daniel 10:19).
Daniel's soul was in agony. He had been mourning for sin - praying, fasting, weeping - and it left him flat on his face, totally drained. He moaned: "...my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength" (Daniel 10:16).
Then Jesus came to him and touched his body. And suddenly Daniel was flooded with peace and strength. "...O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong...." (Daniel 10:19).
Jesus told Daniel, "O Daniel, I love you. And I want to give you My peace. Now, stand up and be strong!"
The repentant Christian can be downcast, totally wiped out, overwhelmed by sorrow and weariness. But the Lord always comes to touch his body - to give renewed peace and strength!
I ask you: Do you have a repentant heart? Do you want one? Fall on your knees today and cry out in confession - for yourself, your family, your loved ones, your church. You will receive an incredible revelation of the Lord. You'll begin to speak from pure lips. You'll no longer live in fear of any kind. And you will know peace and strength from God's mighty hand.
Best of all, each of these marvelous benefits will be "loaded" upon you daily: "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation" (Psalm 68:19).
That is when you will know the joy of walking in repentance. *Hallelujah!*
David Wilkerson
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~To Him That is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy...to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.~ Jude 24
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