Step 4-The Way to the Restoration of This Privilege

Tip! Jesus said they were to do even greater works than He had achieved during His ministry in the world. Wow! Then our Master went on to show them that by praying in His Name, Jesus, this is the channel through which the authorized power is acquired to carry out the works that glorify our Father in the Son.

And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine." —Luke 15:31

We all know this parable of the prodigal son and how many sermons have been preached about repentance, from this parable. We are told that "he came to himself and said, I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight." In preaching, we speak of this as the first step in a changed life—as conversion, as repentance, confession, returning to God. But, as this is the first step for the prodigal, we must remember that this is also the step to be taken by His erring children—by all the ninety-nine "who need no repentance," or think they do not.

Those Christians who do not understand how wrong their low spiritual life is must be taught that this is sin—unbelief; and that it is as necessary that they should be brought to repentance as the prodigal son. You have heard a great deal of preaching on repentance to the unconverted; but I want to try to teach it to God's children.

We have a picture of so many of God's children in this elder brother. What the father told him, to bring about a consideration of the love that He had for him, just as he loved the prodigal brother, so does God tell us in our contentedness with such a low life: —"You must repent and believe that I love you, and all that I have is yours." He says, "By your unbelief, you have dishonored me, living for ten, twenty, or thirty years, and never believing what it was to live in the blessedness of My love. You must confess the wrong you have done Me in this, and be broken down in regret of heart just as truly as the prodigal son."

There are many children of God who need to confess, that though they are His children, they have never believed that God's promises are true, that He is willing to fill their hearts all the day long with His blessed presence. Have you believed this? If you have not, all our teaching will be of no profit to you. Will you not say, "By the help of God, I will begin now a new life of faith, and will not rest until I know what such a life means. I will believe that I am every moment in our Father's presence, and all that He has is mine?"

Tip! Let us always be aware of the fact that the power that is achieved to do the greater works that are required for Christ, is only gained through fervent prayer and faith in Jesus Christ.

Lord God; please work this conviction in the hearts of all us cold believers. Have you ever heard the expression, "a conviction for sanctification?" You know, the unconverted person needs a conviction before conversion. So the dark-minded Christian needs conviction before, and in order for sanctification, before we can come to a real insight to spiritual blessedness. We must be convicted a second time because of our sinful life of doubt, and temper, and unlovingness. We must be broken down under that conviction; then there is hope for us. May our Father of mercy grant all of us such a deep remorse, so that we may be led into the blessedness of His presence, and enjoy the fullness of His power and love!