GOD’S QUESTION …

Today, God asked us a question.  “How do you bring people to know the “rest” of God?  This is not about “inactivity”, it’s about having PEACE in the middle of the storm.”

KEY SCRIPTURE …

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" is a famous quote from Jesus in the Bible, found in Matthew 11:28, offering comfort and relief to those worn down by life, sin, and religious burdens, promising true rest for the soul through faith and following Him, not through self-effort. It's a universal invitation to find peace by taking on His gentler way, not the harsh rules of self-righteousness. 

PAT AND I DISCUSS …

He then encouraged us to discuss the question until we feel we have come to an answer at which time we were invited to return to prayer and hear His answer.

So our question became:  “What can we say that will draw people into God’s rest that isn’t awkward?”  We reasoned that people find it easy to invite people to church so someone else will share the gospel message.  

I shared a dream that I had in 2006 when I was living in North Bay.  God made it clear to me that I was helping people, but I was not inviting them into His light.  After the dream was over, He said he would teach me why it was important to lead people into His “rest”. Which he did, but the question we need to answer is HOW not WHY.

HOLY SPIRIT REVEALED …

The person he led me to at a time of great crisis, could not understand how to invite a person such as Jesus into her heart and life.  I prayed seeking guidance as to how to pray.  I was led to ask her to close her eyes.  I walked her through a visualization, suggesting Jesus was knocking at her heart’s door and she needed to open that door.

Since she could not visualize Jesus as a person standing there, I asked what she was seeing when she opened the door.  She gasped.  “I see brilliant light.”  She then recoiled physically.  “Oh, I see darkness inside of me.”  I asked what she wanted the “light” to do?  I shared that Jesus is often referred to as the “light” of the world.  She said, “I want the light to come in and get rid of the darkness in me.”  

That night she entered into the “rest” of God, and was given His “peace” in the midst of her storm.

MORE DISCUSSION …

We discussed our salvation stories.  In 1970 I walked down the aisle of a church and laid down my life for Jesus.  This did not produce fruit in my life.  In 1980, I recognized my righteousness was as filthy rags before God.  I realized I had nothing to give him but self-effort and failure.  I let go of what I thought Christianity was all about – trying hard to be a “good” Christian, and a “perfect” person.

It was then God revealed what true Christianity is all about.  Christianity as God intended is a life of rest, abiding in Christ and He in us through the power of the Holy Spirit; a life of abundance where you never have to worry because He provides everything you could ever need or want.”  All I want you to do is be yourself,” my heavenly Father said, “or you could miss your destiny.

BELIEVE AND RECEIVE …

Pat and I concluded, it was Jesus who willingly laid down His life for ours.  All He wants us to do is believe and receive His Love.  Once God’s love lives within us through the power of the Holy Spirit, then we will become new creatures in Christ.  We will truly be able to love God, the Father.  

We will love as He loves – laying down our lives for others.  We will be able to forgive and love ourselves – which in turn will give us the ability to do this for others.  As we step into our new identity in Christ, we will be able to feel as He feels, see as He sees, hear as He hears, and think as He thinks.

GOD’S ANSWER …

We went back to God to wait for His answer.  God affirmed that we were correct.  People need to know and understand what Jesus accomplished on the cross – this is called the “finished work”.  All we need to do is say “yes” and receive the gift of God’s love through the finished work of Christ on the cross.

Then Jesus will fill us with the Holy Spirit and introduce us to our heavenly Father so we can come “home” to the heart of the Father and be refreshed. 

In answer to the original question: “How do you bring people to know the “rest” of God? God told us there is no one-size-fits all method of bringing people into the “rest” of God.  Only the Holy Spirit can reveal to us what each person will need to hear in order to receive and believe.  

OUR SUMMARY …

It’s not about our undying love for God, it’s about His undying love for us!  Like Peter, our human love will never be enough until we find our identity in Christ and His finished work on the cross.

Luke 22:31-34 (AMP)  “Simon, Simon (Peter), listen! Satan has demanded permission to sift [all of] you like grain;  but I have prayed [especially] for you [Peter], that your faith [and confidence in Me] may not fail; and you, once you have turned back again [to Me], strengthen and support your brothers [in the faith].” And Peter said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You both to prison and to death!” Jesus said, “I say to you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will [utterly] deny three times that you know Me.”

GOD’S QUESTION …

“What is the simple gospel and how can it be shared in such a simple way that a young child can receive the message?”

KEY SCRIPTURE …

Acts 2:22-23-36 (NLT)   “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds, wonders, and miraculous signs that God performed among you through him, just as you yourselves know - this man, who was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executed by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles. 

But God raised him up, having released him from the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held in its power…  Therefore, let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.”

PAT AND I DISCUSS …

We agreed that the message shared by Peter at the time of Pentecost found in Acts 2 is probably a summary of the gospel message, but this is certainly not a simple message that a young child can receive.

We know the gospel is not a list of rules. It is a declaration of what God has done in Christ.

“God raised this Jesus from the dead… God has made Him both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2:32–36) When Peter proclaimed this truth, the words pierced their hearts, and the people asked the right question: “Brothers, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37) And 3,000 became believers that same day.

We know the gospel must reveal Jesus, sometimes confronts false beliefs, invites a response and produces changed hearts and minds.  We went back to prayer and waited on God to teach us his answer to that question.

GOD’S ANSWER …

What is the gospel - simple enough for a child to understand? The gospel is not complicated. It is the good news that: Jesus died.  Jesus rose again.  Jesus is Lord.  Jesus gives new life.  

OUR SUMMARY …

In God’s Army, we are not training people for blind obedience, religious performance, or formula-based ministry. We are training men and women to walk with God, listen for His voice, think clearly, and act wisely - just as Jesus did. Jesus said plainly:

“The Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing.” (John 5:19) If Jesus chose this posture of dependence, how much more must we?

God has been teaching Pat and I a repeated and intentional process, one that restores dignity, responsibility, and relationship.

The Pattern:

1. God asks a question
2. We talk it over together
3. We search the Scriptures
4. We reflect on lived experience
5. We draw our conclusion
6. We return to God in prayer
7. God clarifies, corrects, or deepens our understanding

This process:

• Develops critical thinking
• Honors free will
• Prevents religious shortcuts
• Builds confidence in hearing God
• Produces mature, grounded disciples

Why This Kind of Training Matters:

For many of us, learning to ask questions did not feel safe. We were raised in homes, churches, schools, or marriages where sincere questions were met with silence, dismissal, or subtle blame. 

Over time, questioning was treated as rebellion, curiosity as weakness, and discernment as a lack of faith. In some cases, this silencing went beyond misunderstanding and became gaslighting - where responsibility was shifted onto the one asking, rather than honestly examined by those in authority. 

This kind of environment does not produce spiritual maturity; it produces fear, confusion, and compliance without understanding. That is why this training matters. God is not threatened by sincere questions. 

He invites them. Learning to think with God, rather than merely comply with people, restores dignity, heals wounded consciences, and forms leaders who can walk in truth, humility, and love without surrendering their voice or their discernment.

Isaiah 1:18 (KJV)   Come now, and let us reason together …

GOD’S QUESTION …

“What are the next steps after they have received my love, heard the gospel and how do we bring people to repentance?”

KEY SCRIPTURE …

ACTS 2:37-39  (AMP)  Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart [with remorse and anxiety], and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what are we to do?” 

And Peter said to them, “Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  

For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is for you and your children and for all who are far away [including the Gentiles], as many as the Lord our God calls to Himself.”

PAT AND I DISCUSS …

We feel that there is a misunderstanding when it comes to repentance.  It’s not about feeling bad and saying “I’m sorry” about every wrong thing we have ever done, it’s about repenting of our sinful nature.

So, we used ChatGPT to help us understand the Greek meaning of the word “repent”.  Here is the answer we received:  Repent in Acts 2:38 is the Greek word μετανοέω (metanoeō).

We learned that we were correct.  Contrary to the teaching of many modern churches, this repentance does not mean to:

• “list all the bad things you have ever done”
• “try harder to be good”
• “feel guilty or ashamed”
• “change your behaviour by human effort”

It does mean to: “Change your mind, your inner disposition, your entire way of seeing God, yourself, and life.”   Literally:  meta = change and nous = mind, inner understanding, worldview.  It is a deep internal shift, not about completing a moral checklist.

Peter is not telling these people who are obviously under conviction of sin to clean themselves up.  He is calling them to turn from the old system, the old identity, the old self inherited from Adam, and step into a new identity in Christ.

It helped us to put this scripture into context as to who he was speaking to.  He is speaking to devout Jews who already believed in God and who already kept the Law as best they could.  They knew these believers were sincere, but they had just discovered through Holy Spirit revelation that they had participated in rejecting their own Messiah.

Acts 2: 37 (AMP) Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart [with remorse and anxiety], and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what are we to do?”

They were not being asked to repent from their personal sins, but of:

1. A wrong belief about Jesus (that He was not the Messiah)
2. A wrong belief about how to be made right with God (through Law + effort)
3. A wrong identity (still living under the Adam nature)  

So, the repentance Peter calls for is: “Turn from the old way of living in your own righteousness and step into the life of Christ who forgives sins, removes the Adam nature, and fills you with His Spirit.”

This is not behaviour-based repentance - it is identity-based repentance

These new believers were also encouraged to be baptized immediately.  Baptism in the early church symbolized:

• Dying to the Adam nature
• Rising in the nature of Christ
• Being washed of shame and guilt
• Stepping into the family of God as sons and daughters
• Receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit

Peter is not giving them a sin-management program.  He is offering a new identity; a new covenant; a new nature; a new power source; and a new relationship with God as their Abba Father.  This is why … “and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

True repentance is not about being “sorry” – it is about receiving new life.

GOD’S ANSWER …

The original question was: “What are the next steps after they have received my love, heard the gospel and how do we bring people to repentance?”

Yes, you are correct in your understanding.  The next steps are to repent, be baptized and receive the promise of the Holy Spirit.  Not repenting from personal sin but from the sinful nature that lives within all of mankind since the garden of Eden.

As far as the second half of the question, “how” do you bring people to repentance, this is the work of the Holy Spirit.  Peter was preaching under the anointing.  The Holy Spirit used the words he spoke to pierce the hardness of their hearts.

All words spoken by well-intentioned believers sharing Bible scriptures or preaching sermons will not bring anyone to repentance unless they are spoken under the anointing of the Holy Spirit.  

People cannot give to others what they themselves do not have.

OUR SUMMARY …

Sadly, many Christians are being wrongly taught that the Holy Spirit is a feeling, an experience, such as “speaking in tongues” and other manifestations of the “gifts” of the Holy Spirit.  

This passage in Acts 19 will help people to repent of false teaching they have received on the subject of true repentance and baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Acts 19:1-7 (The Message Translation) Now, it happened that while Apollos was away in Corinth, Paul made his way down through the mountains, came to Ephesus, and happened on some disciples there. The first thing he said was, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? Did you take God into your mind only, or did you also embrace him with your heart? Did he get inside you?”

“We’ve never even heard of that – a Holy Spirit? God within us?”

“How were you baptized, then?” asked Paul.

“In John’s baptism.”

“That explains it,” said Paul. “John preached a baptism of radical life-change so that people would be ready to receive the One coming after him, who turned out to be Jesus. If you’ve been baptized in John’s baptism, you’re ready now for the real thing, for Jesus.”

And they were. As soon as they heard of it, they were baptized in the name of the Master Jesus. Paul put his hands on their heads, and the Holy Spirit entered them. From that moment on, they were praising God in tongues and talking about God’s actions. Altogether there were about twelve people there that day.

GOD’S CHALLENGE …

“Think about what it means to disciple new believers and then take them on the next step of their journey.”

KEY SCRIPTURE …

Acts 2:41-47 (AMP)  So then, those who accepted his message were baptized; and on that day about 3,000 souls were added [to the body of believers]. They were continually and faithfully devoting themselves to the instruction of the apostles, and to fellowship, to eating meals together and to prayers.

 A sense of awe was felt by everyone, and many wonders and signs (attesting miracles) were taking place through the apostles.  And all those who had believed [in Jesus as Savior] were together and had all things in common [considering their possessions to belong to the group as a whole]. 

 And they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing the proceeds with all [the other believers], as anyone had need.  Day after day they met in the temple [area] continuing with one mind, and breaking bread in various private homes. 

They were eating their meals together with joy and generous hearts, praising God continually, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord kept adding to their number daily those who were being saved.

PAT AND I DISCUSS …

Naturally if we look at the above scripture we get a clear picture of discipleship.  The early believers devoted themselves to four foundational practices:

1. Instruction of the apostles - Learning the teachings of Jesus, the new covenant, their identity in Christ, and how to walk by the Spirit.
2. Fellowship (koinonia)- More than social time - it means shared life, support, belonging, community.
3. Eating meals together - This built trust, family, safety, and love. It dismantled loneliness and invited people to be known.
4. Prayers - Not ritual prayer, but communion with God together - hearing His voice, interceding, worshiping, waiting, listening.

We see these as the roots of discipleship.  Every new believer needs teaching, community, shared life and prayer.  These practices stabilize the believer internally.

KEY SCRIPTURE # 2 …

Acts 3:1-10 (AMP) Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.),  and a man who had been unable to walk from birth was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at that gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, so that he could beg alms from those entering the temple. 

So, when he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking [them] for coins. But Peter, along with John, stared at him intently and said, “Look at us!” And the man began to pay attention to them, eagerly expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have; but what I do have I give to you: In the name (authority, power) of Jesus Christ the Nazarene - [begin now to] walk and go on walking!”  

Then he seized the man’s right hand with a firm grip and raised him up. And at once his feet and ankles became strong and steady, and with a leap he stood up and began to walk; and he went into the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. All the people saw him walking and praising God and they recognized him as the very man who usually sat begging for coins at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder and amazement and were mystified at what had happened to him.

PAT AND I DISCUSS …

We feel this scripture is not just a miracle story.  It is a discipleship lesson. It reveals what we believe is the next step for those actively following Jesus: learning to Give away what God has given you.

Peter and John had received Christ’s: compassion, authority, power, presence, courage and love.  And then they shared it with someone outside the church.

This is exactly what Jesus taught: “Freely you have received; freely give.” Matthew 10:8

We believe that once a believer is grounded in the Word, is connected in loving fellowship, strengthened through prayer and growing in their new identity in Christ, the next step is activation.

They need to learn how to:

• Recognize and respond to the needs around them
• Develop spiritual sensitivity to God’s promptings
• Give encouragement, healing, prayer, wisdom and love
• Carry Jesus with them into everyday life situations
• Leave the safety of the group to outreach to the community

There is a time and place for outreach.  If Acts 3 had happened before Acts 2:42 the believers would have been unrooted, unprepared, spiritually immature, lacking instruction and community support.  But once they were grounded, the Spirit led them into spiritual service.

Our definition of discipleship is:  helping someone to walk with Jesus in such a way that they learn to give away to others the same love, truth and power they have received from Him.

GOD CONFIRMS …

I asked you to “think about what it means to disciple new believers and then take them on the next step of their journey.” You are correct.  The heartbeat of true discipleship must include learning how to give what they have received to others.  

That is why Detox with Jesus focuses on mobilizing the Army of God.  Most shepherds of my flock have looked after everything but the activation of unselfish giving and heartfelt community service.  

For this reason, the soldiers in my end-time army are ill equipped, poorly trained and not yet ready for active duty and service.  

OUR SUMMARY …

The Acts Pattern of Discipleship 

Step 1: Encounter → Repent → Receive the Holy Spirit - Identity change.

Step 2: Devotion to the Apostles’ Teaching - Learning the new life.

Step 3: Fellowship - Belonging to the family of God.

Step 4: Shared Life (meals) - Safety, bonding, trust, emotional healing.

Step 5: Prayer - Hearing God’s voice together.

Step 6: Activation (Acts 3) - Giving away what you have received.

We believe this is the natural flow of discipleship which has been built into Detox with Jesus and Many Hands Make Light Work.

All members are invited to become disciples and eventually leaders who will:

• teach new believers their identity in Christ
• build safe fellowship for diverse kinds of people
• model prayer and listening to God so others see Jesus in them
• help them discover the gifts God has placed in them
• teach them how to respond to others with compassion
• encourage them to be “Jesus with skin on” in everyday life
• walk with them until they feel confident giving away what they have received

This is what Jesus meant when He said: “Go and make disciples… teaching them to observe everything I commanded.” Matthew 28:19–20

What did He command?  That we love, listen, heal, pray, forgive, give, serve, shine.  This is true discipleship.

GOD’S QUESTION …

‘What gives us the ability to make a choice in any situation, pleasant or unpleasant, to glorify God?’

KEY SCRIPTURES …

Ezekiel 36:26–27 (The Spirit does not merely advise – He empowers choice)

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you… I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes.”

Galatians 5:16 (Choice is possible because of indwelling power)

“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Romans 8:13–14 (The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to choose)

“If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

PAT AND I DISCUSS …

Our first response seemed obvious.  We naturally concluded that the answer must be the Holy Spirit.  But as we thought more about the question, God began to deepen our understanding through conversation, testimony and Scripture.

I told Pat about a mutual friend who recently shared an experience that brought new clarity. He explained that he regularly puts on the armor of God (see Ephesians 6:11-17) and leaves it on. But recently, in prayer, he sensed the Lord telling him to put on the armor of light.

When he did this, he described this armor of light as:  heavier, one complete piece, not many parts and is more powerful than the individual pieces of armor.

As we reflected on this, Pat suggested that what he was describing may actually be the glory of God - not something we strive to wear, but something that rests upon us as we abide in Christ.

KEY SCRIPTURES TO SUPPORT THIS TRUTH …

The Armor of Light (This seems to be something we put on as one piece)

“The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”  (Romans 13:12)

Immediately after, Paul adds: “Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.”  (Romans 13:14). This suggests that the armor of light is not merely protection, it is being clothed with Christ Himself.

We recognized that the word glory in Scripture carries the idea of weight, substance, and reality.

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal weight of glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17)

This helped explain why the armor of light was described as heavier. Glory is not light in the sense of being weak, it is “light” that carries weight and authority. Other Bible verses describes light not as equipment, but as clothing.

“The Lord wraps Himself in light as with a garment.”  (Psalms 104:2)

And believers are invited into that same kind of covering:

“You have clothed me with garments of salvation and wrapped me with a robe of righteousness.”  (Isaiah 61:10)

This reinforces the idea that the armor of light is not something we assemble, it is something we receive and wear.

“We all… are being transformed into His image from glory to glory.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Here we saw that glory is not only protection, but also transformational. It changes how we see, respond, choose, and live. Here are a few more examples of this … 

Luke 24:49 (Jesus instructed his disciples before he ascended to the Father)

“Stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

John 17:22 (Before Jesus goes back home, he tells God, His Father, that He has accomplished everything that God had asked him to do while on earth, including … )

“The glory that You have given Me I have given to them.”

Colossians 1:27 (Again reminding us that we are in Christ and He is in us)

“Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

PAT AND I DISCUSS …

We wanted to better understand the meaning of the Hebrew word for glory, so we asked ChatGPT to help and we learned that word is: Kābôd which means weight, substance, heaviness and reality. 

After reviewing these Bible verses, and reviewing everything we had discussed, we began to see a clearer picture:

• The Holy Spirit empowers us from within
• The armor of God equips us to stand and resist
• The armor of light clothes us with Christ Himself
• The glory of God is the weighty presence that rests upon us as we abide

We felt we had adequately answered the question.  We are able to make choices, moment by moment, that glorify God in every situation. Not by trying hard, but by simply living in union with Him. 

We felt satisfied that we had answered the question to the best of our ability, so we went back to prayer and waited on God to hear His answer.

GOD’S ANSWER …

God congratulated us on our detailed study and said our conclusions are sound.  He also reminded us that everything we learn must always be based on the written Word which is the foundation of every precept.

However, he suggested we look again at the actual question:  What gives us the ability to make a choice in any situation, pleasant or unpleasant, to glorify God?

He drew our attention to the first word – “WHAT”.  He said that the answer based on that word is actually the gift of FREE WILL.  Free will is the first gift He gave mankind and one that will never be revoked.  

For this reason, every person will stand before Him and be held accountable for their choices.  Yes, the Holy Spirit empowers us, but without FREE WILL we would be unable to make a choice at all.

OUR SUMMARY …

Pat and I were very surprised by this answer, and yet it is completely understandable. 

2 Corinthians 5:10

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

Romans 14:12

“So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.”

1 Corinthians 10:31

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

Free will is the first gift God gave humanity and the one He has never revoked.
The Holy Spirit empowers us, truth instructs us, grace invites us, but the choice remains ours. And because we choose, we are accountable.

GOD’S QUESTION …

“How do you give a harsh message with My love?”

KEY SCRIPTURES …

Ezekiel 34 and Matthew 25 … these are long scriptures, so we took the time to read each of these chapters and have summarized key points below:

Key points from Matthew 25

Jesus says that one day He will separate people like a shepherd separates sheep from goats. And the question He asks is not religious.

Did you feed the hungry?
Did you give water to the thirsty?
Did you welcome the stranger?
Did you clothe the naked?
Did you visit the sick or the imprisoned?

Then Jesus says something shocking: “Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for Me.” This means God takes suffering personally.

Key points from Ezekiel 34:1–10

In Ezekiel 34, God speaks a harsh message to church leaders. He says they took care of themselves instead of others; enjoyed the benefits of leadership but ignored suffering; used power harshly; and failed to help the weak, sick, hurt, lost, and lonely. Many people will come to the Detox with Jesus website who have been wounded — they have been unprotected and unseen by those in authority who were meant to care for their needs and wants.

Key points from Ezekiel 34:11–16

God says: “I Myself will search for My sheep.” God does not say to the wounded, “Try harder,” “Behave better,” or “Get your life together first.” He will say: I will look for you, I will bring you back, I will bind your wounds, I will strengthen you, I will give you rest. This is the heart behind Detox with Jesus. Healing starts when we realize God comes toward us, not away from us.

Key points from Ezekiel 34:17–31

We were surprised to read: “Behold, I Myself will judge between the [well-fed] fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you push with side and shoulder, and gore with your horns all those that have become weak and sick until you have scattered them away, therefore, I will rescue My flock, and they shall no longer be prey; and I will judge between one sheep [ungodly] and another [godly].

… Then they will know [with confidence] that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bars of their yoke and have rescued them from the hand of those who made them slaves. They will no longer be prey to the nations, and the predators of the earth will not devour them; but they will live safely, and no one will make them afraid [in the day of the Messiah’s reign].” (AMP)

PAT AND I DISCUSS …

This question matters because many people avoid truth to keep peace; confuse love with tolerance; apologize for obedience; and carry guilt after setting boundaries. Detox with Jesus exists to free people from false beliefs, including false ideas about love. There is a difference between God’s love and people-pleasing.

Many of us were taught that love means being nice at all costs; avoiding conflict; and softening truth so no one feels uncomfortable. But Scripture shows us something different. God’s love protects the vulnerable; confronts what harms; draws boundaries; and refuses to enable evil. Love is not about the tone of our voice; it is about obedience to a direction by the Holy Spirit.

Loving others does not require tolerating abuse. In situations when people are abusing us, it is not our place to shame them, attack them, or manipulate them. All we have to do is set a boundary and withdraw permission to harm us. The second commandment says to love others as we love ourselves.

If someone responded to what we share by saying, “You don’t know what I’m going through …,” we thought the best response would be, “You are right. I don’t know, but I know the One who does.”

We also looked at passages in the Bible that tell us to avoid people or leave them as they are, and direct us not to change them. It is clear that sometimes it is NOT our responsibility to give a harsh message, so how will we know the difference?

2 Timothy 3:1–5
But understand this: in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]. For people will be lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], … [intemperate, immoral], brutal, haters of good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of [sensual] pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith]. Avoid such people and keep far away from them. (AMP)

Contrary to popular opinion, according to this scripture, we are not called to try and evangelize every person we come into contact with.

Revelation 22:11–13
Let the one who does wrong still do wrong; and the one who is filthy (vile, impure) still be filthy; and the one who is righteous (just, upright) still be righteous; and the one who is holy still be holy. Behold, I (Jesus) am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to the merit of his deeds (earthly works, faithfulness). (AMP)

This verse comes at the very end of Scripture, just before Christ’s final return is emphasized. The message is sobering:

There comes a point when choices are settled.
God does not coerce repentance.
People are allowed to remain in the direction they have chosen.
Judgment will be based on choices the person has made during their lifetime.

In summary, God invites, warns, calls, and waits, but He does not override the will. We also looked at a New Testament scripture:

Matthew 10:14
“If anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet …”

Jesus Himself taught that there are moments when we release responsibility for outcomes and entrust people to God.

At this point in our discussion, Pat and I were more than ready to go back to prayer to determine God’s answer to this question because we really were not sure what the correct answer could be based on our discussion.

GOD’S ANSWER … (paraphrased from memory)

God said everything we had discussed was truth. However, He told us that His answer to the question, “How do you give a harsh message with My love?” is very simple. The question begins with “HOW,” and the answer to that part of the question is: “BEGIN WITH PRAYER, because that builds relationship.” He told us Jesus is our example. He had His private prayer time, but He walked and talked with Me all the time. He never did or said anything apart from Me because we were one.

To be “one” means to ABIDE. Many of My people do abide in Me and I in them, but they don’t trust the relationship when action is required. If they feel strong emotions that rise up within them — especially when it is directed at injustice, exploitation, cruelty, and dehumanization — they often think their response is from the “flesh.” Instead of trusting that I am living within them, they revert back to some teaching or doctrine they learned in church that implies Christians should always be “nice” and “kind.” Or they were taught superstition or psychological responses such as, “If you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything.”

“My Word teaches that if we truly are ‘one’ spiritually, a person will feel My righteous anger welling up within them — they are feeling My heart and hearing My words. This is not the time to kneel and pray; they already have. Prayer isn’t the last step before speaking; prayer is the soil from which speech and action arise. They don’t need to go back to church and hear a sermon, reach for the Bible, or repent from wrong attitudes. They have to learn to trust and obey that the words coming into their mind, harsh or otherwise, are words the Holy Spirit is giving them to speak.

The complete answer to the question is: ABIDE in Me and TRUST the relationship. Love does not always mean ‘softness.’ If your relationship with Me is sound; if your life is yielded to My will; if your heart is not seeking control or revenge; and if your love for people and truth is already established — then believers do not need to re-qualify obedience every time it costs something. True abiding results in oneness. This oneness leads to a new way of living: You begin to see as I see, hear as I hear, love as I love, feel as I feel, and think as I think.”

Proverbs 3:5–6 says it best: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.

OUR SUMMARY …

Soon Pat and I will lead our interactive Facebook group, “Speak God, I’m Ready to Listen.” We know that God is not looking for perfect people. He is looking for listening hearts. When we slow down, become still, and learn to hear God’s voice, He often speaks in very practical ways: “Notice that person.” “Reach out.” “Don’t ignore this need.” “Be kind here.” “Stand for the oppressed.” Learning to hear God is not just about journaling or quiet time; it’s about recognizing His voice in daily life.

We believe standing before God on judgment day will not feel like a performance review. It will feel like standing before a Shepherd who asks:

Did you love when it cost you something?
Did you see Me in others?
Did compassion matter to you?

We aren’t being asked to save the world. We just need to abide in Him and let Him abide in us so we can learn how to let His love move through us.

Prayer: Jesus, You are our Shepherd. Teach us to hear Your voice and to recognize You in the people around us. Lead us in love, not fear, so we will know when to let go, and when to speak Your truth — the easy messages and the harsh messages — to be Your hands, feet, and voice to a hurting world. Amen.

GOD’S QUESTION …

When is it appropriate to talk with people about the fear of the Lord, and to chastise them for not walking in the fear of the Lord?

KEY SCRIPTURE …

Hebrews 5:7 (NLT) “While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God.” (NLT)

Hebrews 5:7 (AMP) “In the days of His earthly life, Jesus offered up both [specific] petitions and [urgent] supplications [for that which He needed] with fervent crying and tears to the One who was [always] able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission toward God [His sinlessness and His unfailing determination to do the Father’s will].”

Hebrews 5:7 (NKJV) … “who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear” …

PAT AND I DISCUSS …

Of all the scriptures we read with a focus on the fear of the Lord (Psalm 130:3–4; Proverbs 9:10; Isaiah 11:1–3; Ecclesiastes 12:13–14), this one stood out as most important in our mind.

Since we are always taught that Jesus is our example, we were surprised to learn that Jesus prayed as we pray — sometimes with tears and pleading. Somehow, I thought His relationship would be different in how He “talked” to His Father, as though they were equals.

Hebrews does not say “on the night He was betrayed,” but “in the days of His flesh.” We feel this shows us that Jesus lived a life of prayerful dependence. Gethsemane is the clearest picture of this, but not the only one.

And while His suffering certainly included physical death, it went far deeper. He was entering into sin, separation, and the full weight of death itself. The Father did not spare Him from the cross, but He heard Him, carried Him through it, and raised Him out of it.

Matthew 10:28 and Luke 12:4–5 (NKJV)
“And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!”

We then returned to the question … and concluded the only time it would be appropriate for us to talk to someone about the fear of the Lord would be if God is leading us to do so, or if the person has asked us for information. We thought about the second half of the question and really had no idea if it was ever up to us to correct people for not walking in the fear of the Lord.

We returned to prayer and waited for God to provide His answer to the question.

GOD’S ANSWER … (paraphrased from memory)

God thanked us for taking the time to review scripture and for our conclusions.

Then He brought us back to the first five verses in Isaiah 11, which outline the sevenfold ministry of the Holy Spirit. He clarified that a person cannot acquire the fear of the Lord through personal effort. The fear of the Lord is not something we produce, but something the Holy Spirit imparts.

This passage reveals not only who Jesus is, but how He lived and ministered — and how we, too, are to live by the Holy Spirit.

He clarified that if someone is not walking in the fear of the Lord, it’s not necessarily their fault. They may have received the wrong teaching and, for years, have endured a sense of ongoing failure. They try hard but never achieve the same depth of reverential fear modeled by Jesus and/or other saints mentioned in the Bible, or in our present day and age.

Many believers learn about the doctrine of grace first, but most are never taught about the fear of the Lord and that it is part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit they can ask for. Sadly, this produces a “forgiven-but-casual” Christianity, which is very common today.

Now that you know the fear of the Lord is a ministry of the Holy Spirit, let’s look at the question again: “When is it appropriate to talk with people about the fear of the Lord, and to chastise them for not walking in the fear of the Lord?”

Since the reverential fear of the Lord is not taught by correction but is imparted by the Holy Spirit, then the only solution and answer to the question begins and ends with prayer.

We can pray that the Spirit of the Lord will rest upon the person we are praying for.
We can pray that the Spirit will rest upon us, just as He did upon Jesus.
We can then direct people to Scripture, allowing them to meditate on this truth.
And we can ask the Holy Spirit to write this truth on their hearts and minds from the inside out.

He then encouraged us to read the scripture again in the Amplified Bible — Isaiah 11:1–5 … we encourage you to do the same …

OUR SUMMARY …

We were amazed to learn that the fear of the Lord is a ministry of the Holy Spirit. This was new to us. We began to think about the words of Jesus in Luke 12:4–6: “Do not fear those who kill the body … but fear Him who has power over eternity.”

This scripture seems like a contradiction when we think about walking in the fear of the Lord as reverence and holy awe. But when we looked deeper, we saw that in verse 4, Jesus spoke to His disciples as “friends.”

Jesus must have been strengthening their faith because they were about to face real danger, real violence, and real pressure to deny Him. Like believers today, they were in danger of facing fear of religious leaders, political power, imprisonment, and death — so Jesus redirected their fear away from man and put it back on God.

In the very same teaching, only a few verses later, Jesus says: “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God … Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:6–7)

So, in one breath He says: God alone is to be feared. In the next: Do not be afraid — you are deeply valued. That tells us what kind of “fear” He means.

The fear of the Lord is not fear that drives us away. It is holy awareness that draws us closer. It is recognizing who God is, and choosing to honor Him with our lives. It is the heart of a child who knows their Father is good and chooses to walk closely with Him.

It is reverence that leads to trust. Awe that leads to surrender. And love that leads to obedience. As Pat would say — who is an example of one who understands and walks in the fear of the Lord — “GOD’S GOT THIS” …

KEY SCRIPTURES …

“In Him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)

GOD’S QUESTION …

He then asked: How does this scripture become a reality in us?

OTHER KEY SCRIPTURES …

Isaiah 40:31
But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him]
Will gain new strength and renew their power;
They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun];
They will run and not become weary,
They will walk and not grow tired. (AMP)

Psalm 27:14
Wait for and confidently expect the Lord;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for and confidently expect the Lord. (AMP)

PAT AND I DISCUSS …

We searched through many scriptures and spiritual concepts as we tried to answer this question. Instead of clarity, we became more and more confused and felt exhausted.

God said: The reason why you feel confused and tired is that you are trying to understand a spiritual truth using your natural minds, and that is impossible. Spiritual truth must be revealed, not reasoned.

We added the scripture: “But the natural [unbelieving] man does not accept the things [the teachings and revelations] of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness [absurd and illogical] to him; and he is incapable of understanding them, because they are spiritually discerned and appreciated, [and he is unqualified to judge spiritual matters].” 1 Corinthians 2:14 (AMP)

God said: Just rest and wait until the Holy Spirit gives revelation knowledge, rather than trying to figure it out in your head.

We added the scripture: “But the spiritual man [the spiritually mature Christian] judges all things [questions, examines and applies what the Holy Spirit reveals], yet is himself judged by no one [the unbeliever cannot judge and understand the believer’s spiritual nature]. 16 For who has known the mind and purposes of the Lord, so as to instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ [to be guided by His thoughts and purposes].” 1 Corinthians 2:15–16 (AMP)

God suggested: Go back to the basics of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. Read and think about this scripture …

Luke 23:39–43
“One of the criminals who had been hanged [on a cross beside Him] kept hurling abuse at Him, saying, ‘Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us [from death]!’
But the other one rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? We are suffering justly, because we are getting what we deserve for what we have done; but this Man has done nothing wrong.’
And he was saying, ‘Jesus, [please] remember me when You come into Your Kingdom!’ Jesus said to him, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.’” (AMP)

PAT AND I CONTINUE TO DISCUSS …

We looked up information about the two thieves, the meaning of the words impenitent and penitent. But in the end, we still ended up exhausted and confused.

God said: Just “WAIT” in the presence of God and let the answer to the question come from your heart and not your head.

As we waited quietly, something changed. Susan began to share some simple truths that were going through her mind …

God the Father loves you.
Pat and I remembered this was the very first truth God gave us at the beginning of this precept-upon-precept journey.

We do not choose God — He chooses us.
In John 17, Jesus told the Father that He had taken care of all whom the Father had given Him. It is God who draws people to Jesus and brings conviction of sin.

Jesus died for us.
Like the penitent thief, we did not deserve God’s grace. We are just like him because we believed, repented, and received the same mercy, grace, and gift of eternal life.

Jesus fills us with the Holy Spirit.
When we are born again, we become a new creation in Christ.

NOW THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION SEEMED CLEAR …

This is how the scripture becomes real in us: “In Him we live, and move, and have our being.” This truth becomes reality when God lives in us through His Holy Spirit.

Not through effort.
Not through mental understanding.
But through receiving what God has already done on the cross.

That is why we can say: In Him we live. In Him we move. In Him we have our being. We live in Him when we receive His love, trust what Jesus has done, and allow His Spirit to live His life through us.

As we continued to sit with this truth, the Holy Spirit reminded us of other teachings …

In our previous study on the sevenfold ministry of the Holy Spirit, even the fear of the Lord is not something we can try to produce. It is something the Holy Spirit gives as we abide in Him.

We had also learned when we read Ezekiel 34 that we are not to judge by what our natural eyes see or what our natural ears hear. Spiritual life cannot be lived through the natural mind.

In earlier precepts, God spoke to us about abiding in Him. As we reflected on this, we realized that true abiding results in oneness. This oneness in Christ naturally leads to a new way of living: We begin to see as He sees, hear as He hears, love as He loves, feel as He feels, and think as He thinks.

This oneness is the clearest picture we have found of what the Scripture means when it says: “In Him we live, and move, and have our being.” We are not trying to live for God. God is living through us.

GOD REMINDED US … (paraphrased from memory)

As you learned precept upon precept, I have been gently simplifying truth so that even a young child can understand it. Sadly, although well-intentioned, religion has often complicated what I intended to be simple.

When spiritual truth is approached through the natural mind, people work hard to figure things out rather than wait on the Holy Spirit to receive revelation.

Because they have worked so hard for so long to come up with a conclusion, they will often fight to be right. They must defend their conclusions to justify the effort they have endured to come up with answers.

All of this leads to arguing the scriptures, strife, and division in the Body of Christ.

He continued to clarify: When the Holy Spirit reveals truth, there is rest instead of striving, unity instead of division, and transformation instead of debate.

This is why learning how to WAIT on the Lord is essential. It allows revelation to replace human reasoning.

OUR SUMMARY …

Since God has been challenging us to keep His truth simple enough for a child to receive and understand, we came up with the following salvation message:

God loves you.
Jesus loves you.
Jesus came to show us what God is like, and He gave His life for us.
When we believe in Jesus and say “yes” to Him, God gives us His Holy Spirit.

That means God comes to live inside us. Because God lives in us:

He helps us see what is right.
He helps us hear His voice.
He teaches us how to love.
He shows us how to choose what is good.

We don’t have to try really hard to be good. We just stay close to Jesus and let Him help us.

That’s what the Bible means when it says: “In Him we live, and move, and have our being.”

It means: “We live our whole life with Jesus — and He lives His life in us.”

That’s why we can say: “Jesus lives in me, and He helps me live.”

GOD’S QUESTION …

“Why is ‘presumption’ considered a ‘sin’?”

DICTIONARY DEFINITION …

Google states: In the KJV, a presumptuous sin is a willful, arrogant, and defiant act of rebellion against God, done with full knowledge and a contemptuous disregard for His law, contrasting with unintentional sins. These sins stem from self-will and pride, where a person chooses their own desire over God’s revealed will, as seen in David’s own struggle and Saul’s defiance.

KEY SCRIPTURES …

1 Corinthians 10:12–13
Therefore, let the one who thinks he stands firm [immune to temptation, being overconfident and self-righteous] take care that he does not fall [into sin and condemnation]. No temptation [regardless of its source] has overtaken or enticed you that is not common to human experience [nor is any temptation unusual or beyond human resistance]; but God is faithful [to His word — He is compassionate and trustworthy], and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability [to resist], but along with the temptation He [has in the past and is now and] will [always] provide the way out as well, so that you will be able to endure it [without yielding, and will overcome temptation with joy]. (AMP)

Psalm 19:12–13
Who can understand his errors or omissions? Acquit me of hidden (unconscious, unintended) faults. Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous (deliberate, willful) sins; let them not rule and have control over me. Then I will be blameless (complete), and I shall be acquitted of great transgression. (AMP)

PAT AND I DISCUSS …

Pat and I reviewed the dictionary definition and found several scriptures where presumptuous sin is mentioned in the Bible (Psalm 19:13, Numbers 15:30–31, Exodus 21:14, and Deuteronomy 17:12).

We looked at examples in our own life. In my case at 17, I had gone to my parents with my concerns about my boyfriend’s need to have sex. They did not tell me what to do. They advised that I not get married too young and that I not get pregnant. Based on this advice, I chose to take birth control and offer sex to meet his need. I made a vow to God that he was my husband and that would make it all right. As a Christian, I was twisting the scripture to support my actions.

Although I was not trying to deceive others, I knew what I was doing was wrong, or I would have gone to a pastor for advice. I knew any pastor would tell me that my decision was not a godly option. And the scripture quoted above tells us that God would have provided a way of escape for this temptation if I had brought the problem to Him. So, in 2008, God finally convicted me of my transgression (ongoing deliberate sin) and the filth (iniquity) that brought me to such brokenness. I repented of sin and was healed of my brokenness.

(Note: More details of how God healed me and set me free from presumptuous sin are found in My Journey to Freedom [Book Two], if you are interested.)

Earlier today, I was speaking to Pat about a son who was testifying of his father’s “fake” prophetic ministry. He knows firsthand his father’s deliberate and willful intention to deceive others by pretending that he is hearing from the Holy Spirit when he mentions people’s names and personal history while giving them a prophetic word. This is called data-mining prophecy.

Today, his father remains part of a group of charismatic leaders who are intentionally doing the same thing. Because everyone is doing it, they continue to justify their choices and are willfully participating in “a charismatic cover-up culture” to protect one another.

Mike Winger (he has a website if you want to learn more) has a calling on his life to expose false teachers and false prophets (wolves in sheep’s clothing) for their willful, deliberate intention to deceive for the purpose of financial gain, public recognition, and inflating their own ego at the expense of their trusting flocks.

Pat and I then asked God to reveal His answer. We waited for revelation knowledge rather than continuing to reason our answer with our own minds.

GOD’S ANSWER …

God began by reminding us of the question: “Why is ‘presumption’ considered to be a ‘sin’?”

“If sin is the reality that all have fallen short of the glory of God, and if conviction of sin leads people into repentance, then who are the only ones who can be walking in presumptuous sin?”

We answered, “Christians?”

“Yes, those professing to be My children. So, let’s use a practical example to illustrate this truth …

Day 1: Your little child comes bouncing in the house with muddy boots and walks on the floor. You instruct your child to take their boots off to keep the floor clean.
Day 2: Your little child comes bouncing in the house with muddy boots and walks on the floor. You are a little more firm with your instruction because they need to learn.
Day 3: Your little child comes bouncing in the house with muddy boots and walks on the floor. What would a parent do then?” (He continued without waiting for our answer.) “Discipline would be needed now to support the learning.

The same is true of My children. If they are called by My name, but over time refuse to humble themselves, to seek My face, and to walk in My ways, they too will receive appropriate discipline. My Word is clear …” (God spoke of 2 Timothy 3:16–17, so I have put the entire scripture here from the Amplified Bible.)

All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately — behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

He continued: “For My children who are convicted of presumptuous sin and choose to turn from this, their sins will be forgiven and they will spend an eternity with Me.

For My children who are called by My name, who choose to ignore the conviction of My Holy Spirit regarding their deliberate and willful ongoing sin, along with other warnings I have given them, they will face Me on judgment day and will be turned away as Matthew states: ‘… depart from Me, you worker of iniquity; I never knew you.’

This precept you are adding is anointed by My Holy Spirit and will bring conviction to those who read and absorb this truth. Their deliberate choice as to how they will respond to the conviction of sin they experience will seal their eternal destiny.”

OUR SUMMARY …

Both of us recognize how impossible it is for us to come to the same answer as long as we remain in “our own intellectual understanding” of the scriptures and the topic.

God taught us a valuable lesson when He instructed us to “wait” upon the Holy Spirit to bring revelation knowledge. We are always amazed and surprised at the simplicity of God’s answer to what seems to us to be a complex question.

We felt that many are walking in presumptuous sins and are not aware simply because they have never been taught what this is by the established religions. God agreed and advised that is His reason for adding this precept on the Detox with Jesus website.

He said: “Those who read and absorb this question and answer will no longer be able to claim ignorance, but rather must face the truth and make a choice that will carry an eternal consequence.”

Here are links to two videos that will bring more understanding on this topic of “presumptuous sin” …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5xnQtBqTnE (part one)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEanbwbqnfg (part two)

GOD’S QUESTION …

How can one who has fallen be restored to grace?

KEY SCRIPTURE …

When I realized the Detox with Jesus website was just about ready to be published after working on it night and day for several months, I took a deep breath and felt relaxed. Immediately God spoke these words to me: “Take heed lest you fall.”

I was very surprised to hear these words. God continued: “Whenever anyone tastes of success, especially in a spiritual ministry, along with financial prosperity, it is something very difficult to give up. A leader is aware they have made a mistake, but they do not admit or confess it because it might affect their reputation, their ministry, and their income. So, they bury this reality, and unconfessed sin grows and leads to major problems in the end.”

Google search revealed this: “Take heed lest you fall,” based on 1 Corinthians 10:12, is a warning to remain humble and vigilant against overconfidence in one’s spiritual strength or moral standing. It means being careful not to become arrogant or complacent, as pride often leads to spiritual, moral, or practical downfall.

In summary, it is a call to vigilance, reminding individuals that the moment they feel most secure and self-confident is often when they are most vulnerable to stumbling.

PAT AND I DISCUSS …

We spent a couple of days praying, reading scripture, and thinking about the answer to this question. God said we should start with “admit” and “confess,” but we added “conviction” as well. The following list is what we came up with, and then we returned to hear the Father’s answer to the question, which was quite different than our own.

Conviction — Unless a person is convicted of sin by the Holy Spirit, there is no real change. In God’s presence, pride softens. Excuses fall away. Reverence returns. The heart becomes teachable again.
Admit — The first step of restoration is not public; it is personal. It is the quiet, honest place where a person comes before God and says: “I am weak.” “I have fallen.” “I have been wrong.” “I need Your mercy.” “I cannot heal myself.”
Confess — Scripture teaches us to confess our faults to one another so that we may be healed. This is where many people struggle — especially when reputation, success, or responsibility are involved.
Repent — Pat and I felt strongly that there must be a willingness to change, to commit to never doing the specific sin again. To us, “repent” means to turn away from the behavior and go in a different direction.
Understand — We resolved that it is critical that a person come to understand what caused them to fall or they will continue to repeat the same pattern(s).
Consequences — There are many cover-ups happening in the religious world. Sexual assault and fraud are often dealt with by the church itself instead of being reported as a criminal offence. Preventing a natural consequence of court and jail time often contributes to the person repeating the same crime.
Restoration — True repentance always produces a willingness to receive correction and instruction in righteousness, and creates a desire to make things right. Restoration is not something we do for ourselves.

GOD’S ANSWER … (paraphrased from memory)

I appreciate the time you have taken to review scripture and to consider all aspects of the question. You are right: without Holy Spirit conviction, there is no true repentance. So, let’s look at the question again: How can one who has fallen be restored to grace?

In light of your prepared list, there is one word in the question that has not been fully considered, and that is GRACE. The person has fallen from grace. They are believers, they are My children, and the sheep of My pasture. So, how can they be restored to GRACE?

At this point, the Holy Spirit spoke through Pat … “We simply have to believe and have faith in God that He will bring us back to grace.”

God asked Susan to read some words we had recorded during our research so He could talk to us about them: “Restoration brings us back. Back to the cross. Back to the fear of the Lord. Back to the Holy Spirit’s leadership. Back to the simplicity of loving God and loving people. We cannot give what we are not living.”

God began to speak again:

So, the person is convicted of sin, admits to God their need of forgiveness, and confesses their faults to another trusted person, or group of people. The religious model leaves them in condemnation — they are never allowed to forget that they have fallen and that they may fall again.

The person is informed they will need to face the consequences of their actions and choices. Although they have been told they are forgiven, they know they will have to do and say all the right things in order to earn the love and approval of those who have been affected by their “fall.”

They are told that God is merciful, but it is obvious they will have to change before they earn the love of God again and be restored to walk in the ministry they once had.

God continued: Please realize this is NOT the answer to My question: “How can one who has fallen be restored to grace?”

God said: Grace is undeserved favour.

We added the scripture: Romans 3:22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. (NLT)

God said: No one has ever “earned” My grace.

We added the scripture: Romans 3:23–24 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in His grace, freely makes us right in His sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins. (NLT)

God said: My question refers to people who have fallen from grace; therefore, they once knew My grace.

We added the scripture:  Romans 3:25(a) For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. (NLT)

God said:  They knew there was nothing they could do or say at the time of their salvation that would bring them into Grace.

We added the scripture:  Romans 25(b) This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.

God said:  The question refers to people who have fallen from Grace – how can they be restored to Grace? Once they have admitted that their relationship with Me has been damaged, and confessed to others the exact nature of the wrongs they have committed, there is only one way back to Me.

Google says:  "Return to me, and I will return to you" is a powerful biblical promise, most famously from Malachi 3:7, meaning that if people turn back to God (through repentance and obedience), God promises to restore His presence and blessings to them, offering a message of hope, restoration, and unending love. 

God said:  How do people return to me?  They haven’t lost their salvation; they have fallen from Grace and need to be restored to Grace.

We added the scripture:  James 4:6-7 And He gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

God said:  Jesus was tempted in the wilderness.  He showed the only way to resist the devil so he will flee from you is to use the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.

We added the scripture:  James 4:8-10 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

Satan says: “You are a sinner; you will never amount to anything!” You say: “I am a child of God; there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:26; Romans 8:1)

Doubt says: “I am too afraid; I will never be able to do this.”  You say: “Perfect love casts out fear; I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (1 John 4:18; Philippians 4:13)

God said:  Restoration means rebuilding their relationship with me.  They don’t have to earn my love, it is unconditional.  They merely have to “BELIEVE” in what Jesus did on the cross.  

At this point God began to weep.  He asked Pat and I to help His wounded and battle-scarred people to hear the message of Grace because to Him this message is critically important.  

God said:  So many have only ever been taught the religious model. They are trying so hard to be ‘good enough’ to earn My Love.  If they ever experienced Grace and then relapsed then they are left feeling unworthy and unlovable, constantly trying and always failing.   

All that is wrong is the relationship is broken and needs to be restored.  Once this is restored, then they will have the ability to handle all that is required because of the fall – they will understand what went wrong; they will walk in true repentance; and will willingly accept the legal or moral consequences.

We added the scripture:  Revelations 2:4,5 But I have this [charge] against you, that you have left your first love [you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me]. So remember the heights from which you have fallen, and repent [change your inner self - your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior - seek God’s will] and do the works you did at first [when you first knew Me] …

OUR SUMMARY:

Pat and I realized we are still conditioned to think about repentance using the religious model.   We are posting here the previous precept to remind ourselves and others of God’s definition of ‘repent’.

“Contrary to the teaching of many modern churches, this repentance does NOT mean to: “list all the bad things you have ever done”; “try harder to be good”; “feel guilty or ashamed” and change your behaviour by human effort”.

It does mean to: “Change your mind, your inner disposition, your entire way of seeing God, yourself, and life.”   Literally:  meta = change and nous = mind, inner understanding, worldview.  It is a deep internal shift, not about completing a moral checklist.

Peter is not telling these people who are obviously under conviction of sin to clean themselves up.  He is calling them to turn from the old system, the old identity, the old self inherited from Adam, and step into a new identity in Christ.”

RECOMMENDED VIEWING …

This video shares a raw and honest journey out of religious performance and into a living relationship with God. It speaks to Christianity not as an institution, but as a relationship with a Father who is deeply in love with us - where grace replaces striving, and freedom replaces fear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW9U2whxwPA