Acts 8:22 “Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, your heart’s intent may be forgiven.”
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Repentance is not a popular term in our world today.
Yet even a quick look at the Scriptures shows up how essential it is. The first message of John the Baptist (Matt 3:2), Jesus (Matt 4:17), and Peter (Acts 2:38) illustrated that an attitude of repentance is the essential foundation for receiving the gospel.
The event in Acts 8 was what we would call a revival, and like all revivals, there are distractions and counterfeits. Such was a man named Simon and in some translations called Simon Magus, meaning Simon the Magician. He believed that anything could be bought with money (doesn’t that sound familiar?), but Peter made it clear that this is an abomination. Peter told him, “May your silver be destroyed with you…”
Yet even to this apostate magician, “poisoned by bitterness and bound by wickedness,” (v.23), even for him was hope of salvation. The key to open this door was having faith in Jesus Christ as Savior, and acknowledging repentance through prayer.
Repentance is essential to acknowledging our faith in Christ, and the way we communicate this repentance to the Lord is through prayer. John Piper wrote, “Prayer is the open admission that without Christ we can do nothing. And prayer is the turning away from ourselves to God in the confidence that He will provide the help we need.”
PRAYER STARTER…
Heavenly Father, may we always remember that we are sinners, saved by the grace shown to us through the sacrificial blood of our Savior Jesus Christ. Be merciful to us, we pray …
(Continue this prayer as the Holy Spirit directs you personally.)