Genuine Repentance and Restitution Are Key to Total Deliverance

True repentance is a key to deliverance or freedom from any form of bondage and sin. Genuine salvation means repentance, turning away from the old way of life of slavery to sin and the devil, to follow Jesus as savior from sin and Lord of our lives. Jesus and the apostles preached repentance from sin. One must repent to be born again.

“From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17

“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15

“I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3

True repentance includes restitution.

True repentance also includes restitution. Repentance is not just saying sorry but a complete and total turning away from sin. Restitution in the Bible, from the Hebrew word “shalam,” expresses the act of making amends, restoring, repaying, and bringing something to a full, satisfactory conclusion—whether by paying a debt, restoring what was lost, rewarding righteousness, or settling hostility so that peace prevails.

Repentance and restitution are indispensable keys to victory in the Christian walk and accelerated spiritual growth. One should do both the moment they get born again and believe in the Lord Jesus for salvation.

Repentance and restitution free you from the weight of sin.

Sin is a weight that will slow you down and rob you of God’s true blessing and favor. God doesn’t bless sin. God’s blessings are not only material; they are mainly spiritual. Material wealth is not a sufficient measure of God’s blessing because even sinners are wealthy.

Spiritual blessings are the true wealth God gives his children. This is evidenced by a life of victory over sin, the world, and the enemy, and supernatural wisdom, joy, peace, glory, and grace. And the greatest spiritual blessing that sin robs us of is eternal life. The Bible says, “Without holiness, no man shall see God” (Hebrews 12:14).

Repentance restores our relationship and peace with our fellow men.

Repentance is also a way of making peace with those we have offended. By this, we then have a clear conscience before God and men. This is very important to God and is a sign of true holiness. Throughout the New Testament, Jesus and the apostles emphasize that God expects us (as far as it depends on us) to live at peace with all men.

“Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.” Matthew 5:23-26

“For whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.’” 1 Peter 3:11

“Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.” Romans 14:19

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” Romans 12:18

“Keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ.” 1 Peter 3:16

Repentance restores our relationship and peace with God.

We cannot have peace with God while we have conflicts with others or have offended others. In fact, Apostle Paul in Acts 24 says that because there is a coming day of resurrection and final judgment, he strives to live with a clear conscience so that he can share in the resurrection of the righteous and not the wicked.

“And I have the same hope in God that they themselves cherish, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. In this hope, I strive always to maintain a clear conscience before God and man.” Acts 24:15-16

“Pursue peace with all, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14

When Israel disobeyed God, he would withdraw his presence from them and hand them over to their enemies. But when they repented and obeyed Him, God would give them rest from their enemies and victory in battle. Rest, victory, joy, wisdom, grace, glory, and peace are the true blessings from God that living in sin robs one of. There is no peace for the wicked.

“But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, as you anticipate these things, make every effort to be found at peace— spotless and blameless in His sight.” 2 Peter 3:13-14

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9

8 steps to true and complete repentance

Repent and make restitution today. And then live righteously and holy by God’s grace, which just means obeying God’s word. Your life will have victory because the enemy will have nothing in you. And when He comes against you from the outside, you’ll have the power to fight him. But it’s hard to overcome an enemy who is already within you.

“We know that anyone born of God does not keep on sinning; the One who was born of God (Jesus Christ) PROTECTS HIM, and the EVIL ONE CANNOT touch him. We know that we are of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true—in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” 1 John 5:18-21

Below are 8 steps to follow for true and complete repentance.

1. Readiness and Willingness

Be ready and willing to do whatever it takes to be free. Total surrender to God, a posture of humility and brokenness, and desperation are key.

“If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 1:19-20

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise.” Psalm 51:17

2. Acknowledge and confess all sin.

Acknowledge and confess sins, mentioning them all to God fully without hiding or excuses. God desires truth and honesty. He sees all and knows all, and we cannot deceive him.

“He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13

“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.” Psalm 51:5-6

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

3. Renounce connections to sin.

Renounce in prayer any connection to any person, covenant, relationship, or object connected to sin.

“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘ Thus says the Lord GOD: “Repent, turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations.” Ezekiel 14:6

“Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.” Jeremiah 18:11

“Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.” 2 Timothy 2:21

4. Cut off and get rid of all connections to sin.

Cut off and get rid of any object, relationship, or person connected to sin.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” Matthew 5:27-30

“Therefore, come out from among them and be separate,” says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.” 2 Corinthians 6:17

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:1-2

“Depart! Depart! Go out from there, touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her, be clean, you who bear the vessels of the LORD.” Isaiah 52:11

5. Forsake all sin.

Be willing to forsake the sin totally and obey God moving forward. No turning back.

“Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:6-7

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” James 4:7-10

6. Make restitution to complete repentance.

Make any restitution needed for the sins. This is crucial to fully closing any open doors to the devil and being completely free from sin and offense.

“Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:8-10

7. Live a holy and consecrated life after repentance.

Live a fully consecrated and holy life after this. Give no place to the devil by opening the door to sin.

“Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1

“Because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16

“For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.” 1 Thessalonians 4:7

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality.” 1 Thessalonians 4:3

“Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God.” Leviticus 20:7

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14

8. Fasting for repentance and deliverance

In some cases, fasting should be added to repentance to demonstrate humility, sorrow, and self-affliction before God, and increase faith for deliverance.

“Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness.” Joel 2:12-13

“However, this kind (of unclean spirit) does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:21

What gives demons access to bind and torment a person is open doors.

Once the doors and links to demons are shut, they have no legal right to access your life. The spiritual world works with legalities.

“And do not give the devil a foothold.” Ephesians 4:27

Most people want to be prayed for but are not willing to disconnect from sin. It does not matter if all the anointed people lay hands on you and pray for deliverance; if you do not cut connections with the sin (and affiliated connections of people, relationships, habits, objects, covenants, etc.), the demons will keep coming back. You can’t trick demons with prayer if you have their property or are in their territory. Anointing cannot replace repentance.

Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.

Jesus said if a person (represented by a house) is left empty, meaning the doors of sin are still open and there is no new occupant, the demons will come back with seven stronger ones. The new occupant has to be someone stronger, who is the Lord Jesus Christ. And this can only be through absolute and complete surrender to him as Lord and master of your life.

Jesus told the man who had been paralyzed for 38 years, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you” (John 5:14). Sin is the cause of most oppression, and the danger in going back to sin after freedom is that the demons will come back with 7 stronger demons to make sure you don’t evict them again (Matthew 12:43-45).

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.” Matthew 12:43-45

Most demonic oppression ends when sin is completely cut off.

True freedom from any bondage needs complete surrender to God, radical honesty, self-examination, thorough repentance and restitution, and, in some cases, research and investigation to get to the root of the matter. There are no shortcuts with God. Repent!

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1

“Come now, and let us reason together.” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18

“Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” John 8:11

Read My Testimony of Confession, Repentance, and Restitution

Read: How to Overcome Sexual Perversions and Bondage

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Are you born again? Do you have eternal life?

Have you given your life to Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior? He loves us so much that he, our creator, left heaven and came to earth, dying for us on the cross, taking our sins upon him so that we may be forgiven and receive his righteousness. He conquered death by rising from the dead and made a way for us who were dead in sin to be reconciled back to the Father (God). What’s more, he has prepared a wonderful home for us in heaven, where those who love him and obey him will spend eternity with him. Learn more here about how to be born again and have eternal life after this brief life on earth.

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