You might think, “I can't convert myself, that is God's work.” In and of itself that's a correct statement, but God still asks you to come to repentance. How does this work? An important Biblical principle is the following: whenever God asks us to do something, He will also enable us to do it, otherwise He would not ask that from us. God asks us to do what is possible for us and He will do what we cannot do by ourselves. Consider the following two examples of this principle:
1. The paralyzed man in Bethesda (John 5)
In Bethesda, there was a man who had been a paralytic for 38 years. One day the Lord Jesus went up to him and said, “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.” Wasn't that a cruel thing to say to a paralytic, to get up and walk? After all, he wasn't able! But still it happened. The man got up and took up his bed. How was this possible? Because Jesus said so. Whenever He says something, it is possible, even though it seems impossible.
2. Lazarus (John 11)
Lazarus had passed away. He had been in his tomb for three days already. He was unable to do anything at all, yet Jesus said, “Lazarus, come forth.” Wasn't that a strange thing to say to a dead person? “Come forth”? After all, Lazarus, being dead, didn't have the ability to walk. Still it happened. How was this possible? Because Jesus said so. Whenever He says something, it is possible, even though it seems impossible.
God's command to you is similar. When He says, “Repent ye, and believe the Gospel”, it is possible because He says so. At the same time He wants to give you the strength to do it.You can also ask for help: "Lord I believe, help Thou mij unbelief"(Mark 9:24b).
To further clarify this: we all know we can't do anything at all without God. We wouldn't be able to breathe, work, or even lift our hands. Yet God commands us to live, to work and to use our hands. But there isn't a single person in the world who gets up in the morning to go to school and says, “I can't go to school by myself, God will have to take me there.” No, of course not. You get up, eat breakfast and go to school. It is you doing this, but it is God who gives you the strength to do it.
Repentance is similar. God asks you to come to repentance, but without His strength it would never be possible. That's why every child of God will tell you it was God who saved him or her.
A thought to ponder on your own
Read Matthew 19:25,26. What do you think these Bible verses mean?