BREAKING UP THE FALLOW GROUND
An Outline For Repentance
This is for Christians who have had trouble finding the true
peace that is promised with conversion. For those who are frustrated
because they are constantly struggling with weakness and sin, this
could well be the very help they've been praying for. Charles Finney
saw more true conversions in his life and ministry than any other
American before or since. We thank God for continuing to anoint and
use his writings. Many thousands have been helped by this article to
break through to God's precious forgiveness. Remember one thing as
you read this - God loves you so much, and is waiting for you to be
thoroughly cleansed by His grace through repentance. - Keith and
Melody Green
The Jews were a nation of farmers, and it is therefore a common
thing for God to refer, in the Scriptures, to scenes from their daily
lives as illustrations. Hosea addresses them as a nation of
backsliders, but uses words that farmers and shepherds are familiar
with. He rebukes them for their idolatry and sharply warns them of
the impending judgments of God.
A revival consists of two parts: its effect on the Church, and
its effect on the ungodly. I will speak at this time of a revival in
the Church. Fallow ground is ground which has once been tilled, but
now it lies waste and has gotten hard. It needs to be broken up and
made soft again, before it is ready to receive seed.
If you mean to break up the fallow ground of your heart, you must
begin by looking at your heart: examine carefully the state of your
mind and see where you are. Many people never even seem to think
about doing this! They pay no attention to their own hearts, and
never know whether they are doing well in their walk with the Lord or
not; whether they are gaining ground or going backwards; whether they
are bearing fruit or are totally barren. Now you must draw off your
attention from all other things and look into this right now! Make a
business of it, do not be in a hurry. Examine the state of your heart
thoroughly, and see where you are: are you walking with God everyday,
or with the Devil?
Self-examination consists of looking at your life, considering
your motives and actions...calling up your past and seeing its true
character. Look back over your past history. Take up your individual
sins one by one, and look at them. This doesn't mean that you should
just take a casual glance at your past life, and see that it has been
full of sins and then go to God and make a sort of general confession,
asking forgiveness. This is not the way. You must take them up one
by one. It's a good idea to take a pen and some paper as you go over
them, and write them down as they come to mind.
Go over them as carefully as a businessman goes over his books;
and as often as a sin comes to your memory, write it down! General
confessions of sin are not good enough. Your sins were committed one
by one; and as much as you are able, they ought to be reviewed and
repented of one by one. Now begin, and start with what are usually,
but improperly called 'sins of omission' (i.e. things you didn't do
that you should have).
INGRATITUDE (unthankfulness). Take this sin, for example, and write
down under this heading all the times you can remember where you have
received great blessings and favors from God for which you have never
given thanks. How many cases can you remember? Some remarkable
protection where your life was spared, some wonderful turn of events
that saved you from ruin. Write down the instances of God's goodness
to you when you were living in sin, before your conversion, for which
you have never been half-thankful enough; and the uncountable mercies
you have received since. How long the list of times where your
ingratitude has been so black that you are forced to hide your face in
shame! Get on your knees and confess them one by one to God, and ask
Him to forgive you. As you're confessing these, they will immediately
remind you of others...write these down too! Go over them three of
four times in this way, and see what an incredible number of times God
has given you mercy for which you have never thanked Him!
LACK OF LOVE FOR GOD. Think how grieved and alarmed you'd be, if you
suddenly realized a great lack of affection for you in your wife,
husband, or children; if you saw that someone else had captured their
hearts, thoughts and time. Perhaps in such a case you would almost
die with a just and holy jealousy. Now, God calls Himself a jealous
God. Have you not given your heart to other loves and infinitely
offended Him?
NEGLECT OF THE BIBLE. Put down the cases where for perhaps weeks, or
longer, God's word was not a pleasure. Some people, indeed, read over
whole chapters in such a way, that afterwards they could not tell you
what they had been reading. If that is so with you, no wonder your
life has no direction, and your religion (relationship with God), is
such a miserable failure.
UNBELIEF. Recall the instances in which you have virtually charged
the God of truth with lying, by your unbelief of His express promises
and declarations. If you have not believed or expected to receive the
blessings which God has clearly promised, you have called Him a liar.
LACK OF PRAYER. Think of all the times you have neglected private-
prayer, family-prayer and group-prayer meetings; or prayed in such a
way as to grieve and offend God more, than if you hadn't prayed at
all.
NEGLECT OF FELLOWSHIP. When you have allowed yourself to make small,
and foolish excuses that have prevented you from attending meetings.
When you have neglected and poured contempt upon the gathering of the
saints merely because you "didn't like church!"
THE MANNER IN WHICH YOU HAVE PERFORMED SPIRITUAL DUTIES. Think of all
the times when you have spoken about God with such lack of feeling and
faith, in such a worldly frame of mind, that your words were nothing
more than the mere chattering of a wretch who didn't deserve that God
should listen to him at all. When you have fallen down upon your
knees and "said your prayers" in such an unfeeling and careless way,
that if you had been put under oath five minutes later, you could not
say what you had been praying for.
LACK OF LOVE FOR SOULS. Look around at all your friends and
relatives, and think of how little compassion you have felt for them.
You have stood by and seen them going straight to hell, and it seems
as though you didn't even care. How many days have there been, when
you have failed to make their wretched condition the subject of even
one single fervent prayer, or to prove any real desire for their
salvation?
LACK OF CARE FOR THE POOR AND LOST IN FOREIGN LANDS. Perhaps you have
not cared enough about them to even attempt to learn of their
condition. Do you avoid missions-magazines? How much do you really
know or care about the unconverted masses of the world? Measure your
desire for their salvation by the self-denial you practice, in giving
from your substance to send them the gospel. Do you deny yourself
even the hurtful expenses of life, such as tobacco, alcohol, expensive
food, clothes, and entertainment? Do you defend your standard of
living? Will you not suffer yourself ANY inconvenience to save them?
Do you daily pray for them in private? Are you setting aside funds to
put into the treasury of the Lord when you go up to pray? If you are
not doing these things, and if your soul is not agonized for the poor
and lost of this world, then why are you such a hypocrite as to
pretend to be a Christian? Why, your profession of faith is an insult
to Jesus Christ!
NEGLECT OF FAMILY DUTIES. Think of how you have lived before your
family, how you have prayed, what an example you have set before them.
What direct efforts do you habitually make for their spiritual
welfare?
LACK OF WATCHFULNESS OVER YOUR WITNESS. How many times have you
failed to take your words and actions seriously? How often have you
entirely neglected to watch your conduct and speech, and having been
off your guard, have sinned before the world, the church, and before
God!
NEGLECT TO WATCH OVER YOUR BRETHREN. How often have you broken your
covenant, that you would watch over them in the Lord? How little do
you know or care about the state of their souls? And yet you are
under a solemn duty to watch over them. What have you done to get to
know them better? How many times have you seen your brothers or
sisters growing cold in faith and have not spoken to them about
it...neglecting one spiritual duty after another, and you did not
reprove them in love? You have seen them falling into sin, and you
let them go on. And you pretend to love them? What a hypocrite!
Would you watch your wife or child going into disgrace, or falling
into a fire, and hold your peace?
NEGLECT OF SELF-DENIAL. There are many professing Christians who are
willing to do almost anything in religion that does not require self-
denial. They think they are doing a great deal for God, and doing
about as much as He ought to reasonably ask, but they are not willing
to deny themselves any comfort or convenience whatever for the sake of
serving the Lord. They will not willingly suffer reproach for the
name of Christ. Nor will they deny themselves the luxuries of life to
save a world from hell. So far are they from realizing that self-
denial is a condition of discipleship, that they do not even know what
it is. They never have really denied themselves a ribbon or a pin for
Christ and the gospel. Oh, how soon ones such as these will be in
hell! Some are giving from their abundance, and giving a lot, and
will even complain that others do not give more; when, in truth, they
are not giving anything that they need, or anything that they would
enjoy if they kept it. They only give of their surplus wealth!
Now we turn to sins of commission...
LOVE OF THINGS AND POSSESSIONS. What has been the state of your heart
concerning your worldly possessions? Have you looked at them as
really yours - as if you had a right to use, or dispose of them as
your own? If you have, write it down! If you have loved property,
and sought after it for its own sake, or to gratify ambition or to lay
it up for your family, you have sinned and must repent.
VANITY. How many times have you spent more time decorating your body
to go to church than you have in preparing your heart and mind for the
worship of God? You have cared more about how you appeared outwardly
to men than how your soul appeared in the sight of God. You sought to
divide the worship of God's house, to draw off the attention of God's
people, to look at your pretty appearance. And you pretend that you
do not care anything about having people look at you. Be honest about
it! Would you take all this pain about your looks if every person
were blind?
ENVY. Look at the cases in which you were jealous of those who were
in a higher position than you. Or perhaps you have envied those who
have been more talented, or more useful than yourself. Have you not
so envied some, that it has caused you pain to hear them praised? It
has pleased you more to dwell upon their faults than upon their
virtues...upon their failures rather than their successes. Be honest
with yourself, and if you have harbored this spirit of hell, repent
deeply before God.
BITTERNESS. Recall all the instances in which you have harbored a
grudge, or a bitter spirit toward someone, or have spoken of
Christians in a manner completely devoid of charity and love. Love
"hopes all things", but you have given no benefit of doubt, and have
suspected the worst!
SLANDER (gossip). Think of all the times you have spoken behind
people's backs of their faults, real or supposes, unnecessarily and
without cause. This is slander. You need not lie to be guilty of
slander; to tell the truth with the intent to injure is slander.
LEVITY (a spirit of excessive humor). How often have you joked before
God, as you would not have dared in the presence of an earthly
dignitary or important official. You have either been an atheist and
forgotten that God existed, or have had less respect for Him and His
presence, than you would have had for a mere judge on earth.
LYING. Now understand what lying is. Any form of designed deception
is lying. If you purpose to make an impression other than the naked
truth, you lie. Put down all those cases you can recollect. Do not
call them by any soft names. God calls them lies and charges you with
lying, so you'd better charge yourself correctly! Think of all your
words, looks, and actions designed to make an impression on others
contrary to the truth, for selfish reasons.
CHEATING. Set down all the cases where you have dealt with anyone in
a way you, yourself would not like at all. That is cheating. God has
said that we should treat all men in the same manner we would like to
be treated. That is the rule. And if you have not done so you are a
cheat! God did not say that you should do what you would expect them
to do, for if that were the rule it would allow for all kinds of
wickedness in our actions. But it says, "Do what you would want them
to do to you! (Have you cheated the government? i.e., unemployment
insurance, welfare, food stamps, social security, student loans,
etc...gained by fraud?)
HYPOCRISY. For instance, in your prayers and confessions to God, set
down all the times in which you have prayed for things you didn't
really want. How many times have you confessed sins that you never
intended to stop doing? Yes, you have confessed sins when you knew in
your heart you as much expected to go and repeat them, as you expected
to live!
ROBBING GOD. Think of all the instances in which you have totally
misspent your time, squandering the hours which God gave you to serve
Him, and save souls. Precious time wasted in vain amusement or
worthless conversation, in reading worldly novels, or even doing
nothing; cases where you have misused your talents and ability to
think. Think of how you have squandered God's money on your lusts, or
spent it for things which you really didn't need, which did not
contribute to your health, comfort, or usefulness.
BAD TEMPER. Perhaps you have abused your wife, or your children, or
your family, or employees, or neighbors. Write it all down!
HINDERING OTHERS FROM BEING USEFUL. You have not only robbed God of
your own talents, but tied the hands of somebody else. What a wicked
servant is he who not only is useless himself, but hinders the rest!
This is done sometimes by taking their time needlessly. Thus you have
played into the hands of Satan, and not only proved yourself to be an
idle vagabond, but prevented others from working also.
SOME IMPORTANT GUIDELINES TO FOLLOW
If you find you have committed a fault against anyone, and that
person is within your reach, go and confess it immediately, and get
that out of the way. If they are too far away for you to go and see
them, sit down and write them a letter (or better yet call them)
confessing the injury you have committed against them. If you have
defrauded anybody, send the money, the full amount and the interest.
Go thoroughly to work in all this! Go now! Do not put it off;
that will only make matters worse. Confess to God those sins that
have been committed against God, and to man, those sins that have been
committed against man. Do not think about getting off easy by going
around the stumbling-blocks. Take them up out of the way. In
breaking up your fallow ground, you must remove every obstacle. Things
may be left that you may think are little things, and you may wonder
why you don't have your peace with God, when the reason is your proud
and carnal mind has covered up something which God has required you to
confess and remove. Break up all the ground and turn it over. Do not
turn aside for little difficulties; drive the plow right through them,
beam deep, and turn the ground up so that it all may be mellow and
soft, and fit to receive the grain and bear fruit, "a hundredfold".
When you have gone thoroughly over your whole history in this
way, if you will then go over the ground a second time, you will find
that the things you have put down will suggest other things of which
you have been guilty, connected with them, or near them. Then go over
it a third time, and you will recollect other things connected with
these. And you will find when you are finished that you can remember
an amount of history in specific detail, that you did not think that
you could remember even if you had all eternity.
Unless you take up your sins in this way, and consider them in
detail, one by one, you can form no idea of the amount or weight of
them. You should go over the list as thoroughly, and as carefully,
and as solemnly, as if you were preparing yourself for the judgment
(1Corinthians 11:31).
As you go over the catalogue of your sins, be sure to resolve
upon immediate and entire reformation. Wherever you find anything
wrong, resolve at once in the strength of God to sin no more in that
way. It will be of no benefit to examine yourself, unless you
determine to change, in every aspect, that which you find wrong in
heart, temper, or conduct.
Set yourself to the work now; resolve that you will never stop
until you find you can pray. Let there be this deep work of
repentance and full confession, this breaking down before God, and you
will have as much of the spirit of prayer as your body can bear. The
reason why so few Christians know anything about the spirit of prayer
is because they never would take the pains to examine themselves
properly, and so they've never known what it is to have their hearts
all broken up in this way.
It will do no good to preach to you while your hearts are in this
hardened, waste, and fallow state. The farmer might just as well sow
his grain upon concrete; it will bring forth no fruit. This is why
there are so many fruitless professing Christians in the Church, and
why there is so much technique and tradition, and so little sincere
feeling. Look at the Sunday-school for instance and see how many
programs and trappings there are, and how little of the power of
Godliness. If you go on like this, the work of God will continue to
harden you, and you will grow worse and worse, just as the rain and
snow on an old fallow field make the turf thicker and the clods
stronger.
Professing Christians should never satisfy themselves or expect a
revival just by getting all excited, blustering about, and talking to
sinners. They must get their fallow ground broken up. You may get
into an excitement without this breaking up; you may show a kind of
zeal, but it will not last long. It will not take hold of sinners,
unless your hearts are broken up. The reason is, that you go about
mechanically, without the Spirit, having not broken up your fallow
ground.
And now, finally, will you break up your fallow ground? Will you
enter upon the course now pointed out and persevere until you are
thoroughly awake? If you fail here, if you do not do this, and get
prepared, you can go no farther with me. I have gone with you as far
as I can, until your fallow ground is broken up. Now, you must make
thorough work upon this point or all I have further to say will do you
little good. No, rather it will only harden, and make you worse. If
you do not set about this work immediately, I shall take it for
granted that you do not want to be revived. If you do not do this, I
charge you with having forsaken Christ, with refusing to repent and do
your first works (Revelation 2:5)!
From Chapter Three of "Revival Lectures" By Charles G. Finney
Edited and Paraphrased by Keith and Melody Green
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