My first conversion was gentle and in childhood.  my next one was in young adulthood and more intense.  The next one was after falling away from the faith for six + yrs and much more intense.  Not all conversions are alike in feeling, but basically in nature in the principles of what is happening.

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"genuine conversion " = 89 hits

" Do not the Scriptures call for a more pure and holy work than we have yet seen? . . . God calls upon those who are willing to be controlled by the Holy Spirit to lead out in a work of thorough reformation. I see a crisis before us, and the Lord calls for His laborers to come into line. Every soul should now stand in a position of deeper, truer consecration to God than during the years that have passed. . . . I have been deeply impressed by scenes that have recently passed before me in the night season. There seemed to be a great movement--a work of revival--going forward in many places. Our people were moving into line, responding to God's call.--General Conference Bulletin, May 29, 1913, p. 34. {ChS 42.3}

In visions of the night representations passed before me of a great reformatory movement among God's people. Many were praising God. The sick were healed, and other miracles were wrought. . . . Hundreds and thousands were seen visiting families, and opening before them the word of God. Hearts were convicted by the power of the Holy Spirit, and a spirit of genuine conversion was manifest. On every side doors were thrown open to the proclamation of the truth. The world seemed to be lightened with the heavenly influence. Great blessings were received by the true and humble people of God.--Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 126. {ChS 42.4}

There is great necessity for a reformation among the people of God. The present state of the church leads to the inquiry, Is this a correct representation of Him who gave His life for us?--Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 474. {ChS 43.1}

When the reproach of indolence and slothfulness shall have been wiped away from the church, the Spirit of the Lord will be graciously manifested. Divine power will be revealed. The church will see the providential working of the Lord of hosts. The light of truth will shine forth in clear, strong rays, and as in the time of the apostles, many souls will turn from error to truth. The earth will be lightened with the glory of the Lord.-- Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 46. {ChS 43.2}

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Evangelism ch 9 "clinching the interest"

The Experience of Genuine Conversion.--I have been shown that many have confused ideas in regard to conversion. They have often heard the words repeated from the pulpit, "Ye must be born again." "You must have a new heart." These expressions have perplexed them. They could not comprehend the plan of salvation. {Ev 286.1}

Many have stumbled to ruin because of the erroneous doctrines taught by some ministers concerning the change that takes place at conversion. Some have lived in sadness for years, waiting for some marked evidence that they were accepted by God. They have separated themselves in a large measure from the world, and find pleasure in associating with the people of God; yet they dare not profess Christ, because they fear it would be presumption to say that they are children of God. They are waiting for that peculiar change that they have been led to believe is connected with conversion. {Ev 286.2}

After a time some of these do receive evidence of their acceptance with God, and are then led to identify themselves with His people. And they date their conversion from this time. But I have been shown that they were adopted into the family of God before that time. God accepted them when they became weary of sin, and having lost their desire for worldly pleasures, resolved to seek God earnestly. But, failing to understand the simplicity of the plan of salvation, they lost many privileges and blessings which they might have claimed had they only believed, when they first turned to God, that He had accepted them. {Ev 286.3}

Others fall into a more dangerous error. They are governed by impulse. Their sympathies are stirred, and they regard this flight of feeling as an evidence that they are accepted by God and are converted. But the principles of their life are not changed. The evidences of a genuine work of grace on the heart are to be found not in feeling, but in the life. "By their fruits," Christ declared, "ye shall know them." {Ev 286.4}

Many precious souls, desiring earnestly to be Christians, are yet stumbling in darkness, waiting for their feelings to be powerfully exercised. They look for a special change to take place in their feelings. They expect some irresistible force, over which they have no control, to overpower them. They overlook the fact that the believer in Christ is to work out his salvation with fear and trembling. {Ev 287.1}

The convicted sinner has something to do besides repent; he must act his part in order to be accepted by God. He must believe that God accepts his repentance, according to His promise. "Without faith it is impossible to please Him: for He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." {Ev 287.2}

The work of grace upon the heart is not an instantaneous work. It is effected by continuous, daily watching and believing the promises of God. The repentant, believing one, who cherishes faith and earnestly desires the renewing grace of Christ, God will not turn away empty. He will give him grace. And ministering angels will aid him as he perseveres in his efforts to advance.--Manuscript 55, 1910. {Ev 287.3}

Conversions--Not All Alike.--All are not constituted alike. Conversions are not all alike. Jesus impresses the heart, and the sinner is born again to new life. Often souls have been drawn to Christ when there was no violent conviction, no soul rending, no remorseful terrors. They looked upon an uplifted Saviour; they lived. They saw the soul's need; they saw the Saviour's sufficiency and His claims; they heard His voice saying, "Follow Me," and they rose up and followed Him. This conversion was genuine, and the religious life was just as decided as was that of others who suffered all the agony of a violent process.--Letter 15a, 1890. {Ev 287.4}

Conversions Not Precise and Methodical.--Those men who calculate just how religious exercises should be conducted, and are very precise and methodical in diffusing the light and grace that they seem to have, simply do not have much of the Holy Spirit. . . . {Ev 288.1}

Though we cannot see the Spirit of God, we know that men who have been dead in trespasses and sins, become convicted and converted under its operations. The thoughtless and wayward become serious. The hardened repent of their sins, and the faithless believe. The gambler, the drunkard, the licentious, become steady, sober, and pure. The rebellious and obstinate become meek and Christlike. When we see these changes in the character, we may be assured that the converting power of God has transformed the entire man. We saw not the Holy Spirit, but we saw the evidence of its work on the changed character of those who were hardened and obdurate sinners. As the wind moves in its force upon the lofty trees and brings them down, so the Holy Spirit can work upon human hearts, and no finite man can circumscribe the work of God. {Ev 288.2}

The Spirit of God is manifested in different ways upon different men. One under the movings of this power will tremble before the Word of God. His convictions will be so deep that a hurricane and tumult of feeling seem to rage in his heart, and his whole being is prostrate under the convicting power of the truth. When the Lord speaks forgiveness to the repenting soul, he is full of ardor, full of love to God, full of earnestness and energy, and the life-giving spirit which he has received cannot be repressed. Christ is in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. His feelings of love are as deep and ardent as was his distress and agony. His soul is like the fountain of the great deep, broken up, and he pours forth his thanksgiving and praise, his gratitude and joy, until the heavenly harps are tuned to notes of rejoicing. He has a story to tell, but not in any precise, common, methodical way. He is a soul ransomed through the merits of Jesus Christ, and his whole being is thrilled with the realization of the salvation of God. {Ev 288.3}

Others are brought to Christ in a more gentle way. "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." You cannot see the operating agency, but you can see its effects. When Nicodemus said unto Jesus, "How can these things be?" Jesus said to him, "Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?" A teacher in Israel, a man among wise men, a man who supposed that he was able to comprehend the science of religion, and yet stumbling at the doctrine of conversion! He was not willing to admit truth, because he could not understand all that was connected with the operation of the power of God, and yet he accepted the facts of nature although he could not explain or even comprehend them. Like others of all ages, he was looking to forms and precise ceremonies as more essential to religion than the deep movements of the Spirit of God.-- Review and Herald, May 5, 1896. {Ev 289.1}

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" Conversion is a change of heart, a turning from unrighteousness to righteousness. Relying upon the merits of Christ, exercising true faith in Him, the repentant sinner receives pardon for sin. As he ceases to do evil and learns to do well, he grows in grace and in the knowledge of God. He sees that in order to follow Jesus he must separate from the world, and after counting the cost, he looks upon all as loss if he may but win Christ. He enlists in His army and bravely and cheerfully engages in the warfare, fighting against natural inclinations and selfish desires and bringing the will into subjection to the will of Christ. Daily he seeks the Lord for grace, and he is strengthened and helped. Self once reigned in his heart, and worldly pleasure was his delight. Now self is dethroned, and God reigns supreme. His life reveals the fruit of righteousness. The sins he once loved he now hates. Firmly and resolutely he follows in the path of holiness. This is genuine conversion. . . . {HP 20.3}

Let us not forget that in his conversion and sanctification man must cooperate with God. "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling," the Word declares. "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:12, 13). Man cannot transform himself by the exercise of his will. He possesses no power by which this change may be affected. The renewing energy must come from God. The change can be made only by the Holy Spirit. He who would be saved, high or low, rich or poor, must submit to the working of this power. {HP 20.4} "

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"this IS the new birth " 1 hit

" By looking constantly to Jesus, from morn till eve, with the eye of faith, we shall be strengthened. God will make the most precious revelations to His hungering, thirsting people. They will find that Christ is a personal Savior. They feed upon His word, for it is spirit and life. This word kills the natural, earthly nature, and a new life in Christ Jesus is created. The Holy Spirit comes as a Comforter to them. Love takes the place of hatred, and the heart receives the mold of the divine similitude. The image of Christ is reproduced in the human agent, and by the transforming efficacy of the grace of Christ he becomes a new creature. "As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12, 13). This is the new birth. {10MR 166.1}

The New Lifestyle Through Jesus

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20, NKJV. {BLJ 195.1}

Self must die if we would be counted as the followers of Christ. The apostle says, If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. . . . For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. {BLJ 195.2}

When men and women are converted to God, a new moral taste is created; and they love the things that God loves; for their lives are bound up by the golden chain of the immutable promises, to the life of Jesus. Their hearts are drawn out after God. Their prayer is Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. In the immutable standard they see the character of the Redeemer, and know that though they have sinned, they are not to be saved in their sins, but from their sins; for Jesus is the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. It is through the blood of Christ that they are brought nigh unto God. {BLJ 195.3}

As they behold the righteousness of Christ in the divine precepts, they exclaim, The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. As sinners are pardoned for their transgressions through the merits of Christ, as they are clothed with the righteousness of Christ through faith in Him, they declare with the psalmist, How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. This is conversion. {BLJ 195.4}

When the Spirit of God controls the mind and heart, it turns the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just. The law of Jehovah will then be regarded as a transcript of the divine character, and a new song bursts forth from hearts that have been touched by divine grace; for they realize that the promise of God has been fulfilled in their experience, that their transgressions are forgiven, their sins covered. They have exercised repentance toward God for the violation of His law, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, who has died for their justification.Review and Herald, June 21, 1892. {BLJ 195.5}

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I will post EGW articles that may help persons struggling with understanding and experiencing conversion.

May 17, 1892 The Work of God to Believe in Christ.      By Mrs. E. G. White.   {RH, May 17, 1892 par. 1-6} 

May 24, 1892 The Work of God to Believe in Christ.    By Mrs. E. G. White.    (Concluded.) {RH, May 24, 1892 par. 1- 12}

May 31, 1892 Gospel Hearers.--No. 1.   Wayside Hearers   By Mrs. E. G. White.  {RH, May 31, 1892 par. 1- 12} 

June 7, 1892 Gospel Hearers.--No. 2.   Stony-ground Hearers.      By Mrs. E. G. White.    {RH, June 7, 1892 par. 1-9}

 June 14, 1892 Gospel Hearers.--No. 3.   Stony-ground Hearers.--Continued.     By Mrs. E. G. White.  {RH, June 14, 1892 par. 1-9}

June 21, 1892 Gospel Hearers.--No. 4.     Thorny-ground Hearers.    By Mrs. E. G. White.     {RH, June 21, 1892 par. 1-8} 

June 28, 1892 Gospel Hearers.--No. 5.   Good-Ground Hearers.    By Mrs. E. G. White.         {RH, June 28, 1892 par. 1-10} 

July 5, 1892 The Privilege of the Follower of Christ.   [SERMON AT NORTH FITZROY, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, JAN. 2, 1892.]  By Mrs. E. G. White.    {RH, July 5, 1892 par. 1-12} 

July 12, 1892 The Privilege of the Follower  of Christ.  By Mrs. E. G. White.  (Continued.)   {RH, July 12, 1892 par. 1-10}

July 19, 1892 The Privilege of the Follower of  Christ.  By Mrs. E. G. White.  (Concluded.)  {RH, July 19, 1892 par. 1-13} 

Ephesians Ch 3, John ch's 13-17; 2nd Peter 1:1-12; Book of Hebrews; John 1:12,13  it IS Father God's will that a person be born again or in other words converted.  Read it, decide to believe it, act on it deciding to trust Him because He said so, as you act you will have conversion, feelings will NOT immediatly change in every part of the mind, but trust God anyhow and keep on deciding to trust, and act on what God has inspired.  The justified - converted, live by faith and feelings follow after in many but not all cases. Some feelings and desires do change rapidly.  trust what Christ can do IN you, TO you, THROUGH you, not what you can do for yourself, even though action to obet inspiration is one of the conditions of obtaining God's blessings.   The thief on the cross took the only action he could preform, he called Jesus Lord in the divine sense @ calvary.  Naman the syrian got baptized, the student asked the prophet for help and the iron axe head floated on water, the man cried" I believe help thou mine unbelief" and his son was freed.

Ask Jesus to supervise that He teach you how to be converted and obtain everything needful through His choosen agencies, and keep asking till it's with the whole heart.  

1 Samuel 12:24

Joel 2:12 

Jeremiah 29:13

WE cannot even repent fully in our human strength.  We must have the gift of the Holy Spirit in order to bring us to deep repentance.  That deep repentance will make us so sorry for what we have done to Christ that we will hate sin as Jesus hates it and move away from it whenever the temptation comes in.  Then and only then can the blood of Christ cleanse us and then He can fill us with His special Gift of the Holy Spirit. 

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I cannot remember my exact conversion experiences. I can only point to a change of heart, confirmed in ritual. I was baptized as a teenager, again as a mature adult and recently I made a new commitment during the Lord's supper service.

I want to let Jesus live out His love in my life today. I can never equal His pattern but by God's grace I can imitate and resemble Jesus. God forgives me every time I fall. I desire to be holy to the best of my abilities today, in union with Christ. I know that I am converted today because I love the things that God loves. My greatest joy is to serve others as my Lord Jesus Christ did.

Amen.