May 19, 2024
“If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” 1 John 1:8-10 (NASB)
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” James 5:16 (NASB)
Have you ever been convicted by the Holy Spirit? If you have not, there is a problem!
Well, I confess! Several days ago, I made a statement out of a selfish desire regarding a dear friend and sister in Christ. A few minutes later after sitting down for the next session, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said “Now, you know that was not right.” Not only did the Holy Spirit convict me, but I was also immediately reminded of the Scripture James 5:16-17 which says “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” I did contact my dear friend!
I always seek the Lord as to what He wants me to share in the devotional each week and guess what He wanted me to share about my confession to Him this week. I said, God, are you sure? Imagine me asking God “Are You sure? Why can’t this be our little secret? I have already confessed! Yes, however, this is to help others be honest with the negative thoughts that we all at times struggle with as Believers in Christ!
I am sure you have heard the saying “Confession is good for the soul.” This is true. It is an old proverb that suggests disclosing one’s wrongdoings, mistakes, or burdens to another person and most of all to God who is the only One who can forgive and provide emotional relief and spiritual cleansing.
God wants us to live with a clear conscience and a pure heart Matthew 5:8, says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God, and Psalm 24:4 says, ”He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully. This is only possible when we regularly confess and forsake our sins, keeping the model of Jesus ever before us. 1 Corinthians 11:1 Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. We need to learn how to confess our sins regularly both to God and to other people so that we can live free of guilt and shame as noted in Colossians 2:14.
Yes, confession is good for the soul! Confession is integral to Christian doctrine and is deeply embedded in the spiritual practice of repentance and forgiveness. The Bible presents confession as being beneficial for the soul because it restores our fellowship with God, heals relationships, and is a vital part of the journey toward spiritual maturity and eternal life.
Again, Scripture supports the concept that confession is good for the soul! James 5:16, says, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
Confessing is viewed as a vital step in personal growth and spiritual development. It encourages transparency, honesty, and vulnerability, which are key components of deep, meaningful human connections. It reinforces the idea that human beings are fallible and that acknowledging and learning from one’s mistakes is a critical aspect of life’s journey.
Interestingly, research differs on the actual thoughts we have each day, however, it is relatively consistent that we experience thousands of thoughts each day. This site https://healthybrains.org/brain-facts/ says our brain is a three-pound universe that processes 70,000 thoughts each day using 100 billion neurons that connect at more than 500 trillion points through synapses that travel 300 miles/hour. And guess what, a great percentage of our thoughts are negative.
However, as Believers in Christ, we have a remedy for negative thoughts. The struggle against negative thinking is a battle for the mind. The apostle Paul tells believers what to think about: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy in Philippians 4:8. Also, we can control what we think about. When a negative thought comes, the thinker who has the mind of Christ has the ability to push it out of the mind and replace it with godly thoughts. 1 Corinthians 2:16 This takes practice, but with persistence, it gets easier. Christians must think about what they’re thinking about and not allow their minds to have free rein. In our spiritual warfare, we’ve been given the helmet of salvation, our spiritual armor for the mind.
As Believers in Christ, when we give our life to God by believing the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we belong to HIM! At that moment the Spirit of God takes up residence in our hearts forever, sealing us with the confirming, certifying, and assuring pledge of our eternal state as His children. Jesus said He would send the Spirit to us to be our Helper, Comforter, and Guide. Jesus said in John 14:16 “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.” The Greek word translated here “Counselor” means “one who is called alongside” and has the idea of someone who encourages and exhorts. The Holy Spirit has permanent residence in the hearts of all Believers as noted in Romans 8:9, However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. Jesus gave the Spirit as a “compensation” for His absence, to perform the functions toward us that He would have done if He had remained personally with us. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body.”
To be born again is to receive the Holy Spirit through whom we gain perception to see what God sees. The spirit reveals sin
and righteousness so we can respond appropriately!
What Are The Results of CONFESSION?
1. God removes our guilt. Psalms 32:5. “I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.
2. God restores our joy and willing obedience. Psalms 51:12. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.
3. God heals us. James 5:16.Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.
4. God forgives sin. There is only One who can absolve us of sin, and that is God. Psalm 130.
5. God is our Advocate. There is only one Mediator between us and God, and that is Jesus Christ. 1 Timothy 2:5. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.
HEART CHALLENGE: Confession can be either acknowledgment of guilt or gladly acknowledging allegiance to Christ. Confession takes the lid off, opens the window, and opens the door, revealing what is within – sin or faith. This is often painful for many and they fall into pretending to be holy and inside they are dying spiritually with unforgiveness, guilt, bitterness, anger, shame, and others! When we acknowledge the ugliness of sin, it is embarrassing and sometimes painful to take the lid off. Ironically, many find it almost equally embarrassing to reveal their deep-seated faith. Perhaps the embarrassment is in letting others see deep into our lives. Perhaps it is a reticence to reveal something personal, whether good or bad. But confession is a necessary part of knowing God and being freed from sin. It is also a necessary part of knowing others and having others know us so prayers can be specific and healing can take place.
A CONFESSING 
HEART: Confession clears the way for real fellowship! Christ has made it possible for us to go directly to God for forgiveness. But confessing our sins to one another still has an important place in the life of the church.
- If we have sinned against an individual, we must ask him or her to forgive us.
- If our sin has affected the church, we must confess it publicly.
- If we need loving support as we struggle with sin, we should confess it to those who are able to provide that support.
- If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. 1 John 1:9.
- If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
The act of confessing is viewed as a vital step in personal growth and spiritual development. It encourages transparency, honesty, and vulnerability, which are key components of deep, meaningful human connections. It reinforces the idea that human beings are fallible and that acknowledging and learning from one’s mistakes is a critical aspect of life’s journey. It allows for being honest and taking off the mask seeking the heartbeat of God for a life of freedom – freedom from the guilt and shame of sin!
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for Your Word that provides us with clear instructions on how to live holy lives. Help us to be honest with our negative thoughts and fix them on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. Help us to think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Thank You Father for the Gift of the Holy Spirit! Thank You for Your precious promise in 1 John 1:9 that reminds us that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” in the Precious, Powerful, and Preeminent name of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord, Amen.