Confession (ACTS)
There are many ways to pray, and over the next few weeks I am going to remind us of an old acronym that has been a great tool for me and many over the years. ACTS: A=Adoration, C=Confession, T=Thanksgiving, S=Supplication. These 4 words will help remind us of all what God desires of us in prayer. Adoration keeps our eyes looking up at our perfect God and His beautiful character reorienting our minds to praise. Thanksgiving puts us in a place to remember all that God has done to love and serve us, it helps us see that God is at work even in the darkest places. Supplication is where we get to ask God for all that we need. He encourages us to do this and even says, ‘we do not have because we do not ask.’ So now we look at confession today, the place where we shed our burden and receive a blessing in its place.
Confession is a place to be freed from our sinful inclinations, desires and actions. We are invited to walk into the light to speak aloud the things we have done wrong, the things we have left undone, and the things within us we are yet unaware that offend our Holy God. This light is the presence of God, and He invites us to come and expose what is broken in us so that we might receive healing. It is a great exchange! We give Him all of our junk and in return He gives us forgiveness, wholeness, peace and rest, because Jesus died to take away all of our sin.
Confession also restores our fellowship with God. When we have unconfessed sin weighing on us, our tendency is to hide in shame from God. The enemy of our souls, Satan, loves this because it keeps us away from God, from His love, and His cleansing. But when we walk back into the light ready to confess and be free, we not only deal the enemy a blow, we restore our right standing with God. Your sin stands between you and God, causing a break in relationship, but once it is washed away you are able to boldly approach His throne and ask for whatever you need.
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Read: 1 John 1: 5-10
The practice:
Confess the truth about the sin that you know lives in you.
Now ask God to reveal to you what you do not see that is standing between you and Him. Take some time here to sit with the Holy Spirit in quiet, waiting on Him to shine a light on what you do not see.
Speak the truth about how this has hurt you, others, and the heart of God. Sin first must be confessed to God, but sin also ripples out and not only affects our own lives but all the lives around us. Ask the Lord to help identify if there is anyone you need to apologize to directly and honestly. This may be the hardest step… but ask the Lord for courage and do the right thing.
Let yourself feel the pain and weight in those things. Sit there with it for a bit. But don’t wallow in it, hold Jesus’ hand and see that it is ugly, remember your need for Jesus afresh.
But don’t stay there long… Jesus died on the cross so you don’t have to live in that guilt and the shame. Let it all go, picture the cross and dumping your burden at the foot of the cross … leave it there and let Jesus take it all. That is exactly why He died. Feel the weight lifted off of you, because He washes away your sin as far as the east is from the west. You are free.
Confess the truth you know about who God is and how He loves you. He sent Jesus to the cross to wash away your sin, so speak those truths over yourself once again. Let the Holy Spirit minister the truth deep into your heart.
Consider speaking to a trusted friend and confessing your sin to them. Saying it out loud helps you to come out of hiding and into God’s light, and continue to walk in freedom and continued obedience.