“The Process of Confession”

Psalm 32:6-11  For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to you in a time when You may be found; surely in a flood of great waters they shall not come near him.  You are my hiding place; you shall preserve me from trouble; you shall surround me with songs of deliverance.  Selah.   I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.  Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you.  Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.  Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

 You can be forgiven.  You can be healed.  You can be freed.  How do we confess?  How do we uncover ourselves?  Let's now go over that process of confession that we mentioned yesterday:

First, we uncover our sins by being honest.  Do not deceive yourself anymore.  Do not deceive others.  Ask God to help you.  Pray Psalm 139 to God.  Ask God to search your heart.  Ask him to test you, to know your anxious thoughts, and to see if there is any offensive way in you.  Then ask him to lead you into the way everlasting.  Be honest.

Second, you need to uncover your motivations. Confession and repentance is more than just admitting sinful behavior.  Don’t just say: God I did wrong.  You have to dig deep and ask why you do the things you do.  The answer always is not simply that you broke a rule.  The answer always is that you are looking to something else for covering.  It is not just, I lied.  But why did you lie.  Were you looking for someone else’s approval that is more important than God so you lied.    Uncover your motivations and repent. We do not have peace with God or with one another because we have not felt the results of confession and repentance in our own lives. Repentance is a fierce determination not to sin because you are submitting your will to God.  You say, God I want you to reign in me.  Do you have jealousy or hatred toward another person? That may hurt them but it sure hurts your relationship with the Father.  That was I believe the one reason John Calvin wanted to retain communion every Sunday rather than monthly which is what he ultimately established for the churches. Why, because you are not to take communion without first making things right with those who have hurt you or whom you have wronged.

 

Third, uncover your pride.  The book of James talks about the power of confessing your sins to one another so they can pray for you so that you can be healed.  A time was held for people to come into the church, write down their confessions and attach them to a cross all folded up with no name on them.  One six year old was given a paper and wrote in big block letters, God, I’m sorry because I lie.  He put it on the very front of the cross with his name on it too, and he did not fold it.  In questioning from his parents, he said: I wrote my name on it cause I want everyone to see it.  If they know it was me, maybe they can help me stop.

            You see, confession breaks pride, the root of all our sin.  To stand there before another Christian as a sinner is an almost unbearable disgrace.  But by confessing actual sins, the old self dies a painful humiliating death before the eyes of another Christian. 

 

Fourth, put on Christ.  Confessing to another believer is scary, but there is no reason to fear if you understand that God is your hiding place.  God is the one who will protect you from trouble.  I do not have to try to protect myself.  God will surround you with songs of deliverance and hope and salvation.  Do you really believe the promise that his grace is enough for you?  Do you believe His Word when he says that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and He is merciful and He is compassionate and He is just and He will forgive your sins?  He will forgive you and He will purify you from all unrighteousness. 

 

Conclusion

Do you believe His truth?  Do you believe He loves you?  Do you believe He can save you, heal you, cleanse you, restore you, redeem you, and cover you?  God talks about His heart and how He relates to His people in Ezekiel 16.  At the root of his heart is the desire to show mercy and compassion.  At the root of his heart is the desire to save, cleanse, heal, cover, and make you beautiful.  Listen to Ezekiel 16:4-6, 8-14. 

 

We are covered in Christ. Verses 6-11 highlight the benefits and blessings of confession.  Read them over one more time.  God bless you and may this great Psalm be a “life changer” for each of us!