HOLY SPIRIT, I NEED YOUR HELP
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
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 produces wonderful results.
James 5:16 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
What happens when we know what is right and still do what is wrong? What happens when we confess our sin to God, repent of the sin, and then return to the sin?
For many there is a cycle of good intention-failure-guilt and then repeat. We pray and ask God to forgive us. Then we live in forgiveness and freedom for a period, but the old bad habit, addiction, or temptation comes back, and the cycle starts all over.
James, with the help of the Holy Spirit, had insight into the pathway to true freedom for bad habits, addictions, and temptations. He tells us to “confess your sins to each other and pray for each other.”
This must be understood with some godly wisdom on how to apply. I believe James is not encouraging us to stand in front of a congregation and confess all our dirty laundry. I believe this instruction is to be applied to one or two individuals who love us, love God, and are not battling with the same area we are.
If I’m struggling with alcohol or drugs, I don’t confess to someone else who is struggling with the same thing. I find someone who is free of that struggle. Hopefully I can find someone who conquered that issue and is a living testimony to God’s grace.
We can apply this to any area of our lives. There is forgiveness when we confess to God. There is freedom when we confess to another believer.
God's solution is plain: Don't repress it; confess it! Don't conceal it; reveal it!
Ask God to show you someone you can trust as your confession partner. This is why you need to be committed to a local body of believers. You need to be in a small group, so you get to know other believers.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Holy Spirit guide me in my confession to live in freedom. Help me to develop authentic, meaningful relationships in the body of Christ.
“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”
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