James 5:15-16 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 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.

In Nehemiah 9 the people of Israel enter into a period of confessing sin to the Lord. They confessed their own sin and the sins of their ancestors.

You might wonder what’s the point? If Jesus saved me – why an emphasis on confession at all?

This is a little off topic, but I think this will help us to have a healthy view of our present relationship with God. When you were saved, (trusting you are) that event was the beginning as well as an end of something.

What is the end? Salvation through Jesus is the end of the power and penalty of sin in your life. Many people see salvation as the end of a spiritual pursuit. The heaven ticket being punched, they are now on a ride into eternity. This is the craziest of notions, but none-the-less, people hold to it.

I want you to see that salvation is more of a beginning than an end. The moment you are saved, Jesus gives you power to execute what He said. Execute meaning, putting into practice what He promised is real.

So, you really do have the potential to walk away from sin, and the more freedom you pursue the more free you will be. You don’t pursue freedom, you won’t be free. Freedom from all the old stuff is not a benefit that happens at the moment of salvation. Freedom is choice to live out the power given to you when you received salvation.

Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV) Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

You can see it right? Work out your salvation? We are not working for our salvation, we are working out the power given to us to live free. Salvation of our eternity was accomplished on the cross by Jesus our Savior. Salvation of your future on this earth occurs as you pursue freedom in Christ’s gift.

Much about your future is dependent on the application of the power Jesus has given to you the day you were saved. We are going to be in bad shape our whole lives if we hold to the thought that salvation is the end of something rather than the beginning of a life of power through Jesus.

When we read that we are to confess our sin in James chapter five, maybe you think that those who should do this are the really bad sinners. Or, perhaps this is referring to those who are not saved and this is the act of getting saved. Nope.

James is talking straight at all believers. That’s you.

When is the last time you talked to the Lord about stuff going on in your life that shouldn’t be? Or talked to God about things that should be? And I am not referring to the opening of doors or jobs, relationships, etc.

Actually, I am speaking about…sin. God has given us the power to overcome sin in our life, as we choose to exert that power of Jesus, sin will disappear. If I am not confessing, I am not choosing the power of Jesus. How can I say that?

Well, none of us is sinless. So, it stands to reason that we have to exert Christ’s power where the sin occurs in our lives. James is saying, do that, and watch what happens. James says this kind of praying is very powerful as it works. Many can be healed physically through this too.

Today would you take time and simply confess the sin on your heart that you have been carrying around. God already knows about it and is prepared to dispose of it if you will give it to Him.

Father, thank You that we can confess our sin to You. You made this possible through Jesus the savior of our souls. How grateful we are that You have conquered the devil and he is submitted to you. We can be free. Lord, Holy Spirit, please lead us in a lifestyle of confession. Thank You Lord for making everything possible through Jesus.


Blessings,

Pastor D