Power of Confession and Prayer
JOHN SHIRK – James 5:16 says, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
Dr. Alvin Vander Griend talks about two powerful forces at work in the world. Sin and prayer. He says, “Not only does sin hinder prayer; prayer hinders sin. The two are always opposed. The more careless we are about sin, the less we will pray. The more we pray, the less careless we will be about sin. Which one is moving you?”
Jesus invites us to bring our sins into the light through confession. This does not mean we necessarily have to share all our sins with everyone we know. But there are proper occasions to confess our sins to others. Perhaps we have wronged someone and want to make it right, or we seek support from another Christian to help us stay true to our commitment to follow Christ. By dealing with our sins openly and honestly, the power of sin loses its grip over us, and the barriers to prayer are removed.
That’s today’s Mission Statement for representing Jesus in the world today.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
I loved this word. Confessing sin is so very powerful. It literally takes the power out of the sin because it is then exposed to the light. Sharing that confession with another believer, one who will not only pray but hold the other accountable, is so very powerful. Confessing fear, unbelief and even hidden needs is as powerful as confessing other sins as well. When we “come clean” with our brothers and sisters in the Lord…oh what He can do! Thank you for this word!
(Matthew 18:20)