The best way to agree with God in prayer

Second of a 4-part teaching series

by Dave Ficere

A Scottish proverb says confession is good for the soul. True enough, but it’s also a necessity if you’re to have a vibrant relationship with the Lord. The word “confess” means to say the same thing or agree with God about a transgression.

The Bible defines sin as falling short of God’s standards or missing the mark, somewhat like an archer who fails to hit the target. Scripture says “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), but as you confess your sins, He is “faithful and just” to forgive your sins (I John 1:9).

Psalm 51 is perhaps the best Biblical example of confession. Written by King David after his tryst with Bathsheba, the Psalm begins with a plea for mercy and a cry for cleansing:

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.” (Psalm 51:1-4)

David’s words are a good guide in how to approach the Lord with a true heart of repentance and a yearning to change.

You might ask if God is all knowing, why confess sin? Doesn’t He already know about it? The answer is yes, but the question misses the point: confession is not for His sake, but yours. Admission of wrong brings an acknowledgement that a thought, word or deed is displeasing to the Father. As the Holy Spirit reveals areas of sin, admitting it is a tangible way of agreeing with God that the behavior, whether in word, deed or thought, displeases Him and fails to meet His standard.

Confession also helps grow your faith by making you more sensitive to behaviors that aren’t pleasing to the Lord. While some sins are more obvious than others, it’s often the more subtle behaviors that can trip you up. Perhaps it’s an unkind thought toward a demanding boss, a sharp word to your spouse, or a gesture made to an obnoxious driver.

Pastor and author Dr. Erwin Lutzer says this: “Forgiveness is always free. But that doesn’t mean that confession is always easy. Sometimes it is hard. Incredibly hard. It is painful to admit our sins and entrust ourselves to God’s care.” Often it’s the little things that are most difficult to recognize. One secular writer put it this way: “It is not the criminal things that are hardest to confess, but the ridiculous and the shameful.”

Despite the fact that admitting to your waywardness is hard and often brings shame, it’s still a necessity. It is, St. Augustine says, the first beginning of good work. Proverbs 28:13 puts it this way: “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.”

Confessing one’s iniquity doesn’t necessarily remove its consequences. While David admitted his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, the consequence of her unplanned pregnancy remained. Although that child died, God ultimately used the illicit union as part of the genealogy that produced Jesus Christ.

As you pray, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal where you are missing the mark, then quickly confess that transgression, ask for forgiveness and let it go. As writer and Holocaust survivor Corrie ten Boom once said, “God casts your sin into the deepest part of the sea (Micah 7:19) and then posts a ‘no fishing allowed’ sign.”

In other words, once it’s forgiven, don’t dwell on what He’s already forgotten. If guilt returns, examine it to determine if it’s being rightly prompted by the Holy Spirit or if it’s Satan’s false attempt to beat you up for something already dealt with. If it’s the latter, remind yourself about the “no fishing” sign…and move on.

For further study:

Read Psalm 51:1-13. Make a list of all the requests David makes of the Lord. Then meditate on why David asked for each item…and how you believe David’s reception of those items from God benefitted him – and helped him “move on.”

Dave Ficere is one of the newest writers for the Presidential Prayer Team. His articles and writing have been featured in a wide array of media including radio promotions, devotional publications, websites, magazines and newsletters. Dave is married to Patt and works and lives in a suburb of Phoenix, AZ.