Prayer of Confession

1 John 1:5-10 (NLT) This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you:  God is light, and there is no darkness in Him at all. 6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that His word has no place in our hearts.

Confession is admitting that our thinking and behavior aren’t in agreement with God’s ways or character.  

Confession is the meeting point between our sin and the blood of Jesus.

Genesis 3:8-9 (NLT) When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden.  So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

Genesis 3:21 (AMPC) For Adam also, and for his wife, the Lord God made long coats (tunics) of skins and clothed them.  

Mark 2:17 (AMP) When Jesus heard this, He said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need of a physician, but [only] those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners [who recognize their sin and humbly seek forgiveness].” 

Proverbs 26:11 (AMP) Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his foolishness. 

1.  Name it

2.  Own it

Psalm 51:1-4 (NLT) Have mercy on ME, O God, because of Your unfailing love.  Because of Your great compassion, blot out the stain of MY sins. 2 Wash ME clean from MY guilt.  Purify ME from MY sin. 3 For I recognize MY rebellion; it haunts ME day and night. 4 Against You, and You alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in Your sight.  You will be proved right in what You say, and Your judgment against ME is just. 

Psalm 51:7-12 (NLT) Purify ME from MY sins, and I will be clean; wash ME, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Oh, give ME back MY joy again; You have broken ME—now let ME rejoice. 9 Don’t keep looking at MY sins.  Remove the stain of MY guilt. 10 Create in ME a clean heart, O God.  Renew a loyal spirit within ME. 11 Do not banish ME from your presence, and don’t take Your Holy Spirit from ME. 12 Restore to ME the joy of Your salvation, and make ME willing to obey you. 

“God cannot cleanse our excuses.  God cannot pardon our denials.  God cannot cleanse that which we will not confess.  God cannot heal that which we will not admit.  There is no freedom without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without repentance.  Hiding creates darkness, and darkness destroys the soul.  You must resolve to walk in the light with God and others.”  —Rob Reimer 

3.  Confess it

1 Timothy 2:5 (AMP) For there is [only] one God, and [only] one Mediator between God and mankind, the Man Christ Jesus. 

James 5:16 (ESV) Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed [and restored].  

“A man who confesses his sins in the presence of a brother knows that he is no longer alone with himself; he experiences the presence of God in the reality of the other person.  As long as I am by myself in the confession of my sins everything remains in the dark, but in the presence of a brother the sin has to be brought into the light.”   —Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Joel 2:13 (NIV) Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love