Ok...after reading through some of this material this week I have decided that there may be many times when a "step" or chapter will HAVE to be broken into at least 2 parts. There is so much in this book and it can be very overwhelming.
Today's lesson is titled "The Foundation of Confession".
In this chapter Stormie talks about how she came to know Christ, and about the first time she went to see a Christian counselor at the church she was attending. She spent time telling this counselor all about her abusive childhood, and about how for years now she has found herself in and out of these depressions that she described as "emotional blackouts". She questioned how this could still be happening to her even after she came to know the Lord, got a good husband, a home and had no financial worries for the first time in her life. The counselor looked at her once she was finished and said, "You have bondage, Stormie, and you need deliverance." Bondage is the opression that comes upon us when we don't live the way we're suppose to. Deliverance breaks that oppression.
She then instructed Stormie to go home and write down EVERY sin that God brought to her mind. She told her to ask God to help her remember each incident, then to write it down and say, "God I confess this before You and ask Your forgiveness." She explained to Stormie that although we are forgiven of our sins when we accept Christ, we often live right in the middle of things from which God has liberated us. She went on to explain to her that, "recieving Christ meant being freed from this death grip. However, the bondage that accompanies each sin must have a point of severance through confession. Then she told her, "whatever you confess before God will release you from the bondage that accompanies it."
Remember, sin is an old archery term, meaning "to miss the bull's eye, or mark. Anything off the center of God's best and perfect will for our lives is sin. 1 John 5:17 says, "All unrighteousness is sin." When sin is left unconfessed, a wall goes up between us and God. Even though the sine may have stopped, it will still weigh you down. Stormie also wrote that there are many times we fail to see ourselves as responsible for certain actions. These are hidden sins. For example, while it's not your fault that soemone abused you, your reaction to it now is your responsibility.
Then in the workbook she asks us to begin this process starting with looking at the areas below and check in which areas we may have sinned. She says these are some pitfalls she will talk about in Step 6.
- Anger
- Criticism
- Envy
- Lust
- Lying
- Pride
- Rebellion against God
Then she says to be specific about the ways you have sinned in these or other areas during your childhood, your yough and your adulthood.
Moments in my Childhood:
Moments in my Youth:
Moments in Adulthood:
She then says to look back over the list and as you do so, say, "God, I confess this before You and ask Your forgiveness." Then think again. Ask God to reveal any hidden sins to you, and ask Him that same thing. Then she says to finally write a prayer asking God to fogive you for all the sins He has brought to your mind.
Ponder this:
"Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool." (Isaiah 1:18)
Stormie says that now that you have done this, you should take those pages and burn them. Your sins have been fogiven!
I did not write all this stuff down for me this time online. If so, I would not be able to burn them! You do the same. Our sins are only for us and God to know about, sure there may be a few that others are keenly aware of, but there are some that we wouldn't want ANYONE to know about I am sure! :)
Here are some scriptures to think on as you have this time of confession with God!
Proverbs28:13, John 1:9-10, Psalm 32:1-5, James 5:16, Mark 4:12, 2 Corinthians 2:10, 1 John 2:12
I will give you some time to ponder these things, then I will post the second half of this study; The Foundation of Ongoing Forgiveness
