If We Confess

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

One of the most powerful and often overlooked principles in the Kingdom is that God responds to repentance. He does not respond to performance, religious activity or how long you have been saved. He responds to genuine repentance.

When the nation approached John and confessed their sins in the Jordan River, something shifted in the spirit. The stage was being set. That entire nation was being cleansed and prepared for the greatest event in human history: the arrival of the Son of God.

First John 1:9 makes it simple. If you acknowledge your sin, God is faithful to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. It is not just some; it is all. That is a complete cleansing. That is God wiping the record clean and making you a clean vessel again.

The problem is that too many believers want God to do big things, but they are holding onto things they know they should let go of. They pray long prayers and believe God for great blessings. However, they won't deal with the sin sitting right in the middle of their lives, like an obstacle. You can't ask God to bless what you refuse to surrender.

If you want God to move greatly, you need to turn away from your sin. It is not because God is keeping score to punish you, but because sin causes separation. When you're out of alignment with God, you can't receive what He wants to give you.

Repentance restores the flow.

Practical Application

Don't let pride prevent you from accepting the cleansing God offers. Approach Him honestly today. Acknowledge what you've been holding onto or walking in, because He already knows. He's not waiting to condemn you. He is faithful, just, and ready to cleanse you completely.

Proverbs 28:13; Psalm 32:5