Microsoft Word – 05_week 6_CONFESSION.doc

Reasons for Disobedience—A Spirit Check

FATHER, out of my sin nature that wants only to act like JESUS comes pernicious reasonings and evil intentions (Matt 15:19). FATHER, point out my resistance toward You through the following questions:

• Am I pleased or troubled about situations? Does my countenance depend on my comfort in the situation or do I forget about assessing my feelings and simply obey CHRIST (ref#76, p89)?
• Do I provide for myself instead of letting CHRIST supply my needs? Do I control, rule, serve and love myself and not turn to CHRIST for strength (ref#76, p91)?
• Do I judge myself? Do I settle in despondency dwelling on my faults or believe I am doing well and become puffed up (ref#76, p85)?
• Am I “an evangelical hypocrite who sins more safely because grace abounds, who tells his lusts that Christ’s blood cleanseth them, who reasons that God cannot cast him into hell, for he is saved, who loves evangelical preaching, churches, Christians, but lives unholily” (ref#76, p72)? O FATHER, my “every sense, member, faculty, affection is a snare to me” (ref#76, p74). Sin is my downfall (Ezek 18:30) and “my greatest snare is myself” (ref#76, p74). Thank You for revealing the rebellion lurking in my members. Thank You for cleansing me from these hidden faults as I admit to them. I don’t want sin to control me (Ps 19:12,13). Through this confession turn my face toward You once again so that I may express extravagant love to You.

“O GOD, MY EXCEEDING JOY, Singing thy praises uplifts my heart, for thou art a fountain of delight,
and dost bless the soul that joys in thee” (ref#76, p189).

Isaiah 64

“Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence—
as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil—” (Isa 64:1-2 ESV).

“From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for him” (Isa 64:4 ESV).

“…Behold, you (LORD) were angry, and (I) sinned;…

(I) have…become like one who is unclean,…
(I) fade like a leaf, and (my) iniquities,
like the wind, take (me) away” (Isa 64:5-6 ESV).

But, “…O Lord, you are (my) Father;
(I am) the clay, and you are (my) potter;

(I am) …the work of your hand.

…Behold, please look,…” (Isa 64:8-9 ESV) draw me back to You.

Fear of the LORD

FATHER, Your Son delighted in the fear of You (Isa 11:3) and Isaiah the prophet predicted it will be Zion’s treasure (Isa 33:6). It is my delight as well. This day give me the ability to recognize some aspect of You that will produce fear.

Understanding the fear of You is to receive Your words and treasure Your commands seeking them intently (Prov 2:1,4,5). You say, the fear of You is the beginning of wisdom—it is insight and understanding (Prov 9:10).

There are two kinds of fear—paralyzing fear and energizing fear. Paralyzing fear comes to people who have no relationship with You when they recognize Your authority over them.

Your presence produces energizing fear though, for a Christian. Fear becomes an excitement waiting for what You will do next.

FATHER, I ask that energizing fear pull me out of my obsession with myself and into Your world of Your surprises (ref#58, p17). With such fear I will easily understand I’m not the center of my existence; (ref#58, p28) nor want to be.

Without some comprehension of You and Your awesome activities, FATHER, everything I do is a self-help project. When You and I are not close I become comfortable with myself and go about my daily business of setting goals and evaluating myself. But energizing fear makes me cast aside my predetermined plans and make an all-out effort to stay close to You (ref#58, p30).

No wonder CHRIST’s delight was the “fear of the LORD” (Isa 11:3). As Son of Man, He needed You, FATHER, minute by minute; His energized fear kept Him receiving miracle after miracle that filled Him with joy as well as moved Him through His earthly life accomplishing all Your will. Energizing fear, obedience, and joy come bundled together.

May I be like the first century church: …in possession of unbroken tranquility, being constantly built up and proceeding on its way in the fear of the Lord… (ref#37, p295, [Acts 9:31]).

Prayer Facts:

“The high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, who is the Creator and Governor of all worlds, who bears up the pillars of the universe, and to whom all the powers in heaven, in earth, and in hell are subject, is the glorious object to whom we address ourselves in prayer” (ref#61. April 26th).

Reasons for Waiting for GOD:

Because with You are perfect wisdom and might and You alone have true understanding (Job 12:13), I will wait for You.
Because whatever You do, it endures forever (Eccl 3:14), I will wait for You.
Because You are a stronghold in the day of trouble (Nahum 1:7), I will wait for You. Because Your communion and counsel are with me (Prov 3:32), I will wait for You. Because You know and are fully acquainted with my way (Ps 1:6), I will wait for You. Because You give wisdom and knowledge and joy (Eccl 2:26), I will wait for You. Because Your mercy and kindness and steadfast love endure forever (Jer 33:11), I will wait for You.

Impeccable

To You, O LORD, belongs righteousness (Dan 9:7).

You act “in a just, upright manner” (ref#110, p1156)—

“making no mistakes.”
You are inerrant (ref#110, p690).

FATHER, You are upright (Ps 92:15)

and, FATHER, You are innocent.
You are sinless (ref#110, p1253)—

“without defect or error” (ref#110, p676).

There is no unrighteousness in You (Ps 92:15).
You are incapable of failing,
and One absolutely infallible
for You are “dependable, reliable, sure” (ref#110, p691).

You are “without conditions or reservations;”

You are absolute—
Unconditional (ref#110, p1452)
and “incapable of wrong doing” (ref#110, p676).

JESUS is Able to Keep Me From Falling

FATHER, You have convinced me that You have removed my hard, evil heart of stone and replaced it with a soft, yielding, submitting heart of flesh (Ezek 36:26). I testify my desires have changed—my spirit testifies to it. Presently I know that I am saved, but,… will I endure to the end (Heb 3:14)?

I have times where I forsake You—saying, “No more, I’m leaving; You’re just too demanding.” It scares me how little it takes for me to arrive in that place. I worry that I’ll be in such a state when the end comes.

But, all honor to You for You have put Your affections on me. If You loved me at first (Rom 5:8) You will always love me. You keep Your part of the covenant (Ps 105:8) even if I don’t keep mine (Ps 78:10). You are chaste and display continual contentment with loving me (Zeph 3:17) even when I am unfaithful to You (Hos 3:1).

You also give others in return for me—people in exchange for my life (Isa 43:4). How can I ever think that any rebellion on my part would be able to separate the bond of Your covenant.

You, FATHER, who possess the power to create and uphold the world, keep me. You guard me through the faith You give me for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Pet 1:5). I may wander but the faith You provide
will always draw me back to You. You delight in making

me Your child (1 Sam 12:22). You make me know I’m Yours even when I am running from You.

Your Son, keeps me. He is my shepherd; He makes me able to hear His voice and follow Him and none shall ever pluck me out of His hand (John 10:27-28).

O POWERFUL FATHER, You will keep me to the end. CHRIST will present me faultless before You—with exceeding joy, He will present me to You (Jude 24-25).

How can I be so prideful to think that I have the power to control my destiny after You choose me for Your bride. This life is about Your desires, not mine.

You are so stable and I so unstable. To eternity Your love will never wane for me. And for this I am just not capable of expressing enough thanksgiving to You.

The SPIRIT’s Freedom and Power

FATHER, I think of Your nation Israel, at the time Ezra came to Jerusalem and found that the people had intermarried with the peoples of nearby lands (Ezra 9:2). In a manner of months they sent back home these foreign wives and their children (Ezra 10:3). LORD, this story certainly proves how powerful Your SPIRIT is as He enabled them to send away their family!

SPIRIT, the FATHER gives You to us powerfully. Comfort from the words and promises of CHRIST can sometimes break in through all opposition into the saddest and darkest condition imaginable just as was the case recorded in Ezra (ref#35, p375).

The FATHER also gives You to us freely. BOUNDLESS SPIRIT, You have freedom in Your operation meaning You can come as the Comforter unexpectedly (ref#35, p376).

SPIRIT-GIVING FATHER, I stand on the fact that You are able in an instant to do all I ask because of Your SPIRIT’s freedom and the strength of His power. I pray for ____. O SPIRIT, come and surprise (him/her)—impress upon (him/her) that all (his/her) comforts lie treasured up in the promises of CHRIST— that CHRIST provides hope in the darkest situations.

SPIRIT, surprise ____ by enabling (him/her) to come to CHRIST through Your freedom and power. AMEN.

Sharing In Pretense or Truth?

“Some preach Christ from envy but others from good will”(Phil 1:15 ESV).

FATHER, it’s not that ____ consciously preaches CHRIST out of envy; but, (he/she) can be envious unaware, therefore, I pray (he/she) set (his/her) thoughts on searching for the real reason (he/she) finds joy in telling people about CHRIST. (His/Her) actions can be simply acting the part, while (his/her) motives may not be purely good will. Some preach CHRIST so that they themselves can seem important (ref#56, p1719 [Phil 1:15-18]).

And humanly ____ is capable of desiring to be important.

In Matthew 7:21-23, LORD, You tell us we can be a service to Your Gospel and yet be shut out of eternal fellowship with You. Because of the gravity of that Scripture portion, I desire, FATHER, that You search ____’s heart for self-honoring sin. Is (he/she) sharing the Gospel or performing any other Christian service in pretense (Phil 1:18)?

Your Word, through the Apostle Paul, paints a picture of Christians accomplishing service to You in truth and in good will. He writes in Philippians 1:27-29: “…let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that…I may hear…that you are standing firm…and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign…of your salvation…For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,…” (ESV).

The HOLY SPIRIT gives ____ power and love and self-control (2 Tim 1:7). I want the SPIRIT to work Himself out in ____’s life. I want ____ to stand firm in power; I want (him/her) to love opponents and not be frightened by them; I want (him/her) to exercise self- control in (his/her) suffering. I want (him/her) to preach CHRIST from good will—thinking only of Your advancement, FATHER, and oblivious to any benefit for (himself/herself).

Armor of GOD

FATHER, help ____ gird (his/her) “loins in the sphere of truth” (ref#37, p457, [Eph 6:14]). Remind (him/her) that Truth is not found anywhere in the GOD-ignoring air of this world.

Help (him/her) clothe (himself/herself) with the breastplate of righteousness (Eph 6:14)— that is the sinless righteousness of CHRIST, full of power—power like You FATHER, exerted in raising CHRIST from the dead (Gal 1:1).

Help ____ sandal (his/her) feet with a firm foundation in the Gospel (Eph 6:15) by preaching it to (himself/herself) every day making it as much of a reality as the physical world (he/she) sees.

Cause (him/her) to remember to hold in front of (him/her) the shield of faith (Eph 6:16,17) and prod (him/her) to put on the helmet of (his/her) assurance of salvation.

Propel (him/her) to wield the sword of the SPIRIT that is Your infallible Word (Eph 6:17). (His/Her) shield, (his/her) helmet, (his/her) sword—surely this in where (he/she) will find (his/her) strength.

With all this armor that You, SUFFICIENT ONE, provide, (he/she) should be more than able to stand saying, “He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

Overwhelming Circumstances Are Okay

FATHER, You have set me on a course of looking for people to minister to—and I HAVE FOUND THEM! My initial reaction is very much like the sluggard in Proverbs. He says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets” (Prov 22:13)! How can I minister successfully to all that clamor for my attention? “There are too many; I will exhaust myself.”

LORD, when You command, I must do it immediately. Questioning is not a prerogative. Oswald Chambers says, “When you know you should do a thing, and do it, immediately you know more” (ref#7, June 8th). FATHER, has not Your inspiration come in the past, and has it not come with such miraculous power in such a way that I am able to “arise from the dead and do the impossible thing” (ref#7, Feb 16th)?

“Jesus is asking us to take one end of the yoke—‘My yoke is easy, get alongside Me and we will pull together’” (ref#7, April 14th).

Compel me, FATHER, to not be a sluggard. Continually remind me I am not responsible for Christian service (because You, Yourself do the work), but I am only responsible “to keep in living, constant, touch” with You (ref#7, April 23rd).

CHRIST says, “Follow me, run along behind Me! That is all” (ref#10, p 58). Advise me to “see only him who goes before and no more the road which is too hard for” me (ref#10, p88).

Remind me that “bewilderment is the true comprehension. Not to know where you are going is the true knowledge” (ref#10, p93).

Oh soul, do not run ahead or lag behind paralyzed in fear. FATHER, I desire to wait for You then run with You—for Your closeness is the place of rest. Strengthen my trust in You—weaken my trust in myself. Empower me to put all my hope in You for You are all steadfast love (Ps 33:22).