I stood in worship silently pleading with God to help me in what seemed to be one of the biggest tests of my faith to date. I was angry with myself because it seemed I just couldn't get it right. One step forward and two step backwards. I was frustrated. I had prayed, fasted, and repented … repeatedly, but I kept falling.
My silent struggle with sin and forgiveness ended when God led me to reach out to one of my accountability partners. I reluctantly contacted her and she eagerly agreed to meet with me. Knowledgeable of my tendency to isolate myself during times of stress she was happy to share my burden. Tears spilled into my frozen yogurt as I rehashed the events of the last few weeks. The weight that had unknowingly settled in my spirit was lifted with each anguish filled confession.
“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”James 5:16 (NLT)
Confession is two-fold. Confessing our sins to God affords us an ability to receive forgiveness and be cleansed of the residual stain of sin. It’s easier to share our sins in private with God. However, there are times when we may need to share our sins with other people. Confessing our sin to other people affords them an opportunity to stand on our behalf in prayer and it enables God to work through them to help us experience healing.
I was granted forgiveness when I confessed my sin of unfaithfulness and idolatry to God. I was afforded encouragement and strength to overcome the ensnarement of this stronghold in my life when I confessed it to my accountability partner.
So, today if you feel trapped within the grips of a habitual sin then ask God to reveal a friend, accountability partner, mentor, sister, or leader that can help with your healing process through confession. When you feel ensnared or incapable of breaking a particular stronghold remember that God works through people. The enemy seeks to keep us in isolation because he knows the power of fellowship and prayer amid believers. It’s time that WE recognize the power of fellowship and prayer and refuse to isolate ourselves when we undergo grave tests to our faith. Let’s drop the facade and invite others to help us in our struggle. Confess to God. Experience His forgiveness. Go one step further and confess to a faith-filled person and be healed.
Ashley Ivery is a single mother of two brilliant children, Aiden and Devyn, with an overwhelming desire to empower women and help them to realize the importance of a relationship with God. Through her writing she hopes to encourage women to claim their strength and value in Christ. She graduated from Fayetteville State University in 2012 with a BS in Psychology. Her motto is: "Be Authentic. Live Honestly. Dispel Light."
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