The Purposes of Confession — Steve Mays

It's the 2012 summer of sermons with Steve Mays. Today on light of the word Pastor Steve Mays talks about the problem we have with confession.

The reason why we do not confess our sins is because we're not wrong. We've done nothing. It's everybody else. It's my kids. It's my wife. It's the pressure. It won't fly. I Sinned because that's what I wanted to do.

I did not take responsibility. To turn my life back to God. God you change me you help me.

In recent years the act of confession has been gaining in popularity. The internet alone now has dozens of websites that you can visit in order to admit your guilt and find Absolution for your sins. And as pastor Steve points out today the act of confession is real and beneficial.

But only when we take it directly to God he shares the purpose the power and the promise of confession. Here's pastor Steve to get us started.

The Biblical Foundation for Confession

Want to talk to you about first John chapter 1 verses 7 through 9 and If you are lost go all the way to the book of Revelation go backwards a couple books he says in first John in chapter 1 verse 7, but if we walk in the light as He is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanses us from all sins.

If We say that we have no sin we deceive ourself and the truth is not in us if we confess Our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness in verse 9.

Underline the word if then in verse 9 underline the word he is faithful just he and Then underline towards the very end us to cleanse us. That is the key and I'll share with you in just a few moments.

Confession and God’s Cleansing Power

There's a great story in Greek mythology. It is Concerning the importance of just Hercules and what he was called or commissioned to do. He was commissioned to cleanse this barn. So the story goes on that he picked up these two massive rivers and redirected them Towards the barn, of course, it just cleansed the barn and washed it thoroughly.

Then he placed once again the rivers back on their course. Now, we know that's not true. But that is exactly what God has done when he died for you and I 2 ,000 years ago with the blood of Jesus Christ he's able to come after sin with the power and the anointing of the blood of God and when you take the blood out of Christianity or you dismiss the word and you begin to deal with programs or society.

You're never going to solve the problem and John says in 1st John 1 9 if we confess our sins. Here's another translation if we confess our sins He is faithful. He will keep his promise and do what is right.

He will forgive us of our sins and purify us of all wrongdoing and one other Translation that's really neat. But if we confess our sins to him He can be dependent on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong and it is perfectly proper For God to do this because Christ died and washed away our sin.

And when you talk about the sin, it's something the church doesn't want to talk about. So what happens in the world is let's get rid of the sin. Let's don't deal with it. So today we have churches that don't deal with the blood or don't talk about sin and They rather talk about social issues not spiritual issues.

But the reality of the truth of God's Word is that God dealt with sin. You remember Adam he sinned and paradise was taken from him. You also remember that Achan there in the days of Joshua he sinned and God took his life and his family because he lied and cheated and Hid something that God told him not to do.

Gehazi was smitten with leprosy. Because he had sinned against God and you remember Uzziah the great king was smitten with leprosy because he became angry and violated the Word of God. And then I think once again of Moses here was a faithful man for 40 years in the wilderness.

Learning then he led Israel for 40 years. Putting up with the people they're murmuring. They're complaining and one moment God told him to speak to the rock. He beat the rock and God told him to come here and Moses walked up and God said why did you beat the rock?

God said to Moses. I didn't want you to beat the rock and because of your disobedience. You cannot go into the promised land. Now. Here's the truth of God's Word. There are consequences for our sin if we sin we might think we're getting away with it, but there's a consequence in our own guilt and It can divide a family it can destroy a nation.

It can destroy a home. It can destroy a life every single time and what I want to share are three things this morning number one the purpose of confession the purpose of confession is here we if we confess that's me that's not you and Secondly the power of confession the power of confession and verse 9 he is faithful.

It's not my wife. It's not reading the book. He God himself is faithful and then number three the promise of confession. Verse 9 to cleanse us. Now. Here's what I want to teach you one thing. It says in verse 9 we then in verse 9 He then in verse 9 us it has nothing to do with the congregation my wife my friends this has to deal with Steve Mays and God and When you come to take the Responsibility that in your life you have not lived up or you have sinned or your attitude is not pleasing or you're whining and complaining or whatever it might be and you go to God and God convicts you.

God Wants you to repent and if someone comes after you and you react in a wrong way. You've sinned if you judge and you do things or you criticize or gossip you've sinned the key is am I going to be responsible and when a person now listen very carefully when a person takes responsibility at that moment God will make greatness in your life the people that are great have come to a point of Responsibility it's not my wife.

It's not the church. I stand before you I take total Responsibility at that moment God begins to grow me up and I begin to understand the danger of me blaming. Everybody so number one so important the purpose of confession notice in verse 9 if we Confess our sins.

The Purpose of Confession: Taking Responsibility

Let's stop right there if so. The question is am I going to now some? Justify their sin you remember Adam. He looked right in God's eyes, and he said I never asked you for this wife. Did I ever ask you did I ever complain did I ever even tell you that I wanted this woman now?

I'll give you this God when you made her she was outstanding in the Hebrew. It's like she is like wow. This is your finest work, but now I've sinned because of this woman. So what did he feel. First of all her husband was a ding-a-ling so gals it hasn't changed a lot of years.

Secondly God looked at Adam and God said in his own heart. I am telling you to Do not eat of this tree. He was the leader. He was the man he was to take Responsibility, but it was easier for him to blame his wife than to take Responsibility so we see it today if you would be this wife, or if you would do this I could be so much better.

You're not doing better because you don't want to do better. You can have a wife. That's terrible Martin Luther's wife. Beat him over the head with a frying pan, but he was still faithful to God. Eventually they separated also I find very simply in this whole Relationship Eve was not innocent.

She came before God and she said I'm not responsible. You made this serpent. He beguiled me. So Eve is as guilty as Adam. Did I tell you? Eve yes, but the serpent beguiled me the serpent said timeout.

You made me and you could have stopped me from stumbling, but you didn't guess what we blame everybody. Even God, but we will not take responsibility. So the number one problem I see today the reason why we do not confess our sins is because we're not wrong.

We've done nothing. It's everybody else. It's my kids. It's my wife. It's the pressure if I go out and commit adultery and I say to the congregation I was just kind of stressed out because of five services.

It won't fly. I went out because it was in my heart. I sinned because that's what I wanted to do. I did not take responsibility. To turn my life back to God if I go after drugs, it's because I want the drugs and so when I take Responsibility, it means I'm able to humble myself.

Acknowledge work through the process. I'm the problem. Maybe my wife has sinned. Maybe my kids have sinned, but I'm not acting like Christ. So if I'm not acting like Christ, everybody's guilty. God you change me you help me.

Concealed Sin, Broken Fellowship, and Restoration

Also, I find that some cover their sin it's easier just to bury your sin. But I want to tell you you think you've hit it. Everyone else knows you haven't because it changes your attitude. It makes you mean it makes you bitter.

It makes you isolated and that's what happened with David. He sinned. He covered it. He thought he got away with committing adultery. But Nathan came back the Prophet and he said to David thou art the man.

In other words God knew and with Moses he buried the Egyptian. Because he looked this way and he looked this way. He thought he got away with it, but he didn't look up. So sometimes we just bury things thinking that we'll just deal with it later on but there's a consequence.

Let me give you an example. If you have children and you have to discipline your son and you send that kid to the room have you broken Relationship. No, he will be your child your rebellious two-year-old child or your teenager, whatever it might be.

But if that teenager or that child comes back and says dad or mom, I'm sorry. Instantly fellowship is restored if that child goes out and murders. You are still his parent though you disagree. He's going to jail you have a relationship with that boy forever.

Fellowship is broken when you sin your fellowship is destroyed. The relationship is not you need to understand that because Christ died for your sins and the pain and the agony. Begins to convict you and you feel a distance between you and God.

There's a silence, but the moment you say I can't handle this I need to make it right with God and you humble yourself. Then at that moment it brings you to the next thing notice purpose of confession.

The Power of Confession: Forgiveness and Redemption

Humble me. The second is the power of confession the power of confession. It brings forgiveness. So if I confess my sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins. Now that's it. You say well Steve.

I read all these books doesn't make a difference and you know I've gone to all your teaching doesn't really count. Well, what do you mean? God is the only one that can forgive you. Well help me understand this.

Okay, you've sinned people know it they will not forgive you. They don't like you your wife doesn't like you your kids don't like you business partners don't like you because you've made a mistake. You acknowledge that mistake you ask God to forgive you.

God instantly forgives you they don't. There's consequences because you let people down. But God instantly the moment you confess begins to build your life. He pours into you forgiveness. He redeems you restores you he begins to revive you.

He begins to make you Understand God's goodness. Now, here's the problem if God's doing this, why can't people see it? Because. Something hasn't happened in your life. Yes, God has forgiven you. Yes. God has redeemed you and oftentimes God restored David.

But his wings were clipped and God restored you remember Jonah. But he was still a rebellious man and God restored so many people in the Old Testament. When all of a sudden Naomi was here she went out To Moab where she should not have gone.

She buried her husband her two boys. When she turned around to God and she acknowledged that she was in the wrong place the moment She took a step there was forgiveness and guess what? There was a harvest and she took another step.

She's in the house or the yard or the field of Boaz. So the moment you turn God begins to build your life. Humans will not do that. You hurt your wife. You're gonna pay the price for a while. You hurt those kids.

They're gonna remember it, but the Bible says God will not remember your sins. Let me tell you right now the thing that I need to get through my heart and your heart is that I need to go to God if God is with me who can be against me if those are hurt.

God will make them believe but God wants to do a work in my heart and I come to realize that Jesus on that cross said father forgive and God brought restoration. So in forgiveness, there's power. There's an anointing.

There's a tremendous work. The third thing I want to end up the most important. Because I believe that we've been confessing and I believe that we've been forgiven. But this is where I believe the church is at today.

The Promise of Confession: Cleansing and Sanctification

We have not been cleansed notice the third point purpose of confession and then the power of Confession and lastly the promise of confession. It brings cleansing to cleanse us from all Unrighteousness now, here's what he's saying and very carefully.

Let me lay it out. When you sin against God. You break fellowship. You have separated yourself because of sin not relationship fellowship. When you confess you've humbled yourself. God will exalt you and all of heaven goes crazy.

Because to humble yourself is contrary to your nature. When you ask obedience of God heaven goes crazy because that's not practical today. But when God sees a man or a woman say I take total responsibility.

Like David against you and you only have I sinned. Another words I have sinned or like the prodigal son father against you. Have I sinned? No blame whatsoever. When that really happens and you say it's just time for me to grow up.

Then God Instantly at that moment begins to work and build your life. Nothing else is like it. He begins to give you confidence. He begins to restore the years that canker worm has eaten up. He begins to show you brand new things.

He opens your eyes to the realm of the spirit. Oh people are criticizing people are judging you people are talking about you. Listen you have to hang out with God and this third thing is the most important.

He wants to cleanse your life and what that means very simply is so cool. When they had a leper and when Jesus healed that leper. That leper had to go present himself to the priest. The priest then would place him inside of this room for seven days at the end of seven days.

There would be no reoccurrence of leprosy. The priest would bring him out and the priest would touch him the moment that priest would touch him. He was touched by God. Now. This is where I think the big problem is.

Many of us have been forgiven. Most of us have not been touched. So we live in guilt. Oh, I could have done it better at home. Well, sure you could have well I could have been more loving to my wife. You should have well, I could have been more faithful.

Yes, you could have. Okay. So what now? What are you gonna do? Well, I'm so overwhelmed and so insecure and so beat-up and so Hurtful. I'm just gonna be nothing in my life. And so Millions are stopping what God wants to do.

Yes, I was molested. But I'm not gonna let that hold me back. From turning that thing around and telling you that listen if I can make it you can make it. I'm not gonna be a victim. I'm gonna be victorious in these things in my life.

Yes, I was shot and then I remember smoking a pencil and Filling the house up with water and being an LSD and and my mom walked in and I was all naked. I was messed up and I flooded the whole house. And then I remember going in and paint my mom's kitchen black Windows and everything and I thought she'd be really happy.

She was really mad and I thought God You have made me whole. You by your grace have made me whole. When God touches your life and God sanctifies your life, then you will never be ashamed of who you are.

So no matter where you've been. What you've done. Maybe a divorce or maybe Something that you've done and people are just hurting you and you are being judged. Listen to me very carefully. The reason why people are not respecting you is because you have been forgiven.

But that's where you are and because you've been forgiven and God loves you. You're walking through life like what was me? I'm just nobody. I'm never gonna be what God wants me to be. I don't believe that.

I believe you come back to God and he touches you. You remember the one leper that came back? He said where are the nine and then he said to the leper go and behold. The moment God touches you he anoints you and when God anoints you then something happens.

You begin to rise you begin to turn that depression into rejoicing you begin to take God's Word and you begin to build your life on it and I remember the day that God touched me. He took away the shame.

Took away the guilt. Took away the embarrassment and now I can share it. Laugh about it and you just say oh my goodness. You're kidding me. No. But I can stand before you with no shame and say to you bless it be the name of God because I 35 years ago said God I Take responsibility.

I'm a sinner Stephen. I'm gonna build your life. I'm gonna teach you forgiveness. It's gonna take some time others are not gonna trust you, but you're gonna grow and Then one day God touched me. Made me whole and at that day. I became a leader.

Confession as the Beginning of God’s Calling

God wants you to be a leader. God wants you to be the head not to tell. God wants you to take your children your family your business and everything in your life to the very top. You start with confession.

I take full responsibility. That my family my business my life is not where it should be. I take responsibility really. Yeah. Well, then I'd like to step in and God's gonna say man, let me help you. God before you who can be against you.

Oh, man all the years Stephen don't do that. Let me touch you. Restore your mind restore your heart now I'm gonna use you and you become a vessel and an instrument in the hand of God. There's a poem I'll leave you with Holy Spirit love divine grow within this heart of mine.

Kindle every high desire. Perry self in thy purifier. If I could just touch the hem of his garment the woman said if I could just touch him I'd be healed Lord. Let me touch you. Then Daniel tells me and then God touched him.

It's wonderful when God touches me. But it's equally wonderful when I touch him.

Closing Testimony and Program Invitation

That's pastor Steve Mays Sharing the purpose the power and the promise of confession one of our most requested messages from last year. You know every now and then we hear pastor Steve share bits and pieces from his testimony.

Contrasting his hoodlum past with the man. We know now here in light of the word. But if you've ever been curious to hear that whole story Let us invite you to request the autobiographical book by Steve called a heartbeat from hell.

It's a great book. Desperate hopeless and literally sleeping in the gutters is where Steve was at one point in his life. He'd been shot and he was wanted by the authorities. Well then one day something happened his whole life changed.

The Lord took Steve from the gutter to grace. Literally a Heartbeat from hell is an inspiring example of how God can use us to the fullest even when we're weak and disabled. It's a reminder that God has a wonderful plan and purpose for all who choose life in Jesus.

This incredible account is one you won't be able to put down. The books also been published in Spanish. So if Spanish would be more enjoyable for you, or maybe a better translation to give to a friend or family.

Ask for un Latino del infierno. Get your copy today at light of the word. Org. That's light of the word. Dot o-r-g or give us a call at 1 -800 -339 wise. That's eight hundred three three nine WISE when we continue Steve shows that God wants to hear from you in good times and bad.

A Word on effective prayer when SOS continues here on light of the word.