Deceived Word Night, August 19th-25th

Confession
Text: Psalm 51:1-17

Aspects of Confession:
1. Conviction: vs 1-2
2. Confession: vs 3-6
3. Sorrow: vs 7-12
4. Beg for Mercy: vs 13-17


1. What terminology do you use for your sin?  Do you dumb it down with phrases like "I messed up, I slipped up, I did some things I shouldn't have done" or are you real about the severity of your sin?  Start using words like "guilty, sinful, separated from God, and broken."  Even your language can have an impact on the conviction of your sins.  Start calling your sin our for what it is.  Not something small and insignificant, but something with HUGE ramifications and consequences.

2. Why should you confess?  Doesn't God already know what you've done?  Doesn't he already offer his people forgiveness through Jesus?  So why do we need to ask for it?  The death of Jesus on the cross doesn't negate the fact that we need to confess.  It just ensures that the availability of forgiveness is there.

3.  Does your sin ever remind you of an instant replay?  Does it constantly come to your mind?  How can un-confessed sin take over your life and force you to make decisions through a tainted mindset in the future?

4.  How can you be a slave to your sin?  Guilt, shame, remorse, depressions, guilty conscience, lose sleep, etc.

5.  Does God know your sin?  Yes, so does that make confession less scary?  Knowing that you aren't going to surprise Him, what else is there to fear?

6.  You were born a sinner, but don't use that as a crutch!  Don't fall into the trap of passing your sin off and blaming it on "your sinful nature, the depravity of man, etc."  Just because you were born a sinner doesn't mean it's an excuse to sin!

7.  What is the real problem of sin that you need to ask for help with?  Is it the actual actions, or your heart?  How is being forgiven for your outward sins and having an unchanged heart not actually helping the problem at all?

8.  God wants to use your story.  God wants to use your brokenness to impact people.  What do you need to do in order for your darkest hour to be used by God to draw people to Jesus?  How could God actually accomplish that and make your sinful life all about the Gospel?

 Some great prayers about your sins and confession:
1. God please break me of the sin in my life.
2. God use my broken life story to bring people to Jesus and to glorify God
3. God help me eliminate excuses in my life when I avoid confessing my sins to you
4. God set me free from myself and the bondage of guilt/shame/sin so that I can have freedom in Jesus