If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:6-9).
There is hope on the other side of hopelessness, light breaks the darkness, there is power in confession, and God ultimately defeats the devil. We have learned these truths as we diligently seek to understand how sin plays out in our earthly lives.
As we have made the decision to believe in the God of the Bible, we must acknowledge, per the good book's teaching, that satan exists and desires to keep us from the loving and protective grip of our Heavenly Father.
References to the evil ones' existence are numerous, beginning in the beginning, in the garden of bliss. There was but purity and innocence. It was man and God. No separation, no sin, no shame. Then came the slithering serpent and the start of a struggle between right and wrong, good and bad, and love and hate.
There was a time when we didn’t wholly buy into the omnipresent, damaging activity of the ultimate tempter. The touch of his presence in our lives was disguised as we felt un-Godly desires were natural and that our absorption was hurting no one. It was there, in that state, that he, the father of lies, had us right where he wanted us. We were being deceived by the supreme deceiver.
We have also come to believe that there are those he has won over, like us, and those he will win over. He is relentless. The angel of the abyss, the roaring lion of death, seeks to rule the world and everything in it. From this base of belief and acknowledgment, we proceed the best we know how, understanding that the further away we push from sin, the stronger his pull will become, for the struggle is real.
So then, where does the abovementioned hope come from? We suspect not from the victory over sin but from faith that God wins in the end, that we are forgiven despite ourselves, and that strength and joy come through the available brotherhood we experience while battling.
The healing Word
We are faced with thousands of choices each day, and we make decisions on these choices based on our guiding principles most of the time. In many instances, however, we let the lie of lucifer bend us towards actions not consistent with our actual values.
In our sinful way, we convince ourselves that we are affecting nobody but ourselves. An honest inventory almost always uncovered harm to other humans and hurt to the great healer, God himself.
The vicious cycle of struggle is not a surprise to the world's creator. The words of the Bible that guide us through life clearly convey, through hundreds of stories, the response that brings about harmony and healing; Confession and repentance are the two-punch remedy to remorse and shame.
Embracing Forgiveness
They say it is harder to forget than to forgive. We agree with this statement. We also agree with the sentiment that it is easier to forgive others than it is to forgive ourselves. We are not sure why we are our own hardest critics.
The good news of the Bible is as clear as it is concise. And we pray that every reader accepts the gift that is so painfully granted; the present of peace—for God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
Through death, we have life. The fact found in the message is that we are forgiven through the blood of Jesus. Why, if God has forgiven us, would we not joyfully accept the package, unwrap it, and live a life filled with peace and thankfulness?
A problem halved; a practice in practicality.
There is strength found in authentic accountability. We have experienced this great power. When we confess our struggles to ourselves, another human being, and God, strength and practical solutions almost immediately unfold. This potent formula repeats almost without fail.
This approach is not self-made but biblical. Freedom is found through confession.
Confession is the first step toward transformation. Trust in this truth brings about the courage to respond. The right response carries us toward reform and relief. Right-living delivers the peace God promises.
Like-minded brothers keep us on that path to peace. Reconciliation happens through solid relationships. Men have been encouraging men since stones started fires. Jesus himself encouraged us to confess. Jesus himself rallied other men to stand together for strength. If it worked for them, why would we not let it work for us now?
It starts with a simple prayer: Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned…
Thoughts and ideas for this blog post were taken and built upon from asweunderstandhim.coffee podcast “Rooted Week 5 "There is an enemy?" with Andy The podcast dropped on 9/10/2023. Click here to hear the podcast.
Photo by Jametlene Reskp on Unsplash
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