A Biblical View of Revival - Part 1 Have you ever tried describing the unique beauty of a precisely cut, high-quality diamond? With every turn of the gem, a new facet of light and design emerges. This same experience happens when we look intently at biblical and historical revival. For the Christian, every view of God’s supernatural work in reviving His children reveals an inspiring glimpse into His compassionate glory and power. Over the next several months, our goal is to examine some of the key facets of that for which so many are praying—revival and spiritual awakening! The best place to start is with God, for revival always seems to be present in His loving heart. Throughout the pages of Scripture, God is seen calling His children into an intimate love relationship with Himself. The Greek word for “know” used in John 17:3 expresses this so clearly; when Jesus was praying to the Father, He said, “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” Knowing God and His Son is so much more than just discovering and agreeing that the biblical details about His existence, character, and actions are true. When this particular word for “know” is used, it indicates that at some point in time, a genuine love relationship between God and an individual begins and then continues growing and maturing throughout that person’s lifetime. God desires that both today and throughout eternity, His followers experience the same kind of personal intimacy with Him that He experiences with His own Son. Jesus again underscored this high level of intimacy when He said in John 14:20-21, “In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who . . . loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” And once again in His high-priestly prayer of John 17, Jesus continued accenting God’s divine plan of intimacy when He said in verses 22-23, “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.” The apostle Paul certainly understood this oneness with God. He defined the goal of this divine intimacy in Romans 8:29-30. “Those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” In other words, God is calling His children into this glorious love relationship in order to transform them into the image of His Son. When God’s called followers live in the fullness of this Spirit-filled relationship, like Jesus, they will bear the kind of spiritual fruit that proves them to be God’s children and brings Him the greatest amount of glory (John 15:8). So why is revival always in God’s heart? God so longs for this intimacy with His children that when they depart from Him through disobedient sin or neglect, He cannot idly stand by and watch His beloved followers hurt themselves or bring dishonor to the covenant relationship He has established with each and every one of them. In Psalm 85:6, the psalmist indeed asked the right question: “Will You not Yourself revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?” For individuals and groups of Christians, God alone is the author of revival—the only One who can take earthen vessels and fill them anew with the treasure of heaven (2 Corinthians 4:7). Now, if all of this is true, and God alone is the One who brings revival into the lives of His children, how does He go about bringing this to pass? What does He do to get His children to cooperate with His plan? We’ll answer these questions in Part 2 of this series next month! Part 2 - God’s Discipline Flows from His Love

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Have you ever been in a season of spiritual waiting? For Jews this was the period following Passover and leading up to Shavuot (commemorating the giving of the Law/Torah). Christians also embrace this time of waiting from Easter to Pentecost. After the Resurrection of Jesus, He spent 40 days with the disciples. He ate with them, taught them, and demonstrated His resurrected life. But after 40 days, He ascended to the Father and told them to wait in Jerusalem for the promised Spirit. It’s rare to find someone who likes to wait. Perhaps though, that is an attribute we should seek to be better at. We are certainly commanded often in scripture to wait on and for the Lord. Waiting paid off for those first disciples. Ten days of prayer, worship, and waiting on the Lord led them to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. They would never be the same as they received the promise of the Father. When you are in a season of waiting, press into that. Make it a time of prayer and anticipation. What is God about to do? Our waiting upon the Lord is an active time that places everything in the hands of the Lord. Though we live post-Pentecost and the Spirit has come to us, we still wait on the Lord and fresh fillings of His Spirit. The timing of the Lord’s work and purposes are still in His hands and we pray with increased passion and anticipation during these days of waiting. Look up, your redemption draws near! How to Pray in a Time of Waiting Lord, in my waiting, help me to be strong and filled with courage. “Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord” (Psalm 27:14). Lord Jesus, in my waiting, lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation. “Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day” (Psalm 25:5). God Almighty, in my waiting, help me to have patience as Your return is near. “Now as for you, dear brothers who are waiting for the Lord’s return, be patient, like a farmer who waits until the autumn for his precious harvest to ripen” (James 5:7). Holy One, in my waiting, may Your integrity and uprightness preserve me. “Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You” (Psalm 25:21). Father, Your word says that if I will wait for You I will gain new strength, mount up with wings like eagles, run and not get tired and walk without becoming weary! Help me to trust You for these promises. “Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary” (Isaiah 40:31).

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Over the past several years, God has been stretching my creativity and my imagination in prayer. It has been such a refreshing season of growth for me, as I am one who, in the past, tended to get stuck in comfortable ruts. Like many of us, I grew up praying with my head bowed, eyes closed and hands foldedin my lap. I was often told that this posture came about as an effective way to keep children from doing what they shouldn’t do during prayer time. The practice continued into my adulthood, as I was never taught another way. Even in worship services, it is common to hear the admonition to “close your eyes and bow your heads” as we are led in prayer. As I studied the Bible, I discovered multiple examples for utilizing our bodies and our voices in prayer. This started a rich practice of utilizing the numerous ways God’s people in Scripture and throughout the ages sought and responded to Him in prayer and intercession. I highly recommend letting the Holy Spirit speak to your heart and guide you (and/or your family, small group, etc.) into what may seem unusual or strange to you at first, but which may give your prayer lives fresh life! Following each, I will give you one or two suggestions for utilizing the practice. Bow Your Head or Body Bowing heads or bodies shows reverence and submission to God as an act of worship– Genesis 24:26-27 (Abraham’s servant bowed low in worship to God when his very specific prayer had been answered); Exodus 34:8-9 (Moses bowed his body toward the earth and made his request before God). Have each family member give one or two prayer requests. Bow your heads or bow to the ground and pray over those requests together. Kneel Kneeling has always been a universal sign of submission and obedience – Daniel 6:10 (Daniel knelt three times a day, praying and giving thanks); Luke 22:39-44; Matthew 15:25; 2 Chronicles 6:12-14. Pray for your unsaved family and friends as you kneel together before the Lord. If you feel led to, spread your hands toward heaven, as King Solomon did. Raise Hands Raising or spreading out our hands as a sign of both praise and petition – (The Hebrews used their hands to show their dependence upon God and their respect for Him. Lifting up holy hands was the common prayer posture among the Jews and the early Christians. Lifting their hands symbolized an expectant attitude and trust in God–that He would fill their empty hands with His blessings) Exodus 9:29; Exodus 17:10-13; 1 Kings 8:54-55; Psalm 63:4; Psalm 141:2; 1 Timothy 2:8. Pray for the leaders of your nation, your state, and your community. Lift up holy hands together as you do. Pray that God will give them wisdom and discernment. Pray for their health and protection. Pray for their families. Stand Standing is a sign of reverence and respect – 1 Chronicles 23:28-31 (The Levites were instructed to stand every morning and evening to praise the Lord); 2 Chronicles 20:2-9; Luke 18:9-14. Stand alone or together and give praise to God. Take turns thanking Him for all of the blessings He has brought into your lives. If you want, say short sentence prayers like this: “Lord, I praise You for_____.” Lie Prostrate Lying prostrate before the Lord – This is a position taken in times of deep, intense, emotional prayer. There is no more humble position than this one. Deuteronomy 9:18-20, 25-27 (Moses lay prostrate before God for 40 days and nights); 1 Chronicles 21:16-17; Matthew 26:39. Think of some deeply important needs–your own or someone else’s. Perhaps someone is struggling with a life-threatening disease or some kind of life crisis. Perhaps sin has been weighing you down–this would be an appropriate position in which to confess and ask the Lord for forgiveness. Or maybe you need to ask God something very important. Come before the Lord on behalf of these requests, and lie face down before the Lord. You can pray quietly by yourself or pray out loud with others. Look Up Looking up – (Jesus looked up when He gave thanks for the loaves and fish) Mark 6:39-44. As you give thanks for a meal, look up to heaven as you do. Spend time thanking the Lord for the way He has provided everything you need–your food, your clothing, your housing. Look toward heaven when you pray. Pray Quietly Spend some time praying quietly. – 1 Samuel 1:9-18 (Hannah prayed quietly before the Lord). God is perfectly capable of hearing our thoughts when we pray silently. There are times when praying in this way is very appropriate. We need to learn as an individual or a family to be comfortable with silence, because out of silence the Lord often speaks very clearly. Spend some time together in silent prayer. Ask the Father to speak to your heart. If you have trouble concentrating, picture Jesus in your mind and concentrate on Him. Shout Shout your praise to the Lord – Psalm 66:1-4 (The director of music was directed to shout for joy before the Lord in this psalm.) Psalms 71:23; 95:1; 98:4-6. It is certainly appropriate to cry out to the Lord in times of desperate prayer. It is also appropriate to raise our voices in praise! Try praising God in a loud voice, saying Acts 4:24: “Sovereign Lord . . . You made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.” Conclusion It is important to learn that if we seek the Lord, He will be found by us (1 Chronicles 28:9). It is also important to know that our Heavenly Father rewards those who seek Him in faith: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). Model this passage: “Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Look to the LORD and His strength; seek His face always” (1 Chronicles 16:10-11).

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries One of the greatest dangers in the Christian life is stagnation. It happens when we quit moving. There are lots of reasons why we quit moving and growing. Sometimes it just isn’t easy and we decide to stay where we are. It’s easier to stay than go. The press of other issues in life sometimes cause us to stop right we are spiritually. Obstacles from situations or other people often bring our spiritual progress to a halt. One of the most dangerous reasons is simply lack of vision. We’ve been growing, we are doing things in the Kingdom, we are seeing God move and there can come that moment of feeling we have arrived. The failure to have the spiritual vision that challenges us to keep moving is deadly. Psalm 84 is a tool God has used to continually challenge me to keep moving – especially in my prayer life. I have used this powerful psalm to keep myself on a prayer pilgrimage. It is interesting that Psalm 84 speaks of pilgrimage (vs 5) because the whole psalm is really about dwelling in God’s house. How do you dwell somewhere, yet still be on a journey to that place? I think that apparent contradiction is why it appeals so much to me. You see, that’s where I am spiritually. Through Jesus, I now dwell in God’s house. Indeed, it can be said that you and I are God’s house in which He dwells through His Spirit. That is just solid biblical teaching. But in living this out, I discover that I am on a journey – a journey of awareness of Christ’s presence in me. And like any journey, I must keep moving if I am to arrive at my destination. Without setting my heart on the pilgrimage of continually being attentive to the truth that Jesus lives within me, I will forget the amazing truth that I not only can, but am even now dwelling in the House of God! It is prayer that keeps me walking in this state of alertness. “Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.” (Psalm 84:5-7)

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven!” We have all made this declaration thousands of times, and yet, there are so many insidious ways that the enemy of our souls finds to take our hearts off of God’s heavenly will for His kingdom on earth. When I first married my husband, I was so grateful to God that I unintentionally allowed Dave to become an idol in my life. This is, I believe, not an unusual occurrence when people are deeply in love with one another; however, it never occurred to me that this had become so until my husband pointed it out one day. With great humility he sat me down and explained that I was putting way too much spiritual expectation on his meeting my needs and had begun to make my relationship with him more of a focus that my relationship with God. As he opened my eyes to this very glaring fact, I knew it instantly to be true. My love for Dave had superseded my passion for the presence of God. I was becoming more and more content in depending upon my husband to meet every need and fulfill every desire and to give me guidance and counsel. Some of this dependence is not inherently bad…but it was growing to a point of becoming spiritually dangerous for me, as well as for my husband. Dave was, of course, flattered and happy to be my “everything” but he began to see a lessening in how his wife was pursuing the presence of Christ in all things. How blessed I am to have married this man, for he was unpretentious enough to guide me back to the One my heart should always be fully captivated by. My kingdom life and work could have been damaged and/or delayed by the enemy’s attempt to distract me – even with something as wonderful as my new spouse! The Devil is devious and underhanded to do such a thing, but he is so successful at it that many Christians, myself included, can easily fall prey to it. Perhaps your distraction is not a person, but might be technology, a hobby, the busyness of your life, doing good and valuable kingdom things, etc. The Devil knows where we are weak and most likely to be tempted…sometimes it doesn’t take long before we are physically and/or mentally caught up in the presence of what is not God’s intent for us. The key is to recognize when this is beginning to happen to us and to find victory. For some of us, it will mean a greater effort, for we have already become addicted or distracted. We must help one another and encourage each other to be faithfully yoked to Jesus over all other distractions (even those that seem to be kingdom-focused). That said, how can we pray for God’s best kingdom life each day? Here are several to get you started: Father, help me to have a repentant heart for all of the times I have placed others and other things above or before You! Give me a deeper desire to soak in Your perfect presence so that I will want nothing more than I want You! Forgive me for my inattentiveness and neglect. Forgive me for my wandering heart and thoughts. Forgive me for straying from Your kingdom in favor of my own! “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). Grace-filled God, help me to keep my eyes fixed upon Your face and my ears listening for Your voice today. Help me not to waver to the right or to the left but to walk in the way You guide me for Your kingdom’s sake. “Love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him” (Deuteronomy 30:20); “I will meditate on Your precepts and fix my eyes on Your ways” (Psalm 119:15); “Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil” (Proverbs 4:25-27). Father, protect me from the temptations and roadblocks the Enemy puts in my path to “cut in on” my journey to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those You put in my path. May I never be so distracted that I am not fully aware of a divine appointment or a task You place in front of me. You were running a good race. “Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth (Galatians 5:7)? Holy Spirit, help me to put on Christ daily and to clothe myself in the armor of God each day so that I might be prepared for the battle. May I be continually aware of wearing the righteousness of Jesus. “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:10-17). Lord Jesus, give me the strength to turn away from the things that I tend to spend so much time with that they have become or have the potential to become idols in my life. Give me quick recognition right now of anything that I need to say “no” to in order to say “yes” to You! Help my everyday life to be a reflection of Your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven! “Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts” (1 John 5:21).

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries I am amazed at the clear insight God granted King David in so many areas, including giving and possessions. In his later years, David gathered everything needed for his son Solomon to build the Temple of God, a place of worship. As you read his heartfelt prayer (and, I suggest, you read all of 1 Chronicles 29 to get the full picture of this extraordinary generosity that was displayed by the people of Israel), we can learn three important principles about generous, prayerful giving. “David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, “Praise be to you, Lord, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.” “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you” (1 Chronicles 29:10–17). Extraordinary generosity comes from the realization that everything we have comes from our great, powerful and majestic God. So few people today understand this, but David nailed it more than 3,000 years ago! It is this understanding of God as the Owner of all things that forms the basis for extraordinary giving…not just of our finances, but also our time and our talents. Prayer: Father, I recognize that all of my finances, possessions, time and talents come from You alone. Help me to continually remember this! Show me how to hold loosely to all of these things, so that giving them up for Your use is a pleasure and a joy rather than something I dread or do out of guilt or a sense of “duty.” Help me to consider the amount of time I waste each day that could be utilized for Your purposes! Give me a passion for Your kingdom and ideas about how to use my discretionary time. And Lord, please give me wisdom and creativity to use the talents I have to bring honor and glory to You! Extraordinary leaders give generously by example from willingness and from the integrity of their hearts. King David had insight to know that he needed to lead the way. He could not simply ask others to give without demonstrating his own desire to be generous. David went above and beyond, freely out-giving everyone! His generosity was an encouragement to others. Prayer: Father, I know I can never out-give You! Show me how to lead those at work/school/in my home/at church, etc. in generous giving whenever there is a kingdom task You direct Your people to step into. May I have the courage and privilege to be extravagant in whatever ways You direct my heart. Use me to help others see how Your people can make a difference in our culture simply by giving in extraordinary ways of their time, talents and finances! Extraordinary giving is birthed out of joy and a desire to please and worship God. The building of the temple was a joyous process, as the people of Israel knew it was to be a place where the Lord their God would come to dwell. From David’s extravagant worshiping heart came a prayer that God’s people, following his lead, would give beyond their means, their fears and their uncertainties. And give they did! As an act of worship, both rich and poor gave in abundance and with great joy to build the House of God in Jerusalem. They did not give under compulsion or coercion. According to David, generous giving tested their hearts spiritually and revealed “uprightness of heart.” Prayer: Lord God, help me to become a joyous, worshipful giver in every way. Teach me to expand my heart to embrace Your kingdom with excitement and anticipation as You allow me to have the privilege of serving You as You have created me to be – a generous, talented creation with so much to offer others! When You look at me, may You see only “uprightness of heart” and continue to build me into a house of prayer – the temple that now exists in the world to glorify You and extend Your kingdom to the ends of the earth! Here is a prayer that incorporates all three of these principles: “Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours.” Lord God, I believe with all my heart that everything I have comes from You. Help me to live as a good steward of all that comes from Your hand. May my generous giving of time, talent and finances bring pleasure to You. Teach me to give joyously, as an act of worship and gratitude. In the powerful Name above all names, Jesus Christ, my Lord, Amen! This blog has been adapted from The Giving Church by David Butts.

Adapted from Simply Prayer (copyright 2020), by Bill Elliff. Used with permission. A National State of Emergency is a governmental declaration which usually suspends some normal functions of executive, legislative, and judicial powers; alerts citizens to change their normal behaviors; or orders governmental agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. In response to COVID-19, every nation suspended normal functions, alerted citizens to change their normal behavior, and implemented emergency plans. As God looks at the state of our nation, we must think deeply about His evaluation of our land. If Scripture is any indication, He would tell us that we are in a state of National Spiritual Emergency. So what should we do?Simply go on with business as usual? Or should we agree about the nature of this dramatic problem, change our normal behaviors, and implement emergency plans? EXTRAORDINARY MOVEMENTS Throughout history, God has chosen seasons to “rend the heavens and come down.” These times of revival in the church and massive spiritual awakening among the lost are used by God to remind us of what heaven is like and to make His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. It is His great mercy that brings such times. When the church and a nation sink to desperate spiritual lows, the cry of our hearts should be for such revivals and awakenings. Richard Owen Roberts described revival as “the extraordinary movement of the Spirit of God among His people that produces extraordinary results.” God is at work everywhere all the time. But seasons of revival accelerate the movement of God, accomplishing in a matter of days or months what could not be accomplished in decades. There have been five nationwide seasons of extraordinary revival and spiritual harvest in America to date: The First Great Awakening, 1735–1742 The Second Great Awakening, 1800–1825 The Prayer Revival, 1857–1858 The Welsh Revival, 1904–1905 The Jesus Movement, 1969–1971 Notice that every 50–60 years in our history, God has graciously come in power to our nation, bringing the course correction we desperately need. The telling mark of these movements has not been just the change in the churches, but the rapid expansion of the gospel. Awakening implies that a man is in spiritual slumber, unable to find God. God in His grace quickens his heart, bringing him to an awareness of his sin, a deep desire for repentance, and faith to believe in Christ. In times of national spiritual awakening, this happens with stunning speed. SETTING OUR SAILS FOR REVIVAL. Campbell Morgan said, “We cannot organize revival, but we can set our sails to catch the wind from Heaven when God chooses to blow upon His people once again.” Humble, repentant, united prayer is one of the best ways to prepare our hearts for what God wants to accomplish through revival.

Ever since Adam and Eve first disobeyed God, the tendency to cover our sin has been a part of our sinful human nature (see Genesis 3:7–8). We don’t have to be trained how to hide or pretend—it comes naturally. Even after we are redeemed in Christ and the Holy Spirit takes up residence within us, we often battle the urge to deceive. But God cannot bless or revive a heart that refuses to acknowledge the truth. King David learned this lesson the hard way. Though handpicked by God to be a leader, David rejected God’s law and committed the heinous sin of adultery (see 2 Samuel 11). As damaging as that was, however, he could have spared his household and his kingdom many months of anguish had he simply been honest about his failure. Instead, he chose to hide, cover up, and deny his wrongdoing. He lied to Bathsheba, the woman with whom he had committed adultery. He lied to her husband, Uriah. He lived a lie before his people. He lied to himself by acting as if what he’d done really wasn’t all that bad, that he could get away with it, and that there would be no major consequence to suffer. Above all, David lied to God by attempting to cover his sin and refusing to acknowledge and confess it. Psalm 32 is David’s firsthand account of the process he went through to discover the profound joy of experiencing God’s mercy and forgiveness. Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. For nearly a year David lived with God’s convicting Spirit pressing down on his soul. Being silent about his wrongdoing—refusing to confess his sin—only deepened David’s anguish. He deteriorated physically, emotionally, and spiritually. If it can happen to David, it can happen to us. We are as vulnerable to sin’s entrapment as he was and just as apt to try to conceal our failure. Refusing to be honest will reap the same rewards for us as it did for David. But here is the wonderful truth: We have another choice! As we read the opening verses of Psalm 32, we can almost hear the joy and relief returning to David’s spirit. When he finally let go of his pride, humbled himself, and got honest with God and others about his sin, heaven-sent relief poured over him. The weight of his iniquity was lifted, and his sin was carried away. That can be your experience, too. As this passage indicates, God is willing to “cover” (with the blood of Christ) every sin that we are willing to “uncover” before Him. If David could experience the freedom and joy of a restored relationship with God after committing such great sin, you can know that blessedness, too! Simply begin with the matter at hand—whatever sin God may be convicting you of, whether “large” or “small.” Remember, no sin is so large that God cannot forgive it; and no sin is so small that you can afford to keep it hidden. Do you need to pause right now and be honest with God about some sin or failure in your life? How blessed is the person in whose spirit there is no deceit!

Confession of our sin is a very important exercise. It should happen every day, because we sin every day. But there is great confusion about real confession. Biblical confession is not doing good works to get God to approve of us. It is also not a light, mindless recounting of our sins to make sure we get everything covered. The word confess in the Greek language means to “say the same thing as.” When a criminal confesses, he says the same thing that everyone else has been saying about his crime. It is honest agreement. But spiritual confession is more. It includes godly sorrow. It is not only saying the same thing God does about our sin, but having a broken heart that sees sin for what it really is and does with sin what God desires, which is to repent. Nowhere is this seen more vividly than in David’s prayer of confession in Psalm 51, following his adultery with Bathsheba, which was exposed by his confrontation with the prophet Nathan. 1. Spiritual confession takes full responsibility. The natural response of our flesh when our sin is exposed is to find a way to blame someone else. David used personal pronouns thirteen times in the first six verses of Psalm 51. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me (vv. 2-3 NASB). If we are still shifting the blame to others or to our circumstances, etc., we have not yet come to see our sin as God sees it. 2. Spiritual confession relies on God’s mercy. No man can atone for his own sin. When we see the depth of our sin, we realize there is nothing we can do to make it better. Only God can forgive, cleanse, and restore. Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions (v. 1). All of our sin was dealt with on the cross. When we see our sin, it breaks our heart for what we have done to Christ. When we see our sin clearly, we realize that our depravity is complete—that apart from God’s work, we will always sin, because we are sinners by nature and by birth. But it also fills our heart with gratitude, knowing that our sins have been dealt with by His sacrifice. God is eager and willing to forgive if we will turn to Him (1 John 1:9). 3. Spiritual confession sees the root of our sin. It is not merely external forces that have caused this. It is in us. I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me (v. 5). 4. Spiritual confession cries out for more than just forgiveness. When we see our sin rightly, we not only want forgiveness, we long for cleansing. We cry out to God to remove the sin and its roots from our lives forever. Create in me a clean heart, O God (v. 10). 5. Spiritual confession longs for a sustained life of obedience. If we are deeply repentant, we want to obey God fully in the areas where we’ve sinned. We long for a spirit that will help us persevere in the future so we do not commit the same sins. Where there was unwillingness to obey, we pray for divine grace to be willing to follow the prompting of God’s Spirit and the illumination of His Word. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me … and sustain me with a willing spirit (vv. 10, 12). 6. Spiritual confession longs for the return of God’s presence. When we sin, the greatest loss is the sense and help of God’s presence. For David, in the Old Testament age, that could mean that God would lift His Holy Spirit out of David’s life. For New Testament believers, once He enters, God’s Spirit will never leave us. But He can be quenched and grieved. Our sin pushes Him off the throne of our lives and takes control, and His work in us is momentarily stopped. To lose God’s presence is the greatest loss. Often, this loss is the warning alarm that awakens us and leads us to repentance. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me (v. 11). 7. Spiritual confession longs for useful ministry in the future. Every person was made to minister for God and to serve others. Sin corrupts this ministry and sometimes destroys it altogether. If we are truly repentant, we not only long for forgiveness and renewed obedience, we have a desire to be restored to ministry—to be able to praise the Lord in ways that speak of Him to others. Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation; then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise (vv. 14-15). 8. Spiritual confession is fueled by brokenness. The brokenness David spoke of in Psalm 51 is not the mere crushing that comes from the circumstances of life. It is the spiritual surrender of one’s own will to the will of God. True confession isn’t penance for our sins (as some teach). God is not impressed by us trying to atone for our sins with good works. He is looking for a heart that is broken and surrendered to Him, understanding that forgiveness comes only from God’s mercy. For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise (vv. 16-17). 9. Spiritual confession leads to joy! When we genuinely deal with our sin God’s way, it does not lead to morose self-inspection, but to ultimate joy. We are saved from our sin, and joy floods our hearts once again as we experience God’s redeeming, cleansing work. Make me to hear joy and gladness. Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.… Restore to me the joy of Your salvation (vs. 8, 12). 10. Spiritual, personal confession leads to corporate revival. When God’s people begin to deal honestly with their sin, it opens the way for His presence and power to return. This is personal revival. And when His people are full of Him, it leads to the church doing its work among those far from God. This leads to spiritual awakening among those who do not know Him. In this sense, revival and awakening begin with personal repentance! David ended his confession with a prayer for God’s work to extend to his whole city. By Your favor do good to Zion; build the walls of Jerusalem (v. 18). If we are feeling distant and disconnected from Christ but we long for revival in our hearts, our families, our churches, and our nation, we must begin with an honest look at our own lives and a ruthless dealing with all that is displeasing Him and aborting His work. It is worth the time, and nothing will be restored to rightness and usefulness until we deal thoroughly with our sin. Making it personal: What sin has God put his finger on in your life? What immediate steps do you need to take to follow Him in obedience? What joys and freedoms will result from your honest confession?

Pursuing God There are certain things God plans to do that are not conditioned upon any response from man—steps He plans to take regardless of our responses. But there are many things He promises to us that are completely conditional. One of these is seeing and experiencing Him in increasing intimacy. Consider both an Old Testament and New Testament instruction: “To him who orders his way aright I will show the salvation of God” (Psalm 50:23 NASB).Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). Both of these verses (and many more) remind us that God will not reveal Himself in greater intimacy to an individual who is not interested ... to someone who will not pay the price of holiness. This in no way implies that we can earn an audience with God by our works. We come into His presence (which we can do) because we have an introduction, through Christ Jesus, into this “grace in which we [now] stand” (Romans 5:1-2).But, we must COME. Those who see Him most clearly and deeply are those who long for Him; who pursue Him; who listen to His instructions for their lives and, by His grace and through the power of His indwelling Spirit, cooperate with Him.Why would God continue to reveal Himself to one who has no interest, who will not seek for Him while He may be found and call on Him while He is near? The Choice Is Yours If you sense that you are distant from God, He is not the One who has moved. And the instructions of Scripture are clear to us on the action that must be taken: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to You” (James 4:8). Pay attention to holiness. Be intentional about all that He has already said to you. Set aside deliberate time to fast, pray, and read and meditate on His Word. Be extremely careful about your obedience. And then, cry out to Him for greater intimacy. For as clear as His conditions are for you to see Him, they are clearly promised! He desires to reveal Himself to you more than you are aware, for He is a God of perfect love toward you. It is hard for our finite minds to grasp, but He longs for intimacy with those He created, and that includes you. He made you to walk with Him in the coolness of the day. It is only our prideful independence and willful disobedience that are aborting this intimacy. Responding in Prayer: Father, search my heart. Show me the ways that I have been negligent in pursuing intimacy with You. I cry out to You for the grace to seek You in holiness. Give me a heart willing to pay whatever price the joy of Your presence requires. In Jesus’ name, let it be so.