July 13, 2011
Paid in Full
Today’s Truth
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9 NIV).
Friend To Friend
When we ask God to forgive us of our past mistakes and failures, He does. Plain and simple. The Bible promises, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
The original language of the New Testament was Greek. In the Greek, the word for forgiveness is aphieme. The word means to cut someone loose, and it also means to cancel a debt, the remission of the punishment due to sinful conduct.
It involves confession and repentance. To “confess” is more than saying, “yes, I did it.” In the New Testament, the word “confess” is homologeo and means “to speak the same thing, to assent, accord, agree with…to confess by way of admitting oneself guilty of what one is accused of, the result of inward conviction.” Simply put, it is agreeing with God about your sin.
To “repent” means to change your mind and go in the opposite direction. The Greek word is metanoeo and signifies to change one’s mind or purpose. When Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery, he said, “go and sin no more.” In other words, “Stop what you’re doing, go in the opposite direction, and don’t commit adultery again.” That is a picture of true repentance.
So we’ve learned three words today:
Confession: agreeing with God about your sin
Repentance: changing one’s mind, turn and go in the opposite direction.
Forgiveness: cutting someone loose, cancel a debt
Are you broken hearted over your sin? Have you asked God to forgive you? Have you agreed with God that what you did was wrong and are you committed to turn and go in the opposite direction? If you have asked, then He has forgotten the offense already. If you have asked for forgiveness, but are having difficulty receiving it, then why not pray this prayer and receive it by faith.
Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, I come before You today, confessing______________. I am truly repentant and sorry for my sin against You. I ask that You forgive me and cleanse me. Right now, I receive Your grace and forgiveness. I believe that You have forgiven me and will no longer hold my sin against me. I accept the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for my sin and thank You that my debt has been paid in full. Thank You God for forgiving me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Now, dear one, I want you to picture your sin nailed to the cross. It is finished. Don’t let Satan try to convince you otherwise. And believe me, he will try. Satan is called “the accuser” who accuses Christians day and night (Revelation 12:10). I picture him walking back and forth with our mug shots before the throne of God, saying “look at her! She’s guilty as sin!”
And in response, our Heavenly Father says “I know her. She’s my precious child whom I love! Her sentence has already been taken care of. Jesus paid it for her. She’s forever free!”
Now It’s Your Turn
Today, if you prayed the prayer above I want you to write your sin on a piece of paper, and then in large red letters write the words PAID IN FULL across the page.
Consider writing a prayer of thanksgiving to God thanking Him for sending Jesus to pay the price for your sin.
If you prayed that prayer, I’d love to know. Let’s share at www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes.
More From The Girlfriends
Don’t let Satan hold you captive to past mistakes for one more day! Be free! If you need help taking hold of your forgiveness and shedding that cloak of shame, then see Sharon’s book, I’m Not Good Enough…and Other Lies Women Tell Themselves. Be free, dear friend!
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