A Specific Prayer
by Jan Cox
Sin – how do we get rid of it? When can we say we are truly His, filled with the Holy Spirit and walking with Him?
Oswald Chambers in April 10th’s reading says:
“It takes a long time to come to a moral decision about sin, but it is the great moment in my life when I do decide that just as Jesus Christ died for the sin of the world, so sin must die out in me, not be curbed or suppressed or counteracted, but crucified.”
He says that sin doesn’t need to be curbed or suppressed or counteracted but CRUCIFIED.
Wow that is powerful – my sin needs to be killed, finished, buried and dead.
How can I do that? The answer is that I can’t, only God can. And the way He can work this is through prayer. James states:
“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16 NIVUK).
Then conversely, a sinful man needs prayer to be righteous – agreed?
Oswald Chambers continues:
“Haul yourself up, take a time alone with God, make the moral decision and say – “Lord, identify me with Thy death until I know that sin is dead in me.” Make the moral decision that sin in you must be put to death.”
It seems to me that in order to be perfect before God (righteous) I need to ask God to show me any sin still lurking in me, then after I see it, ask forgiveness – then ask for it to be killed, crucified. I like Oswald’s words – haul yourself up, take a time alone with God. This is not something that can be a breath prayer but instead a thoughtful, gut wrenching time, alone with God.
This week on my other blog A Better Way, Kristen Welch of (in)courage talked about her husband going up on the roof (figuratively or literally). I knew what she meant. I reviewed my relationship with my husband. Was I nagging him about his weight? Was I nagging him about what he did? Did he want to escape from me? This week I have brought that sin which was lurking inside me and put it before Jesus – I asked – “crucify this habit of mine – cleanse me and make me free and righteous before you”.
The rest of this week has been delightful for both my husband and myself. The desire I have for control is in so many areas that I have to keep going back to Jesus – asking for Him to reveal each sin to me so I can request its final burial. Thank you Lord for giving me this way to be righteous before You.
The song that I like is sung by Robin Mark and called I have been Crucified with Christ.
It can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoZWRfXdh4w
Or watched below:
My Gratitude List for this week:
56. Sweet rainfall that cleanses the desert
57. Friends over for dinner
58. Palm trees
59. A husband who works beside me cleaning our home
60. Poolside conversations
61. Sensitivity to the Spirit
62. First cactus blooms in the desert
Prayer:
Lord I still seem to find underlying sins. Help me to see them, acknowledge that they are sin and haul myself to You so I can be cleansed. Thank You for this wonderful means of communication. In the name of Jesus, I pray. AMEN.
