A Slave to Your Secrets

Authenticity means keeping it real. 

It focuses on the internals.  

At what point did people begin to hide?

It started with Adam.

   

Genesis 3:8-9 (CSB)

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 

9 So the Lord God called out to the man and said to him, 

“Where are you?” 

God who knows everything asked this question.

Where are you?  

Adam was hiding. 

Adam hid twice by blaming Eve for his sin.

Adam hid three times when he said to God you gave her to me.  

He was blaming God.

  

Why did God ask Adam where are you when He knows everything?

God was giving Adam the freedom to reveal himself. 

God asks you where are you spiritually and emotionally hiding?

  

God wants heaven to be populated.  

God wants your church to grow to such a size that the city and whole country notices.

Church can become so large that people can hide. 

They hide emotionally.  

They hide spiritually.  

People don't go to church because of Hypocrisy. 

Sometimes it's easier to fake it. 

It becomes second nature.

James 5:16 (CSB)

16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. 

The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.      

We have lost the power of confess. 

It is how we find our soul. 

Sin splits the self into two.  

Adam had to hide his true self.  

There is part of you who wants to do right, and the other side who wants to do wrong.  

Romans 7:21 (CSB)

21 So I discover this law: When I want to do what is good,evil is present with me.

1. Confession disarms the power of sin. 

You'll always be a slave to your secrets.

You'll never be free until you're free from your secrets. 

We are to confess to one another.  When you shine the light on sin, it's power disappears.  

2.  Confession will liberate you from guilt.

Faking it is exhausting.  Religion makes you closed, hidden, and distant. Religion fosters dishonesty.  

You were a mess. Are a mess, and one bad decision away from being a mess.    

Confession liberates us from guilt and gives us the power to do what's right. 

The grace of God will meet you right where you are. You come just as you are. 

Church is not a museum of perfect people, but a gathering of imperfect people.  

If you can't keep it real with God, you'll never be authentic with anyone else.

3. Confess your sins to each other not to everyone. 

I'm not talking about social media.  Confess to someone who will pray for you and not gossip about you.  

Look for spiritual maturity in the other person. Look for people who will be a vault for your secrets. Look for a vault for your secrets within a small group.  

If no one knows your secrets, you are a slave to them. Your relationship to Jesus is personal, but it is not private.

  

4. Confessing your sins brings healing. 

There is no healing in hiding.  Healing takes place in transparency.  The devil knows that if he can keep you faking your relationship with God you'll never have one.  

Confess your sins to God, and He will save you.  Confess your sins to each other, and God will heal you.     

God said to Adam where are you?  God said to Jesus go find them.  At the cross, the full measure of God's grace is there.   

Jesus says I know your secrets.  Confess them to me not for my sake, but for yours.  

Notes from Mike Haman, Healing Place Church