This past Tuesday morning (Sept30-08)at about 2:30AM local time, I had a very
special time
with my "Teacher". I want to
share a little bit of my understnding of what I have received from that
session with Him.
In my spirit I heard these words... "With the heart man believes for
righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made for deliverance... this
is the path to complete deliverance." Now,
immediately I began repeating in my mind the verses which I knew to be in
Romans10:9-10, but knowing this wasn't quite the way I had these verses
memorized, I remained very silent... not wanting to disturb this time in any
way. Then, I heard it again; and clearly, the emphasis was on the words
confession and deliverance. As soon as I felt I dared to move, I roused myself
from bed, and went to the computer to begin some digging in what I sensed was
a field of diamonds and precious jewels. (I am still digging and am not in
anyway disappointed in what I am discovering... Ha!) But, let me share a
little of what I have come to
see with the subject of confession and its connection to receiving
from God...
I'm certain there is an amazing amount of truth connected with the area
of "believing" referred to in the first phrase of verse 10, especially since
this was clearly the path through which Abraham received the promises and was
declared righteous (Rom4:3). John 1:12 states we receive the promise of
sonship through believing in His name. In fact nearly 250 times in the New
Testament we have recorded the use of this same Greek word with clear
reference to the work of righteousness and receiving from God. I still will
investigate every single time use this word is used before I give up
my "digging", and
wait on the Lord for further light.
But, the focus at this time for me is as I received emphasis from my "Teacher"
concerning the importance of "confession" and its association with receiving
the wonderful blessings from God which lead us on the pathway to full freedom
and liberty in Him. There is clearly something very powerful in this action
of confessing with the mouth. In both of these verses in Romans 10:9-10
confession is inter-connected
with being "saved" and with "salvation". The Greek words translated in this
way here clearly refer to a much broader area of being preserved, being
delivered,
being healed, and being made complete or whole again. Or, in other words, to
receive anything at all from the Lord, involves the action of confession. I
have always tended to think of these verses strictly with reference to
being "born again", but the definitions of the words clearly refer to a wider
field of application. So, once again, my pre-conceived thoughts and human
understanding
have blocked the greater picture of deliverance which the Spirit of the Lord
so gently has intended for me.
When we look at the Greek word which is translated as confession here, we find
some interesting concepts concerning the act of confession. Strong's
dictionary shows that this word is made up of 2 other words: first, the word
which speaks of being together; or, in the same time or place. Combined with
this word is the word "logos", which refers to the full intention or meaning
behind what is being stated or written. Logos is the written word of God, and
even more than that... it is Christ, the Son of God Himself (John1:1). Jesus
declared in John14:9... "he that hath seen me hath seen the Father." The
Apostle Paul wrote by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit these words in
Col 2:9... "For in Him (Jesus Christ) dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead
bodily." So, the structure of the word "confess" says that we declare or
promise full agreement with the full purpose and meaning of God's original
intention.
We have all heard many stories describing the traditional practise in
Catholicism concerning confessions. They teach their members to enter a small
booth of sorts and speak anonymously through a closed curtain to a priest of
the church. They are taught to tell of their sins to him, and he in turn tells
them what they must do to be forgiven. I think this practise may have gotten
off the track at some point in history, which is common when man decides to
control and manipulate God's principles around their own ideas. It is possible
that the Catholic church thought they were satisfying the words of James 5:16.
Here we
receive instruction to confess our transgressions (faults) to one another and
to pray for one another that we may be healed. There is a clear interconnection
between the act of our confession and the physical blessing of
healing for the body. The word "faults" here refers
to unintentional side slips as opposed to habitual acts of sins which stem
from iniquity in the heart of man. Here, I believe, is where the discernment
of
the Holy Spirit is so important in the body of Christ... to discern when there
is iniquity involved and when an unintentional mistake has been committed. Our
iniquities are forgiven by a loving Heavenly Father who immediately recognizes
a truely pentitant heart and His own remedy for cleansing. Of course ALL sin
and mistakes are able to be forgiven except for the one area of blaspheming
the Spirit of God. (This is true simply because one can only be led to the
knowledge of the truth through the same Holy Spirit which he/she may have just
blasphemed. Without the involvement of the Spirit of God, there can be no
forgiveness.) But, here in this verse we see the blessing of physical healing,
which is made possible by the stripes on the body of our Savior, is interconnected
with the action of confessing our faults to one another. I am also
anticipating I will find in my further studies deliverance from all kinds of
evil spirits and influences is also inter-connected with the action of
confessing with the mouth. I somehow sense this is only the beginning of the
true meaning and value of confessing.
It is extremely important in our walk that we come into full agreement with
our Heavenly Father's plan and intention for us. His original design for all
of mankind was a complete and perfectly whole creation fully empowered to
subdue and have dominion over all the earth. We were not designed to be bound
up with chains of this world's systems or enslaved to the wishes of the ruler
of this world. We were ALL designed according to His plan to be fully free and
full of His power and strength as we serve Him and do His work. The words we
declare to God need to reveal our full agreement with with Him. Only then have
we prepared our heart and our soul to receive from God. This step is the basis
for and indeed reveals or signifies/depicts our faith. Myabe it would be
better to say, our words demonstrate our faith. Remember, faith is based
solely on the logos becoming the rhema (Romans 10:17... "Faith comes by
hearing, and hearing by the word (rhema) of God."). When the word of God
shines its bright light into our heart, and we immediately receive it and come
into full agreement with it, we have experienced the logos becoming the rhema
of God. This forms the basis for our faith. THEN, we are to acknowledge it by
proclaiming it with our mouth. There is something which takes place in our
heart when we finally "see" the truth of something , accept it fully, and
speak it. First of all, God hears our voice and takes notice. Then, we hear
the sound of our own words as we speak, and so do those around us. Our inner
being hears what we say and prepares to receive the manifestation of what was
declared.
Now, before you jump ahead of me and say that I have finally gone off the deep
end and have started promoting the "name it claim it" concept of positive
thinking, let me assure you, I am not! When I hear what I perceive to be the
voice of the Spirit of God speak words into the innermost depths of my spirit
which I had not even been thinking on, I have 3 distinct options as far as
what to do with it. First, I can assign it to my own self spirit and let it
lie. Second, I can say it does not agree with the written word of God and
totally dismiss it; especially, when the words are not perfectly lined up as I
had learned them to be. Or, as I did this time, I confirm the truth of what I
had "heard" by way of a diligent search through the Scriptures. When the Holy
Scriptures and a careful word study confirm the truth of what I heard, I
receive it with joy.
In the beginning of Creation, God the Father, first of all, spoke what He
intended to do, and then it came into being. This is the order He functions
with. The physical reality of what is planned follows the declaration of fact.
It is said that when William Branham was active in his healing crusades, he
would spend time with the Lord before the healing service and often the Lord
would show him ahead of time the individuals who would be at the service and
request healing. He would see them healed during this vision, and then he
would see them healed physically in the service.
In Hebrews chapter 11 we find these verses concerning the so-called "heroes of
faith"... "These all died in faith, not having received the promise, but
having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and
CONFESSED that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that
say such things declare plainly that they seek a country (heavenly home)."
(verses 13 and 14).
At this early point in my search I am convinced there is indeed a clear
connection intended by God between our audible confessions and the work of
righteousness in us. Clearly, what we say is important to our development, and
what we believe is important to our spiritual health and condition. This is
the way that God has intended it, and He simply asks us to follow the path
which He has led us to. I will be continuing this in-depth search of the
Scriptures, and I will probably be writing more again in the future. I have
found when I write what I have discovered, it helps me to sort it all out more
clearly instead of just notations. In the meantime, I leave you this
challenge... start speaking audibly the things which are without question in
your mind regarding God's work of righteousness, and which you already have
full agreement concerning the work of God in your life. Things like, "The
precious blood of Jesus has washed my sins away!", and "The cruel whipping
Jesus took provides healing power for my body!"... get the idea?? But, you had
better try it in your car when you are all alone for awhile... someone might
think you have slipped a few gears...HA