The Hinge That Opens Heavens Door

“Sometimes the most intricate or powerful machinery can become totally inoperative because of a missing or broken part or a faulty connection. Although its potential remains tremendous, the broken machinery is good for nothing.  Another way to think of this same principle is to consider how even the most enormous doors swing open and closed on the smallest of hinges. Although the hinges are mostly out of sight and unimpressive in comparison to the door, the door’s proper operation is vitally dependent upon those hinges. An unhinged door cannot function as a door.”

“In the spiritual realm, there is also something that, when absent, shuts down the gracious operation of the Holy Spirit and wastes the great potential of both the individual and local congregations.”

Consider the Israelites for example:

1. Mightily delivered from the bondage of slavery in Egypt.
2. God rose up Moses and nothing Pharaoh did could stand in the way of Jehovah.
3. God rose up Joshua, crossed the Jordan, and was fulfilling the promise to Abraham (Genesis 17).
4. By divine decree God ceded the land to Abraham’s descendants.
5. God instructed the Israelites to drive out all Canaanite nations because he himself would fight for Israel.

Judges 10:7-9.

What could have happened to the chosen people of God? Weren’t they under a covenant with the Almighty? Didn’t their enemies the Philistines and Ammonites serve powerless idols?

Judges 10:6-7.

Persistent unconfessed sin was the reason behind Israel’s defeat. This was repeated many times throughout the history of the Israelites.

Then we read Judges 10:10 and Judges 10:15-16.

Isn’t this the great spiritual hinge that the door of Heaven swings open upon?

Sincere confession of sin takes us from defeat to victory, slavery to dominion.

What didn’t the Israelites need to obtain victory?

1. More soldiers.
2. Sophisticated weapons.
3. New military strategies.

What did the Israelites need?  To confess their sin. If God didn’t make us confess our sin wouldn’t we continue down an evil path?

God Hates Sin

“Now I know that dealing with sin isn’t a politically correct concept to examine in these shallow, user friendly days, but let’s do it anyway.”

Why might the author, Jim Cymbala, make this very peculiar statement? Please give some examples.

God is grieved and provoked over and over again in the bible. Sin separates man from God. Sin in the end will be annihilated because of the essence of God’s holy character.

“Through Jesus God provided for the washing away of sins guilt. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit within us, he provided an antidote to sin’s power over us.”

Because God will annihilate sin, we must, by His grace, bring all of our sin to the Lord in sincere and contrite confession.

“Confession of sin is the most important key to being a people and church that lives continually under the blessing of heaven.”

What happens when there is unconfessed sin in our lives?

Even if we recite scripture and claim every promise in the Bible, God is bound by his own Word.

Psalm32:1-2

Has anyone for whatever reason ever struggled with confessing their sin? David gives us an example in Psalm 32:3-4.

Have you ever noticed in some Psalms David has the inner peace and joy he so often sings about and in others he describes a horrible, dry and parched condition in his soul?

Once again the hinge that opens heaven’s door. Please read Psalm 32:5. Abundant mercy and pardon waits for those who confess.

David’s experience and that of the Israelites are two incredible advantages we have as the children of God.

“The great danger is for us to cover up sin, lessen the seriousness of it, or justify our behavior because of ‘special’ circumstances. We must also avoid dealing selectively with our sin by confessing certain acts of disobedience while we cling to the other attitudes and habits that are especially dear to us.”

Satan uses these natural tendencies to keep us from the mercy of God. Open and complete confession of sin brings it to the only place it should go,to God, who can forgive and take away sin.

Real Confession

“Real confession means to say the same thing about sin that God says. Real confession involves humbling ourselves and agreeing with Him about the very nature of our sinfulness.”

Are we running toward God with our guilt or are we running away from Him by rationalizing or justifying it?

“As we renounce our sin and turn from it, we give it up with full confidence that God will act in accordance with His Word. He will forgive freely. He will cleanse us from every stain of sin. He will help us because of His great love.”

Are we being careful to thoroughly deal with sin? Are we excusing anything in our lives?

“Let us ask God for help in confessing every kind of disobedience, no matter how inconsequential it might seem.”

May we always remember the words in 1 John 1:9, knowing we must confess agreement with God’s view about our sin and turn from it as something we do not ever want near us.

God faced the problem of unconfessed sin many times. Much of the book of Hosea is about the sad plight of Israel when the people would not give up their sin no matter what God said or did for them.

Hosea 5:14-15.

“The whole point was to get the Israelites to admit and confess their sins. Once they admitted their guilt, a brand-new channel of fellowship and blessing from God would be opened.”

God disciplined His people because of His love for them and so it is even for us today. 1 Peter 4:17.

If we aren’t convicted of our sin, how will unbelievers ever be convicted of their sin and turn to Christ, especially if we’re dealing fast and easy with our own sin? How can the Holy Spirit effectively carry out His work through a church that permits unholy things in the lives of the congregation?

May we always remember that wonderful things happen when sin is brought out into the open and confessed. Acts 19: 18-19.

The Bible makes a clear connection between such a radical dealing with sin and the spiritual results that follow. Acts 19:20.

“The worst possible scenario is for our churches to be supposedly “growing” but with “members” who have no longing to be delivered from the power of sin.” 2 Tim. 3:1-5.

I know all too well, by personal experience, the dangers of these warnings and how easily they can happen to a person who does not deal with the root problem when God puts His finger on it.

Let us consider the prayer of David in Psalm 51:1-3,9,12-13 as he approached the throne of God’s grace, knowing what kind of loving, caring, graceful, merciful, and forgiving Father we serve, who is faithful to release fresh blessings upon us as He reconciles us to Him.

1. After we receive forgiveness what happens with the consequences?
2. How do grow in sanctification?
3. Are our shortcomings usually private or public?
4. How important is the body of Christ?