He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: But whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy  (Proverbs 28:13 KJV)

Like a dead body attracts vultures, sin attracts death, and where death is, Satan and demons thrive. Few things in our lives will prolong our suffering, multiply our sorrows, or amplify our disappointments in life as intentionally covering our sins as Christians. 

Unconfessed sin is primarily a problem of believers, not unbelievers. An unsaved person is dead, lives in death, and sadly heading towards a permanent separation from God. Confessing one or two sins is not their problem; they need to receive Jesus and be delivered from sin and death—and do so as soon as possible. 

But believers have a different kind of problem. We are already forgiven in Christ, but as we continue to live on earth, we still sometimes commit sin and need to ask God for forgiveness and cleansing. Jesus said it this way:

“Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.” (John 13:10 KJV)

We are washed in Christ, but we still need to wash our feet( daily living) as we get soiled on roads we should not work on.

Unconfessed sin is sin that we either hide in our hearts or continue in the sinful actions without confessing it to God and receiving forgiveness. A problem with sin is that it cannot be hidden; it needs to be forgiven and washed away by the blood of Jesus. We only need to humble our hearts to acknowledge and bring it to Jesus. If we don’t, it erodes our lives, hinders our relationship with God, and grants a highway to demons to torment us.

Sin in our lives kills our joy and peace; no sincere child of God can have peace or joy in their hearts with unconfessed sin. But if we hide the sin for a long time, our hearts become callous and enters into a frightening condition—the stony heart. Furthermore, hidden sins multiply guilt inside and quench the fire of God. It makes us uncomfortable in God’s presence or the presence of other believers. Although God does not withdraw His Spirit from us when we sin(the grace in Christ), unconfessed sin erodes our practical fellowship with Him. 

Besides, Satan throws a party in the presence of unconfessed sin in our lives. Oh, how he loves to see us fast, read the Bible from cover to cover and visit all mega ministers of God for a breakthrough because he knows these things will not work. And often, rather than being sensitive to the Spirit, we might end up fasting longer or increasing the intensity of our spiritual activities—only to multiply our frustrations and disappointments to the delight of the devil. 

The Lord knows we will sin as long as we continue living in this world. And He made provisions already. He wants us to acknowledge our sins, confess them to Him( sometimes also to those we sinned against), and turn away from them. 

What is unconfessed sin? How is it different from sinning in ignorance? ( that is, a sin we do not know is a sin).

Apply the Word

Solomon says the one who covers their sins will not prosper. Why wait any longer? Maybe someone needs to stop fasting, praying, sowing seeds, or praising for a breakthrough and just acknowledge a sin they know, confess it to God and ask Him for forgiveness. Spiritual things can be this slippery sometimes.

Ask the Father to help us never allow unconfessed sin in our lives. 

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• The blessing of receiving the forgiveness of sins
• Washed through the Word
• Washed, Clothed and Anointed
• The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance
• View All Deshen Daily Devotionals

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