Topic: THE FIRST STEP IN PRAYER  – Right From The Heart Daily Devotional by Bryant Wright Ministry 4 January 2022

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THE FIRST STEP IN PRAYER 

January 04, 2022“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.” – James 5:16a

James, the half-brother of Jesus, has quite the resumé:

He was the leader of the church in Jerusalem, the author of the book of James in the New Testament, and an incredible man of prayer.

In chapter 5, James was speaking to church elders about praying for those who needed healing. He reminded them that the first and most important step in prayer is confession. It’s getting ourselves right with God.

How do we do that?

1. Silently: Just between you and God, confess where you’ve fallen short in action, thoughts and even in your heart towards others.
2. Privately: Go directly to the person whom you’ve wronged and ask for their forgiveness.
3. Publicly: Public confession is only for rare occasions, often when spiritual leaders of the church fall into a public sin where it’s known throughout the community. In that case, they are to confess their sin publicly and ask for forgiveness.

So how do confession and prayer life relate?

Also Read: Open Heaven 4 January 2022 Tuesday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – How To Deal With Mountains II

Sin blocks our prayers.

Any sin we haven’t dealt with will hinder our prayers and our connection to God. Once we confess that sin, however, there is immediate cleansing, relief, and forgiveness from God.

What past sin is keeping you from connecting with God through prayer?

Confess it today and experience the instant freedom and forgiveness of God.