Heart Searching and Prayerful Preparation

for

Personal, Spiritual Renewal

 "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns.  See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.” Psalms 139:23-24 (HCSB)

CONFESSION OF SIN IS NECESSARY FOR FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.

CONFESSION OF SIN IS NECESSARY FOR REVIVAL AMONG GOD'S PEOPLE. 

Prayerfully consider the following questions.

Every "yes" answer means sin in your life.

IN READING THESE QUESTIONS, AS YOU ARE CONVICTED OF SIN, CONFESS IT AT ONCE TO GOD.  Be willing to make it right.  Then you can claim cleansing and forgiveness.  1 John 1:9  "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

BE SURE TO NAME YOUR SIN TO GOD, AS ... "Lord, I have not put you first in my plans", or, "I have neglected your Word and prayer."  Do not make the least excuse for sin of any kind in you life.  Proverbs 28:13  "He that covers his sins shall not prosper; but whosoever confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy."

No matter what others do, or do not do, Christian:  Leave nothing undone on your part.  God wants to work through you to bring about a great spiritual awakening.  He can begin by fulfilling every requirement shown by the Lord through the Holy Spirit and His word.  A revival from the Presence of the Lord begins today IF YOU DESIRE IT. (Read the Scripture first.  Ask the question.  Give a truthful answer -- "Yes" or "No".  Then specifically name and confess the sin and others that God brings to your mind.  Spell out in detail the sin and its consequence to the Lord.)

1.  "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us  into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. [For yours is the kingdom and  the power and the glory forever.  Amen.] “For if you forgive people their     wrongdoing, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well.  But if you don’t forgive people, your Father will not forgive your wrongdoing."   Matt 6:12-15 (HCSB)

Is there anyone against whom you hold a grudge? 

Anyone you haven't forgiven?  Anyone you hate? 

Anyone you do not love? 

Are there any misunderstandings that you are unwilling to forget? 

Is there any person against whom you are harboring bitterness, resentment, or jealousy? 

Anyone you dislike to hear praised or well spoken of? 

Do you allow anything to justify a wrong attitude toward another?

2.  "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you."   Matt 6:33 (HCSB)

Is there anything in which you have failed to put God first? 

Have your decisions been made after your own wisdom and desires, rather than seeking and following God's will? 

Do any of the following, in any way, interfere with your surrender and service to God:  Ambition, pleasures, loved ones, friendships, desire for recognition, money, your own plans? 

Have you failed to daily walk by faith?

3.  "Then He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation." Mark 16:15 (HCSB)

Have you failed to seek the lost for Christ?

Have you failed to witness consistently with your mouth for the Lord Jesus Christ? 

Has your life not shown to the lost the Lord Jesus? 

Have you hurt Christ by sin in your character, your conduct, or your conversation?

4.  "By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35 (HCSB)

Are you secretly pleased over the misfortunes of another? 

Are you secretly annoyed over the accomplishments or advancements of another?  Are you guilty of any contention or strife? 

Do you quarrel, argue, or engage in heated discussions? 

Are you a partaker in any divisions, or parted spirit? 

Are there people whom you deliberately slight? 

Have you had a proud, haughty attitude? 

Have you failed to walk before God with humility and failed to serve others with graciousness?

5.  "In every way I’ve shown you that by laboring like this, it is necessary to help the weak and to keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus, for He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” Acts 20:35 (HCSB)

         Have you robbed God by withholding His due of time, talents, money? 

         Have you given less than a tenth of your income for God's work? 

         Have you failed to support mission work either in prayer or in offerings?

6.  "In this regard, it is expected of managers that each one be found faithful." 1 Cor 4:2             (HCSB)

Are you undependable so that you cannot be trusted with responsibilities in the Lord's work? 

Are you allowing your emotions to be stirred for things of the Lord, but doing nothing about it?

7.  "Do you not know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, ²⁰ for you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body." 1 Cor 6:19-20 (HCSB)

Are you in any way careless with your body? 

Do you fail to care for it as the temple of the Holy Spirit? 

Are you guilty of intemperance in eating or drinking? 

Do you have habits which are defiling the body?

8.  "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory." 1 Cor 10:31 (HCSB)

         Do you take the slightest credit for anything good about you, rather than give all the glory to God? 

         Do you talk of what you have done rather than of what Christ has done? 

         Are your statements mostly about "I"? 

         Are your feelings easily hurt? 

         Have you made a pretense of being something you are not?

9.  "Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think—according to the power that works in you..." Eph 3:20 (HCSB)

Are you self-conscious rather than Christ conscious? 

Do you allow feelings of inferiority to keep you from attempting things you should in serving God?

10.  "The thief must no longer steal. Instead, he must do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need." Eph 4:28 (HCSB)

         Do you underpay? 

         Do you do very little where you work? 

         Have you been careless in the payment of your debts? 

         Have you sought to evade payment of debts? 

         Do you waste time? 

         Do waste time for others?

11.  "All bitterness, anger and wrath, insult and slander must be removed from you, along with all wickedness." Eph 4:31(HCSB)

         Do you complain? 

         Do you find fault? 

         Do you have a critical attitude towards any person or thing? 

         Are you irritable or cranky? 

         Do you ever carry hidden anger? 

         Do you get angry? 

         Do you become impatient with others? 

         Are you ever harsh or unkind? 

         Has your pride kept you from making restitution to those you have hurt?

12.  "Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children." Eph 5:1 (HCSB)

Do you listen to unedifying radio or TV programs? 

Do you read unworthy magazines? 

Do you partake in worldly amusements? 

Do you find it necessary to seek satisfaction from any questionable source? 

Are you doing certain things that show that you are not satisfied in the Lord Jesus Christ?

13.  "...Giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ..." Eph 5:20 (HCSB) 

Have you neglected to thank Him for all things; the seemingly bad, as well as the good? 

Have you virtually called God a liar by doubting His Word? 

Do you worry? 

Is your spiritual temperature based on your feelings instead of on the facts of God's Word?

14.  "For me, living is Christ and dying is gain." Phil 1:21 (HCSB)

Are you taken up with the cares of this life? 

Is your conversation or heart joy over "things" rather than the Lord and His Word? 

Does anything mean more to you than living for and pleasing Christ?

15.  "Do everything without grumbling and arguing..." Phil 2:14 (HCSB)

Do you ever by word or deed, seek to hurt someone? 

Do you gossip? 

Do you speak unkindly concerning people when they are not present? 

Do you carry, prejudice against true Christians because they are of some different group than yours, or because they do not see everything exactly like you do?

16.  "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" Phil 4:4 (HCSB)

Have you neglected to seek to be pleasing to Him in all things? 

Do you carry any bitterness toward God? 

Have you complained against Him in anyway?

 Have you been dissatisfied with His provision for you? 

Is there in your heart any unwillingness to obey God fully? 

Do you have any reservations as to what you would, or would not do concerning anything that might be His will? 

Have you disobeyed some direct leading from Him? 

Have you been guilty of "unbelief"? 

Have you put trust in your own self instead of God?

17.  "Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his practices..." Col 3:9 (HCSB) 

Do you engage in empty and unprofitable conversation? 

Do you ever lie? 

Do you ever exaggerate?  Cheat?  Steal? 

Carefully consider...do you overcharge?

18.  "Flee from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart." 2 Tim 2:22 (HCSB)

Do you have personal habits that are not pure? 

Do you allow impure thoughts about the opposite sex to stay in your mind? 

Do you read that which is impure or suggests unholy things? 

Do you indulge in any entertainment that is unclean? 

Are you guilty of the lustful look? 

Has your view of women been of a sexual object instead of an eternal soul?

19.  "...Not staying away from our meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near." Heb 10:25 (HCSB)

Do you stay away from meetings of preaching of the Gospel? 

Do you whisper or think about things while God's Word is being read or preached?  Are you irregular in attendance at services? 

Do you neglect to attend or participate in meetings for prayer? 

Have you neglected or slighted daily or private prayer? 

Have you neglected God's Word? 

Do you find the Bible and prayer uninteresting? 

Have you neglected thanksgiving at meals? 

Have you neglected family devotions? 

Have you failed to worship God daily?

20.  "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you." Heb 13:17 (HCSB)

Do you hesitate to submit to leaders in the church or elsewhere? 

Are you lazy? 

Do you rebel at requests given to you to help in the work of the Gospel? 

Do you in any way, have a stubborn or unteachable spirit?

21.  "Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans  and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world." James 1:27 (HCSB)

Have you allowed yourself to become "spotted" by the world? 

Is you manner of dress pleasing to God? 

Do you spend beyond what is pleasing to God on anything? 

Do you neglect to pray about things you buy? 

Do you love the world and find satisfaction in it more than in your relationship to Christ?

 WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW?

1)  Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and bring to your mind any other sins you may have forgotten.

2)  Now ask the Holy Spirit to convict you of any sin or sins that you may need to ask the forgiveness of from any person or persons to whom you have sinned against.

a)  Confess the sins to God.

b)  Agree with God to immediately go to these persons and make confession and restitution as soon as possible and as thoroughly as needed.

3)  Now, acknowledge all these sins against the Lord and ask His forgiveness with the genuine commitment to repent (turn from these sins) and trust in His power to help you keep right with God.

4)  When confessed up...fill up!  Ask God's Holy Spirit to fill you with His Spirit and Power.

5)  Recommit/Surrender your life to the Lordship of Jesus.  Commit to follow Him and to do whatever He asks you to do.

6)  Discipline yourself to set aside a specific time and place to fellowship with God each day and keep all sins confessed to date and develop your personal relationship with God.