Convicted

You reacted in anger, the thought seared the back of my mind. You didn’t take the time to listen to his concerns, and you were impatient. You hurt him.

I like to plan as far in advance as possible, especially for key events. But occasionally I get so busy with the many details of our worldwide ministry that an important item slips through.

This was one of those occasions. With a key international conference just a couple of weeks away, I had just realized the need for a set of printed materials that would be of tremendous benefit to the conferees.

As I shared the urgency with the department director responsible for this need, he responded, “Bill, we’re full up already. Two weeks just isn’t enough time.”

I became impatient. Couldn’t my associate see that we are in a war for men’s souls, that we must seize opportunities when they arise and not limit our efforts to 8-to-5 workdays? I made my point clear to him.

“But if we had had more notice...” he protested. “There just is no way we can squeeze in such a huge job with so little time. There’s the writing, then the design and typesetting and artwork, then the printing—”

It seemed obvious that he did not share my burden for the upcoming event. I pressed my point. “Look, this is an important international conference,” I said firmly, my voice rising. “And this is no time for ‘business as usual.’ Please find a way to finish this project in time for the conference, even if you have to work around the clock.”

I could tell my colleague was frustrated. But I reasoned, We need those printed materials. Whatever it takes, we need them.

Within a few moments after our conversation, I sensed the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Yes, even in our well-intended service of the Lord, we can stumble—and in the name of godliness I had offended a dear brother in Christ. I had failed to give him and his staff the benefit of the doubt—failed to take into account the tough workload they already were facing each day. Instead of asking him to think through the possibilities with me and helping him rearrange his priorities to accommodate the new task, I had virtually ordered him to get the project done and shown little appreciation for the many late evenings his team was already devoting to their work. I had reacted impatiently rather than in a spirit of love, understanding and teamwork.

The Choice

At this point I had a choice to make.

On the one hand, I could let it go. After all, doesn’t the head of a large organization have the right to ramrod projects through when necessary? Didn’t the end (the strategic international conference) justify the means (get the job done no matter what it takes)? And didn’t my associate’s hesitant attitude warrant a stern talking-to about the urgency of the hour?

By all human standards, I probably could have justified letting the incident go. But deep inside I would have been restless and uncomfortable as the Holy Spirit continued to point out the sin to me, and God would not have blessed my future efforts on His behalf as long as this sin remained unconfessed. On top of that, several of my dear co-workers would have continued to hurt as a result of my callous attitude.

On the other hand, I could deal with the problem by taking scriptural action to clear the slate. The unrest in my conscience was the Holy Spirit cross-examining me as I tried to rationalize my behavior. What I had thought was forceful leadership, He was identifying as the sins of impatience and unjustifiable anger.

I knew that taking scriptural action was the only choice I could make that would please my Lord. I confessed my sin to Him and appropriated His forgiveness.

Then came the toughest part.

I drove down to the office complex where my associate and his team were located, and asked their forgiveness. We cried and laughed and prayed together, sensing a fresh outpouring of God’s love in our midst. Then we talked through our mutual needs and found a way—as teammates—to rearrange priorities and accomplish the task—on time!

The Only Choice

Whenever a Christian stumbles and sins, he faces a similar choice. He can let it go, in which case he will continue to be troubled by spiritual unrest and ineffectiveness; or he can make things right with God and others and clean the slate.

I can testify from firsthand experience that, while making things right with God and others can be humbling, it is the only choice for those who want to live in the mainstream of God’s blessings. Unconfessed sin breaks off fellowship with the Savior, resulting in spiritual impotence and unhappiness. David indicated in Psalms 32 and 51 that unconfessed sin can even lead to actual physical illness and other problems as guilt depletes the spiritual and psychological strength that helps keep the body well. (Of course, this is not to say that every time a Christian becomes ill it is due to unconfessed sin. It would be interesting, though, if we could learn just how many of our illnesses originate in this way.)

On the other hand, confession, forgiveness and restitution restore fellowship with God, cleanse us of the guilt of our sin, and open the door once again for the Holy Spirit to empower us.

I call this process “Spiritual Breathing.” You won’t find these words in the Bible, for Spiritual Breathing is simply an illustration to help us remember what to do to make things right with God. It is the act of keeping Christ on the throne of your life by confessing sin immediately, whenever the Holy Spirit convicts you, and claiming, by faith, the continued direction and control of the Holy Spirit for your life.

Though simple, Spiritual Breathing is not to be taken lightly. It is an act that requires a genuine desire to live according to God’s Word.

I believe it is the most important principle I can share with my fellow Christians. In fact, it is so crucial to a joyful, fruitful life that it has become a major emphasis of our ministry. Literally thousands of Christians who have put this principle to work have reported that it has “completely changed” their lives and helped them to realize what “walking in the Spirit” is really all about.

One nationally known minister, who had pastored a thriving church for decades, called me a few weeks after he had heard me teach a seminar on Spiritual Breathing. “For the first time in my ministry,” he confided, “I can help my people understand how the Holy Spirit works in us and how to deal with sin. Thank you for making it clear for me.”

Recently, a highly respected Christian leader stood before a group of Christian peers and held up my book The Holy Spirit: The Key to Supernatural Living. “The principles explained in this book have changed my life,” he exclaimed. “Now, at last, I understand what being filled with the Spirit really involves.”

I cannot take any credit, for Spiritual Breathing is just a modern-day picture to help us apply what is already in God’s Word. But I rejoice whenever a fellow believer grasps the principle and uses it to help him keep Christ on the throne of his life. As you practice Spiritual Breathing in your own daily walk, I am convinced you will agree that it is one of the most important lessons you will learn about successful Christian living.

How Spiritual Breathing Works

 

In order to stay physically healthy, we must exhale to cleanse the waste air from our systems (carbon dioxide) and then inhale to replenish the good air (oxygen). In similar fashion, Christians need to “breathe spiritually” to stay spiritually healthy. The moment the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, we should “exhale” by confessing that sin to God. Let’s say we have entertained a lustful fantasy toward another person. An appropriate prayer might go like this:

Lord Jesus, I have sinned against You. You have designed me to enjoy a healthy, fulfilling sexuality with my spouse, but I have lusted after another person. I acknowledge that this is wrong and displeasing to You. I repent of this sin, and ask You to give me strength to obey You and resist Satan in this area.

After exhaling the impure, we can “inhale” the pure. This involves two important acknowledgments: (1) We receive God’s forgiveness and cleansing; and (2) we appropriate (take into our personal possession) the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

How do we know God will forgive, cleanse and fill us? First, we know that being filled with the Holy Spirit is His will, for He has so commanded in Ephesians 5:18. Second, He promised in 1 John 5:14,15 that when we pray according to His will, He will grant our request. Third, He promised in 1 John 1:9 that if we confess our sins, He will forgive our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. When we sincerely return the throne of our life to Him, we can know by faith in the promises of His Word that He will resume His rightful position on that throne. Our prayer can continue:

Thank You for forgiving me for my sin through Your death on the cross, and for cleansing me of this sin. I again give You control of the throne of my life, and ask You to guide me away from those things that are displeasing to You. By faith, I claim the fullness, direction and power of Your Holy Spirit.

If done with a genuine desire to please God and achieve victory in this area of life, Spiritual Breathing is all it takes to make things right between you and your heavenly Father, and you can once again be filled with the Spirit. You have fulfilled the requirement of 1 John 1:9 by acknowledging and repenting of your sin; God has fulfilled His promise to forgive, cleanse and fill you with His Holy Spirit.

No further payment is due. The account is paid in full! Fellowship with God is restored, guilt is washed away, and the sin does not linger to deteriorate into carnality. You are free to move forward in your walk with Jesus Christ.

How Often Should We Confess?

As Christians learn this important principle, some ask, “How often do I need to breathe spiritually?” The answer is, “As often as you sin!” As different situations arise, you may find that you have to breathe spiritually several times in one day. At other times, especially as you walk closely with God, you may not sin for several days, weeks or months. The important thing is to listen to the Holy Spirit when He convicts you of sin, and to take action to restore fellowship with God through confession, acceptance of His forgiveness, and appropriation of the Holy Spirit’s power by faith.

The tangible benefit of keeping accounts short with God is that you allow Him to cleanse you of the impurity of sin before it can desensitize you to His guidance. As you deal honestly with sin, you will learn how to anticipate those temptations that are likely to be a stumbling block for you. You will begin to develop the strength and resolve to respond as Jesus would when that temptation comes along in the future.

The Secret

So what is the key to a successful, happy, consistent Christian life? The secret is simply to keep Christ on the throne of your life by keeping short accounts with God. How do you keep short accounts? Through Spiritual Breathing. The moment the Holy Spirit pricks your conscience, exhale the “polluted air” by confessing and sincerely repenting of your sin to God. Then inhale the fresh morning breeze of His forgiveness, cleansing and fullness by acknowledging your faith in His promise in 1 John 1:9 to forgive and cleanse you of all unrighteousness.

He will forgive you and cleanse you! He will, upon your invitation, take control of the throne of your life again and fill you with the power and purpose of His Holy Spirit. You will be free to enjoy life, to love others and to serve Him with all your heart.

If a man is troubled about his sins, it is the work of the Spirit, for Satan never told him he was a sinner. -Dwight L. Moody

By Bill Bright

©1994 Copyright Bill Bright