Women Alive

Five confessions have changed my life.

I’m not a “name it, claim it” person. I don’t believe that daily confessing “I own a red Ferrari” will bring a red Ferrari into my life. But I do believe in the power of confessing what God says is true. Our entire life with God at this point in history is built on faith—on believing that God is right about the world (and ourselves) even when we don’t necessarily see it. The paradox, of course, is that as we confess the things we do not see, they prove to be true in our experience.

So what are my five confessions?

(I plan to write a book on this . . . so this is a very brief overview!)

1. First, the confession of salvation: “Jesus is Lord and is risen from the dead” (Romans 10:9). Those words are salvation. When Christ triumphed over the grave, He triumphed over sin, the devil, and death—I do not have, the world does not have, any problem that doesn’t fall under those categories. Moreover, He is Lord. Salvation is already ours in Christ.

2. Second, the confession of sanctification: “I am dead to sin but alive to God” (Romans 6:11). For me, this is the most mind-bending and the most life-changing of the five confessions, and I confess it nearly every day. Not “I am dying to sin,” not “I am coming alive,” but “I am dead to sin and alive unto God.” Not by my works of humility and self-denial, but by Christ’s death and resurrection. Paul says to reckon this as true. That means count on it. When you believe this, it changes everything.

3. Third, the confession of relationship: “Nothing can separate me from the love of God” (Romans 8:39). My relationship to God is one of love, and it is a love that is unconditional, unchanging, and all-powerful. The entire context in which I live my life is one of being loved by God.

4. Fourth, the confession of vocation: “I am created unto good works” (Ephesians 2:10). I am not just wasting my time on this planet. God has created specific good works for me to do. My life is a creative partnership with God.

5. Fifth, the confession of destiny: “I have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). This confession means several really important things. It means I am free from the triviliaty of temporality. It means I have all the time in the world to do whatever I need to do. It means the end is already determined. It means no more striving.

Do you have confessions that have changed your life? I would love to hear about them.

(Editor’s Note: Share your confessions by posting a comment to this article below! – MA)