Closer
Part V; February 2, 2025
Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. —Psalm 32:1-5 (NLT)
We can’t draw closer to God when something is coming between us!
“Tearing Down the Walls”
Barriers that get in the way:
An
sin.
disobedience. Unforgiveness towards
. Unresolved
we’ve caused. Unwillingness to
to God.
Confront the barriers
Waiting just widens the gap!
Our conscience begins to become calloused.
Guilt can cause us to begin to pull away.
Barriers create room for the Enemy to work.When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. —Psalm 32:3-4 (NLT)
Don’t
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. —Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT)
There may be things God needs to
.
There may be things we need to.
There may be things underneath God needs to.
The key to removing barriers is
The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. —Psalm 51:17 (NLT)
Do we want closeness to God bad enough to deal with what’s between us?