Secrets

Satan loves secrets.  It's his goal to isolate us and fill our minds with secret enticements which will lead us to sin.  And when we "bite," he then tells us no one should know--and that we're the only ones who could have thought such a thing or would ever do such a thing.  And because we keep it a secret, we believe the lie.

Your secret could be you're being unfaithful to your spouse.  Or it could be a pregnancy outside of marriage or an abortion.  It could be stealing from your boss.  It could be watching movies, viewing websites, talking to people online that you shouldn't.  It could be spending money your spouse doesn't know about.  Maybe you pretended to forgive someone but you're secretly harboring hatred and bitterness against them.  You could be a secret drunk or drug user.  It could be you're keeping a secret of your illness--not a sin, but certainly a hothouse which fosters isolation.

Secrets breed all kinds of things.  At the beginning of your secret, you could be filled with excitement, stimulation, intoxication and an adrenaline rush!  But it can quickly turn into fear, anxiety, stress, apprehension, and terror.  These things can then turn into major health issues--or even death.  I also believe things like the fear of a secret teenage pregnancy can lead you into deeper and deeper sin and darker and darker secrets.

We need to know that God is LIGHT.  He's the great Exposer--not because he wants to shame us or hurt us--but the exact opposite.  He knows that when our secrets are uncovered, we will be set free.  Remember Adam & Eve?  When they ate of the fruit, they knew they were naked.  And they hid.  They wanted to keep their sin a secret.  But God called to them and asked them, "Where are you?"  He already knew what had happened because He's all-knowing!  He wanted them to bring their secret out into the open.  He wanted them to admit their sin.  And when they did...He covered them.

God wants to do the same for each of us.  He wants us to admit to Him what we have done--what secret we're carrying and trying to cover up.  If we refuse, He may do His own uncovering like He did with David.  David had committed adultery with Bathsheba and tried to cover up her pregnancy by having her husband killed.  He tried to keep it all under wraps.  But God sent the prophet Nathan to uncover David's secret.  The good news is that David repented.

Secrets are hard to reveal.  It can be much easier to confess them to God than to the people you love.  You're afraid of disappointing them.  And Satan may have lied to you so long that you really believe you're the only one capable of doing such a heinous thing!  Bottom line...You don't want to be exposed.  And...Satan may have held you captive so long that he's now blackmailing you with thoughts of what he'll do if you come clean.

I won't lie.  There can be terrible consequences in paying for your sin and your secret--even though God forgives you.  Adam & Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden.  David & Bathsheba's son died because of David's sin and cover-up.  I know many people (including myself) who have had to suffer consequences for their sin and secrets.  But let me tell you this...you can be set FREE from your secret by confessing it and can find complete healing.  That's why we're told to "confess our faults to one another so we may be healed."  James 5:16  It goes on to say the prayers of a righteous man makes tremendous power available.  That's why we confess to mature believers who are full of grace.  I certainly don't advocate confessing your sin on Facebook for the whole world to see.  Go to someone of godly character who expresses love and grace in their life and confess to them.  God will certainly forgive us when we come to Him...but He knows we need to come clean with others so that secret no longer has a hold on our minds and our lives.  And there will also be accountability with the person to whom you confess.

You can be truly set free!  Let God's light and love shine on your secrets.  Expose them yourself so He doesn't have to.  God wants you to walk in His freedom, love and grace!  He wants to clean your heart of any secrets.  Satan loves secrets...because he knows they lead to death.