The below verses have been one of my favorites if you have not noticed in my other posts. I refer to them often because they beautifully describe how we are to walk out the Gospel of Christ in our lives.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1: 7 & 9

The process involves:

• Walking in the light
• Acknowledging sin
• Confessing sin
• Receiving washing (healing) of our sin

So as we walk this out, we also call this sanctification. We set apart (sanctify) areas in our life that we bring into the light to receive the Lord’s cleansing. We essentially are apprehending more land of the Promised Land.

In a previous post, Giants Yet to be Slayed, I explained how like in the day when Israel was given the Promise Land it didn’t become theirs until they apprehended it. As well as I explained how past hurts and traumatic events can be forms of giants we must extinguish.

Recently, the Lord gave me a picture of things we all have in us because we have not properly received the Lord’s washing by His Blood.  It was of a festering splinter that had become ingrown. 

When we get a splinter it is not an unknown event, but quite painful.  Everything to do with a splinter is unpleasant; the instant it is lodged, when we dig it out or when we leave it.  I asked Him to show me splinters in me and He brought to my mind one by one, four instances. My immediate reaction was to tell the Lord, ‘but I did put them under the blood.’ To which He corrected me by reminding me I sought Him for comfort but I did not seek Him for healing.  When the Lord revealed to me the four instances, in each one, I felt such a deep gut pain by them.  I thought I had dealt with them and even forgave them before the Lord.   But He let me see what was left in me by them, in the hurt I had unknowingly held inside of me.  I was amazed at this realizing the implications of what this means!  

The proverb: Above all else, guard your heart,
    for everything you do flows from it. Prov 4:23, explains how important it is to watch over our hearts.  We are our own gatekeepers and only we know what hurts us, or when we have been traumatized.  How many things we just take in stride, and do not even look at it as something that we need to seek healing for? 

It was interesting when I searched for pictures of slivers a whole slew of pictures came up that was quite astounding to me. 

It turns out there is a card game out there that in my opinion is demonic but truly does illustrate the ugly truth of spiritual splinters.  click her for image

Regarding traumatic events, something happened to me just the other day that has given me insight into the spiritual consequences.  I was on the highway and a driver in front of me signaled like they were going to turn off to the right. They veered to the right only to do a u-turn right in front of me and left me with no other option but to crash in them for the speed we were going and how close they were.  But, thankfully, I believe angels intervened because I have no other explanation as to why we did not collide!  While I was in shock and amazement at what just happened I was filled with joy and praised the Lord for His protection.  As I continued to drive I began to experience dizziness, light-headedness, severe chest pain and cold sweats.  I honestly felt like I was going to have a heart attack so I cut short my drive and plans, and headed back home.  It was quite a spell of about an hour until I realized that the trauma from what just happened was manifesting in this way so I rejected it from taking place in me, and sought the Lord’s healing in what just happened, and lo and behold it was gone in the moment I did this. 

It is my hope that we begin to see how we underutilize what the Lord has already given us because of not even acknowledging our need. Further more, how we must be purposeful in looking for where we have incurred spiritual splinters. It is not that we need more of the Lord but that we need to give more of us to Him. May the Lord open our eyes!

 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 1 Peter 2:24

Prayer of Confession to pray:

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

I confess ____ as sin and how I have sinned in response to this.  I specifically confess all the hurt I have incurred and kept within me.  I release these hurts and forgive that I may also receive forgiveness.  I receive the Lord’s washing by His blood.  Thank You for making me clean of this festering splinter as You remove it from where it has been allowed to thrive.  I ask that you put in its place the truth – and that I be healed of all its effect it has had upon my mind, soul, body and spirit.  Amen.