The Acknowledgment of Sin

Satan does not want a person to be saved. If a person has made it into the kingdom of God by being born again of water and of the Spirit (Acts 2:38), Satan does not want that person to grow up in Christ to become fruitful and used by the Lord in ministry.

One way to keep a believer from growing in the Lord, is to keep them from the acknowledgment of sin in their life.

 Sin is revealed by the Holy Ghost working in a person’s life and directing them in paths of righteousness and holiness. (Acts 2:4).

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." - John 14:26 KJV

Sin is also revealed by the preaching of the word.

"For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." - 1 Corinthians 1:21 KJV

 Both of these ways make it clear to a person what things in their life are sin, allowing them to repent, turn away from these things, and to remove sin from their life.

 If a person refuses to recognize something in their life as sin that the Lord has revealed to them as sin, that person cannot repent of that sin. It remains in their life. That person’s growth in the Lord is stifled. Their use in the kingdom is limited. They risk shutting the door for entrance into ministry.

 According to the Bible, it is Satan that takes away the preached word sown in a person’s heart.

"And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts." - Mark 4:15 KJV

 How? By rebellion, disobedience, lack of submission, pride, arrogance, a haughty spirit, contentious, offended at the word…

 God calls the ministry His gifts to men. (Ephesians 4:8). They are for the perfecting of the saints (believers). They are for the purpose to help believers to grow up spiritually. They are to equip believers so they will be able to stand against the wiles of the devil and not be deceived by false doctrines. They are to teach believers to operate in love as one body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-16).