Thursday, May 5, 2016

Accountability Relationships

 

[Photo of three men holding hands in prayer]


“Therefore confess your sins to each
other and pray for each other”
—James 5:16

One of those most helpful disciplines in spiritual formation is an accountability relationship with two or three close Christian friends.

In this relationship we share each other's struggles with besetting sins, confess our failures, celebrate our successes, and pray earnestly and fervently for each other.

Such an accountability relationship is based on these words from the Apostle James found in James 5:16:

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

An accountability relationship truly helps strengthen our walk with Jesus. It heightens our awareness of how clever Satan is in his attempts to thwart our spiritual growth. And, it heightens our awareness of how powerful the Holy Spirit is in enabling us to overcome our bent toward sin.

As we begin this new day, each of us should seriously consider forming an accountability relationship with two or three trusted Christian friends.

Doing so will help accelerate our spiritual formation and gives us a wonderful opportunity for blessed fellowship in our lives.

 

Copyright © 2016 by Dean K. Wilson. All Rights Reserved.