Be Accountable

By Vanessa Burke
This week's topic: The Power Of Accountability

On a quest to infuse accountability within my Small Group Bible study, I assigned each member a prayer partner. In addition to the prayer we get weekly on a corporate level, I wanted each member to experience prayer on an ongoing, personal level—as well as maintain accountability within the group.

One member took this to heart. Not only did she pray with her prayer partner, but she also came to me and confessed a certain sin that had her bound. We’ve all been there—in fact some of us are there now. But there’s hope, deliverance and healing … just waiting on us to yield to the call of accountability. After the confession, we prayed for a complete annihilation of the desire that was not pleasing to God.

How often do we have such desires? Stop and regain control of your flesh when and if it happens to you. Simply grab your sword—the Word of God—to execute the desire from the root. “The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12 NKJV)

We all have sinful desires at one point or another. So the question is, when the desire comes, will you succumb and live according to the flesh, reaping the adverse consequences thereof, or will you destroy it with your sword before it grows out of control?

“Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” (Romans 8:5 NIV) So point your mind toward the desires of the Spirit of God—wield your sword, and allow an accountability partner to use the sword to help keep you focused. With it, God has taught us that there is safety in the multitude of counselors (Proverbs 11:14); an accountability partner serves in such a capacity.

Over time I would call my Small Group member to check on her progress. There were times when she had failed and succumbed to her desires. She confessed this too—and didn’t realize that her confessions were actually strengthening her and working for her good. Why? “Confess to one another therefore your faults—your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins; and pray [also] for one another that you may be healed and restored—to a spiritual tone of mind and heart. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available—dynamic in its working.” (James 5:16 AMP) Consequently, the more she confessed the more I prayed, so that the power I knew God was creating within her would eventually burst forth.

Soon, she had another confession: she finally said, “No.” Hallelujah! What happened next? Spiritual growth abounded in her life. God has to honor His word. It does NOT return void. Because of her obedience to confess what she knew within her heart was not right—allowing others to keep her accountable—God took her confession and molded it into an attitude of humility and confidence; into complete deliverance; and into a bold, new strength to live by the Spirit and to be accountable—not only to her Small Group leader and her prayer partner, but above all, to the Word of God.

Scripture Of The Day: “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.” - 1 John 1:8-9 (NKJV)

Vanessa Burke hopes to uplift and inspire others through her gifts of writing, teaching and singing. She has many published articles in local, national and international publications. Vanessa also enjoys teaching a weekly bible study. Visit her at http://vanessaburke.blogspot.com.