More than one marriage has been broken up because the husband was caught up in the emotional problems of some other woman and decided to help her out by divorcing his own wife and marrying the distraught person. Except in the case of husband and wife, men should confess their needs to men and women to women.

And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: (Joshua 7:20)

Clear confession is a necessity if we are to obtain moral deliverance. Achan did not blame anyone else as Adam and Eve did. Achan, the "troubler of Israel," declared that he had sinned against the Lord God of Israel by taking items that had been banned by the Lord.

Often the principal idols of our personality are hidden. We need discernment in order to find the seat of Satan.

So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it. (Joshua 7:22)

Once clear, specific confession has been made regarding our actions, the things we have done, we then are able to locate the hidden agencies that are influencing our conduct—the messengers of Satan that are finding open doors in our personality.

The problem and its root must be "laid out before the Lord."

And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the Lord. (Joshua 7:23)

Sometimes our sins are revealed before our death. In other instances they pass with us into the spirit realm at our death.

Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after. (I Timothy 5:24)

It is dreadfully embarrassing to have everyone know of what has been concealed in our personality. Better this than to die with it still hidden! The Apostle Paul commanded Timothy to rebuke sinners publicly so that others would fear to commit the same sin. We certainly need a great deal of forbearance and wisdom before we recite anyone's sins openly. But there are occasions when this may be best for the individual and the assembly. However, such an action should never be taken without prolonged consideration by the elders of the assembly and every other means of remedy has been exhausted.

After the sin has been confessed we are to take it to the "Valley of Achor." The Valley of Achor is the place of "troubling." All of the foods offered to idols trouble us, preventing God from finding rest in us and we from finding rest in God.

We are to take the sin and all that is associated with it in our mind, our mouth, and our actions, to the place of judgment. If we do not, if we leave one tiny trace of our idolatry, it will grow into a powerful force that will finally cause us to lose our crown. God wants the sin removed from us totally.

To be continued.