"Be Sure Your Sin Will Find You"!
Several years back the Lord clearly gave me a motto to live by and share with others: "Get Ready, Be Ready, and Stay Ready"!
“But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.” — Numbers 32:23 KJV
“For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.” — Luke 8:17 KJV
There is a simple truth worth remembering: if you have to hide what you are doing, there is a good chance you already know something isn't right, in fact you know it's not right. That tugging at your heart, that uneasy feeling, those sleepless nights you may be having... your under the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
We may hide things from people, but we cannot hide them from God. Numbers 32:23 gives a sobering warning: “be sure your sin will find you out.” Luke 8:17 reminds us that what is secret will eventually be brought to light.
But God's purpose in exposing sin isn't to shame us. God brings conviction and change NOT condemnation and confusion. God reveals what is hidden because He desires repentance, restoration, and change on our part.
God truly forgives a repentant heart. When we confess our sins and turn to Him, His mercy is greater than our failures. But forgiveness doesn't necessarily erase every earthly consequence of our choices, even in the biblical days there were consequences for the sins of the people all the way back to the first sin in the Garden of Eden by Adam and Eve.
Sometimes we can be completely forgiven by God and still have things we must walk through because of decisions we've made. Relationships may need rebuilding. Trust may need to be restored. Damage may need repairing. Many of us can look back and say, “Been there, done that—and I'm still growing". That's me, holding my hand up! Both hands actually! We never stop growing this side of Heaven.
That's why none of us should approach this message with stones in our hands. We should approach it with humility in our hearts.
“Go, and Sin No More” - John 8 tells us about a woman caught in adultery. The religious leaders were ready to stone her, but Jesus responded with mercy. After her accusers left, Jesus told her:
“Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” — John 8:11 KJV
Jesus offered her grace, but He didn't call her sin acceptable. He didn't say, “Keep doing what you've been doing.” He essentially said, “I don't condemn you. Now leave this life of sin behind.”
That's an important picture of the Gospel. Grace forgives us, but grace also calls us to change. Jesus meets us where we are, but His desire isn't for us to remain there. Confession acknowledges sin. Repentance turns away from it. That doesn't mean a Christian will never struggle, stumble, or need forgiveness again. Spiritual growth is a process, and every believer remains dependent upon God's grace. Living holy, sanctified and set apart is a daily choice for us. That's why Paul said, in the Bible, to crucify the flesh daily!
But there is a difference between struggling against sin and settling into sin. When the Holy Spirit convicts us, our response should be:
“Lord, change me.” David, in the Bible prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, and renew in me a right spirit". - Psalm 51:10
A born-again believer should desire to become more Christlike. As we grow in Him, we begin taking sin more seriously... not because we're trying to earn salvation, but because we love the One who saved us. Living for Christ requires intentionality.
The flesh doesn't naturally want prayer.
The flesh doesn't naturally want fasting.
The flesh doesn't naturally want discipline.
The flesh doesn't naturally want surrender.
That's why Jesus said: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” — Luke 9:23 KJV
There is that word: daily.
We need to pray daily. Stay in the Word. Walk in the Spirit. Listen to the Holy Ghost. Crucify the desires of the flesh. And when we fall, quickly confess it, repent, get back up, and keep following Jesus. THESE ARE DAILY CHOICES TO MAKE.
Sin may offer pleasure for a season, but eventually we have to decide: Do I want what my flesh wants—or do I want Jesus more?
Again, Scripture reminds us that darkness cannot remain hidden forever. So instead of asking, “Will anyone ever find out?”
We should ask: “Is this pleasing to God?”
Instead of worrying about someone discovering our sin, we should be concerned that God already sees it. And yet, what a beautiful truth: the God who sees our sin is also the God standing ready to forgive when we genuinely repent.
His conviction is an invitation.
Come back. Turn around. Lay it down. Get your heart right. Follow Me.
There comes a point when we must stop excusing, hiding, defending, and justifying what God is asking us to surrender. Jesus is coming again. So the question isn't merely, “Do you believe He's coming?” The deeper question is: Are you living like you believe it?
Don't hide what needs to be confessed.
Don't defend what needs to be surrendered.
Don't continue embracing what Jesus is calling you to leave behind.
There are no perfect people reading this—only people who desperately need the grace of God.
I've been there. I've done that. And I'm still growing. But that's the point. We should still be growing. Still changing. Still surrendering. Still becoming more like Jesus.
Because genuine repentance doesn't merely say, “Lord, forgive me.” It also says: “Lord, change me.”
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Suggested Prayer:
"Dear Lord, search my heart and reveal anything in me that isn't pleasing to You. Give me a heart that doesn't excuse or hide sin but quickly confesses and turns from it. Thank You for Your mercy and forgiveness when I repent. Help me crucify my flesh daily, walk in the Spirit, stay in Your Word, and become more like Jesus. Keep my heart ready for Your return. Lord, don't just forgive me but continue to change me. In Jesus' name, Amen."
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