Hidden Hindrance

“There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee… thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you” (Joshua 7:13).  “My spirit made diligent search… and I said, This is my infirmity” (Psalm 77:6,10).  “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13,14).  “Jesus said, Take ye away the stone… Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” (John 11:39,40).

There is a thing that is accursed

Where hidden sin will yet abide.   

We cannot stand unless we first

Confess the sins we tend to hide. 

This hidden hindrance has been pondered

By God who searches us within. 

He knows when hearts from Him have wandered; 

He sees when we have harbored sin. 

It’s time for us to search as well,

So sin may thus be recognized! 

We cannot storm the gates of hell

When holiness is compromised! 

It’s sin!  Let’s call it what it is!

It isn’t just “infirmity.” 

The Lord knows those who now are His;

Let such forsake iniquity! 

When Christ returned to Lazarus

To raise him who was four days dead,

We hear Him speak (also to us),

To now obey what He has said.  

Did not our Savior clearly say

That we should take away the stone? 

Should not we hear Him and obey

That we might make His glory known? 

Let such rebellion be reproved

As sin confessed and thus forsaken.

Let every hindrance be removed

That we may stand and not be shaken.

O Lord, we thank for Your Word  

Which searches every inward part

And cleanses us by what we’ve heard

From hidden hindrance in our heart. 

Let hidden hindrance, Lord, be purged

Throughout our secret inventory. 

Let every sin be thus disclosed

And then forsaken for Your glory.