Father of all nations, we confess that we have found it too easy to trust in our horses and chariots, and not in You, the one who bestows military strength, and the one who takes it away. We confess that we have forgotten that You are the only one who establishes thrones and empires, and for You to topple them is easier than for a toddler to knock over a tower of blocks. Forgive us for trusting in our own strength. We do not despise the gift as a gift, but when we forget that You have done it, the gift turns to a blinding curse. Forgive us, Father, for seeking to be our own fortress and refuge.
We know, Father, that if we in the Church regard iniquity in our own midst, or in our own hearts, this prayer will be ineffectual.
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Father, we confess that we in the Church have not understood the relationship between the nations of men and the new nation found in the Church. Father, we have muddled and confused these lines in ways we ought not to have. As a result, we have lost the older understanding of Christendom—please forgive us for this sin we pray.
Father, we confess our individual sins to You now—and Selah . . . We pray this in the wonderful name of Jesus, and amen.
God has in fact drawn you out of many waters, and has saved your souls. As a minister of His gospel, I declare to you that your sins are forgiven through Christ.
Thanks be to God.