How to Pray for Forgiveness after Lying

It is a good move for you to make a prayer for forgiveness after lying. God is very clear in His word that lying is a sin. The ninth commandment of the ten that God gave to Moses asks us not to bear false witness.

In Proverbs 6:19, the Bible tells us that the Lord hates people who give false witness and pour out lies. There is no excuse for the sin of lying.

Understanding the Sin of Lying

Lying is a sin that originated from the devil. Jesus referred to the devil in John 8:44 as the father of lies. Everyone who lies speaks the language of the devil.

The original sin that occurred in the Garden of Eden was a direct result of the lies of the devil. The Bible refers to the devil as a deceiver because lying is his nature.

When you understand that lying is the nature of the devil, do you need anyone to tell you that God hates people who tell lies?

I want you to understand God’s perspective of the sin of lying so that you are moved to turn away from it once and for all.

Lying originates through fear. When people are afraid, they are tempted to tell lies. In their mind, they hope that those lies will save them from the impending disaster. But in reality, it is only God that can save a person from disaster.

After someone lies, they are tempted to lie even more to cover up their previous lie. It takes great humility to acknowledge the sin they have committed.

The devil knows this and that is why he deceives people to get into situations that tempt them to lie. When someone is deceived by the devil to steal and he is caught, he will be tempted to lie.

To avoid the temptation to tell lies, one has to walk uprightly according to the laws of God. When you obey the commands of God, you will have no fear of punishment and no temptation to lie.

God punishes liars by making people not to believe them when they speak the truth. A parable was told of a young boy who used to scream that a lion was attacking the cows of his father when there was no lion. One day, a lion attacked the cows of his father and the boy screamed but everyone assumed the boy was lying.

How to Ask God for Forgiveness for Lying

1. Confess your sin of telling lies

When you go before God to ask for forgiveness for lying, you have to start by acknowledging that you have sinned. Lying is a character of the devil. If you have told lies, you have done what the devil does.

When you go before God, you have to confess that you have done what the devil does. If you refuse to confess your lies, you will not receive God’s mercy.

Remember that God already knows the lies you told. You are not informing God when you confess your lies to Him; rather, you are humbling yourself that you may receive mercy.

2. Repent for Lying

After you have confessed that what you said was a lie, ask God to forgive you. Forgiveness is a gift that God gives to those who humble themselves and turn away from their iniquity.

Ask God to have mercy on you for imitating the character of the devil. You also have to understand that your lie caused pain to someone else. It is good to also ask God to forgive you for hurting the other person with your lies.

If you still feel unsure after asking God to forgive you for telling lies, ask the person you lied to for forgiveness as well. If you can’t access the person, know that it is enough to ask God for forgiveness.

Once God has forgiven you, He will automatically heal the wound you caused the other person. The devil may come to accuse you of the pain you caused to the other person but that is a deceptive scheme meant to steal the peace you received through God’s forgiveness.

3. Thank God for forgiving you

After you have confessed and asked God to forgive you for lying, thank Him for forgiving you. Forgiveness is a gift that we receive from God and it pleases the heart of God when we thank Him for it.

Jesus was pleased with the one leper that came back to thank Him after he was healed. The other nine were healed but their ungratefulness displeased the Lord.

Be like the one leper that went back to thank Jesus for his healing. When you thank God for healing you, not only will you please His heart but He will also exempt you from the devil when he tries to steal the peace you have received as a result of the forgiveness.

The Outcome of Repenting for the Sin of Lying

When you repent for the sin of lying, God will give you peace. Lying is a result of fear. When you repent of it, God forgives you and takes away the fear you have and He gives you love.

The love you receive makes you bold and gives you peace. The Bible tells us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus; who walk not according to the flesh but according to the spirit.

Sample Prayer for Forgiveness for Lying

Heavenly Father, you are My Lord and My God. My hope is in you. You are my salvation. I have sinned before you. With my lips, I have told lies. I have spoken the language of the devil and carried out the assignment of the evil one. Forgive me! Have mercy on me! Give me love in place of fear that I may not be tempted to lie. I desire to walk uprightly before you My Lord. Heal those I have hurt with the lies I told. May they find peace in you!

Thank you Lord for the love you have for me and thank you for forgiving me. Blessed be your Holy Name. In Jesus name I pray, amen!