We must confess our sins immediately. The reason

37. 1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. —
1 John 1:9

One Sunday as I was preaching in my church in Nashville, I said that Christians need to keep “short accounts” with God. We need to confess our sins quickly and completely so that no corrosion builds up on our spiritual connections with God. I was interrupted by a young man whom I’d never seen before and have never seen since. Jumping to his feet, he shouted, “Sir! Sir! That’s not right.”
He had the salutary effect of waking up everyone instantly. “When we receive Christ as Savior,” he insisted, “He forgives our sins past, present, and future. We never again need to confess sins that are forgiven in His sight.”

It’s true that all our sins are instantly and forever forgiven—past, present, and future.
Yet Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matt. 6:12). And, as I reminded my young heckler that evening, 1 John 1:9 was expressly written to Christians. According to the next paragraph, 1 John 2:1-2, John wrote his book to retard sin in our lives
(“I am writing you these things so that you may not sin”), but he added, “If anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the righteous One.”

It’s not that we’re saved and lost, lost and saved, over and over. It’s a matter of maintaining constant, conscious fellowship with our Lord. It’s obviously possible for Christians to sin.
 I’ve never met one who didn’t.

That doesn’t mean we’ve lost our salvation; but sin does jeopardize the victory and vitality of our faith. Confession means we acknowledge our failures and humbly ask God’s help in overcoming them.

Some sins are so stubbornly addictive that it takes massive amounts of time, effort, confession, counseling, and rededication to conquer them. If you’re struggling with a besetting sin, don’t give up. Keep memorizing Scriptures related to your weakness. Keep anticipating its onset and avoiding its traps. Like Daniel, determine in your heart you aren’t going to be defiled, and ask God for full and total victory.
We may never be perfect in this life, but through the power of the blood of Jesus Christ, we can have consistent victory over known sin; and 1 John 1:9 is a powerful verse to store in the armory of your mind.

We must confess our sins immediately. The reason

100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart.