Faith Christian Center

Forgiveness

What Does Forgive Mean?

  1. Dictionary: To give up resentment against, or the desire to forgive; Stop being angry with; pardon. To give up all claim to punish or exact penalty for (an offense); overlook. Cancel or remit (a debt)
  2. Greek Dictionary: To send away, completely cancel, remission of all punishment due, bestow a favor unconditionally, let loose, let go of, release, let it drop, leave it.

You Are Forgiven

  1. Ps. 103:11-12 (Amp) – For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great are His mercy and loving-kindness toward those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgression from us.
  2. Isa 38:17(b) (Amp) – But you have loved back my life from the pit of corruption and nothingness, for you have cast all my sins behind your back.
  3. Heb 10:17 – Their sins and iniquities I will remember no more. The Word tells you that God has removed your sin as far as the east is from the west. There is no farther distance than how far the east is from the west. Because of the love God has for you, He has put your sin behind Him. He’s gone on; it’s behind Him. And the word tells you He does not remember them any more. Heb 1:3 tells you Jesus has made you clean.

Why Should I Forgive?

  1. Obedience to the Word: Eph 4:32, Col 3:13.
  2. So your faith will work: Mark 11:22-25, Gal 5:6.
    • Everything we receive from God is a result of His grace, and we receive the grace of God through faith (Eph 2:8). This includes forgiveness for your sin. So, if you refuse to forgive, you can receive nothing from God.
  3. So you can have a personal relationship with the Lord: 1 John 4:11-12, Eph 3:12.
  4. Unforgiveness causes torment and bondage in your life: Matt 18:21-35.
  5. If you don’t, God cannot forgive you: Mark 11:25-26.
  6. Unforgiveness opens the door to Satan: 2 Cor 2:10-11, James 3:16.
  7. Unforgiveness will open the doors God wants shut, and shut the doors God wants open.

How Do I Forgive?

  1. Make a decision. Forgiveness is not a feeling; it is a decision. It is a decision based on obedience to God, and not on whether they deserve it.
  2. Pray. Tell the Lord that you forgive them and hold nothing against them, and ask God to forgive them and to hold nothing against them.
  3. Depending on the situation, ask for personal forgiveness and forgive yourself.
  4. If the person or persons knows of the situation, ask them personally to forgive you.
  5. Pray for them. Take the place of intercessor for them: Luke 6:28. Pray for healing and deliverance in the area of their life that causes them to hurt you. Remember, hurting people hurt people. They need a prayer warrior. Take their side against the devil. He is the source of offense to begin with.
  6. Release your anger on the devil, not the person. When offenses come, so does anger. Eph 4:26 says, be ye angry but sin not. If you take your anger out on the person, it’s sin. So release it on the devil. Repressed anger will become oppression, and then resentment, and then bitterness. Bitterness will become hatred, and hatred will become retaliation and then murder: Heb 12:15, Eph 4:31 (Amp).
  7. Pray in the Holy Ghost. Pray for yourself and for the one who offended you. Be the vehicle for the love of God in their lives. 1 Pet 4:8 (Amp) Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and disregards the offenses of others]. John 15:13 Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for another. When you forgive, you are laying down your life, you are loving with the Love of God, and there is no greater love than the Love of God. Sow that love into the lives of others, and you shall reap it in your own life.

Prayer

Father, your Word says in Col. 3:13 that I am to forgive in the same way I have been forgiven. According to your Word and in the Name of Jesus, as an act of my will I choose to forgive _______. I let go of and let drop the unforgiveness and hurt, and I will hold nothing against _______. I ask you, Father, in the Name of Jesus, to forgive them and hold nothing against them. Father, in Jesus’ Name I ask you to heal and deliver _______ from all hurt, bitterness and unforgiveness in their lives. Reveal to them by the power of your Holy Spirit your love for them. Now, Satan, I bind you in my life and in _______’s life. I declare it unlawful for you to operate in our lives. By the authority in the Name of Jesus, and according to Matt 16:18, I bind hurt, I bind the spirit of offense, and I bind every lying spirit that would operate against me or _______. Now, Father, in the Name of Jesus, I lift up _______ and this situation, and I pray your perfect will in our lives. (Now, pray in the Holy Ghost.)