Prayer and Forgiveness
Ephesians 4:32 New International Version
32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:30, which is two verses above the listed Ephesians 4:32 verse, it specifically speaks on be careful not to grieve the Holy Spirit. How does this work? By holding in bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, malice, and verse 32 by holding back forgiveness, kindness, and compassion.
Drop down one verse.
Ephesians 5: 1 explains we are to be like Christ, who loved us as sinners, gave himself up as an offering and blood sacrifice to God.
Mark 11:25 New International Version
25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
You may not reach a heart of forgiveness without prayer and unity within the Spirit. For who better knows the mind of God than the Spirit of God?
It is crucial we do not grieve the Spirit so that we may be living in our righteous state provided by Jesus Christ.
I must explain, “forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Did not Jesus pay for our sins past, present, future? This is providing a profound truth on the importance of keeping a pure heart. We see how important this matter is to God, and it teaches us that a Christ-follower will want to be like Christ who's sacrifice was the forgiveness of sins.
We forgive even if the individual we have in mind who we hold malice against is not present. It is most of all an act to cleanse us, heal us, and help to get back into a proper alignment with God.
Matthew 18:21-22 New International Version
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
I have heard it was of the Jewish custom only to forgive 7 times. But as we see, Jesus multiplied that by 70 times 7. So 490 times, we are to forgive. Jesus then goes into a parable in verses 23-35.
In summary, the parable was over a servant who was facing punishment. The servant begged the master to forgive his debt, and the master took pity on him. Then the servant immediately went out and practiced his malice against others who owed a debt to him. Verse 32, the servant was reported to the master, and the master called him wicked. Verse 33 says, “ Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?”
Here again, it shows the importance in the eyes of God on the subject of forgiveness.
James 5:16 New International Version
16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Why do we confess our sins to each other? In doing so, this is not like the Catholic idea of confession but simply so that we have others' accountability, support and provide healing as others may often be able to relate.
When we guard our hearts, careful not to grieve the Spirit, and honest about our transgressions, we come to God powerfully and effectively. We go to Him no longer burdened by sins that disrupt our connection to God.
Sin often brings distraction, deception, and depression for the believer as we live in a state of grief, regret, or pain.
Pray in all things, including for God to remove the malice and provide you with the peace to let go of any hurt, pain, grief, regret, or hatred.
Moment of silence: pray to be set free of pain, grief, regret, and hatred in Christ Jesus.
Luke 6:27 New International Version
27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.
In this state of closeness to God is the only way we can truly comprehend the wisdom of loving our enemies and doing good to those who hate us.
Ask yourself what would Jesus do? What did Jesus teach?
God will repay those who do wrong to you. So we must remember in those who hate us, it is often an issue of the heart—some kind of pain, sin, or grief in their heart we of ourselves can not reach. But you know who can? Jesus. So why do we let the sin of others, especially unbelievers be a surprise to us?
Well, we are human with human feelings, but it helps to remember the real issue of the heart. Let us focus on the source and be more loving, forgiving, and kind to the symptoms of a hardened heart.
Proverbs 10:12 New International Version
12 Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.
We can not go wrong with love. We honor God by showing love. Some will only take this as a further insult, but that is not our intention; it should be of a sincere heart.
The individual's actions towards us are of no concern when we are sincere and acting in love. We then give it over to God and keep moving forward.
Proverbs 17:9 New International Version
9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
Practice good discernment and study the ways of those who stir up offenses against you. Keep a close watch on the red flags that may slowly or steadily increase. Guard your heart, protect your mind, and foster the love of Christ.
That love with the understanding of the symptoms of sin can and will provide you with the means to handle such offenses, but it will also provide the wisdom to see how we should respond to difficult people.
Exercise: write on a piece of paper the person or persons you feel you need to forgive to heal or grow closer to God. Then fold the paper in half, and burn it as an offering to God. An offering to say, here God, you take my feelings towards this person so that I may forgive as you also have forgiven me. I can no longer carry the weight and burden of such pain, malice, or sorrow. I give it to you, and in you, I am set free.
Remember, the individual does not have to be still living; they could be 1000s of miles away or maybe an event years ago. What are you carrying and need to give to God?
Discussion:
Has this message helped you in any way?
What spoke to you the most?
Do you have someone in mind who can be an accountability partner? (One who can offer Biblical wisdom and be someone you can safely vent to)
Ephesians 4:32 New International Version
32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:30, which is two verses above the listed Ephesians 4:32 verse, it specifically speaks on be careful not to grieve the Holy Spirit. How does this work? By holding in bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, malice, and verse 32 by holding back forgiveness, kindness, and compassion.
Drop down one verse.
Ephesians 5: 1 explains we are to be like Christ, who loved us as sinners, gave himself up as an offering and blood sacrifice to God.
Mark 11:25 New International Version
25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
You may not reach a heart of forgiveness without prayer and unity within the Spirit. For who better knows the mind of God than the Spirit of God?
It is crucial we do not grieve the Spirit so that we may be living in our righteous state provided by Jesus Christ.
I must explain, “forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Did not Jesus pay for our sins past, present, future? This is providing a profound truth on the importance of keeping a pure heart. We see how important this matter is to God, and it teaches us that a Christ-follower will want to be like Christ who's sacrifice was the forgiveness of sins.
We forgive even if the individual we have in mind who we hold malice against is not present. It is most of all an act to cleanse us, heal us, and help to get back into a proper alignment with God.
Matthew 18:21-22 New International Version
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
I have heard it was of the Jewish custom only to forgive 7 times. But as we see, Jesus multiplied that by 70 times 7. So 490 times, we are to forgive. Jesus then goes into a parable in verses 23-35.
In summary, the parable was over a servant who was facing punishment. The servant begged the master to forgive his debt, and the master took pity on him. Then the servant immediately went out and practiced his malice against others who owed a debt to him. Verse 32, the servant was reported to the master, and the master called him wicked. Verse 33 says, “ Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?”
Here again, it shows the importance in the eyes of God on the subject of forgiveness.
James 5:16 New International Version
16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Why do we confess our sins to each other? In doing so, this is not like the Catholic idea of confession but simply so that we have others' accountability, support and provide healing as others may often be able to relate.
When we guard our hearts, careful not to grieve the Spirit, and honest about our transgressions, we come to God powerfully and effectively. We go to Him no longer burdened by sins that disrupt our connection to God.
Sin often brings distraction, deception, and depression for the believer as we live in a state of grief, regret, or pain.
Pray in all things, including for God to remove the malice and provide you with the peace to let go of any hurt, pain, grief, regret, or hatred.
Moment of silence: pray to be set free of pain, grief, regret, and hatred in Christ Jesus.
Luke 6:27 New International Version
27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.
In this state of closeness to God is the only way we can truly comprehend the wisdom of loving our enemies and doing good to those who hate us.
Ask yourself what would Jesus do? What did Jesus teach?
God will repay those who do wrong to you. So we must remember in those who hate us, it is often an issue of the heart—some kind of pain, sin, or grief in their heart we of ourselves can not reach. But you know who can? Jesus. So why do we let the sin of others, especially unbelievers be a surprise to us?
Well, we are human with human feelings, but it helps to remember the real issue of the heart. Let us focus on the source and be more loving, forgiving, and kind to the symptoms of a hardened heart.
Proverbs 10:12 New International Version
12 Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.
We can not go wrong with love. We honor God by showing love. Some will only take this as a further insult, but that is not our intention; it should be of a sincere heart.
The individual's actions towards us are of no concern when we are sincere and acting in love. We then give it over to God and keep moving forward.
Proverbs 17:9 New International Version
9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
Practice good discernment and study the ways of those who stir up offenses against you. Keep a close watch on the red flags that may slowly or steadily increase. Guard your heart, protect your mind, and foster the love of Christ.
That love with the understanding of the symptoms of sin can and will provide you with the means to handle such offenses, but it will also provide the wisdom to see how we should respond to difficult people.
Exercise: write on a piece of paper the person or persons you feel you need to forgive to heal or grow closer to God. Then fold the paper in half, and burn it as an offering to God. An offering to say, here God, you take my feelings towards this person so that I may forgive as you also have forgiven me. I can no longer carry the weight and burden of such pain, malice, or sorrow. I give it to you, and in you, I am set free.
Remember, the individual does not have to be still living; they could be 1000s of miles away or maybe an event years ago. What are you carrying and need to give to God?
Discussion:
Has this message helped you in any way?
What spoke to you the most?
Do you have someone in mind who can be an accountability partner? (One who can offer Biblical wisdom and be someone you can safely vent to)