The Freedom of Forgiveness— Very few things can be as liberating as forgiveness!

2. The Freedom of Forgiveness—Very few things can be as liberating as forgiveness! • Muslim Background Believer comes to Jesus . . . Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. • 2 Clerics with 80 followers • It’s an incredibly powerful force especially in situations where the person does not deserve it. • The simple act of forgiveness ispotent and life-changing. • Not only that but it has the power to set you free as well.

3. What did Jesus say as He was nailed to the cross? Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing. • What did Stephen, the 1st Christian martyr, say when they were stoning him to death? Lord, do not charge them with this sin. • Who was there when Stephen made this powerful statement? • Paul!

4. Here’s the point in all this: • If Jesus had not forgiven us, we would have never been able to receive God’slove and forgiveness. • If Stephen had not forgiven, Paul would have never been able to receive Jesus’ forgiveness. • If the new believerin Nigeria had not forgiven his tormentors, they wouldn’t have had that dream. • Unforgivenessdoes 2 things: • It places a web over the offender which blocks them from receiving God’s love. • And, it puts a cancer in your heart.

5. Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (NASB) • Before we even knew we needed to ask for forgiveness, God forgave us and sent His only Son to die on the cross for our sins. 2 Corinthians 5:21 – [God] made [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.(NASB) • Do we deserve to die in our sins? Yes! • Was that fair to Jesus? Did He deserve to die? • No! But He did!

6. Before we even knew we needed to ask for forgiveness, He forgave us and died for our sins. • In fact, the sinless Lamb of God became sin, so we could be completely exonerated from our guilt. • All we have to do is to ask for His forgiveness, and He will give it to us.

7. And, an unwillingness to forgive will put a spiritual cancer on the inside which eats at your life. • Eventually unforgiveness will affect your physical health. • Even if we have a right to an offense, we must forgive. • We cannot afford not to. • To choose to forgivedoes 2 things: • Set us free on the inside to receive God’s power. • Set the offender free to receive God’s love. • That’s why it is the freedom of forgiveness.

8. Holding onto anger (unforgiveness) is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. • That’s the irony of unforgiveness. • It will kill you both spiritually and physically, and the offender may never even know it.

9. Show Video: Fuggetaboutit!

10. Matthew 18:23– Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him.  (verses 24-31) 32 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, 'You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Shouldn't you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?' 34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt. 35 That's what My heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.

11. Like all Jesus’ parables this is very simple yet has a profound message. • King = God • The unmerciful servant = Christian • When you were born again, youwere forgiven a debt of sin youcould never repay. • Why? • Because you asked the Lord to forgive you. • Offender: the key is in the humility of asking for forgiveness. • It releases the power to be forgiven.

12. Then, that same servant went out and found a fellow servant who owed him mere pocket change. • And, he could not find it in his heart to forgive but had him thrown into a debtor’s prison! • I don’t know about you, but this story always shocks me. • How could a man who had been forgiven so much could not forgive so little?

13. Verse 35 reveals a sobering reality: Matthew 18:35– This is how My heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart. • Does God really mean this? • YES! • We become guilty of the same shocking sin as this unmerciful servant. • When we, who have been forgiven a huge debt of sin, can’t find it in our hearts to forgive our fellow believers.

14. Several important points: • Not Right – The issue is not so much who is right and who is wrong. • The issue for you is: What is your response to it? • You cannot control what others do, but you can control how you respond to it. • You must walk in love and forgiveness. • Why? • Because Jesus asks you to.

15. Offenses– One of the tools of the devil in this hour is offenses. • If he can divide us, he will conquer us. • Forgiveness is not a feelingbut a choice! • It’s a simple act of your will—a choice. • Corrie Ten Boom

16. The Point: The feelingto forgive followedher decisionto forgive. • Don’t wait until you have an inner witness to forgive because you are not going to get it. • Forgiveness is a choice. • The world says that you have a right to hold onto to that grudge—don’t forgive! • But, Jesus’ way, the way of the Kingdom of Heaven, is quite different. • He says that you can’t afford to hold onto it. • Not only will it destroy you, but God will not forgive you.

17. Allow me to take this a step further: Not only are we commanded to forgive, but we are to FORGET! • Corriegoes on and tells that when God forgives us, He throws our sins into the Sea of Forgetfulness. • He posts a sign on the banks of that Sea which says, No Fishing Allowed! • God forgives and forgets our sins, and He desires to give each of us that same power to forgive & forget. • So, not only are we to choose to forgive, we are to choose to forget. • Just fugettaboutit! Just let it go!

18. Joseph chose to forgive his brothers who sold him into slavery. • And, he also chose to forgive Potipher’swife who lied about him and had him thrown into prison. • He is a good example of what happens to you if you choose to forgive and forget. • God elevated and blessed him immeasurably! • He went from the prison to the palace in one day because he chose to keep his heart pure.

19. Joseph named his sons: • 1st son – Manasseh=Caused to Forget • 2nd son –Ephraim= Caused me to be fruitful and blessed • Who caused him to forget and to be fruitful and blessed? • God did! • But, notice the order. • The willingness to forgive and to forget must come before the blessings of God will flow in your life. • If you choose to live a life of forgiveness, you will also experience God’s fruitfulness and blessings.

20. The choice is yours to make. • Sickness or forgiveness? • Love or hate? • Joy or Anger? • Answered Prayer or Silence? • Eternal separation from God or Eternal blessings in His Presence? • Joseph never saw himself as a victim. • Rather, he saw himselfas someone who was prepared by God for a special purpose.

21. Our society, on the other hand, is filled with abuse. • And, consequently, with victims of abuse, whether it is sexual, physical, emotional or verbal. • It could easily be said that it is at epidemic proportions. • It is impacting an entire generation of our young people. • And, it will consequently influence the future of America in a very negative way. • We are developing a generation of Bitter Victims!

22. Look at how abuse is rampant in our society: • 3 Million child abuse reports are made each year—that is 1 every 10 seconds! • Well over half of all child abuse cases are directly related to parental alcohol and/or drug abuse. • 300,000 rapes are reported each year (halfare not reported). • Child Abuse cases have reached epidemic proportions in this country with a 322% increase over a 10 year period. • And all of this is just the tip of the iceberg. • Think about it: A generation of Bitter Victims!

23. On top of that, there are many who go around with a Victim’s Complex. • Their problems are always someone else’s fault—their parents, teachers, employers, spouse and etc. • They will not take ownership of their faults, and because of that, they never honestly deal with their short-comings. • The victims of abuse often become the biggest abusers in the future. • They’re caught in a cycle of violence &bondage from which only the Power of Jesus can set them free.

24. The Truth is that the Devil hates all of us, and he desires to abuse everyone of us! • He is the Author of Abuse. • Many like to blame God, but He’s the answer not the problem. John 10:10a – The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy . . . • The author of abuse is the devil. • And, he has a plan to destroy your life through bitter disappointments and abuse.

25. The GOOD NEWS – I [Jesus] have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. • BUT, God has a plan for your life, and it is a plan of abundant blessings. • The good news is that youcan be free from the effects of abuse by an act of your will. • And, allow God to turn your scars into stars. • He can turn those stumbling blocks into stepping stones. • God is the Master of turning what the enemy meant for evil into good.

26. Youcan never see yourself as God sees youif youalways see yourself as a Victim! • Jesus wants youto be: • the head and not the tail • the top and not the bottom • more than a conqueror • an overcomer • victorious • blessed • But, you hold the key! • You must choose to allow Him to work in your life and bring the healing.

27. You may feel like you were the victim and that you have a right to feel the way you do. • But, that is a right you need to lay at the feet of Jesus. • Jesus came to set the captives free. • Then, you will experience the freedom and the blessings of God just as Joseph did. • Life is too short to allow unforgiveness torob you of God’s Presence and abundant blessings.

28. What must you do? • Choose to forgive! • Verbally (that means out loud) forgive the offender. • Ask God to fill your void with His love and the Holy Spirit. • Ask for apologies & make it right. • Hurting people hurt people. • Victims become offenders. • Then, let freedom and healing ring in your heart!