Week 2: Forgiveness & Releasing Others

1.    Forgiveness & Releasing Others

1.1. Forgiving others and releasing hurt and hatred for them is central to salvation and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

1.1.1.   Matt 6:14-15 For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions

1.2. Christ has forgiven us for so much, daily. We must also forgive others daily.

1.2.1.   Matt 18:21-22 Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

1.3. Matt 18 Parable of the Unforgiving Servant. Unforgiveness ends up in torment. Not torment for them, torment for you.

1.4. Establishing Safe Christian Boundaries

1.4.1.   Forgiveness does not mean allowing people to continue hurting you. Just as we repent from our sins to continue growing in our relationship with Jesus, others must repent of their wrongs against us to continue in a godly interaction with us.

1.4.1.1.       Gal 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

1.4.2.   Others must respect our boundaries and operate in Christian love toward us. Our goal is not to turn people away from Christ, but to ensure they do not cause emotional or physical damage to us.

1.4.2.1.       What Christian friendships look like: 1Cor 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1.4.3.   If others are not loving toward us we can establish boundaries for ourselves not to fellowship with them.

1.4.3.1.       Proverbs 22:24 Do not associate with a man given to anger, Or go with a hot-tempered man, 25 Or you will learn his ways, And find a snare for yourself.

1.4.3.2.       Titus 3:10 Reject a divisive person after one or two warnings. 11You know that such a person is twisted by sin and is conscious of it himself.

1.5. Practicalities:

1.5.1.   What safe Christian boundaries do you need to put around yourself?

1.5.1.1.       What relationships do you need to step away from?

1.5.1.2.       How can you cut them off or cut them back in a positive manner?

1.5.1.3.       How can you prevent future negative relationships from forming?

1.5.2.   Who do you need to forgive? Allow the Holy Spirit to show you who you need to forgive.

1.5.2.1.       Negative or hateful words spoken over you

1.5.2.2.       Childhood trauma

1.5.2.3.       Family members or past relationships who have hurt you.

1.5.2.4.       How long have you carried that? What effects has it had on your life?

1.5.2.5.       Do you want the pain of that burden to be gone?

1.5.2.6.       The tongue turns the ship, say it in Jesus name until you believe it. James 3:4-5 4 It is the same with ships: even though they are so large and driven by fierce winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot’s inclination wishes. 5 In the same way the tongue is a small member and yet has great pretensions.

1.5.3.   Focus on releasing it: say “I release _________ in Jesus name.” Say it with force until its gone.

1.5.4.   In the future when it comes to your mind, say it again, “I release _________ in Jesus name.”

1.5.5.   In life as you feel yourself becoming angry with people, immediately say “I release _________ in Jesus name.”