Forgiveness and Healing

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Forgiveness and Healing

• Hope Springs Europe
• English Speaking Prayer Conference
• Esther Ho
• 16-11-2008

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1. WHAT IS FORGIVENESS?

• The primary Greek term is apheimi To set
  aside, to let go, give up, yield up. Judgement
  belongs to God He says It is mine to avenge I
  will repay Deut 3235
• It is a choice or an act of the will to take
  responsibility for our own reaction at being hurt
  or suffer injustice dealing with our ungodly
  response.
• Choosing to release the offender totally from any
  recompense.
• Obedience to God who commands us to forgive. It
  is the gateway to healing.
• Releasing the offence into Gods hand

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2. Why is Forgiveness Important?

• Unforgiveness is a sin
• Forgiveness is the Key to most healing
• It is often unrecognised
• Unforgiveness leads into many other sins
• Satan will take advantage of those who bear
  unforgiveness- resentment grows out of
  unforgiveness, and bitterness takes root in your
  life causing serious trouble..
• The Lord may allow tormentors. Unless we release
  others debt, God cannot release us of the
  bondage, the anger, hate, rage or urge for
  revenge.
• It is the character of God to forgive
• Jesus demonstrated it at Gethsemane and on the
  cross. Luke 2334
• Jesus not only forgave Peter, but also reinstated
  him in the area in which he failed. Jn.2115-19

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3. WHY IS FORGIVENESS DIFFICULT?

• We want the other person to feel bad that he/she
  has hurt us.
• We want revenge and not allow the offender to get
  off easily.
• Our failure to recognise that our past hurts from
  unforgiveness cause us to be oversensitive
• We confuse wounds and resentment with
  unforgiveness
• We confuse forgiveness with pardoning the
  offender. Only God pardons. Micah 718, who is a
  God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the
  transgression of the remnant of his inheritance?
  You do not stay angry forever but delight to show
  mercy.

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4. WHAT FORGIVENESS IS NOT?

• Forgiveness is not
• Pardoning the individual Micah 718
• Forgetting what has happened
• Declaring the offender innocent
• Finding someone else to blame.
• Healing of our wounds
• Receiving compensation from the offender
• Judging the offender
• Merely verbalising some words callously

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5. WHAT DOES FORGIVENESS MEAN?

• Willingness to acknowledge that we have harboured
  unforgiveness Jer. 179,10
• Separate the sin from the sinner Jn.8 1-11
• Choosing mercy and not judgement Micah 68
• Not waiting until forgiveness is deserved Luke
  2324 Acts 760
• Becoming the initiator of righteousness, rather
  than staying a victim.
• Releasing to God any right of revenge. Rom
  1217-21

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6. WHO NEED FORGIVENESS?

• All who have offended us
• God Prov.193, 3 A man's own folly ruins his
  life, yet his heart rages against the LORD.
• Ourselves
• Our sins and failures of the past that have been
  confessed
• ii. Acknowledge our part in hurting the offender
• iii. For blaming ourselves for what was not our
  fault e.g. the divorce of our parents
• iv. For having received condemnation for what has
  already been forgiven
• v. We may need to receive forgiveness for having
  offended others.

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7. HOW DO WE RECEIVE FORGIVENESS WHEN WE HAVE
OFFENDED OTHERS?

• Confess to God and seek Gods forgiveness.
• Ask forgiveness of the person whom we offended.
• In humility accept words of forgiveness from
  others
• Be ready to repay or restore, if needed.
• Unforgiveness can be the root of physical
  illness. Either you havent forgiven others OR
• Your own sins that havent been forgiven may
  affect you. Matt.91-8

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8. UNFORGIVENESS AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

• Sowing and reaping Gal.6 7-10
• Torment
• Captivity
• Sickness
• Broken Relationships
• Bitter Root Judgement.
• Curses
• We are not designed to live in unforgiveness
• Forgiveness is not a feeling it is a decision
  and an action.
• Changed feelings are an outcome of Forgiveness

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9. FORGIVENESS CREATES PROBLEMS

• Lies believed as truth lock pain in.
• It gives us a distorted image of God, accompanied
  by anger at God.
• Not forgiving may give you a feeling of being in
  control
• Resentments could be buried in the heart
• It results in a lack of compassion

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10. ACCOMPLISHING FORGIVENESS

• Jesus accomplish forgiveness Heb.922
• without the shedding of blood there is no
  forgiveness
• It is the foremost power for the cleansing of the
  heart Heb.12 24
• Cleansing 1Jn.19
• ask God for a forgiving heart Psalm.145 18-19
• Forgiveness is a choice to obey, not a feeling
• Personal growth
• What happens to the debt once forgiveness has
  occurred?

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11. FALSE, INAPPROPRIATE AND INCOMPLETE
FORGIVENESS

• to get over with and be done with the pain of the
  abuse/offence is an inappropriate reason to
  forgive. (i.e. it is not forgiving from your
  heart Matt 1835)
• Forgiveness cannot be real or helpful if the pain
  has not been defined or discussed
• Inappropriate forgiveness is
• When forgiveness is used to manipulate God into
  making the pain go away
• Demanding action from God- I did my part, now
  you have better do something for me sets the
  person up for frustration and anger if the
  desired results do not follow.
• Forgive in order to please someone else.
• Forgiveness cannot be fully appropriated if a
  person believes I am bad or if there is
  emotional damage that needs healing.
• Forgiveness is a process

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Exod 221-5 Protection of Property