Walking in Forgiveness
Matthew 18:21-35
Every follower of Jesus Christ has experienced the power of forgiveness. They know the transforming energy that comes with knowing they have been forgiven of their many sins, have been cleansed and restored to a right relationship with God. The clear teaching of Scripture is that we who have experienced the magnitude of God’s forgiveness, are then required to forgive those who have sinned against us in a far lesser way. To drive home the point Jesus told the story of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18:23-34, making it clear that any wrong we have suffered at the hands of others pales in comparison to our sins against God. The penalty of refusing to forgive is also severe when Jesus tells us we will be handed over to “the torturers” if we do not forgive our brothers and sisters from the heart. You may want to go and read Matthew 18:21-35 again to refresh your memory on how important it is that we walk in forgiveness.
Our ability and willingness are often tied to our current experience of receiving God’s forgiveness. Meaning when our experience of having been forgiven a great debt by God, a debt so large we could never repay it, we are more apt to be forgiving of others. To help us maintain that experience, I want to review a 7-step process that allows us to walk in forgiveness. It is summarized for us in the Cleansing Stream seminar workbook on page 199. I would encourage to go back and review this section of your workbook.
- Revelation- Under the direction of the Holy Spirit we apply the truth of the Word of God to our lives, allowing Him to point out areas that need healing and freedom.
- Repentance- As we experience the conviction of the Holy Spirit, we confess our sins to God and change our behavior to be in alignment with the truth of Scripture.
- Renouncing- Through a verbal declaration of repudiation we break the enemy’s hold, legal right, by closing the door on sin.
- Restoration- We cooperate with the Holy Spirit, receiving by faith cleansing, healing, and restoration of our whole person, spiritually, emotionally and physically.
- Removal- A forceful and deliberate removing of the enemy through the setting of our wills in acts of deliverance commanding the demons to leave.
- Resisting- Putting on the armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-20, we resist the enemy’s attempts to return by monitoring our thought life and practicing the spiritual disciplines of meditation, prayer, fasting, and worship.
- Resting- We rest in our true identity as a son or daughter of the King, knowing we have been given eternal life and both authority/power over sin, death and the devil.
Forgiveness is easy to understand and it is the key that unlocks healing and freedom in every area of our lives. Make it practical and keep it simple. When the Holy Spirit convicts of sin or unforgiveness respond in confession and repentance, stopping to receive His forgiveness. For your normal routine consider memorizing the 7 R’s and practice them daily. Together these disciplines will allow you to walk in forgiveness and the peace that accompanies it.
Author
Pastor Bruce is the Executive Director of God's Living Stones. He lives in Omaha, NE, with his wife Barb. They have two adult children.
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