How to Forgive the Unforgivable.

Your anger does not produce the righteousness of God

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Matthew 18:20-22 (AMP)

²⁰For wherever two or three are gathered (drawn together as My followers) in (into) My name, there I AM in the midst of them. ²¹Then Peter came up to Him and said, Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I forgive him and let it go? [As many as] up to seven times? ²²Jesus answered him, I tell you, not up to seven, times, but seventy times seven!

Beloved you do the maths (70 x 7= 490) that is a lot of forgiveness in one day. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where a friend or a total stranger does something to make you ANGRY? Something like, a careless taunt, misplacing valuable property, a false accusation or even a broken promise? I believe we have all been on the receiving end. Regardless of the trigger, we have all felt that surge of red hot anger compelling us to retaliate, to hurt, to embarrass or at least make that person feel what we felt. 

I am sure we can all acknowledge that we are faced with situations that make us angry, for some people more than others. How then do you get to the point where you can forgive, that person who gets on your last nerve. Yes, the one you just thought about, LOL. There is hope for you and me.

 I will not go into a discussion on different types of anger but I will tell you that anger that is allowed to fester turns into a root of bitterness. This is not good. If you struggle with bitterness towards someone who took advantage of you, was physically or emotionally abusive then you need God to empower you to forgive and empty your heart. Only Holy Spirit can remove that root of bitterness and its fruit.

 Why should we forgive? Because God says so and that should be enough reason. Let us look at some sobering truth from the word.

Matthew 6:14 (AMP)

¹⁴For if you forgive people their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

If we do not forgive thoughtless, unwarranted transgressions committed by others we will not be forgiven.  So what are we to do with all the EMOTIONS that accompany such an event? 

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 The bible has a strategy.

Ephesians 4:31 AMP

Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind).

Confession

Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus. I forgive (mention name(s) of people who make you angry or have made you angry) for (mention what they did). Your word tells me I must forgive. 

 

Holy Spirit empower me to forgive from my heart. I let go of all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language).  

 Father please empty my heart of all these things. I banish every spirit that keeps those negative memories alive. I break the sting I feel every time I see that person.  I renounce all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind). 

In Jesus name, I chose to turn my thoughts on what is good and lovely and praiseworthy in Jesus name. Blood of Jesus wash my mind, my heart, my mouth and purify me in Jesus name. Holy Spirit I pray that you would fill that space with your spirit and your fire in Jesus name, Amen.