Overcoming Unforgiveness

SUCCESSOINT Overcoming Unforgiveness Unforgiveness is a serious hindrance to your prayer life and your relationship with God. The reason is because it keeps God from being able to forgive you of your sins. God has commanded us to walk in love, and forgiving others is a part of that. In fact, forgiveness isn’t an option for the Christian; it’s a requirement. Holding on to unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the person we are upset with will die. We are the ones who end up being hurt in the end. In addition, Jesus commands us to forgive as many times as necessary. We must purpose in our hearts to forgive, much like we set a thermostat to a certain temperature. It must be a way of life that is an automatic reaction when someone offends or hurts us. Keep in mind that forgiveness is not about how we feel. Most of the time we won’t feel like forgiving people; however, it is necessary because God commands us to do so. It is at times like this that we must forgive by faith, and allow our emotions to line up later. We cannot base our decision to forgive on how we feel at the time. Forgiveness does not mean that we have to continue in a close personal relationship with the person. It does, however, mean that we must not harbor anything negative in our hearts toward them. If we have truly forgiven someone, we don’t carry feelings of ill-will or disgust when we hear the person’s name or see him or her. We have released that person from the offense and are free to move on with our lives. 11 ij Confessions for Overcoming Unforgiveness and Negative Emotions I choose to forgive, from my heart, anyone who has intentionally or unintentionally committed an offense against me. With Your help, Lord, I release all people who have hurt me from what they have done to me. Any and all offenses I have been holding I place on the cross, and release them now. I hold no accusation against anyone who has wronged me. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I have the strength to forgive anyone for anything they have done to hurt me. I ask You, Lord, to bless _________________, and I do not hold any offenses against him/her. I confess and repent for allowing any unforgiveness in my life. I ask You, Lord Jesus, to forgive me. If anyone in my life modeled unforgiveness or carried bitterness that caused me to be defiled, 12 I forgive him/her and ask you to bring people into my life now who model Your way of living. In the name of Jesus, and by the power of His blood, I cancel all of Satan’s authority over me in this area. Holy Spirit, I invite you into my heart to heal me of this pain. I am filled with a greater revelation of Your great mercy for me, and I see _____________ through your eyes. Give me the strength to forgive others like You forgive me. I rebuke any lies of the enemy that would cause me to carry unforgiveness and receive the truth that will set me free. God gives me perfect peace as I trust Him to work out any and all situations that have given birth to unforgiveness in my heart. I am free to forgive and love others. I deal with any and all offenses before I go to bed, and I do not go to bed angry with anyone for anything that was done to me. My body is healed of any effects that have been caused by bitterness or unforgiveness. I walk in the love of God, and I refuse to give place to bitterness and unforgiveness in my life.