God is calling his people to FORGIVENESS

By Gene Lilly

Published By Hunter Books

Table of Contents
Introduction Seeing esus in !oursel" #o Not udge Lo$e !our Ene%ies Forgi$eness in &y O'n Fa%ily Forgi$eness in (he )ay%an Islands *rosperity through Forgi$eness Forgi$eness Heals &arriage *ro+le%s , !ear o" Healing and Forgi$eness Forgi$eness Necessary "or *hysical Healing Forgi$eness Brings -nity Forgi$eness through )on"ession. )o%plete Forgi$eness. 4 7 12 22 33 42 48 58 65 75 83

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Introduction
+y Stephen Strang/ Editor o" Charisma &aga0ine

One o" the %ost i%portant truths a )hristian can learn is the "reedo% and release that results "ro% "orgi$ing1 !et this truth escapes attention in %ost churches e$en though )hrist taught it %any ti%es1 One o" his %ost "a%iliar lessons is in &atthe' 18 a+out a ser$ant 'hose %aster "orga$e a de+t o" 'hat 'ould +e 220 %illion in our %oney1 (he ser$ant turned around and re"used to "orgi$e a "ello' ser$ant a %easly 217 de+t/ and had hi% thro'n into prison1 For years I 'as outraged that a ser$ant 'ho 'as "orgi$en so %uch 'ould +e so un"orgi$ing1 I ne$er reali0ed I 'as 'orse1 (he light da'ned 'hen I heard Gene Lilly %inister the %essage you are a+out to read1 He asked i" any o" us had e$er +een 'ronged in so%e s%all 'ay and har+ored un"orgi$eness1 I kne' I had1 I resented college "riends 'ho +orro'ed and kept %y used te3t+ooks4 I 'as hurt o$er "ello' +elie$ers 'ho 'ouldn5t gi$e +ack a "a$orite cassette1 I e$en 'as still pi6ued +ecause %y younger +rother/ years ago/ had stolen %ost o" %y penny collection 7 one +y one so I 'ouldn5t notice 7 so he could +uy candy1 8hen Gene retold the story a+out the un"orgi$ing ser$ant/ the truth a+out "orgi$eness ca%e "looding into a darkroo% o" %y understanding1 It e3posed all %y un"orgi$eness1

Suddenly I contrasted %y not "orgi$ing %y little +rother "or those pennies he took to the anger/ co$etousness/ en$y/ gluttony/ lust/ pride and sloth I had +een "orgi$en +y )hrist on )al$ary/ and I kne' I 'as %ore un"orgi$ing than that ser$ant1 I5% not nor%ally e%otional/ +ut the tears o" regret that 'elled up inside 'hen I reali0ed %y un"orgi$eness/ spilled o$er %y "ace that night1 Gene led us in a prayer "or "orgi$eness and I asked esus to "orgi$e any %alice/ slander or anything. I had in %y heart against anyone1 (hen I asked esus to sho' %e those I had re"used to "orgi$e1 I couldn5t +elie$e ho' "ast the Holy Spirit +rought to %y %ind e3perience a"ter e3perience o" the ti%es 'hen I had re"used to "orgi$e so%eone1 Ho'e$er/ there 'as one e3perience 'hich 'as %ore pain"ul than the others +ecause the need "or "orgi$eness 'as greater1 , )hristian +rother to 'ho% I had +een $ery closely related/ a "ine young %an 'ho% I helped esta+lish in his %inistry/ had turned his +ack on %e 9to %y 'ay o" thinking:/ and had +roken our close relationship1 (o a$oid the unpleasant situation that de$eloped "ro% +eco%ing %ore unpleasant/ I 'ithdre'1 I "elt I had +een the peace%aker1 !et I 'as $ery hurt +y the e3perience/ and the $ery thought o" the e$ents that took place %ade %y sto%ach churn1 8hat the Holy Spirit sho'ed %e that night hurt e$en %ore1 He sho'ed %e I 'as at "ault1 It 'as I, not %y +rother/ 'ho had created the circu%stances 'hich e$entually led to our +roken "riendship1

&y strong;'illed personality %ade us clash1 ,"ter a "e' clashes/ it 'as I 'ho allo'ed the situation to get 'orse +y not turning it o$er to the Lord1 I 'orked out a solution 7 I 'ithdre'1 But that 'asn5t the Lord5s solution and I knew I had to ask %y +rother to "orgi$e %e1 (he ne3t day I cleared an hour in %y schedule and 'ent to his o""ice to do 'hat I kne' 'ould +e di""icult 7 to ask his "orgi$eness1 (he Lord had +een sho'ing %e/ I told hi%/ that I had 'ronged hi% and I 'anted hi% to "orgi$e %e1 I e3pected hi% to say he5d +een 'rong too and that he 'anted %e to "orgi$e hi%/ +ut he didn5t1 Instead/ he said he had already "orgi$en %e 7 %onths +e"ore1 (hen I understood that I really had +een 'rong1 &y +rother reali0ed it long +e"ore I did1 8hen I asked hi% to "orgi$e %e/ he did1 8e prayed together/ and as I le"t/ only 10 %inutes a"ter I ca%e/ 'e e%+raced as +rothers once again1 8hen I returned to %y o""ice I sat alone "or se$eral %inutes and 'ept1 I thanked God "or the release I "elt in %y spirit1 It 'as as i" a rope had +een around %y heart/ %aking %e "eel tight inside1 But no' it 'as released4 I "elt peace1 (he release I "elt 'as al%ost as great as the release I "elt 'hen )hrist sa$ed %e "ro% %y sin1 I had "orgi$en/ and as I did/ )hrist "orga$e %e "or the 'rong I had done1

Chapter One Seeing Jesus in Yourself

8hen you can see esus in yoursel"/ you can start seeing esus in others1 In Christ, you are redee%ed/ set "ree/ sancti"ied/ prosperous/ and righteous1 (he Bi+le teaches that you have all spiritual blessings dwelling in you right now! Let %e sho' you so%ething on spiritual +lessings "ro% ohn 14<234 Jesus answered and said unto him, if a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will ome unto him, and make our abode with him! &ost people are 'aiting to die to go to the Father5s house1 (hey are %issing all the +ene"its o" li$ing in his house right no'. Jesus and the Father are alive in us, there"ore/ 'e are in our Father5s house no'1 "For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the #odhead bodily "$Col! 2:9%! O"tenti%es 'e do not consider oursel$es to +e saints1 Instead 'e consider oursel$es to +e sinners1 (his is not 'hat the 'ord o" God teaches1 Let5s look at it logically1 8hen a %an 'orks at +eing a plu%+er/ he is called a plu%+er1 8hen he 'orks as a carpenter/ he is called a carpenter1 It does not necessarily %ean that he is a per"ect plu%+er or a per"ect carpenter1 He %ay not ha$e all the ans'ers in his particular trade1 (he sa%e truth applies to you and %e1 I" you are a )hristian/ you are 'orking at +eing a saint/

there"ore you are called a saint1 =!ou are no longer practicing to +e a sinner/ so you should not +e called a sinner1> ,ll )hristians 'ere called saints +y *aul in his 'ritings to the churches at Ephesus/ )orinth/ etc1 (he Ne' (esta%ent states appro3i%ately 140 ti%es that 'e are in Christ! Start seeing yoursel" as you are in Jesus! )on"ess 'hat you are in Christ and it 'ill change your li"e1 esus paid a tre%endous price "or us to ha$e all spiritual +lessings1 8hether you reali0e it or not you are a $alua+le possession1 )o%pared to 'hat you 'ere +e"ore you 'ere sa$ed/ you are a %ansion1 Inside that %ansion d'ells God5s possession1 God5s only interest is in his people! Reading through the scriptures you 'ill "ind that God is interested in his people +ecause the glory o" the Lord is %ade %ani"est in the%1 I *eter 2<9 says it +est< But ye are a hosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a pe uliar people !!! & different people! 8e need to grasp that. I" 'e get a little persecution or so%ething goes 'rong/ 'e start re+uking the de$il1 (he saints in the +ook o" ,cts ?ust said/ @LOR#/ SEN# &ORE ,NOIN(ING.A In the "ourth chapter o" ,cts the priests/ the captain o" the te%ple/ and the Sadducees had released *eter and ohn1 (hey had +een told i" they said one %ore 'ord a+out esus/ they 'ere going to +e +eaten until there 'as nothing le"t o" the%. Listen to the reply< &nd when they heard that, they lifted up their voi e to #od with one a ord, and

said, 'ord, thou art #od, whi h hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: (ho by the mouth of thy servant )avid hast said, (hy did the heathen rage and the people imagine vain things* +he kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the 'ord, and against his Christ! For of a truth against thy holy hild Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both ,erod, and Pontius Pilate, with the #entiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy ounsel determined before to be done! &nd now, 'ord, behold their threatings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stret hing forth thine hand to heal- and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy hild Jesus! $& ts 4:24.30% (hey ?ust prayed "or more anointing: they didn5t pray "or the de$il to +e +ound1 (hey si%ply said/ @Lord/ anoint us %ore that 'e can proclai% it a little louder/A 'ith %ore con"idence and %ore +oldness than e$er +e"ore/ and look 'hat happened. Verse 31< &nd when they had prayed, the pla e was shaken where they were assembled togetherand they were all filled with the ,oly #host, and they spake the word of #od with boldness! $& ts 4!31% 8e should +e praying "or more anointing! 8e are co%ing into a ti%e o" persecution and there are going to +e a lot o" people 'ho 'ill ne$er 'in one single soul/ +ecause they 'ill spend all their ti%e +inding the de$il1

*ersecution has to co%e to get the @luke'ar%A either hot or cold1 It5s %uch %ore "un +eing hot than luke'ar%1 I kno' "ro% e3perience that it used to +e %isera+le +eing cold and I suppose it still is1 It is ti%e 'e gi$e the Lord co%plete control o" our li"e and ask hi% to live through us! Either )hrist is ali$e in us or he isn5t. It is either his li"e that is li$ing in us or 'e are nothing1 esus o"ten gets the +la%e "or things he isn5t doing1 8e need to reali0e ?ust 'here the pro+le% is1 So%eone ca%e to %e recently and told %e they 'ere ha$ing a pro+le% 'ith God1 I ha$e ne$er had a pro+le% 'ith God1 I ha$e had pro+le%s 'ith %ysel" and I ha$e had pro+le%s 'ith the de$il/ +ut GO# H,S ,L8,!S BEEN ,BSOL-(EL! RIGH(. (here de"initely is such a thing as a @glorious church 'ithout spot or 'rinkle1A So%e preachers teach that this %eans ?ust a spiritual church1 I5VE GO( NE8S FOR (HE&. God will raise up a glorious church on this earth 'ithout spot or 'rinkle. It will +e $ictorious and it will +e glorious1 (he power o" the Lord is going to reside in it. 8e need the po'er o" the Holy Ghost like they had it/ 'hen the +uilding 'as shaken and they spoke the 'ord o" God 'ith +oldness1 (hen 'e 'ould not need all our petty rules that %en ha$e set up1 8hen you spray insect repellant on %os6uitoes/ they lea$e1 In the sa%e 'ay/ you can let the lo$e o" the Lord "lo' on so%e people and it is ?ust like putting repellant on the%1 (hey lea$e. (he lo$e o" the Lord can +e a repellant i" you are not 'illing to recei$e it1

For the church to e$er co%e into the place o" po'er that God 'ants/ 'e %ust reckon 'ith "orgi$eness1 I ha$e taught e3tensi$ely on the su+?ect o" "orgi$eness1 It is a "act that "orgi$eness is a ne essity "or li$ing a $ictorious )hristian li"e1 Resent%ent and un"orgi$eness are the cancer o" the %ind/ the e%otions/ and the +ody1 It literally eats a'ay at you1 (here are %any )hristians today 'ho are not "ree1 (he reason they are not is +ecause they do not understand or practice "orgi$eness1 "&nd ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free/ $John 8:32%, is a $erse 'e o"ten hear 6uoted1 !ou can hear that "ro% the pit o" Hell. I ha$e heard that "ro% so%e o" the $ery 'orst cults1 I ha$e heard the $oodoo 'orshippers in the islands in the O+ie (e%ple repeating/ "0e shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free! @ B-(/ (H,( IS NO( ,LL ES-S S,I#. He says< +hen said Jesus to those Jews whi h believed on him, If ye ontinue in my word, then are ye my dis iples indeed- &nd ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free $John 8:31.32%! #o you a+ide in the 'ordB &any ti%es the de$il 'ill get your head "illed 'ith lies and that 'ill +e 'hat you are a+iding in1 In this case/ you are not "ree1 !ou are +ound. &any people think they are in "reedo% 'hen they are not1 (he de$il has their %ind "ull o" ?unk and they are li$ing +y that ?unk1 (hey ha$e ne$er rene'ed their %ind 'ith the 'ord o" God1 (hey ha$e ne$er allo'ed the%sel$es to +e set "ree.

Chapter Two Do Not Judge

One o" the areas in 'hich 'e %ay not ha$e +een set "ree is unforgiveness! In ohn 12<47/ esus said a $ery interesting thing< &nd if any man hear my words, and believe not, I 1udge him not: for I ame not to 1udge the world, but to save the world! 8e 'ere %ind"ul o" this $erse 'hen 'e %inistered in the )ay%an Islands1 8e 'ent into places 'here no preacher had +een in t'enty years1 8e prayed "or the sick and ga$e the% "ood1 8e did not 'orry a+out 'hat 'ould co%e ne3t1 8e didn5t ?udge the%1 8e si%ply told the% that the Lord had pro$ided it and +e"ore long they 'anted to kno' a+out esus1 ,s1 'e shared a+out esus/ people started getting sa$ed1 I" anyone hears %y sayings and does not keep the%/ I do not ?udge hi%1 I 'ant you to think on that state%ent1 ,s you think on it/ it 'ill +eco%e %ore i%portant to you1 esus is ali$e in his +ody1 I" you are a +orn; again/ spirit;"illed +elie$er/ the power and authority o" esus )hrist is ali$e in you1 8hen that po'er is in you/ all spiritual +lessings are in you1 8hereB IN !O-. &ll spiritual +lessings are ?ust the thickness o" the "lesh a'ay "ro% you1 I" you ha$e ne$er +een +orn again/ i" you ha$e ne$er recei$ed esus/ there is nothing inside you e3cept a +ig e%pty hole1 E$en so/ esus said/ I do

not ?udge any %an1 (here is a day o" ?udg%ent co%ing/ +ut it is not here yet1 esus had the sa%e po'er to ?udge then that he 'ill ha$e at the #ay o" udg%ent1 He had the po'er to ?udge anyone at that ti%e1 8e are operating in the power o" the na%e o" esus1 It is ?ust like a po'er o" attorney1 , po'er o" attorney legally gi$es us the right to sign another5s na%e1 esus said/ "&ll power is given unto me in heaven and in earth/ $2att 28:18% (hen he said/ @Go 111 @8hat 'e o"ten try to do is to set up the #ay o" udg%ent no'1 I" 'e start ?udging people =operating in the po'er o" the na%e o" esus>/ then 'hat happensB 8e are out o" his 'ill and peace disappears1 udging is not the ?o+ esus called us to do1 In the sa%e 'ay 'e can speak healing and deli$erance into people4 'e can also speak conde%nation/ ?udg%ent/ and +ondage into the%1 Re%e%+er/ 'e are operating under the sa%e authority1 esus5 teaching on "orgi$eness 'as so strong that in ohn 20<23/ he said< "(hose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them- and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained!/ (hat5s hea$y/ isn5t itB (hose sins you re%it are re%itted and those you retain are retained1 8ho 'as he talking toB (he church. 3s! In other 'ords/ 'e can retain or +ind sins "or so%eone else1 8e hold people in +ondage1 8e hold oursel$es in +ondage1 esus taught %ore on "orgi$eness in &atthe' 18<23;27< +herefore is the kingdom of

heaven likened unto a ertain king, whi h would take a ount of his servants! &nd when he had begun to re kon, one was brought unto him, whi h owed him ten thousand talents! (en thousand talents 'as $alued at +et'een ten and t'enty %illion dollars1 I 'ould say that 'as a pretty su+stantial de+t1 But forasmu h as he had not to pay, his lord ommanded him to be sold, and his wife, and hildren, and all that he had, and payment to be made! +he servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, 'ord, have patien e with me, and I will pay thee all! +hen the lord of that servant was moved with ompassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt! No' at this point he 'as a "ree %an1 Hallelu?ah. Free. But continuing on in $erse 28< But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, whi h owed him an hundred pen eand he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest! ,n hundred pence in today5s %oney is less than 220100/ pro+a+ly a+out 2171001 He had ?ust +een "orgi$en a de+t o" pro+a+ly %ore than ten %illion dollars1 (he "ello'ser$ant o'ed hi% se$enteen dollars and he 'as going to choke hi% to death "or it1 )an you picture thatB Verses 29;30 say< &nd his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, ,ave patien e with me, and I will pay thee all! &nd he

would not: but went and ast him into prison, till he should pay the debt! So the "ree %an put the other one in ?ail 1 1 1 in bondage! 4o when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and ame and told unto their lord all that was done! +hen his lord, after that he had alled him, said unto him, 5 thou wi ked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, be ause thou desiredst me: 4houldest not thou also have had ompassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee* &nd his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him! 4o likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses $vs! 31.35%! (here are lots o" people in the deli$erance %inistry today1 E$en so/ there are people in +ondage +ecause they ha$e not "orgi$en1 !ou are not going to keep your deli$erance unless you forgive! -n"orgi$eness is a lu3ury o" the "lesh1 , lu3ury you cannot a""ord to ha$e1 It %akes your "lesh "eel good at the ti%e/ +ut it 'ill literally destroy you1 (he "irst ser$ant ca%e out totally "orgi$en1 Free! But he gra++ed his "ello'ser$ant/ +egan choking hi% and thre' hi% in ?ail1 (hen he 'as thro'n in ?ail1 (hey +oth ended up in prison1 (hey +oth ended up +ound1 (he ser$ant that 'as "orgi$en could ha$e taken his "ello'ser$ant +y the hand and said/ I "orgi$e you1 (hey could ha$e 'alked through li"e together totally free! Instead they +oth ended up in +ondage1

#o you see ho' 'e can keep so%eone else +oundB ,s long as 'e ha$e not "orgi$en so%eone/ 'e are keeping the church "ro% co%ing together1 8e ha$e kept that person in +ondage as 'ell as oursel$es1 (here is a lot %ore to "orgi$ing than ?ust in$ol$ing oursel$es1 In "orgi$ing 'e are releasing the other person as 'ell as oursel$es1 esus said/ i" you retain that sin/ it is retained1 esus hung on a cross and said/ "Father, forgive them 6 $'uke 23:34%! He "orga$e the%. 8hen esus called La0arus "ro% the gra$e/ he called hi% +y na%e1 I" he had not/ all the dead 'ould ha$e co%e "orth1 8hen esus asked the Father to "orgi$e the% their sin/ all sin 'as "orgi$en1 (he church is no' operating in the na%e o" esus1 No' 'ho needs to +e doing the "orgi$ingB esus "orga$e then/ and no' it is up to us1 8e are the only ones 'ho can retain sin against so%eone else1 It is ti%e 'e started reckoning 'ith 'hat God says a+out "orgi$eness and relationships1 I kno' that so%eti%es it is hard to do 'hat the Lord asks1 I" you 'ant $ictory in your li"e/ the truth 'ill set you "ree1 (he truth 'ill set you totally "ree1 8hen 'e start reali0ing that/ 'e 'ill +e 'illing to do 'hat God asks1 (he ne3t thing I 'ould like "or you to understand is that it %akes no di""erence 'hat happened to cause un"orgi$eness1 It %akes no di""erence 'ho 'as right or 'rong1 It is totally i%%aterial1 (he only one it is i%portant to +e right 'ith is God1 8hen you are right 'ith hi%/ you 'ill +e right 'ith your +rother and sister1

!our relationship hori0ontally is the sa%e as your relationship $ertically1 !our relationship 'ith your +rother and sister is in direct proportion to your relationship 'ith your hea$enly Father1 ohn said in I ohn 4<20/ "If a man say, I love #od, and hateth his brother, he is a liar !!! &any people ha$e already %ade up their %inds1 (hey ha$e co%pletely ?usti"ied their "eelings o" un"orgi$eness or resent%ent1 (hey say things like/ @I had a right to 111@ or @It 'as his "ault 111 @ or %ay+e/ @She caused it all 111A 8as esus 'rongedB He 'as the only one 'ho ne$er did any 'rong to anyone. He 'as co%pletely right. !et he said/ "Father, forgive them!/ Ha$e you e$er read the ser%on that Stephen preached in the +ook o" ,ctsB He 'as really anointed1 He preached o" ,+raha% and his descendants/ on do'n through &oses1 He spoke o" the ta+ernacle in the 'ilderness1 (hen he told o" Solo%on +uilding a te%ple "or God1 Finally he said that God does not d'ell in te%ples %ade 'ith hands/ +ut in us1 He accused the listeners o" +eing sti"";necked in heart and ears/ and said they al'ays resisted the Holy Spirit/ e$en as their "athers did1 8hen they heard these things they +eca%e angry and started +erating Stephen1 ,cts 7<55 says< "But he, being full of the ,oly #host, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of #od, and Jesus standing on the right hand of #od!/ He told the% 'hat he sa' and they +eca%e e$en angrier1 (hey gra++ed hi% and dragged hi% "ro% the city1 (hey laid their coats at Saul5s "eet =he later

+eca%e the great apostle *aul 'ho 'rote a %a?or portion o" the Ne' (esta%ent> and +egan to stone hi%1 #o you kno' 'hat Stephen did thenB He knelt do'n and cried 'ith a loud $oice/ "'ord, lay not this sin to their harge!/ #id they do Stephen 'rongB )ertainly they did. He 'as the only one in that cro'd 'ho 'as right/ yet they stoned hi% to death1 He looked up and 'hen he sa' esus he said/ don5t +la%e the% 1 1 1 forgive them! It does not %ake any di""erence 'ho is right and 'ho is 'rong1 (he @natural %indA says so%eone else is 'rong. Get that co%pletely out o" your head1 (his is the de$il5s 'ay o" ?usti"ying it in your o'n %ind1 I" esus had not said/ @Father "orgi$e the%/A as he hung on the cross/ 'e 'ould still +e in the sa%e shape as the people 'ere +e"ore he died1 But the "act re%ains/ he did speak those 'ords1 He shed his +lood/ and his 'ord is still here. He 'as right/ and still he forgave us. *eter 'rote on this su+?ect in I *eter 2<19;21< For this is thankworthy, if a man for ons ien e toward #od endure grief, suffering wrongfully! For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently* But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is a eptable with #od! For even hereunto were ye alled: be ause Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an e7ample, that ye should follow his steps: I" you do 'ell/ and su""er any'ay/ that is %ost accepta+le 'ith God. (hat tells us to "orgi$e/

regardless o" 'ho is at "ault/ and i" 'e "orgi$e 'hen it is not our "ault then 'e 'ill recei$e glory. esus 'as our e3a%ple in "orgi$eness1 8e are to "ollo' his e3a%ple and "orgi$e/ regardless o" 'ho is at "ault1 Let5s look at so%e %ore o" esus5 teaching1 (he account o" his teaching kno'n as the Ser%on on the &ount +egins in &atthe' 5<23< +herefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against theeRe%e%+er he is saying that your +rother has so%ething against you. He is not talking a+out you ha$ing so%ething against your +rother/ +ut that you kno' he has so%ething against you1 Ha$e you e$er +een caught in that situationB !ou kne' there 'as a broken relationship +et'een you and so%eone/ +ut you really did not ha$e anything in your heart against the%1 (hey %ight ha$e +een totally 'rong1 Still you re%e%+er your +rother has so%ething against you1 Verse 24 says< 'eave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way- first be re on iled to thy brother, and then ome and offer thy gift! #o you see 'hat God is sayingB 8hen 'e kno' that so%e+ody has so%ething against us/ God says/ don5t co%e around 'ith your hallelu?ahs and praises until you get that relationship right! )hristianity is not a religion o" right doctrine/ +ut a religion o" right relationship. (he Bi+le says to go your 'ay "irst and +e reconciled/ then co%e in1 )o%e in and praise God 'hen you are "ree1

Release your +rother. By going to hi% and straightening out relationships you not only release hi%/ +ut also secure your o'n release. , couple o" years ago I 'as 'ith three )hristian +rothers in (e3as1 One o" the% "elt a +urden to start a ne' 'ork "or the Lord in (e3as1 8e got together and prayed a+out it1 ,"ter seeking the guidance o" the Holy Spirit 'e did not "eel that all "our o" us 'ere to +e in$ol$ed1 (he three o" us "elt that the one 'ho 'anted to start the 'ork should do so and the three o" us should pray and do anything that 'as necessary to help1 ,"ter this decision 'e each 'ent our o'n 'ay1 (here didn5t see% to +e anything har%"ul and the three o" us ne$er ga$e it %uch thought1 Ho'e$er/ the +rother 'ho re%ained in (e3as had Satan =the accuser o" the +rethren> 'hispering in his ear< @(hose guys don5t 'ant anything to do 'ith you/ that5s 'hy they 'on5t ha$e anything to do 'ith this 'ork1A (hat thought "ed on his %ind and his spirit1 I did not kno' 'hat the pro+le% 'as 'ith hi% +ut I did kno' that so%ething 'as 'rong1 =Re%e%+ering that thy +rother hath aught against thee1> (he Lord kept +ringing that scripture to %y %ind1 Finally/ I got in contact 'ith the other t'o +rothers and asked the% to %eet %e in (e3as1 -pon %eeting/ 'e called our %inister "riend and asked hi% to ha$e lunch 'ith us 'hile 'e 'ere in to'n1 He agreed1

8e %et at a restaurant1 8e all ate/ laughed/ shared and had a %ar$elous ti%e1 (hen I said/ @8e are not in "ello'ship any%ore1 I don5t kno' 'hy/ +ut that doesn5t %atter1 8hate$er I ha$e done to you that is 'rong I 'ant you to "orgi$e %e1 8hate$er has hurt your "eelings/ I ask your "orgi$eness1A 8ith that he shared his story and un+urdened his heart1 It 'asn5t a %atter o" 'hether I 'as innocent o" 'rong doing or not1 8hat did %atter 'as that he "orga$e %e. !ou see/ 'e do not ha$e to pro$e 'e are right4 'e ha$e to pro$e 'e are 'illing to "orgi$e1 Our relationship is co%pletely rene'ed and it "lourishes today/ thanks to co%plete "orgi$eness through )hrist esus1

Chapter Three Love Your Ene ies

esus is co%ing +ack "or a glori"ied +ody4 a church 'ithout spot or 'rinkle1 , church 'here the +arriers +et'een +rothers ha$e +een +roken do'n and 'e are not "ighting one another1 8e do not ha$e to agree on e$erything +ecause doctrinally 'e are going to ha$e so%e di""erences1 But/ 'e can agree that esus is Lord and that he is the only 'ay to hea$en1 I" 'e can keep our %ind and eyes on esus and esus in our +rothers and sisters/ 'e can get along 'ith each other a 'hole lot +etter1 I +elie$e that o"ten 'e are not hearing %uch o" 'hat God has to say to us +ecause 'e are not 'illing to recei$e %inistry "ro% others1 !ou can ne$er recei$e anything "ro% any+ody you are not 'illing to recei$e "ro% or su+%it to1 !ou %ust +e 'illing to +eco%e a ser$ant to/ or +eco%e less than/ that person1 esus +eca%e the least to +eco%e the greatest1 He called us to ser$e1 8hen 'e 'ait upon the Lord/ 'e are ser$ing hi% so that our strength 'ill +e rene'ed1 (hen 'e 'ill recei$e the po'er to do the 'ork he has asked us to do1 Isaiah 40<31 teaches this principle< But they that wait upon the 'ord shall renew their strength- they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run, and not be weary- and they shall walk, and not faint!

esus taught a+out "orgi$eness in &atthe' 6 'hen he ga$e us the Lord5s *rayer1 He taught us to "orgi$e our de+tors as we are "orgi$en our de+ts1 He 'ent on to say that i" 'e "orgi$e %en their transgressions/ our Hea$enly Father 'ill also "orgi$e us1 But i" 'e do not "orgi$e %en/ then our Hea$enly Father 'ill not "orgi$e us1 I see so%e )hristians 'ho are +eaten do'n +y the de$il1 (hey are carrying a load o" sin +ecause their heart is "illed 'ith resent%ent/ hate/ and un"orgi$eness1 I do not +elie$e that esus could ha$e %ade it %uch clearer1 His teaching a+out "orgi$eness d'ells around the things 'e say1 , pri%e e3a%ple is in &atthe' 12<34;37< 5 generation of vipers, how an ye, being evil, speak good things* For out of the abundan e of the heart the mouth speaketh! & good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things! But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give a ount thereof in the )ay of Judgment! For by thy words thou shalt be 1ustified, and by thy words thou shalt be ondemned! In the %inistry o" healing and deli$erance you can hear people getting 'ell. I %ean that1 !ou can literally hear the% getting 'ell. (here 'as a young Viet Na% $eteran 'ho ca%e to %e a+out a year ago1 He had lost his sight1 His +ody 'as dis"igured physically as 'ell as spiritually4 he 'as al%ost co%pletely destroyed1 He 'as "illed 'ith hate1

*raise esus/ he got serious a+out God and esus sa$ed hi%. He 'as +apti0ed and "illed 'ith the Holy Spirit a short ti%e a"ter'ards1 , land %ine had gone o"" near hi% 'hich had destroyed his ear dru%1 It caused his ears to ring constantly1 Since he ga$e his li"e to esus/ God healed his ear dru%s and stopped the ringing1 He also had one ar% that had +een operated on and it 'as a+out t'o inches shorter than the other1 It has +een gro'ing out to +eco%e e$en 'ith the other1 By ?ust listening to that young %an talk/ you can hear hi% getting 'ell1 His spirit has +een healed and his mind is +eing rene'ed1 Healing and deli$erance is co%ing "orth FRO& HIS &O-(H1 Ri$ers o" li$ing 'ater are pouring "orth "ro% his +ody and %ore o" his healing is +eing %ani"ested1 (hat %an 'ill +e co%pletely 'hole +ecause he is letting God do a 'ork in hi%1 8hat he is speaking is truth. !ou see/ "aith co%es "ro% hearing and hearing "ro% the 'ord o" God1 &ost o" us read that $erse and think 'e need to get to church to hear our pastor preach the 'ord1 =,nd don5t +e %istaken/ 'e do need to get to church and hear our pastor1> But did you kno' that you learn three ti%es "aster 'hen you hear it "ro% your o'n %outhB 8e need to +e speaking the 'ord that our "aith %ight +e +uilt1 (hat does not %ean that you don5t go to church1 It only %eans that all the ti%e you are not in church you should +e con"essing the 'ord o" God1

esus taught %any practical and necessary principals in the Ser%on on the &ount1 In Luke 6<27;28/ he said< But I say unto you who hear, 'ove your enemies, do good to them whi h hate you! Bless them that urse you, and pray for them whi h despitefully use you! It is ti%e 'e reali0ed that a lot o" the people in our past are the $ery ones esus is descri+ing1 Cuit +inding the de$il until you learn to lo$e. (here is no need to +ind the de$il until you learn to +less those that curse you and pray "or those that despit"ully use you1 -ntil you get in the 'ill o" God/ you %ay as 'ell "orget a+out +inding the de$il. So%eti%es 'e are trying to take authority o$er so%ething 'hen 'e do not ha$e any authority1 8e are not in the "lo' o" God1 8hen so%e+ody is cursing us/ 'e 'ant to curse hi% +ack so 'e +ind the de$il1 #o you think the Lord is going to +less us in a case like thatB (he Lord says "or us to bless those that urse us. 8hen 'e do that/ then 'e can +ind the de$il and take authority o$er hi%1 But until 'e +less those 'ho despite"ully use us/ 'e cannot +ind the de$il1 esus continued teaching in Luke 6:29.35: &nd unto him that smiteth thee on the one heek offer also the other- and him that taketh away thy loak forbid not to take thy oat also! #ive to every man that asketh of thee- and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again! &nd as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise! For if ye love them whi h love you, what thank have ye* For sinners also love those that love them! &nd if ye do good to them

whi h do good to you, what thank have ye* For sinners also do even the same! &nd if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to re eive, what thank have ye* For sinners also lend to sinners, to re eive as mu h again! But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again !!! #o you re%e%+er the last ti%e you got %ad at so%e )hristian 'ho did not return your cassette tapesB Lend/ e3pecting nothing in return/ esus said1 I re%e%+er a couple o" years ago 'hen I 'as %inistering in %y ho%e church/ )al$ary ,sse%+ly/ I +rought out this $ery thought1 &y 'i"e/ *hyllis/ 'as in the congregation and the Holy Spirit %ade that state%ent real to her1 Lend/ e3pecting nothing in return1 *hyllis thought o" the %any ti%es she had co%plained a+out people "ailing to return her %any tapes and +ooks she had +ought and loaned1 @Oh/ God/A she prayed1 @Forgi$e %e "or co%plaining1 ,nd I forgive each person 'ho has "ailed to return anything 'hatsoe$er they ha$e +orro'ed "ro% %e1A (his 'as a si%ple +ut sincere prayer/ 'hispered as I 'as preaching1 (he ser$ice 'as o$er and *hyllis "orgot to %ention to %e the prayer o" "orgi$eness she had 'hispered1 (he ne3t Sunday %orning as 'e 'ent in the "ront door o" the church a "riend called/ @*hyllis/ I ha$e so%ething "or you/A and she ca%e running up to us1 @I 'as looking through the chest o" dra'ers yesterday and "ound these three

cassette tapes o" yours/A and she handed the% o$er to *hyllis1 @I5% terri+ly sorry a+out ha$ing the% so long/ +ut I had co%pletely "orgotten a+out the%1 8ill you "orgi$e %eBA *hyllis had a kno'ing s%ile on her lips1 @!es/A she said/ @I certainly 'ill "orgi$e you1A She handed %e the tapes and 'e started on into the church1 , "riend stopped %e and said/ @I5% returning the +ook *hyllis loaned %e last %onth1 It 'as sure good1 Sorry I 'as so slo' a+out returning it1A 8ith that he handed %e a +ook1 ,gain *hyllis s%iled1 Fro% that point "or'ard I lost count1 *erson a"ter person ca%e up/ one 'ith t'o +ooks/ one 'ith hal" a do0en tapes and "our +ooks/ others 'ith one or %ore tapes or +ooks1 It 'as un+elie$a+le. @8hat5s going onBA I asked *hyllis1 ,gain she s%iled that kno'ing s%ile1 By the ti%e 'e got settled in our seats and the ser$ice +egan it looked like 'e 'ere ready to start a li+rary right there in the pe'1 8e %ust ha$e had a pile o" t'o do0en tapes and a do0en or %ore +ooks1 It looked as i" e$ery+ody in the church had at least one tape or +ook to gi$e +ack to us1 ,s soon as the ser$ice 'as o$er I took o"" "or the car/ 'ith %y ar%s "ull o" tapes and +ooks. @8hat is going onBA I insisted1 @I5$e ne$er seen anything like this and all you do is grin and look like the cat that s'allo'ed the canary1A @!ou re%e%+er 'hen you 'ere preaching on "orgi$eness the other dayBA I nodded1 @!ou

%entioned that esus said to lend/ e3pecting nothing in return.A ,gain I nodded1 @8ell/ I prayed and "orga$e each and e$ery person 'ho had "ailed to return things they had +orro'ed/A she said1 @8hen I "orga$e the%/ it %ust ha$e released the%1 I %ust ha$e had the% +ound +y %y co%plaining against the%.A 8hat a truth she had learned a+out "orgi$eness. No' I could understand 'hat had +een going on1 No' I understood 'hy all the tapes and +ooks had suddenly started "lo'ing +ack1 -n"orgi$eness had stopped up the channel +ut "orgi$eness had unclogged the pipes1 I 'ent to another person5s house recently 'ho al%ost "ell out o" "ello'ship 'ith God +ecause so%eone had not returned a special ne' translation o" the Bi+le they had +orro'ed1 I" 'e 'ould gi$e and not 'orry a+out/ or e$en e3pect/ anything in return/ 'e 'ould not get into this type o" di""iculty1 (hat is 'hat esus is teaching in the si3th chapter o" Luke1 ,"ter he said< "'end, hoping for nothing again !!! @He continued in Luke 6:35 and 36< &nd your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the hildren of the ,ighest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil! Be ye therefore mer iful, as your Father also is mer iful! (hat 'as esus saying/ @He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil!/ (he pro+le% 'ith us is that 'e 'ant to +e kind to e$ery+ody 'ho is the a+solute i%age and likeness o" the Lord esus )hrist1 But 'hat a+out the ones 'ho are not 6uite there yetB

E$en %ore i%portant than that/ 'hat a+out those drunks do'n the street 'ho are not e$en sa$edB 8hat a+out the ones doing the opposite o" 'hat God 'antsB 8hat a+out the ones in$ol$ed in 'itchcra"tB 8hat a+out one o" the %ediu%s in the local spiritualist churchB , lot o" )hristians are +inding the% 'ith their conde%nation and %aking it "ar %ore di""icult "or the% to get "ree1 Be %erci"ul/ ?ust as your Father is %erci"ul1 esus continued in $erse 37< Judge not, and ye shall not be 1udged: ondemn not, and ye shall not be ondemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven!!! 8hy do you suppose esus said thatB Because he kne' 'hat 'as going to happen to us 'hen 'e started doing it1 He kne' that 'hen 'e ?udge and conde%n people/ 'e place a +inding on the%/ restricting their "reedo% to co%e to esus1 Right at the end o" that 6uote esus said/ and ye shall be forgiven! #ive, and it shall be given unto you- good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom! For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again! $8erse 38%! I kno' so%e )hristians today 'ho 'onder 'hy they cannot "ello'ship 'ith any+ody1 It5s +ecause they ha$e ?udged a+out hal" the people in to'n and it has co%e right +ack on the%1 It ca%e +ack on the% +ecause they started +inding other people and ended up getting into +ondage the%sel$es1 esus5 teaching 'as so strong that I don5t think %ost people ha$e e$er +egun to grasp 'hat he said

a+out relationships 'ith one another1 In the area o" "orgi$eness it is 6uite clear that esus 'as not talking a+out our +eing right1 He did not deal 'ith our +eing right/ he 'as talking a+out us "orgi$ing 'hen 'e are right and the other person is 'rong1 One %an 'ho "ound the truth in this principle is one o" our +est "riends/ George )louse1 George is a "or%er &ethodist 'ho recei$ed the +aptis% o" the Holy Spirit "our years ago and is one o" the %ost gentle )hristians I kno'1 George5s $i$acious 'i"e/ &ary o/ is our a+le ad%inistrati$e assistant1 George and &ary 0 ha$e a +eauti"ul )hristian ho%e and t'o 'ell;+eha$ed teenagers1 One o" George5s greatest heartaches is that he reared his three gro'n children in an un;)hristian ho%e +ecause he did not kno' esus until a"ter they le"t ho%e1 Still/ George believed his children 'ould +eco%e )hristians1 Shortly a"ter this/ his t'o daughters and their hus+ands ca%e to kno' the Lord1 But his oldest son/ Bill/ see%ed a hopeless case1 Bill is a +ig +urly %an 'ho lo$ed +ig %otorcycles and 'ho had 'orked/ a%ong other ?o+s/ as a +ouncer in a +ar1 Religion 'as the "arthest thing "ro% his %ind/ and he 'ouldn5t e$en co%e near a church1 (his 'as/ o" course/ a +ig disappoint%ent to George and &ary o1 (he night I preached a+out "orgi$eness/ it da'ned on George that he had +een conde%ning Bill and his 'i"e "or not li$ing right1 ,s soon as the ser$ice 'as o$er George and &ary o ?oined together/ forgiving Bill and his 'i"e1

@8e 'ere ?udging and conde%ning 'hen 'e should ha$e +een "orgi$ing/A George told %e later1 @8e changed things that night and ha$e ne$er conde%ned again1A It 'as less than a 'eek a"ter @"orgi$ingA the% that Bill5s 'i"e ca%e to church 'ith George and &ary o "or the "irst ti%e1 (he "ollo'ing 'eek Bill 'ent +y his dad5s o""ice and talked 'ith hi% "or o$er an hour a+out the reality o" God and 'hat 'as %issing in his li"e1 George challenged hi% to attend church "or "our straight Sunday %ornings and test and see i" God 'ould %eet his needs1 He accepted the challenge1 Four Sundays 'ent +y and each Sunday %orning Bill 'as there as he had pro%ised1 (he "ollo'ing 8ednesday night/ ?ust a"ter ten o5clock/ Bill telephoned his dad/ and George led hi% to the Lord o$er the phone1 (he ne3t Sunday night Bill and his 'i"e 'ere +apti0ed in 'ater and ca%e up "ro% the 'ater eager to ser$e the Lord1 (he conde%nation and ?udg%ent +y the parents had +een "elt +y and resisted +y the children1 Sal$ation 'as theirs all +ecause they 'ere set "ree. George loosed the% "ro% the +onds o" conde%nation1 He loosed the% "ro% the po'er o" un"orgi$eness so they could co%e to the Lord. *raise God. It 'orks. &ary o5s %other called her and said she had not slept 'ell the night +e"ore +ecause a group o" young %en had gathered outside her house under the street light and @carried onA %ost o" the night1 She said they had +een doing this "or 6uite so%e ti%e/

and she had e$en called the police a couple o" ti%es1 (hey 'ould lea$e +e"ore the police arri$ed so she had not +een a+le to get anything done a+out it1 &ary o/ ha$ing "ound the truth in "orgi$eness/ told her %other that she needed to "orgi$e the% and loose the%1 &o% certainly 'asn5t too enthusiastic a+out that +ut she agreed to do it any'ay1 #o you kno'/ that sol$ed the pro+le%. ,"ter she prayed and "orga$e the%/ they i%%ediately changed their 'ays and one o" the% 'as sa$ed the ne3t 'eek1 No' &o% is a +elie$er/ too/ in the po'er o" "orgi$eness1 I once heard o" a %an in England 'ho/ +ecause o" circu%stances/ had his sisters;in;la' li$ing 'ith hi%1 He 'as a $ery godly %an1 Ho'e$er/ his sisters;in;la' 'ere teenagers and $ery 'orldly1 He used to gru%+le and co%plain a+out the% all the ti%e1 (hey 'ould go o"" to dances and parties and he 'ould critici0e and conde%n the%1 One day God spoke to his heart and he reali0ed that he needed to forgive the%1 He had +een holding grudges and resent%ent to'ard the%1 He prayed/ @God/ I do "orgi$e the%1A God spoke to his heart saying/ @I" you really do "orgi$e the%/ %eet the% at the railroad station and take u%+rellas and galoshes +ecause it is pouring rain there1A (his %an 'alked a+out a %ile to the railroad station and stood there 'aiting in the pouring rain "or the train to arri$e1 8hen he sa' the t'o girls he said/ @I ha$e +rought your u%+rellas and galoshes and I a% here to 'alk you ho%e1A

(hey 'ere so i%pressed that they ga$e their li$es to esus.

Chapter !our !orgiveness in "# Own !a il#

I "ound that "orgi$eness not only 'orks in other "a%ilies/ +ut in %y o'n as 'ell1 "Judge not, and ye shall not be 1udged: ondemn not, and ye shall not be ondemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven! 1 1 "$'uke 6:37%! (he Holy Spirit nudged %e and said/ @Ho' a+out your sister/ BeccaBA Re+ecca had al'ays +een a "un;lo$ing/ care"ree girl1 ,s she hit her teen years/ re+ellion had set in and she got in 'ith the 'rong cro'd1 She had had a disastrous %arriage 'hich ended in di$orce and she 'as no' li$ing a 'ild li"e a'ay "ro% the Lord1 Our %o% and dad raised us in a )hristian ho%e and al'ays tried to teach us the right 'ay1 I had conde%ned and ?udged Becca "or the 'ay she 'as li$ing1 (hrough the re$elation o" the Holy Spirit/ I kne' that I had put her in +ondage +y %y actions1 (hat night I prayed the prayer o" "orgi$eness and released her/ $o'ing ne$er again to conde%n or ?udge her1 (hat $ery night Becca called us long distance "ro% Indiana1 She 'as crying and 'anted to get right 'ith God1 She repented/ turned to'ard the path'ay o" the Lord and is no' 'alking in that light1 *raise God. Forgi$eness really does 'ork. (he truth o" "orgi$eness is changing li$es all around us1 (he real clincher "or %e ca%e 'hen I

'as released "ro% +ondage due to another5s "orgi$eness1 ,ll %y li"e I ha$e had a +ad te%per1 I ?usti"ied it +ecause %y grand"ather had one and so did %y "ather1 I "igured it ran in the "a%ily1 Since *hyllis and I 'ere %arried it see%ed to +e 'orse than +e"ore1 For a long ti%e I did not kno' that I needed deli$erance "ro% that +ad te%per1 8hen the Lord re$ealed %y need "or deli$erance/ I accepted it. Ho'e$er/ that did not co%pletely settle the issue1 I prayed/ I re+uked the de$il/ I 'as "illed 'ith the Holy Spirit/ and I still got %ad1 I did e$erything I kne' I 'as supposed to do and nothing helped1 Finally I ca%e to the place 'here it 'as an i%%o$a+le %ountain1 I prayed/ @Lord/ I ha$e tried in the "lesh and I5$e tried in e$ery 'ay that I5$e seen in your 'ord1 No' you are going to ha$e to do so%ething1 I ha$e pro%ised *hyllis that I 'ill not get %ad and co%e ho%e to Dlet o"" stea%51 I cannot keep that pro%ise unless so%ething happens1A (hen one day %y ans'er ca%e. *hyllis ca%e to %e and said/ @Gene/ the Lord spoke to %e that I5$e ?udged you a+out your te%per and I5$e +een 'rong1 I 'ant to "orgi$e you "or your te%per and I 'ant to ask you to "orgi$e %e "or ?udging you1A I told her she didn5t need to ask "or "orgi$eness +ecause I understood 'hy she 'ould +e upset at %e1 @It doesn5t %atter 'hy I "elt that 'ay/A she continued/ @I5% to "orgi$e you.A I ha$en5t lost %y te%per since. FORGIVENESS FREES.

8i$es/ there are %any o" you praying conde%nation do'n on your hus+ands1 Hus+ands/ there are %any o" you doing the sa%e thing to your 'i$es1 (here are lots o" )hristians praying conde%nation upon their pastors1 !ou can also +ring conde%nation upon yoursel" +ecause you ha$e ne$er seen esus in yoursel"1 !ou say/ @Oh/ 'hat a 'or% I a%1 8hat a %ess I a%1 I5% so un'orthy1A !ou need to start seeing esus alive and start %aking that con"ession 'ith your %outh1 esus is ali$e in you! #on5t get e3cited a+out 'hat you are in the "lesh/ +ut get e3cited a+out 'hat esus is in you! &any people spend thousands o" dollars to de$elop sel";con"idence/ and still end up in "ailure1 I" your con"idence is in yoursel"/ it 'ill not +e long until you are ship'recked1 *ro+a+ly e$ery +ook that has +een 'ritten a+out %en 'ith great sel"; con"idence has an ending that speaks other'ise1 &any o" these so;called great %en ha$e either died in prison and the state +uried the% or they died paupers1 (he de$il ne$er lets you see the ending 'hen he tells you ho' great you are1 (he truth is that it is only a %atter o" letting )hrist co%e ali$e in you1 ,li$e in you! His 'ay o" co%ing ali$e I9 34 and his 'ords co%ing "orth F:52 34 is his li"e +eing li$ed +,:53#, 34! Stephen Strang 'rote the introduction to this +ook1 He told o" God5s re$elation o" "orgi$eness to hi%1 His 'i"e/ oy/ also e3perienced her o'n re$elation1 (his 'as conde%nation on hersel"1 oy had had a 'eight pro+le% since the +irth o" their "irst son1 She had tried all the diets a$aila+le

and still e3perienced only li%ited success1 Suddenly the 'ords "forgive yourself/ "looded her %ind as I 'as speaking on the su+?ect o" "orgi$eness1 She said/ @Brother Gene/ as you said those 'ords/ I suddenly understood %y pro+le%1 ,t that $ery %o%ent I had a piece o" candy in %y %outh and as I prayed and forgave myself, I "elt a release inside %e1A I could tell "ro% the 'ay she talked she had +een deeply touched +y the e3perience1 She continued/ @(hat candy in %y %outh turned so +itter that I had to spit it out1 Ne$er again ha$e I had the insatia+le cra$ing "or s'eets that I once had1A ,s oy "orga$e hersel"/ the conde%nation on her li"ted1 I" you can5t see esus in yourself, you can +ring conde%nation do'n upon yoursel". -ntil you see esus in yourself, you 'ill ne$er see him in any+ody else. Not long ago I 'as %inistering in a s%all ho%e prayer group1 , precious )hristian lady ca%e "or'ard "or prayer1 (hrough the gi"t o" 'ord o" kno'ledge/ God sho'ed %e that her pro+le% 'as unforgiveness and I sa' that it all ste%%ed "ro% so%ething she had done in the past1 @Ha$e you e$er considered co%%itting suicideBA I asked1 @8ho told youBA she 6uickly inter?ected 'ith 'orry creasing her "orehead1 @No+ody kne' a+out that1 I ha$e ne$er told a li$ing soul1A @God kne'/A I ans'ered 6uietly1 ,s 'e 'ere talking/ our $oices 'ere so lo' that no one else in the group could hear1 I could see that

she 'as deeply %o$ed and asha%ed "or 'hat she had thought and done during her younger years o" li"e1 (he de$il had kept +ringing it +ack to her and the un"orgi$eness o" hersel" 'as eating at her $ery +eing1 I prayed "or her and she s%iled and 'ent +ack to her seat/ still not 6uite sure 'hat had happened1 It 'as t'o %onths later +e"ore she shared the co%plete story o" 'hat had happened1 @I had asked "or the +aptis% o" the Holy Spirit +ut could not recei$e due to so%e +lockage/A she related1 @8hen you prayed "or %e that night I "orga$e %ysel"/ e$en though I didn5t 6uite understand 'hat it %eant/ and %y li"e changed "ro% that ti%e "or'ard1 @(he ne3t 'eek I 'as $acuu%ing %y house and praising the Lord as I 'orked1 (he %ore I 'orked/ the %ore I praised/ and the %ore I praised/ the %ore co%plete I +eca%e1 Finally I stopped/ raised %y hands/ and started speaking in a +eauti"ul prayer language/ ?ust +et'een %y Hea$enly Father and %e1 8hat a release. 8hat a ?oy. *raise God. @I a% a D*ink Lady5 at the local hospital and the $ery ne3t 'eek I "ound that no' I had the po'er to pray "or people "or 'ho% I had co%passion +ut "or 'ho% I "or%erly could do nothing to help1A She 'as really e3cited o$er all that had co%e to pass/ ?ust +ecause she had "orgi$en hersel". ,s you see esus in yoursel"/ "orgi$e yoursel"1 ,s you "orgi$e yoursel"/ peace and content%ent 'ill settle upon you1 ,s you are loosed through your o'n "orgi$eness/ the loosing o" +ondage is "elt deep 'ithin yoursel"1

In &atthe' 18<34/ esus says that i" 'e do not "orgi$e "ro% our hearts/ 'e 'ill +e in tor%ent =deli$ered to the tor%entors>1 (here"ore/ i" 'e do "orgi$e/ there is a release "ro% tor%ent1 (his also includes "orgi$ing yoursel"1 , lady 'as in the prayer roo% o" the church one Sunday %orning/ 'aiting patiently "or so%eone to co%e and help her1 She 'as seeking God/ praying 'ith all her heart1 She "elt that she 'as in need o" deli$erance1 I could agree 'ith that. I" anyone e$er needed deli$erance/ she did1 I could see the tor%ent that 'as upon her1 Surprisingly enough/ though/ prayer "or deli$erance did nothing "or her1 ,s 'e talked it see%ed that she had "orgi$en e$eryone e3cept hersel"1 She could not "orget the past and the things she had done1 Finally she said/ @Because o" esus )hrist/ I "orgi$e %ysel"1A 8hen 'e don5t "orgi$e oursel$es/ 'e are co%ing to the Lord 'ith our o'n 'orks o" righteousness and they are as "ilthy rags1 I" 'e don5t accept "orgi$eness "or oursel$es/ 'e are trying to get to the Lord on our good deeds. ,t this point she sa' that esus had "orgi$en her and his +lood 'as su""icient to cleanse her1 (hat is 'hen she recei$ed her deli$erance1 (hat is 'hen she 'as released "ro% tor%ent1 I also +elie$e you 'ill not +e a+le to keep your deli$erance i" there is so%eone that you ha$e not "orgi$en1 (he per"ect circle o" God5s lo$e 'ill +e +roken and the ene%y 'ill "lood in upon you1

(here 'as a %inister 'ho had a %o$e%ent against hi% to re%o$e hi% "ro% his position1 (his %o$e 'as un"air +ut it gained support until it 'as success"ul1 He did +eauti"ully against all odds "or a+out t'o %onths1 (hings +egan to change "or the +etter and God +egan to take care o" his pro+le%s1 It looked as i" the de"eat 'as turning into $ictory1 But so%e'here along the 'ay he let a little root o" resent%ent creep into his heart1 It gre' and gre'1 Resent%ent turned to +itterness/ +itterness to re+ellion/ and "inally he lost his %inistry1 No' he ne$er attends church1 He drinks and has %any other pro+le%s1 I" he had only kno'n a+out "orgi$eness. Had he "orgi$en/ things 'ould ha$e turned out di""erently1 FORGIVENESS IS , #E)ISION1 &any people ha$e +een $ery deeply hurt1 &any o" us think 'e could "orgi$e i" 'e had so%eone else5s pro+le%s/ +ut 'e cannot "orgi$e 'ith our o'n pro+le%s1 8e co%plicate this +y saying/ @Ho' can I "orgi$eBA (he Lord tells us to lo$e one another1 Ho' can 'e do thatB Forget a+out all the co%plications and do it. I kno' a lady 'ho 'as al%ost "orced o"" the road recently +y another dri$er1 She had a per"ect right to +e 'here she 'as +ut he dri"ted o$er into her lane and 'as "orcing her car o"" the road1 He al%ost caused her to ha$e an accident1 (his %an e$idently had his o'n pro+le%s1 (he lady said at "irst she 'anted to chase hi% do'n and sho' hi% that she had a legal right to +e in the lane she 'as in1 Suddenly she reali0ed that she 'as not

going to let this %an upset her ?ust +ecause o" his pro+le%1 (hen she said/ @Lord/ I lo$e hi% and I "orgi$e hi%.A She +egan to search "or so%ething in the situation to praise the Lord "or1 (hen she "ound it. @(hank you/ Lord/ that I a% not %arried to hi%.A she al%ost shouted1 8e %eet people all through li"e 'ho% 'e ha$e to lo$e and "orgi$e1 &ake up your %ind to do it "or your o'n sake as 'ell as "or theirs1 Say out loud/ @Lord/ I lo$e the% and I "orgi$e the%1A In this 'ay you are released and they are released as 'ell1 It is ti%e 'e started loosing people. (hat old drunk %ay al'ays +e a drunk i" 'e conde%n hi% "or it1 Not only should 'e not do anything to +ind hi% in alcoholis%/ +ut 'e should 'ork to rescue hi%1 8hen the disciples ro'ed against the 'ind on the Sea o" Galilee/ they ne$er %ade shore/ +ut 'hen esus ca%e they 'ere i%%ediately on shore 7 they got there 'hen God5s la's 'orked "or the%1 8hen 'e "ollo' God5s la's o" "orgi$ing 'e 'ork 'ith hi%/ +ut 'hen 'e ro' against the 'ind/ against God5s la's +y ?udging and conde%ning/ 'e hold +ack the sal$ation and rede%ption o" those 'e ?udge and conde%n/ especially/ i" the person kno's o" our un"orgi$eness and sees our reactions and attitudes1 8hen 'e start seeing esus in oursel$es/ 'e can start looking through esus5 eyes1 #o you kno' 'hat esus sees in that old drunkB He sees a soul. He sees a soul that is 'orth %ore than the 'hole 'orld1 (he 'ord says that you can

gain the 'hole 'orld and lose your soul and you pro"it nothing1 ,s long as 'e keep conde%nation on that person/ he 'ill ne$er +e set "ree1 (hat %an in the +ar kno's he is %essed up1 He doesn5t need you to tell hi%1 He is looking to +e led out o" that darkness into the %ar$elous light1 It takes light to lead the% out/ not %ore conde%nation1 esus said to co%e on along +ecause there is a ne' 'ay "or you1 (here is a ne' kingdo% "or you. (here is a ne' li"e "or you. (he 'orld needs help. (he 'orld doesn5t need to +e ?udged. (HE! NEE# (O HE,R ,BO-( ES-S. I" you try to help the 'orld in your po'er and your strength you 'ill +e a "ailure1 esus said/ If any man hear my words, and believe not, I 1udge him not: for I ame not to 1udge the world, but to save the world! $John 12:47% I" 'e 'ill get the attitude that )hrist has and get do'n o"" our seats that 'ere occupied +y the *harisees =seats o" ?udg%ent>/ 6uit ?udging/ 6uit conde%ning/ and start forgiving, a%a0ing things 'ill happen.

Chapter !ive !orgiveness in the Ca# an Islands

&y "irst trip to the )ay%an Islands ca%e a+out in a $ery unusual 'ay1 I had scheduled t'o 'eeks o"" at (hanksgi$ing in 19751 I had planned to spend this ti%e 'ith %y "a%ily1 &y parents had co%e to Florida to spend the 'inter/ a'ay "ro% the cold and sno' o" the Indiana countryside1 8e had +een %inistering throughout the year in $arious cities around the -nited States1 ,t this particular ti%e 'e 'ere %inistering in Bryan/ (e3as1 8e 'ere looking "or'ard to that t'o;'eek $acation 'ith anticipation1 8hile 'e 'ere there/ %y secretary called to ask i" it 'ould +e possi+le "or %e to go to the )ay%an Islands1 8e had +een asked to "ill in/ in place o" another %inistry/ 'hich had to cancel this part o" their schedule1 @I5ll ha$e to pray a+out it and see 'hat God 'ould ha$e %e do/A I said1 I thought a+out %y $acation ti%e 'ith %y "a%ily and at that point I did not 'ant to go to )ay%an/ 'here$er it 'as1 I 'as ne$er an outstanding geography student 'hen I 'as in school and I sure didn5t kno' 'here the Canary Islands 'ere1 =I had %isunderstood %y secretary and thought she said )anary Islands1> I "igured they 'ere so%e'here a+out %id;ocean in the *aci"ic/ and try as I 'ould/ I couldn5t re%e%+er

?ust 'here they 'ere/ ho' +ig/ or 'ho o'ned the% or anything concerning the%1 (hese thoughts had rushed through %y %ind in a "lash and then God spoke to %e saying/ "#o!/ &y secretary 'as still talking/ "illing %e in on so%e details o" the o""ice in Orlando1 @(ell the people I 'ill go/A I shouted on the phone1 She 'as surprised at such a 6uick ans'er and said/ @,re you sure it5s all rightBA @!es/ I5% sure.A @Re%e%+er/ your %other and "ather are here "ro% Indiana/A she continued1 @!ou 'on5t get to spend that ti%e 'ith the%1A I replied/ @I understand1 God has said I a% to go and I5$e got to do 'hat he 'ants.A ,"ter the phone con$ersation 'as o$er I +egan to get e3cited1 I had ne$er %inistered in another country1 I 'ondered i" the people there spoke English or French or so%e other language1 I could hardly 'ait to get on %y 'ay1 I arri$ed in Orlando 'ithin a couple o" days and "ound that all the arrange%ents had +een %ade1 &y secretary handed %e %y plane tickets a%id all the +ustle and e3cite%ent o" greeting the "a%ily and trying to get a t'o; 'eeks5 $isit cro'ded into one day1 (he ne3t %orning/ 'hen I +oarded the plane in &ia%i/ I settled do'n "or a long plane ride1 I had not e$en had ti%e to check the schedule and had no idea ho' "ar I 'as to tra$el or ho' long it 'ould take1 ,t any rate/ I supposed it 'ould take se$eral hours to reach the Canary Islands1

,"ter taking o"" 'e cli%+ed sharply "or a "e' %inutes and the pilot ca%e on the interco% announcing/ @8e are no' o$er )u+a1A I looked out the 'indo' and said/ @)u+aB 8hat are 'e doing o$er )u+aBA (he ste'ardess s%iled and said/ @)u+a is +et'een &ia%i and the )ay%an Islands1A @(he Cayman Islands.A I e3clai%ed1 I pulled out %y ticket stu+ and "or the "irst ti%e looked at %y destination1 It read/ @Grand )ay%an1A So that5s 'here I 'as going. @ ust 'here are the )ay%an IslandsBA I asked the ste'ardess1 @(hey5re south o" )u+a/A she ans'ered1 @8e 'ill +e there in less than an hour1A I didn5t kno' 'hat to e3pect 'hen I got there1 ,nother person had +een scheduled to go 'ith %e +ut plans had to +e changed at the last %inute1 8hen I arri$ed in Grand )ay%an there 'ere se$eral people standing at the detaining "ence/ 'a$ing to %e1 (hey had +een told the clothes I 'ould +e 'earing and there"ore recogni0ed %e1 I had ne$er seen any o" these people +e"ore1 (hey spoke English +ut it 'as the @Cueen5s EnglishA and %y o'n particular +rand o" English 'as al%ost a "oreign language to the%1 (hat night 'e had a %eeting in one o" the ho%es o" the people 'ho had %et %e at the airport1 (here 'as %uch disunity and stri"e a%ong the group1 &ost o" the% 'ere "illed 'ith God5s Spirit +ut there 'as +itterness and resent%ent and un"orgi$eness a%ong the%1

One couple in particular stood out in %y %ind +ecause they see%ed to ha$e no relationship +et'een each other1 erry and *aula 'ere Spirit; "illed )atholics 'ho% I ca%e to kno' 6uite 'ell in the ensuing days1 Re$i$al ca%e to the church at )ay%an +ecause the church/ 'hich is the +ody o" )hrist/ +egan to co%e together in unity. God poured out his Spirit in a %ar$elous 'ay1 Literally hundreds 'ere sa$ed/ healed/ and "illed 'ith the Holy Spirit1 Because o" the 'itchcra"t on the islands/ there 'as also a need "or deli$erance1 God didn5t disappoint the% in that area either1 erry and *aula had spoken to %e slightly a+out their pro+le%s1 (he Lord had re$ealed a lot a+out the% to %e/ including the "act that he 'anted to heal their %arriage1 (he last night o" the re$i$al I prayed "or ?ust that. (here 'as a great %o$e o" God that night and al%ost e$eryone 'as going out under the po'er o" God1 8hen I prayed "or erry/ he 'ent under the po'er and +egan to laugh1 =*aula later told %e that it had +een years since erry had +een a+le to laugh "reely1> He recei$ed a great deal o" deli$erance that night1 8e %inistered to *aula in another roo% as she +egan to unra$el the story o" their 32 years o" %arriage 7 the hurts/ the disappoint%ents/ the resent%ent/ and the accu%ulation o" un"orgi$eness1 I understood the i%portance o" "orgi$eness in recei$ing one5s o'n healing +ut I did not understand at that ti%e that it also loosed others1 *aula had such

an agoni0ing tale o" 'oe/ +ut e$en as she told it she 'as recei$ing deli$erance. She +egan to "orgi$e1 (he po'er o" God 'as upon the% +oth1 Later I recei$ed this testi%ony "ro% erry concerning their %arriage< @8e stayed together/ although at ti%es it 'as not easy1 8e did not kno' the Lord and 'hen you do things in the "lesh/ you reap the "lesh4 conse6uently our %arriage 'as a disaster1 @,"ter 'e ca%e to kno' the Lord/ *aula had an operation 'hich le"t her cold and indi""erent to the "ul"illing o" her %arital o+ligations o" a personal nature1 (his 'as a strain on %e and a strain on our %arriage1 (he Lord had deli$ered %e "ro% s%oking and drinking so I asked hi% to re%o$e %y se3ual desires also1 He did and I 'as thank"ul. I 'as happy 'ith things the 'ay they 'ere1 @(he night Gene prayed "or us and our %arriage/ things +egan to change1 I forgave Paula "or any "eelings o" resent%ent I had "or her and she forgave %e1 (hat $ery night *aula had pro%ised the Lord that she 'ould do her part in "ul"illing our %arriage1 She did not kno' ho' this 'as going to co%e a+out as I no longer had any desire "or her1 @(he ne3t %orning she 'as depressed1 I kne' this and prayed 'ith her1 I prayed that esus 'ould %atch %y se3ual desires 'ith hers1 I didn5t see ho' anything could happen1 ,s the day 'ent on/ *aula prayed "or the Lord to sho' her 'hat to do1 @(hat night as 'e 'ere getting ready "or +ed/ 'e knelt to ha$e prayer together1 ,s I prayed/ the Spirit o" the Lord ca%e o$er *aula so strong that she 'as Dslain in the Spirit51 ,s she lay on the "loor she

+egan to laugh and laugh1 I ignored her and continued praying/ thinking to %ysel" that this 'ould ne$er happen to %e1 Suddenly I too 'as "ace do'n on the +ed/ laughing and laughing/ in the ?oy o" the Lord1 (he Lord had %inistered to us +oth and no' *aula could see 'hat to do1 I 'alked o$er to the 'indo' as she got into +ed1 @*aula said/ D#on5t you think 'e should honor the Lord +y doing 'hat he 'ants us to doB5 @For the "irst ti%e in o$er a year I "elt a desire "or %y 'i"e again1 *raise the Lord. He +eauti"ully healed our %arriage a"ter 32 years1 @(his 'as the "irst ti%e in our li$es that 'e 'ere %an and 'i"e together as the ,l%ighty God planned it1 It 'as +eauti"ul and holy1 (his 'as o+$iously the 'ay God had intended hus+ands and 'i$es to +e1 !ou are not only one in the "lesh4 you are also one in spirit1 In that state God can 'ork through +oth o" you to %ature you to his per"ect plan "or your li$es1A 8hat a testi%ony. (his had +een a %arriage in na%e only/ +ut God co%pletely healed it through the po'er o" "orgi$eness. *aula and erry no' ha$e a +eauti"ul deli$erance %inistry in )ay%an1 (he Lord has also gi$en the% a %inistry o" helps to one another1 *aula is no' the secretary o" the Lo$e o" esus &inistries o" )ay%an and erry is the treasurer1 God is putting together his +ody in )ay%an and it is +ased on lo$e and a "lo'ing together 'ith his Spirit1

Chapter Si$ %rosperit# through !orgiveness

8hat is the 'ill o" the LordB #o 'e need to per"or% the 'ill o" the LordB &any ti%es )hristians %iss it1 ,re you %issing itB (hese 6uestions can +e resol$ed +y reading the Bi+le1 (he Bi+le is the last 'ill and testa%ent o" the Lord esus )hrist1 Resol$e these 6uestions/ and then 'alk in the path'ay God has ordained "or you and your li"e 'ill ne$er +e the sa%e1 God 'ills it so. 8e disco$er in the Bi+le that our legal rights and inheritance are spelled out1 &ost people are 'orried a+out in"lation/ de"lation/ recession and depression1 It keeps the% shook up %ost o" the ti%e/ +ut the ans'er is si%ple1 (he Lord has already pro$ided ans'ers "or all the pro+le%s o" )hristians1 ,ll you ha$e to do is +e sa$ed and his pro%ise to you is that he is going to take care o" you1 In the Old (esta%ent it says that God has all the sil$er and gold in the 'orld and the cattle on a thousand hills =See Haggai 2<84 *sal%s 50<10>1 I" God is your Father/ then +y inheritance/ your +ank account is in good standing1 (he Bi+le tells us that the riches o" the ungodly are stored up "or the godly1 It is ti%e )hristians started knowing that and believing it1 8e are told in the Bi+le that as )hristians there are so%e things we are to do1 In &atthe'/ the Lord said to clothe the naked/ "eed the hungry/ and gi$e

to those that do not ha$e1 Ho' can 'e do this unless 'e are prosperousB I" you read in the Old (esta%ent you 'ill "ind that God had the richest people in the 'orld at that ti%e1 I do not +elie$e it is any di""erent in these end ti%es1 I can testi"y as to 'hy I +elie$e that1 I see +usinesses 'hich ha$e +een gi$en to God pro"it un+elie$a+ly/ 'hile others not gi$en to God are "ailing1 I can hardly +elie$e 'hat is happening to a )hristian +rother in ,ri0ona1 He sells %odel ho%es and is in an area 'here %any co%panies are going +roke1 #o you kno' 'hat he does on SundaysB He closes the door and goes to church and 'orships the Lord1 In return the Lord is +lessing hi%1 )o%petitors say it cannot +e done1 But/ look at the results. One o" the "astest gro'ing chain o" restaurants in the country today is in the 'estern states1 ,s you 'alk in the "irst thing you see is a sign that says< @8e are closed on Sunday so our e%ployees can 'orship at the church o" their choice1A ,ny +usiness%an 'ill tell you that you do not close a restaurant like that on Sunday1 !ou 'ould go +roke. It is a%a0ing. But the Lord is prospering the%. It doesn5t %ake sense to the %ind/ +ut it 'orks. *rosperity in the Lord is like that1 It ne$er %akes sense to the %ind/ +ut it 'orks. I" you are planning to sit do'n 'ith a pencil and paper and "igure out the Lord5s 'ay to prosperity/ ?ust "orget it1 It doesn5t 'ork that 'ay1 God is spirit1 (he Bi+le and God5s 'ays are not so%ething you can put a pencil to1

!ou do not ha$e to understand it1 I" 'e do understand it/ then 'e %ake God the sa%e si0e as our +rain and I kno' that he 'ould +e a %ighty little God i" he 'as no larger than that1 I si%ply accept the "act that I can ne$er take in the $ast e3panse o" God1 esus said/ "Pea e I leave with you, my pea e I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you 6 $John 14:2 7%! 8e read in Isaiah 53 that the chastise%ent o" our peace 'as upon hi%1 (hat is the reason that )hristians 'ho are 'orried a+out %oney need to understand this principle o" God1 I" you are 'orried a+out anything/ ?ust run the de$il o""/ shout the na%e o" esus at hi% and then lean +ack in the Lord5s ar%s1 8hat is prosperity any'ayB (o people o" the 'orld/ prosperity is that ti%e +et'een the last install%ent pay%ent and the ne3t do'n pay%ent1 ,lso I5$e heard it said that running into de+t isn5t e%+arrassing4 it is running into creditors that is e%+arrassing1 #o you kno' "or sure that God 'ants to +less youB #o you kno' that he 'ants to prosper youB He surely %ust/ "or he ca%e do'n "ro% hea$en a%ong all his riches/ and he +eca%e poor that you %ight +eco%e rich =See II )orinthians 8<9>1 I ha$e heard so%e people say that this scripture 'as re"erring %erely to spiritual +lessings/ not %oney1 *aul 'as talking a+out %oney all the 'ay through this chapter and/ there"ore/ this too %ust ha$e +een a+out %oney1 ,ctually it 'as a+out prosperity1

I 'as gi$en a 6uote %any years ago that still sticks onto the gu%%y side o" %y %e%ory< @(he road to success runs uphill/ so don5t e3pect to +reak any speed records1A I decided to see ?ust 'hat the Bi+le said a+out success1 I "ound only one re"erence in the Eing a%es $ersion to success and that 'as in oshua 1<8< +his book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth- but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do a ording to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good su ess! It is ti%e that )hristians started +attling the de$il "or their right"ul inheritance. (he Lord paid "or it +ut 'e ha$e to +e the +attleground 7 'e %ust yield to the 'orks o" esus1 -p until no'/ %ost o" us ha$e gi$en a'ay our inherited rights1 By our mouth 'e ha$e gi$en it to the de$il4 'e spend all too %uch ti%e +inding and re+uking Satan1 8e 'ould do +etter to talk to esus and ask hi% to *O-R ON &ORE ,NOIN(ING. , song 'e sing a lot says/ @I 'ant a ca+in in the corner o" Glory Land1A I" you ha$e ?ust a ca+in/ then you %issed Glory. (he Bi+le says you are going to ha$e a mansion F I heard a %an say the other day that he 'anted to get a gli%pse o" esus in eternity1 I 'ant %ore than a gli%pse. (he Bi+le says 'e 'ill +e "ore$er in his presence1 (he sinner 'ill get a gli%pse at the ?udg%ent1 I do not 'ant a gli%pse4 I 'ant to +e there "ore$er1 Hallelu?ah. (he de$il has told )hristians "or the past 2/000 years that the %ore patches they had on their pants/

the %ore spiritual they 'ere1 (hat is not true and God certainly does not 'ant you to +e %isera+le on earth1 8e can "ind our ans'er in the 'ord and it can +ring peace to your %ind and rest to your heart1 (his %essage had rung true to a couple 'e are closely related to in the Lord in Orlando1 Frank and )harlotte had attended our prayer group during their courtship days and it 'as our pri$ilege to ?oin the% in holy %atri%ony1 (hey 'ere e3tre%ely happy and dedicated to the Lord5s 'ork/ +ut prosperity see%ed to elude the%1 , "e' %onths ago they had reached their "inancial end1 (heir "aith had +egun to 'a$er concerning "inancial prosperity1 George and &ary o sat do'n 'ith the% and +egan to recite the pro%ises o" God "ro% the Bi+le1 @I kno' all that/A )harlotte inter?ected1 @It ?ust doesn5t see% to 'ork in our case1 8hat5s 'rongBA Frank agreed1 @I "eel 'e ha$e done e$erything 'e can "ind in the 'ord and still our "inancial situation is getting 'orse and 'orse1A (he "our prayed together and decided that on (hursday night they 'ould %eet at the ho%e o" Frank and )harlotte1 Frank 'as told to +ring out his records and +ring all his current +ills up to date until it could +e seen ?ust 'hat "inancial shape they 'ere in1 (he ne3t (hursday the "our sat at the dining roo% ta+le/ looked at the "inancial picture and sure enough/ it 'as +ad1 (hey had +ills "or gasoline credit cards "ro% $arious co%panies/ &aster )harge/ Bank ,%ericard drugstore charge account/ clothing stores charge accounts/ +ack pay%ents on

t'o houses =one that each o" the% had +e"ore their %arriage>/ loan co%pany notes/ etc1 (he pile 'as an i%%o$a+le %ountain/ +ut they sorted through/ added it and it a%ounted to %ore than 29/0001001 (hey laid hands on the pile o" +ills/ their +ill"olds and check+ooks/ ?oined together in prayer/ su+%itted the 'hole thing to the Lord/ re+uked the de$il/ and thanked the Lord "or supplying the need1 (hen they said/ @*our on %ore anointing/ Lord.A (hey 'ent through the house/ stopping in each roo% to pray/ and asked to the Lord to correct all 'rongs in the household1 (hey stopped at the po'er %eter outside/ +ecause their po'er +ills 'ere also e3or+itant/ and asked the Lord to take all 'aste and allo' only the a%ount necessary to "lo' through the %eter "or their entire needs1 ,s they returned into the dining roo%/ &ary o recei$ed a 'ord o" kno'ledge and said/ @I "eel there is so%e un"orgi$eness in )harlotte1A )harlotte agreed1 She still held resent%ent against her e3;hus+and and had not co%pletely "orgi$en hi%1 ,t the ti%e o" the di$orce she 'as le"t 'ith t'o children and all the +ills1 She 'as a %usic director and %e%+er o" 6uite a large church in another deno%ination1 She 'as one o" the "e' "e%ale %usic directors o" a church o" this si0e and %ade a nice salary1 Her entire training and all her college preparation 'as in this "ield and she 'as 'ell 6uali"ied "or this particular position1 She kne' that deno%ination 'ould not use a %usic director 'ho 'as di$orced/ so she resigned rather than +e ter%inated1 No' she had no 'ay to

support her t'o children and had +een una+le to "ind a ?o+ "or so%e ti%e1 8hen she e$entually did get a ?o+/ it 'as teaching in a pu+lic school 'here she had little e3perience and conse6uently dre' a proportionately s%all salary1 Her li$ing standard took tre%endous strides do'n'ard1 ,"ter she shared this/ she 'as told that it did not %atter 'hose "ault it 'as/ "orgi$eness 'as necessary to ha$e $ictory in her li"e1 She 'as told that as you "orgi$e/ so your Father in hea$en "orgi$es you1 She "orga$e hi% and all the other people 'ho had e$er hurt her in any 'ay1 ,gain they prayed and Frank ?oined in 'ith his o'n turn at "orgi$eness1 (he $ery ne3t 'eek %iracles started to happen1 )reditors/ 'ho pre$iously 'ere calling o"ten and threatening to sue/ suddenly +eca%e nice and see%ed to change their 'hole attitude a+out the%1 It had +een decided that Frank 'ould call each and e$ery one o" the past;due creditors and tell the% they 'ere 'orking on a solution to settle the account1 Each call helped to +uild his "aith +ecause each ti%e they thanked hi% "or calling and told hi% they 'ould 'ait "or the %oney o'ed the%1 8hat a re$ersal to 'hat he 'as used to. (he house they 'ere no longer li$ing in 'as standing e%pty/ and though pay%ents had +een %ade on it/ they 'ere "alling +ehind on the pay%ents on the house they 'ere li$ing in1 (hen a %iracle happened. , %an +eca%e interested in +uying the e%pty house/ and less than a %onth later closed the deal/ gi$ing the% %ore %oney than they had e3pected1 *raise God.

Fi$e 'eeks "ro% the ti%e they prayed "or "orgi$eness/ Frank 'ent to their regular Friday night "ello'ship %eeting1 He 'as so e3cited he could hardly contain hi%sel"1 He had agreed that each %onth he 'ould add up ho' %uch 'as still o'ed and actually 'itness ho' God 'as +ringing hi% out o" po$erty into prosperity1 (hat past 'eek 'hen he added it up he "ound that al%ost three thousand dollars had +een lopped o"" the top o" the +ill1 (here 'as only a little o$er si3 thousand dollars le"t to pay1 @Ho' did it happenBA he 'as asked1 @I don5t kno'1 I5% like the +lind %an that esus healed 'ho said/ ;all I know is that on e I was blind and now I see!< (hat is %y testi%ony1 Once I 'as deeply in de+t/ +ut no' *ROS*ERI(! is co%ing to %y ho%e1 *raise the Lord.A Frank and )harlotte ha$e continued to %o$e in this direction1 ,s they pay o"" each de+t/ they trust %ore "ully in their supplier/ the Lord esus )hrist1 (hey ha$e destroyed their charge cards and each day God supplies their e$ery need. (hey ha$e truly "ound the ans'er/ ?ust as it 'as gi$en in oshua 1<81 (hey ha$e o+ser$ed to do all that is 'ritten and their 'ay is prosperous and they are ha$ing good success1 Still/ a"ter all this/ )harlotte and Frank 'ere not co%pletely "ree on "orgi$eness1 , "e' 'eeks a"ter this/ )harlotte attended a %usic "esti$al1 On the 'ay there that %orning she 'as 6uoting scripture and praising the Lord as she dro$e along1 (he last scripture she 6uoted +e"ore arri$ing 'as the Lord5s

*rayer/ and it see%ed to really speak to her as she said/ @"orgi$e %e1A 8hen she arri$ed at the "esti$al/ a young lady approached her 'ith recognition and greeted her 'ar%ly1 (hough she had gro'n up since )harlotte5s days as church %usic director/ she 'as re%e%+ered1 She had once told her %other/ @8hen I gro' up I 'ant to +e ?ust like &iss )harlotte/ a church %usic director1A ,s soon as )harlotte sa' the young lady/ these %e%ories started "looding +ack upon her1 Satan i%%ediately +egan to saddle her 'ith a guilt "eeling +ecause o" the things that had happened in her li"e1 (hough she could not help 'hat had happened/ and though the Lord had co%pletely "orgi$en her/ she had not co%pletely "orgi$en hersel" and there"ore the de$il started to ?u%p in1 ,s soon as she could grace"ully e3cuse hersel" "ro% the young lady/ she did so1 Her day 'as ruined1 She le"t the "esti$al and 'ent to'ard ho%e/ literally crushed. ,"ter she got ho%e/ she 'as too asha%ed to tell her hus+and/ so it 'as se$eral hours until she could "inally get it out1 He i%%ediately reali0ed 'hat 'as 'rong and suggested she should say the Lord5s *rayer 'ith sincerity and e%phasis on @"orgi$e us1A ,s she said it/ she really "orga$e hersel" as esus "orga$e her. God had gi$en her the ans'er that $ery %orning +e"ore she got there and she had "ailed to recogni0e it1

Frank reali0ed the "ull signi"icance o" "orgi$eness and though he had "orgi$en his "or%er 'i"e already/ he had ne$er told her so and there"ore had not co%pletely released her1 He sat do'n/ 'rote her a letter and told her he "orga$e her "or e$erything and asked that she also "orgi$e hi%1 He later talked 'ith the pastor o" her church +y long distance telephone and 'as in"or%ed she had +een in church/ and 'as also recei$ing the +ene"its o" "orgi$eness1 (HE *O8ER OF FORGIVENESS GOES ON ,N# ON. (herein in time past ye walked a ording to the ourse of this world, a ording to the prin e of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the hildren of disobedien e: $=ph! 2:2%! Re%e%+er that Satan is entitled to e3ert in"luence on any area o" our li"e that is in diso+edience1 (he key to prosperity "or Frank and )harlotte 'as o+edience in "orgi$eness1 (hey 'ere already 'alking in the light in all the other aspects o" prosperity and then the truth in "orgi$eness ca%e "orth to co%plete the %ani"estation o" prosperity and success1

Chapter Seven !orgiveness &eals "arriage %roble s

,usbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the hur h, and gave himself for it$=phesians 5:25%! #o you kno' that one o" the strongest po'ers in the 'orld is a hus+and and 'i"e united in prayer =i" the ho%e is in spiritual order>B #o you kno' that is 'hy the de$il hates "or ho%es to get in the order that God ordained the%B (he de$il 'ill do e$erything 'ithin his po'er to +reak up the ho%e unity. &odern ,%erica has a %ultitude o" +roken %arriages due to the in"luence o" Satan1 (hese +roken %arriages are the +reeding ground o" the +iggest area o" un"orgi$eness a%ong )hristians today1 Forgi$eness is a t'o;'ay +ene"it1 I" 'e do not "orgi$e others/ 'e oursel$es are not "orgi$en +y God1 Frank and )harlotte +locked prosperity in their li$es +ecause o" their collecti$e un"orgi$eness1 )harlotte "orga$e co%pletely the night at their ho%e 'hen they prayed together1 It 'as a "e' 'eeks later 'hen Frank co%pletely "orga$e his e3;'i"e "or all the pro+le%s in their li$es1 Forgi$eness also healed %any other pro+le%s in this %arriage1 , classical e3a%ple o" un"orgi$eness ca%e a+out in the spring o" 19741 I had recei$ed %y healing "ro% %ultiple sclerosis and dia+etes in

#ece%+er/ 19731 8e 'ere %inistering each Friday night in a prayer group in Orlando and the Lord 'as +lessing us %ightily1 One Friday a"ternoon in early ,pril I 'as on %y 'ay ho%e to get ready to go to the prayer group1 I decided on the spur o" the %o%ent to stop at a roadside "ruit stand to get so%e to%atoes1 ,s I 'as sorting through the to%atoes/ the lady +eside %e 'as singing so"tly/ "Jesus on the 2ain 'ine!A I looked at her and grinned/ @!ou %ust +e a Holy Roller.A @I lo$e esus and a% proud o" it/A she replied1 @*raise the Lord/A 'as %y response and 'e +oth kne' 'e had "or%ed a "riendship1 (his 'as %y introduction to &ary o/ the lady 'ho 'as later to +eco%e %y ad%inistrati$e assistant at Lo$e o" esus &inistries1 Her hus+and/ George/ 'as 'ith her and 'e talked "or perhaps "i$e %inutes1 I told the% o" the prayer group that %et at the apart%ent co%ple3 and in$ited the% to co%e1 (hey didn5t get there that night +ut the "ollo'ing 'eek they ca%e1 I kne' nothing a+out the% at that ti%e e3cept 'hat I had seen at the "ruit %arket1 (hey see%ed happy and de$oted to each other1 Near the end o" the %eeting/ 'hen 'e ga$e the call "or anyone 'ho needed prayer/ they ca%e together1 God sho'ed %e that they +oth har+ored un"orgi$eness1 I talked "irst 'ith &ary o1 @8ho do you hold resent%ent to'ardBA I asked1 @8ho ha$e you not "orgi$enBA

Her eyes sparked 'ith anger1 @I5% not resent"ul.A She "airly spit it out1 =She later told %e that she 'as so angry at that %o%ent she could ha$e struck %e1> I 'aited "or her to say %ore "or I kne' there 'as %ore she needed to say1 *erhaps a %inute 'ent +y and her de"iant head started to drop1 I could see that the Holy Spirit 'as doing a 'ork in her1 @I %ust not ha$e "orgi$en e$eryone or I 'ould not ha$e gotten %ad 'hen you asked that 6uestion/A she reasoned1 @8ho ha$e you not "orgi$enBA I gently asked her again1 @&y e3;hus+and/ I suppose/A she ans'ered1 @I thought I had "orgi$en hi% "or all the hurt that 'as caused during our separation and di$orce1 I %ust not ha$e or I 'ouldn5t "eel all this anger and con"usion1A Later 'e talked o$er this 'hole e3perience and she said she had no idea she still held resent%ent "or hi% until I asked her that 6uestion1 She 'as surprised at ho' %ad she +eca%e 'hen I asked her1 She had "orgi$en hi% in her %ind +ut had ne$er said so out loud/ so the "orgi$eness 'as not co%plete1 It is i%portant that 'e con"ess our sins1 I talked 'ith her "or a "e' %o%ents and directed her to ask "orgi$eness and con"ess it as a sin1 Hot tears "looded do'n her "ace as she did1 I turned to George and said/ @8ho do you ha$e to "orgi$eBA @&y e3;'i"eA 'as his ans'er1 Both o" the% had thought they had "orgi$en their pre$ious %ates1 Both o" the% had %uch the

sa%e story1 (hey had tried to li$e their li$es the 'ay o" the 'orld and Satan had played ha$oc 'ith the%1 (hey had +oth +een sa$ed and +apti0ed together a"ter their %arriage1 In "act/ &ary o5s t'o children had +een sa$ed at the sa%e ti%e she 'as/ so the +aptis%al ser$ice 'as a "a%ily a""air1 I then had the t'o o" the% ?oin hands and I laid hands on the%/ prayed a "orgi$eness prayer o$er the%/ asking God to re%o$e all hurts/ and to "ill all $oids 'ith the lo$e o" esus1 (hey +oth 'ent under the po'er at the sa%e ti%e and "ell "lat on their +acks/ still tightly holding hands. Fro% that $ery %o%ent a relationship 'as +orn through the po'er o" the Holy Spirit that has ne$er di%inished1 God +rought a+out this %eeting ?ust as he leads us in all things/ "or the Bi+le says that those that are +orn o" the Spirit are led +y the Spirit1 God did a %ighty 'ork in the li$es o" George and &ary o that night1 (rue "orgi$eness +rought a+out 'holeso%eness to their li$es1 &ary o5s t'o children +egan to respond +etter to their ne' ho%e en$iron%ent1 Bi+le study at ho%e +rought a+out a ne' a'areness o" God and his +lessings1 George5s three children =all o" 'ho% 'ere %arried and had a ho%e o" their o'n> could see a di""erence in the relationship o" George and &ary o1 (he older daughter and her hus+and 'ere sa$ed/ then a "e' %onths later the younger daughter and her hus+and accepted esus1 Finally the son and his 'i"e 'ere 'elco%ed into the "a%ily o" God +y the rest o" the "a%ily1 Forgi$eness really 'orks.

,s each %e%+er o" the "a%ily 'as sa$ed/ each one in turn recei$ed the gi"t o" the +aptis% in the Holy Spirit1 (oday 'hen this "a%ily gets together it5s a hallelu?ah ti%e. !ou al'ays ha$e a choice 'hether you 'ant to "orgi$e or not1 FORGIVENESS IS , #E)ISION1 -n"orgi$eness is a sin1 *sal%s 66<18 says that i" I regard ini6uity in %y heart/ God doesn5t e$en hear %e1 (here is no need "or %e to go to the altar to pray 'hen %y prayers are not heard1 So %any o" God5s children are not getting prayers ans'ered and ha$e lost the peace o" God that they once had1 Is it +ecause they ha$e ini6uity in their heartsB I kno' a )hristian 'o%an 'ho did not 'ant to see her daughter get %arried1 Neither o" the girl5s parents 'ere in "a$or o" the %arriage1 Finally/ the daughter ran a'ay "ro% ho%e and got %arried any'ay1 ,s a result/ her %other 'as "illed 'ith sorro'/ despair/ and +itterness1 She 'as in a $ery +ad state1 She could not "ind any peace o" %ind1 One day at noonti%e she 'ent into a church to pray and seek the Lord1 ,s she sat there/ God spoke to her 'ith these 'ords/ @!ou do not lose your peace 'ith God o$er so%eone else5s sin 7 only o$er your o'n1A ,s she heard God speak/ a great cleansing ca%e o$er her1 She "elt relie" as she said/ @I "orgi$e %y daughter and I "orgi$e %y ne' son;in;la'1A (hey 'ere the ones in the 'rong1 But as the %other "orga$e the%/ she recei$ed this release and the

peace o" God "looded +ack into her li"e1 She also 'as 'rong in not +eing 'illing to "orgi$e1 Forgi$eness is an attri+ute o" God1 He longs to "orgi$e1 It does not %atter ho' +ad our sins are1 It does not %atter ho' re+ellious 'e %ay ha$e +een1 8hen 'e ask his "orgi$eness he puts only one li%itation on us 7 'e "irst %ust "orgi$e others their trespasses1 , lady in our church ca%e to the pastor5s 'i"e and said she needed help1 She 'as the picture o" de?ection1 She said/ @I ha$e lost %y ?oy1 I ha$e no ?oy and I a% under constant satanic attack1A In talking 'ith her/ the Spirit o" the Lord directed the pastor5s 'i"e to reali0e there 'ere people in her li"e 'ho% she had not "orgi$en1 One 'as her hus+and/ one 'as her %other;in;la'1 @#o you "orgi$e your hus+andBA she 'as asked1 @I understand ho' he "eels/A 'as the reply1 She 'as dodging the 6uestion1 (he sa%e thing happened 'ith 6uestions a+out her %other;in;la'1 She 'as asked to say out loud that she 'ould "orgi$e these people to the +est o" her a+ility and 'ith the Lord5s help1 8hen she tried to say it/ she couldn5t1 (hen she reali0ed that "orgi$ing 'as harder than she had thought1 (his 'as her pro+le%1 ,s prayer 'as gi$en/ she "inally had real $ictory1 She "orga$e her hus+and and her %other;in; la' +y an act o" her 'ill/ and release "ollo'ed i%%ediately1 (he a%ount o" pardon or "orgi$eness 'e recei$e "ro% God is totally dependent upon 'hether or not 'e ha$e "orgi$en others1 8hen 'e har+or resent%ent/ hurts/ hostility/ or hatred/ and do not

"orgi$e our +rother/ 'e are lea$ing the door open "or Satan to attack1 8e %ust 'alk in the light o" "orgi$eness1 It %ay +e the hardest thing you ha$e e$er done/ +ut God says F forgive! Forgi$eness is a de ision, not an emotion! E%otions can +e good1 God %ade our e%otions +ut 'e cannot li$e on our e%otions1 8e %ust li$e on our decisions1 Surrendering your li"e to esus )hrist %ay ha$e included an e%otional e3perience "or you/ +ut it 'as the decision that %ade the changes1

Chapter Eight ' Year of &ealing and !orgiveness

(he story told in this chapter is God5s healing o" a %arriage1 ,"ter nine years/ their %arriage had co%e to an end1 (hen they decided to trust in the po'er o" ,l%ighty God to restore it1 I asked &aria to tell her story and the "ollo'ing is an account o" ho' God restored the years to the% through "orgi$eness1 (he lesson is plain1 (oo %any people cannot "orgi$e the%sel$es1 Be a+le to "orgi$e yoursel" or Satan 'ill ha$e a "ield day 'ith you1 God 'ill "orgi$e you the "irst ti%e you ask1 !ou do not ha$e to +e in tor%ent o$er anything1 "If we onfess our sins, he is faithful and lust to forgive us our sins! 1 1 "$I John 1:9%! #on5t let Satan keep you under conde%nation1 Lee and &aria 'ere +oth )atholic4 +oth raised in the church/ +ut +oth 'ith a %ini%u% co%%it%ent to God1 Lee 'as 11 years older than &aria and 'hen they decided to get %arried/ &aria5s parents 'ere dead set against it1 Lee 'as in the ,ir Force and &aria 'as +usy putting hersel" through college until Lee appeared on the scene1 (hey 'ere deter%ined to %arry so 'hen the parents o+?ected/ they eloped1 (hey had 'hat they called a ontra t marriage, %eaning they "elt "ree to +reak it 'ithout regrets1 ,"ter their son 'as +orn/ Lee "elt inclined to test it

on se$eral occasions1 He 'as una+le to decide +et'een %arriage and +eing a +achelor1 &aria/ +eing a pride"ul young lady/ tried hard to keep these things hidden "ro% e$eryone1 Finally she "ound that her supposedly @'ell;kept secretA 'asn5t so secret1 Her con"idant and "riend turned out to +e one o" his ad%irers1 Her "a%ily also "elt that she 'as putting on a sho' o" e$erything +eing rosy 'hen it 'as anything else +ut rosy1 &aria tried to play all roles at once< %other/ "ather/ organi0er/ +ill payer/ etc1 She see%ed happy on the outside +ut she 'as a seething hurricane on the inside1 Finally she e3ploded and she and Lee split 'ith such $iolence that Lee $olunteered "or counseling1 (he Lord then +egan to %o$e in their li$es1 &aria "elt it 'as the Lord5s 'ill that they separate until he could truly unite the% as they 'ere %eant to +e united1 In Fe+ruary/ 1976/ the Lord started to 'ork on &aria1 It see%ed that things got 'orse and then they slo'ly started to i%pro$e1 Her daughter 'as constantly ill/ pre$enting her "ro% 'orking "ull ti%e1 She 'as unsure 'hether her hus+and 'ould continue to pro$ide "or her and the children or not1 (he landlady 'as pressing her to +uy the house they 'ere li$ing in or %o$e out1 &ore and %ore/ "ears pressed in on her daily and she had no one to turn to "or help1 She had %o$ed "ro% another state to Florida and had no "riends there and did not "or% "riendships easily1 She constantly told e$eryone ho' great things 'ere/ 'hile on the inside she 'as %isera+le1 She needed "riends and had none1 She needed her "a%ily

+ut they couldn5t stand her ups and do'ns1 She had le"t the church +ecause she didn5t 'ant to "ace any conde%nation "or her planned di$orce1 ust 'hen things 'ere at the lo'est e++/ hope ca%e in like a +right ne' ray o" sunlight1 She 'as 'elco%ed into a group o" separated and di$orced )atholics and 'ent to one o" their %eetings1 (hey encouraged her to again go +ack to &ass and she did/ i%%ediately "eeling so%e relie"1 (hen se$eral churches o" $arious deno%inations +egan a ten;'eek city;'ide crusade 'ith the purpose o" +ringing people +ack to )hrist1 She had no other place to go so she started attending1 Slo'ly she reali0ed the $oid she had created +y denying God and +la%ing hi% "or the %ess her li"e 'as in1 She +egan to co%e ali$e to the desire o" leading a @nor%alA li"e/ 'ith the "ather o" her children in their o'n ho%e1 She +egan to cry out to God to repair her li"e/ to sho' her ho' to change it1 She cried "or 'eeks/ attending a di""erent teaching session e$ery night/ gradually learning 'hat )hristianity really is1 (hough she 'as a )atholic/ she had ne$er heard teaching on 'hat %ade ho%es and "a%ilies +ond together4 'hat %ade %en truly %en/ strong/ supporti$e/ protecti$e and perhaps %ost i%portant/ dependa+le1 Still she hadn5t "ound 'hat she 'as looking "or/ and though she 'as going to &ass on Sunday/ it ga$e her no satis"action or lasting peace1 One 8ednesday ?ust +e"ore Easter she 'as attending a teaching series on +he 'iving Christ! (he teacher o" the session i%pressed her 'ith his kind/ gentle/ co%passionate 'ays1 He spoke o" esus

as though he kne' hi% personally1 (he key to this %an5s li"e 'as his one hundred percent co%%it%ent to esus )hrist and a deep desire to o+ey e$ery la' at all ti%es1 (his 'as the thing that really spoke to her1 She kne' that she had ne$er gi$en one hundred percent to anything/ e$er/ +ut no' she kne' she %ust1 ,t that point she %ade a total co%%it%ent to God. (he teacher 'ent on to say that he "elt that "or anyone to re%ain a )hristian in this day/ he must +elong to a )hristian co%%unity1 She asked a+out one and 'as told o" a )atholic prayer co%%unity 'hich %et regularly e$ery (hursday night1 Her spirit ?u%ped 'ithin her at the thought o" again +elonging. She kne' in her heart that her search "or hersel" 'as al%ost o$er1 She "elt an urgency/ a sudden e3pectancy/ +ut "or 'hat she didn5t kno'1 It took a lot o" e""ort to attend that "irst %eeting/ +ut she %ade it. On the 'ay she said she "elt a +urden1 She "elt like crying and did not kno' 'hy/ and yet another part o" her 'as light and +u++ly1 (he %eeting started 'ith a song and "ro% that point on &aria didn5t kno' too %uch o" 'hat happened1 She stood rooted in the +ack o" the roo%/ 6uietly crying +uckets o" tears1 Her soul 'as 'ashed clean +y tears as she in$ited esus to 'ork a co%plete o$erhaul in her li"e1 ,"ter the %eeting/ so%e o" the group ca%e o$er to her and asked i" she needed prayer1 @!es.A she +lurted out1 @*ray "or %y li"e. I5% a %ess. I need a ne' start.A Little did she kno' that

the Lord had surely guided her into the path'ays in 'hich she 'as no' 'alking1 esus 'as in control o" her li"e. , sudden peace ca%e o$er her/ a 6uietness inside/ and she did not 6uestion it 'hen they had "inished praying "or her1 She accepted the 6uietness as her ans'er to her need1 ,+out a 'eek later her younger sister said/ @8hat good thing has happened to you/ &ariaBA @8hat do you %eanBA @For the "irst ti%e in si3 %onths you are s%iling1 8hat are you s%iling a+outBA She didn5t ha$e too good an ans'er "or she 'as all 'rapped up in her o'n thoughts1 She "ully accepted the "act that changes 'ere taking place in her1 She kne' that she had shed a tre%endous +urden1 (hat 'as truly &aria5s +eginning. *eople say they are @re+ornA or @+orn againA and she "elt a re+irth too. For the "irst ti%e in her li"e/ though she had attended )atholic schools "or 12 years/ she 'as +eginning to understand the %eaning o" the cross/ sal$ation/ and that )hrist died "or her. Suddenly her hunger "or God5s 'ord +egan to %ani"est itsel"1 She didn5t ha$e a Bi+le and "ound she 'anted one +adly1 Her +irthday 'as in une and her %other asked her 'hat she 'anted1 @, Bi+le/A 'as her instant reply1 (he gi"t 'as "orthco%ing and it 'as a gigantic large print "a%ily Bi+le1 She +egan to read and as she read she sa' ho' short o" the %ark her li"e had +een until that ti%e1 E$en though she 'as learning

a+out God5s plan "or "a%ily li"e/ she 'as not ready to co%pletely accept it1 She did not 'ant to accept that her %arriage $o's 'ere +inding and that Lee +elonged as her hus+and and "ather o" their children1 She 'as +eginning to en?oy li"e 'ithout hi%1 Still she couldn5t shake o"" the "eeling that she 'as not li$ing according to God5s plan1 'ikewise, ye wives be in sub1e tion to your own husbands- that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the onversation of the wives! $I Peter 3:1% +he wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife! $I Corinthians 7:4% (ives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the 'ord! $=phesians 5:22% (hese scriptures stayed 'ith her and she argued 'ith hersel" and God1 (hen Lee called and said he 'as co%ing to Florida in une1 She panicked. She didn5t trust hi%. She didn5t +elie$e anything he said and %ost o" all/ she didn5t 'ant hi% +ack1 @&ay+e he does pro$ide us 'ith %ost e$erything %aterially/A she thought/ @But he has no rights1 It5s his duty to pay.A She "elt so righteous1 He ca%e any'ay and she "ound that she didn5t hate hi% any%ore1 But she still didn5t trust hi%. She 'as surprised that she could talk to hi%1 She "elt sorry "or hi%/ the children/ and hersel"1 (hey had %ade a %assi$e %ess o" their li"e1 It 'as a relie" 'hen he le"t1

In ,ugust she asked to ?oin the group 'hich %inisters in song "or the prayer co%%unity1 (hey "irst prayed a+out it and then accepted her1 She "elt "or the "irst ti%e that she had earned her place in the sun1 Singing had al'ays +een an i%portant part o" her li"e/ in one "or% or another< choirs/ chorals in college and such1 No' she 'as singing "or the Lord and she thanked hi% "or "inding a 'ay to use the talents in 'hich she took great pleasure1 ,s she continued reading the Bi+le o$er the ne3t "e' 'eeks/ the healing process continued1 (he Lord taught her %any things1 She learned to deal 'ith her o'n anger and resent%ents and +egin to "orgi$e instead o" "estering1 She learned to de$elop sel"; control o" her tongue and te%per and ac6uired patience1 Lee/ though he 'as in another state/ 'as calling 'eekly/ usually ?ust as so%e "inancial catastrophe 'as occurring1 She ne$er see%ed to +e prepared "or the e%ergencies and "ound she had to rely on hi% each ti%e1 She hated to ad%it her "ailures/ +ut +egan to see that God 'as sho'ing her ho' she could and should rely on Lee in areas she had ne$er done +e"ore1 (his ad%ission did not co%e easy1 She 'asn5t sure she liked hi% any%ore1 She "elt she kne' "or certain she could not lo$e hi% again as a 'i"e should lo$e her hus+and1 Still/ Lee kept telling her that she should =and the Lord 'as telling her the sa%e thing>1 ,gain the passages in the Bi+le +egan to con$ict her1 She didn5t 'ant to get on a %erry;go;round again1 ,s Lee5s retire%ent "ro% the ,ir Force got closer/ she got %ore and %ore "rantic1

By No$e%+er she had lost her peace and ?oy1 She 'as again li$ing 'ith all the old +itterness and anger 'elling up inside her1 She "ussed 'ith the kids/ shi"ting her o'n "rustrations to the%1 She cried out to the Lord1 @,ll right/ I5ll +e his 'i"e/ +ut you 'ill ha$e to %ake %e "eel the part1 I can5t do it %ysel"1 I don5t e$en 'ant to try e3cept that I ackno'ledge that it is your 'ill1 Help %e/ Lord.A 8ith this decision/ she e3perienced a 6uiet peace in her soul and lightness in her heart once again1 She no longer "eared or dreaded the day Lee 'ould arri$e1 , part o" her e$en anticipated his arri$al 'ith pleasure/ although she 'as not sure she "ully trusted the Lord1 Lee i%%ediately sensed that she 'as not co%pletely @sold outA 'hen he got there1 (hey +oth agreed not to tackle their pro+le% until a"ter )hrist%as and so they shel$ed e$erything until a"ter the holidays1 Indi$idually they prayed/ asking God to sho' the% 'here to go "or counseling/ kno'ing they could not sol$e their pro+le%s alone1 Lee had +een 'ell appraised o" his personality splits and 'as learning to control the do%inant ones that had no place in the 'orld he 'anted< a ho%e 'ith a 'i"e 'here he could +e hus+and and "ather1 (his is as it should +e G as God ordained it. So%eti%es %en "orget ho' to +e %en/ pro+a+ly +ecause it is so %uch easier to stay as a child1 &aria could not place %uch "aith in a priest due to past e3perience1 She had also gone to a group therapy clinic "or eight 'eeks prior to lea$ing Lee1

(he %ost that 'as acco%plished 'as to con$ince her that she 'as not the one 'ith the pro+le% and that she 'as strong enough to stand +y hersel"1 No' she understood that +oth 'ere "oolish assu%ptions1 I" she 'ent to a co%%unity health center/ she kne' they could not accept her 'anting to re$erse the roles o" 'o%en and %en +ack 2000 years1 Neither 'ould they understand her gi$ing total support to a co%%itted %arriage until she could see the results1 It 'as like putting the cart +e"ore the horse1 ust +e"ore )hrist%as/ they +oth attended the )atholic co%%unity prayer %eeting 'here the sign at the entrance read/ @Gene Lilly/ E$angelist/ %inistering on "orgi$eness1A ,t the end o" the teaching on "orgi$eness/ &aria 'ent "or'ard "or %inistry1 She had at one ti%e su""ered a 'hiplash that still/ at ti%es/ +eca%e sore and +otherso%e1 Lee also 'ent "or'ard asking prayer "or his heart1 Lee 'as in "ront o" &aria and Gene had not co%pleted praying 'hen Lee 'as @slain in the Spirit1A He cried "or a long ti%e and as he got up he looked a%a0ed1 @I don5t kno' 'hy I5$e +een laying on the "loor/ +ut I sure do "eel %uch %ore "ree/A he said1 &aria 'as ne3t1 #o'n she 'ent +eside Lee1 Floods o" ?oy and trust in the greatness o" God ,l%ighty s'ept across her1 Forgi$eness "lo'ed +et'een the%1 Later/ Lee and &aria ca%e +ack asking "or prayer "or the healing o" their %arriage1 , prayer "or

"orgi$eness and a %arriage o$erhaul 'as gi$en in the %ighty na%e o" esus1 , "e' days later/ &aria reali0ed that her neck no longer ga$e her any trou+le1 Lee had no "urther pro+le%s 'ith his heart1 (hey +oth no longer considered @i" their %arriage didn5t 'orkA +ut instead +egan saying/ @no' that it is 'orking.A (hey had truly gi$en all to do the 'ill o" the Lord/ kno'ing and +elie$ing he 'ould arrange things "or their o'n good1 No' the 'ord is %aking the decisions in their li$es. (his is not to say they listen all the ti%e or "ollo' e$en 'hen they ha$e heard1 But they 6uickly see their error/ discuss it and correct it1 Lee does the correcting o" their %istakes and &aria su+%its to his decision/ happy +ecause she kno's the source o" his decision1 Lee and &aria 'ant their children to +e e3citing/ genuine )hristians/ +rought up in a )hristian ho%e/ kno'ing )hrist as their personal Sa$ior1 (his is so%ething neither o" the% had 'hile gro'ing up or during the nine years o" their %arriage1 Forgi$eness healed their %arriage.

Chapter Nine !orgiveness Necessar# for %h#sical &ealing

&any people are asking 'hy their prayers "or healing are not +eing ans'ered1 Is it +ecause they aren5t "orgi$ingB (here is no point in praying i" there is so%ething 'rong +et'een you and your +rother1 , 'o%an I kno' had prayed %any ti%es concerning sickness in her +ody1 She could not get her prayers ans'ered1 Finally she ca%e to %e "or help1 @(his arthritis is getting %e do'n/A she co%plained1 @I need help +adly1A *eople 'ho ha$e resent%ent and un"orgi$eness and hold grudges o"ten ha$e arthritis1 (hat does not %ean that e$eryone 'ho has arthritis has an un"orgi$ing spirit1 Ho'e$er/ i" you do ha$e arthritis it sure 'on5t hurt to check to %ake sure you are not holding so%ething against so%eone1 It5s possi+le that so%eone can +reak a +one and the de$il is so rotten that he 'ill rush in and in"ect that area 'ith arthritis1 Not e$eryone 'ith arthritis has resent%ent1 *eople 'ho critici0e and co%plain a+out e$erything and are "illed 'ith resent%ent/ and $ocali0e it constantly/ o"ten de$elop arthritis 'hich settles in the %iddle knuckle1 It o"ten settles in the tips o" the "ingers o" those 'ho silently resent1

(he tips o" this 'o%an5s "ingers 'ere seriously gnarled1 @8ould you pray "or %e/A she asked1 She 'as asked i" she had any resent%ent in her heart1 She replied that she did1 She said that e$er since she 'as a teenager/ she resented the po$erty in 'hich she 'as raised1 She 'as asked i" she could con"ess that and "orgi$e1 She said/ @!es1A (hey laid hands on her hands and +egan to co%%and the arthritis to go in the na%e o" esus1 Suddenly/ she interrupted shouting/ @Look/ look. (he knots are going a'ay.A (hey 'atched as s'elling in her "ingers 'ent do'n and the knots 'ent a'ay1 Her physical healing ca%e through "orgi$eness as she released resent%ent1 (he application o" God5s la's o" "orgi$eness are as i%portant as his (en )o%%and%ents1 ,"ter our pastor5s 'i"e "inished speaking on the i%portance o" "orgi$ing at a 'o%en5s %eeting/ a 'o%an ca%e to her and said she had arthritis $ery +ad in her inde3 "inger1 (he 'o%an said she thought it 'as caused +y pointing an accusing "inger at others1 It had +een s'ollen and $ery pain"ul1 @8hile you 'ere talking/ I decided to "orgi$e e$ery+ody I could think o"/A she said1 She had recalled one +y one the people she "elt she 'as resent"ul to'ard1 (he arthritis le"t 'hile she 'as going through the list1 Her "inger 'as co%pletely healed1 HER HE,LING ),&E (HRO-GH FORGIVENESS.

#i$ine healing is a +ene"it o" "orgi$eness1 8e ha$e already dealt 'ith healing o" arthritis1 8e all kno' ho' it is to +e hurt and 'e ha$e not "elt $ery "orgi$ing at ti%es1 But 'hat are the resultsB (ension/ ner$e disorders/ tension headaches/ colon trou+le4 all these and %any other a""lictions can crop up 'hen 'e 'ant re$enge or retaliation1 8e can de$elop resent%ent1 Resent%ent can gro' into re+ellion1 Re+ellion can turn into hatred1 (erri+le things can enter in 'hen Satan gets a "oothold in your li"e1 I" you ha$e +ad ner$es/ see i" you "eel so%eone is getting the +etter o" you1 a%es/ the +rother o" esus/ 'as 'riting to the e's1 His +ook in the Bi+le is an easy +ook to understand and %ay+e 'e can see a little o" oursel$es in it1 ,s a%es is 'riting this/ he re"ers to the people as his +rethren/ so he is 'riting to )hristians/ or saints o" God1 ,s 'e look through these "i$e chapters/ 'e "ind that there 'ere people 'ho despised the poor and ele$ated the rich1 So%e o" the% had "aith +ut not 'orks1 E$ery+ody 'anted to +e the +oss1 (here 'ere dou+le;%inded %en 'ho 'ould praise the Lord one %inute and curse hi% the ne3t1 (here 'as en$y and stri"e and there 'as earthly 'isdo% rather than spiritual 'isdo%1 (hey 'ere greedy/ 'orldly and proud1 (hey ne$er considered the Lord5s 'ill +ut %ade up their o'n %inds1 a%es 'as 'riting to the% to try to correct this situation1 He talks a+out prayer and healing1 a%es 5:14 says< Is any si k among you* 'et him all for the elders of the hur h- and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the 'ord!

I a% sure you ha$e read that +e"ore/ +ut that is not the end o" it1 Verses 15 and 16 say< &nd the prayer of faith shall save the si k, and the 'ord shall raise him up- and if he have ommitted sins, they shall be forgiven him! Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed 6 !ou %ay go "or'ard "or prayer/ ha$e the elders o" the church pray "or you/ anointing you 'ith oil in the na%e o" the Lord/ and then go ho%e 'ondering 'hy you 'ere not healed1 !ou see/ there is a connection +et'een healing and con"essing "aults/ getting things put right1 (his goes right along 'ith 'hat esus said< "#o and sin no more lest a worse thing ome upon you!/ Once 'hen he 'as going to raise up a %an sick 'ith the palsy/ esus said/ @1 1 1 4on, 7 thy sins be forgiven thee "$2att! 9:2%! Be"ore this %an could ha$e healing/ I +elie$e he had to ha$e his sins "orgi$en1 a%es/ 'riting to the +rethren/ said to con"ess your "aults one to another and pray "or one another that you %ay +e healed1 I" you ha$e sins/ they shall +e "orgi$en you1 Not long ago on a trip through the 'estern states/ 'e prayed "or a %an I 'ill identi"y as 81)1 He 'as su""ering 'ith asth%a and an e3tre%ely +ad heart1 ,s 'e talked 'ith hi%/ he told us the "ollo'ing story1 His %other had +een 6uite 'ealthy and had gi$en $arious properties to her sons1 She had gi$en an e3pensi$e +oat to the +rother o" 81)1/ and had gi$en hi% e3tensi$e stock holdings in a 'ell;kno'n

co%pany "or sa"e;keeping/ as 'ell as other "inancial holdings1 (his +rother/ a 'ido'er/ %arried "or the second ti%e1 He li$ed 'ith this ne' 'i"e "or a "e' short years/ along 'ith her children +y a "or%er %arriage1 He +eca%e ill and a doctor per"or%ed +rain surgery on hi% "or a tu%or1 He did not sur$i$e the surgery1 His second 'i"e had signed the release papers "or the surgery and resent%ent 'as har+ored +y 81)1 Later it 'as said there had +een no +rain tu%or a"ter all1 &ore resent%ent +uilt up in 81)1 81)1 "elt that the stock holdings should ha$e +een returned to his %other/ 'ho% he "elt 'as the right"ul o'ner1 Instead/ the stock 'as gi$en to the step;children/ along 'ith the e3pensi$e +oat1 (he +oat then 'as trans"erred to another %an +y a legal transaction1 ,ll this had +uilt into an insur%ounta+le %ountain o" resent%ent in 81)1 He resented his sister;in;la' and "elt he could ne$er "orgi$e her1 I shared 'ith hi% that his healing hinged on "orgi$eness1 He said it see%ed to +e un"orgi$a+le/ +ut then/ re%e%+ering esus 'ho is "aith"ul to "orgi$e/ it see%ed possi+le1 8e prayed together "or co%plete "orgi$eness/ and then I prayed a prayer "or his physical healing1 *R,ISE GO#. , &IR,)LE H,**ENE#. He recei$ed a ne' heart. ('o days later he $isited the doctor in the ad?oining to'n1 (he doctor said his heart sounded good1 (hen he asked hi% to check the carotid arteries on each side o" his neck/ leading "ro% his

heart to his +rain1 (he doctor listened through his instru%ent/ +ut said they 'ere still +locked1 (hat night 81)1 called and asked %e to co%e to his house and again pray "or hi% "or those arteries to +e clear1 *hyllis and I 'ent +y and prayed1 His 'i"e asked "or us to pray "or her to recei$e the +aptis% o" the Holy Spirit1 She recei$ed a +eauti"ul prayer language1 ,+out a %onth later 'e recei$ed a letter "ro% 81)1 He "illed us in on 'hat had happened since he had truly "orgi$en his sister;in;la'1 @&y 'i"e and I 'ere getting ready to lea$e "or church/A he 'rote1 @I had gone upstairs to put on %y tie 'hen a shortness o" +reath suddenly engul"ed %e1 First 'e prayed in the na%e o" esus/ and then %y 'i"e called %y doctor1 ,nother doctor 'as on call that %orning and said he 'ould %eet us in an hour at the local hospital e%ergency roo%1 @,"ter that %y 'i"e called our church o""ice to re6uest prayer/ re%e%+ering that the scripture tells us to call on the elders o" the church to pray "or healing1 @In "act/ the associate pastor prayed 'ith us on the telephone/ then at the %orning 'orship ser$ice the congregation ?oined in prayer "or %y healing1 @In the %eanti%e I 'as ad%itted to the e%ergency roo% and under'ent tests o" +lood pressure and +lood count/ plus chest H;rays1 (he doctor said he could not understand as he could "ind nothing 'rong 'ith %y +reathing and all the test results 'ere good1A

,t that point 81)15s 'i"e said/ @*R,ISE (HE LOR#.A and told the doctor a+out her hus+and +eing prayed "or1 @#octor/ 'ill you please listen to %y carotid arteriesBA @O" course/A he replied1 He listened intently "or a "e' %o%ents and looked up to tell 81)1/ @(hey are per"ectly clear1A ,t that point all three praised the Lord together/ "or the doctor 'as also a +orn;again )hristian1 81)1 and his 'i"e returned ho%e 'ith a ne' "reedo% in their spirits/ con"ident that all his health pro+le%s 'ere resol$ed through the po'er o" "orgi$eness and the na%e o" esus1 O"ten 'hen a person is healed +y the po'er o" ,l%ighty God/ a +attle +egins 'ithin the person1 Satan gets in the door +y putting dou+t in the %ind1 God5s 'ord is de"inite a+out healing and 'e %ust rely on it +y "aith 'hen Satan +rings dou+t1 ,t ti%es a de%onic presence 'ill try to %ani"est itsel" a"ter a healing and the person healed 'ill +eco%e a'are o" a sy%pto% o" the "or%er illness1 #ON5( BELIEVE I(. Re+uke it1 S*E,E (HE 8OR#1 !ou either ha$e it or you don5t ha$e it. ,t the ti%e o" each attack o" the ene%y you ha$e a right to either pray and +attle the de$il or accept the sickness1 (he ans'er is in a%es 4<74 "4ubmit yourself therefore to #od! :esist the devil, and he will flee from you!/ Each ti%e/ you ha$e a choice to con"ess this po'er"ul pro%ise o" God G a choice o" su+%itting yoursel" to God and resisting the de$il G or o" su+%itting yoursel" to the de$il and his sy%pto%s

and resisting God1 (hat5s 'hy it is so i%portant to continue to read the 'ord and +uild up your 'ar"are 'eapons to "ight the de$il1 81)1 and his 'i"e started to do +attle against the ene%y the %o%ent the "irst sy%pto%s ca%e +ack1 +hey prayed. (hey called the church and the pastor prayed. (hen the hur h ongregation prayed1 (he ans'er ca%e ?ust like it says in a%es 4<71 (hey resisted the de$il and su+%itted the%sel$es to God and Satan and his hench%en had to flee "ro% the%1 *raise God. Since that ti%e 'e ha$e had contact 'ith the% se$eral ti%es1 (heir li$es are no' in $ictory and they praise God "or his healing po'er and his goodness1 Forgi$eness 'as the path'ay to the po'er to resist the de$il and %aintain a healing 'hich ca%e 'hen 81)1 "orga$e1

Chapter Ten !orgiveness (rings )nit#

esus 'as talking in &atthe' 16<18 'hen he said/ @111 3pon this ro k I will build 20 hur h- and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it!/ #o you suppose that esus 'as talking a+out a church +uildingB #o you suppose he 'as talking a+out a particular deno%inationB I don5t think so1 In ,cts 7<38 'e read o" the church in the 'ilderness 'ith &oses and the children o" Israel1 It says God li$ed in the (a+ernacle1 (hen in the 48th $erse it says/ "+he most ,igh dwelleth not in temples made with hands F 8here does God d'ell thenB In our INNER&OS( BEING/ that5s 'here1 In Re$elation 3<20 the Bi+le says< Behold, I stand at the door, and kno k: if any man hear my voi e, and open the door, I will ome in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me! 8hen )hrist sets out to +uild his church/ it is not a +uilding/ +ut %en and 'o%en1 God chooses to li$e in us1 esus said he 'ould +uild his church1 Re%e%+er one thing though< i" 'e do not allo' hi% to +uild it in us/ then he 'on5t o'n it. It %ust +e +uilt his 'ay or it 'ill not stand. In Ephesians/ chapter "our/ *aul is talking a+out the unity o" the Spirit in the +ond o" peace1 In $erse 13 he says< @+ill we all ome in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the 4on of #od, unto

a perfe t man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ!/ #o you understand 'hat this saysB 8e %ust co%e into unity o" the "aith and kno'ledge o" esus/ to a %ature person/ in the likeness o" esus )hrist1 *aul co%pares the +uilding o" the church to regular earthly +uildings1 He 'rites o" the architect laying the "oundation/ and o" the stones "itting together1 )hurch order in the Ne' (esta%ent co%es 'hen esus is the architect1 #id you kno' that you can ha$e an architect dra' +lueprints o" a +eauti"ul +uilding +ut you can5t +uild that +uilding until you ha$e the necessary %aterialB 8hat are the %aterialsB (he stones to +uild the church1 8ho are the stonesB !ou and I1 No %atter ho' accurate 'e are a+out the +lueprints =church order>/ unless 'e are the right kind o" stones and are 'illing to +e "itted together +y the &aster Builder/ then 'e cannot construct the +uilding/ the )hurch/ the +ody o" )hrist1 *sal% 133 says that +rethren should d'ell together in unity1 (his is not possi+le 'ithout "orgi$eness. 8e need to stop +uilding 'alls +et'een deno%inational di""erences and start +uilding +ridges through relationships1 In the First Epistle General o" ohn/ chapter one/ $erse 6 and 7/ it says< If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his 4on leanses us from all sin!

8hat is 'alking in darknessB In the second chapter/ the 11th $erse it says/ But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, be ause that darkness hath blinded his eyes! I" you hate your +rother/ you don5t kno' 'here you are going1 (hings are in con"usion1 FORGIVE. Verse 10 says/ ",e that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none o asion of stumbling in him!/ God5s per"ect lo$e is like a co%pleted circle1 8hen 'e do not "orgi$e/ there is a +reak in the circle/ there+y gi$ing place to the de$il1 Forgi$eness is necessary to +ring unity in churches/ +et'een one church and the ne3t/ and one deno%ination and the ne3t1 (here 'as a "unda%entalist pastor in a city 'ho 'as intent upon attacking a certain congregation/ and speci"ically their pastor1 He 'ould go on his radio +roadcast saying degrading things a+out the people o" the "ello'ship and their pastor1 &any o" the people o" the church +egan to tune in to his radio +roadcast to see 'hat this %an 'as saying a+out their church1 (he %ore the %an said/ the 'orse his state%ents +eca%e1 &any o" the people o" the church +eca%e upset 'ith this %an and held resent%ent against hi%1 (hey e$en asked their pastor to go on the radio and pu+licly denounce his tor%entor1 (he "unda%entalist e$en challenged the pastor to a de+ate on doctrine1 (his pastor is a de$out %an o" God/ 'ho +elie$es strongly in the unity o" the +ody/ and is an

a$id Bi+le scholar1 E$eryone in the congregation "elt that i" it ca%e to a de+ate/ their pastor could de"eat the "unda%entalist/ hands do'n1 Se$eral days 'ent +y 'ith this particular radio preacher still attacking1 He e$en attacked the 'ay the pastor dressed and his o$erall appearance1 (he pastor re"used to rise to the +ait o" a de+ate1 He 'ould not de+ate doctrine on the air 'a$es "or saints and sinners alike to hear t'o %en o" God arguing o$er the scriptures1 84 God is )alling His *eople to Forgi$eness Instead/ this pastor 'ho 'as +eing attacked 'ent on his regular radio +roadcast and prayed "or his counterpart/ as 'ell as the other pastors in that city/ and "or the unity o" the +ody1 He prayed "or his +rother and i%%ediately forgave hi% "or all the things he had said a+out hi% personally and the church as 'ell1 (he pastor5s 'i"e 'rote the "unda%entalist a letter asking "or his "orgi$eness "or 'hate$er they had done to o""end hi%1 She in$ited hi% to their ho%e "or dinner1 (he pastor stood +e"ore his congregation and told the% they should/ as a +ody/ "orgi$e the %an "or e$erything he had said a+out the%1 He led the% collecti$ely in a prayer o" "orgi$eness1 (his situation could ha$e created a real pro+le% in their "ello'ship had not their pastor acted in the %anner he did1 It 'ould ha$e +een easy "or hi% and other %e%+ers o" the +ody to hold a grudge against this %an1 Instead/ as a united congregation/ they prayed "or this %an and his church1 It 'as a great

lesson in "orgi$eness "or the congregation as 'ell as "or others around the city1 (hrough "orgi$eness +y the pastor and his congregation/ the attacks stopped1 God is still 'orking in this %an5s heart and the entire city is learning %ore and %ore a+out "orgi$eness and its +ene"its1 #o you kno' that "orgi$eness can also +ring re$i$al to a church as 'ell as a cityB It can +ring re$i$al to you/ +ecause your 'ell 'ill +e unstopped and God5s Spirit 'ill +e a+le to again "lo'1 It can also +ring re$i$al to others1 Re$i$al once ca%e to an entire church +ecause o" the "orgi$eness o" a child1 ,n elder o" the church 'as conducting the co%%union ser$ice one Sunday %orning1 He spoke on purity in lives- making sure that your heart was right with #od and with one another! (here 'as an 11;year;old girl sitting on the pe' listening intently as he spoke1 He had $ery +eady eyes that see%ed to look right through you as he spoke1 He said/ @Let a %an e3a%ine his o'n heart and ?udge hi%sel"/ lest he +e ?udged +y God1A He 'arned a+out taking co%%union i" you had anything in your heart against your +rother or sister1 @I" you do/ you are eating and drinking conde%nation/A he 'arned1 (he young girl sitting 6uietly in the pe' +egan to e3a%ine her heart1 ,s she did/ she disco$ered that she did ha$e so%ething in her heart against so%eone1 Cuickly she stood up and said/ @I do.A (o the shock o" e$eryone in the church/ she +egan to cry and con"essed that she had so%ething

in her heart against a 'o%an in the church and 'anted to ask her "orgi$eness1 (he young girl 'ent o$er to the 'o%an in tears/ thre' her ar%s around her and +egan to ask her "orgi$eness1 (H,( S(,R(E# , RE,L REVIV,L1 *eople +egan to stand and con"ess that they also had so%ething in their heart against so%eone1 E$eryone 'as 'eeping/ hugging/ and re?oicing in the Lord1 &any o" those people had so%ething in their hearts that needed to +e "orgi$en1 But had it not +een "or this girl5s courage/ %uch o" this 'ould ha$e gone uncon"used and un"orgi$en1 (hey 'ould ha$e taken co%%union 'ith all this un"orgi$eness still in their hearts1 8e 'onder 'hy God doesn5t hear our prayers and 'e do not ha$e re$i$al1 8e could use a "e' %ore ser$ices like that in our churches today. ,"ter that Sunday %orning/ 'ith e$eryone 'eeping and "orgi$ing one another/ God5s Spirit +egan to %o$e1 Not long a"ter that there 'as a tre%endous re$i$al a%ong the young people1 ,ll this ca%e a+out through the "orgi$ing heart o" an 11;year;old girl1 FORGIVENESS RELE,SES O(HERS so God can 'ork 'ith the%1 8hen 'e do not "orgi$e people/ 'e actually aid in +inding the% to their sins/ restricting the 'orking o" the Holy Spirit in their sal$ation1 ('enty;t'o years ago/ a pro%ising young %inister 'ho 'as $ice;president o$er a youth group +egan to think he should ha$e +een the president

instead o" the $ice; president1 So%eone else 'as $oted in o$er hi% "or the second ti%e and he +egan to +uild resent%ent and +itterness +ecause he did not get the position he thought he should1 Stories 'ere ru%ored a+out hi% that he had +een threatening a +ank president 'ith physical har%1 )ould this +e trueB (his %an 'as a %inister. He is no' in ?ail and on death ro' +ecause he sta++ed his 'i"e and "ather;in;la'1 (his sad ending occurred +ecause he 'as "ull o" resent%ent and hatred1 He ga$e place to the de$il1 He allo'ed Satan entry and 'ith hi% he +rought $iolence and %urder1 8e cannot a""ord to go around 'ith a grudge1 In Galatians 5< 15 the Bi+le says/ "But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not onsumed one of another!/ (H,(5S 8H! 8E H,VE (O FORGIVE1 esus said/ @F =7 ept your righteousness shall e7 eed the righteousness of the s ribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no ase enter into the kingdom of heaven! "$2att! 5:20% Scri+es and *harisees paid their tithes/ prayed and ga$e al%s to those in need1 (hey 'ere "ull o" good 'orks1 So 'hat 'as their pro+le%B It 'as a sel";righteous attitude1 8e need to +e care"ul that 'e do not de$elop this kind o" attitude1 *eter asked ho' %any ti%es should I "orgi$e/ LordB (he Lord said 490 ti%es1 &any ti%es you ha$e to "orgi$e the sa%e people o$er and o$er again1 It really 'ouldn5t +e "orgi$eness i" you counted the nu%+er o" ti%es you "orga$e a person/

'ould itB Forgi$eness is genuinely saying/ "Forget it! &atthe' 5:44 says "or us to love our ene%ies1 Bless the% that curse you1 *ray "or the% that despite"ully use you1 8hen you ha$e "eelings o" resent%ent in your heart to'ard so%eone/ pray "or that person1 E$en i" you don5t "eel it/ do it +ecause the Lord told you to1 8ithin a "e' days you 'ill +e a+le to lo$e that person and pray "or the%/ truly %eaning it1 8hen 'e are not right 'ith each other/ 'e are not right 'ith God1 In the First Epistle o" ohn/ chapter 4/ $erse 20 it says/ if a man say, I love #od, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how an he love #od whom he hath not seen* I used to think to %ysel"/ @It5s easy/ +ecause I ha$e seen %y +rother and I don5t lo$e hi%1A (hat isn5t true1 Our relationship 'ith God is dependent on our relationship to our +rother and sister1 In the 21st $erse it says< &nd this ommandment have we from him, that he who loveth #od love his brother also! Lo$ing your +rother is a co%%and%ent. I" you 'ant all the rich +lessings o" God4 i" you 'ant "ello'ship 'ith your Hea$enly Father4 you %ust lo$e your +rother.

Chapter Eleven !orgiveness through Confession* Co plete !orgiveness

In &atthe' 12/ esus talks a+out "orgi$eness and conde%nation1 I" you can grasp onto the re$elation o" )hrist in you/ ali$e in you/ seated at the right hand o" the Father/ your li"e can +e changed1 Verse 34 o" &atthe' 12 says< 5 generation of vipers, how an ye, being evil, speak good things* For out of the abundan e of the heart the mouth speaketh! (hink a+out the last ti%e so%e+ody did you 'rong1 8hat did you say the last ti%e you %ashed your "inger in the doorB (hat is 'hat "ills your heart. 8e need to reali0e 'hat 'e are letting "ill the a+undance o" our hearts1 Verses 35.37: & good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things! &nd an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things! But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give a ount thereof in the )ay of Judgment! For by thy words thou shalt be 1ustified, and by thy words thou shalt be ondemned! 8hat 'ill happen i" I say/ @&y 'i"e is no goodBA

8hat 'ill happen i" I say/ @&y kids are %essed up kidsBA (he ans'er is o+$ious1 I conde%n the% 'ith %y 'ords. I heard a+out a +rother in the Lord 'ho had a 'o%an co%e to hi% and say< @&y kid is "i"teen years old1 He has taken dope and is running 'ith the 'rong cro'd1 He has +een in ?ail and no' he is on pro+ation1A She 'ent on "or "i"teen %inutes a+out e$erything he 'as doing 'rong1 @I kno' "or sure he is going to end up in re"or% school1 8ould you pray "or hi% e$ery nightBA she asked1 (his +rother said/ @Lady/ I 'on5t e$en pray "or hi% today1 -ntil you are 'illing to straighten up your con"ession and start con"essing 'hat God is doing in the +oy5s li"e4 until you are ready to start speaking life into hi% instead o" conde%nation/ I cannot do anything to help you1A @I do not understand/A she returned1 @!ou need to start con"essing a little li"e into hi%/ instead o" ?ail and death and prison1 !ou start con"essing 'hat God 'ill do in his li"e/ 'hat he pro%ised in his 'ord/ and things 'ill start to change i%%ediately1A *R,ISE GO#. esus said/ ",e that believeth on me, as the s ripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water!/ $John 7:38%! Ha$e you e$er thought a+out 'hat those ri$ers o" li$ing 'ater areB (HE 8OR# OF GO#. It is the +uilding up/ the li"ting up that is gi$en unto us1 (hat is 'hat the %an 'as trying to tell the %other o" that +oy1

@Sister/ as long as you keep hi% +ound 'ith conde%nation/ God cannot set hi% "ree1A 8e are keeping a lot o" people +ound. (he thing 'e %ust do is start seeing people as esus sees the%1 It does not %atter 'hether they are right or 'rong1 I" you cannot lo$e the% as a +rother/ lo$e the% as an ene%y1 It is all the sa%e1 !ou are to lo$e the%1 So%e'here in that spectru% you can surely "it %e/ either as your +rother or your ene%y1 ,nd as you "it %e/ love %e1 esus did not di""erentiate +et'een the sa$ed and the unsa$ed1 He said i" they heard his 'ord and they did not o+ey it/ he still did not ?udge the%1 8e sit up and say/ I ha$e %ade a rule1 ,ny+ody 'ho does not hear %y 'ord/ I ?udge1 No. No. udg%ent ti%e is co%ing/ +ut it is not no'. No' is the ti%e "or speaking life into people. &y "a$orite scripture is in )olossians1 *aul has 'ritten in )hapter 3/ $erses 11;171 But Christ is all, and in all! Put on therefore, as the ele t of #od, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long.sufferingForbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a >uarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye! &nd above all these things put on harity, whi h is the bond of perfe t ness! &nd let the pea e of #od rule in your hearts, to the whi h also ye are alled in one body- and be ye thankful! 'et the word of Christ dwell in you ri hly in all wisdom- tea hing and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with

gra e in your hearts to the 'ord! &nd whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the 'ord Jesus, giving thanks to #od and the Father by him! God called us to ad%onish our +rother and to li"t hi% up1 (O LIF( HI& -*. In &atthe' 18<15;17 'e read< 2oreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother! But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established! &nd if he shall negle t to hear them, tell it unto the hur h: but if he negle t to hear the hur h, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publi an! I agree 'ith that scripture1 (he pro+le% is that 'e try to do the third step "irst1 esus said "or you to go to hi% yoursel" "irst1 I" 'e 'ill start doing this/ 'e 'ill ne$er ha$e to take the second and third steps1 esus spoke a+out so%ething $ery interesting in &atthe' 181 He said 'hate$er you loose on earth is loosed in hea$en and 'hate$er you +ind on earth is +ound in hea$en1 8e can loose people right no'/ i" 'e 'ill only do it. God so lo$ed the 'orld and he still lo$es the 'orld1 He says "or you to do the sa%e1 8hosesoe$er sins you retain are retained4 'hosesoe$er sins you re%it are re%itted1 8hate$er you +ind on earth is +ound in hea$en4 'hate$er you loose on earth is loosed in hea$en1

!O- ),N SE( !O-RSELF FREE/ i" you 'ill +e honest 'ith yoursel"1 I pray that the Holy Spirit 'ill re$eal to you any+ody you need to "orgi$e1 #on5t sit around trying to guess 'ho you need to "orgi$e1 (he Holy Spirit kno's your heart +etter than you do1 I" the Holy Spirit tells you to "orgi$e your $ery +est "riend/ do it1 He kno's 'hat is in your heart1 Not long ago I prayed that the Holy Spirit 'ould re$eal to %e any+ody that I needed to "orgi$e and I got a surprise1 (hey 'ere t'o o" %y $ery +est "riends in the %inistry1 I" the Holy Spirit had not spoken to %e a"ter a ti%e o" prayer/ I 'ould ha$e ne$er +elie$ed it1 I 'ill tell you one thing though/ 'hen I "orga$e the%/ I got "ree and so did they. (he Lord +rought it to %y %ind and I "orga$e the%1 So%ething released in %e and the +eauti"ul part is/ I kno' so%ething released in the% too1 Listen to 'hat the Holy Spirit says1 FORGIVE !O-RSELF. ,s you "orgi$e yoursel"/ peace 'ill settle upon you1 ,s you "orgi$e yoursel"/ ner$ousness 'ill lea$e you1 (he Bi+le tells us to +e an3ious a+out nothing and this can co%e a+out through FORGIVENESS OF O-RSELVES1 God is calling the +ody to a "orgi$ing heart/ one that is "ull o" "orgi$eness1 (hat is 'hen the power is going to co%e1 I" you 'ill not "orgi$e/ your po'er supply is going to get cut o""1 8e are starting to see it happen in churches1 I" you 'ill not "orgi$e/ your prosperity is going to get cut o""1

I" you 'ill not "orgi$e/ your healing 'ill not %ani"est itsel"1 , %an ca%e to %e recently 'ith tears rolling do'n his cheeks/ @Gene/ 'hat are 'e going to do a+out our churchBA I asked hi% to e3plain1 (hey had had a Spirit;"illed group in their church %inistering and everybody lo$ed it1 One o" the spectators/ during the ti%e o" praise/ prayed e$er so 6uietly in tongues1 One o" the church people heard hi%1 (hey ?udged the group %inistering and thre' the% out o" the church and 'ill not let the% %inister there again1 (his %an said to %e/ @8hat can 'e doB Our church no' is only a+out a third the si0e it 'as1A I said/ @Start "orgi$ing/ so the Lord can co%e +ack in1A 8e are co%ing to a ti%e 'hen 'e are going to get hot or cold1 !ou %ay as 'ell get ready "or it1 It does not %ake any di""erence 'ho is right and 'ho is 'rong1 (hat is uni%portant1 (he only thing in$ol$ed is you as a "orgi$er. Sinner or )hristian is not e$en in$ol$ed1 FORGIVE. 8hen 'e see people sinning/ 'e need to +e right there/ "orgi$ing the%/ so God can 'ork in their li$es1 8hen God re$ealed that to %e/ I ran into %y house/ gra++ed %y kids and %y 'i"e and said/ @I "orgi$e you "or e$erything you ha$e e$er done1A Hallelu?ah. *raise God. I 8,N(E# (HE& (O BE FREE.

Not only did I 'ant the% to +e "ree/ +ut I 'ant you to +e "ree too1 God 'ill do things in your heart "or you/ i" you 'ill allo' hi% to. Get yoursel" loosed and loose others in the process1 Re%e%+er/ as you "orgi$e it shall +e "orgi$en you. Get that hardness out o" your heart1 ,s you read along in the ne3t paragraph o" this +ook/ %ake it a prayer o" yours to the Lord esus )hrist< @Father/ in the na%e o" esus/ I pray that your Holy Spirit %inister right no' in %y li"e1 Look upon %y heart "or any %alice/ any slander/ or anything against %y +rother or %y sister or anyone else/ 'hether they are in the "a%ily o" God or not1 Lord/ I ask that any un"orgi$eness against anyone +e +rought to %y %ind right no' +y the po'er o" your Holy Spirit1 I start "orgi$ing no'/ each and e$ery one you ha$e +rought to %ind1 =I" it +e 'i$es/ hus+ands/ kids/ +osses/ e3;'i$es/ e3;hus+ands/ )hristian +rother or sister that you ha$e had an argu%ent 'ith/ or 'hate$er/ ?ust "orgi$e1> I co%e against e$ery spirit o" un"orgi$eness in the na%e o" esus/ and +ind it right no'1 I pray that your "orgi$eness 'ill "lo' through %e1 Lord/ I praise you "or 'hat you are doing in %y heart right no'1A I" you ha$e prayed this prayer sincerely/ unasha%edly/ and 'ill "ollo' the leading o" the Holy Spirit/ your li"e has already +een changed1 I challenge you/ i" you are ha$ing a +attle in your )hristian li"e/ +e a'are o" 'hat the Holy Spirit is saying to you1 I" he is not saying anything to you/ then look at yoursel"1 Ha$e I "orgi$en %ysel"B )an I look upon the 'orld as esus did and say/ @Father/ "orgi$e the%BA

)an I look at that cro'd that did %e so 'rong/ as Stephen did/ and say/ ")on;t harge them with this sin!/ &m I doing that* ,sk yoursel" these 6uestions1 BE HONES( 8I(H !O-RSELF. I" you ha$e +een honest then forgiveness is no' the state o" your heart1 F,&ILIES ),N NO8 BE RES(ORE#. No' you are "ree and %any others are "ree too. It takes a great re$elation o" esus )hrist "or us to ha$e a "orgi$ing heart1 It takes a great re$elation o" esus )hrist to +e a+le to lo$e e$eryone that 'e see1 I pray that through this +ook !O- H,VE (R-L! FORGIVEN. ,nd no' that you ha$e "orgi$en/ 'hat ne3tB (he ne3t ti%e your 'i"e or hus+and speaks short to you 'ill you then again har+or un"orgi$enessB 8hen your teenager +erates you/ 'ill you respond in kindB 8hen the +oss ?u%ps on you undeser$edly/ 'hat 'ill your response +eB In the 4th chapter o" &ark/ esus is teaching on the para+le o" the So'er o" Seed1 Beginning 'ith the 4th $erse/ He said< "&nd it ame to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air ame and devoured it up! &nd some fell on stony ground, where it had not mu h earth- and immediately it sprang up, be ause it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was s or hed- and be ause it had no root, it withered away! &nd some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and hoked it, and it yielded no fruit! &nd other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that

sprang up and in reased- and brought forth, some thirty, and some si7ty, and some an hundred!/ ,nd he said unto the%/ @He that hath ears to hear/ let hi% hear1A =,re your spiritual ears tuned in to hear the truthsB> 8hen esus had "inished teaching and 'as alone 'ith the disciples they asked hi% the %eaning o" the para+le1 He patiently ans'ered the%/ starting 'ith $erse 14< "+he sower soeth the word!/ =I 'ant you to think on this. (his +ook has so'n the 'ord on "orgi$eness1 I" you ha$e recei$ed the 'ord you ha$e no' "orgi$en1 No' 'ill you +ring "orth "ruitB> Verse 15 continues< &nd these are they by the way side, where the word is sown- but when they have heard, 4atan ometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts! =(he 'ord is no' in your heart/ do not allo' Satan to steal it 7 hold tightly to the truth you ha$e gained1> &nd these are they likewise whi h are sown on stony ground- who, when they have heard the word, immediately re eive it with gladness- &nd have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a timeafterward, when affli tion or perse ution ariseth for the word<s sake, immediately they are offended!/ =I" so%e+ody +erates you/ 'ill you +e o""ended/ and haying endured +ut "or a ti%e/ 'ither a'ayB> Verse 18 goes on< &nd these are they whi h are sown among thorns- su h as hear the word, and the ares of this world, and the de eitfulness of ri hes, and the lusts of other things entering in, hoke the word, and it be ometh unfruitfu'/

=(he cares o" the 'orld/ or 'orries/ along 'ith lusts "or other things o" the 'orld/ choke the 'ord. Be a'are o" this and do not allo' it to happen to you1> (he 20th $erse su%s it all up as "ollo's< &nd these are they whi h are sown on good groundsu h as hear the word, and re eive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirty.fold, some si7ty, and some an hundred! 8hat 'ill your return in "ruit +eB 8ill it +e 30; "old/ 60;"old/ or 100;"oldB (hat depends entirely on you1 Hold "ast to your con"ession and do not 'a$er and resist the de$il and he 'ill "lee "ro% you1 8hen a""liction or persecution arises "or the 'ord5s sake/ ho' 'ill you take thatB 8hen you "orgi$e so%eone and it see%s to do no good at all 'hat 'ill you doB 8ill you continue to +elie$e God5s 'ord or 'ill you i%%ediately +e o""ended and start to 6uestion GodB Re%e%+er/ i" you hold "ast you 'ill reap 100;"old1 8hen the 'orries o" the 'orld/ the state o" the nation/ the search "or riches =the deceit"ul pro%ise o" security> and the search or desire "or other things/ enters in/ 'ill you allo' the% to throttle the 'ord o" GodB

You &ave &eard the +ord, Now 'ssi ilate It, &olding !ast to Your Confession.esisting Satan.esisting 'll %ersecution, .esisting 'll +orr#, and .eap /001!old*