Faith: The Power of Forgiveness

Offering Message: Even after we are saved from our sins, we still need to make a choice for what God has provided for us, such as life, prosperity, and healing. Pastor Sydney shares a strong testimony of choosing healing over sickness and death and choosing provision over lack. Jesus doesn’t like lack. He provided for fishermen who weren’t catching fish, food for the multitudes, and possible increase for the rich young ruler. Sermon Message: Colossians 3:13 tells us to forebear and forgive one another. This goes beyond tolerating one another to loving and understanding. If you quarrel, forgive it out. We are to owe others our love for them, because we are in a debt to one another as a result of Christ’s forgiveness of our sins (Romans 13:8). Jesus is all about forgiveness (Ephesians 4:31-32). The effectiveness of our speaking to the mountains in our lives depends not only on our believing, but also in our forgiving others (Mark 11:23-26). The “Lord’s Prayer” is a prayer template or pattern. If you notice how often “we, us, our” is mentioned in this prayer, you will realize it is not for yourself, but for His whole Body (Matthew 6:7-13; Luke 11:1-4). Some translations use the words, “debts” and debtors”, which carry the importance of forgiveness. The disciples knew the mechanics of prayer, because they were trained in the Jewish prayers. You have to learn the mechanics of prayer before you get into the “art”, passion and fire behind it. As an artist takes care of his tools, you will get into the tools of prayer- the name of Jesus, praying in the Spirit, etc. Challenge: Use the Lord’s Prayer to “kick start” your day and prayer time. Each time you pray it, forgive whoever comes to mind. Be quick to give, forgive, and forget. Get rid of the bitterness rejection, and pride, including that of spiritual pride. The sin of omission separates the goats from the sheep. Repentance should be ongoing. If you’ve forgiven someone once, and that person keeps coming back in your thoughts, keep repenting and forgiving. Consciously and deliberately work forgiveness into your praying. Forgive and ask life for a brother and even for our nation (1 John 5:16).