The Pardon of Prayer 2

Welcome to this week's message from the church at Chelsea Westover.

Our core values are vibrant worship, intimate fellowship, fulfilling service, and clear biblical truth.

We pray that this message changes your life.

Let's tune in to today's message and see what God has in store for you.

Earthly reason.

What earthly reason did Jesus 2,000 years ago, die for you on a place called Calvary?

Because he loved you that much.

Can we just give Jesus a clap offering?

Amen.

If you're here this morning and do not have a worship guide, most of you brought yours back, or if you didn't, we've got a uh uh some more we made anyway.

Anyone need a worship guide?

Raise your hand over there.

All right, Devin.

Good to have y'all back from Texas.

Amen.

You know, summertime, I love summertime because we all take breaks and we all need it.

But uh it's I I miss you and you're in and out, and so if I'm saying hey from the pulpit, I still love you.

Amen.

So uh it's good to see you.

I uh I miss you when you're not here.

People say, Pastor, how do you know when we're not here?

Well, I know where you usually sit.

So if your seat's not, it's easy to know Carolyn when your hubby's not here.

You're in the front row and Darren and Tabitha, but I really get to see where you normally sit, so that that helps me.

Well, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Matthew chapter six.

Matthew chapter six.

And we've been looking at the Lord's Prayer.

We have this message, part two, of God's pardon.

And then next week, God's prayer of protection, and we finish the series on the Lord's Prayer.

We started out with God's paternity, in other words, God's prayer, referencing to God the Father, our Father.

And then we went from the paternity of prayer to God's program of prayer, Thy kingdom come, the priority of prayer, hallow be thy name, the plan of prayer, thy will be done, and then the provision of prayer, give us this day, and then today the pardon of prayer, part two.

And if you missed last week, you can get all these messages online.

And I've got several people.

It's been uh uh they text me every so hey, I enjoyed it, and especially on Sunday afternoon, I'll get six to ten.

Uh good preaching, good preaching.

So whoever's watching, keep sending the message.

Good preaching, good preaching.

But uh, it is exciting to see all the people that we reach on Sundays as well as during the week.

So we praise the Lord for that.

Last week we looked at, and if you notice in Matthew chapter 6, verse 12, and it says, and we started, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

Matthew 6:12

In other words, we looked at the forgiveness of God, how God forgives us.

And we said that basically there's two types of forgiveness.

There's the positional forgiveness.

In other words, when God forgave you, when God died on the cross 2,000 years ago, he paid for your sins.

Now, watch this past, present, and future.

Positionally, when God looks down on Danny Lovett, he doesn't see my ungodliness and my unrighteousness.

He sees the righteousness of Christ.

Can we get a hallelujah?

Amen.

He doesn't see me as that wretched, no-good sinner that I really am.

All my righteousness is as filthy rags, Isaiah 64, 6.

He sees the righteousness of Christ.

Jesus Christ loved you so much that he paid for your sin debt.

You remember that's what the word there means: debts, debts, sins.

And when we sin, we owe Christ, hey, we owe God a debt.

And Christ paid for all those debts once and for all.

Praise the Lord.

Once and for all.

So we have a positional justification.

Then, secondly, we have what we call a parental justification.

For example, once you get saved, and a lot of people, I had this question asked to me last week.

In fact, Jason asked it.

It was a great question.

Told you I was going to explain it, Jason.

To the whole church.

Because if that was a great question.

So once you get saved, you don't have to get saved again when you mess up.

Because positionally, you already saved.

Past, present, future.

He's washed them all away.

Can I get an amen?

We know that.

Hebrews 10, once and for all.

So you gotta understand that.

But what happens when we sin daily?

Well, remember in John 13 when Jesus was dealing with Peter, and he told Peter, he said, Listen, Peter, you know, you hey, you mess up.

You need your feet washed.

He says, it's like in Judea walking with the sandals, you get your feet uh dirty and dusty, so you have to ever so often wash your feet.

And when you and I sin, we get our feet dirty.

We we we quench the spirit, we grieve the spirit, but we don't.

And remember what Peter said, okay.

Well, Lord, if if I need a, if you need to wash my feet, and remember he the Lord told him, so Peter, I don't have to do that.

He said, you need to be cleansed daily.

He said, Well, just wash my whole body.

He said, No, I don't need to do that.

I've already done that.

But what I need is to wash your feet.

And remember, then he set the example of washing the disciples' feet, saying that we need a daily cleansing.

What did Paul say?

I die daily.

So there's a parental, there's a parental washing of the feet daily that we have to do.

Why?

Now watch.

Now don't miss this.

Positionally, with God the Father, we've got our relationship done because we've accepted Christ.

But what happens with a parental forgiveness is we need a daily fellowship with God the Father, who is our what?

Daddy.

He's our daddy.

So we need a parental, hey, hey, forgiveness.

For example, all my kids, I'm their father.

And when they sin, listen to me, this is a great example.

When they sin, I'm still their father.

Just because they sin doesn't mean I'm no longer their father.

Right?

So when you and I sin, if we're saved and we've been saved, when we sin, hey, God is still our father positionally.

Does that make sense?

I mean, in fact, Romans 8 says what?

Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

Nothing.

Not death, not uh anything.

Nothing that we do can separate us from love of God.

But positional, I mean parentally, Jesus being our Father, when we grieve and quench the Spirit, hey, we then, hey, need a cleansing, a daily cleansing.

And that's why Paul says, I have to die daily.

That's why Jesus said, if any man come after me, hey, let him take up his cross, what?

Daily and follow me.

So we have to make that relationship.

See, when we sin, positionally we're still right with God the Father, but perennially we've hurt our Father, and until we make it right with our Father and ask the Father to forgive us, that relationship is not restored.

The fellowship, the fellowship is being hint, I meant quenched, and the fellowship is being hindered.

So, what we're dealing with here, and by the way, Psalms 51, David's the greatest chapter to read about that.

Because he talks about that he had sinned in himself alone against God.

And he talks about, and never one time does he say he has to get saved again.

No, no, no.

But what he does say if I have my what?

My relationship restored again, so that the Spirit of God can work through me.

So, does that make sense?

In fact, that makes pretty good sense to me.

That's the way I've understood it all my life.

So you have a positional justification, and you have a parental justification.

And that's so good to think of it that way.

So here we're talking about that parental justification.

And then he goes on and he says in verse 12, forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

Now, now he goes on, and we saw this last week, and we've got new people, but I will uh again let me encourage you to go online and read this.

But we literally said that if you and I are a Christian, then the way we forgive others is an example of how we are living, hey, rightly and walking with God because of the grace of God which He bestowed upon us for, hey, our forgiveness.

In other words, our forgiveness toward others is a strong indication, hey, that we are so thankful and so, hey, hey, grateful for God forgiving us.

If you don't have a forgiving spirit, folks, let me just say this.

You need to examine yourself whether or not you're really a Christian.

And that's what we looked at, and that's what we saw last week.

Forgiveness involves, and this is important, you might want to write it down.

Forgiveness involves a change of relationship between the wrong person and the wrongdoer.

It will involve restoration of a broken relationship and its privileges.

Ooh.

Forgiveness is not probation.

Huh?

Okay.

Well, hey.

Hey, hey, listen.

Forgiveness is not probation.

It is complete.

Are you ready?

It is complete, that's it.

Restoration.

It's not probation, it's complete dismissal of the charge.

Isn't that good?

That's exactly what happened to us when God saved us.

We are brought back into fellowship, hey, which sin has broken.

And listen to what he says in Mark 11, 25.

And when you stand praying, forgive if ye have aught against any, that your father also, which is in heaven, may forgive you of your trespasses.

Wow.

Let me repeat that.

Mark 11, 25.

And when you stand praying, forgive if ye have aught against any, that your father also, which is in heaven, may forgive you your trespasses.

Wow.

Can I get an amen?

See, what's wrong with most of us Christians is someone will offend us, someone will hurt us, someone will do something whether it's the church, whether it's your people at work.

And what happens, you know, we just kind of get bitter and we get angry toward those persons instead of immediately forgiving those persons.

Yeah, but you don't understand, Pastor Danny, you don't know what they did.

Doesn't matter.

Doesn't matter what they did.

Yes, it does.

Well, stay bitter.

Stay angry.

Because I'm gonna tell you, and and you know what you show?

You just wait, I'll show them.

No, what you're just saying, hey, you know when you say that, just wait, I'll show them.

Let me tell you, what's gonna happen, you're gonna show yourself.

And what you're gonna show yourself is you're gonna start wandering for 40 years in the wilderness.

And you're gonna dry up, you're gonna get sick, you're gonna get ulcers, you're gonna get high blood pressure, you even may have a heart attack.

He said, now I don't know if I believe that.

Well, you will when you leave today.

Because I'm gonna prove every word of it.

Amen.

I'm telling you, I've been there.

I was in a situation, I'd about kill me.

I was stressed out, I was holding bitterness, it was just, but you know what I kept saying?

Well, Lord, I'm justified.

I mean, you know what they did.

Yeah, and you know what the Lord said?

Yeah, but I know what you've got to do.

Yeah, but I don't have to do that, Lord, because they're the wrong party.

Well, let me ask you something, Pastor Danny.

Who was the wrong party when I forgave you?

I wasn't expecting that one.

Hello?

So, it's in this regard, forgive in our text here, means, are you ready?

Here's what it means: it means the dismissal of a punishment or of a debt.

It means you no longer hold against someone a wrong they have done to you.

That's the bottom line.

It means that you no longer hold against someone the wrong that they've done to you.

On three, can we all say, Oh me?

I didn't get to three.

I I know it's that bad.

But here we see it.

It's so true.

You are going to have times when you get mad at someone and stay heated for a while, hopefully not too long.

Eventually, we gotta cool off and forgive that person who's ticked us off.

The fact that you have forgiven and continue to forgive is a sign of God's grace working in you.

And that's so important.

It really is.

So important.

Now, with that said, let's start.

Here's what I want us to look at.

How does an unforgiving spirit affect us or others?

That's under number two.

How does an unforgiving spirit affect us and others?

Pretty powerful here.

In fact, number one, it duplicates the person we are bitter toward.

In other words, we become the like the people that are bitter toward us.

Why?

We become judgmental.

We begin to judge them like they're judging us.

You say, what?

Yes, that's a tactic of Satan.

In fact, listen to what he says in Romans chapter 2.

Romans 2 · chapter mention

Powerful, powerful, powerful passage.

He says in Romans 2, verses 1 through 3 or 4, look at what it says.

Romans 2:1–3

Therefore, thou art inexcusable.

Uh-oh.

Thou art inexcusable, O man.

Whosoever thou art that judges, for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnet thyself.

Oh my goodness.

Oh my goodness.

I don't like that verse.

I don't like that verse, folks.

For thou that judgest does the same thing.

Hello.

Is that what it says?

That's what it says.

Now look at verse 2.

But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

You know what he said?

You don't have to worry about trying to take care of your problem.

God knows the truth.

God knows what's taken place, and he's going to handle it.

Can I get an amen?

And then look at what he says.

And thinkest thou this, O man, that judges them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

He says, now when you start condemning and you start judging, and you start not wanting to forgive and get angry and get bitter, you're being just like they are, and now you're gonna come under judgment.

God's judgment.

Wow! If you see that, say amen.

Now that's important.

And then look at verse 4.

Or despises thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.

In other words, they said the way you respond to somebody that's judging you, condemning you, hey, cursing you, being all just ungodly to you, is by responding with love and peace, hey, and kindness and mercy.

No, I'm not, preacher.

I'm gonna take his lights out.

Hey, you're looking at God, this is hard for me to preach.

Because I'd just soon take your lights out.

And when I was younger in the ministry, I did, and that wasn't good.

Got in trouble several times.

Really?

Because I just it was uncontrollable is what it was.

I was not temperate.

I was gonna, I handle this problem.

Lord, I if I need you, I hey, I'll call you.

Let's go.

I never fought, but I almost did.

I called the chairman of Deacons out one night.

I was wrong.

I said, if you'll step up.

He kept just nailing me and nailing me.

And I finally had taken about all I could take.

And I said, I'll tell you what we'll do.

Let's just walk out right behind the building, we'll settle this.

It won't take long.

And my chairman said, I don't think that's would be the Christ-like thing to do.

And I said, Hmm, it sure would feel good.

But you're right.

You're right.

That would not be the thing to do.

That would destroy my leadership and my example and everything else.

And so, anyway, that's the way it happened.

I did do it.

But I've, hey, I did ask for forgiveness, and God did forgive me.

But what we've got to look realize, how does an unforgiving spirit affect us or others?

It it we become the person that we're not willing to forgive.

God help us.

You know how bad you don't like that person?

You don't want to forgive that person, you're bitter to that person, you're holding a grudge against that person.

Next thing you know, you are that person.

That's right.

Mercy.

Amen.

Mercy.

Secondly, an unforgiving spirit damages our relationships.

It damages our relationships.

Colossians 3 19.

Husband, love your wives and be not bitter against them.

Not bitter against them.

Wives, love your husband.

I mean, bitterness.

Let me let me let me use the word here.

It's a pretty powerful word.

When we look right here, what it literally means, it means uh a bitter taste in the stomach.

A bitter taste, the word bitter there means a bitter taste.

In other words, bitterness has so consumed you that you're having problems with your stomach.

In other words, ulcers.

Hello.

You mean to tell me I might have ulcer because I'm bitter?

No, I'm absolutely telling you that.

Not maybe.

I mean, you're you're stressing and you you can't let go and you dwell on it all the time.

Oh, oh, they shouldn't have treated me like that.

They shouldn't have done that.

Well, we shouldn't have treated Jesus that way.

We shouldn't have done that to Jesus.

We should not have nailed Christ to the cross.

But our sins did.

Can I get an O me?

Our sins did.

And so we see that.

That's what he's talking about.

It means to be embittered.

It really does.

Number three.

An unforgiving spirit defiles a person.

Look at Hebrews 12, 15.

Looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God, lest any.

Now watch.

Root of bitterness springing up trouble you.

Underline that.

Troubles you, and thereby many be defiled.

The word defiled there means polluted.

It means to stain.

It means contaminated.

And how do we become contaminated?

Here it is, folks.

How do we become polluted?

We become just like they are, bitter and angry.

Powerful.

Powerful truth here.

Powerful.

So, an unforgiving spirit defiles a person.

In other words, it just It just consumes them, is what it really means.

It consumes you.

Number four, an unforgiving spirit is, uh oh, devilish.

Oh, devilish in nature.

Look at James chapter 3, verses 4 and 15.

James 3:4

Here's what it says.

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, and what?

Devilish.

Devilish.

Wow.

Can you imagine?

Can you imagine?

In other words, bitterness and anger comes right from the pit of hell.

That's where it comes from.

That bitterness, that unforgiveness spirit.

Remember, Satan is a liar.

Satan, hey, has come to kill, steal, and destroy, and he's the accuser.

You know what the word devil means in the Greek?

It means slanderer.

In other words, Satan slanders people.

And you know how he does that?

He uses you and me to slander others.

Oh me.

That's why we're to keep our lips closed unless we're speaking something that's edifying, good, and building up.

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good.

Hey, to the use of what?

Building up.

Be kind one to another, tender heart and forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you.

Ephesians 4.29, 30 through 32.

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto its hearers.

Ephesians 4.29.

You know what my granddad used to say?

Hey, if it's not good, if it's not necessary, if it's not building up, and if it's not spoken graciously, don't say it.

Well, Papa, that's that, hey, that'd shut me up.

That'd just keep about 95% of my conversation, and that'd be it.

I can't talk.

Hello.

That's Ephesians 4.29.

That's what that verse says.

Four principles there.

So it's very important.

Unforgiving spirit is devilish.

It's, you know what it's meant for?

To divide and to destroy the body of Christ.

It really is.

That's why, uh-uh, uh-uh.

I just, I don't want to hear it.

You're not going to, uh-uh.

I don't want to hear it.

Well, you know so and so.

No, no, no, no.

I know I don't know.

Don't need to know.

Yeah, but I said, Oh, no, no, no.

I tell you what we do.

If it's that important to you, if it's that necessary to you, let me call them right now and let's let's go talk to them.

Oh, no, no, I didn't say that.

You want to talk to them behind their back, but you don't want to talk about them in front of them.

And the Bible says if you ought with your brother, you go to them and them alone, Matthew 18.

We looked at that last week.

Amen?

And make it right.

Or, hey, you leave your gift at the altar and go make it right before you can even give and pray or anything.

You got to make it right.

And you wonder, you say, man, my prayers aren't being answered.

I don't feel like I, I don't even.

I go to church, I read my Bible.

I'm doing all the stuff that the pastor Danny tells me to do, and I'm still just don't, I don't have the joy of the Lord.

I'm telling you why.

You have an unforgiving spirit.

Ooh, no amen at all.

That's it.

Mercy.

Because right now, there's probably every one of us in here knows there's one person that you need to forgive that you hadn't forgiven.

I know there's one in mine.

And I'm still battling it.

But I gotta do it.

Amen.

I don't want to do it.

But I gotta do it.

Or I'm gonna, I hey, I can't preach with the power of God on my life, and I've already asked God to forgive me, and now I just gotta make it right.

And I'm gonna do that.

Hello?

And it's not my wife, we're in love.

But I do have to make that right quite often.

I can get in the doghouse real quick.

Any of y'all gonna leave me out here, guys, by myself?

Can I get an amen, guys?

Amen, amen.

All right, thank you, thank you.

Boy, the guy said, No, sir, preacher, you got yourself there, you'll get out.

I'm not going there.

So we see how important it is.

That's why we don't have that peace.

Now, so listen to this.

Remember, I told you about the ulcers and everything.

All right?

Now, number five.

An unforgiving spirit devastates our body.

Our bones is what the Greek word, I meant the Hebrew word is.

Our body.

It devastates it.

Now, what's this?

This is powerful.

Psalms 32, verse 3.

Psalms 32:3

When I kept silent, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.

In other words, I just felt bad all day long.

I felt bad all the time.

Have you ever thought?

Have you ever thought the reason you're feeling bad?

You say, well, I really don't know why I feel so bad.

I can help you.

You need to evaluate your unforgiving spirit.

But but it's so, it's so sneaky.

It's so uh uh sly.

I mean, you don't even realize it.

That's how crafty Satan is.

He's a liar and the father of lies.

John 8, 44.

He really is.

So, now watch.

This is good.

Listen to what he says in Proverbs 17, 22.

A merry heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit drives the bones.

So, see, you can have a joyful spirit, a merry heart, or you can be miserable.

Some people, I don't understand.

Some people just love being miserable.

I've been around those type people.

And I'm thinking to myself, when I leave, my goodness.

Why?

Listen to Proverbs 14:30.

Proverbs 14:30

A sound heart is the life of the flesh, but envy, are you ready?

What?

It's the rottenness to the bones.

There it is, folks.

There it is.

I mean, you keep that bitterness and that anger in you, you go right away.

And then for you ladies, a virtuous woman.

Woo! And I have one.

Honey, I have one.

And I mean that.

I'm not trying to get points.

A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband.

And now notice the next phrase.

But she that maketh a shame is as rotten as in his ball.

So an unforgiving spirit, ladies, is just as bad as anything you could do.

To destroy your marriage, destroy your life, destroy your home.

Unforgiving spirits.

Number six.

An unforgiving spirit demolishes, wow, destroys our ability to love God.

Listen to this.

1 John chapter 4, verses 20 and 21.

1 John 4:20

If a man says, I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar.

For he that loves not his brother whom he has not seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

And this commandment have we from him, that he who loves God loves his brother also.

You cannot have an unforgiving spirit toward a brother or sister in Christ and have your relationship right with God.

It cannot be.

But, Pastor, you don't know what they did.

It doesn't matter.

If you don't get anything, you're gonna get that.

I can't control how you treat me, but I sure can control how I treat you.

And mercy.

So that's pretty powerful, folks.

So, how do we overcome anger and forgive others?

That's the next part.

How do we do that?

You say, man, that's pretty powerful.

Hey, that's pretty serious.

Would you say that an unforgiving spirit is serious business?

Can I get an amen?

So now the question we want to answer.

I'm telling you, if you didn't hear one message the rest of the year, if you understand this, last week and this week, but especially this week for Christian, I'm convinced what has kept the church not being filled with the Spirit of God, what keeps you and me from not being filled with the Spirit of God is unforgiving spirits.

No doubt in my mind.

No doubt in my mind.

I meant hands down.

Hands down.

And see, we look, we look, we, and we never think about that.

You know why?

We look at the big sins, the drugs and the adultery and all that, and the homosexuality.

And all those are big, bad sins.

But you know the worst little big bad sin is an unforgiving spirit.

That's probably, that's probably Satan's number one tool, the methodology that he uses to keep Christians from being spirit-filled and being used greatly by God.

Because we all get our feelings hurt, some of us too easily.

I'm on.

You don't respect me.

You know what that is?

Pride.

It's pride and immaturity.

But those that are mature, those that are mature are maturing, and know it all, it's pride.

Amen.

See, the immaturity and pride, and they both kind of go together.

The reason you're prideful is because you're immature.

So we see that.

Now watch.

Here we go.

Are you ready?

We're gonna learn how to conquer it.

And by the way, this is a daily battle.

Before you get home today, somebody's gonna do something that you're gonna say.

Let me give you a good example.

How many of you had a red light?

Not driving.

Not driving, oh yeah.

And they're in front of you, they're texting, they're putting on their makeup, whatever they're doing, they're not moving.

And the lights changed.

What's the first thing you do?

BAAH! BAAH! And they go, And you know what you think?

Show them.

See, he's Darren's guilty of that.

And I am too.

But what is that?

That's that, huh?

That's that.

Let me tell you what it is.

You say, well, that can't be business.

I don't even know.

No, but it's that kind of a revenge.

Gotcha.

Boy, y'all looking at me like, oh my goodness, I should have skipped the day.

So how do we overcome that anger and that temper and that unforgiveness?

Here we go.

Number one, realize, boy, this is gonna be good.

Realize that the Lord works through the actions of those who hurt or offend you.

God uses those for his purpose in your life.

Oh my goodness, this is liberating.

God uses those.

Realize that the Lord works through actions of those who hurt and offend you.

Perfect example.

Love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentlemen, temperance, self-control.

Now, watch this.

What's the greatest example?

Y'all heard me preach this three weeks ago when we honored the service for David with Joseph.

Remember Joseph?

Remember Joseph.

What did Joseph say?

Here it is.

I call it the Romans 8.28 of the Old Testament.

Genesis 50, 20.

Look at what he says.

But as for you, you thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass as it is this day, to save much people alive, to save many people's lives.

God used all that torture.

I meant 13 years in prison, and you heard it all of that.

And when you go on, you got to go back and read the end of that.

Because he said, in fact, you know what Joseph says to his brothers?

He says, Hey, do you think I'm God?

I'm not God.

I'm not going to hurt you.

Now, Joseph could have hurt him.

He was the second command.

He was the prince of Egypt.

He could have thrown him in jail.

He could have done anything he wanted.

But you know what?

I'm about to have a running spell.

But you know what he said?

He said, It is not me to judge.

It is not me to bring the restribution.

It is not for me to do that.

It's God.

Avenge not yourselves, for it is written, vengeance is mine, saith the Lord.

Romans 12, 19.

Can I get an amen?

It's not our job to try to straighten out our neighbor.

Can I get an amen?

Ladies, it's not your job to straighten out your husband.

And the men said, Hallelujah.

And hey, but listen, listen, hey, listen.

Don't laugh too much.

And gentlemen, it is not your job to try to make your wife be like mama.

I knew I see every word go both ways.

Amen.

Amen.

Is that not good?

What you have to do is let God be God in your mate's life.

You're not the Holy Spirit.

Now, some of you, you're not the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Gentlemen, and you're not either.

Let God be God.

And that's what Joseph told his brothers.

And then he turned around and he said to them, I love you.

You meant to hurt me, but God meant it for my good.

If God hadn't allowed this to happen, I couldn't be here delivering Egypt, delivering Israel, and delivering my family.

To God be the glory.

Jesus is a Psalm.

Yes.

Amen.

Number two.

Mmm, that's good.

Number two, how do we overcome anger and forgive others?

Recognize what character traits the Lord is trying to make in our lives through this offense.

James chapter 1, verse 3 and 4.

James 1:3

In other words, you and I need maturing.

Can I get an amen?

There's areas in our life that we're strong as a Christian.

There's areas in our life that we're weak.

So when God brings these offenses to us, he knows our weak areas and what we consider an offense to be bad.

He's considering it to be great because he's hoping that we can handle it according to his way so we can mature in who he wants us to be.

Does that make sense?

Well, that's what it says right here.

Knowing this, that the trying of, in fact, verse 2, he says, Count it all joy.

Count it all joy when you get offended.

Whoa! What?

Count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations.

That's what he says.

A multiplicity of different temptations and trials that you fall into.

Why?

Knowing this.

Knowing this.

Now that's a good word.

Knowing this.

That the triangle of your faith works what?

It works patience.

See, let me tell you what I've learned.

Wrong responses reveal weakness in certain traits we need in our own life.

If we are to have a spirit of Christ-like forgiveness in our lives, there's four things necessary.

Are you ready?

I don't know if I have a, I don't know where it's a spot for the, if not, jot them down.

This is under number two, though.

Recognize and character.

Here's four traits.

Number one, we must learn to understand the situation.

See that word?

Knowing this, those two words?

Knowing this.

For example, when somebody retaliates against you, you really don't know what they're going through.

You listening to me?

Now let me give another practical, great example.

A waiter or waitress.

Recently we were having breakfast, and this one lady was.

She didn't smile the whole time.

And everything we asked her seemed like a bother.

And I almost started to say something, and I did say something to the people we were with.

But then the Holy Spirit hit me, and I said, Because I've been studying this.

We don't know what she's going through.

Her husband may have just walked out on her.

She may have just had a child on drug.

You don't know, locked up.

You don't know, you don't know, you don't know.

So instead of criticizing and retaliating, we just blessed her with a tip.

Because you don't know.

That's why you don't, you gotta be, you gotta be still and know that he's God.

You gotta be cautious when you when you feel like you've been attacked.

And remember, the only way you can do that, and let me tell you, this is a daily working on you.

I I I I I I'm terrible at it.

But what you gotta do when they re- you get attacked, what you gotta do is say, whoa, whoa, whoa, be still.

Okay, Lord.

And here's what you ask.

Okay, Lord.

First of all, hey, give me give me temperance, give me some control, and now, Lord, what are you what are you trying to teach me?

See, you don't like that.

Because you know it all.

I'm a mature Christian.

Huh?

Well, if you are, why are you being tried?

If you're perfect, you wouldn't have any trials.

Woo! That's good, preacher.

Hello?

You okay out there?

Lord, what are you trying to teach me?

Hey, by the way, I'm preaching again.

This these last two weeks has been me.

I've just been preaching to me, you getting in on it.

What what you trying to teach me, Lord?

Well, you got a little weakness here.

You gotta work on that temperance.

Gotta work on that mercy.

Gotta work on that sensitivity.

Hello.

What?

But that's it.

That's what he's teaching us here.

Number B, we must learn to forget.

Here's another character trait.

He's teaching us to forget.

Verse 4, let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete.

Complete means that you understand that forgiveness is forgettingness.

You forget it.

As far as the east is from the west, so far have I removed your transgressions.

Psalms 103, verse 12.

Psalms 103:12

Amen.

We talked about those verses.

And for us is to the deepest part of the sea.

Micah 7.19.

I don't even know.

But yeah, dude.

Hang on, it's coming.

Deuteronomy, is it anyway, 3134 somewhere in the Old Testament.

And it says, I will forgive your, I will remember your sins no more.

I want to say it's maybe it's Deuteronomy.

I don't know.

Siriot.

Amen.

We must learn to forget.

As long as we brood upon that injury, there is no hope that we can forgive.

And then, see, we must learn to love.

Christian love, agape, is the unconquerable benevolence.

It really is.

That undefeatable goodwill which will never seek anything but the highest good for others.

Amen.

Romans 15 is the best passage for that.

Look not every man on his own things, but every man on the things of others.

That's what he's talking about.

And then D, we must learn to be patient.

God allows offenses in our lives to develop patience, longsuffering, and tolerance.

Knowing this, that the triangle of faith worketh patience.

But let patience have a perfect work.

Man, that's good.

Number three, revere the Lord for the blessings He has designed through each offense.

Oh, now, remember?

Now, watch this.

For each offense, trial that comes your way, that you pass the test, you get a blessing.

Is that not awesome?

You get a blessing.

Thank you.

Jeremiah 31.34.

I knew it was in the Old Testament.

Hey.

Remember this.

For every trial that comes your way and you pass the test, you get a blessing.

Is that not awesome?

In fact, when I saw that, I said, that helps me.

Look, look right here.

Look.

Look at what he says.

This is unreal.

Notice what he says in verse, he says, in fact, it's powerful.

He says, if we are to have a spirit of Christ's likeness, forgiveness in our lives, we must, we must forgive others.

And notice what he says in 1 Thessalonians 5.18.

In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

In everything give thanks.

When we're able to do that, God's going to open the window of heaven and pour us out a blessing like you've never seen before.

Wow.

Wow, that's powerful.

That's powerful.

Number four, overcoming anger involves reckoning that you may suffer for doing what is correct as a normal part of the Christian life.

Now this is powerful.

This is another part we don't understand.

Why me, Lord, or somebody attacks you and well, what did I do, Lord?

Why is this happening?

Remember, we've got to realize all that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer what?

Persecution.

So remember, this is a part of God's way of maturing you and helping you to bless you.

When you understand that, you can receive it a lot easier and really deal with it a lot easier.

And that's what he says.

It really does.

In 2 Timothy 3.12, yea, all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

And another one is 2 Timothy 2.3.

Those that love God endure persecution.

And it's so important that we understand that.

2 Timothy 2.12.

Now watch this.

If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.

If we deny him, he will deny us.

So we've got to realize this is coming.

But why is it coming?

To mature us, to help us.

And as we work on our weaknesses, correct our weaknesses, and grow stronger in the areas of our weaknesses, God blesses us.

Are you with me?

Number five.

Overcoming anger involves responding the right way when you are offended with the help of God's enabling grace.

Woohoo! 1 Corinthians 15, 10.

By the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Wow! For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.

Wow.

Titus 2.12.

Sometimes, if we're not careful, we're like the woman who was bitten by rabies' dog.

And it looked like that she was gonna die from rabies, so the doctor told her she had better make her will.

Taking her pen and paper, she began to write.

I mean, boy, she was writing.

The fact she wrote, she wrote, she wrote.

Finally, the doctor said, That is surely a long will you're making.

She snorted, will nothing.

I'm making a list of the people I'm gonna bite.

I thought we needed a little laugh.

It's getting pretty hard.

I'm making a list of people I'm gonna bite.

Now, this is the typical attitude of people who are angry and bitter and unforgiving.

They're not interested in for forgiving people, they're interested in, uh-huh, I got you or get you.

And that's kind of the attitude right here of that lady.

She wasn't interested in forgiving anybody, she's wanting to bring them more harm.

So that is what we're trying to talk about.

Hey, God wants us to forgive them while they're, hey, hey, some forgive their enemies.

One guy said, hey, I'll forgive my enemies.

I'll be glad to forgive them when they're dead.

Yeah.

Yeah.

That's not what God says.

God wants us to forgive them while they're still alive.

Not only that, listen, he wants to wants us to actually love them.

Hello.

Three people said amen.

He actually wants us to love our enemies.

Ouch! Oh, is it hard?

You can't do it apart from the power of the Holy Spirit living in you.

Can't do it without God's help.

But I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me.

In fact, listen to Proverbs 24, 17 and 18.

This is powerful.

See, I want you to think of an enemy right now.

I know that's terrible in church.

Think of someone that's offended you.

They have.

They're already thinking who they gotta go ask forgiveness.

I know I'm with them.

Listen to what he says here, and then we're gonna get to the one we all know.

But this is, I found this nugget in Proverbs.

We all know Matthew 5, 44.

Love your enemies, bless them that curse.

And we'll look at that.

But listen to Proverbs 24, 17, 18.

Rejoice not when thy enemy falls.

Oh my goodness.

When somebody's hurt you and you hear, let me ask something, and you hear that something bad's happened to them, what's your first reaction?

Do you say, we need to pray for them?

I am so sorry.

Ouch! Can we say that together?

Ouch! You know what we say?

I yeah, uh-huh.

Better teach him to do that to me.

Finally.

Woo! Are your toes hurting you at mine's crushed?

Amen.

Am I right?

Am I right, folks?

Now watch this.

Let not thy heart be glad when they stumble.

Oh, I don't like that.

Lest.

Now here's the bad part.

Lest the Lord see it.

And it displeases him.

Now wait.

Now watch this.

What you are are avenging and revengeful and enjoying because they're getting what they deserve.

Are you ready?

Listen to what he says.

And he turns away his wrath from him.

In other words, they're gonna just keep prospering.

Because he sees your attitude.

In other words, the wrath really is gonna end up being toward you.

Why?

Because of your bitterness and anger and revengeful spirit that we have toward the person that's hurt us.

Oh my goodness.

Well, how do I, what I do?

Matthew 5.44.

Love your enemies.

Bless them.

Underline it, it's in red in my notes.

Bless them that curse you.

Do good in red to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.

Pray for them in red.

Now here's what I wrote to myself after really saying, God, give me insight here.

Please, I need help.

God will protect our cause.

We don't have to worry about that.

We don't have to take up our offense, our cause.

God will protect it.

Gotta take care of our cause if we're walking with Him.

And then listen what else I wrote.

And He will destroy our enemies.

Now watch.

Now wait in the best way possible.

And you know what that is?

By transforming them into our friends.

What?

You mean it's one thing, okay, I gotta pray for them.

I gotta do good to them.

I gotta be kind.

But now they're gonna be my friends.

Oh yeah.

Oh yeah.

If you are sincere and loving them and responding like Christ loved you, they will no longer be your enemies.

They'll be your friend.

Wow.

You thought the verse was tough.

But what about that answer?

Wow.

They become your friend.

Not your enemy.

Romans 12, 17 through 21.

Just read it.

Number six.

Overcoming anger involves relinquishing your rights to God and transferring ownership of them to Him.

You know what we get offended by?

Our rights.

Can I say something?

Once you got saved, you no longer have rights.

Well, I deserve this.

You know what's wrong with America?

We've got a country filled of people thinking they deserve something.

Hello.

They deserve something.

Let me tell you, they do deserve something.

But what I would tell them they sure wouldn't like.

Because what they deserve is to go to hell.

Amen.

But because of God's love, mercy, kindness, gentleness, hey, because of his love for you and me, he died on the cross so that we wouldn't have to.

He loves us that much.

And if he can love me and you that much, how can we love anyone any less?

Amen?

That's agape love, by the way.

Unconditional.

Amen?

Is that not good?

That's good.

Number seven.

Two more.

Request of prayer should be made to the Lord for the person you are bitters toward.

You gotta pray for.

You say, Well, I know you just told me that.

Would you go on?

No?

Because you didn't get it.

Request of prayer should be made to the Lord for the persons you are bitter toward.

Look at Romans 12, 14.

Well, this is powerful.

Bless them which persecute you, bless and curse not.

Bless them.

How do you bless someone?

Do something good for them.

Wait a minute.

Now wait a minute.

You mean to tell me?

Now I gotta go do something good to the person that just ate my lunch.

Yeah?

That's what I'm saying.

I ain't gonna do it.

I know.

And I used ain't on purpose.

I ain't gonna do it.

And guess what?

That joy of the Lord.

That that I'm talking about inner joy and peace and contentment and love and just restfulness.

It's not gonna be there.

You're just gonna have that bitter attitude.

I'm not bitter.

I'm not mad.

She's laughing because she'll say, I wish you weren't upset.

And I say, I'm not upset.

You could have fooled me.

Okay.

Well, bless God.

I hope I don't ever see you upset.

Amen.

You didn't have to laugh out so loud, honey.

I tell you what, Brick, I'm not preaching this again.

You're gonna preach for a while.

I'm tired.

The Lord just whipped me like a dog.

But hey, you will find that anger and bitterness will be some of your biggest enemies.

Can I get an amen?

We are commanded by the Lord to forgive those who offend us.

Now watch this.

When a man or woman makes a mistake or wrongs us, don't rub it in, rub it out.

Say that with me.

Don't rub it in, rub it out.

Isn't that good?

Don't rub it in, rub it out.

And how do you do that?

By responding with love.

The word forgiveness, right here, comes from the old English word, which really means to pardon.

The word forgive requires that a person give for the sake of others.

We are to give in and surrender our anger to the Lord.

In fact, Jesus considers it far more important.

I wrote this to me, to be reconciled to a brother than to perform a religious duty.

Wow.

He does.

Our service toward the Lord does not justify our bad relationships with others.

Oh, it is.

The devil's work is to accuse and divide the family of God and to sow discord among them.

When we harbor, now watch, anger and bitterness in our hearts, we do the devil's work for him.

It's devilish.

It is out of a need for forgiveness that a person is able to forgive others.

Mm-mm-mm.

When we truly forgive people, are you ready?

And I'm through.

We release any personal attitudes of bitterness and look for ways to invest.

Watch.

Time, energy, and thoughtfulness in our offender's life.

Wow.

Wow, wow, wow.

Forgiveness does not ignore wrongdoing.

Now listen.

But rather acknowledges wrong and purposes to overcome it with good.

Hey, we're not saying they're wrong.

It's justifiable and it's okay.

But what we're saying, they're wrong's wrong.

But we're going to overcome that wrong with goodness.

Is that not good?

Is that not good?

So, and I'm through.

Overnight, overcoming anger, number eight, involves recognizing God's purpose for the offense.

God's got a purpose, and we've already learned it.

Let's review it.

God's purpose is to mature us, to work in those areas that we're weak, those character traits that we need developing.

Amen?

And you know where you can find them?

Galatians 5, 22 and 23.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, temperance against such there's nothing to compare with.

So all those, that fruit is being matured in us when we handle it right.

We're becoming Christ-like.

We are responding the way Christ responds.

And that's what exactly Colossians 317 says we are to do.

We are to forgive others as well.