The Life Of Joseph Part 4

Just as a reminder, this is kind of the book that I've introduced as kind of a companion to our study.

So I've been trying to keep this in sequence with weeks, so if we're on week number 9, then we're on chapter 9.

So next week we'll be on, actually it's 10 this week, we've got two more chapters to go, two more lessons to go.

So let me pray for us and we'll get started.

Lord, we come this morning into your house.

We praise you for this high example that Joseph sets for us.

So many things that we have witnessed from his life, so many things that we have seen,

and we can just marvel at the God of Joseph.

This morning as we look at another important aspect of his life, an example,

God, I pray that you would remind us not only of the significance of the truths that we see today,

but help us to discover new ways to put them to practice.

God, may this not just be an exercise of accumulating more information,

but may this be an exercise of looking more like Jesus day by day.

That's our desire.

Our desire is to enjoy the benefit of your presence,

to revel in the abundance of the knowledge that you give,

and you make accessible to us,

and then to seek to reflect back to this world what you are making so visible and evident to us.

So we pray that you would do that for us today.

In Jesus' name, amen.

Amen.

Well, this is kind of the high point of the story.

As you look at the life of Joseph,

everything really has kind of been building up to this moment,

the moments that we kind of witness in chapters 44 and 45 and 46.

And this is really kind of my favorite part of the story.

Of course, it wouldn't be what it is if it weren't for the preceding parts, right?

And it wouldn't be what it is if it were not for the evidence of what we're going to see later on.

But really, this is kind of the heart and soul of the story of Joseph.

And so as you consider this being kind of the, if you want to say, climax of the story of Joseph,

I think in the climax of the story of Joseph,

we begin to find some of the more significant truths that we need to begin to,

or God needs to begin to shape in our own lives.

So what is it about this part of the story that makes it so tangible, so significant, so important for us?

And I think what we find in this part of the story,

and it's kind of all over that little handout that you have,

is the significance of faith and forgiveness.

We've been talking about Joseph, the man of faith.

But how does faith begin to manifest itself?

How does faith show up in this world?

How does faith become visible so that people can see it?

What are the effects of faith?

How does faith lead to forgiveness?

And how does forgiveness show up in your life?

What does forgiveness do for you?

And how does forgiveness begin to help and shape the world around you?

And that's some of the questions I hope to answer in our time this morning.

The significance of forgiveness.

We know that forgiveness is important.

Can someone think of a couple of verses that stand out that would say,

yeah, forgiveness is significant.

I think about the Lord's Prayer in particular.

Remember what Jesus says right after the Lord's Prayer?

He says, you know, Father,

He says, forgive us our debts as we forgive those who have trespassed against us, right?

And then how does that prayer continue?

The prayer ends, but then Jesus makes a statement about forgiveness.

What does He say?

Can you remember?

That's right.

That's important, don't you think?

If we cannot learn how to have this heart of forgiveness,

then God's just not going to forgive us.

And I think and I hope today we're going to understand why.

Is it just because we're not following His example?

Is it just because, you know, we've been forgiven,

so we need to do what Jesus does and forgive others?

Or is there something more significant about forgiveness that points to something deeper in the heart?

Well, I think we're going to find out.

Forgiveness is a telltale sign that faith, authentic, genuine, sincere, and true faith,

is working its way out in your heart.

Well, any of you who watched the movie, recent movie, Unbroken,

anybody watch that movie, Unbroken?

About Louis Zabarini, I think is what his name is.

Zamperini?

Okay.

The person that interviewed him speaks a little bit about what he got,

what he saw from that interview, what came through.

So let me just, I'll just kind of, in a brief nutshell, summarize this story for you

and some of the observations of this one who interviewed him and then wrote this book.

It says, he was infectiously cheerful.

This is the author talking about Louis Zabarini.

It says, speaking of his captor's cruelty without a trace of bitterness.

Now, just to kind of give you some background, Zabarini was in World War II, I believe,

and as a result of being a captive, a POW, put into a prison camp,

and was relentlessly tortured.

And yet, he's cheerful, infectiously cheerful.

I like that.

That's going to show up in our lesson today.

Speaking of his captor's cruelty without a trace of bitterness.

I asked how he could speak so easily of such vicious men.

His answer was simple.

I've forgiven them.

I was hooked, he says.

My mind began turning on a question.

How does a man forgive what is seemingly unforgivable?

Now, understand, this author is not a believer,

and yet impacted by the example of forgiveness.

In search of the answer, I began a seven-year journey through his life,

a journey that culminated in my book, Unbroken.

As a boy in California in the 1920s and 30s,

Louis was an incorrigible delinquent.

Then he discovered that he had an extraordinary talent for running.

He became a world-famous track phenomenon,

competing in the 1936 Berlin Olympics when he was still a teenager.

World War II began, and Louis set aside athletics and joined the Army Corps.

He was stationed in Hawaii as a bombardier,

fighting harrowing air battles against the Japanese.

And then he talks about a rescue mission that Louis and some of his friends went on.

And as a result of that rescue mission in a plane that had no business being in the air,

that plane went down, which led to 41 days on a raft,

where one of his fellow individuals died on the raft.

And just the harrowing story of how God protected them,

even though no one was a believer,

and there they were exposed and on this raft for 41 days.

Well, they drifted, starving.

One man died.

Louis and the other crewmen hung on.

On the 46th day, they saw a distant island.

They rode toward it, and when they were only yards from shore,

a Japanese boat intercepted them.

For the next two and a quarter years,

Louis was captive of the Japanese military.

First, he was held in a filthy cell subjected to medical experiments,

starvation, beating, and interrogation.

And the main guy who was responsible for all of this was known as the bird.

Not to go into a whole lot of detail or spend a whole lot more time on this,

but the relentless beating that Louis experienced from this one, the bird,

drove him to the point of almost just saying,

I give up.

It'd be better to die.

And yet, in the moment, he prayed that God would give him strength,

and God did.

And he continued, not only to survive,

but just to be able to endure the abuse against him.

Well, the war ended, and Louis and his fellow countrymen were released.

He comes back, and it led to a life of darkness and despair

and bondage, really, to this depression that he felt.

He had been so beaten down by the bird, by this man,

that it just totally extinguished any sense of self-satisfaction

and the drive that had once been so true of his life was just obliterated.

He was at the brink, and it was affecting his family,

at the brink of, again, just wanting to die.

But then his wife, in kind of sheer desperation, says,

Will you go with me to see Billy Graham?

Just give me a couple of nights.

Promise that you'll come for the weekend.

And so Louis did.

And the first night, he listened, and conviction reigned in his heart,

but he just walked away.

The second night was much the same,

and he stood up to walk out,

but then the conviction of the Spirit landed on his heart,

and he realized that he was a sinner,

and he turned his life over to Christ.

It says a year later, Louis went to Japan.

He was a joyful man.

His marriage restored, his nightmares and flashbacks gone,

his alcoholism overcome.

He went to Tokyo to find a prisoner of war.

A prisoner, excuse me.

Where war criminals were serving their sentences.

Who do you suppose he went to find?

He went to find the bird.

This one who had been so antagonistic towards his life.

Louis was struck.

Excuse me.

He says he hoped to find the bird.

To know for sure if the peace he'd found was resilient.

But the bird wasn't there.

Louis was told that the guard had killed himself.

Louis was struck with emotion.

He was surprised by what he felt.

It was not hatred, not relief, but compassion.

Louis had found forgiveness.

Louis had found forgiveness.

And the seeds of faith and forgiveness

not only brought freedom to Louis,

but impacted this one's heart who wrote this story

and captured this life,

and as a result of the movie,

has impacted thousands for Christ.

The gospel has triumphed.

And only God knows how that story will play out

in the lives of the people

who've been able to witness

the freedom that comes because of forgiveness.

So, open with me, if you would, to Genesis 45.

And I think in this story,

we will see another great illustration

of how faith and forgiveness work hand in hand.

And what it accomplishes in a life.

And first, I want to take a look

in just the first few verses,

beginning in verse 4 of chapter 45.

So, we're in Genesis chapter 45.

Genesis 45 · chapter mention

And I want to look at Joseph

in sowing seeds of faith and forgiveness.

And I want to follow that up in the later part

in talking about showing the fruit

of faith and forgiveness.

So, sowing the seeds and showing the fruit.

Let me read for us beginning in verse 4.

It says,

And Joseph said to his brothers,

Please come near to me.

Now, remember, he just made it clear to them

who he was.

I am Joseph, your brother.

Here I am.

And there they are standing,

quaking in their boots.

He says,

Come near to me.

So they came near.

Then he said,

I am Joseph, your brother,

whom you sold into Egypt.

But now do not,

do not therefore be grieved

or angry with yourselves

because you sold me here.

For God sent me before you

to preserve life.

For these two years,

the famine has been in the land.

And there are still five years

in which there will be

neither plowing nor harvesting.

And God sent me before you

to preserve a posterity for you

in the earth

and to save your lives

by a great deliverance.

So now it was not you

who sent me here,

but God.

And he has made me

a father to Pharaoh

and lord of all his house

and a ruler

throughout all the land of Egypt.

I want to just camp for a moment

on what are some of these marks?

What are the marks

of faith and forgiveness

working out in Joseph's heart here?

And I have four of them here.

There may be others.

But I think we see

at least four marks

of faith and forgiveness here.

It's right underneath

that first point,

words of faith and forgiveness.

So we see not only

showing the seeds of faith,

but we see it playing out.

We see it playing out in words

here in these first few verses,

and then we're going to see it

playing out in actions.

So words and actions.

First, I want you to notice here

the very beginning

of this verse four.

It says,

I am your brother Joseph,

whom you sold into Egypt.

What is significant

about those words

in relationship

to forgiveness?

What are your thoughts?

And particularly

in sharing honestly.

Okay, that's

the first point here,

and that's what I see

going on.

That's right.

That's good.

That's good.

Okay, anybody else

want to comment?

Okay, he still sees them

as brothers.

He hasn't disowned them.

He is honest

about what took place

in the past.

Anything else?

Why is that important

for forgiveness?

Why is that

an important mark

of forgiveness?

Okay.

Okay.

We can't just sweep

things under the rug.

Anyone else?

Why is honesty

important for forgiveness?

Why is that

you're not

going to be

a good one?

Why is that

you're not

going to be

a good one?

I can handle

everything.

Don't worry about it.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

That's right.

That's good.

Any other thoughts?

When Christ

gives forgiveness,

he is clear

about the reasons

that forgiveness

is required.

the gospel

must talk about

the need

for forgiveness

which is a need

that we have

because of sin.

Separation

for us,

it is important

for us

to know

what we're

forgiven for

than it is

for the individual

who's doing

the forgiving

to absolve

or to

kind of relinquish

this responsibility

in terms of

owning it

and feeling

the effects

of it as well.

You understand?

You understand?

It's important

to share honestly.

We're not talking

about forgetfulness

here.

We're not talking

about sweeping

it under the rug

or glossing

over the ugliness

of what we

have seen

and felt.

It's being honest.

You can be

and must be

honest about

the reality

of the situation.

That's where

true forgiveness

will come.

It's how it

will come

for you

and it's

how it

will come

for those

that you're

talking to.

But notice

number two,

there is not

only this

sharing

honestly,

there is

a desiring

of proximity.

There's a

desire for

closeness.

And so what

is the first

thing that

Joseph says

here?

He says,

please,

come near

to me.

And this

is the word

in the Hebrew

that not only

talks about

the spatial

proximity,

it's talking

about intimacy.

I want there

to be a

restoration

of relationship.

I want there

to be more

than just

we're kind

of hanging

out together,

we kind

of share

the same

space,

but I want

this relationship

again.

I want what

we had before

and I actually

want it to be

better than it

has ever been

before.

It's this

term that's

occasionally used

for coming

near for the

purpose of

embracing or

kissing.

There is this

intimacy that's

desired.

That's what

forgiveness really

looks for.

It looks for

the full

reconciliation.

It looks for

a desire of

restored relationship.

What would have

been broken

because of the

offense,

now restored

because of

this forgiving

act.

Swindoll puts

it this way,

he says,

he just

revealed the

best kept

secret in

Canaan.

Surely none

of the

brothers had

ever told

anyone what

had happened

that day

out in the

fields near

Dothan.

How would

this man

know the

truth if

he were

not their

long-last

Joseph?

They stared

at him

unable to

blink as

he reaffirmed,

I am the

one you sold

into Egypt.

I am

Joseph.

But here's

where forgiveness

really becomes

possible in

this third

element.

It really

becomes possible

as one is

able to rest

in God's

sovereignty.

So they're

sharing honestly,

they're desiring

proximity,

and they're

resting in

God's sovereignty.

Where does

that show up

in Joseph's

speech to his

brothers?

Where do you

see it?

Okay?

And how

many times

does he

say that?

Where do

you see it?

Point out the

verse for me.

Okay,

verse 5,

God sent me

before you

to preserve

your life.

Verse 7,

God sent me

before you

to preserve

for you

a remnant.

Verse 8,

it was not

you who sent

me here,

but God.

And then

later on in

verse 8,

God has

made me

a father

to Pharaoh

and lord

of his

house and

ruler over

all the

land of

Egypt.

So who

was responsible

for this

act?

Who was

the real

player behind

this story?

God was

the player

behind this

story.

What does

that do

for us?

What does

that do

for us

when we

have that

perspective?

How does

that help?

Okay?

Reminds us

of God's

sovereignty

when we're

going through

hard things?

Maybe just

for the sake

of simplicity,

someone describe

sovereignty for

me.

Let's just

take this big

theological term

and let's

make this

really easy

to understand.

How would

you describe

God's

sovereignty?

We've talked

about this

before,

but let's

just talk

about it

again.

How would

you define

it?

There's no

wrong answer.

Okay?

He's in

control.

Good.

What else?

Might.

Okay?

Power and

authority over

everything.

Everyone and

everything that

happens.

His divine

authority,

his

in-controlness,

his in-chargeness,

to make up

a word.

What's that?

His divine

will is

playing out.

Okay,

now,

that's hard,

isn't it?

Because did

God will

for his

brothers to

sin against

him?

What do

you do with

that?

Yeah.

he's

in

so

in

rca

you can

know

God's

sovereignty,

but it's

not always

rest in

it,

to your point.

Because sometimes

things do

happen,

and we're

in

that are

not

necessarily

at the

people

that do

things

against

us,

but we

do

know

that he

was

sovereign,

and so

there's

a point

where

we have

to rest

in that

so

we

do

not

in

that

we

lip

of God.

Okay,

sure.

so there's two things that play out here

not only our approach towards other people

but the way we view God himself

that when hard things happen

and we actually recognize that God is kind of

the mover behind these things

it'd be very easy for us to store up a measure of bitterness against him

how could you let this happen God

that could happen

maybe the collateral damage as it were

the residue of selfishness in our heart

towards seeing God is in control

but let's talk about

and I don't want to get

we don't have a whole lot of time for that

but we do have to kind of consider

that his brothers sinned against him

was that God's will?

all right

woo!

hot dog

what a teacher

that's right

there is this permissive will of God

where God does not will for sin to happen

but he does step back

and allows things to play out

as man is involved in exercising his own sinfulness

God says

you know what

I'm just going to let this take place

because I have bigger plans in store

right

that's good

good way to describe that

amen

amen

amen

that's good

amen

so it may not be

God's decreed will

but he is permitting it to take place

for the sake of

of working out his

his best for us

and his best

for

for others

okay

good

so

God

Joseph is resting

in the sovereignty

of God

he's resting in that sovereignty

I love this

he says

but God

those are glorious words

they show up

in

in Ephesians chapter 2

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

where

Paul is

is talking about

you were dead

and trespasses and sins

you

you were following the course of this world

you were walking after the

the prince of the power

of the air

he says

but God

God is

is the game changer

he's the one

who's

who's working through these things

and

and working them out

for his

for his best

I wonder what

what did faith in God

and forgiveness

for his brothers

do for Joseph

what

what did it do for him

practically

intangibly

how did it help

Joseph

to have faith in God

and forgiveness

for his brothers here

what do you see

that's good

there's a measure of freedom

isn't there

he didn't feel like

he had to be

the one

to exact

justice on his brothers

there's freedom

that's a good thing

what else

that's right

amen

amen

so it not only affected

this moment

right

it affected

his time

with Potiphar

it affected

his time

in the prison

and it just

permeated his life

and because of it

God was able

to just

grow him

in responsibility

and prominence

in the land of Egypt

and his ability

to influence

the people around him

and we're getting to that

it's good

thank you

yeah

it's good

it's good

it's good

so

so because of faith

in God

and forgiveness

towards his brothers

he wasn't

ringing

you know

God wasn't

ringing his hands

he wasn't trying

to figure out

okay

what do I do next

what's

how do I fix

this problem

God was sovereign

in all of that

and Joseph

could rest in that

which led to peace

it led to peace

in his heart

his ability

to just

to trust the Lord

his ability

to bless

his ability

to thrive

and not

play the victim

and he says here

at the end of verse 8

God has made me

a father to Pharaoh

lord of all his house

and ruler

over the land

of Egypt

three

significant

things

that God

allowed to happen

in his life

because

of faith

and forgiveness

I call that thriving

Joseph thrived

because

of freedom

to forgive

freedom

to trust

that God

was in control

and his legacy

continues

in Psalm 105

we kind of read

about

all the

hard things

that Joseph

went through

the psalmist

says

they hurt

his feet

with fetters

he was laid

in irons

and then Stephen

in his great address

in Acts chapter 7

Acts 7 · chapter mention

talks about

the example

of

Joseph as well

he says

but God

was with him

and delivered him

out of all of his

troubles

and gave him

favor and wisdom

in the presence

of Pharaoh

king of Egypt

and he made him

governor

over Egypt

and all his house

why did that happen

why is this

continuing

record

of Joseph

enduring

to this generation

we get to benefit

from faith

and forgiveness

in the heart

of Joseph

what a story

imagine

imagine

what God

might do

with your life

if you were

filled with faith

and forgiveness

what might

God accomplish

what story

might he write

about your life

in the annals

of heaven

to celebrate

his work

in your life

of making you

an individual

who's full of faith

and full of forgiveness

it's potent

it's powerful

it's impactful

and that's why

we're reading

his story

we're reading

this story

of Joseph

because he had learned

the significance

of faith

and forgiveness

but it not just

shows up

in words

we find that

it shows up

in actions

here in

verses 10 to 15

verses 10 to 15

let me read this

for us

you should dwell

in the land

of Goshen

excuse me

let me back up

to verse 9

hurry

and go up

to my father

and say to him

thus says your son

Joseph

God has made me

Lord of all of Egypt

come down to me

and do not tarry

that's interesting

you shall dwell

in the land

of Goshen

and you shall

be near me

you and your children

and your children's children

your flocks

your herds

and all that you have

there I will provide

for you

for there are yet

five years

of famine to come

so that you

and your household

and all that you have

do not come to poverty

and now when your eyes

see

in the eyes

of my brother

Benjamin see

that it is my mouth

that speaks to you

you must tell

my father

of all my honor

in Egypt

and all that you

have seen

hurry

and bring

my father

down here

then he fell

upon his brother

Benjamin's neck

and wept

and Benjamin

wept upon his neck

and he kissed

all his brothers

and wept upon them

after that

his brothers

talked with him

there's a

there's a story

of masculinity

a cry fest

but there was

there was real

emotion

and joy

and desire

for union

and I think

celebrating

the work of God

in making all this

possible

it was worship

through and through

so what sort of

actions do you see

actions

of faith

and I think

this is

maybe one of the

fourth marks

of true forgiveness

okay

how does

how does his

giving

generously

show up

in this passage

how does this

mark of faith

and forgiveness

playing out

towards his brothers

what do you see

okay

I'm going to

provide for you

no

no need

to worry

about the future

I'll take care

of it

that's good

what else

yeah

I'm going to

give you

the land of

Goshen

as we're going

to find a little

bit later

it wasn't just

the

the

the

leftover land

it was the

the

the

the

creme de la creme

of the land

of Egypt

he gives them

the best of the best

okay

it's good

what else

okay

so he doesn't

just rescue them

he elevates them

and how does he do that

how do you see that

okay

it's good

I

I want you to

experience the same

blessing

from God

that I'm experiencing

I'm not just going to

give you the leftovers

I'm not just going to

give you the

the scraps

from the king's table

I'm going to give you

the absolute best

that I have access to

it's good

do you

do you see this

interesting

again

it's

it's reiterated

this

come near

this desire

for closeness

and intimacy

this

he says it twice

he says it

in verse 9

come down

to me

and do not

tarry

then he says

in verse 10

the purpose of this

is you shall be

near to me

I'm not

just going to

send stuff

home

I want you

to be

near to me

I want

this to be

more than just

a provision

for you

that there's not

just a giving

of stuff

there's a giving

of self

that's important

not just a giving

of stuff

but a giving

of self

he reassures

them of his

affection

he falls on

his brother

Benjamin's neck

and weeps

and he falls

on all his

brothers

and weeps

there's real

affection

that's there

and reassurance

of giving

his own

person

his own

self

to them

and Joseph

is taking

the lead

he's taking

the lead

by setting

the example

of faith

so

we talked a lot

about Joseph

and talked a lot

about what God

has been working

in his life

but I want you

to kind of

notice something

okay

I want you

to notice

that faith

is working

itself out

in Joseph's

entire person

okay

his whole

being

has been

transformed

by faith

right

so

let's think

about some

body parts

and

both emotional

and physical

okay

how is it

playing out

in his whole

person

let me give you

an example

okay

so he has a

mind

at peace

okay

how about

some

how about

some others

I know

it's kind of

early in the

morning

and I'm

kind of

how about

this

a heart

with no

bitterness

how about

a mouth

what is

how does

how does

show up

from his

mouth

he speaks

kind words

how about

his hands

what is

what is

hands

doing

the embrace

and the

giving

of blessing

think of

arms

that hold

near

I think

of lips

that kiss

and eyes

that weep

the whole

person is

involved

in this

expression

of faith

and forgiveness

it involves

his entire

being

he is

he is

dialed in

to this

so

you want

to add

one

it's good

that's good

appreciate

that

so

let's spend

a few minutes

applying this

okay

and we

may spend

the rest

of our

time here

just depending

upon our

conversation

so don't

get stressed

out if we

don't get

to point

number two

okay

if I don't

get to point

number two

because I

think this is

so important

for us to

to really

see

okay

so let's

talk about

this

listen to

this verse

and listen

for these

clues

okay

the clues

of

of how

forgiveness

shows up

in words

and actions

okay

this is a

familiar one

for you

it says

in Ephesians

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4

30 to

32

it says

and do

not grieve

the Holy

Spirit

of God

by whom

you were

sealed

for the

day

of

redemption

let

all

bitterness

and wrath

and anger

and clamor

and slander

be put away

from you

along with

all malice

be kind

to one

another

tender

hearted

forgiving

one another

as God

in Christ

forgave

you

okay

so

I guess

before we

dig in

too deep

I want us

to

what is

at stake

what is

at stake

if we

fail

to

obey

this verse

what's at

stake

if we

fail

to forgive

what's

that

relationships

with other

people

that's

true

okay

testimony

of what

God

has done

for us

that we're

forgiving

as Christ

forgave

us

grieves

!

the Holy

Spirit

do

not

grieve

the Holy

Spirit

is that

a big

deal

is that

important

what

might

grieving

the Holy

Spirit

lead to

in your

life

well

maybe

we just

make it

what does

the Holy

Spirit

do

for you

in your

spiritual

life

give me

some

examples

helps us

understand

the Bible

and even

gives us

an affection

for the

Bible

because

if we

don't

understand

it

it's

like

what's

the

point

right

good

what else

does

the Holy

Spirit

do

convicts

us

of

sin

so

if

we're

not

convicted

of

sin

we're

just

going

to

keep

on

running

down

the

road

of

destruction

okay

what else

does

the Spirit

do

gives us

the fruit

of the

Spirit

love

and joy

peace

patience

kindness

goodness

okay

he

helps

us

look

like

Christ

what

else

does

the Holy

Spirit

do

he

guides

us

in

what

way

okay

he

brings

the word

of God

to our

attention

in specific

situations

and helps

us have

the wisdom

that we

need to

make

good

decisions

okay

good

protection

what else

did the

Holy

Spirit

do

that's

right

Romans 8

he

the groaning

of the

Spirit

on our

behalf

and

interceding

for us

with groanings

too deep

for words

he's able

to put

into voice

in God's

throne

what we

can't

express

in our

own

so he

prays

for us

anything

else

the Holy

Spirit

does

for us

what's

that

he

helps

me

obey

that's

right

he

empowers

me

he

says

Paul

in

praying

for

the

church

he

says

be

be

in

Ephesians

Ephesians 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6

be strong

in the

Lord

in the

power

of

his

might

and

then

in

chapter

3

he

says

I'm

praying

for

you

that

you

be

strengthened

with

power

through

the

spirit

in the

inner

man

okay

the

spirit

gives

you

power

to

overcome

sin

what

else

that's

what

you're

going

to

say

what's

that

he

reveals

the

Lord

to

us

we

find

that

in

John

John 14 · chapter mention

chapter

14

and

15

and

16

everything

in the

spiritual

life

is

given

to

us

through

the

resource

of

the

Holy

Spirit

so

to

grieve

the

Spirit

is

to

turn

your

back

on

all

those

things

that

are

good

so

that's

a

big

deal

so

that's

why

forgiveness

is so

important

okay

because

of

the

connection

that it

is

to

the

Spirit

okay

but

let's

ask

the

question

why

okay

if

we

know

it's

important

why

is

it

important

why

is

it

important

and

maybe

before

we even

get

there

in this

verse

in

Ephesians

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

chapter

4

30

to

32

do

you

see

how

speech

and

action

kind of

go hand

in hand

okay

it says

put off

all bitterness

and wrath

and anger

and clamor

and evil

speaking

and slander

okay

those

are the

words

are the

words

that

come

out

of

our

mouth

and

in

verse

32

what

is it

talking

about

it

says

to

do

what

and

be

kind

one

to

another

is that

a word

is that

a thought

or is

that

an

action

you

know

I

I

think

so

often

the reason

why we

forgive

with our

lips

but never

feel

forgiveness

in our

hearts

is because

we never

acted out

in kindness

we remain

a prisoner

of hurt

because we

refuse

to act

in the

spirit's

power

to go

beyond

what is

fleshly

okay

and to

actually

enjoy the

process

of being

kind

like

Christ

so that

he can

bring

healing

to our

hearts

in true

forgiveness

will

reign

words

and

actions

that are

important

to help

us

enjoy

the

experience

of faith

and forgiveness

so

why is

forgiveness

important

what are