god is calling his people to forgiveness

8/12/2019 God is Calling His People to Forgiveness

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God is calling

his people to

FORGIVENESS

By Gene Lilly



Published By Hunter Books

Table of ContentsIntroduction 4

Seeing esus in !oursel" 7

#o Not udge 12

Lo$e !our Ene%ies 22 Forgi$eness in &y O'n Fa%ily 33

Forgi$eness in (he )ay%an Islands 42

*rosperity through Forgi$eness 48

Forgi$eness Heals &arriage *ro+le%s 58

, !ear o" Healing and Forgi$eness 65

Forgi$eness Necessary "or *hysical Healing 75

Forgi$eness Brings -nity 83

Forgi$eness through )on"ession.)o%plete Forgi$eness. 91



Introduction

+y Stephen Strang/ Editor o" Charisma &aga0ine

One o" the %ost i%portant truths a )hristian canlearn is the "reedo% and release that results "ro%"orgi$ing1 !et this truth escapes attention in %ostchurches e$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 (heser$ant turned around and re"used to "orgi$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$ing1 I ne$erreali0ed 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$er +een 'ronged inso%e s%all 'ay and har+ored un"orgi$eness1

I kne' I had1 I resented college "riends 'ho +orro'ed and kept %y used te3t+ooks I 'as hurto$er "ello' +elie$ers 'ho 'ouldn5t gi$e +ack a"a$orite cassette1 I e$en 'as still pi6ued +ecause %yyounger +rother/ years ago/ had stolen %ost o" %y

penny collection 7 one +y one so I 'ouldn5t notice

7 so he could +uy candy18hen Gene retold the story a+out the

un"orgi$ing ser$ant/ the truth a+out "orgi$enessca%e "looding into a darkroo% o" %yunderstanding1 It e3posed all %y un"orgi$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 Ihad +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 %yun"orgi$eness/ spilled o$er %y "ace that night1

Gene led us in a prayer "or "orgi$eness and Iasked esus to "orgi$e any %alice/ slander oranything. I had in %y heart against anyone1

(hen I asked esus to sho' %e those I hadre"used to "orgi$e1 I couldn5t +elie$e ho' "ast theHoly Spirit +rought to %y %ind e3perience a"tere3perience o" the ti%es 'hen I had re"used to

"orgi$e so%eone1 Ho'e$er/ there 'as onee3perience '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 helpedesta+lish in his %inistry/ had turned his +ack on %e9to %y 'ay o" thinking:/ and had +roken our closerelationship1 (o a$oid the unpleasant situation thatde$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 $erythought o" the e$ents that took place %ade %ysto%ach churn1

8hat the Holy Spirit sho'ed %e that night hurte$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$er to theLord1 I 'orked out a solution 7 I 'ithdre'1 Butthat 'asn5t the Lord5s solution and I knew I had toask %y +rother to "orgi$e %e1

(he ne3t day I cleared an hour in %y scheduleand 'ent to his o""ice to do 'hat I kne' 'ould +edi""icult 7 to ask his "orgi$eness1

(he Lord had +een sho'ing %e/ I told hi%/ thatI had 'ronged hi% and I 'anted hi% to "orgi$e %e1

I e3pected hi% to say he5d +een 'rong too andthat he 'anted %e to "orgi$e hi%/ +ut he didn5t1Instead/ he said he had already "orgi$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 Iasked hi% to "orgi$e %e/ he did1 8e prayedtogether/ 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 "orse$eral %inutes and 'ept1 I thanked God "or therelease I "elt in %y spirit1 It 'as as i" a rope had

+een around %y heart/ %aking %e "eel tight inside1But no' it 'as released 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 canstart seeing esus in others1 In Christ, you areredee%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<23 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 theFather5s 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 lookat it logically1 8hen a %an 'orks at +eing a

plu%+er/ he is called a plu%+er1 8hen he 'orks asa carpenter/ he is called a carpenter1 It does notnecessarily %ean that he is a per"ect plu%+er or a

per"ect carpenter1 He %ay not ha$e all the ans'ersin his particular trade1

(he sa%e truth applies to you and %e1 I" you area )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 *aulin 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" asyou are in Jesus )on"ess 'hat you are in Christ andit 'ill change your li"e1 esus paid a tre%endous

price "or us to ha$e all spiritual +lessings18hether 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 %ansiond'ells God5s possession1

God5s only interest is in his people Reading

through the scriptures you 'ill "ind that God isinterested in his people +ecause the glory o" theLord 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

peuliar people & different people! 8e need tograsp 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/ thecaptain o" the te%ple/ and the Sadducees had

released *eter and ohn1 (hey had +een told i" theysaid 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 voie to #od with one aord, and



said, 'ord, thou art #od, whih 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 strething forth thine handto 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$il to +e +ound1 (hey si%ply said/@Lord/ anoint us %ore that 'e can proclai% it a littlelouder/A 'ith %ore con"idence and %ore +oldnessthan e$er +e"ore/ and look 'hat happened.

Verse 31< &nd when they had prayed, the plae

was shaken where they were assembled together-

and they were all filled with the oly #host, and

they spake the word of #od with boldness $&ts

431 %

8e should +e praying "or more anointing! 8eare co%ing into a ti%e o" persecution and there aregoing to +e a lot o" people 'ho 'ill ne$er 'in onesingle soul/ +ecause they 'ill spend all their ti%e

+inding the de$il1



*ersecution has to co%e to get the @luke'ar%Aeither 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$e the Lord co%plete control o"our li"e and ask hi% to live through us Either )hristis ali$e in us or he isn5t. It is either his li"e that isli$ing in us or 'e are nothing1

esus o"ten gets the +la%e "or things he isn5tdoing1 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 @gloriouschurch 'ithout spot or 'rinkle1A So%e preachersteach that this %eans ?ust a spiritual church1 I5VEGO( NE8S FOR (HE&. God will raise up aglorious 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 theyhad it/ 'hen the +uilding 'as shaken and they spokethe 'ord o" God 'ith +oldness1 (hen 'e 'ould notneed 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 torecei$e it1



For the church to e$er co%e into the place o" po'er that God 'ants/ 'e %ust reckon 'ith

"orgi$eness1I ha$e taught e3tensi$ely on the su+?ect o"

"orgi$eness1 It is a "act that "orgi$eness is aneessity "or li$ing a $ictorious )hristian li"e1Resent%ent and un"orgi$eness are the cancer o" the%ind/ the e%otions/ and the +ody1 It literally eatsa'ay at you1

(here are %any )hristians today 'ho are not"ree1 (he reason they are not is +ecause they do notunderstand 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 $ery 'orst cults1 I ha$eheard the $oodoo 'orshippers in the islands in theO+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 whih

believed on him, If ye ontinue in my word, then are

ye my disiples indeed- &nd ye shall know the truth,

and the truth shall make you free $John 8:31.32 %

#o you a+ide in the 'ord &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 (heyha$e ne$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$e +eenset "ree is unforgiveness In ohn 12<47/ esus said a$ery interesting thing< &nd if any man hear my

words, and believe not, I 1udge him not: for I amenot 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 years18e prayed "or the sick and ga$e the% "ood1 8e didnot 'orry a+out 'hat 'ould co%e ne3t1 8e didn5t

?udge the%1 8e si%ply told the% that the Lord had pro$ided it and +e"ore long they 'anted to kno'a+out esus1 ,s1 'e shared a+out esus/ peoplestarted getting sa$ed1

I" anyone hears %y sayings and does not keepthe%/ I do not ?udge hi%1 I 'ant you to think on that

state%ent1 ,s you think on it/ it 'ill +eco%e %orei%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 inyou/ all spiritual +lessings are in you1

8here IN !O-. &ll spiritual +lessings are ?ust the thickness o"

the "lesh a'ay "ro% you1I" you ha$e ne$er +een +orn again/ i" you ha$e

ne$er recei$ed esus/ there is nothing inside youe3cept a +ig e%pty hole1 E$en so/ esus said/ I do



not ?udge any %an1 (here is a day o" ?udg%entco%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%e18e are operating in the power o" the na%e o" esus1It is ?ust like a po'er o" attorney1 , po'er o"attorney legally gi$es us the right to sign another5sna%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 #ayo" udg%ent no'1 I" 'e start ?udging people=operating in the po'er o" the na%e o" esus>/ then'hat happens 8e are out o" his 'ill and peace

disappears1 udging is not the ?o+ esus called us todo1

In the sa%e 'ay 'e can speak healing anddeli$erance into people 'e can also speakconde%nation/ ?udg%ent/ and +ondage into the%1Re%e%+er/ 'e are operating under the sa%eauthority1

esus5 teaching on "orgi$eness 'as so strongthat 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 it (hose sins you re%it arere%itted and those you retain are retained1 8ho 'as

he talking to (he church. 3s! In other 'ords/ 'ecan retain or +ind sins "or so%eone else1

8e hold people in +ondage1 8e hold oursel$esin +ondage1 esus taught %ore on "orgi$eness in&atthe' 18<23;27< +herefore is the kingdom of



heaven likened unto a ertain king, whih would

take aount of his servants &nd when he had

begun to rekon, one was brought unto him, whihowed him ten thousand talents

(en thousand talents 'as $alued at +et'een tenand t'enty %illion dollars1 I 'ould say that 'as a

pretty su+stantial de+t1 But forasmuh 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 patiene 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, whih owed him an hundred pene-

and 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 than220100/ pro+a+ly a+out 2171001 He had ?ust +een"orgi$en a de+t o" pro+a+ly %ore than ten %illiondollars1 (he "ello'ser$ant o'ed hi% se$enteendollars and he 'as going to choke hi% to death "or

it1 )an you picture thatVerses 29;30 say< &nd his fellowservant fell

down at his feet, and besought him, saying, ave

patiene 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 inbondage!

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 wiked

servant, I forgave thee all that debt, beause 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 notevery 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 goingto keep your deli$erance unless you forgive

-n"orgi$eness is a lu3ury o" the "lesh1 , lu3uryyou cannot a""ord to ha$e1 It %akes your "lesh "eelgood 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/ +eganchoking hi% and thre' hi% in ?ail1 (hen he 'asthro'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$ant +y the hand and said/ I "orgi$eyou1 (hey could ha$e 'alked through li"e togethertotally free! Instead they +oth ended up in +ondage1



#o you see ho' 'e can keep so%eone else +ound ,s long as 'e ha$e not "orgi$en so%eone/

'e are keeping the church "ro% co%ing together18e ha$e kept that person in +ondage as 'ell asoursel$es1 (here is a lot %ore to "orgi$ing than ?ustin$ol$ing oursel$es1 In "orgi$ing 'e are releasingthe other person as 'ell as oursel$es1

esus said/ i" you retain that sin/ it is retained1esus 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$e co%e "orth1 8hen esus asked theFather to "orgi$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$ingesus "orga$e then/ and no' it is up to us1 8e

are the only ones 'ho can retain sin againstso%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 theLord asks1 I" you 'ant $ictory in your li"e/ the truth'ill set you "ree1 (he truth 'ill set you totally "ree18hen 'e start reali0ing that/ 'e 'ill +e 'illing todo 'hat God asks1

(he ne3t thing I 'ould like "or you tounderstand is that it %akes no di""erence 'hathappened to cause un"orgi$eness1 It %akes no

di""erence 'ho 'as right or 'rong1 It is totallyi%%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 asyour relationship $ertically1 !our relationship 'ith

your +rother and sister is in direct proportion to yourrelationship 'ith your hea$enly Father1 ohn said inI 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 'ronged He 'as the only one 'hone$er did any 'rong to anyone. He 'as co%pletelyright. !et he said/ "Father, forgive them/

Ha$e you e$er read the ser%on that Stephen

preached in the +ook o" ,cts He 'as reallyanointed1 He preached o" ,+raha% and hisdescendants/ 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 inte%ples %ade 'ith hands/ +ut in us1 He accused thelisteners o" +eing sti"";necked in heart and ears/ andsaid they al'ays resisted the Holy Spirit/ e$en astheir "athers did1

8hen they heard these things they +eca%eangry 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$enangrier1 (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 then He knelt

do'n and cried 'ith a loud $oice/ "'ord, lay not

this sin to their harge/

#id they do Stephen 'rong )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%eoneelse is 'rong. Get that co%pletely out o" your head1(his is the de$il5s 'ay o" ?usti"ying it in your o'n

%ind1I" esus had not said/ @Father "orgi$e the%/A as

he hung on the cross/ 'e 'ould still +e in the sa%eshape as the people 'ere +e"ore he died1 But the "actre%ains/ he did speak those 'ords1 He shed his

+lood/ and his 'ord is still here. He 'as right/ andstill he forgave us.

*eter 'rote on this su+?ect in I *eter 2<19;21< For this is thankworthy, if a man for onsiene

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

aeptable with #od For even hereunto were yealled: beause 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 %ostaccepta+le 'ith God. (hat tells us to "orgi$e/



regardless o" 'ho is at "ault/ and i" 'e "orgi$e 'henit is not our "ault then 'e 'ill recei$e glory.

esus 'as our e3a%ple in "orgi$eness1 8e are to"ollo' his e3a%ple and "orgi$e/ regardless o" 'ho isat "ault1

Let5s look at so%e %ore o" esus5 teaching1 (heaccount 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 thee-

Re%e%+er he is saying that your +rother hasso%ething against you. He is not talking a+out youha$ing so%ething against your +rother/ +ut that youkno' he has so%ething against you1 Ha$e you e$er

+een caught in that situation

!ou kne' there 'as a broken relationship +et'een you and so%eone/ +ut you really did notha$e anything in your heart against the%1 (hey%ight ha$e +een totally 'rong1 Still you re%e%+eryour +rother has so%ething against you1 Verse 24

says< 'eave there thy gift before the altar, and go

thy way- first be reoniled to thy brother, and then

ome and offer thy gift

#o you see 'hat God is saying8hen 'e kno' that so%e+ody has so%ething

against us/ God says/ don5t co%e around 'ith yourhallelu?ahs and praises until you get that relationshipright

)hristianity is not a religion o" right doctrine/ +ut a religion o" right relationship.

(he Bi+le says to go your 'ay "irst and +ereconciled/ 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 alsosecure your o'n release.

, couple o" years ago I 'as 'ith three )hristian +rothers in (e3as1 One o" the% "elt a +urden to starta ne' 'ork "or the Lord in (e3as1 8e got togetherand prayed a+out it1

,"ter seeking the guidance o" the Holy Spirit 'edid not "eel that all "our o" us 'ere to +e in$ol$ed1(he three o" us "elt that the one 'ho 'anted to startthe '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 thought1Ho'e$er/ the +rother 'ho re%ained in (e3as hadSatan =the accuser o" the +rethren> 'hispering in hisear<

@(hose guys don5t 'ant anything to do 'ithyou/ that5s 'hy they 'on5t ha$e anything to do 'iththis 'ork1A

(hat thought "ed on his %ind and his spirit1I 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 againstthee1> (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 askedhi% to ha$e lunch 'ith us 'hile 'e 'ere in to'n1He 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%ore1I don5t kno' 'hy/ +ut that doesn5t %atter1 8hate$erI ha$e done to you that is 'rong I 'ant you to"orgi$e %e1 8hate$er has hurt your "eelings/ I askyour "orgi$eness1A

8ith that he shared his story and un+urdened hisheart1 It 'asn5t a %atter o" 'hether I 'as innocento" 'rong doing or not1 8hat did %atter 'as that he"orga$e %e. !ou see/ 'e do not ha$e to pro$e 'eare right 'e ha$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 Eneies

esus is co%ing +ack "or a glori"ied +ody achurch '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$eto agree on e$erything +ecause doctrinally 'e aregoing to ha$e so%e di""erences1 But/ 'e can agreethat esus is Lord and that he is the only 'ay tohea$en1

I" 'e can keep our %ind and eyes on esus andesus in our +rothers and sisters/ 'e can get along'ith each other a 'hole lot +etter1 I +elie$e thato"ten 'e are not hearing %uch o" 'hat God has tosay to us +ecause 'e are not 'illing to recei$e%inistry "ro% others1 !ou can ne$er recei$eanything "ro% any+ody you are not 'illing torecei$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 greatest1He called us to ser$e1 8hen 'e 'ait upon the Lord/'e are ser$ing hi% so that our strength 'ill +erene'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+ts1He '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$e %en/ then ourHea$enly Father 'ill not "orgi$e us1

I see so%e )hristians 'ho are +eaten do'n +ythe de$il1 (hey are carrying a load o" sin +ecausetheir heart is "illed 'ith resent%ent/ hate/ andun"orgi$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 abundane of theheart 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 aount 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 youcan hear people getting 'ell. I %ean that1 !ou canliterally hear the% getting 'ell.

(here 'as a young Viet Na% $eteran 'ho ca%eto %e a+out a year ago1 He had lost his sight1 His

+ody 'as dis"igured physically as 'ell asspiritually he 'as al%ost co%pletely destroyed1 He'as "illed 'ith hate1



*raise esus/ he got serious a+out God and esussa$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 ringconstantly1 Since he ga$e his li"e to esus/ Godhealed his ear dru%s and stopped the ringing1

He also had one ar% that had +een operated onand it 'as a+out t'o inches shorter than the other1 Ithas +een gro'ing out to +eco%e e$en 'ith theother1

By ?ust listening to that young %an talk/ you canhear hi% getting 'ell1 His spirit has +een healedand his mind is +eing rene'ed1 Healing anddeli$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 isletting God do a 'ork in hi%1 8hat he is speaking istruth.

!ou see/ "aith co%es "ro% hearing and hearing"ro% the 'ord o" God1 &ost o" us read that $erseand think 'e need to get to church to hear our pastor

preach the 'ord1 =,nd don5t +e %istaken/ 'e doneed to get to church and hear our pastor1> But didyou kno' that you learn three ti%es "aster 'hen youhear it "ro% your o'n %outh

8e need to +e speaking the 'ord that our "aith

%ight +e +uilt1 (hat does not %ean that you don5t goto church1 It only %eans that all the ti%e you are notin church you should +e con"essing the 'ord o"God1



whih 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 toreeive, what thank have ye* For sinners also lend

to sinners, to reeive as muh 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 atso%e )hristian 'ho did not return your cassettetapes 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 %adethat 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 %anytapes and +ooks she had +ought and loaned1

@Oh/ God/A she prayed1 @Forgi$e %e "orco%plaining1 ,nd I forgive each person 'ho has"ailed to return anything 'hatsoe$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$enessshe 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 thechest o" dra'ers yesterday and "ound these three



cassette tapes o" yours/A and she handed the% o$erto *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 %eA

*hyllis had a kno'ing s%ile on her lips1 @!es/Ashe said/ @I certainly 'ill "orgi$e you1A

She handed %e the tapes and 'e started on intothe 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 returningit1A 8ith that he handed %e a +ook1 ,gain *hylliss%iled1

Fro% that point "or'ard I lost count1 *ersona"ter person ca%e up/ one 'ith t'o +ooks/ one 'ith

hal" a do0en tapes and "our +ooks/ others 'ith oneor %ore tapes or +ooks1 It 'as un+elie$a+le.

@8hat5s going onA I asked *hyllis1 ,gain shes%iled that kno'ing s%ile1

By the ti%e 'e got settled in our seats and theser$ice +egan it looked like 'e 'ere ready to start ali+rary right there in the pe'1 8e %ust ha$e had a

pile o" t'o do0en tapes and a do0en or %ore +ooks1It looked as i" e$ery+ody in the church had at leastone tape or +ook to gi$e +ack to us1

,s soon as the ser$ice 'as o$er I took o"" "orthe car/ 'ith %y ar%s "ull o" tapes and +ooks.

@8hat is going onA I insisted1 @I5$e ne$er seen

anything like this and all you do is grin and looklike the cat that s'allo'ed the canary1A

@!ou re%e%+er 'hen you 'ere preaching on"orgi$eness the other dayA I nodded1 @!ou



%entioned that esus said to lend/ e3pecting nothingin 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$e the%/ it %ustha$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$eness. No' I could understand 'hat had +een going on1 No' I understood 'hy all the tapes and +ooks hadsuddenly started "lo'ing +ack1 -n"orgi$eness hadstopped up the channel +ut "orgi$eness hadunclogged the pipes1

I 'ent to another person5s house recently 'hoal%ost "ell out o" "ello'ship 'ith God +ecause

so%eone had not returned a special ne' translationo" the Bi+le they had +orro'ed1

I" 'e 'ould gi$e and not 'orry a+out/ or e$ene3pect/ anything in return/ 'e 'ould not get intothis type o" di""iculty1 (hat is 'hat esus is teachingin the si3th chapter o" Luke1 ,"ter he said< "'end,

hoping for nothing again @He continued in Luke6 :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 meriful, as your Father also is meriful

(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 kindto e$ery+ody 'ho is the a+solute i%age and likenesso" the Lord esus )hrist1 But 'hat a+out the ones'ho are not 6uite there yet



E$en %ore i%portant than that/ 'hat a+out thosedrunks do'n the street 'ho are not e$en sa$ed

8hat a+out the ones doing the opposite o" 'hat God'ants 8hat a+out the ones in$ol$ed in 'itchcra"t8hat a+out one o" the %ediu%s in the localspiritualist church

, lot o" )hristians are +inding the% 'ith theirconde%nation and %aking it "ar %ore di""icult "orthe% 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 that Because hekne' 'hat 'as going to happen to us 'hen 'e

started doing it1 He kne' that 'hen 'e ?udge andconde%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 'hythey cannot "ello'ship 'ith any+ody1 It5s +ecausethey 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 onthe% +ecause they started +inding other people andended 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 'ithour +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 isone o" our +est "riends/ George )louse1 George is a"or%er &ethodist 'ho recei$ed the +aptis% o" theHoly Spirit "our years ago and is one o" the %ostgentle )hristians I kno'1 George5s $i$acious 'i"e/&ary o/ is our a+le ad%inistrati$e assistant1

George and &ary 0 ha$e a +eauti"ul )hristianho%e and t'o 'ell;+eha$ed teenagers1

One o" George5s greatest heartaches is that hereared his three gro'n children in an un;)hristian

ho%e +ecause he did not kno' esus until a"ter theyle"t ho%e1

Still/ George believed his children 'ould +eco%e )hristians1 Shortly a"ter this/ his t'odaughters and their hus+ands ca%e to kno' theLord1 But his oldest son/ Bill/ see%ed a hopelesscase1

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 "arthestthing "ro% his %ind/ and he 'ouldn5t e$en co%enear a church1 (his 'as/ o" course/ a +igdisappoint%ent to George and &ary o1

(he night I preached a+out "orgi$eness/ itda'ned on George that he had +een conde%ningBill and his 'i"e "or not li$ing right1 ,s soon as theser$ice 'as o$er George and &ary o ?oinedtogether/ forgiving Bill and his 'i"e1



@8e 'ere ?udging and conde%ning 'hen 'eshould ha$e +een "orgi$ing/A George told %e later1

@8e changed things that night and ha$e ne$erconde%ned again1A

It 'as less than a 'eek a"ter @"orgi$ingA the%that Bill5s 'i"e ca%e to church 'ith George and&ary o "or the "irst ti%e1 (he "ollo'ing 'eek Bill'ent +y his dad5s o""ice and talked 'ith hi% "oro$er an hour a+out the reality o" God and 'hat 'as%issing in his li"e1 George challenged hi% to attendchurch "or "our straight Sunday %ornings and testand see i" God 'ould %eet his needs1 He acceptedthe 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 theLord o$er the phone1 (he ne3t Sunday night Billand his 'i"e 'ere +apti0ed in 'ater and ca%e up"ro% the 'ater eager to ser$e the Lord1 (heconde%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 hadnot slept 'ell the night +e"ore +ecause a group o"young %en had gathered outside her house under thestreet light and @carried onA %ost o" the night1 Shesaid 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% andloose the%1 &o% certainly 'asn5t too enthusiastica+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/ +ecauseo" circu%stances/ had his sisters;in;la' li$ing 'ithhi%1 He 'as a $ery godly %an1 Ho'e$er/ his

sisters;in;la' 'ere teenagers and $ery 'orldly1 Heused to gru%+le and co%plain a+out the% all theti%e1 (hey 'ould go o"" to dances and parties andhe 'ould critici0e and conde%n the%1

One day God spoke to his heart and he reali0edthat he needed to forgive the%1 He had +een holdinggrudges 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 andtake u%+rellas and galoshes +ecause it is pouringrain 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$e1 8hen he sa' the t'o girls hesaid/ @I ha$e +rought your u%+rellas and galoshesand I a% here to 'alk you ho%e1A



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



Chapter !our

!orgiveness in "# Own !ail#

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/ BeccaA

Re+ecca had al'ays +een a "un;lo$ing/ care"reegirl1 ,s she hit her teen years/ re+ellion had set inand she got in 'ith the 'rong cro'd1

She had had a disastrous %arriage 'hich endedin 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$elation o" the Holy Spirit/ Ikne' that I had put her in +ondage +y %y actions1(hat night I prayed the prayer o" "orgi$eness andreleased 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 getright 'ith God1 She repented/ turned to'ard the

path'ay o" the Lord and is no' 'alking in thatlight1 *raise God. Forgi$eness really does 'ork.

(he truth o" "orgi$eness is changing li$es allaround 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 *hyllisand I 'ere %arried it see%ed to +e 'orse than

+e"ore1For a long ti%e I did not kno' that I needed

deli$erance "ro% that +ad te%per1 8hen the Lordre$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$il/ I 'as "illed 'iththe Holy Spirit/ and I still got %ad1 I did e$erythingI 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 triedin the "lesh and I5$e tried in e$ery 'ay that I5$eseen in your 'ord1 No' you are going to ha$e to doso%ething1 I ha$e pro%ised *hyllis that I 'ill notget %ad and co%e ho%e to Dlet o"" stea%51 I cannotkeep 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$e +een 'rong1I 'ant to "orgi$e you "or your te%per and I 'ant toask 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 shecontinued/ @I5% to "orgi$e you.A

I ha$en5t lost %y te%per since.FORGIVENESS FREES.



8i$es/ there are %any o" you prayingconde%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 prayingconde%nation upon their pastors1

!ou can also +ring conde%nation upon yoursel" +ecause you ha$e ne$er seen esus in yoursel"1 !ousay/ @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 isali$e in you! #on5t get e3cited a+out 'hat you are inthe "lesh/ +ut get e3cited a+out 'hat esus is in you

&any people spend thousands o" dollars tode$elop sel";con"idence/ and still end up in "ailure1

I" your con"idence is in yoursel"/ it 'ill not +e longuntil you are ship'recked1 *ro+a+ly e$ery +ook thathas +een 'ritten a+out %en 'ith great sel";con"idence has an ending that speaks other'ise1&any o" these so;called great %en ha$e either diedin 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

F52 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 tohi%1 His 'i"e/ oy/ also e3perienced her o'nre$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 Suddenlythe 'ords "forgive yourself/ "looded her %ind as I

'as speaking on the su+?ect o" "orgi$eness1She 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 %outhand as I prayed and forgave myself, I "elt a releaseinside %e1A

I could tell "ro% the 'ay she talked she had +eendeeply touched +y the e3perience1

She continued/ @(hat candy in %y %outh turnedso +itter that I had to spit it out1 Ne$er again ha$e Ihad the insatia+le cra$ing "or s'eets that I oncehad1A

,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 yousee esus in yourself, you 'ill ne$er see him inany+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% 'asunforgiveness and I sa' that it all ste%%ed "ro%so%ething she had done in the past1

@Ha$e you e$er considered co%%ittingsuicideA I asked1

@8ho told youA she 6uickly inter?ected 'ith

'orry creasing her "orehead1 @No+ody kne' a+outthat1 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 shehad thought and done during her younger years o"

li"e1 (he de$il had kept +ringing it +ack to her andthe un"orgi$eness o" hersel" 'as eating at her $ery

+eing1I 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 theco%plete story o" 'hat had happened1

@I had asked "or the +aptis% o" the Holy Spirit +ut could not recei$e due to so%e +lockage/A sherelated1 @8hen you prayed "or %e that night I"orga$e %ysel"/ e$en though I didn5t 6uiteunderstand 'hat it %eant/ and %y li"e changed "ro%that ti%e "or'ard1

@(he ne3t 'eek I 'as $acuu%ing %y house and praising the Lord as I 'orked1 (he %ore I 'orked/the %ore I praised/ and the %ore I praised/ the %oreco%plete I +eca%e1 Finally I stopped/ raised %yhands/ and started speaking in a +eauti"ul prayerlanguage/ ?ust +et'een %y Hea$enly Father and %e18hat 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 'illsettle upon you1 ,s you are loosed through youro'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 alsoincludes "orgi$ing yoursel"1

, lady 'as in the prayer roo% o" the church oneSunday %orning/ 'aiting patiently "or so%eone toco%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$er neededdeli$erance/ she did1 I could see the tor%ent that'as upon her1 Surprisingly enough/ though/ prayer"or deli$erance did nothing "or her1 ,s 'e talked itsee%ed that she had "orgi$en e$eryone e3cept

hersel"1She 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 areco%ing to the Lord 'ith our o'n 'orks o"righteousness and they are as "ilthy rags1 I" 'e don5taccept "orgi$eness "or oursel$es/ 'e are trying toget to the Lord on our good deeds.

,t this point she sa' that esus had "orgi$en herand his +lood 'as su""icient to cleanse her1 (hat is'hen she recei$ed her deli$erance1 (hat is 'hen she'as released "ro% tor%ent1

I also +elie$e you 'ill not +e a+le to keep yourdeli$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$e%entagainst hi% to re%o$e hi% "ro% his position1 (his

%o$e 'as un"air +ut it gained support until it 'assuccess"ul1 He did +eauti"ully against all odds "ora+out t'o %onths1 (hings +egan to change "or the

+etter and God +egan to take care o" his pro+le%s1 Itlooked as i" the de"eat 'as turning into $ictory1

But so%e'here along the 'ay he let a little rooto" resent%ent creep into his heart1 It gre' and gre'1Resent%ent turned to +itterness/ +itterness tore+ellion/ and "inally he lost his %inistry1 No' hene$er attends church1 He drinks and has %any other

pro+le%s1I" 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 peopleha$e +een $ery deeply hurt1 &any o" us think 'ecould "orgi$e i" 'e had so%eone else5s pro+le%s/

+ut 'e cannot "orgi$e 'ith our o'n pro+le%s18e co%plicate this +y saying/ @Ho' can I

"orgi$eA (he Lord tells us to lo$e one another1Ho' can 'e do that Forget a+out all theco%plications and do it.

I kno' a lady 'ho 'as al%ost "orced o"" theroad recently +y another dri$er1 She had a per"ectright to +e 'here she 'as +ut he dri"ted o$er intoher lane and 'as "orcing her car o"" the road1 Heal%ost caused her to ha$e an accident1

(his %an e$idently had his o'n pro+le%s1 (helady said at "irst she 'anted to chase hi% do'n andsho' hi% that she had a legal right to +e in the laneshe '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$e hi% and I "orgi$ehi%.A

She +egan to search "or so%ething in thesituation to praise the Lord "or1 (hen she "ound it.@(hank you/ Lord/ that I a% not %arried to hi%.Ashe al%ost shouted1

8e %eet people all through li"e 'ho% 'e ha$eto lo$e and "orgi$e1 &ake up your %ind to do it "oryour o'n sake as 'ell as "or theirs1 Say out loud/@Lord/ I lo$e the% and I "orgi$e the%1A In this 'ayyou 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%18hen the disciples ro'ed against the 'ind on theSea o" Galilee/ they ne$er %ade shore/ +ut 'henesus ca%e they 'ere i%%ediately on shore 7 theygot there 'hen God5s la's 'orked "or the%1 8hen'e "ollo' God5s la's o" "orgi$ing 'e 'ork 'ithhi%/ +ut 'hen 'e ro' against the 'ind/ againstGod5s la's +y ?udging and conde%ning/ 'e hold

+ack the sal$ation and rede%ption o" those 'e ?udgeand conde%n/ especially/ i" the person kno's o" ourun"orgi$eness and sees our reactions and attitudes1

8hen 'e start seeing esus in oursel$es/ 'e canstart looking through esus5 eyes1 #o you kno''hat esus sees in that old drunk

He sees a soul. He sees a soul that is 'orth %orethan 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$er +e set "ree1 (hat %an in the +arkno's he is %essed up1 He doesn5t need you to tellhi%1 He is looking to +e led out o" that darkness intothe %ar$elous light1 It takes light to lead the% out/not %ore conde%nation1

esus said to co%e on along +ecause there is ane' '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 needto +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 anyman 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 getdo'n o"" our seats that 'ere occupied +y the*harisees =seats o" ?udg%ent>/ 6uit ?udging/ 6uitconde%ning/ and start forgiving, a%a0ing things'ill happen.



Chapter !ive

!orgiveness in the Ca#anIslands

&y "irst trip to the )ay%an Islands ca%e a+outin a $ery unusual 'ay1 I had scheduled t'o 'eekso"" at (hanksgi$ing in 19751 I had planned to spendthis ti%e 'ith %y "a%ily1 &y parents had co%e toFlorida to spend the 'inter/ a'ay "ro% the cold andsno' 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 aski" it 'ould +e possi+le "or %e to go to the )ay%anIslands1 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 didnot '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' 'herethe Canary Islands 'ere1 =I had %isunderstood %ysecretary and thought she said )anary Islands1> I"igured they 'ere so%e'here a+out %id;ocean inthe *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/ &ysecretary 'as still talking/ "illing %e in on so%edetails 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'erand said/ @,re you sure it5s all rightA

@!es/ I5% sure.A@Re%e%+er/ your %other and "ather are here

"ro% Indiana/A she continued1 @!ou 'on5t get tospend that ti%e 'ith the%1A

I replied/ @I understand1 God has said I a% to goand I5$e got to do 'hat he 'ants.A

,"ter the phone con$ersation 'as o$er I +eganto get e3cited1 I had ne$er %inistered in anothercountry1 I 'ondered i" the people there spokeEnglish or French or so%e other language1 I couldhardly '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 &ysecretary handed %e %y plane tickets a%id all the

+ustle and e3cite%ent o" greeting the "a%ily andtrying to get a t'o; 'eeks5 $isit cro'ded into oneday1

(he ne3t %orning/ 'hen I +oarded the plane in&ia%i/ I settled do'n "or a long plane ride1 I had

not e$en had ti%e to check the schedule and had noidea ho' "ar I 'as to tra$el or ho' long it 'ouldtake1 ,t any rate/ I supposed it 'ould take se$eralhours 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$er )u+a1A I looked outthe 'indo' and said/ @)u+a 8hat are 'e doingo$er )u+aA

(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 %ydestination1 It read/ @Grand )ay%an1A So that5s'here I 'as going.

@ust 'here are the )ay%an IslandsA I askedthe 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 %inute18hen I arri$ed in Grand )ay%an there 'ere se$eral

people standing at the detaining "ence/ 'a$ing to%e1 (hey had +een told the clothes I 'ould +e'earing and there"ore recogni0ed %e1 I had ne$erseen 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 "oreignlanguage to the%1

(hat night 'e had a %eeting in one o" the ho%eso" the people 'ho had %et %e at the airport1 (here

'as %uch disunity and stri"e a%ong the group1 &osto" the% 'ere "illed 'ith God5s Spirit +ut there 'as

+itterness and resent%ent and un"orgi$eness a%ongthe%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 inthe ensuing days1

Re$i$al ca%e to the church at )ay%an +ecausethe church/ 'hich is the +ody o" )hrist/ +egan toco%e together in unity.

God poured out his Spirit in a %ar$elous 'ay1Literally hundreds 'ere sa$ed/ healed/ and "illed'ith the Holy Spirit1 Because o" the 'itchcra"t onthe islands/ there 'as also a need "or deli$erance1God didn5t disappoint the% in that area either1

erry and *aula had spoken to %e slightly a+outtheir pro+le%s1 (he Lord had re$ealed a lot a+out

the% to %e/ including the "act that he 'anted to healtheir %arriage1

(he last night o" the re$i$al I prayed "or ?ustthat. (here 'as a great %o$e o" God that night andal%ost e$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 thatit had +een years since erry had +een a+le to laugh"reely1> He recei$ed a great deal o" deli$erance thatnight1

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$eness1I understood the i%portance o" "orgi$eness inrecei$ing one5s o'n healing +ut I did not understandat 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% +oth1Later 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/ youreap the "lesh conse6uently our %arriage 'as adisaster1

@,"ter 'e ca%e to kno' the Lord/ *aula had anoperation 'hich le"t her cold and indi""erent to the"ul"illing o" her %arital o+ligations o" a personalnature1 (his 'as a strain on %e and a strain on our%arriage1 (he Lord had deli$ered %e "ro% s%okingand drinking so I asked hi% to re%o$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 Lordthat she 'ould do her part in "ul"illing our %arriage1She did not kno' ho' this 'as going to co%e a+outas 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$e prayer together1 ,s I prayed/ the Spirito" the Lord ca%e o$er *aula so strong that she 'asDslain in the Spirit51 ,s she lay on the "loor she



+egan to laugh and laugh1 I ignored her andcontinued praying/ thinking to %ysel" that this

'ould ne$er happen to %e1 Suddenly I too 'as "acedo'n on the +ed/ laughing and laughing/ in the ?oyo" 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 youthink 'e should honor the Lord +y doing 'hat he'ants us to do5

@For the "irst ti%e in o$er a year I "elt a desire"or %y 'i"e again1 *raise the Lord. He +eauti"ullyhealed 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 "lesh you are also onein 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$e a +eauti"uldeli$erance %inistry in )ay%an1 (he Lord has alsogi$en the% a %inistry o" helps to one another1 *aulais no' the secretary o" the Lo$e o" esus &inistries

o" )ay%an and erry is the treasurer1God is putting together his +ody in )ay%an and

it is +ased on lo$e and a "lo'ing together 'ith hisSpirit1



Chapter Si$

%rosperit# through !orgiveness

8hat is the 'ill o" the Lord #o 'e need to per"or% the 'ill o" the Lord &any ti%es )hristians%iss it1 ,re you %issing it

(hese 6uestions can +e resol$ed +y reading theBi+le1 (he Bi+le is the last 'ill and testa%ent o" theLord esus )hrist1 Resol$e these 6uestions/ and then'alk in the path'ay God has ordained "or you andyour li"e 'ill ne$er +e the sa%e1 God 'ills it so.

8e disco$er in the Bi+le that our legal rightsand inheritance are spelled out1 &ost people are'orried a+out in"lation/ de"lation/ recession anddepression1 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$e to do is +esa$ed and his pro%ise to you is that he is going to

take care o" you1 In the Old (esta%ent it says thatGod has all the sil$er and gold in the 'orld and thecattle on a thousand hills =See Haggai 2<8 *sal%s50<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 ungodlyare stored up "or the godly1 It is ti%e )hristiansstarted knowing that and believing it1

8e are told in the Bi+le that as )hristians thereare so%e things we are to do1 In &atthe'/ the Lordsaid 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 prosperous

I" you read in the Old (esta%ent you 'ill "indthat God had the richest people in the 'orld at thatti%e1 I do not +elie$e it is any di""erent in these endti%es1 I can testi"y as to 'hy I +elie$e that1 I see

+usinesses 'hich ha$e +een gi$en to God pro"itun+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%esand is in an area 'here %any co%panies are going

+roke1 #o you kno' 'hat he does on Sundays Hecloses the door and goes to church and 'orships theLord1 In return the Lord is +lessing hi%1

)o%petitors say it cannot +e done1 But/ look at theresults.

One o" the "astest gro'ing chain o" restaurantsin 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 notclose a restaurant like that on Sunday1 !ou 'ouldgo +roke. It is a%a0ing. But the Lord is prosperingthe%. 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 youcan put a pencil to1



!ou do not ha$e to understand it1 I" 'e dounderstand it/ then 'e %ake God the sa%e si0e as

our +rain and I kno' that he 'ould +e a %ightylittle God i" he 'as no larger than that1 I si%plyaccept the "act that I can ne$er take in the $aste3panse o" God1

esus said/ "Peae I leave with you, my peae 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%s18hat is prosperity any'ay (o people o" the

'orld/ prosperity is that ti%e +et'een the lastinstall%ent pay%ent and the ne3t do'n pay%ent1,lso I5$e heard it said that running into de+t isn5te%+arrassing it is running into creditors that ise%+arrassing1

#o you kno' "or sure that God 'ants to +lessyou #o you kno' that he 'ants to prosper you Hesurely %ust/ "or he ca%e do'n "ro% hea$en a%ongall his riches/ and he +eca%e poor that you %ight

+eco%e rich =See II )orinthians 8<9>1I 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 'aythrough this chapter and/ there"ore/ this too %ustha$e +een a+out %oney1 ,ctually it 'as a+out

prosperity1



I 'as gi$en a 6uote %any years ago that stillsticks onto the gu%%y side o" %y %e%ory< @(he

road to success runs uphill/ so don5t e3pect to +reakany speed records1A I decided to see ?ust 'hat theBi+le said a+out success1 I "ound only one re"erencein the ing a%es $ersion to success and that 'as inoshua 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 aording

to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt

make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have

good suess

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$egi$en a'ay our inherited rights1 By our mouth 'eha$e gi$en it to the de$il 'e spend all too %uchti%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$e ?ust a ca+in/ thenyou %issed Glory. (he Bi+le says you are going toha$e a mansion

I heard a %an say the other day that he 'antedto get a gli%pse o" esus in eternity1 I 'ant %orethan 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%pse I 'ant to +ethere "ore$er1 Hallelu?ah.

(he de$il has told )hristians "or the past 2/000years that the %ore patches they had on their pants/



the %ore spiritual they 'ere1 (hat is not true andGod 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 areclosely related to in the Lord in Orlando1 Frank and)harlotte had attended our prayer group during theircourtship days and it 'as our pri$ilege to ?oin the%in holy %atri%ony1 (hey 'ere e3tre%ely happy anddedicated to the Lord5s 'ork/ +ut prosperity see%edto elude the%1

, "e' %onths ago they had reached their"inancial end1 (heir "aith had +egun to 'a$erconcerning "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 'rongAFrank agreed1 @I "eel 'e ha$e done e$erything

'e can "ind in the 'ord and still our "inancialsituation 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 hisrecords and +ring all his current +ills up to date untilit could +e seen ?ust 'hat "inancial shape they 'erein1

(he ne3t (hursday the "our sat at the dining

roo% ta+le/ looked at the "inancial picture and sureenough/ it 'as +ad1 (hey had +ills "or gasolinecredit 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 thede$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 eachroo% 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 alsoe3or+itant/ and asked the Lord to take all 'aste andallo' only the a%ount necessary to "lo' through the

%eter "or their entire needs1,s they returned into the dining roo%/ &ary o

recei$ed a 'ord o" kno'ledge and said/ @I "eel thereis so%e un"orgi$eness in )harlotte1A

)harlotte agreed1 She still held resent%entagainst 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'ochildren and all the +ills1 She 'as a %usic directorand %e%+er o" 6uite a large church in anotherdeno%ination1 She 'as one o" the "e' "e%ale %usicdirectors o" a church o" this si0e and %ade a nicesalary1 Her entire training and all her college

preparation 'as in this "ield and she 'as 'ell6uali"ied "or this particular position1

She kne' that deno%ination 'ould not use a%usic director 'ho 'as di$orced/ so she resignedrather 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 'hereshe had little e3perience and conse6uently dre' a

proportionately s%all salary1 Her li$ing standardtook tre%endous strides do'n'ard1

,"ter she shared this/ she 'as told that it did not%atter 'hose "ault it 'as/ "orgi$eness 'as necessaryto ha$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$e hi% and all the other people 'ho had e$erhurt 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 andsee%ed to change their 'hole attitude a+out the%1 Ithad +een decided that Frank 'ould call each ande$ery one o" the past;due creditors and tell the%they 'ere 'orking on a solution to settle theaccount1 Each call helped to +uild his "aith +ecauseeach ti%e they thanked hi% "or calling and told hi%they 'ould 'ait "or the %oney o'ed the%1 8hat are$ersal to 'hat he 'as used to.

(he house they 'ere no longer li$ing in 'asstanding 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 laterclosed the deal/ gi$ing the% %ore %oney than theyhad 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 couldhardly contain hi%sel"1

He had agreed that each %onth he 'ould add upho' %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 +eenlopped o"" the top o" the +ill1 (here 'as only a littleo$er si3 thousand dollars le"t to pay1

@Ho' did it happenA he 'as asked1@I don5t kno'1 I5% like the +lind %an that esus

healed 'ho said/ ;all I know is that one 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 inthis direction1 ,s they pay o"" each de+t/ they trust%ore "ully in their supplier/ the Lord esus )hrist1(hey ha$e destroyed their charge cards and eachday God supplies their e$ery need.

(hey ha$e truly "ound the ans'er/ ?ust as it 'asgi$en in oshua 1<81 (hey ha$e o+ser$ed to do allthat is 'ritten and their 'ay is prosperous and theyare ha$ing good success1

Still/ a"ter all this/ )harlotte and Frank 'ere notco%pletely "ree on "orgi$eness1 , "e' 'eeks a"ter

this/ )harlotte attended a %usic "esti$al1 On the 'aythere that %orning she 'as 6uoting scripture and

praising the Lord as she dro$e along1 (he lastscripture she 6uoted +e"ore arri$ing 'as the Lord5s



*rayer/ and it see%ed to really speak to her as shesaid/ @"orgi$e %e1A

8hen she arri$ed at the "esti$al/ a young ladyapproached her 'ith recognition and greeted her'ar%ly1

(hough she had gro'n up since )harlotte5s daysas church %usic director/ she 'as re%e%+ered1

She had once told her %other/ @8hen I gro' upI 'ant to +e ?ust like &iss )harlotte/ a church %usicdirector1A

,s soon as )harlotte sa' the young lady/ these%e%ories started "looding +ack upon her1 Satani%%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$en her/ shehad not co%pletely "orgi$en hersel" and there"orethe 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 'asruined1 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 tellher 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 recogni0eit1



Frank reali0ed the "ull signi"icance o""orgi$eness and though he had "orgi$en his "or%er

'i"e already/ he had ne$er told her so and there"orehad not co%pletely released her1 He sat do'n/ 'roteher a letter and told her he "orga$e her "ore$erything and asked that she also "orgi$e hi%1

He later talked 'ith the pastor o" her church +ylong distance telephone and 'as in"or%ed she had

+een in church/ and 'as also recei$ing the +ene"itso" "orgi$eness1

(HE *O8ER OF FORGIVENESS GOES ON,N# ON.

(herein in time past ye walked aording to the

ourse of this world, aording to the prine of the

power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the

hildren of disobediene: $=ph 2:2 %Re%e%+er that Satan is entitled to e3ert

in"luence on any area o" our li"e that is indiso+edience1 (he key to prosperity "or Frank and)harlotte 'as o+edience in "orgi$eness1 (hey 'erealready 'alking in the light in all the other aspectso" prosperity and then the truth in "orgi$eness ca%e"orth to co%plete the %ani"estation o" prosperityand success1



Chapter Seven

!orgiveness &eals"arriage %robles

usbands, love your wives, even as Christ also

loved the hurh, and gave himself for it-

$=phesians 5:25 %

#o you kno' that one o" the strongest po'ers inthe 'orld is a hus+and and 'i"e united in prayer =i"the ho%e is in spiritual order> #o you kno' that is'hy the de$il hates "or ho%es to get in the orderthat God ordained the%

(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$eness a%ong )hristianstoday1 Forgi$eness is a t'o;'ay +ene"it1 I" 'e do

not "orgi$e others/ 'e oursel$es are not "orgi$en +yGod1

Frank and )harlotte +locked prosperity in theirli$es +ecause o" their collecti$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$e his e3;'i"e "or allthe pro+le%s in their li$es1 Forgi$eness also healed%any other pro+le%s in this %arriage1

, classical e3a%ple o" un"orgi$eness ca%ea+out in the spring o" 19741 I had recei$ed %yhealing "ro% %ultiple sclerosis and dia+etes in



#ece%+er/ 19731 8e 'ere %inistering each Fridaynight in a prayer group in Orlando and the Lord 'as

+lessing us %ightily1One Friday a"ternoon in early ,pril I 'as on %y

'ay ho%e to get ready to go to the prayer group1 Idecided on the spur o" the %o%ent to stop at aroadside "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

'ineAI 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$e assistantat Lo$e o" esus &inistries1 Her hus+and/ George/'as 'ith her and 'e talked "or perhaps "i$e%inutes1 I told the% o" the prayer group that %et atthe apart%ent co%ple3 and in$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%edhappy and de$oted to each other1 Near the end o"the %eeting/ 'hen 'e ga$e the call "or anyone 'honeeded prayer/ they ca%e together1 God sho'ed %e

that they +oth har+ored un"orgi$eness1I talked "irst 'ith &ary o1 @8ho do you hold

resent%ent to'ardA I asked1 @8ho ha$e you not"orgi$enA



Her eyes sparked 'ith anger1 @I5% notresent"ul.A She "airly spit it out1 =She later told %e

that she 'as so angry at that %o%ent she could ha$estruck %e1>

I 'aited "or her to say %ore "or I kne' there 'as%ore she needed to say1 *erhaps a %inute 'ent +yand her de"iant head started to drop1 I could see thatthe Holy Spirit 'as doing a 'ork in her1

@I %ust not ha$e "orgi$en e$eryone or I 'ouldnot ha$e gotten %ad 'hen you asked that 6uestion/Ashe reasoned1

@8ho ha$e you not "orgi$enA I gently askedher again1

@&y e3;hus+and/ I suppose/A she ans'ered1 @Ithought I had "orgi$en hi% "or all the hurt that 'as

caused during our separation and di$orce1 I %ust notha$e or I 'ouldn5t "eel all this anger andcon"usion1A

Later 'e talked o$er this 'hole e3perience andshe said she had no idea she still held resent%ent "orhi% until I asked her that 6uestion1 She 'assurprised at ho' %ad she +eca%e 'hen I asked her1She had "orgi$en hi% in her %ind +ut had ne$er saidso out loud/ so the "orgi$eness 'as not co%plete1 Itis i%portant that 'e con"ess our sins1

I talked 'ith her "or a "e' %o%ents and directedher to ask "orgi$eness and con"ess it as a sin1 Hottears "looded do'n her "ace as she did1

I turned to George and said/ @8ho do you ha$eto "orgi$eA

@&y e3;'i"eA 'as his ans'er1Both 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 'ayo" the 'orld and Satan had played ha$oc 'ith the%1

(hey had +oth +een sa$ed and +apti0ed togethera"ter their %arriage1 In "act/ &ary o5s t'o childrenhad +een sa$ed at the sa%e ti%e she 'as/ so the

+aptis%al ser$ice 'as a "a%ily a""air1I then had the t'o o" the% ?oin hands and I laid

hands on the%/ prayed a "orgi$eness prayer o$erthe%/ asking God to re%o$e all hurts/ and to "ill all$oids 'ith the lo$e o" esus1 (hey +oth 'ent underthe 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$erdi%inished1 God +rought a+out this %eeting ?ust as

he leads us in all things/ "or the Bi+le says that thosethat are +orn o" the Spirit are led +y the Spirit1

God did a %ighty 'ork in the li$es o" Georgeand &ary o that night1 (rue "orgi$eness +roughta+out 'holeso%eness to their li$es1 &ary o5s t'ochildren +egan to respond +etter to their ne' ho%een$iron%ent1 Bi+le study at ho%e +rought a+out ane' 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 adi""erence in the relationship o" George and &aryo1 (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 therest o" the "a%ily1

Forgi$eness really 'orks.



,s each %e%+er o" the "a%ily 'as sa$ed/ eachone in turn recei$ed the gi"t o" the +aptis% in the

Holy Spirit1 (oday 'hen this "a%ily gets togetherit5s 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 arenot heard1 So %any o" God5s children are not getting

prayers ans'ered and ha$e lost the peace o" Godthat they once had1 Is it +ecause they ha$e ini6uityin their hearts

I kno' a )hristian 'o%an 'ho did not 'ant tosee her daughter get %arried1 Neither o" the girl5s

parents 'ere in "a$or o" the %arriage1 Finally/ thedaughter ran a'ay "ro% ho%e and got %arriedany'ay1 ,s a result/ her %other 'as "illed 'ithsorro'/ despair/ and +itterness1 She 'as in a $ery

+ad state1 She could not "ind any peace o" %ind1One day at noonti%e she 'ent into a church to

pray and seek the Lord1 ,s she sat there/ God spoketo her 'ith these 'ords/ @!ou do not lose your

peace 'ith God o$er so%eone else5s sin 7 onlyo$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 %ydaughter 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 Itdoes not %atter ho' re+ellious 'e %ay ha$e +een18hen 'e ask his "orgi$eness he puts only oneli%itation on us 7 'e "irst %ust "orgi$e others theirtrespasses1

, lady in our church ca%e to the pastor5s 'i"eand 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 attack1AIn 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+andA she 'as asked1@I understand ho' he "eels/A 'as the reply1She 'as dodging the 6uestion1 (he sa%e thing

happened 'ith 6uestions a+out her %other;in;la'1She 'as asked to say out loud that she 'ould

"orgi$e these people to the +est o" her a+ility and'ith the Lord5s help1 8hen she tried to say it/ shecouldn5t1 (hen she reali0ed that "orgi$ing 'asharder 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+orresent%ent/ hurts/ hostility/ or hatred/ and do not



"orgi$e our +rother/ 'e are lea$ing the door open "orSatan to attack1 8e %ust 'alk in the light o"

"orgi$eness1 It %ay +e the hardest thing you ha$ee$er done/ +ut God says forgive!

Forgi$eness is a deision, not an emotion

E%otions can +e good1 God %ade our e%otions +ut 'e cannot li$e on our e%otions1 8e %ust li$eon 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 thechanges1



Chapter Eight

' Year of &ealing and!orgiveness

(he story told in this chapter is God5s healing o"a %arriage1 ,"ter nine years/ their %arriage hadco%e to an end1 (hen they decided to trust in the

po'er o" ,l%ighty God to restore it1I 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$e yoursel" orSatan 'ill ha$e a "ield day 'ith you1 God 'ill"orgi$e you the "irst ti%e you ask1 !ou do not ha$eto +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 underconde%nation1

Lee and &aria 'ere +oth )atholic +oth raisedin 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 inthe ,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 parentso+?ected/ they eloped1

(hey had 'hat they called a ontrat 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 tokeep these things hidden "ro% e$eryone1 Finally she"ound that her supposedly @'ell;kept secretA 'asn5tso secret1 Her con"idant and "riend turned out to +eone o" his ad%irers1 Her "a%ily also "elt that she'as putting on a sho' o" e$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 happyon the outside +ut she 'as a seething hurricane onthe inside1 Finally she e3ploded and she and Leesplit 'ith such $iolence that Lee $olunteered "orcounseling1 (he Lord then +egan to %o$e in their

li$es1 &aria "elt it 'as the Lord5s 'ill that theyseparate 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 theyslo'ly started to i%pro$e1 Her daughter 'asconstantly ill/ pre$enting her "ro% 'orking "ullti%e1 She 'as unsure 'hether her hus+and 'ouldcontinue 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 Sheneeded "riends and had none1 She needed her "a%ily



+ut they couldn5t stand her ups and do'ns1 She hadle"t the church +ecause she didn5t 'ant to "ace any

conde%nation "or her planned di$orce1ust '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 (heyencouraged her to again go +ack to &ass and shedid/ 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 hadno other place to go so she started attending1 Slo'lyshe reali0ed the $oid she had created +y denyingGod 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 theiro'n ho%e1

She +egan to cry out to God to repair her li"e/ tosho' 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 heardteaching on 'hat %ade ho%es and "a%ilies +ondtogether 'hat %ade %en truly %en/ strong/supporti$e/ protecti$e and perhaps %ost i%portant/dependa+le1 Still she hadn5t "ound 'hat she 'aslooking "or/ and though she 'as going to &ass on

Sunday/ it ga$e her no satis"action or lasting peace1One 8ednesday ?ust +e"ore Easter she 'as

attending a teaching series on +he 'iving Christ

(he teacher o" the session i%pressed her 'ith hiskind/ 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 toher1

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 toGod.

(he teacher 'ent on to say that he "elt that "oranyone to re%ain a )hristian in this day/ he must

+elong to a )hristian co%%unity1 She asked a+outone and 'as told o" a )atholic prayer co%%unity'hich %et regularly e$ery (hursday night1 Herspirit ?u%ped 'ithin her at the thought o" again

+elonging. She kne' in her heart that her search "orhersel" '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 toattend that "irst %eeting/ +ut she %ade it. On the'ay she said she "elt a +urden1 She "elt like cryingand 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" 'hathappened1 She stood rooted in the +ack o" the roo%/6uietly crying +uckets o" tears1 Her soul 'as 'ashedclean +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 6uietnessas her ans'er to her need1

,+out a 'eek later her younger sister said/@8hat good thing has happened to you/ &ariaA

@8hat do you %eanA@For the "irst ti%e in si3 %onths you are s%iling1

8hat are you s%iling a+outAShe didn5t ha$e too good an ans'er "or she 'as

all 'rapped up in her o'n thoughts1 She "ullyaccepted 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 saythey are @re+ornA or @+orn againA and she "elt are+irth too. For the "irst ti%e in her li"e/ though shehad 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 "oundshe 'anted one +adly1 Her +irthday 'as in une andher %other asked her 'hat she 'anted1 @, Bi+le/A'as her instant reply1

(he gi"t 'as "orthco%ing and it 'as a giganticlarge print "a%ily Bi+le1 She +egan to read and asshe 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 readyto co%pletely accept it1

She did not 'ant to accept that her %arriage$o's 'ere +inding and that Lee +elonged as herhus+and and "ather o" their children1 She 'as

+eginning to en?oy li"e 'ithout hi%1 Still shecouldn5t shake o"" the "eeling that she 'as not li$ingaccording to God5s plan1

'ikewise, ye wives be in sub1etion 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. Shedidn5t trust hi%. She didn5t +elie$e anything he saidand %ost o" all/ she didn5t 'ant hi% +ack1

@&ay+e he does pro$ide us 'ith %oste$erything %aterially/A she thought/ @But he has norights1 It5s his duty to pay.A She "elt so righteous1

He ca%e any'ay and she "ound that she didn5thate hi% any%ore1 But she still didn5t trust hi%. She

'as surprised that she could talk to hi%1 She "eltsorry "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 thesun1

Singing had al'ays +een an i%portant part o"her li"e/ in one "or% or another< choirs/ chorals incollege and such1 No' she 'as singing "or the Lordand she thanked hi% "or "inding a 'ay to use thetalents in 'hich she took great pleasure1

,s she continued reading the Bi+le o$er the ne3t"e' 'eeks/ the healing process continued1 (he Lordtaught her %any things1 She learned to deal 'ith hero'n anger and resent%ents and +egin to "orgi$einstead 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$er see%ed to +e prepared "orthe e%ergencies and "ound she had to rely on hi%each ti%e1 She hated to ad%it her "ailures/ +ut +eganto see that God 'as sho'ing her ho' she could andshould rely on Lee in areas she had ne$er done

+e"ore1 (his ad%ission did not co%e easy1She 'asn5t sure she liked hi% any%ore1 She "elt

she kne' "or certain she could not lo$e hi% again asa 'i"e should lo$e her hus+and1 Still/ Lee kept

telling her that she should =and the Lord 'as tellingher 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$e%+er she had lost her peace and ?oy1She 'as again li$ing 'ith all the old +itterness and

anger 'elling up inside her1 She "ussed 'ith thekids/ 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$e to %ake %e "eel the part1 Ican5t do it %ysel"1 I don5t e$en 'ant to try e3ceptthat 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 onceagain1 She no longer "eared or dreaded the day Lee'ould arri$e1 , part o" her e$en anticipated hisarri$al 'ith pleasure/ although she 'as not sure she"ully trusted the Lord1

Lee i%%ediately sensed that she 'as notco%pletely @sold outA 'hen he got there1 (hey +othagreed not to tackle their pro+le% until a"ter)hrist%as and so they shel$ed e$erything until a"terthe holidays1

Indi$idually they prayed/ asking God to sho'the% 'here to go "or counseling/ kno'ing theycould not sol$e their pro+le%s alone1 Lee had +een'ell appraised o" his personality splits and 'aslearning 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 itshould +e 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 dueto past e3perience1 She had also gone to a grouptherapy clinic "or eight 'eeks prior to lea$ing Lee1



(he %ost that 'as acco%plished 'as to con$inceher 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/ shekne' they could not accept her 'anting to re$ersethe roles o" 'o%en and %en +ack 2000 years1

Neither 'ould they understand her gi$ing totalsupport to a co%%itted %arriage until she could seethe results1 It 'as like putting the cart +e"ore thehorse1

ust +e"ore )hrist%as/ they +oth attended the)atholic co%%unity prayer %eeting 'here the signat 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%esu""ered a 'hiplash that still/ at ti%es/ +eca%e soreand +otherso%e1 Lee also 'ent "or'ard asking

prayer "or his heart1Lee 'as in "ront o" &aria and Gene had not

co%pleted praying 'hen Lee 'as @slain in theSpirit1A He cried "or a long ti%e and as he got up helooked 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 Lee1Floods 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 inthe %ighty na%e o" esus1

, "e' days later/ &aria reali0ed that her neck nolonger ga$e her any trou+le1 Lee had no "urther

pro+le%s 'ith his heart1 (hey +oth no longerconsidered @i" their %arriage didn5t 'orkA +utinstead +egan saying/ @no' that it is 'orking.A

(hey had truly gi$en all to do the 'ill o" theLord/ kno'ing and +elie$ing he 'ould arrangethings "or their o'n good1 No' the 'ord is %akingthe 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 6uicklysee their error/ discuss it and correct it1 Lee does thecorrecting o" their %istakes and &aria su+%its to his

decision/ happy +ecause she kno's the source o" hisdecision1

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 isso%ething neither o" the% had 'hile gro'ing up orduring 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 "orhealing are not +eing ans'ered1 Is it +ecause theyaren5t "orgi$ing (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 gether 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 anun"orgi$ing spirit1 Ho'e$er/ i" you do ha$e arthritis

it sure 'on5t hurt to check to %ake sure you are notholding so%ething against so%eone1

It5s possi+le that so%eone can +reak a +one andthe de$il is so rotten that he 'ill rush in and in"ectthat area 'ith arthritis1 Not e$eryone 'ith arthritishas resent%ent1

*eople 'ho critici0e and co%plain a+oute$erything and are "illed 'ith resent%ent/ and$ocali0e it constantly/ o"ten de$elop arthritis 'hichsettles in the %iddle knuckle1 It o"ten settles in thetips o" the "ingers o" those 'ho silently resent1



(he tips o" this 'o%an5s "ingers 'ere seriouslygnarled1

@8ould you pray "or %e/A she asked1She 'as asked i" she had any resent%ent in her

heart1 She replied that she did1 She said that e$ersince she 'as a teenager/ she resented the po$erty in'hich she 'as raised1 She 'as asked i" she couldcon"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" esus1Suddenly/ she interrupted shouting/ @Look/ look.(he knots are going a'ay.A

(hey 'atched as s'elling in her "ingers 'entdo'n and the knots 'ent a'ay1 Her physical

healing ca%e through "orgi$eness as she releasedresent%ent1 (he application o" God5s la's o""orgi$eness are as i%portant as his (en)o%%and%ents1

,"ter our pastor5s 'i"e "inished speaking on thei%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 thoughtit 'as caused +y pointing an accusing "inger atothers1 It had +een s'ollen and $ery pain"ul1

@8hile you 'ere talking/ I decided to "orgi$ee$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 'asco%pletely healed1

HER HE,LING ),&E (HRO-GHFORGIVENESS.



#i$ine healing is a +ene"it o" "orgi$eness18e 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 results(ension/ ner$e disorders/ tension headaches/ colontrou+le all these and %any other a""lictions can cropup 'hen 'e 'ant re$enge or retaliation1 8e cande$elop resent%ent1 Resent%ent can gro' intore+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 thee's1 His +ook in the Bi+le is an easy +ook tounderstand and %ay+e 'e can see a little o"

oursel$es in it1 ,s a%es is 'riting this/ he re"ers tothe people as his +rethren/ so he is 'riting to)hristians/ or saints o" God1

,s 'e look through these "i$e chapters/ 'e "indthat there 'ere people 'ho despised the poor andele$ated the rich1 So%e o" the% had "aith +ut not'orks1 E$ery+ody 'anted to +e the +oss1 (here'ere dou+le;%inded %en 'ho 'ould praise theLord one %inute and curse hi% the ne3t1 (here 'asen$y and stri"e and there 'as earthly 'isdo% ratherthan spiritual 'isdo%1 (hey 'ere greedy/ 'orldlyand 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 thissituation1 He talks a+out prayer and healing1 a%es5:14 says< Is any sik among you* 'et him all for

the elders of the hurh- 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 isnot the end o" it1 Verses 15 and 16 say< &nd the

prayer of faith shall save the sik, 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 elderso" the church pray "or you/ anointing you 'ith oil inthe na%e o" the Lord/ and then go ho%e 'ondering'hy you 'ere not healed1 !ou see/ there is aconnection +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 "$2att 9:2 % Be"ore this %an couldha$e healing/ I +elie$e he had to ha$e his sins"orgi$en1

a%es/ 'riting to the +rethren/ said to con"essyour "aults one to another and pray "or one anotherthat 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)1He 'as su""ering 'ith asth%a and an e3tre%ely +adheart1 ,s 'e talked 'ith hi%/ he told us the

"ollo'ing story1His %other had +een 6uite 'ealthy and had

gi$en $arious properties to her sons1 She had gi$enan e3pensi$e +oat to the +rother o" 81)1/ and hadgi$en hi% e3tensi$e stock holdings in a 'ell;kno'n



co%pany "or sa"e;keeping/ as 'ell as other "inancialholdings1

(his +rother/ a 'ido'er/ %arried "or the secondti%e1 He li$ed 'ith this ne' 'i"e "or a "e' shortyears/ along 'ith her children +y a "or%er %arriage1

He +eca%e ill and a doctor per"or%ed +rainsurgery on hi% "or a tu%or1 He did not sur$i$e thesurgery1 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%ora"ter all1 &ore resent%ent +uilt up in 81)1

81)1 "elt that the stock holdings should ha$e +een returned to his %other/ 'ho% he "elt 'as theright"ul o'ner1 Instead/ the stock 'as gi$en to the

step;children/ along 'ith the e3pensi$e +oat1 (he +oat then 'as trans"erred to another %an +y a legaltransaction1

,ll this had +uilt into an insur%ounta+le%ountain o" resent%ent in 81)1 He resented hissister;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 soundedgood1 (hen he asked hi% to check the carotidarteries on each side o" his neck/ leading "ro% his



heart to his +rain1 (he doctor listened through hisinstru%ent/ +ut said they 'ere still +locked1

(hat night 81)1 called and asked %e to co%e tohis 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$e the +aptis% o" theHoly Spirit1 She recei$ed a +eauti"ul prayerlanguage1

,+out a %onth later 'e recei$ed a letter "ro%81)1 He "illed us in on 'hat had happened since hehad truly "orgi$en his sister;in;la'1

@&y 'i"e and I 'ere getting ready to lea$e "orchurch/A he 'rote1 @I had gone upstairs to put on %ytie '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 oncall that %orning and said he 'ould %eet us in anhour at the local hospital e%ergency roo%1

@,"ter that %y 'i"e called our church o""ice tore6uest prayer/ re%e%+ering that the scripture tellsus to call on the elders o" the church to pray "orhealing1

@In "act/ the associate pastor prayed 'ith us onthe telephone/ then at the %orning 'orship ser$icethe congregation ?oined in prayer "or %y healing1

@In the %eanti%e I 'as ad%itted to thee%ergency roo% and under'ent tests o" +lood

pressure and +lood count/ plus chest ;rays1 (hedoctor said he could not understand as he could "indnothing 'rong 'ith %y +reathing and all the testresults 'ere good1A



,t that point 81)15s 'i"e said/ @*R,ISE (HELOR#.A and told the doctor a+out her hus+and

+eing prayed "or1@#octor/ 'ill you please listen to %y carotid

arteriesA@O" course/A he replied1He 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/ "orthe 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 person1Satan gets in the door +y putting dou+t in the %ind1God5s 'ord is de"inite a+out healing and 'e %ustrely on it +y "aith 'hen Satan +rings dou+t1

,t ti%es a de%onic presence 'ill try to %ani"estitsel" 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, (HE8OR#1 !ou either ha$e it or you don5t ha$e it.

,t the ti%e o" each attack o" the ene%y youha$e a right to either pray and +attle the de$il oraccept the sickness1 (he ans'er is in a%es 4<7"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 a choice o" su+%ittingyoursel" to God and resisting the de$il or o"su+%itting yoursel" to the de$il and his sy%pto%s



and resisting God1 (hat5s 'hy it is so i%portant tocontinue to read the 'ord and +uild up your 'ar"are

'eapons to "ight the de$il181)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 hurh 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 toGod 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 $ictory andthey praise God "or his healing po'er and hisgoodness1 Forgi$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 hesaid/ @111 3pon this rok I will build 20 hurh- and

the gates of hell shall not prevail against it/

#o you suppose that esus 'as talking a+out achurch +uilding #o you suppose he 'as talkinga+out a particular deno%ination I don5t think so1

In ,cts 7<38 'e read o" the church in the'ilderness 'ith &oses and the children o" Israel1 Itsays God li$ed in the (a+ernacle1 (hen in the 48th$erse it says/ "+he most igh dwelleth not in

temples made with hands 8here does God d'ell then In our

INNER&OS( BEING/ that5s 'here1 In Re$elation3<20 the Bi+le says< Behold, I stand at the door, and

knok: if any man hear my voie, and open the

door, I will ome in to him, and will sup with him,

and he with me8hen )hrist sets out to +uild his church/ it is not

a +uilding/ +ut %en and 'o%en1 God chooses to li$ein us1

esus said he 'ould +uild his church1 Re%e%+erone thing though< i" 'e do not allo' hi% to +uild itin us/ then he 'on5t o'n it. It %ust +e +uilt his 'ayor it 'ill not stand.

In Ephesians/ chapter "our/ *aul is talking a+outthe unity o" the Spirit in the +ond o" peace1 In $erse13 he says< @+ill we all ome in the unity of the

faith, and of the knowledge of the 4on of #od, unto



a perfet man, unto the measure of the stature of the

fullness of Christ/

#o you understand 'hat this says 8e %ustco%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 toregular earthly +uildings1 He 'rites o" the architectlaying the "oundation/ and o" the stones "ittingtogether1

)hurch order in the Ne' (esta%ent co%es 'henesus is the architect1 #id you kno' that you canha$e an architect dra' +lueprints o" a +eauti"ul

+uilding +ut you can5t +uild that +uilding until youha$e the necessary %aterial

8hat are the %aterials (he stones to +uild the

church1 8ho are the stones !ou and I1 No %atterho' accurate 'e are a+out the +lueprints =churchorder>/ 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'elltogether 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 darkness In the secondchapter/ the 11th $erse it says/ But he that hateth his

brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, andknoweth not whither he goeth, beause that

darkness hath blinded his eyes

I" you hate your +rother/ you don5t kno' 'hereyou are going1 (hings are in con"usion1 FORGIVE.

Verse 10 says/ "e that loveth his brother

abideth in the light, and there is none oasion of

stumbling in him/

God5s per"ect lo$e is like a co%pleted circle18hen 'e do not "orgi$e/ there is a +reak in thecircle/ there+y gi$ing place to the de$il1

Forgi$eness is necessary to +ring unity inchurches/ +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 hisradio +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+outtheir church1

(he %ore the %an said/ the 'orse his state%ents +eca%e1 &any o" the people o" the church +eca%eupset 'ith this %an and held resent%ent againsthi%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 ade+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'n1Se$eral days 'ent +y 'ith this particular radio

preacher still attacking1 He e$en attacked the 'aythe pastor dressed and his o$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$es "orsaints and sinners alike to hear t'o %en o" Godarguing o$er the scriptures1

84 God is )alling His *eople to Forgi$enessInstead/ this pastor 'ho 'as +eing attacked 'ent

on his regular radio +roadcast and prayed "or hiscounterpart/ 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 thethings he had said a+out hi% personally and thechurch as 'ell1

(he pastor5s 'i"e 'rote the "unda%entalist aletter asking "or his "orgi$eness "or 'hate$er theyhad done to o""end hi%1 She in$ited hi% to theirho%e "or dinner1

(he pastor stood +e"ore his congregation andtold 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% andother %e%+ers o" the +ody to hold a grudge againstthis %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$eness +y the pastor and hiscongregation/ the attacks stopped1 God is still'orking in this %an5s heart and the entire city islearning %ore and %ore a+out "orgi$eness and its

+ene"its1#o you kno' that "orgi$eness can also +ring

re$i$al to a church as 'ell as a city It can +ringre$i$al to you/ +ecause your 'ell 'ill +e unstoppedand God5s Spirit 'ill +e a+le to again "lo'1 It canalso +ring re$i$al to others1

Re$i$al once ca%e to an entire church +ecauseo" the "orgi$eness o" a child1

,n elder o" the church 'as conducting the

co%%union ser$ice one Sunday %orning1 He spokeon 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 +eadyeyes that see%ed to look right through you as hespoke1 He said/ @Let a %an e3a%ine his o'n heartand ?udge hi%sel"/ lest he +e ?udged +y God1A He'arned a+out taking co%%union i" you hadanything in your heart against your +rother or sister1@I" you do/ you are eating and drinkingconde%nation/A he 'arned1

(he young girl sitting 6uietly in the pe' +egan

to e3a%ine her heart1 ,s she did/ she disco$ered thatshe did ha$e so%ething in her heart againstso%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%eone1E$eryone 'as 'eeping/ hugging/ and re?oicing inthe Lord1

&any o" those people had so%ething in theirhearts that needed to +e "orgi$en1 But had it not

+een "or this girl5s courage/ %uch o" this 'ouldha$e gone uncon"used and un"orgi$en1 (hey 'ouldha$e taken co%%union 'ith all this un"orgi$eness

still in their hearts1 8e 'onder 'hy God doesn5thear our prayers and 'e do not ha$e re$i$al1 8ecould use a "e' %ore ser$ices like that in ourchurches today.

,"ter that Sunday %orning/ 'ith e$eryone'eeping and "orgi$ing one another/ God5s Spirit

+egan to %o$e1 Not long a"ter that there 'as atre%endous re$i$al a%ong the young people1 ,llthis ca%e a+out through the "orgi$ing heart o" an11;year;old girl1

FORGIVENESS RELE,SES O(HERS so Godcan '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 theirsal$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 didnot get the position he thought he should1

Stories 'ere ru%ored a+out hi% that he had +een threatening a +ank president 'ith physicalhar%1 )ould this +e true (his %an 'as a %inister.

He is no' in ?ail and on death ro' +ecause hesta++ed his 'i"e and "ather;in;la'1

(his sad ending occurred +ecause he 'as "ull o"resent%ent and hatred1 He ga$e place to the de$il1He allo'ed Satan entry and 'ith hi% he +rought$iolence and %urder1

8e cannot a""ord to go around 'ith a grudge1 InGalatians 5< 15 the Bi+le says/

"But if ye bite and devour one another, takeheed that ye be not onsumed one of another/

(H,(5S 8H! 8E H,VE (O FORGIVE1esus said/ @ =7ept your righteousness shall

e7eed the righteousness of the sribes 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 tothose in need1

(hey 'ere "ull o" good 'orks1 So 'hat 'as their pro+le% It 'as a sel";righteous attitude1 8e needto +e care"ul that 'e do not de$elop this kind o"attitude1 *eter asked ho' %any ti%es should I

"orgi$e/ Lord (he Lord said 490 ti%es1 &any ti%esyou ha$e to "orgi$e the sa%e people o$er and o$eragain1 It really 'ouldn5t +e "orgi$eness i" youcounted the nu%+er o" ti%es you "orga$e a person/



'ould it Forgi$eness is genuinely saying/ "Forget

it

&atthe' 5:44 says "or us to love our ene%ies1Bless the% that curse you1 *ray "or the% thatdespite"ully use you1

8hen you ha$e "eelings o" resent%ent in yourheart to'ard so%eone/ pray "or that person1 E$en i"you don5t "eel it/ do it +ecause the Lord told you to18ithin a "e' days you 'ill +e a+le to lo$e that

person and pray "or the%/ truly %eaning it18hen '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 (hatisn5t true1 Our relationship 'ith God is dependenton our relationship to our +rother and sister1 In the21st $erse it says< &nd this ommandment have we

from him, that he who loveth #od love his brother

also

Lo$ing your +rother is a co%%and%ent. I" you'ant all the rich +lessings o" God i" you 'ant"ello'ship 'ith your Hea$enly Father you %ustlo$e your +rother.



Chapter Eleven

!orgiveness throughConfession*

Coplete !orgiveness

In &atthe'12

/ esus talks a+out "orgi$enessand conde%nation1 I" you can grasp onto there$elation o" )hrist in you/ ali$e in you/ seated atthe right hand o" the Father/ your li"e can +echanged1 Verse 34 o" &atthe' 12 says< 5

generation of vipers, how an ye, being evil, speak

good things* For out of the abundane 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 %ashedyour "inger in the door (hat is 'hat "ills yourheart. 8e need to reali0e 'hat 'e are letting "ill thea+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 aount thereof in

the )ay of Judgment For by thy words thou shalt

be 1ustified, and by thy words thou shalt be

ondemned8hat 'ill happen i" I say/ @&y 'i"e is no

goodA



8hat 'ill happen i" I say/ @&y kids are %essedup kidsA (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"teenyears 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+oute$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 nightA sheasked1

(his +rother said/ @Lady/ I 'on5t e$en pray "orhi% today1 -ntil you are 'illing to straighten upyour con"ession and start con"essing 'hat God is

doing in the +oy5s li"e until you are ready to startspeaking life into hi% instead o" conde%nation/ Icannot 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 startcon"essing 'hat God 'ill do in his li"e/ 'hat he

pro%ised in his 'ord/ and things 'ill start to changei%%ediately1A

*R,ISE GO#.esus said/ "e that believeth on me, as the

sripture 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 are(HE 8OR# OF GO#. It is the +uilding up/ theli"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 'ithconde%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 areright 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 tolo$e the%1

So%e'here in that spectru% you can surely "it%e/ either as your +rother or your ene%y1 ,nd asyou "it %e/ love %e1

esus did not di""erentiate +et'een the sa$ed andthe unsa$ed1 He said i" they heard his 'ord and theydid 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' isthe 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 elet of #od,

holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness,

humbleness of mind, meekness, long.suffering-

Forbearing 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, whih

is the bond of perfet ness &nd let the peae of #od

rule in your hearts, to the whih also ye are alledin one body- and be ye thankful

'et the word of Christ dwell in you rihly in all

wisdom- teahing and admonishing one another in

psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with



grae 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 himGod 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 neglet to hear them, tell it unto the hurh:

but if he neglet to hear the hurh, let him be unto

thee as an heathen man and a publian

I agree 'ith that scripture1 (he pro+le% is that'e try to do the third step "irst1 esus said "or you togo to hi% yoursel" "irst1 I" 'e 'ill start doing this/'e 'ill ne$er ha$e to take the second and thirdsteps1

esus spoke a+out so%ething $ery interesting in&atthe' 181 He said 'hate$er you loose on earth isloosed 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$ersins you retain are retained 'hosesoe$er sins you

re%it are re%itted1 8hate$er you +ind on earth is +ound in hea$en 'hate$er you loose on earth isloosed in hea$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$e1 (he Holy Spirit kno's your heart +etterthan you do1 I" the Holy Spirit tells you to "orgi$eyour $ery +est "riend/ do it1 He kno's 'hat is inyour heart1

Not long ago I prayed that the Holy Spirit 'ouldre$eal to %e any+ody that I needed to "orgi$e and Igot a surprise1 (hey 'ere t'o o" %y $ery +est"riends in the %inistry1 I" the Holy Spirit had notspoken to %e a"ter a ti%e o" prayer/ I 'ould ha$ene$er +elie$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$ethe%1 So%ething released in %e and the +eauti"ul

part is/ I kno' so%ething released in the% too1Listen to 'hat the Holy Spirit says1 FORGIVE

!O-RSELF. ,s you "orgi$e yoursel"/ peace 'illsettle upon you1 ,s you "orgi$e yoursel"/ner$ousness 'ill lea$e you1 (he Bi+le tells us to +ean3ious a+out nothing and this can co%e a+outthrough FORGIVENESS OF O-RSELVES1

God is calling the +ody to a "orgi$ing heart/ onethat is "ull o" "orgi$eness1 (hat is 'hen the power isgoing 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 happenin churches1

I" you 'ill not "orgi$e/ your prosperity is goingto 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 rollingdo'n his cheeks/ @Gene/ 'hat are 'e going to doa+out our churchA

I asked hi% to e3plain1(hey had had a Spirit;"illed group in their

church %inistering and everybody lo$ed it1 One o"the spectators/ during the ti%e o" praise/ prayed e$erso 6uietly in tongues1 One o" the church peopleheard hi%1 (hey ?udged the group %inistering andthre' the% out o" the church and 'ill not let the%%inister there again1

(his %an said to %e/ @8hat can 'e do Ourchurch 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 toget hot or cold1 !ou %ay as 'ell get ready "or it1 Itdoes not %ake any di""erence 'ho is right and 'hois 'rong1 (hat is uni%portant1 (he only thingin$ol$ed is you as a "orgi$er.

Sinner or )hristian is not e$en in$ol$ed1FORGIVE.

8hen 'e see people sinning/ 'e need to +e rightthere/ "orgi$ing the%/ so God can 'ork in theirli$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 done1AHallelu?ah. *raise God.

I 8,N(E# (HE& (O BE FREE.



Not only did I 'ant the% to +e "ree/ +ut I 'antyou 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 readalong 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 anythingagainst %y +rother or %y sister or anyone else/'hether they are in the "a%ily o" God or not1 Lord/ Iask 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$ing no'/ each and e$eryone 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 anargu%ent 'ith/ or 'hate$er/ ?ust "orgi$e1> I co%eagainst 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$e prayed this prayer sincerely/unasha%edly/ and 'ill "ollo' the leading o" theHoly Spirit/ your li"e has already +een changed1 Ichallenge you/ i" you are ha$ing a +attle in your

)hristian li"e/ +e a'are o" 'hat the Holy Spirit issaying to you1 I" he is not saying anything to you/then look at yoursel"1

Ha$e I "orgi$en %ysel" )an I look upon the'orld as esus did and say/ @Father/ "orgi$e the%A



)an I look at that cro'd that did %e so 'rong/ asStephen 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 BERES(ORE#. No' you are "ree and %any others are"ree too.

It takes a great re$elation o" esus )hrist "or usto ha$e a "orgi$ing heart1 It takes a great re$elationo" esus )hrist to +e a+le to lo$e e$eryone that 'esee1 I pray that through this +ook !O- H,VE(R-L! FORGIVEN.

,nd no' that you ha$e "orgi$en/ 'hat ne3t

(he ne3t ti%e your 'i"e or hus+and speaks short toyou 'ill you then again har+or un"orgi$eness8hen your teenager +erates you/ 'ill you respondin kind 8hen the +oss ?u%ps on you undeser$edly/'hat 'ill your response +e

In the 4th chapter o" &ark/ esus is teaching onthe para+le o" the So'er o" Seed1 Beginning 'iththe 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

muh earth- and immediately it sprang up, beause

it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it

was sorhed- and beause it had no root, itwithered 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 inreased- and brought forth, some

thirty, and some si7ty, and some an hundred/

,nd he said unto the%/ @He that hath ears tohear/ let hi% hear1A =,re your spiritual ears tuned into hear the truths>

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'nthe 'ord on "orgi$eness1 I" you ha$e recei$ed the'ord you ha$e no' "orgi$en1 No' 'ill you +ring"orth "ruit>

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 takethaway 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$egained1>

&nd these are they likewise whih are sown on

stony ground- who, when they have heard the word,

immediately reeive it with gladness- &nd have no

root in themselves, and so endure but for a time-

afterward, when afflition or perseution 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'ay>

Verse 18 goes on< &nd these are they whih are sown among thorns- suh as hear the word, and the

ares of this world, and the deeitfulness of rihes,

and the lusts of other things entering in, hoke the

word, and it beometh unfruitfu'/



=(he cares o" the 'orld/ or 'orries/ along 'ithlusts "or other things o" the 'orld/ choke the 'ord.

Be a'are o" this and do not allo' it to happen toyou1>

(he 20th $erse su%s it all up as "ollo's< &nd

these are they whih are sown on good ground-

suh as hear the word, and reeive it, and bring

forth fruit, some thirty.fold, some si7ty, and some an

hundred

8hat 'ill your return in "ruit +e 8ill it +e 30;"old/ 60;"old/ or 100;"old (hat depends entirely onyou1 Hold "ast to your con"ession and do not 'a$erand resist the de$il and he 'ill "lee "ro% you1

8hen a""liction or persecution arises "or the'ord5s sake/ ho' 'ill you take that 8hen you

"orgi$e so%eone and it see%s to do no good at all'hat 'ill you do 8ill you continue to +elie$eGod5s 'ord or 'ill you i%%ediately +e o""endedand start to 6uestion God Re%e%+er/ i" you hold"ast you 'ill reap 100;"old1

8hen the 'orries o" the 'orld/ the state o" thenation/ the search "or riches =the deceit"ul pro%iseo" security> and the search or desire "or other things/enters in/ 'ill you allo' the% to throttle the 'ord o"God



You &ave &eard the +ord,

Now 'ssiilate It,&olding !ast to YourConfession-

.esisting Satan-.esisting 'll %ersecution,

.esisting 'll +orr#,and .eap /001!old*

god is calling his people to forgiveness

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