Start with Praise: 7 Empowering Prayersنموونە

Forgive as the Father Forgives Us

You may have heard the story of our dear sister from Rwanda who suffered the loss of two children, who were killed. Through Christ’s empowerment in her life, she was able to forgive those in Rwanda who killed her children. After she had moved to America, the power of forgiveness freed her to return to Rwanda. She even brought her other children with her to share the love of God with the people there.

She could have let her unforgiveness and fear hold her back. Instead, her forgiveness set her free and allowed her to impact the people and the country that took so much from her. When she returned to Rwanda, she taught many people how to pray for one another instead of fighting and killing. She was teaching them how to give a future and a hope to this next generation. Because she learned how to forgive, she was able to move forward, empowered to impact a nation through prayer.

Matthew 18:21-35

Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”

God has forgiven you and me of all our sins! He paid the price with His own Son, His own blood. God remembers our sins no more! The parable above talks about being handed over to the torturers. When we do not forgive, we allow the torture of unforgiveness to eat at our souls.

Matthew 6:14-15

For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is ourselves! Many of us think, If I could have, should have, or would have done things differently all my troubles would be washed away. We see our past with 20-20 vision. We all make mistakes but must forgive ourselves and allow God to lead us forward. Even though “we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself” (2 Timothy 2:13). So the truth is that once you go to Him to repent of your sins, you must forgive yourself. You do not want to give control to the enemy of your soul.

One woman I know admittedly shared how she hated her son for what he had done to their family through his addictions. She was also angry with herself for what she had allowed. She needed to forgive both her son and herself. She needed to release her son to the Lord. She could not fix him, nor did she have power over the situation.

Yet as she forgave him and herself, she was able to release her son to the Lord. It was then that God unleashed His power to help her son. Now, her son is doing amazingly well. He is reunited with the family, and they both are pointing many to God.

Let us not hold back the hand of God with our unforgiveness. Let us not miss out on what God wants to do through us as we pray. These words in Luke 23:34 came from Jesus who had no sin, who was beaten beyond recognition, spit upon, yelled at, and hung on a cross dying for our sins: “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

When someone hurts me, I try to remember right away to say the same words as Christ. If I do, the sin of unforgiveness does not take root. I am not sinless, I am not perfect like Jesus is, but if He can say those words, then I can. And then God sets me free and empowers me to forgive.

Are you ready to set your soul free of unforgiveness and move forward? Let’s start right now!

PRAISE
Day and night I will not cease to say “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.”
(From Revelation 4:8)

Lord, I praise You for You alone are perfect and holy.

CONFESSION
Lord help me to forgive _______ for they do not know what they are doing.

THANKSGIVING
Lord, thank You for all the times You have forgiven me and that You remember my sins no longer.

INTERCESSION
Lord, help _______ be on his/her guard! If someone sins against him/her, help _______ to rebuke that person in love, and if the person repents, help him/her to forgive them. And if the person sins against him/her seven times a day and returns to him/her seven times, saying “I repent,” help _______ to forgive that person.
(From Luke 17:3-4)

PETITION
Lord, help me be on guard! If someone sins against me, help me rebuke him/her in love; and if the person repents, help me forgive him/her. And if the person sins against me seven times a day, and returns to me seven times, saying, “I repent,” help me forgive that person.
(From Luke 17:3-4)