Forgiveness For Good
The Real "F" Word (#2)
5-27-07

Today 4 wonderful benefits of unleashing forgiveness…

1. THE EMOTIONAL BENEFIT IS UNBELIEVABLE
- God has feeling too… we are made in his image - we are emotional…
Job 5:2 Unforgiveness can eat our emotions alive. (Tear us apart)
So many people are negative today- challenge you to look behind the negativity to the "what" to the why.

2. THE RELATIONAL BENEFIT IS UNBELEIVEABLE.
Eph 4:32 * Jesus was involved in "preemptive forgiveness."
*** I should forgive others before they do their part or if they NEVER do their part.
Classic example Joseph & his brothers. Gen 50:17-20

3. THE PHYSICAL BENEFIT IS UNVBELIEVABLE
Pro 14:30 Don't you see the brilliance o f God?
How loving God is- He doesn't want us to live our lives chained to a bench loaded with people that messed us over.

4. THE SPIRITUAL BENEFIT IS UNBELIEVABLE
Mark 11:25-26; Mt 18;34-35
* So I have a choice to walk in forgiveness starts when I realize that Christ forgave me and I can forgive others.
* I have talked to people that say, "I understand that God has forgiven me vertically but I have a hard time with that horizontally because I don't feel like I have forgiven myself.

* The moment we receive forgiveness we will experience forgiveness by releasing others horizontally… then as the forgiveness works we will feel FORGIVEN.

Luke 19:8-9 Zacchaeus understood releasing & forgiveness.

Col 3:13 Three thoughts with that verse in light… as a believer in Jesus
Unforgiveness keeps the believer from the greatness God wants for them.
(1) Consider the cross- what he has done for us- before we were even born.
(2) Realize that resentment will NOT take you where you want to go. Release them, forgive them.
(3) Realize that you are going to need MONSTER forgiveness in the future.

Conclusion:
* So many people are tied up to a bench
* "God give me the grace to forgive _________________ that did _______________ to me."
* Some need to go someone and ask for forgiveness.