Jesus taught us a prayer in Matthew 6:12.
“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors”.
We as believers should not ask forgiveness for our own shortcomings and then hold unforgiveness to others. This would be considered hypocritical. The Lord has forgiven us as Christians and paved the ways for us to walk in forgiveness. So as we are forgiven we should forgive others. This one fact is a huge key to receiving deliverance. Unforgiveness or harboring bitterness in your heart will block a deliverance session.
Eph 4:32: And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Walking in unforgiveness is sin and should be confessed as such. The Father will forgive you in the Name of Jesus. Building up unforgiveness in your heart even against a family member will hinder your relationship with the person and with the Lord. We must deal with these issues straightaway so that we can walk in the grace of God and be reconciled with whoever we have held unforgiveness or bitterness. We can forgive when the fault was contributed to us, however, when the fault is contributed to someone else this is the test. Can we let go of our self-will and let the Lord work in our hearts to soften our hearts and just forgive? Forgiveness is not an option, forgiveness is a requirement in the Word of God and your deliverance and relationship with the Lord will not be complete until we let go and let God.
Examples of unforgiveness would be: When children disappoint their parents or vice-versa, people hurting their Pastors, or Pastors hurting their people. We all have had teachers who have hurt us, even unknowingly hurt us. Sometimes we may hurt a family member and not even know that we have done anything and they may hurt us without their knowledge. Whether or not a person deserves forgiveness is not the issue, we should forgive not because we feel like it, but because the Word tells us to do so. When we are obedient to the Word of God then our walk will be sweeter and our load will be lighter.
1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, H is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us for all unrighteousness.
The gift of forgiveness is something that no one can earn. The price has been paid. This is a free gift called grace that was purchased with the precious Blood of Jesus. So just forgive, yourself, any one that has hurt you knowingly or unknowingly. And then release them. We should not pray that God will “deal with them” or “punish them”, we should just forgive them and if you have your prayer language (pray in tongues) just pray in the spirit for them and God will bless you and grow you in the Spirit.
Forgiveness Prayer:
Father, I confess that in the past I have held unforgiveness, sometimes bitterness in my heart against certain people who have hurt or disappointed me. I now recognize this as a sin and confess it as sin, for You have said in your Word that if we confess our sin, You are faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.
I do now forgive the following people whom I can remember, who have hurt or disappointed me, (take time now and let the Holy Spirit recall any names of people that now or in the past/present and release them in the name of Jesus) I am asking the Holy Spirit to help me break any ground of unforgiveness right now in the name of Jesus. I command that spirit to loose me now in the name of Jesus. I now freely forgive all these people and ask You Lord to forgive them and bless those that are living. I also forgive myself for all my faults and failures in the name of Jesus and Lord I thank you for this forgiveness.
Thank You, Father, for freedom from the load of unforgiveness, bitterness and resentment. In Jesus name Amen.