Renewing the Christian
Mind – Part 3
RELEASE
Focusing Our Attention on
the Spirit of Our Minds
Romans 12 |
|
Oct 29 2017 AM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland
I.
Introduction (Romans 12:2)
A.
Do you EVER ponder what your mind is constantly occupied with?
1.
I said it last week, that your brain activity is kind of like waking up
one day, coming downstairs to find every neighbour… all your in-laws,
and your outlaws… every neighbourhood stray animal, and every salesman
who would ever call to your house in a year ALL living and interacting,
and fighting in your kitchen, sitting room and dining room!
2.
Is that what you would even WANT to just allow to go on in your home?
3.
Well, take a GOOD LONG LOOK at what goes on IN YOUR HEAD from the time you
wake up until the time you crash asleep at night!
4.
It used to be, that our grandparents filled their mind with: CHORES,
planting, harvesting, fixing things, READING everything they could get
their hands on, and just surviving!
5.
NOW DAYS... people’s minds are filled with THOUSANDS of hours of youtubes,
movies, role playing gaming, TV, Facebook, Instagram, the News – not to
mention all the WORRYING, and reviewing of memories of regret and hurt!
B.
This morning I want to continue to focus more of our attention on
RENEWING our minds
C.
It is the key to a sane, stable, restful, transformed Christian life
II.
So Far, We Have Learned…
A.
Your Mind is Amazing
1.
That unseen super-computer in your head can do unbelievable things
a.
Remember events, feelings, and even smells from 100 years ago
b.
It can process trillions of calculations a second allowing you to walk a
tightrope, drive at 120Kph, catch a falling cup, and change a TV
channel!!!
2.
The brain is absolutely fantastic – super designed – no accident! Not
possible
a.
Your BRAIN has a complete self-sustaining pharmacy inside it capable of
producing hundreds of necessary chemicals and hormones on a moments
notice
b.
In other words, your body is a puppet, and your brain is the puppeteer!
c.
That means that the mind can overrule your heart and your body
d.
That’s what it was designed to do – we are NOT supposed to just “follow
our heart”
e.
The mind is supposed to tell your body what to do – most everything that
happens in your body, is initiated and controlled by the brain
3.
Your MIND is more than a BRAIN in your head
a.
It is MORE than the product of chemicals reacting with each other
b.
More than the result of your upbringing by your parents or your training
at school
c.
More than all your experiences, good and bad
4.
Your mind is all the thoughts, feelings, memories and impulses from three
areas of your life:
a.
Physical - chemical reactions between the 86 billion neurons that make up
your memory
b.
Emotional - psychological activity of your soul
c.
And the spiritual activities within your spirit
d.
And at the centre of all that activity is your heart. That’s why the heart
is described is mentioned so often when meditating on God’s words (Psalm
19:14).
B.
Your Mind is Probably NOT in Good Shape
1.
Weird, angry thinking
2.
Battling with constant discouragement and depression
3.
Unable to really sleep or rest
4.
Constant waves of sad memories
5.
Cold towards people in general – never really getting close anymore
6.
Hey! If you don’t like what goes on inside your head, then this message is
for YOU!
C.
Conformed or Transformed
1.
Conformed means, Shaped by outside pressure:
2.
So, God calls for ALL Christians (young and old) to be constantly
TRANSFORMED
3.
Transformed is being shaped by a pressure that God puts IN the believer
D.
Renewing the Mind is Key to Changing for the Better – being Transformed!
1.
Transformed – metamorphosis
a.
Changed like an ugly caterpillar into a butterfly
b.
Dramatic change – not just growth. A caterpillar can grow, and still be a
caterpillar
c.
Going from STRESSED to REST
d.
Transformation is NOT a once off event like salvation is
1)
Salvation is God forgiving you once and for all – in an instant
2)
Transformation is God changing you to be like His Son – sometimes a
lifetime
3)
Philp 1:6
e.
But it can be SPED-UP by the renewing of our mind!
2.
Renewing Your Mind:
a.
EX: You renew your car every time you fill it up at the Petrol station -
Otherwise it is useless. You renew your strength every time you rest and
eat a healthy meal. You renew your phone when you plug it in and let it
recharge. You renew your mind in the same way
b.
It means Repairing what is broken in your mind
1)
All the hurts and abuses
2)
All the fears
3)
All can be repaired and rebuilt at least in your mind
c.
It means Restoring your mind to how it was when it was made new at
salvation!
III.
The Preliminaries
A.
Make Sure You Have a New Mind to Work With
1.
Truth is: You need a whole new mind put in you. In the empty part of every
human being that Paul calls, “the
spirit of your mind” (Eph 4:22,23)
2.
It only happens when you are born of the Spirit of God! When God puts a
new mind in your SPIRIT (Rom 8:6-10)
3.
If you DON’T have a new mind, a right mind, you can get it TODAY! Just
believe the Gospel!
B.
Focus on Renewing your Mind, not on Changing your Life
1.
Problems with your mouth can’t actually be fixed with duct-tape!
2.
Problems with your eyes can’t actually be fixed with a blindfold!
3.
Problem with worry can’t actually be fixed with loads of money!
4.
It all starts in changing how you think!
5.
You see… Change comes easy when our way of thinking has changed
6.
2Co 3:17,18 Now the Lord is
that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is
liberty. [AND THERE IS CHANGE]
But we all, with open face
beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same
image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
7.
Tit 3:3-6 For we ourselves
also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving
divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and
hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our
Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have
done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of
regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us
abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
8.
No wonder the apostle Paul tells us to renew our minds BACK to that state
where the Holy Spirit can restore order and peace and stability!
C.
Put Most of your Efforts into Working on the SPIRIT of your Mind –
be renewed in the spirit of your
mind (Eph 4:22,23)
1.
Not your ability to think great thoughts, and understand great mysteries,
and work through massive problems…
a.
It is GREAT to eat well, and get enough sleep so your physical mind can
think clearly – junk food is making EVERYONE thin skinned and agitated
and shallow in their thinking across the board!
b.
It is very important to have supporting friends, and a family atmosphere
c.
But it is MOST important to have the spiritual dimension of your mind
strongest
2.
So:
a.
Become slow to speak – THINK a lot before you say a word “Wherefore,
my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow
to wrath” (James 1:19)
b.
Take Second Place - Humble yourself. God gives great GRACE to those who
take second place!
c.
Desperately want a new mind, like the man in Mark 5! Until you are
desperate, you won’t take it even if it was handed to you on a silver
platter
D.
Four Steps to renewing, regenerating, restoring, and recovering your
mind…
1.
READING
2.
RELEASING
3.
REPLACING
4.
Taking RESPONSIBILITY
IV.
LAST WEEK – How to Renew Your Mind – Step 1: READ Loads of the Bible
(Joshua 1:8)
A.
Read THIS Book – the Book you hold in your hand!
B.
To get the mind of Christ into YOUR mind starts with READING that Book!
C.
So, Saturate your thinking, your understanding, your conclusions with
the word of God (Joshua 1:8) – that’s how great leaders are made!
1.
That means, Read VAST amounts of Scripture!
2.
NOT dribs and drabs! Come on! Your Algebra and History teachers wouldn’t
let you get away with such tiny efforts of reading, and neither will
GOD!
3.
ONLY that Book will fill the spirit of your mind with right thoughts -
Good thoughts - Healthy thoughts - Strong thoughts!
D.
Secondly, As you read, Let the Bible FASHION your mind
1.
PAY ATTENTION - LISTEN to the words that God has given you
– like a horseshoe is fashioned by the anvil! (1Peter
1:13-15)
2.
Don’t just let your experiences forge and shape the way you think and live
– far too many let a bad experience in a church, or in a marriage, or at
a job destroy them!
3.
And as you read through your Bible, let God speak right to you!
E.
Third, ARM yourselves with the very same mind that Christ had (1Peter 4:1,2)
1.
That means to get yourself armed with whatever you need to defeat whatever
is going on in your life
2.
Pick up the words of Christ and use them as a weapon…
a.
Against temptations (remember what Jesus did at HIS temptations)
b.
Against spiritual attacks (the sword of the Spirit)
c.
Against times of weaknesses
d.
And especially when the devil has won a battle
e.
THOSE will be times when you must grab this Book and BLAST BACK
3.
As you read and read and read, AND believe this Bible, you will get a
renewed mind – that’s how it works on you – there is no other way!
4.
Become fully persuaded of its rightness (Romans 4:18-21) – convinced that
THIS is THE way to win!
F.
Do what you know to do (James 1:21,22)
1.
Every time you spend reading in this book of books, you should come away
knowing something different to be doing, or something new to be doing,
and something better
2.
It starts with just doing what you know you are supposed to be doing
a.
Read your Bible everyday
b.
Pray without ceasing – never quit
c.
Love the brethren
d.
Tell someone about Christ and how to be born again, every chance you can
e.
Be in church – be THE church!
f.
Love your wife sacrificially, gentlemen
g.
Love your husband submissively, ladies
h.
Honour and obey your parents, young people
i.
Tithe and give to Faith Promise for missions
j.
Look for Jesus to return at any minute and live like He is coming today!
k.
Flee from youthful lusts – don’t even try and battle some sins
3.
“Be ye DOERS of the word” means what it says!
G.
Memorize and Meditate on what you have read
1.
Memorizing is STORING the words of Scriptures away on purpose, like
stock-piling: Fresh Batteries for times without electricity
2.
To meditate is to ponder, think a lot about, wonder about, probe & explore
what God said
3.
Memorizing and Meditating on Scriptures will seriously benefit anybody!
(1Tim 4:15)
H.
Finally, Trust that God is right (Proverbs 3:5,6; Isa 26:3)
1.
There is NO WAY you will ever in this life be able to figure out what is
all going on, and why this happened, and how to live, and how to die!
Your mind is going to just have to anchor itself in the strength of
Almighty God!
2.
Trust His love for you, and for your family
3.
Trust His will for you – it’s perfect, even when it certainly doesn’t seem
like it
4.
Trust His work in and on you – it never stops!
5.
Trust His strength – he will hold you even when you have let go!
6.
Trust in the Lord when your understanding draws a blank!
I.
A change of mind is not done in some mystical, magical hocus-pocus
fashion, but only as we align our thoughts with the thoughts presented
in this BOOK!
1.
Jer 29:11 For I know the
thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and
not of evil, to give you an expected end.
2.
Psa 40:5 Many, O LORD my God,
are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are
to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would
declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
3.
Psa 33:11 The counsel of the
LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
V.
Message - How To Renew Your Mind – Step 2: RELEASE
A.
People pay a lot of money to learn what I am about to teach you (Yoga
classes, stress management, counselling courses, etc)
B.
How many of you all believe that BEING FORGIVEN for sins against God or
against man is awesome (Psalm 32:1)?
C.
Well, This next truth is unbelievably important to renewing your mind!
1.
After saturating your mind with the mind of God contained in that Book,
there are going to be a lot of things you are going to have to just let
go of for your mind to actually begin to heal!
2.
And it may be the hardest thing you have ever done
3.
But once done, the bonds of all our hurts and offenses will be broken, and
the chains in your mind WILL fall away! Guaranteed!
4.
I have found that MOST mental and emotional bondage that Christians are
in, is related to the amount of sins that we allow to build up in our
minds and hearts, and the amount of forgiveness that we withhold others!
5.
You will have to… RELEASE Everything You Struggle With, and Start Over.
6.
You cannot just keep ADDING “stuff” into your head and expect it all to
just “get along” – like putting more and more CATS into a locked room!!!
D.
You will have to… RELEASE Every Offense You Struggle With, and then
Start Over with people, all the time!
E.
How Can Anyone Do Such a Thing?
1.
First of all, FORGIVE
a.
Three Great Examples of Forgiving
1)
Joseph (Gen 45:1-5) forgave his evil, uncaring brothers
2)
Jesus (Lk 23:34) forgave ALL those who had just beat Him and whipped Him,
and nailed Him to the cross and left Him there to die!
3)
Stephen (Acts 7:59) forgave those who were stoning him!
4)
All of them were intensely hurt and offended and abused, and great
injustices were done against them! And yet they forgave without
hesitation! Even though their enemies first asking to be forgiven!
b.
Well. Let me ask you this… What has offended You?
1)
Have people Neglected you? Rejected you? (remember being picked last for
PE class sports anybody?)
2)
Bullied you?
3)
Said unfair words and actions against you?
4)
Took you to court?
5)
Was it that close friend, or you husband, your wife, your parents?
6)
Listen to Psalm 55:12-14
7)
Whatever upsets us, shouldn’t upset us as Christians like things do
usually today!
c.
How easily do YOU take offense? (Prov 18:19)
1)
Some things ARE clearly offensive – physical abuse, porn, sexual abuse
2)
But MOST things should NOT be to the Bible believing Christian!
3)
Do you allow yourself to take offense, as if you are entitled to it?
Entitled to being upset all the time? Raising your voice, pushing your
point, and demeaning everyone around you?
4)
Do you pridefully argue that what somebody said was blatantly aimed at
you?
5)
Do you feel that you have to ‘defend’ yourself when somebody says
something and you take offense?
a)
If I said: “Man, I really don’t like the new Ford Ka car – they are ugly!”
And you happen to have a new Ford Ka car – would you take offense? Would
you somehow work it that I
intentionally said something to offend you? Would you defend
yourself and the reason you bought the car? Would you quote statistical
information on why the Ford is better than the Toyota?
b)
You see we do this everyday. We take offense. And as soon as we do, we
often end up striking back and hurting other people by our actions.
6)
We take offense because we feel an injustice
7)
And we feel we MUST bring “balance” back to our lives through an equal
response!
8)
We are ALL weighed down with past offenses against us
a)
All the HISTORY of abuses and hurtful words said, and destructive things
done against us
b)
All the HURTS
c)
All the INJUSTICES
d)
All the BAD MEMORIES
e)
But each offense that we hold onto WILL become our own chain and prison if
not released / or let go of!
d.
Jesus works backwards to what you would think about handling offenses
1)
Our natural reaction is to TAKE control – seize the day – be in charge of
justice concerning our lives – because no one else will!
2)
But Jesus says to get control, you have to LOSE it (Luke 9:23-25)
3)
RELEASE it!
4)
That’s why forgiveness is something that usually has to be taught and
drilled into us
5)
That’s why the message today!
e.
EIGHT Truths About Forgiveness from Matthew 18:21-35
1)
It is IMPOSSIBLE to Forgive like we should (Mt 18:21-22)
a)
It takes an impossible miracle to truly forgive (Mark 2:9) over and over
b)
Peter imagined his limit was 7 times for the same person
c)
Jesus said, try 7 times 70 = 490 times for each person!!!
d)
It will take a miracle to get you to ask and intercede for God to forgive
those that hurt you (Ex 32:31,32) when you will naturally want to ask
God to judge them!
e)
So Jesus starts with an impossibility – to get us to depend upon HIM!
2)
It is Mandatory of a Christian to Forgive – commanded (Mt 18:21-22), NOT
SUGGESTED like a counsellor might say to you
a)
There is NO forgiveness for you without you forgiving others! (Mk
11:25,26)
b)
Did you get that?
c)
God gets the ball rolling when He first forgives YOU, but expects YOU to
forgive from now on!
d)
Forgiveness requires TWO halves to make a whole
i.
God already offered you forgiveness! Paid for everything YOU have ever did
wrong on the cross
ii.
Receiving that forgiveness is the first step – Salvation!
iii.
It GENERATES Thankfulness towards God
iv.
Forgiveness towards whoever has hurt ME must now be settled and extended
v.
THAT will generate a forgetfulness whenever the devil tries to remind you
of past hurts and offenses – it won’t be remembered so quickly and
painfully
vi.
ALL OF THAT MOTION in your heart and mind makes a person WHOLE!
e)
Unforgiving-ness is a SIN
f)
But what if the offender does not ask to be forgiven?
i.
It does not matter – that’s their problem
ii.
You on the other hand HAVE to already have forgiven them and moved on!
iii.
If you are waiting on them to ask before you forgive, then you will be in
the bondage of the sin of Unforgiveness – more than they will be in the
bondage of the sin of hurting you!
g)
Let me give you a personal example – MY DAD
i.
Behind doors arguments for a whole year before he sat us all down in the
kitchen and told us he was leaving
ii.
Walked out, and from that day onward, I saw him every other weekend
iii.
Heard my Mom cry herself to sleep for the next 2 years
iv.
Hated my Dad. I did not understand that it takes two to tango – there are
always more issues than just one side – but the fact remained: my Dad
hurt us all! My younger sister and my younger brother have never
recovered.
v.
Well, that was all fine and dandy with me to be bitter and angry growing
up – hated going to see my Dad – only natural – made his life miserable
as he tried to keep our relationship going
vi.
It felt GOOD to make him feel bad!
vii.
That is, until a year and a half after God saved me!
viii.
I was in Bible College, and a pastor from Maine came and preached to the
entire student body about Forgiveness
ix.
He repeated over and over and over – GOD WILL NOT USE ANYONE WHO CANNOT
FORGIVE WHAT OTHERS HAVE DONE AGAINST THEM!
x.
It terrified me! Here I was getting ready to go to Ireland to preach the
GOOD NEWS, and I was carrying the vile sin of Unforgiveness! I was
claiming the place of GOD!
xi.
Listen to what Joseph said in Genesis 50:15-20.
xii.
To withhold forgiveness and to keep someone under
condemnation is to take to yourself a power that only GOD has! And
believe me – he is very slow to use it
xiii.
So I cried for the first time in 6 years, and asked God – BEGGED God to
forgive me for becoming SO bitter against my Dad.
xiv.
My Dad never asked me to forgive him. Still hasn’t.
xv.
But I now knew that “I” HAD to forgive him. And I
did!
xvi.
I sat down and almost all that night, I wrote him a five page letter
telling him how sorry I was that I had sought to hurt him back for all
the hurt he caused. That I was so very sorry for not being able to
honour him and love him as my Dad.
xvii.
I asked HIM to forgive ME for not forgiving HIM!
xviii.
It changed my life!
xix.
Can’t explain it – but is the secret power of a renewed mind!
3)
Forgiveness is a Gift that Costs the Forgiver, but NOT the offender
(Matthew 18:23-27)
a)
Ten thousand talents is like ten thousand bags of silver coins – TEN
THOUSAND! IN today’s money, that would mean hundreds of millions of
euros!
b)
This man had gotten his employer in DEEP debt, and had no way to pay him
back
c)
And the employer just forgave him all that he owed back
d)
Took over the repayments of all his debts
e)
Costed God everything
f)
Costs us as sinful people nothing – absolutely nothing!
4)
It Must be Total, or it is NOT Forgiveness (Mt 18:27; Ps 103:3,11,12;
85:2)
a)
You must set out to Forgive everything that is owed to you (Col 3:12-14)
b)
God is not saying it is not owed to you – just that you do not have to
demand payment for ANY of it… not even a small bit like you will so
want!
5)
It ALWAYS Changes the Forgiver, but Only Sometimes the Forgiven
a)
Here, in this parable, the forgiven is NOT changed
b)
But notice Luke 7:44-48!
c)
HERE you will begin to see why SO MANY CHRISTIANS are SO messed up in
their hearts and minds – they have not forgiven in the same way or
amount that THEY have BEEN forgiven (Eph 4:31,32)
d)
What RELEASING will do for YOU the offended
i.
It will remove the wrath in you (Ps 85:2,3; Luke 7:47)
ii.
It will cleanse even the stain of someone’s sin against you (Isa 1:18)
iii.
It will restore ENTIRE families (Gen 45:3-5) – reconciles enemies
iv.
It puts the sins against you BEHIND you (Isa 38:17)
v.
It will restore deep love – you cannot love without forgiveness (1Pet
1:22) - reconciles
vi.
It removes bitterness (2Cor 2:10,11) – even secondary bitterness
vii.
It justifies the person, but not the offense/sin
6)
It Frees the Forgiver AND the Offender (Mt 18:27)
a)
Did you notice the COMPASSION he had on the debtor? No anger, no wrath, no
desiring justice!
b)
BOTH men were satisfied, and free to go on without bitterness!
c)
To forgive means to pay the debt someone else owes you, yourself!
d)
This is humbling
e)
But this is healing!
f)
There is a power given TO THE FORGIVER that is greater than being the
judge (Psalm 130:4; Pr 19:11)
g)
Only when you have forgiven the person who has hurt you are you able to be
in their presence and not fear them – not be in bondage to them
h)
If your memory is ONLY sharp about the evils of your life and you have no
memories of the goodnesses of God, then you are WAY out of balance, and
clogged up, and you need to start forgiving every time you remember a
hurt or a grief or a pain!
i)
But after that, requires us to extend our forgiveness in order to receive
forgiveness again! (Mk 11:24,25)
7)
It Will Usually be Totally Abused and Underappreciated (Mt 18:28-30)
a)
Forgiveness will almost always be abused by the forgiven
b)
You will still hurt
c)
And you will still be hurt again and again
d)
BUT, the UNFORGIVER will end up hurt worse by their unforgiving than by
any injustice against them (Mt 18:34)
8)
Unforgiving-ness is a WICKED SIN (Mt 18:31-35) to get out of your heart!
a)
The Christian who cannot forgive, is claiming a power greater than God,
who cannot withhold forgiveness! There is NO ONE alive that God has not
already personally paid all the sins of!
b)
The person who won’t forgive will be tormented more than the person who
hurt them… while the person who hurt them will usually live quite free!
Mt 18:34,35
c)
Beware! Unforgiveness is a deadly sin that must be overcome! Mat 18:35 “If
ye from your hearts forgive not EVERY one his brother their trespasses”
d)
You cannot just be the recipient of forgiveness and not extend it – that
will destroy you! (Mt 18:32-35)
2.
Then, FORBEAR Justice! (Eph 4:2; 6:9; Col 3:13)
a.
Whoever hurt you, did wrong.
1)
There is NO denying that.
2)
But by God’s amazing grace, you can put off getting even, and leave the
vengeance to HIM
3)
When YOU forgive, you are forgiving the PERSON of their offense against
you, but only GOD can forgive their sin
4)
You are letting them go, and leaving them to God to take care of!
b.
To forbear means to hold off getting even
1)
To not meddle, or get involved with – to leave alone (Ex 23:5)
2)
Forbearance means even controlling/limiting the use of your words (Pr
25:15)
c.
David put off repaying his enemy king Saul, for all the injustices against
him (1Sam 24:16-19)
d.
God forbears/puts up with US - is longsuffering towards us (Rom 2:4;
3:25)!
e.
If He has been slow to act against YOU, then, YOU must become SLOW to act
against those who have hurt you as well! VERY SLOW (James 1:9)!
3.
And then You Can Allow Yourself to Finally FORGET some things
a.
Holding onto every memory of every hurt, and every reason why someone
cannot be trusted, and every reason why someone ought to be punished,
will kill the spirit of your mind! It will burn you out; twist your
thinking; drain your spirit and your joy
b.
You were not made to carry all those memories and hurts (1Peter 5:7)
c.
So, Forget some things quite on purpose (Philp 3:12-14)
1)
ALL your past failures
2)
And ALL the Hurts – how? By forgiving them all!
3)
All the Disasters that seemed to ruin your life – trusting that GOD was
actually in control and making everything work together for good – like
Joseph
4)
All the Failed parenting, relationships, marriages, decisions and debts!
VI.
Conclusion
A.
A “renewed mind” is the key to a transformed life!
1.
If you DON’T have a new mind, a right mind, you can get it TODAY! Just
believe the Gospel!
2.
But if you are born again, you DO have a new mind, but it needs to
regularly be RENEWED! Restored to its right way of thinking, and feeling
and loving!
B.
It STARTS with READING that BOOK in your hands!
C.
Then, RELEASE Every Offense You Struggle With, and then Start Over with
people, all the time!
D.
How Can Anyone Do Such a Thing?
1.
First of all, FORGIVE
a.
Joseph forgave his evil, uncaring brothers
b.
Jesus forgave ALL those who had just beat Him and whipped Him, and nailed
Him to the cross and left Him there to die!
c.
Stephen forgave those who were stoning him!
d.
EIGHT Truths About Forgiveness from Matthew 18:21-35
1)
It is IMPOSSIBLE to Forgive like we should – you will need to totally
depend upon Christ to enable you to forgive as you SHOULD!
2)
It is Mandatory of a Christian to Forgive – commanded (Mt 18:21-22), NOT
SUGGESTED like a counsellor might say to you
3)
Forgiveness is a Gift that Costs the Forgiver, but NOT the offender
(Matthew 18:23-27)
4)
It Must be Total, or it is NOT Forgiveness (Mt 18:27; Ps 103:3,11,12;
85:2)
5)
It ALWAYS Changes the Forgiver, but Only Sometimes the Forgiven
6)
It Frees the Forgiver AND the Offender (Mt 18:27)
7)
It Will Usually be Totally Abused and Underappreciated (Mt 18:28-30)
8)
Unforgiving-ness is a WICKED SIN (Mt 18:31-35) and will KEEP you in
bondage until you release everyone who has hurt you!
a)
The Christian who cannot forgive, is claiming a power greater than God,
who cannot withhold forgiveness! There is NO ONE alive that God has not
already personally paid all the sins of!
b)
The person who won’t forgive will be tormented more than the person who
hurt them… while the person who hurt them will usually live quite free!
Mt 18:34,35
c)
Beware! Unforgiveness is a deadly sin that must be overcome! Mat 18:35 “If
ye from your hearts forgive not EVERY one his brother their trespasses”
d)
You cannot just be the recipient of forgiveness and not extend it – that
will destroy you! (Mt 18:32-35)
2.
Then, FORBEAR Justice! Put off getting even
3.
And then You Can Allow Yourself to Finally FORGET some things
E.
ALL of the above was done FOR YOU by God
F.
Have you received such a gift?
G.
Then you MUST start to give it away if you want a new mind a right mind
again, like you used to have! |