Freedom in Christ Lesson 8: Forgiving from the Heart
Focus Verse:
Matthew 18:34-35 (NIV2011)
34 In anger his master handed him
over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 “This is how my heavenly Father
will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your
heart.”
.
Objective: To recognize what forgiveness is and what
it is not, and to learn how to forgive from the heart.
Focus Truth: in order to experience our freedom in
Christ, we need to relate to other people in the same way that God relates to
us – on the basis of complete forgiveness and acceptance.
Welcome
Read aloud the following passages:
Matthew 18:21-35 (NIV2011)
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and
asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins
against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus
answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. 23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a
king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed
him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay,
the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be
sold to repay the debt. 26 “At this
the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and
I will pay back everything.’ 27 The
servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt, and let him go. 28 “But when that servant went out, he found
one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him
and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. 29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and
begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ 30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and
had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had
happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had
happened. 32 “Then the master
called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt
of yours because you begged me to.33 Shouldn’t
you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the
jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat
each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Read aloud the following passages:
Hebrews 4:16
(NKJV)
16 Let us therefore come boldly to
the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of
need.
Ephesians 3:12
(NIV2011)
12 In him and through faith in him
we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Psalm 130:1-5 (NIV2011)
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, LORD;
2 Lord, hear my voice. Let your
ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
3 If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is
forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
5 I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his
word I put my hope.
Why Forgive?
What, in your
opinion, gives Satan the greatest opportunity to defeat Christians? Occult
activity? Sexual immorality? Cults and sects?
It may surprise you
but, in our experience, the biggest issue is an unwillingness to forgive.
Nothing gives Satan greater opportunity to stop a church growing than
bitterness and division.
A staggering number
of Christians are walking around with unforgiveness. And it’s usually because
we haven’t understood what forgiveness is, why we should do it, and how to do
it.
Let’s remember what
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 2:10-11:
Anyone you forgive,
I also forgive. And what I have forgiven… I have forgiven in the sight of
Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not
unaware of his schemes.
What is the worst
thing anybody ever did to you? Have you got it in your mind? Here’s the big
question: why should you forgive that? That’s the issue we’re addressing today.
It is required by
God (Matthew 6:9-15)
The first reason is
simply because God tells you to.
This, then, is how
you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom
come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins, as we also have forgiven those who have sinned against us.
(Matthew 6: 9- 12).
When you pray, “Forgive
us our sins, as we also have forgiven those who have sinned against us”, if you
think about it, you might not be asking for much.
Your relationship
with God is tied to your relationship with other people. You really can’t have
a righteous relationship with God in isolation from your relationships with
other people. As John says,
“Whoever claims to
love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love
their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have
not seen.” (1 John 4:20).
God wants us to
learn to relate to others on the same basis that he relates to us.
Jesus continues in
Matthew 6:14-15:
“For if you forgive
other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive
you. But if you do not forgive others their sin, your Father will not forgive
your sins.”
We need to be
careful not to apply this wrongly. God relates to us in two ways: as a judge
and as a Father. Because you are in Christ, your sins are forgiven, you are
saved, and there is no longer any issue with God as judge. What’s at stake,
however, is your relationship with God as Father. If you have not forgiven
someone, God won’t let you be comfortable until you do. You will not move on.
You will not bear fruit. Your final destiny is secure, but what’s at stake are
your daily victories and the potential fruit from your life.
It is Essential for
Our Freedom
The most definitive
teaching on forgiveness is in Matthew 18:21-35.
“Then came Peter to
Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins
against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times,
but seventy-seven times.”
Now, Jesus isn’t
suggesting that you keep tabs on each time you are offended until you reach 78,
then get a gun and blow his brains out! He’s saying that you just continue to
forgive for your own sake. God doesn’t want his children to languish in
bitterness and be bound to the past.
The Extent of Our Own
Debt
In order to forgive
this freely we need to understand, first of all, the extent of our own debt to
God. There’s a story in Luke 7:36-50 where a Pharisee by the name of Simon
threw a party and invited a lot of people including Jesus. A woman who had
lived a sinful life slipped in uninvited.
She began to wash
Jesus’ feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, anoint his feet with oil
and kiss them repeatedly. This irritated Simon who said, “Well, if he were a
prophet he would know what sort of woman she is.” Jesus said, “Simon, I have
something to say to you. Suppose someone had been forgiven a debt of 50 denarii
and someone else 500 denarii, which one would love more?” He said, “Well I
suppose the one who’d been forgiven 500 denarii.” Jesus said, “That’s right.
You see this woman. When I came to this house you didn’t greet me with a kiss.
She hasn’t stopped kissing my feet since I came. You didn’t wash my feet; she’s
done it with her tears. You didn’t anoint my feet with oil, but she has.”
Then He says, “Those
who have been forgiven much love much. Those who have been forgiven little love
little.”
How much have you
been forgiven? Little or much?
No matter how well
we may think we’ve done, the truth is our best is like a dirty rag before God (Isaiah
64:6). Without Christ, we all stand condemned. We’ve all been forgiven much
though we may not realize it. But if we do realize it, will find that our
capacity for loving others will increase.
Repayment is Impossible
Jesus continues in
Matthew 18:
“Therefore, the kingdom
of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he
began the settlement, a man who owed him 10,000 talents was brought to him. Since
he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his
children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
At this the servant
fell on his knees before him. “Be patient with me,” he begged, “and I will pay
back everything.”
Do you know what
it’s like to have a debt that you can’t pay?
10,000 talents was
a huge sum, way beyond a lifetime’s earnings – A seven figure sum in today’s
terms. What Jesus is trying to show by using such a large amount is that
repayment is not an option. There was no way the servant could possibly repay
the debt!
How big was your
debt to God? Far too large for you ever to repay.
So if the servant
is to sort this issue out, another way has to be found.
Mercy is Required
And here’s what
happened:
“The servants
master took pity on him, cancelled the debt and let him go.”
And that’s what God
has done for you.
Let’s define some
important terms – justice, mercy, and grace.
Justice is rightness or fairness. In other words
it is giving people what they deserve. God is just, it’s part of his character.
If he gave us what we deserve, we would all get hell.
Thankfully, God is
also merciful, and he found a way to forgive and accept us without compromising
justice. The punishment we deserve fell at an unimaginable cost on Christ.
Mercy is not giving people what they deserve.
We are told to be merciful to others as God has been merciful to us (Luke 6:36).
But our generous
God goes even further than that. He didn’t just take our punishment on himself
so that we could go free. He actually showers us with good gifts that we don’t
deserve.
Grace is giving people what they don’t
deserve.
God set the
standard by his own example. So He expects us to relate to other people in exactly
the same way. We are not to give people the retribution they deserve. In fact
we are to give them the forgiveness and blessings they don’t deserve, which is
what the master did for the servant and what Jesus has done for us.
It all begins with
the relationship that God has established with us: “Freely you have received,
freely give” (Matthew 10:8).
____________________________________________________________________________
Pause for Thought 1
Objective:
To understand that in commanding us to forgive others, God
is only asking us to do what he has already done for us.
Questions:
Why are people, including Christians, often unwilling to
forgive?
In order to understand how important it is to forgive others;
we need to understand how much we ourselves have been forgiven. Discussed this
idea.
Look at the definitions of justice, mercy, and grace period
how does God come to us when we go wrong? How can we go to other people in the
same way?
_______________________________________________________________________________
So That No Advantage Can be Taken of You (2 Corinthians
2:10-11)
So the master took pity on the servant who owed the huge
debt. He cancelled the debt and let him go. Jesus continues:
“But when the servant went out, he found one of his fellow
servants who owed him 100 denarii.
A denarius is a day’s wages – so 100 denarii is about 3
months’ worth of income. That’s not a small debt, but it was a lot less than
the one he had been forgiven.
“He grabbed him and began to choke him. “Pay back what you
owe me!” he demanded. His fellow servant fell on his knees and begged him, “Be
patient with me and I will pay everything back.”
But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown
into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had
happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had
happened. Then the master called the servant in. “You wicked servant,” he said,
“I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you
have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?”
In his anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be
tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.”
The word used for “torture” usually refers to spiritual
torment in the New Testament. It is the same word the demon used in Mark 5:7
when the demon said to Jesus, “Swear to God that you won’t torture me!”
Jesus finished the story by saying perhaps one of the scariest
things in the New Testament:
“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you
unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”
Jesus warns us that if we don’t forgive others from our
heart, we will suffer some kind of spiritual torment. In other words, we are
opening a door to bring the enemy’s influence or spiritual attack into our
life.
Forgiving from the Heart
To forgive someone from the heart means we have to be
emotionally honest with God and ourselves and face the hurt and pain we feel.
In the Steps to Freedom in Christ we use a simple but
effective formula. You go to God and choose to be emotionally honest with him
by saying:
“Lord I choose to forgive, (the person), for (say what they
did or failed to do) because it made me feel, (then tell God every hurt in pain
you felt).
We encourage people to stay with this process until every
hurt that is uncovered has been put on the table. We have to let God lead us to
the emotional core where healing is going to take place.
I’m not pretending that this is easy or that it is not
painful. But it’s not a meaningless exercise. We do this in order to completely
resolve the pain that we have been carrying around. We can’t move on from the
past until we choose to forgive.
One of the key points we need to understand when it comes to
forgiveness is that the real issue is not so much between us and the other
person but between us and God because He is the one who commands us to forgive.
We don’t even have to go to the other person in order to forgive them. In fact,
the process of forgiveness doesn’t involve them at all – it is between us and
God alone.
Yes, Jesus did say that if we go to church and remember that
somebody has something against us, we should leave our offering and go and be
reconciled with that person. If you have offended someone else, go to that
person, ask for forgiveness and put things right as far as you are able. But if
someone has offended you, don’t go to them, go to God. Your need to forgive
others is first and foremost an issue between you and God. If you think about
it, there is logic in it: because your freedom cannot be dependent on other
people – otherwise it could not be guaranteed.
After you have forgiven, you may or may not be reconciled to
the other person. That doesn’t depend just on you. But whether you are
reconciled or not, you will have removed the enemy’s ability to hold you back.
We Forgive to Stop the Pain
When you forgive, it is for your sake. You might be
thinking, “But you don’t know how much they hurt me.” But don’t you see that
they are still hurting you? How do you stop the pain? By forgiving.
If you went fishing and someone accidentally hooked your
cheek when they cast the line, what would you do to get rid of the pain? Would
you leave the hook in your cheek and go around shouting, “Look what they did to
me… This hook is in my cheek… And it hurts… I will never forgive them”?
That night you go to sleep with a hook in your cheek and you get up the next
morning and it’s worse. You go out and tell others the same story – but you
leave the hook in your cheek.
Would you do that? No, you wouldn’t. You would take the hook
out of your cheek to relieve the pain!
By choosing not to forgive someone for what they did, we
stay hooked to the pain of what they did. We think that by forgiving someone,
we let them off the hook – but, if we don’t forgive, we’re the ones with the
hook in us.
Holding on to bitterness and unforgiveness is like
swallowing poison and hoping the other person will die!
__________________________________________________________________________________
Pause for Thought 2
Objective: To prepare people for the forgiveness step in the
Steps to Freedom in Christ by helping them understand that we make the choice
to forgive for our own sake.
Questions:
What is your reaction to the idea that unforgiveness opens
the door to the enemy’s influence in your life?
“The longer you leave the hook in, the more pain it will
cause you. Discuss.
What do you think about this statement: “When it comes to
forgiveness, the real issue is not so much between us and the other person,
it’s between US and God”?
___________________________________________________________________________________
What Forgiveness Is and What It
Isn’t
Do you still have in
your mind the worst thing that anyone ever did to you? Let’s get to the crux of
the matter.
On major reason that
people don’t forgive is because they don’t understand what forgiveness is-and
what it isn’t.
Not Forgetting
It’s not forgetting.
You can’t get rid of a hurt simply by trying to forget it.
You might say, “Well,
doesn’t God forget our sins?” God is all knowing – He couldn’t forget if He
wanted to. When God says, “I will remember their sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:34),
what He is saying is, “I won’t take the past and use it against you. I will put
it away from Me as far as the east is from the west.”
If a husband says to
a wife, “I’ve forgiven you but remember, on January 10, 2013, you did this…,”
do you know what he’s actually saying? “I haven’t forgiven you. I am still
taking the past and using it against you.” So part of that commitment to
forgive is about deciding not to bring up the past and use it against them ever
again.
Not Tolerating
Sin
Forgiveness does not
mean that we tolerate sin. Does God forgive? He does. Does he tolerate sin? No,
He can’t.
This is most
difficult when someone is in a situation where they are being sinned against
continually, for example a wife who is being physically abused by her husband.
In the past, some churches advised abused wives in effect, “Go home and be
submissive.” What if that man beat up another woman in the church – would they
tolerate that? Was it alright to beat up his own wife? It’s not only wrong, it
is doubly wrong because she’s not just getting beaten up, she is getting beaten
up by the one who is there by God’s instruction to provide for her and protect
her.
The Bible certainly
tells wives to be submissive but that’s not all it says. 1 Peter 2:13-18 and
Romans 13:1-7 instruct us to submit to the governing authorities whom God has
placed over us. They have put laws in place to protect that wife. It is perfectly possible to forgive someone
yet still decide to turn them over to the authorities to let the law take its
course. The fact is that that kind of abuse tends to run in a cycle that simply
goes on and on until someone puts a stop to it.
You have every right
to put a stop to sin by laying down Biblical guidelines, or by removing yourself
from a particular situation. That is not at all inconsistent with forgiveness.
Freedom In Christ
presenter, Steve Goss shares this testimony:
A lady called
Steve’s office and told him that her Christian husband kept having affairs. She
continually forgave him and took him back, but he kept having affairs. Steve
advised her to forgive him but then draw a line in the sand and say that if he
did it one more time, he must leave. That is not inconsistent with forgiving
him. To be honest you feel a little nervous when you give that kind of advice.
Well it worked. Steve met them again when they came on a marriage course he was
running. He thanked Steve and told Steve that the line in the sand was the wake-up
call he needed to get his act together and sort his life out.
If you don’t put an
end to a cycle of abuse it will just continue.
Not Seeking
Revenge
The main difficulty
we have with forgiveness is we remember the nasty thing that was done to us and
understandably we want revenge, we want justice.
We somehow think
that forgiving means we just have to sweep it under the carpet and say it
didn’t matter. But it did matter. Very much.
Listen carefully to
what God says about this:
“Do not take
revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It
is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19).
In no way is God
asking you to sweep what was done under the carpet as if it did not matter. In
fact quite the opposite.
He promises that if
you hand the matter over to Him, He will ensure that it is not swept under the
carpet. When you forgive, although you are letting the person off your hook,
you are not letting them off God’s hook.
“I will repay.” When
you choose to forgive, you are taking a step of faith to trust God to be the
righteous judge who will weigh what was done on the scales of justice and will
demand that the scales balance.
Nothing will be
swept under the carpet. God really will demand full payment for everything done
against you. Everyone who’s sinned against you will have to stand before God
and explain it – either it will be paid for by the blood of Christ if the
person is a Christian, or they will have to face the judgment of God if they
are not. “I will repay” – God will settle every account someday.
You are choosing to
take a step of faith and trust God with what happened, to hand all of that pain
and those demands for justice and revenge over to Him safe in the knowledge
that He will ensure that justice is done. In the meantime you can walk free of
it.
Resolving to Live
with the Consequences of Another’s Sin
And part of
forgiveness is agreeing to live with the consequences of someone else’s sin.
You may say, “Well, that’s not fair.” No it’s not – but you will have to do it
anyway. Everybody is living with the consequences of somebody else’s sin; we
are all living with the consequences of Adam’s sin for example.
The only real choice
we have is whether to do that in the bondage of bitterness or the freedom of
forgiveness.
Conclusion
Forgiveness is to
set a captive free and then realize that you were the captive. This is an issue
between you and God. He commands you to forgive because He loves you. He knows
that bitterness will defile you and others and cause you to miss out on the abundant
life that Jesus came to give you and not become a fruitful disciple.
You may agonize
about whether what they did was actually wrong, or you might think of reasons
to justify what they did. Don’t do any of that. The issue of forgiveness is not
primarily about who was right and who was wrong. If you felt offended you need
to forgive – regardless of any other circumstance. It’s about clearing garbage
out of your life and walking away from it. It’s for your sake and in some ways
has little to do with the person who hurt you.
You will have an
opportunity to deal with this issue when we go through the Steps to Freedom in
Christ. There are some guidelines on pages 122-125 of your participant guide
that are well worth reading to prepare you for that.
Let’s finish by
asking the Holy Spirit to show us whether we have one or more people to forgive
and resolving before God to do so.
Lord Jesus, will you please show us if there
is someone that we need to forgive in order to walk in the freedom you have one
for us.
If you have become
aware that you have people to forgive and you want to say to God that you are
prepared to do that, then simply raise a hand.
Lord God, we want to
be free in Christ and we want to become fruitful disciples. We don’t want the
enemy to have any hold on us. So we say before you now, that we are resolving
to forgive all those who have hurt us just as you have freely forgiven us. And
the name of Jesus who died that we might be forgiven. Amen.
________________________________________________________________________________
Reflection
Objective: To prepare for the forgiveness step in the Steps to
Freedom in Christ.
(Leader’s notes: Spend some time praying together for those
who have indicated they are ready and willing to forgive others when we go
through the steps to freedom in Christ period there is no need to share
anything hyphen just pray period.)
Discuss the following statements:
Forgiving has little to do with the person who hurt you.
Forgiving is not forgetting.
God will ensure justice is done.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Witness: How might this question of
forgiveness challenge someone who is not yet a Christian? Are there any ways you can demonstrate
forgiveness to someone who does not yet know God?
In the Coming Week: Ask the Holy Spirit
to prepare your heart by leading you into truth and starting to reveal to you
the areas you will need to bring in the light when you go through the Steps to
Freedom in Christ.
AFTER THIS LESSON – THE COURSE ASSUMES PARTICIPANTS HAVE GONE THROUGH THE STEPS TO FREEDOM IN CHRIST.
I did a teaching on the Steps to Freedom in Christ and Podcasted a walk through of the Steps to Introduce People to the Process: Both the text and podcast are available here:
Steps to Freedom in Christ Teaching & Podcast Walk Through
I am also providing a copy of the Steps to Freedom in Christ here for your use:
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The
Steps to Freedom
In
Christ
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Instructions
The Steps to Freedom provide a way for you to resolve personal and
spiritual
conflicts through genuine repentance and faith in God. They are a
means by which
you personally connect with God, who is the only one who can set
you free and
heal your wounds from the past. The process will not embarrass
you, and there is
nothing to fear. The purpose is to set you free in Christ by
taking back places in
your life where the enemy might have gained access.
For those doing this study in a Life Group:
● Dr. Anderson has video sections where he explains the content of
the section,
asks participants to do a self-inventory based on the content, and
then to do a
renouncing prayer for that section as a group.
● You will see that this is hard to do in a group setting because it
is a less private
environment and there is not enough time to do the self-inventories
and
process the prayer contents.
● If you do it as a group, do it over at least two group sessions
and make sure
there is enough time for everybody to think and pray through the
materials.
● We suggest you watch the video session and read along with Neil
Anderson then
each individual work through the repentance process on their own,
at their
own pace, using this guide. Every step is explained so you will
have no trouble
following through it.
● We suggest you find a quiet, private place where you can process
the steps and
pray the prayers out loud. Satan cannot read your thoughts, so it
is important
that you speak your prayers audibly.
● If you experience some mental interference, such as, “this isn’t
going to work,”
“I don’t believe this,” or other blasphemous, condemning, or
accusing
thoughts, just ignore those and continue on. They have no power
over you
unless you believe them. Try not to pay attention to any
interference from the
enemy.
Remember, you are a child of God and are seated with Christ in the
heavenlies.
That means you have the authority and power to do His will and to
stand against
the enemy. The steps don’t set you free — Jesus sets you free,
and you will
progressively experience that freedom as you respond to Him in
faith and
repentance.
Successfully completing this renouncing process is not an end but
a continuation
of your freedom process. Unless these issues are resolved,
however, the growth
process will be stalled, and your Christian life will be stagnant.
Should anyone experience difficulties with the process or feel
they need more help
in their freedom process, they should contact Freedom in Christ
Ministries at https://www.ficm.org/get-help/
“For by grace you
have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is
the gift of God; not
as a result of works, so that no one may boast”
Ephesians 2: 8-9
If you have never received Christ, you can do
so right now. God knows
the thoughts and intentions of your heart, so
all you have to do is put our trust
in God alone. You can express your decision
in prayer as follows:
Dear Heavenly Father,
thank You for sending Jesus to
die on the cross for
my sins. I acknowledge that I have
sinned and that I
cannot save myself. I believe that
Jesus came to give me
life, and by faith I now choose to
receive You into my
life as my Lord and Savior. By the
power of Your
indwelling presence enable me to be the
person You created me
to be. I pray that You would
grant me repentance
leading to knowledge of the truth
so that I can
experience my freedom in Christ and be
transformed by the
renewing of my mind.
In Jesus’ precious
name I pray, Amen.
Preparation
Processing the Steps can play a major role in
your continuing process of
discipleship. The purpose is to get your
firmly rooted in Christ. It doesn’t take
long to establish your identity and freedom
in Christ, but there is no such thing
as instant maturity. Renewing your mind and
conforming to the image of God
is a lifelong process. May the Lord grace you
with His presence as you seek to do His will. Once you have experienced your
freedom in Christ, you can help
others experience the joy of their salvation.
Begin the Steps with the following
prayer and declaration:
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, You are present in this room and my
life. You alone are all-knowing, all-powerful and
everywhere present, and I worship you alone. I declare my
dependency on You, for apart from You I can do nothing. I
choose to believe Your Word which teaches that all authority
in heaven and on earth belongs to the resurrected Christ, and
being alive in Christ I have the authority to resist the devil as
I submit to You. I ask that you fill me with Your Holy Spirit
and guide me into all truth. I ask for Your complete
protection and guidance as I seek to know You and do Your
will.
In the wonderful name of Jesus, I pray. Amen
Declaration
In the name and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, I command
Satan and all evil spirits to release their hold on me in order
that I can be free to know and choose to do the will of God. As
a child of God who is seated with Christ in the heavenly places,
I declare that every enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ in my
presence be bound. Satan and all his demons cannot inflict any
pain or in any way prevent God’s will from being done in my
life today because I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Review
of your life
Before going through the steps, review the following events of
your life to
discern specific areas that need to be addressed:
Family History
❏ Religious history of parents and grandparents
❏ Home life from childhood through high school
❏ History of physical or emotional illness in the family
❏ Adoption, foster care, guardians
Personal History
❏ Eating habits (bulimia, anorexia, compulsive eating)
❏ Addictions (cigarettes, drugs, alcohol)
❏ Prescription medications (what for?)
❏ Sleeping patterns, dreams, and nightmares
❏ Rape or any other sexual, physical, or emotional abuse
❏ Thought life (obsessive, blasphemous, condemning, and distracting
thoughts;
poor concentration; fantasy; suicidal thoughts; fearful; jealous;
confused; guilt
and shame)
❏ Mental interference during church, prayer, or Bible study
❏ Emotional life (anger, anxiety, depression, bitterness, and fear)
❏ Spiritual journey (salvation: when, how and assurance)
Step 1: Counterfeit vs. Real
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, please bring to my mind anything and everything that I have done knowingly or
unknowingly that involves occult, cult, false religious teaching, or practices.
I
want to experience Your freedom by renouncing any and all false
guidance.
In Jesus’ name I pray AmenNon-Christian Spiritual Checklist
(Check all in which you have participated.)
❏ Out-of-body
experience
❏ Ouija board
❏ Bloody Mary
❏ Occult games
❏ Magic Eight Ball
❏ Spells or curses
❏ Mental
telepathy/control
❏ Automatic writing
❏ Trances
❏ Spirit guides
❏ fortune-telling/divination
on
❏ Tarot cards
❏ Levitation
❏ witchcraft/wicca
/sorcery
❏ Satanism
❏ Palm reading
❏ astrology/horoscopes
❏ Hypnosis
❏ Astral projection
❏ seances/mediums/
channelers
❏ Black or white magic
❏ Blood pacts
❏ Fetishism/crystals/
charms
❏ Sexual spirits
❏ Martial arts
(mysticism)
❏ Superstitions
❏ Mormonism (LDS)
❏ Jehovah’s Witness
❏ New Age (teachings,
medicine)
❏ Masons
❏ Christian Science /
Mind Science
❏ Unification Church
(Moonies)
❏ The Forum (EST)
❏ Church of Scientology
❏ Unitarianism /
Universalism
❏ Silva Mind Control
❏ Transcendental
Meditation (TM)
❏ Yoga (religion, not
the exercise
❏ Hare Krishna
❏ Bahaism
❏ Native American
spirit worship
❏ Islam
❏ Hinduism
❏ Buddhism
(including Zen)
❏ Black Muslim
❏ Rosicrucianism
❏ False gods (money,
sex, power,
pleasure, certain
people)
❏ Other
(non-Christian
religions; cults;
movies; music;
books; video games;
comics or fantasy
games that glorify
Satan, which
precipitated
nightmares or
mental battles; and
all other
questionable
spiritual
experiences
including spiritual
visitations and
nightmares)
Once you have completed your checklist, confess, and renounce
every false religious
practice, belief, ceremony, vow, or pact in which you were
involved by praying the
following prayer aloud :
Lord Jesus, I confess that I have participated in:
{ specifically name every belief and involvement
related to all that you have check above
},
and I renounce them all as counterfeits. I pray that You will fill
me with Your Holy Spirit so that I may be guided by You. Thank You that in
Christ I am forgiven.
Amen
Satanic Worship
People who have been subjected to satanic ritual abuse (SRA) need
the help of someone who understands dissociative disorders and spiritual
warfare. If you have
been involved in any form of satanic worship, say aloud the following
Special
Renunciations. Read across the page, renouncing the first item in
the column entitled
“Kingdom of Darkness,” and then announcing the truth in the column
entitled
“Kingdom of Light.” Continue down the page in this manner. Notice
that satanic
worship is the antithesis of true worship.
Kingdom
of Darkness Kingdom of Light
I renounce ever signing my name over to Satan or having my name signed over to Satan.
I announce that my name is now written in the Lamb’s book of life.
I renounce any ceremony in which I have been wed to Satan.
I announce that I am the bride of Christ.
I renounce any and all covenants I made with Satan.
I announce that I am under the new covenant with Christ.
I renounce all satanic assignments for my life, including duties, marriage,
and children.
I announce and commit myself to know and do only the will of God
and accept only His guidance.
I renounce all spirit guides assigned to me.
I accept only the leading of the Holy Spirit.
I renounce ever giving my blood in the service of Satan.
I trust only the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I renounce ever eating flesh or drinking blood for satanic worship.
By faith I symbolically eat only the flesh and drink only the blood
of Jesus in Holy Communion.
I renounce any and all guardians and satanist parents who were
assigned to me.
I announce that God is my Father and the Holy Spirit is my
guardian by whom I am sealed. Li
I renounce any baptism whereby I have been identified with Satan.
I announce that I have been baptized into Christ Jesus.
I renounce any and all sacrifices that were made on my behalf by
which Satan may claim ownership of me.
I announce that only the sacrifice of Christ has any hold on me. I
belong to Him. I have been purchased by the blood of the Lamb. AMEN.
Step 2: Deception vs. Truth
We find the strength to walk in the light of honesty and
transparency before God and
others when we know that God loves and accepts us just as we are.
We can face reality,
acknowledge our sins and not try to hide. Begin this commitment to
truth by praying
the following prayer aloud . Don’t let any opposing thoughts, such as This is a waste
of
time or I wish I could believe this, but I can’t, keep you from
pressing forward. God will
strengthen you as you rely on Him.
Dear Heavenly Father, You are the truth and I desire to live
by faith according to Your truth. The truth will set me free,
but in many ways I have been deceived by the father of lies
and the philosophies of this fallen world, and I have deceived
myself. I choose to walk in the light, knowing that You love
and accept me just as I am. As I consider areas of possible
deception, I invite the Spirit of truth to guide me into all
truth. Please protect me from all deception as You “search
me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious
thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead
me in the everlasting way” [Psalm 139:
23-24]
In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen
Prayerfully consider the lists in the following three exercises,
using the prayer at the
end of each exercise in order to confess any ways you have given
in to deception or
wrongly defended yourself. You cannot instantly renew your mind,
but the process
will never begin unless you acknowledge your mental strongholds or
defense
mechanisms, which are sometimes called flesh patterns.
Ways you Can be Deceived by the World
❏ Believing that acquiring money and things will bring lasting
happiness
(Matthew 13;22; 1 Timothy 6:10)
❏ Believing that excessive food and alcohol can relieve your stress
and make you
happy (Proverbs 23: 19-21)
❏ Believing that an attractive body and personality will get you
what you need
(Proverbs 31:30; 1 Peter 3:3-4)
❏ Believing that gratifying sexual lust will bring lasting
satisfaction (Ephesians
4:22; 1 Peter 2:11)
❏ Believing that you can sin and get away without any negative
consequences
(Hebrews 3: 12-13)
❏ Believing that you need more than what God has given you in Christ
(2
Corinthians 11: 2-4, 13-15)
❏ Believing that you can do whatever you want and no one can touch
you
(Proverbs 16:18; Obadiah 3; 1 Peter 5:5)
❏ Believing that unrighteous people who refuse to accept Christ go
to heaven
anyway (1 Corinthians 6: 9-11)
❏ Believing that you can associate with bad company and not become
corrupted (1
Corinthians 15: 33-34)
❏ Believing that you can read, see, or listen to anything and not be
corrupted
(Proverbs 4: 23-27; Matthew 5:28)
❏ Believing that there are no consequences on Earth for your sin
(Galatians 6:
7-8)
❏ Believing that you must gain the approval of certain people in
order to be happy
(Galatians 1: 10)
❏ Believing that you must measure up to certain standard in order to
feel good
about yourself (Galatians 3: 2-3; 5:1)
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I confess that I have been deceived by [confess the
items you checked above] . I thank You for
Your forgiveness,
and I commit myself to believe only Your truth.
In Jesus’ name I pray Amen
Ways You Deceive Yourself
❏ _______Hearing God’s Word but not doing what it says
(James 1:22)
❏ Saying you have no sin (1 John 1:8)
❏ Thinking you are something you are really not (Galatians 6:3)
❏ Thinking you are wise in this worldly age (1 Corinthians 2: 18-19)
❏ Thinking you can be truly religious but not bridle your tongue (James
1:26)
❏ Thinking that God is the source of your problems (Lamentations 3)
❏ Thinking you can live your life without the help of anyone else (1
Corinthians
12: 14-20)
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I confess that I have deceived myself by [confess
the items you checked above] . I thank
You for Your
forgiveness, and I commit myself to believe only Your truth.
In Jesus’ name I pray Amen
Ways You wrongly Defend Yourself
❏ Denial of reality (conscious or unconscious)
❏ Fantasy (escaping the reality by daydreaming, TV, movies, music,
computer or
video games, drugs, alcohol)
❏ Emotional insulation (withdrawing from people or keeping people at
a distance
to avoid rejection)
❏ Regression (reverting back to less threatening times)
❏ Displaced anger (taking out frustrations on innocent people)
❏ Projection (attributing to another what you find unacceptable in
yourself)
❏ Rationalization (making excuses for your own poor behavior)
❏ Lying (protecting yourself through falsehoods)
❏ Blaming yourself (when you are not responsible) and others
❏ Hypocrisy (presenting a false image)
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I confess that I have wrongly defended myself by
[confess the items you checked above] . Thank You
for Your
forgiveness. I trust You to defend and protect me.
In Jesus’ name I pray Amen
Statements of Truth
1. I recognize that there is only one true and living God who
exists as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is worthy of all honor, praise,
and glory as the One who made all things and holds all things together. [Exodus 20:
2-3; Col 1: 16-17]
2. I recognize Jesus Christ as the Messiah, the Word who became
flesh and dwelt among us. I believe that He came to destroy the works of the
devil and that he disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public display
of them, having triumphed over them. [John 1: 1, 14; Col 2:15; 1 John 3:8]
3. I believe that God demonstrated His own love for me in that
while I was still a sinner, Christ died for me. I believe that He has delivered
me from the domain of darkness and transferred me to His kingdom, and in Him I
have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. [Rom 5:8; Col 1: 13-14]
4. I believe that I am now a child of God and that I am seated
with Christ in the heavenlies. I believe that I was saved by the grace of God
through faith and that it was a gift and not a result of any works on my part. [Eph 2: 6,8-9;
1 John 3: 1-3)
5. I choose to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His
might. I put no confidence in the flesh, for the weapons of warfare are not of
the flesh but are divinely powerful for the destruction of strongholds. I put
on the full armor of God. I resolve to stand firm in my faith and resist the
evil one. [2 Cor 10:4; Eph 6: 10-20)
6. I believe that apart from Christ I can do nothing, so I declare
my complete dependence on Him. I choose
to abide in Christ in order to bear much fruit and glorify my Father. I
announce to Satan that Jesus is my Lord. I reject any and all counterfeit gifts
or works of Satan in my life. [John 15: 5,8; 1 Cor 12:3]
7. I believe that the truth will set me free, and that Jesus is
the truth. If He sets me free, I will be freed indeed. I recognize that walking
in the light is the only path of true fellowship with God and man. Therefore, I
stand against all of Satan’s deceptions by taking every thought captive in
obedience to Christ. I declare that the Bible is the only authoritative
standard for truth and life. [John 8: 32,36; 14:6; 2 Corinthians 10:5; 2
Timothy 3: 15-17; 1 John 1: 3-7]
8. I choose to present my body to God as a living and holy
sacrifice and the members of my body as instruments of righteousness. I choose
to renew my mind by the living Word of God in order that I may prove that the
will of God is good, acceptable, and perfect. I put off the old self with its
evil practices and I put on the new self. I declare myself to be a new creation
in Christ. [Rom 6: 13; 12:1-2; 2 Cor 5:17; Col 3: 9-10]
9. By faith, I choose to be filled with the Spirit so that I can
be guided into all truth. I choose to walk by the Spirit so that I will not
carry out the desires of the flesh. [John 16:13; Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 5:18]
10. I renounce all selfish goals and choose the ultimate goal of
love. I choose to obey the two greatest commandments; to love the Lord my God
with all my heart, soul, mind and
strength and to love my neighbor as myself. [Matt 22: 37-39; 1 Tim
1:5]
11. I believe that the Lord Jesus has all authority in heaven and
on earth, and He is
the head over all rule and authority. I am complete in Him. I
believe that Satan
and his demons are subject to me in Christ since I am a member of
Christ’s body. Therefore, I obey the command to submit to God and resist the
devil, and I command Satan in the name of Jesus Christ to leave my presence. [Matt 28: 18;
Eph 1: 19-23; Col 2: 10; James 4:7]
Step 3: Bitterness vs.
Forgiveness
We are called to be merciful just as our heavenly Father is
merciful [Luke 6:36]
and forgive others as we have been forgiven [Ephesians 4: 31-32].
Doing so sets us free
from our past and doesn’t allow Satan to take advantage of us [2
Corinthians 2: 10-11].
Ask God to bring to your mind the people you need to forgive by
praying the following
prayer aloud :
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for the riches of Your
kindness, forbearance, and patience toward me, knowing
that Your kindness has led me to repentance. I confess that I
have not shown that same kindness and patience toward
those who have hurt or offended me [Romans 24]. Instead, I
have held on to my anger, bitterness, and resentment toward
them. Please bring to my mind all the people I need to
forgive in order that I may now do so.
In Jesus name, I pray. Amen
Make a List
On a separate sheet of paper, list the names of people who come to
your mind.
At this point don’t question whether you need to forgive them.
Often we hold things
against ourselves as well, punishing ourselves for wrong choices
we’ve made in the
past. Write ‘myself” at the bottom of your list if you need to
forgive yourself.
Forgiving yourself is accepting the truth that God has already
forgiven you in Christ. If
God forgives you; you can forgive yourself!
Also write down “Thoughts Against God” at the bottom of your list.
Obviously,
God has never done anything wrong, so He doesn’t need our
forgiveness; but we need
to let go of our disappointments with our heavenly Father. People
often harbor angry
thoughts against Him because He did not do what they wanted Him to
do. Those
feelings of anger or resentment toward God need to be released.
Review what Forgiveness is
Before you begin working through the process of forgiving those on
your list,
review what forgiveness is and what it is not. The critical points
are highlighted below.
Forgiveness is not forgetting. People who
want to forget all that has done to them will find
they cannot do it. When God says He will remember our sins no
more, He is saying He will not
use the past against us. Forgetting is a long-term by-product of
forgiveness, but it is never a
means toward it. Don’t put off forgiving those who have hurt you,
hoping the pain will go
away. After you choose to forgive someone, Christ will heal your
wounds. We don’t heal in
order to forgive we forgive in order to heal.
Forgiveness is a choice, a decision of the will. God requires you
to forgive, so we know that it
is something you can do. Some people hold onto their anger as a
means of protecting
themselves against further abuse, but all they are doing is
hurting themselves. Others want
revenge. The Bible teaches “vengeance is mine, I will repay, says
the Lord” [Romans 12:19].
Let God deal with the person. Let him or her off the hook because
as long as you refuse to
forgive someone, you are still hooked to that person. You are
still chained to your past,
bound up in your bitterness. By forgiving, you let the other
person off your hook, but he or she
is not off God’s hook. You must trust that God will deal with the
person justly and fairly,
something you simply cannot do. But you don’t know how
much this person hurt me! No other
human really knows another person’s pain, but Jesus does, and he
instructs us to forgive
others for our sakes. Until you let go of your bitterness and
hate, the person is still hurting you.
Nobody can fix your past, but you can be free from it. What you
gain from forgiving is freedom
from your past and from those who have abused you. To forgive is
to set the captives free and
then realize you were the captive .
Forgiveness is agreeing to live with the consequences of another
person sin. We are all
living with the consequences of others’ sin. The only choice is to
do so either in the bondage of
bitterness or in the freedom of forgiveness. But where is the
Justice? The cross makes
forgiveness legally and morally right. Jesus died once for all our
sins. we are to forgive as Christ
has forgiven us. He did that by taking on Himself the consequences
of our sins. God made Him
who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become
the righteousness of God in
him [2 Corinthians 5:21]. Do not wait for the other person to ask
for your forgiveness.
Remember Jesus did not wait for those who were crucifying him to
apologize before He forgave
them. Even while they mocked and jeered at Him, He prayed, “Father,
forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” [ Luke 23:34.].
Forgive from your heart. Allow God to bring to
the surface the painful memories, and
acknowledge how you feel toward those who have hurt you. If your
forgiveness doesn’t touch
the emotional core of your life, it will be incomplete. Too often
we are afraid of the pain, so we
bury our emotions deep inside us. Let God bring them to the
surface so He can begin to heal
those damaged emotions.
Forgiveness is choosing not to hold others sin against them
anymore. Bitter people
commonly bring up past offenses with those who have hurt them.
They want the offenders to
feel as bad as they do! But we must let go of the past and choose
to reject any thought of
revenge. This doesn’t mean you continue to put up with the abuse.
God does not tolerate sin
and neither should you. You will need to set up scriptural
boundaries that put a stop to further
abuse. Take a stand against sin while continuing to exercise grace
and forgiveness toward
those who hurt you. If you need help setting scriptural boundaries
to protect yourself from
further abuse talk to a trusted friend, counselor, or pastor.
Don’t wait until you feel like forgiving. You will never
get there make the hard choice to
forgive even if you don’t feel like it. Once you choose to
forgive, Satan will lose his hold
on you, and God will heal your damaged emotions.
Make the Choice
Start with the first person on your list and make the Choice to
forgive him or
her for every painful memory that comes to your mind. Stay with
that individual until
you are sure you have dealt with all the remembered pain. Then
work your way down
the list in the same way. As you begin forgiving people, God may
bring to your mind
painful memories you’ve totally forgotten. Let Him do this even if
it hurts. God is
surfacing those painful memories so you can face them once for all
time and let them
go. Don’t excuse others’ behavior even if they are close to you.
Don’t say, “Lord please help me forgive”. He is already helping
you and will be with
you all the way through the process. Don’t say, “Lord I want to
forgive”, because that
bypasses the hard choice we have to make. Say, “Lord I choose to
forgive these people
and what they did to me”. For every painful memory that God
reveals for each person
on your list pray this prayer aloud:
Lord Jesus, I choose to forgive [name the
person] for [what he or she did or failed to do] because it made me feel
[share the painful feelings, such as rejected, dirty, worthless,
inferior]
After you have forgiven every person for every painful memory,
pray this prayer as
well:
Lord Jesus, I choose not to hold on to my resentment. I
relinquish my right to seek revenge, and I ask you to heal
my damaged emotions. Thank you for setting me free from
the bondage of my bitterness. I now ask you to bless those
who have hurt me.
In Jesus name I pray. Amen .
Acknowledging the Truth about
Your Father God
Before we came to Christ, thoughts were raised up in our minds
against the true
knowledge of God [2 Corinthians 10:3-5]. Even as believers we have
harbored
resentment toward God that will hinder our walk with Him. We
should have a healthy
fear of God (awe of His Holiness, power & presence), but we
fear no punishment from
Him. Romans 8:15 reads, “For you have not received the spirit of
slavery leading to
fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as Sons by
which we cry out,
‘Abba Father!’” The
following exercise will help renew your mind to a true knowledge of your Heavenly Father. Read through the list:
I
Renounce the Lie that God is distant and disinterested.
I
Choose to Believe the Truth that God is intimate and involved [Ps
139: 1-18]
I
Renounce the Lie that God is insensitive and uncaring.
I
Choose to Believe the Truth that God is kind and compassionate [Ps 103:8-14]
I
Renounce the Lie that God is stern and demanding.
I
Choose to Believe the Truth that God is accepting and filled
with joy and love. [Zeph 3:17; Rom 15:7]
I
Renounce the Lie that God is passive and cold.
I
Choose to Believe the Truth that God is warm and affectionate [Is 40:11; Hos 11; 3-4]
I
Renounce the Lie that God is absent or too busy for me.
I
Choose to Believe the Truth that God is always with me and eager
to be with me [Jer 31:20; Ezek 34:11-16; Heb 13: 5]
I
Renounce the Lie that God is never satisfied with what I do; impatient or
angry.
I
Choose to Believe the Truth that God is patient and slow to
anger [Exodus 34:6; 2 Peter 3:9]
I
Renounce the Lie that God is mean, cruel, or abusive.
I Choose to Believe the Truth that
God is loving, gentle, and protective of me [Ps 18:2; Jer 31:3; Is 42:3]
I
Renounce the Lie that God is trying to take all the fun out of life.
I
Choose to Believe the Truth that God is trustworthy, wanting to
give me a full life. He will his good, perfect, and acceptable for me [Lam 3:22-23;
Rom 12:1-2]
I
Renounce the Lie that God is controlling or manipulative.
I
Choose to Believe the Truth that God is full of grace and mercy;
He gives me freedom to fail [ Heb 4: 15-16; Luke 15: 11-16]
I
Renounce the Lie that God is condemning and unforgiving.
I Choose to Believe the Truth that
God is tenderhearted and forgiving; His heart and arms are always open
to me [Psalm 130:1-4; Luke 15:17-24]
I
Renounce the Lie that God is exacting, or perfectionist.
I
Choose to Believe the Truth that God is committed to my growth
and proud of me as His beloved child [Rom 8:28-29; Heb 12: 5-11; 2 Cor 7:4 ]
I am the apple of His eye! [Deuteronomy 32:10]
Step 4: Rebellion vs.
Submission
Prayer
Dear heavenly Father,
You have said that rebellion is as the
sin of witchcraft and insubordination is as iniquity and
idolatry [1 Samuel 15:23] . I know
that I have not always been
submissive, but instead have rebelled in my heart against
You, and against those You have placed in authority over
me, in attitude and in action. Please show me all the ways I
have been rebellious. I choose now to adopt a submissive
spirit and a servant’s heart.
In Jesus’ name I pray Amen
From the list below, allow the Lord to show you any specific ways
you have been
rebellious and us the prayer that follows to confess those sins He
brings to mind.
❏ Civil government, including traffic laws, tax laws, attitude
toward government
officials [Romans 13: 1-7; 1 Timothy 2: 1-4; 1 Peter 2: 13-17]
❏ Parents, stepparents, or legal guardians [Ephesians 6: 1-3]
❏ Teachers, coaches, and school officials [Romans 13:1-4]
❏ Employers — past and present [1 Peter 2:18-23]
❏ Husband [1 Peter 3:1-4] or wife [Ephesians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:7]
( Note to Husbands: Ask the Lord if your lack of love for your
wife could be fostering a rebellious spirit within her. If so, confess that as
a violation of Ephesians 5:22-33)
❏ Church leaders [Hebrews 13:7]
❏ God [Daniel 9:5-9]
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I confess that I have been rebellious toward
[name or position] by [specifically
confess what you did or
did not do] . Thank You for Your
forgiveness. I choose to be
submissive and obedient to Your Word.
In Jesus’ name I pray Amen
Step 5: Pride vs. Humility
Pride comes before a fall, but God gives grace to the humble [
James 4:6; 1 Peter
5:1-10]. Humility is confidence properly placed in God, and we are
instructed to “put
no confidence in the flesh” [Philippians 3:3]. We are to be “strong
in the Lord and in
the strength of His might” [Ephesians 6:10]. Proverbs 3:5 urges us
to trust in the Lord
with all our hearts and not to lean on our own understanding.
Use the following prayer to ask God to show you where you may be
prideful.
Prayer
Dear heavenly Father,
You have said that Pride goes before destruction and an arrogant spirit
before stumbling. I confess that I have focused on my own needs and desires and
not others’. I have not always denied myself, picked up my cross daily and
followed You. I have relied on my own strength and resources instead of resting
in Yours. I have placed my will before Yours and centered my life around myself
instead of You. I confess my pride and selfishness and pray that all ground gained in my life by the enemies of the
Lord Jesus Christ would be canceled. I choose to rely upon the Holy Spirit’s
power and guidance so that I will do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit.
But with humility of mind, I choose to regard others as more important than
myself. I acknowledge You as my Lord and I confess that apart from You I can do
nothing of lasting significance. Please
examine my heart and show me the specific ways I have lived my life in Pride. In the gentle and humble name of Jesus, I
pray. Amen
To the list below and use the prayer following to confess any
sense of Pride the
Lord brings to mind.
❏ Having a stronger desire to do my will than God’s will
❏ leaning too much on my own understanding and experience rather
than
seeking God’s guidance through prayer and his word
❏ relying on my own strength and resources instead of depending on
the power
of the Holy Spirit
❏ being more concerned about controlling others than in developing self-control
❏ being too busy doing seemingly important and selfish things rather
than
seeking and doing God’s will
❏ having a tendency to think that I have no needs
❏ finding it hard to admit when I am wrong
❏ being more concerned about pleasing people than pleasing God
❏ being overly concerned about getting the credit I feel I deserve
❏ thinking I am more humble, spiritual, religious, or devoted than
others
❏ being driven to obtain recognition by attaining degrees, titles,
and positions
❏ often feeling that my needs are more important than another
person’s needs
❏ considering myself better than others because of my academic,
artistic or
athletic abilities and accomplishments
❏ having feelings of inferiority appearing as false humility
❏ not waiting on God
❏ other ways I have thought more highly of myself than I should
For each of the above areas that has been true in your life, pray aloud :
Prayer
Lord Jesus,
I agree I have been proud by [name each item
you checked above] .
Thank You for Your forgiveness.
I choose to humble myself before You and others.
I choose to place all my confidence in You
and not to put confidence in my flesh.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen
Step 6: Bondage vs. Freedom
We resist the devil by rejecting his lies. We must walk in the
truth and put on
the full armor of God [Ephesians 6:10-20] Sin that has become a
habit often may require help from a trusted brother or sister in Christ. [James
5:16] Remember, confession is not just saying “I’m sorry.” It is openly
admitting, “I did it.” Whether you need help from other people or just the accountability
of walking in the light before God, pray the following prayer aloud :
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, You have told me to put on the Lord Jesus
Christ and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lust. I confess
that I have given in to fleshly lusts that wage war against my soul. I thank
You that in Christ my sins are already forgiven, but I have broken Your holy
law and I have allowed sin to wage war in my body. I come to You now to confess
and renounce these sins of the flesh so that I might be cleansed and set free
from the bondage of sin. Please reveal to my mind all the sins of the flesh I
have committed and the ways I have grieved the Holy Spirit.
In Jesus’ holy name I pray. Amen
The following list contains many sins of the flesh, but a
prayerful examination
of Mark 7:2-23; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 4: 25-31 and other
scripture passages
will help you to be even more thorough. Look over the list below
and the scriptures
listed, and ask the Holy Spirit to bring to your mind the sins you
need to confess. He
may reveal others to you as well. For each one the Lord shows you,
pray a prayer of
confession from your heart. There is a sample prayer following the
list.
( NOTE: sexual sins, eating disorders, substance
abuse, abortion, suicidal tendencies
and perfectionism will be dealt with later in this step. Further
counseling may be
necessary to find complete healing and freedom in these and other
areas.)
❏ Stealing
❏ Quarreling/fighting
❏ Jealousy/envy
❏ Complaining/criticism
❏ Sarcasm
❏ Lustful actions
❏ Gossip/slander
❏ Swearing
❏ Apathy/laziness
❏ Lying
❏ Hatred
❏ Anger
❏ Lustful thoughts
❏ Drunkenness
❏ Cheating
❏ Procrastinating
❏ Greed/materialism
❏ Others:_________
_____________
_____________
_____________
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I confess that I have sinned against You by [name the
sins] . Thank You for Your forgiveness and cleansing. I now turn away
from these expressions of sin and turn to You, Lord. Fill me with Your Holy
Spirit so that I will not carry out the desires of the flesh.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen
Resolving sexual sin
We are responsible to not let sin reign (rule) in our mortal
bodies. We must not
use our bodies or other people’s bodies as instruments of
unrighteousness [Romans 6:
12-13]. Sexual immorality is not only a sin against God but also a
sin against our
bodies, which are temples of the Holy Spirit [1 Corinthians
6:18-19]. To find Freedom
from sexual bondage begin by praying this prayer :
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I have allowed sin to reign in my mortal body. I asked
you to bring to mind every sexual use of my body as an instrument of
unrighteousness so I can renounce the sexual sins and break the sinful bandages.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen
As the Lord brings to your mind every immoral sexual use of your
body,
whether it is done to you (rape, incest, sexual molestation) or
willingly by you
(pornography, masturbation, sexual immorality), use this prayer to
renounce every
experience you can think of.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I renounce [name the sexual experience] with [name] . I asked
you to break that sinful bond with [name] spiritually, physically,
and emotionally.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen
After you have finished, commit your body to the Lord with this
prayer.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I renounce all the uses of my body as an instrument of
unrighteousness, and I
admit to any willful participation. I choose to present my
physical body to You as an
instrument of righteousness, a living and holy sacrifice,
acceptable to You. I choose to reserve the sexual use of my body for marriage
only. I reject the devil’s lie that my body is not clean or that it is dirty or
in any way unacceptable to You as a result of my past sexual experiences. Lord
thank You that You have cleansed and forgiven me and that You love and accept
me just the way I am. Therefore, I choose now to accept myself and my body as
clean in Your eyes.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen
Pornography
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I confess that I have looked at sexually suggestive in
pornographic material for
the purpose of stimulating myself I have attempted to satisfy my
lustful desires and have
polluted My Body, Soul and Spirit. Thank You for cleansing me and
for Your forgiveness. I
renounce any satanic bonds I have allowed in my life to the
unrighteous use of my body and mind. Lord, I commit myself to destroying any
objects in my possession that I have used for sexual stimulation, and I turn
away from all media that are associated with any sexual sin. I commit myself to
the renewing of my mind and to thinking pure thoughts. Fill me with Your holy
spirit that I may not carry out the desires of the flesh.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen
Homosexuality
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I renounce the lie that You have created me or anyone
else to be homosexual
and I agree that in Your word, You clearly forbid homosexual
behavior. I choose to accept
myself as a child of God, and I thank You that You created me as [man or woman]
. I
renounce all homosexual thoughts urges, drives, and acts, and I
renounce all the ways Satan has used these things to pervert my relationships.
I announced that I am free in Christ to relate to the opposite sex and my own
sex in the way that You intended.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen
Abortion
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I confess that I was not a proper guardian and Keeper
of the life you entrusted to
me, and I confess that I have sinned. Thank You that because of
Your forgiveness,
I can forgive myself. I commit the child to You for all eternity
and believe
that he or she is in Your caring hands
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen
Suicidal Tendencies
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I renounce all suicidal thoughts and any attempts I’ve
made to take my own life
or in any way injure myself. I renounce the lie that life is
hopeless and that I can find peace
and freedom by taking my own life. Satan is a thief and comes to
steal, kill, and destroy. I
choose life in Christ, who said He came to give me life and give
it abundantly.
Thank You for Your forgiveness which allows me to forgive myself.
I choose to believe that
there is always hope in Christ and that my heavenly Father loves
me.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen
Drivenness and Perfectionism
Prayer
Heavenly father, I renounce the lie that my sense of worth depends
on my ability to
perform. I announce the truth that my identity and sense of worth
are found in who I am as Your child. I renounce seeking the approval and
acceptance of other people, and I choose to believe that I am already approved
and accepted in Christ because of His death and
Resurrection. I choose to believe the truth that I have been
saved– not by deeds done in
righteousness, but according to Your mercy. I choose to believe
that I am no longer under
the curse of the law because Christ became a curse for me. I
receive the free gift of Life In
Christ and choose to abide in Him. I renounce striving for
perfection by living under the law. By Your grace, Heavenly Father, I choose
from this day forward to walk by faith in the
power of Your Holy Spirit according to what You have said is true.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen
Eating Disorders or Self-Mutilation
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I renounce the lie that my value as a person depends
on my appearance or
performance. I renounce cutting, abusing myself, vomiting, using
laxatives, and starving
myself as a means of being in control, altering my appearance, or
trying to cleanse myself of evil. I announced that the only the blood of the
Lord Jesus Christ cleanses me from sin. I
realize that I have been bought with a price and that my body, the
Temple of the Holy Spirit, belongs to God. Therefore, I choose to glorify God
in my body. I renounce the lie that I am evil or that any part of my body is
evil.
Thank You that You accept me just the way I am in Christ.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen
Substance Abuse
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I confess that I have misused substances [Alcohol,
Tobacco, food, prescription or
street drugs] for the purpose of pleasure, to escape reality, or
to cope with difficult problems.
I confess that I have abused my body and programmed my mind and
harmful ways. I have
quenched the Holy Spirit as well. Thank You for Your forgiveness.
I renounce any satanic
connection or influence in my life through my misuse of food or
chemicals. I cast my
anxieties on to Christ, Who loves me. I commit myself to yield no
longer to substance abuse,
and I choose to allow the Holy Spirit to direct and empower me.
In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen
Step 7: Curses vs. Blessings
Scripture declares that the iniquities of one generation can be
visited on the 3rd
and 4th Generations, but God’s blessings will be poured out on
thousands of
generations of those who love and obey Him [Exodus 24:2-6]. The
iniquities of one
generation can adversely affect future ones unless those sins are
renounced and new
spiritual Heritage in Christ is claimed. This cycle of abuse and
all negative influences
can be stopped through genuine repentance. Jesus died for our
sins, but you
appropriate the forgiveness and cleansing only when you choose to
believe Him, and
you experience it only when you repent. You are not guilty of your
ancestors’ sins, but
you were affected by their influence. Jesus said that after we
have been fully trained we
will be like our teachers [Luke 6:40], and Peter wrote that you
were redeemed from
your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers [1 Peter
1:18]. Ask the Lord to
reveal your ancestral sins and then renounce them with this
prayer.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, please reveal to my mind all the sins of my
ancestors that have been
passed down through Family Lines. Since I am a new creation in
Christ, I want to
experience my freedom from those influences and walk in my new
identity as a child of
God. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen
Lord, I renounce [confess all the family sins that God brings
to your mind]
Satan and people may curse us, but no curse will have any effect
on us unless
we believe it. We cannot passively take our place in Christ; we
must actively and
intentionally choose to submit to God and resist the devil, and
then he will flee from
us. Complete this final step with this declaration and prayer.
Declaration
I here and now reject and disown all of the sins of my ancestors.
As one who has been
delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred into the
kingdom of God’s Son, I
declare myself to be free from those harmful influences. I am no
longer in Adam. I am now
alive in Christ. Therefore I am the recipient of the blessings of
God on my life as I choose to
love and obey Him. As one who has been crucified and raised with
Christ and who sits with
Him in Heavenly places, I renounce any and all satanic attacks and
any assignments
directed against me and my ministry. Every curse placed on me was
broken when Jesus
Christ became a curse for me by dying on the cross [Galatians
3:13]. I reject any and every
way in which Satan may claim ownership of me. I belong to the Lord
Jesus Christ, Who
purchased me with His own precious blood. I declare myself to be
fully and eternally signed
over and committed to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, having submitted to God and by His authority, I now
resist the devil and I
command every spiritual enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ to leave my
presence. I put on the
armor of God, and I stand against Satan’s temptations, accusations,
and deceptions.
From this day forward I will seek to do only the will of my
Heavenly Father.
Prayer
Dear heavenly Father, I come to You as Your child, bought out of
Slavery to sin by the blood
of the Lord Jesus Christ. You are the lord of the universe and the
Lord of my life. I submit my body to you as a living and holy sacrifice. May
You be glorified through my life and body. I now ask You to fill me with Your
Holy Spirit. I commit myself to the renewing of my mind in order that I may
prove that Your will is good, acceptable, and perfect for me.
I desire nothing more than to be like you. I pray, believe, and do
all this in The Wonderful Name of Jesus, my Lord and Savior.
Amen
Maintaining Your Freedom
It is exciting to experience your freedom in Christ, but what you
have gained
must be maintained. You have won an important battle, but the war
goes on. To
maintain your freedom in Christ and grow in the grace of God, you
must continue
Renewing Your Mind to the truth of God’s word. If you become aware
of Lies you have
believed, renounce them, and choose the truth. If more painful
memory surface,
forgive those who hurt you and renounce any sinful part you
played. Many people
choose to go through the Steps to Freedom again on their own to
make sure they have
dealt with all their issues. Sometimes new issues will surface.
The process can assist
you in regular “house cleaning”.
After going through the Steps, people commonly have thoughts like
these:
“Nothing has really changed. I’m the same person I always was. It
didn’t work”. In
most cases you should just ignore these thoughts. We are not
called to dispel the
darkness, but to turn on the light. You don’t get rid of negative
thoughts by rebuking
everyone; you get rid of them by repenting and choosing the truth.
If you would like to continue growing in the grace of God, here
are some
suggestions:
1. Get rid of or destroy any cult or occult objects in your home
[Acts 19:18-20]
2. Get involved in a Life Group Ministry where you can be a real
person, and be
part of a church where God’s truth is taught with kindness and
Grace.
3. Read and meditate on the truth of God’s word each day.
4. Don’t let your mind be passive, especially concerning what you
watch and
listen to (music, TV, movies, and the like). Actively take every
thought captive
to The Obedience of Christ.
5. Learn to Pray by the spirit.
6. Remember, you are responsible for your mental, spiritual, and
physical health.
7. Commit to spending time daily with God through devotions,
scripture reading
and memorization and prayer.
Daily Prayer and Declaration
Dear heavenly Father, I praise You and honor You as my Lord and
Savior. You are in control of all things. I thank You that You are always with
me and will never leave me or forsake me. You are the all-powerful and only
wise God. You are kind and loving in all Your ways. I love You and thank You
that I am united with Christ and spiritually alive and Him. I choose not to
love the world or the things in the world, and I crucify the flesh and all its
passions.
Thank you for the life I now have in Christ. I ask You to fill me
with the Holy Spirit so I can
be guided by You and not carry out the desires of the flesh. I
declare my total dependence
upon You, and I take my stand against Satan and all his lying
ways. I choose to believe the
truth of God’s word despite what my feelings may say. I refuse to
be discouraged; You are
the God of all hope. Nothing is too difficult for you. I am
confident that You will supply all
my needs as I seek to live according to Your word. I thank you
that I can be content and live
a responsible life through Christ Who strengthens me.
I now take my stand against Satan, and I command him and all his
evil spirits to depart from me. I choose to put on the full armor of God so I
may be able to stand firm against all the devil’s schemes. I submit my body as
a living and holy sacrifice to You, and I choose to
renew my mind by Your Living Word.
By doing so I will be able to prove that Your will is good,
acceptable, and perfect for me.
In the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ I pray
Amen
Bedtime Prayer
Thank you, Lord, that You have brought me into Your family and
have blessed me with
every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
Thank You for this time of
renewal and refreshment through sleep. I accept it as one of Your
blessings for Your
children, and I trust You to guard my mind and my body during my
sleep.
27
As I have thought about You and Your truth during the day, I
choose to let those good
thoughts continue in my mind while I am asleep. I commit myself to
You for Your
protection against every attempt of Satan and his demons to attack
me during my sleep.
Guard my mind from nightmares. I renounce all fear and cast every
anxiety upon You, Lord.
I commit myself to You as my rock, my Fortress, and my strong
tower. May Your peace be
upon this place of rest.
In the strong name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray.
Amen
Prayer for Spiritually Cleansing a Home, Apartment or Room
After removing and destroying all objects of false worship, pray
this prayer allowed in
every room :
Heavenly father, I acknowledge that You are the Lord of Heaven and
Earth. In Your
Sovereign power and love, You have entrusted me with many things.
Thank You for this
place to live. I claim my home as place of spiritual safety for me
and my family. And I ask for Your protection from all the attacks of the enemy.
As a child of God raised up and seated
with Christ in the Heavenly places, I command every evil spirit
claiming ground in this
place–based on the activities of past or present occupants
including me and my family–to leave and never return. I renounce all demonic
assignments directed against this place. I asked You heavenly Father, to post
Your Holy Angels around this place to guard it from any and all attempts of the
enemy to enter and disturb Your purposes for me and my family.
Thank You, Lord, for doing this in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Amen
Prayer for Living in a Non-Christian Environment
After removing and destroying all objects of false worship from
your possession, pray this
allowed in the place where you live.
Thank You, Heavenly Father for a place to live and to be renewed
by sleep. I asked You to
set aside my room as a place of spiritual safety for me. I
renounce any allegiance given to
false gods or Spirits by other occupants. I renounce any claim to
this room by Satan based
on the activities of past or present occupants, including me. On
the basis of my position as a child of God and a joint Heir with Christ, Who
has all authority in heaven and on earth, I command all evil spirits to leave
this place and never return.
I asked You, heavenly Father, to station Your Holy Angels to
protect me while I live here.
In Jesus mighty name I pray.
Amen
Paul prays in Ephesians 1:18-19, “I pray that the eyes of your
heart may be
enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His
calling, what are the riches
of the glory of His inheritance in the Saints, and what is the
surpassing greatness of
His power toward us who believe”. Beloved, you are a child of God
[1 John 3:1], and
“my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory
in Christ Jesus”
Philippians 4:19. The critical needs are the “being” needs such as
eternal or spiritual
life, which He has given you, and an identity, which you have in
Christ. In addition
Jesus has met your needs for acceptance, security, and significance.
Memorize and meditate on the “Who I Am In Christ” truth daily.
Read the entire list
aloud morning and evening for the next few weeks. Think about what
you are reading
and let your truth of who you are in Christ renew your mind.
This is your inheritance in Christ.
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