The Pardon of Prayer

Forgiveness will God's miracles and the like. Dr. Tony Evans says there's an important link between being forgiven and being forgiving if you don't do forgiveness is something that can never be fixed celebrating. This is the alternative Dr. Tony author, speaker, senior pastor of Oakland Bible Fellowship Dallas, Texas, president of the God's forgiveness is again Dr. Evan says the grudges we hold toward others can prevent us from receiving. Let's join him in Matthew chapter 6 as he takes a look at the prayer leads to parking at this point of the Lord's prayer. He says forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

After talking about how submitting to his kingdom and yielding to his will and having gotten the provisions of God. He says now forgive us as we forgive our debtors.

So the question that we have to ask is what does the word forgive me because a false definition will lead you to a false conclusion.

First of all let me make this inextricably clear forgiveness is first and foremost our decision. Let me say that again. Forgiveness is first and foremost a decision you need to get him one more time.

Forgiveness is first and foremost a decision now.

Why am I telling you that the because it is not first and foremost an emotion. Forgiveness is not first and foremost how you feel. While it does not ignore how you feel. It is not the definition of forgiveness you decide to forgive or not forgive your emotions have to catch up with that decision. But if you define forgiveness as an emotion, then it will be determined by how you are a mold team at a particular moment in time to determine whether you have forgiven and emotions off with actuating all the time you can be forgiven. One moment forgiving. The next moment about the same issue because it's tied to on what place on the Richter scale.

Do your emotions happen to be at any given moment. So let's establish the fact that forgiveness at its foundation is a decision what kind of decision is it is a decision to relieve a person from an obligation or a debt incurred by sin or an infraction against you when you decide to do that, regardless of where your emotions may be at a certain given time you operating on the biblical definition of forgiveness in the prayer for forgive us our debts, why because sin brings out a bill. The word that is the word for encountering a bill when you go to the store and buy something, you get a bill there is a charge HR you are expected to pay for the bill that you incurred for the thing that you bought when we sin against God.

We incur a bill. That bill must be paid.

It either must be paid by you or somebody who pays the bill for you, but sin infraction against God incurs a bill that's why said forgive us our debt because you incur a debt to God when you said so the first part of the presence forgive us our walk cancel our the bill that I have accrued because I have disobeyed you rebelled against you sin against you. I want you to clear my record to push the delete button for my failure to let me off of the hook. Now let me clarify. Forgiveness does not mean excusing ignore ring justify or pretending that something didn't happen.

It does not mean that I just dismiss reality and pretend. What did happen didn't happen so I can feel better about what happened because I was not being honest. In fact, you can't forgive unless you're willing to acknowledge the truth of what occurred. Forgiveness deals in the reality not dismissing of the reality, but it deals with having a debt pay for an infraction committed now at this point we need to clarify the kind of forgiveness with talking about.

There are two types of forgiveness when it comes to our relationship with God of the first part of the prayer is forgive us our debts. Can you point to God. The first kind is legal forgiveness.

The biblical word for legal forgiveness is justification when the Bible says we are justified God in heaven declares us legally not guilty for the infractions against him.

But the reason he declares us legally not guilty.

When we get say when we accept Jesus Christ is because God credits the righteousness of Christ to our account. Jesus on the cross paid your bill Jesus on the cross paid my bill, which allows God the father to credit us and not guilty, not because we're not guilty.

We are guilty but because the debt that was incurred by being guilty was picked up by the death of Jesus Christ, the sinless son of God who paid the penalty for our sin. That's legal forgiveness that's an eternal issue settled when you come to Christ for salvation, but that's not what he is talking about here. He's not talking about legal forgiveness because he's now dealing with your relationship with your father, our father who art in heaven, so you're already a child you already a son or daughter of God. So you dealing with another kind of forgiveness he's dealing with relational forgiveness legal forgiveness is settled forever when you come to Christ, but relational forgiveness is conditional legal forgiveness is headed by to pick right relational forgiveness is am I in fellowship with my father when we sin against God. We break fellowship. We are legally bound.

When not intimately connected, so I a lot of Christians live a long time out of fellowship with God because they are on their way to heaven, but they are refusing to deal with the mess in their lives and get forgiven for God's intimate fellowship with him on, so God not only wants to be the Savior will take you happen, but the father fellowship with you on our so this is a fellowship turn so forgiveness means that God cancels out the thing that's breaking up the intimacy that he wants to have you now how do you know when forgiveness has occurred. If it's not a feeling. Then, if you look into your feelings. Forgiveness may be here today may not be here tomorrow because I don't feel like giving you but since forgiveness is a decision you can always measure whether forgiveness has occurred because forgiveness occurs when no retaliation is being sought in the Senate again. Forgiveness occurs when you're not seeking to retaliate against the person who often did you as long as you reach back into history to bring it up today even though it has nothing to do what was happening the day.

The only reason you're bringing it up is to cause pain today even though it happened yesterday, it means you have not forgiven yet because you're using it as a tool to bring pain because you have forgiven even though you may still feel it. It is the act of retaliation that demonstrate whether you forgiven not because you know whether you're retaliating or not using that thing from yesterday to bring about an act of judgment today so forgiveness is the decision that I am not going to credit this to your account on Michael put a charge on your bill on Michael bring up the bill and say you still owe me.

Let me say one other thing, by way of introduction. What about forgiving and forgetting many people say I'll forgive but I won't forget what actually is okay because God forget he would be omniscient if you forgot admission means God knows everything. Sophie forgot something that we didn't know anymore. That's not possible. What the Bible means by forgetting is not forgetting the information.

It's forgetting the pain that was caused by the information. It's not forgetting that it happened. It's no longer allowing what happened to have the impact now that you have when it happened was Joseph when his brothers sinned against him. He says in Genesis 41 verse 51 he says these words, he says God has helped me to forget what you did to me but in chapter 50 he brings it up again you meant it for evil but God meant it for good. Forgot what happened to bring up in 50 but he forgot the impact that it had on him so I didn't have the same impact so it even though you may remember when you see that person will see that situation what happened five years ago when you forgive it no longer destroys your day destroys your week destroyed your life because you made a decision to forgive. One of the reasons it stains the if we Forgiveness as an emotion and not as a decision once you make a decision and is no longer any motion that emotions don't decide about whether forgiveness of the guard. The decision has made for you so forgiveness is the cancellation of whether or not you remember what happened will remember the details. It is the cancellation of the debt for a send an infraction that was committed against you. Dr. Evans will come back in a moment with more to say about the two different kinds of forgiveness and the different roles they play in helping us grow closer to God. Stay with us. There were times when I was overwhelmed with the burdens of life. When I didn't know that I can keep going. Yet God would bring someone or some thing to speak words of encouragement to me during difficult times. Cost 2019 was one of those times when I lost my wife 40/49 years cutting team going during that season, one month after I lost my father, yet God provided ring that I needed to keep proclaiming his word. During those difficult days.

I'm very grateful 40 years seen this kind hand of fate on this ministry. The expansion and growth. We've experienced here is nothing short of a miracle. And none of it would be possible without the faithful contributions of people like you and that's why I want to let you know about a special package we put together is her way of saying thank you make a donation to keep this ministry going and includes all six full-length messages from Tony's current series freedom through forgiveness of both CD and digital download bundled along with his companion book 30 days to victory through forgiveness step-by-step month-long journey toward freedom from the wrongs done to you or by you on forgiveness is like an emotional cancer, but the principles in this message collection are the cure and will send them to you as our thank you gift when you make a contribution to help us keep Tony's teaching on the station. Visit us@tonyevans.org make your donation online and let us send you a copy of the special to resource package today is the last day to take advantage of this offer. So go online right away or give us a call at 1-800-800-3222 our resource center is open 24 seven so there's always someone waiting to help you again that's Tony Evans.org or call 1-800-800-3222 with Dr. Evans will come back with more of today's message right after this when you're facing a decision or laminates not to ask what would Jesus do, but first you have to know what Jesus did. And when God has to say about the situation you face while building your biblical foundation is your goal to help you need is as close as your computer or mobile device.

Thanks to Tony Evans training center is packed with online courses covering core concepts of faith and in that scripture studies you can work through anytime you want. In any case you want along the way you'll explore key teachings and learn how to apply them in real world situations.

There's lots of exclusive content interested and motivated in an online form. We can ask questions and answers and collaborate with other students.

It's almost like having a seminary on your smart phone. Tony Evans.org today and connect with Tony Evans training center we can explore the kingdom anytime, anywhere I want her talking about two categories.

First is unilateral forgiveness, unilateral forgiveness is forgiveness that grant even when the person hasn't asked for, why would you give unilateral forgiveness.

Nobody said I'm sorry, nobody repented and you forgive anyway. Unilateral forgiveness is given one. Because the issue is so slow and upwardly didn't matter. They did wrong but you don't care that much and some you can forget so you won't even care if they say I'm sorry if they repent so as unilateral as a social reason, you would you unilateral forgiveness is the person refuses to say I'm sorry refuses to confess refuses to repent. As I repent no telegram hurt you that I did so they refusing another one is they can repent, because they died they hurt you when years ago basements passed on so they can't make amends, even if they wanted to they can't because if not here, maybe you don't even know where they are anymore, so they moved away they've gone somewhere so they can prepare if you don't do unilateral forgiveness, then you'll stay in touch to something that can never be fixed because a God big dog will bill never going to say I'm sorry unilateral forgiveness is to set you free is to forget what happened even when the person is not sorry about what happened because you don't want to be held hostage by what happened, so it sets you free. In acts chapter 7 Stephen is being stoned to death in acts chapter 7 it come out to destroy him.

In verses 54 to 60 and and they're not repented and then not sorry that stolen them again and in the middle been installed Evans as father forgive them. Don't hold this to their account but they are stoning you but I'm not all that mess. Remove God's work in my life, let their stones and what did he see he saw Jesus standing on the right-hand side of the father, many of us don't see Jesus because we won't unilateral. That's where you forgive when there is no apology they are not sorry but you decide I'm going to not credited to your account.

Even though you transactional forgiveness is different. This is where a person repents of what they did to you for coming by confessing first. I'm sorry for what I did.

That's confession confession is.

I agree that I will repentance takes confessing to the next step. Repentance is the decision to make it right.

I want to turn from doing it and I want to make restitution. I want to make it right. Whenever, right as possible to be made. I want to do. The Bible calls that of repentance network. How do you know if a person is truly repented because that words don't mean anything they could say I'm sorry not meet how you know that the confession was real. You know the confession was real when there are visible acts of repentance that is trying to make in life at whatever level is possible to correct the reason for transactional forgiveness is because that opens the door for a restoration of the relationship. The relationship can now be restored because repentance has been requested and forgiveness have been granted. Opening up the opportunity for reconciliation with transactional forgiveness. You forgive Amber go is to try to reconcile and to heal the breach that caused the problem, you and I witness transactional forgiveness in the Amber Geiger case. When you saw her justly condemn for the act of killing an innocent person. She was given a judgment of 10 years, but his relative Stan asked the judge for permission to leave the stand and embrace her because all the stand. She confessed that she had done it in a judicial judgment for what she had done had been granted 10 years in jail but because that was the statement of repentance that is going to be fruit of action impose on her, certainly by the court. He asked for the opportunity to restore relationship. He got on the bench, walked over to the judge granted the opportunity and they embrace themselves for an extended period of time, say though you hardly buy what you did.

You and I willing to risk all what can be restored and cancel the sentence but it opened up the opportunity for restoration. That's what transactional forgiveness it seeks to bring about healing due to the expression of repentance in Mark chapter 11. Jesus is telling the story and he says when you have faith in God is and you can move mountains amount to in the Bible isn't over comparable situation. He says you can say to this mountain, the situation in your life and it will be cast into the sea.

If you don't forgive. You won't be able to get rid of your mouth. Get rid of that addiction feel that relationship so that emotional problem because you're living in on forgiveness. Forgiveness will block God's miracles and Dr. Tony Evans will come back in a moment to read about this message. He calls the pardon of prayer part of his current series freedom through forgiveness copies of this individual message are available as visit Tony Evans.org to get the details. Better yet request this entire six lesson collection when you make a contribution toward the ministry of the urban alternative will send it to you along with the companion book I mentioned earlier 30 days to victory through forgiveness visit Tony Evans.org to get the details and make the arrangements or colonists, day or night at 1-800-800-3222 that's 1-800-800-3222 as students or employee can complete a first-rate project for their teacher or boss. But there are likely to receive credit. If what they did was not the assigned task will tomorrow.driven shows how the failures we experience in life may be the result of working on the wrong assignment right now though he's back to close our time together today with this so now is a sacred moment. If there's any area forgiveness. You need to deal with will set you free.

Right in the area, forgiveness, giving yourself, giving somebody else limits on the even if you manage God if there's any area forgiveness that you need to deal with your couple you this mountain of the relationship. It won't budge because somebody had forgiven some. I want you to write down very short. I need to forgive blank and just put in the short phrase. What is for no vital see this, which is more about that.

I need to forgive blank whoever that person is yourself. Whatever it is for and whatever the thing is maybe more than one thing, but what about the Scripture. I need to forgive blank for because we want to set you free, and we want to get God back in the same room which for the prayers being answered. Mountains are being moved so that he can forgive you because you're now a forgiving person in spite of how your emotions are. Forgive blank for whatever it is the alternative with Dr. Tony Abbott urban alternative celebrating 40 years of faithfulness, thanks to the generous contributions of listeners like you