## The Power of Forgiveness

## Genesis 50:14-21

Read: Genesis 50:14-21

Bitterness is a force of destruction and bondage. It destroys people and relationships; it makes us prisoners of our hurts and hatred. Job described it like this:

"One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet ... And another dies in the btterness of his soul, and never eats in pleasure." Job 21:23, 25

Forgiveness is a source of emotional health and freedom. It has the power to set us free from the hurts of the past, whether we are talking about ten minutes ago, or ten years ago.

I. Forgiveness Frees Us To Love Those Who Have Hurt Us. (Genesis 50:14-21)

A. Joseph's brothers had acted out of hatred. Verse 20 "ye thought evil against me."

1. Joseph did not deny the sinful nature of his brother's actions.

2. Yet Joseph had refused to let their actions turn him into a bitter man

B. Joseph had responded to their hurts with forgiveness because he understood some important principles:

1. Only God has the right to punish another for the wrongs they do.

2. "Am I in the place of God" v19

a. His brothers had sinned against him.

b. Their actions were unjustifiable.

c. Joseph doesn't make any excuses for their behavior.

d. He understood that they were accountable to God for their actions, not to him.

3. Forgiveness is an act of our will in which we give up the right to hold another person accountable for the wrongs they have done to us.

4. It means releasing that person from any obligation to ever make things right to me.

5. Joseph understood that God can overrule our hurts, even turning instances of pain into "good". "God meant it unto good."

a. The actions of his brothers were not good.

b. The results in his life were not good.

c. But God's work was good!

6. Because Joseph had forgiven his brothers he could "comfort" and speak "kindly" to them. (v21)

C. Forgiveness frees us to love those who have hurt us.

1. We don't excuse their behavior or deny our hurt.

2. We simply choose, by an act of our will, to give up the right to make them pay us for the wrong they have done.

3. The alternative is to spend our days in bondage to destructive habits of bitterness.

II. Forgiveness Frees Us From the Destructive Habits of a Bitter Soul. (Ephesians 4:26-32)

A. Un-forgiven offences give Satan a "place" in our lives.

1. The word 'place' means a small area of occupancy and jurisdiction.

2. When Satan gains a place in the lives, he keeps us in bondage, directing us:

a. To act selfishly. v28 We try get our needs met the wrong way.

b. To speak hatefully. v29 c. To live carnally. v30

3. Many Christians have knelt at the altar, asking God to forgive them for their bitter and hateful actions, often promising to be different.

4. But they can't because Satan still has a place in their lives that he claims as his own because of past, un-forgiven offences.

B. The Symptoms of an unforgiving spirit.

1. Emotional symptoms:

a. Bitterness - deeply felt resentment.

b. Wrath - extreme anger, rage

c. Anger - mild displeasure

2. Behavioral symptoms:

a. Clamor - a need to talk about the person or offense; keep bringing it up.

b. Evil speaking - any kind of hateful speech; point out faults, criticize.

c. Malice - to intentionally harm, get even.

3. We can ask God to forgive these things, and He will.

4. But until we forgive those who have hurt us, Satan will still control a part of our life and we will continue to be enslaved to these destructive habits of bitterness.

III. Forgiveness: God's Way to Freedom. v32

A. We can forgive because we have been forgiven.

1. The key to forgiveness is to focus on what God has done for you.

2. As God forgave us (freely, undeserving) we are to forgive those who have hurt us.

3. Perhaps you have never received the forgiveness of sins that God has provided in His Son, Jesus Christ.

a. We will never be able to forgive those who have hurt us, until we have experienced the forgiveness of God.

b. God longs for us to accept Jesus Christ as Savior, and know the forgiveness of our sins.

c. Jesus died in our place that we might be saved.

B. Steps to freedom.

1. Seek forgiveness from God.

a. Confess our own bitterness; our selfish actions, hateful speech, carnal living.

b. Agree with God that our feelings of bitterness, wrath, malice, etc. have no place in our life as a Christian.

c. Thank God for the blood of Christ that cleanses you from our sin.

2. Forgive our offenders.

a. As an act of our will in faith before God, be willing to forgive them.

b. Release them from any obligation to make things right, don't hold anything against them.

c. Extend to them the same grace God has given us.

3. When we are willing to forgive those who have wronged us, we no longer allow Satan to have a place in our lives.

What about it today? Do you know the forgiveness of God? Have you placed your faith and trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ on Calvary? If not, today is the day that God has prepared for you to come and receive His forgiveness. Come now and be saved.

Perhaps God has brought someone to mind whom you need to forgive, purpose to do it now. It may be a family member or a person from your past. Why not come today and determine that you will forgive as Christ forgave us.

You might say, "But it happened such a long time ago, it no longer matters." If you can remember it, and you know that you have never Scripturally forgiven that person, then you need to do it now. Remember, you are not asking God to forgive anyone. You are doing the forgiving with God as your witness. Do you need to come?