Forgiveness Understood // The Forgiveness Process – F.U. – Forgiveness University (Part 4) – Michael Todd – Transformation Church

 Mike Todd’s Introduction

• Let’s give God some praise
• If you’re here today, we believe this a divine appointment
• If your heart is not open, Mike can say all of these things, God can say all of these things, the Holy Spirit can try to do a work in you, but when your heart is closed, it can’t happen
• So, Mike is asking that we ask God to open our hearts
• The next hour will be more productive if your heart is open
• God cares about the posture of your heart, not the prosperity of your hands

In a sign of surrender, and to consecrate our lives to God, put your hands out and say:

Opening Prayer: “Father, here we are asking like David. Father, if there’s anything in us that’s not like You, would you remove it, would you reveal it, because today, we want to be pleasing and acceptable before You. If we’ve said anything, if we’ve hurt anybody, God, if we’ve hurt ourselves, if we’ve blasphemed You, if we’ve done things that are not like what You’ve called us to do Father God, right now we’re saying, give us clean hands and a pure heart that we might serve You. God, change us from the inside out. Change me from the inside out. God today I thank You that as Your word comes forth, not Mike’s word, but Your word comes forth, thank You that it would illuminate every dark place in my heart. God, I thank You through Your Word You would illuminate, bring revelation, bring light, to every dark place in my heart. Today, I’m submitted to the transformation that will happen because of the truth. If you tell me to go forgive somebody, I’m submitted to the transformation of the truth. If you tell me to stop smoking, I am submitted to the transformation from the truth. Father, when the truth comes in nothing can stay the same. God, when your word comes in, it’s the only book Father God that when we read it, it reads us. Today, we are saying our hearts are open, do a deep work in us, in Jesus name. Amen.

We are in week 4 of the F.U series. Up until this point, it meant one thing, but after these 10 weeks, it’ll have a new meaning for you in your entire life. We’re talking about forgiveness.

Forgiveness University is a place where your life can be transformed from the inside out as you learn the principle of forgiveness.

For many of you, this is hard to get.

God told Mike that by week 4, you’ll have the real class that’ll graduate. It would take 3 weeks for the people who would feel themselves challenged, their religion challenged, etc. to leave.

If you made it today, give yourself a round of applause. You are about to experience a life that is so freeing because you have been able to understand one of the core principles Christ asked believers to have.

Forgiveness is a primarily spiritual discipline of every Christ follower. It is foundation. You can’t be a Christian and not forgive. Too many of us claim the title and don’t have the lifestyle.

We go to church and do religious activities. God would rather you live the word than go to church and not have any proof of it.

Forgiveness is primary to all of us.

This week, the message is entitled Forgiveness Understood (F.U.)

Message Title: Forgiveness Understood

Even with 3 weeks of this, many of us still don’t understand.

Proverbs 4:7 New King James Version (NKJV)

7 Wisdom is the principal thing;

Therefore get wisdom.

And in all your getting, get understanding.

Wisdom means applied knowledge. The scripture shows that we don’t just need to apply something, but understand why we’re applying it.

A lot of us don’t care about the process/instructions, we just want it to work.

If you’re going to display God, re-present Him, and be the change in your family, you can’t just do it, you need to be able to understand it.

We read a Bible that we won’t take the time to understand. We get in marriages and don’t understand how relationships work.

Quick plug: Get “Relationship Goals” the book and study guide today for additional support:

If you don’t understand a thing, abuse is inevitable. Ab-use.

People abuse forgiveness and use it as a way to keep control and manipulate people. When you don’t understand something, abuse is always coming.

Today, we’re going to understand forgiveness.

1. Without the Revelation of Forgiveness, We Are Left with Ruins

If you do not get this understanding, our life is left in ruins. You’re the loneliest you’ve ever been because you won’t forgive them.

You can’t celebrate the success of others because unforgiveness has you trapped in ruins.

Your business didn’t do what their business did this year. Now you think that somehow God favored them over you, and you don’t realize that you’re in a process to actually learn the thing your purposed to do.

Your vision is so obscured, that you’re taking offense from everybody because of what God didn’t do for you. Your life is in ruins.

God is saying, “This is why you have to understand what I’ve done for you. So, that you can extend it to other people.”

Forgiveness is important.

Psalm 86:5 New Living Translation (NLT)

5 O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.

When you’re ready to do something, there’s a level of anticipation.

Anecdote: Mike had a good dog. Tyson the dog, was always ready to go outside. He would anticipate going outside even when Mike wasn’t taking him out there. If Mike went to the door, Tyson would be at the door waiting. The Bible says, God is so good, He is anticipating and looking for the moment to forgive. He is ready to forgive you.

You can say that, “My God is ready to forgive me”, “My God is anticipating my turnaround”, “My God wants nothing more than relationship with me”, and “He’s ready”.

1 John 1:9 English Standard Version (ESV)

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

All you need to do is acknowledge what you do and turn away from it. He doesn’t make you sign a contract to make sure you never do it again. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Ephesians 1:7 English Standard Version (ESV)

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace

God’s forgiveness is God’s grace.

We have gone past the line. We have trespassed.

We can only be right with God because He made a way for us to be forgiven.

Psalm 32:5 English Standard Version (ESV)

5 I acknowledged my sin to you,

    and I did not cover my iniquity;

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”

    and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

Think about all the iniquity of your sins. All the DMs, emails, pictures, conversations – God has record of all of them and when you turn to Him, He’s so ready to forgive that he just presses delete.

The proud, the ones who don’t realize their need for God, He’s far from you. He’s close to the brokenhearted. Those in church need the grace of God just as much as the person who’s getting drunk right now. Until you can live like that and acknowledge that, it’s just a figment of your imagination.

Last week, Mike gave us the Ephesians 4:32 checklist. We realized that the revelation was in reverse, i.e. 1. God forgave you, 2. Forgive one another, 3. Tender-hearted, 4. Be kind to one another

When you can receive that God forgave you, then you can forgive one another, then you’re tender-hearted, and can be kind to one another.

The greatest thing you can do is receive God’s forgiveness – for everything that you have done, are doing, and will do.

This scripture has more weight in the way we live our lives than Mike thought because it was an antidote to something.

Exercise: Put both hands up in the ait. Put a hand down if you’ve experienced any of the following:

• How many people have had bitterness in their heart?
• How many people have had rage in your heart before?
• How many people have been angry?
• How many people have used harsh words?
• How many people have slandered other people?
• How many people have had all types of evil behavior?

Is anyone’s hand still up?

Ephesians 4:32 is an antidote to Ephesians 4:31

Ephesians 4:31-32 New Living Translation (NLT)

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

If you want to stop being bitter, using harsh words, slandering people in person and on social media, then be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

When you learn the art of forgiveness, it frees you, not just that person.

Some would rather hold a grudge than be free; let them know you’re mad at them than not walk in anger. If you choose forgiveness, it also comes with freedom.

When you forgive, stuff doesn’t bother you the same way.

Forgiveness comes built in with freedom. It’s like when the toys come with the batteries. The worst thing is getting home and now needing “D” batteries.

That’s what people experience when they don’t really forgive. They’re trying to live a Christian life unpowered.

Everything you need comes if you do it the way God asked you to do it.

You’ll go to church but not forgive them, or speak in tongues but still be mean.

Forgiveness brings freedom.

Forgiveness is:

The intentional and voluntary process by which a victim undergoes a change in feelings and attitude regarding an offense, and overcomes negative emotions such as resentment and vengeance.

A lot of times we experience what forgives is not, but it’s important to understand what it is, i.e., the intentional and voluntary process by which a victim undergoes a change in feelings and attitude regarding an offense, and overcomes negative emotions such as resentment and vengeance.

Today, we will understand the Pillars of Forgiveness.

Pillars of Forgiveness

2. Forgiveness is Never an Accident 

If I’m going to experience forgiveness in my life, it will be intentional.

You can’t casually say, “one day, we’ll be okay”. Forgiveness is intentional. Prayer is intentional.

Mark 11:25 English Standard Version (ESV)

25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Jesus said, every time you pray, forgive. Stop praying and start forgiving. Your prayer isn’t being heard if there’s still unforgiveness in your heart.

As intentional as you are about prayer, God says, whenever you pray, whether for your food, job, etc. forgive. Say, “God, if there’s anyone I need to forgive, lord show me.”

If you’re praying, you need to be forgiving.

The word goes on to say, “If you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Every time you come to pray, forgive them so that the filter can come off your prayer. Your prayer is being filtered/blocked/not coming through properly because of the unforgiveness in your heart.

3. Forgiveness Can’t Be Forced

Nobody can make you forgive.

Even after 10 weeks, some people are still going to be like, “hell no”. This is the equivalent of someone with cancer not wanting any form of treatment. After a while, the doctor will say, “I already told you everything that can be done, but I can’t force you to do it.”

Mike can tell you everything you need to know, but forgiveness can’t be forced. It’s voluntary.

There needs to be something in your heart that knows it’s not good for you or aligned with what God has called you to do.

You shouldn’t wear your unforgiveness like a badge of courage. The life without it is way better.

2 Corinthians 9:7-8 New International Version (NIV)

7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

This isn’t money. It’s whatever you have decided to give. So when you cheerfully give forgiveness, God sees Himself. God loved the world and gave. He sees Himself. It’s equivalent to having a picture on Earth as it is in heaven

God will not force you to forgive someone. Choose to forgive even if you don’t know when or how. God can’t force you to do it, but He can help you to do it. You have to decide in your heart before the sermon series and before the funeral.

Most of us want to forgive on the death bed. When there’s loss we can see, that’s when you want to forgive. You make up stories, “you were a good dad”, because you’re under pressure and compulsion at that point.

Forgiveness can’t be forced. Don’t do it reluctantly or under compulsion.

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

If you act in God’s character, at all times, in all things, you can have all the abundance God has for you.

There are situations we need God to show up in at all times, with all of his abundance. When you give forgiveness in His character, that’s the access you get.

4. Forgiveness is Necessary in Failure

You never need to forgive if there’s not a failure.

Many of us never allow people around us to fail us. Your husband, wife, big momma, cousin, your best friend, your business partner, your pastor, they’re going to fail you.

We get broken up because we don’t make any margin for people’s failure.

Colossians 3:13 New Living Translation (NLT)

13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

Make room for people to fail you.

Plan for failure when you set up these pillars of forgiveness.

Make allowances for each other’s faults.

Culture says, cut them off when they fault you. Fight them when they fault you.

The word says, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you.”

Forgive them after they messed you over.

It then says something extremely powerful, i.e. remember…Remember the Lord forgave you.

To build a sturdy life, you have to learn the principles of forgiveness. You have to learn that it has to be intentional. It’s never an accident and can’t be forced. If you can get God into your heart and get His character, you’ll want to forgive them.

People are going to fail you and you’ll still have grace to forgive them.

5. Forgiveness is a Process

We like the idea of being called to the altar, feeling chills, and going away feeling good eating Golden Corral forgiven.

30 years of problems don’t go away in 30 seconds.

The altar experience is usually the beginning, not the end. It’s the moment you’ve been open enough to allow God in.

We can’t shut off the process at the starting line. It’s like a capable runner starting and then stopping right after taking off.

This is what we’ve applied in church for decades. “I’m trying to walk out my purity.”

Anything with God is a process. This is a process, it’s about progression, not perfection – it’s going to be a process.

People ask Mike all the time, “How long is it going to take for me to not remember?” Mike just says, “Time.”

“How long is it going to take for me to not have the urges to watch pornography?” Mike says, “Time.”

“When will I stop lusting after what other people have?” Mike says, “It’s going to take time”. They then ask, “well how much time”, Mike says, “depending on how much time you give God to work in you.”

This is the difference between immaturity and spiritual maturity. The difference between Mike and Lebron playing basketball, while there are a lot of things, one of the major things is devotion and time.

Mike says, “I make time for fast food. I make time for Netflix binge watching, for days and days.” Mike watched who won the championship this weekend, and he was back training 3 days later. He won the highest pinnacle of the sport, and instead of going to an island, thought it would be advantageous of him to be devoted to what got him to that pinnacle.

What God is saying is that this process is going to take time, but you get to determine how much time it takes by the time your put in.

That’s why Mike believes God is calling the church back to a season of devotion.

You can’t get all of your word from Pastor Mike. If it’s just Mike, it’ll take a long time.

But one moment in the presence of God, one moment of time that didn’t’ come from your pastor, your leader, or an Instagram post – you sat in the presence of God. God whispered something on the tablet of your heart and it became real to you. That’s how you get healed. That’s how you get moving in the process.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 New International Version (NIV)

11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Mike’s vision for your life is that everything that has been holding you, God has an appointed time where everything that looks like ashes gets beautiful. Everything that looks like a desert becomes vibrant with life and flowers. God has an appointed time where the seed going down right now will turn into a forest of joy, love, and hope. If you don’t water the seed, cut out the weeds (they can be friends, activities, family, or ideas) – if you don’t cut the weeds out, they’ll choke out the beauty God is trying to perfect in you.

Forgiveness is a process.

6. Forgiveness Transforms Feelings 

This one was miraculous for Mike because when he hated people, who took money from him, played him royally, he couldn’t stand their names, but when he forgave them, he found himself considering sending him gifts despite stealing from Mike and his family.

You’ll wake up feeling like you need to pray for that person. You say prayers like, “God, be God in his life, Amen”, when you’re trying to hold onto the offense.

When you actually forgive, you’ll find yourself blessing their children.

One day, that person’s child walked up to Mike’s house and asked for something. That was one of the most traumatic experiences of Mike’s life because his unforgiveness wanted to hold the guy’s child hostage.

Your unforgiveness can transfer to people who didn’t even do it to you. You start not liking people and holding people accountable for association.

Having the same last name, going to that church, working at the same place, etc. Then you’re carrying the offense of people who don’t even know you or even what the offense was.

God made Mike forgive him. Mike hadn’t seen him in a long time and thought he was good. Whenever you think you’re good, God will test you.

Everything you think is the devil, ain’t the devil. Sometimes it’s just a quality assurance of your faith. Sometimes the job layoff is just to see, “do you trust Me?”

You’ll know you’ve truly forgiven because it transforms how you feel.

The guy had really played Mike. So much so, that there was a time that if he had walked into the church, it would have been “on sight”, i.e. whatever you’re doing, you assume the position to start fighting at the moment they walk in. Mike even had a dream he was praying for somebody and reached over that person just to punch this guy when he showed up. It was in Mike’s heart.

Mike knew he forgave because his feelings changed. It doesn’t mean you have to go be friends.

That was for Mike. They don’t even have to know that your feelings changed for your feelings to change.

Even though you live in the craziness of 2020:

Romans 12:2 New Living Translation (NLT)

2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

It doesn’t end in action if it doesn’t first start in thought.

God wants you to forgive in your thoughts. If you could just see yourself not getting ‘as mad’ when they’re brought up. If you could just see yourself doing that, God can transform the way you think. Then you’ll learn to know God’s will for you.

Start doing things God’s way, then you’ll know God’s will, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

7. Forgiveness is a Fight 

This is the fight that will happen with just one person, you.

We can go through all of these pillars and still have to do this every day you wake up.

There will be so much evidence built up as to why you shouldn’t forgive them that you’ll have to fight with yourself to make sure that you stay in the state, heart space, and heart posture of forgiveness.

This will require Christ to walk with you every day of your life.

That’s why people who say they know God but don’t talk to him, Mike is trying to figure out how you’re even alive. For Mike, to do what God has called him to do, it is a fight.

Anecdote: This week, Mike posted something on IG and the religious saints went off. Mike began to look at a few of the comments and the Holy Spirit said, “Stop looking, shut it down, or you’re going to give me too much to have to work you through to give the people what they need tomorrow.” At that moment, with internet connection on the plane, with IG ready to be open, the forgiveness that had to be extended for the 7 comments he saw was a fight. It doesn’t matter if they didn’t listen to the whole sermon. Letting unforgiveness reside in your heart will mess you up. You might say, “They don’t deserve it, have they not read your word, he has 2 followers”. The Spirit said, “Fight for this forgiveness Mike. There’s so much on the line. Not just because you’re ministering, but because you have to go love your wife. Not just because you’re on a platform, but because your kids need you. Not because people are going to see this. It doesn’t matter about that. What matters is what I can do through you when the filter of your heart is wide open and the very person that’s talking about you is going to need you in 2 days – But if your heart is cold and you don’t fight for this forgiveness, you’ll say something to offend them further. Then I won’t be able to use you to do and have to use a different person because you didn’t fight for the forgiveness.”  

You won’t be able to lay down and walk in this freedom of forgiveness. You’ll have to get up every day and say, “Father renew my mind.” “I’m walking into a job and I know they don’t want me there, but God I thank you that the fruits of the spirit are my portion. I walk in there armed with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness.” Fight for your forgiveness if you want the word to really work in your life.

The test is coming. The holidays are upon us – Thanksgiving and Christmas. People have talked about you – will you fight for forgiveness then?

Galatians 6:9 New Living Translation (NLT)

9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good – fighting for what God says is good. You know there is somebody higher, greater. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

If you’ve been fighting for decades, years, months, try to forgive. Don’t give up.

You may feel stuck in the sludge, but that’s why we’re here. By the power of the Holy Spirit and getting an understanding of what forgiveness is, God is going to allow you to see a harvest on all the good seeds you’ve sown, all the times you forgave, all the good things you did that were intentional, when people failed you and you gave yourself to the process and allowed God to transform your feelings and you stayed in the fight. God is going to give you a new level of freedom of forgiveness.

John 8:3-11 New Living Translation (NLT)

3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.

4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

11 “No, Lord,” she said.

And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

For her to be “caught in the act of adultery”, were they watching? Religious people are always looking for someone to fall/something to be on a higher pedestal.

All these pillars are the same height. That’s because God is not looking at the differences of what you do, and how much scripture you read. What He sees is either sin or righteousness when He sees us. It’s the same thing.

They were looking for her sin. Jesus was in the middle of preaching. They threw the woman in front of Jesus in the middle of His sermon.

“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery.

The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

They had a law but they had to ask Grace. Grace was Jesus.

“They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him” – They weren’t trying to get justice, they were just trying to trap Jesus. Watch out for religious people trying to trap you in your words because they didn’t like you in the first place.

“They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

““No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.””

Jesus starts a process of forgiveness. It wasn’t an accident. He intentionally stopped doing what He was doing and got down with that woman.

We don’t know what He wrote or said, but in Mike’s mind, the God he knows was saying, “this is going to pass. I know you messed up, but I still love you. I know that everybody in the world has counted you out, but I’m counting on you.” She may have said, “Jesus what are you writing?” Mike pictures him responding, “I’m just writing all of the times I saw them commit sins too. I’m just reminding them of my love for them. I’m just giving them time to understand.”

Jesus was so intentional. Nobody forced him to do this. He literally decided that he would extend forgiveness to her. Then it was necessary because she actually did it.

He didn’t defend her. He knew she did it and still decided it was necessary to forgive her.

God knows you did it and still thinks it’s necessary to forgive you.

The Bible doesn’t say how long he was down there writing in the sand. If forgiveness is a process, we don’t know if He was there for moments or hours allowing the process of Him identifying with this broken/messed up person to dawn on people.

It was a process. How long is it going to take? Time.

He gets up – forgiveness transforms feelings. He told them whoever’s never done anything like her, cast the first stone. He could have then continued telling her, “You’re special to me. Everything can change, I promise.” Then one by one, all of them walked away.

At some point, as hype as they were in the beginning, their feelings transformed. They weren’t as hype anymore because of forgiveness.

Then comes the biggest point. Forgiveness is a fight. Look at verse 10 where everybody goes away, then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said.

And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

This is the fight. “I’m going to extend grace to you” and let you go  – Now you have the choice of either what you’re going to go back to, or go from here to. This is the fight of forgiveness.

Do I fully accept what Christ just did for me? Can I extend that to others and live a different way or go back to the very thing that I just got caught in?

The fight of forgiveness is between grace and go. He has extended you grace and now He’s telling you to go. What you decide in between there will change your life.

The grace of God is available and now you have the opportunity to fight for that forgiveness, to actually value what Christ has done for you, and to put weight on what He has done for you.

We will know it by how you ‘go’ from here.

What you do this week will prove if you actually accept the grace of God.

How you treat other people this week will let us know if you fought for the forgiveness God gave you or if you thought it was cheap.

Mike remembers asking God forgiveness for having sex outside of marriage and then planning the next time he was going to do it at the same moment. As Mike looks back, he didn’t understand God’s forgiveness. There’s no way Mike could have understood God’s forgiveness because he treated it as cheap.

Mike acted like Jesus walking down that road while people spit at Him and threw things at Him, and He got scourged and stretched out – Mike acted like it was so that he could go back and do what pleased his flesh again.

When Mike thinks about that, he feels so bad.

It wasn’t until Mike realized how expensive forgiveness and grace was that it changed the way Mike had to go.

Your ‘go’ is telling yourself, the world, and God if you really understand grace.

When you understand something, you change your action. When you understand how a car works, you understand that drive will make it go forward, reverse will make it go backward, and neutral allows it to go with whatever the gravitational pull is. When you understand that, it changes your action.

When you understand the grace of God, then you can give forgiveness. Then you can stay away from people who take you back to your old way of thinking. Then you can get in the word and devote your life to changing in order to help other people.

When you understand, it changes how you act.

Is forgiveness understood in your heart and mind? Don’t answer it with a word. Answer it with your life.

Answer it with the way you treat that person who treated your wrong.

Answer it this week when someone posts something that opposes your view politically.

The next few weeks will be treacherous. The crazy thing is that the church will probably blend in with everybody else.

“Come out from among them and be separate” – I guess just not during election season. God is saying, “I’m searching the whole world looking for my character”.

Will you fight for forgiveness?

Today, we’re praying God will do a deep work in our hearts to understand forgiveness. People talk about forgiveness as something that happens after something happens.

The word “forgiveness”, if you study it, the word “for” means before, and “giveness” means “generosity, or something extended”. For God so loved the world that He gave, before, we did anything.

Before we did anything, he gave. He saw it before and gave Christ.

Forgiveness was given at Jesus’ birth.

Before we did anything, God knew what we would need. He sent His one and only son.

What was God in terms of forgiveness? It wasn’t an accident that He sent Jesus, it was intentional. Nobody forced Him to do it. He planned it before you were formed in your mother’s womb. Forgiveness is necessary in failure. We failed and we continue to fail. We sin against God. Before we sinned; before we needed it, before we made a debt He paid it all. Because we failed, He put a process in place. So forgiveness was not given when He was on the cross. On the cross, He said, “it is finished”.

What was finished? The process of forgiveness for humanity.

What was finished? The way that you could extend forgiveness to somebody else.

What was finished? The ability to forgive that father who failed you, and that coworker who failed you, and that family member who failed you.

It was a process that took 33 years. He put it in place, and just for you and me, it took 33 years, and forgiveness transformed God’s feelings about us.

Now when we receive it, He sees us as His son instead of ourselves. Christ is now the cloak that we wear.

That’s why we can do things the scripture says like, come boldly before the throne of grace. If you’re wearing your filthy rags, you can’t come boldly to a king. However, when you put your trust in Jesus and the process that He gave, and repent, and come to Him, you can walk with your robe on.

That’s what Jesus purchased for you.

We know it was a fight because He died on Friday, but the forgiveness He wanted to give to you even though you cheated on your wife, or abandoned your children, or leaked confidential information, He fought for you.

The Bible says He went down to the pits of hell and for 3 days there was a war. A cosmic war that went on for all of us. The Bible said the resurrection was the sign that He defeated, death, hell, and the grave and rose victorious, not for himself, but so that he could extend forgiveness to me and you.

8. Forgiveness is Available 

Because of what God did for you, He walked all of these pillars out – He’s only asking us to do what He already did for us.

You cannot give it until you experience it and forgiveness has to be understood.

By the spirit, people, in the name of Jesus, will begin to walk through these steps and find out where they are in the process.

When you realize forgiveness is available right now, then you can start doing it for other people and walk through this process.

We’re coming to serve notice on the enemy, that everybody stuck in the state of being locked up when it comes to forgiveness, we’re going to understand, use wisdom, and be able to give freely and walk in the freedom of forgiveness.

Prayer: Father, I pray right now that in this moment, there is something starting in the hearts. Father there’s no pomp and circumstance, there’s no examples, father, I’m asking you Holy Spirit to do the heavy lifting. Mike did exactly what you told him to do, to give us the Bible on how important forgiveness is. God, I’m asking you right now to do heart surgery on all of us. People who have been seeing themselves out of the wrong lens father. Thank you father today that they receive the forgiveness that is available. The forgiveness that was finished on the cross but started when you sent Jesus. I thank you Father God that forgiveness is going to be intentional and that there are no more accidental forgiveness God, that you’re moving us from the place we’ve been and you’re taking us to the place you’re callings us to go. Thank you Lord that this word goes deep, uncomfortably deep. I thank you that it’s going to make us change our actions. That between the grace and the go Father God that you will change something on the inside of us. This week, somebody’s not going to do what’s normal. The thing that leads them away Father God, I thank you that you’re doing a word God. I just thank you that there is a transformation that is starting today. Lord help us to understand and extend forgiveness. Father, more than anything, we thank you that we’ve received forgiveness.

Altar Call: Today, the forgiveness of God is available. Religion and tradition tries to tell you to “change that”, “fix that up”, “clean that up first”, but God says, no, the church is the hospital for humanity and He is the great physician. Anything you’re dealing with that’s hurting or ailing you, God can fix it. He is saying forgiveness is available. This church exists for people to receive Christ. This whole thing is to bring souls into the kingdom and to give people keys to be able to transform their lives. Today, forgiveness is available. There are people right now about to make the decision that changes everything in their life. You’re going to allow what Christ did, you’re going to receive it, there can be a gift that you don’t receive, it can already be paid for, purchased and have your name on it, but if you don’t take it, it’s still not yours. If you want to be included in this prayer that changed us, changed the way Mike walked, talked, and treated people, manipulating, cheating on his wife before they got married, addicted to pornography, God changed Mike’s life when he truly gave his life to Him. Today, that’s all Mike cares about for you…that scriptures can actually be on your heart and not just on your social media. This class is for people who want to live a transformed life. This class will talk about how to forgive your father, your friends – this is still introductory, but if you don’t get it at this foundational level and have the pillars together, you won’t get the more advanced stuff. If you want to be added, on the count of 3, just shoot your hand up. 1) This is the best decision you’ve ever made. 2. We are so proud of you, but more than that, God is proud of you. 3. Just shoot your hand up right there all over the world. Mike isn’t asking you to confess everything you’ve ever done. Just believe in your heart what Romans 10:9 says, and God says that you are saved. You can put your hand down. Transformation church is a family so we pray together.

Let’s Pray Together: God, thank you for your forgiveness. Today, I need you to come into my life and transform me. I’ve sinned, a lot, but thank you for grace. I believe you lived, you died, and you rose again, with all power, just for me. Today, I give you my life. Change me, renew me, transform me, I’m yours. In Jesus name, Amen.

• Text ‘Saved’ to 918-992-7623 for resources and content to walk with you. This is the start.

You can still get “Relationship Goals” the book and study guide today for additional support with your relationships:

Latest Arrivals in Merch

SUMMARY NOTES

1. Without the Revelation of Forgiveness, We Are Left with Ruins
2. Forgiveness is Never an Accident
3. Forgiveness Can’t Be Forced
4. Forgiveness is Necessary in Failure
5. Forgiveness is a Process
6. Forgiveness Transforms Feelings
7. Forgiveness is a Fight   
8. Forgiveness is Available

Link to full Video (Share this Message ): https://youtu.be/_3qYiqOkf_0

Join TC for service every Sunday at 11am (CST) and weekly for NoonDay Prayer at 12pm (CST).

Transformation Church would love to hear how God is touching your life through this ministry!  Tell us your story by emailing mystory@transformchurch.us!

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The D.I.G. stands for Deeper In God and it is a conversation where we dive deeper in God. Join us this Wednesday at 7pm (cst)! — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYv-siSKd3Gn9IsliO95gIw