Behind the Gates of Hell

Matthew 6:12 (ESV)

12 and forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Forgiving a debt is a financial term.  

What if every debt that you owed was cancelled? 

What you owe.  You'd no longer have to pay. 

It means that I expect nothing from you even an apology.  

It is a great idea until you are faced with forgiving someone.  

On the cross, Jesus gave us a receipt paid in full that our sin debt has been paid.  

Are you keeping record of someone else's debt?

We are required to forgive as we have been forgiven.  How do you want God to forgive you?  

Quickly?  

Completely?  

Forever? 

Go and do likewise.  

Unforgiveness is trying to collect a debt that the other person doesn't know they owe, or could ever pay.

Record keeping ruins relationships.  Relationships are messy.  If you don't want to get hurt, don't get married or have kids.  

You will get hurt.  You have to forgive to have quality relationships.  

Ephesians 4:32  (ESV)

32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

You don't lose your relationship with God when you sin, but you do lose your closeness.  When you ask forgiveness, it is restored.

Forgiveness is not saying that what they did was okay.  Forgiveness is automatic trust.  

If you hold on to your hurt, you hold on to the pain of the past. If you hold on to what they did, you are punishing yourself.  

Don't do the time for someone else's crime.  Forgiveness is setting the prisoner free, and the prisoner is you.  Don't be held captive by the pain caused by others. 

1 Peter 2:23  (ESV)

23 When he (Jesus) was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

Matthew 6:13  (ESV)

13 And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from evil.

Temptation is all about who you are following.  

If you follow Jesus, He is keeping you from the pitfalls.  

The devil has been doing this for a long, long, long time.  He's smarter than you or me.  He doesn't have any new tricks.  

Addiction is irrational, but we struggle to break free. If you think that you got it, it's got you.  

Temptation is customized for our weakness.  If you don't know where you are weak, you can't prepare for the devil's attacks.  

Temptation is a liar.  It makes promises that it'll never keep.  It promises freedom, but puts you in bondage. 

It promises happiness, but will rip joy from your life.  Sin is pleasurable, but when we pray.  We pull the curtain back and see sin for what it really is.  

To survive temptation, it's not about strength, but being smart.  Don't stand up to temptation, but run from it. 

1 Corinthians 10:13  (ESV)

13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

There is not temptation that you can't defeat with the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Recognize that you are in a war.  Evil is trying to destroy you.  The Church is not a cruise ship, but a battleship.  Not with people, but within the spirit realm.  

Adversity is simply the enemy's response to your progress. When you gain ground, Satan loses ground.  

You are in a fight, but you are not alone.  You are in it with your Father, God, if you've given your life to Jesus Christ.

  

Matthew 16:18 (ESV)

18 And I (Jesus) tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell] shall not prevail against it.

We don't fight for victory, but we fight from victory.  We know who wins. 

Remember, the victory is yours.

If you go back to ungodly friends, you go back to old sins.  

Mike Haman, Healing Place Church  

Video

http://healingplacechurch.org/media/our-father/