Concept
An unforgiving spirit causes us to hold on to the offenses of others and our own mistakes, or not to consider the mistakes of others or our own sins as acceptable and forgivable, and it disturbs, accuses, and even attacks us to acknowledge and live out our undeserved great salvation brought about by the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and choose to pass on the forgiveness that Jesus gave us to other equally imperfect people.
It manifests itself as "anger at God" and unforgiveness toward others and oneself.
• Resentment, judgment, revenge, illness, accusations, exhibitionism, violent fights, gluttony, blindness, diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, anorexia, cancer, anger, racial hatred, witchcraft, smoking addiction, anger, the occult, drug abuse, alcoholism, family feuds, recollection of traumatic memories, lack of love.
• It paralyzes our souls and makes it impossible for us to see that our souls are heavily in debt.
• Destroying all kinds of relationships will also make us become the evil person, often acting like an innocent victim and feeling that others have wronged us.
Reasons for unforgiveness:
1. Unforgiveness towards others: Bad role models growing up
When we grow up in a family environment with chronic, irreconcilable conflicts and harsh punishments for minor offenses, “forgiveness” becomes grudging and joyless. Therefore, it is difficult for us to understand true forgiveness—because it has never been properly demonstrated to us.
Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. (Matthew 23:9-10)
2. The invincible pressure of worldly affairs
We live in a world that tells us we have to “take charge of our lives” or “can’t lose” and in Asian cultures “can’t lose face”. As a result, forgiveness doesn’t seem right for us. The reality is that unforgiveness makes us weak and vulnerable, and it’s easy to be distracted from God by what seems righteous or comfortable.
The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, and his glory is to overlook a transgression. (Proverbs 19:11)
3. Past disappointments
We’ve all heard the saying, “Once bitten, you’re afraid of the rope.” Some people may have been disappointed in past experiences with forgiving others and therefore decide that it’s not worth the effort.
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. (Matthew 18:21-22)
4. The offender is unwilling to admit his or her fault
What if the person who offended us does not repent, change, or even admit that he or she did something wrong? It is important to remember that forgiveness is between God and us. When we forgive, we are clearing our record before God. We should not be swayed by what others do or do not do.
14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14-15)
5. Unresolved emotions
Some of us want to forgive but don’t have the strength to do so and don’t understand why we should because we feel stuck. No matter how many times we think we have forgiven our offender, when we think of them, the agitation and familiarity of the emotion still comes back to us. This is a symptom of repressed emotions that are related to past hurts that have not been properly processed.
To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up;4 A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; (Ecclesiastes 3:3-4)
Unforgiveness of oneself
1. Others don’t forgive me
If the person we have offended does not forgive us, we may feel bad and feel that we should wait to "free" ourselves from the guilt later.
Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. (Luke 6:36)
2. Shame culture
Shame is a big part of some cultures. Children are taught to behave so they don't become a disgrace to the family, people openly avoid relatives they are ashamed to see, and social media shows us what we should have and look like. In a culture like this, it's hard for Christians to truly believe that God forgives and accepts us without any conditions attached, because the world constantly reminds us that we are not good enough.
Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
3. Being controlled by emotions
The Bible says that we are to die to the flesh, which includes wanting to control our emotional reactions. When we sin, we feel sad, regret, shame, pain, anger, and depression.
For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (Romans 8:13)
4. Falling into Satan’s accusations
Jesus defeated Satan, the accuser who wants us to join him in eternal condemnation. Even if we receive complete forgiveness from God, he will continue to taunt and accuse us until we agree with him and turn away from God. Satan will put all kinds of ideas into our minds that are contrary to the truth.
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who[a] do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)
For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. (1 John 3:20)
5. Pride is the root of our unforgiveness
Our pride causes us to think we have the right to look down on others or ourselves. The worst kind of pride is spiritual pride, when we mistakenly believe we are more righteous than others and place ourselves on a higher moral level.
For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. (Galatians 6:3)
Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; Though they join forces, none will go unpunished. (Proverbs 16:5)
Cut off and break
In the name of Jesus Christ, I cut off and break the following forces of unforgiveness:
• Connection to bad role models growing up
• The invincible pressure of worldly affairs
• Past disappointments in life
• The offender is unwilling to admit his fault
• Unresolved emotions
• Guilt
• Shame culture
• All emotional control that is not in line with God’s will
• Satan's Accusation
• The Poisonous Root of Pride
Abba Father, dear Lord Jesus Christ, mighty Holy Spirit, Triune God, today I come before you to confess and repent for the unforgiveness of others and myself caused by sin in my personal life and family. I admit and want to break and renounce the sins of unforgiveness that I, my family and ancestors have committed, as well as their agreement with the devil's lies, some wrong belief systems and the behaviors that have resulted from them.
Behavioral Breakthrough: An Unforgiving Spirit
In the name of Jesus Christ, we repent for what we have done:
1. I have taken revenge on people in the past by taking an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
2. As I was growing up, I didn’t know my own identity and I blindly followed the so-called successful people in the world, taking them as role models to try to find my own value.
3. I am used to holding on to the pain of the past, remembering the resentment of the past, and staying in that emotion.
4. I do not know that God is the One who governs justice in the universe and is the Judge feared by all mankind.
5. I have been hurt twice by forgiving others, and I cannot get over that disappointment, mistakenly believing that it is not worth the effort to forgive others again.
6. Because the person who offended me is unwilling to admit his or her mistake, I don’t see the point in forgiving that person.
7. I have negative emotions such as hurt, dissatisfaction, and complaints inside me, which make me want to forgive but unable to do so.
8. I did not express my negative emotions to God, thus delaying the time for God to heal me. It was I who made these negative emotions become an obstacle for me to forgive others and to be healed myself.
9. Because I have sinned against God and offended others, I am unable to forgive myself and I still have a deep sense of guilt.
10. For various reasons, the shame within me prevented me from raising my head in front of others and facing my own identity - a child of God.
11. When I sinned, I felt sad, regret, shame, pain, anger, and frustration. I did not let go of these emotions after I confessed my sin.
12. My foundation was not rooted in the truth, and I was unable to discern and resist, thus opening the door to Satan’s lies. My mind was filled with the words that the enemy instilled in me, rather than the words of God.
13. I accepted and believed Satan’s lies and accusations, and my life routine and thoughts became a mess.
14. I did not obey God’s order, but considered myself superior to God, acting as a judge in God’s place and judging others.
15. I am self-righteous and think that I am always right, that I hold a higher moral stance on certain issues, and that everyone else is wrong.
16. I disobeyed God’s will and acted according to my own preferences and the desires of my flesh.
17. Because of the difficulties in the surrounding environment, we complain about God, doubt God’s fairness and justice, and fail to understand that God’s essential attribute is love.
In the name of Jesus Christ, I declare them null and void and no longer able to affect me and my descendants. In the name of Jesus Christ, I cancel the work of all cursed spirits. I have been freed from curses and accusations and entered into blessings.
In the name of Jesus Christ, I bind and command all the evil spirits related to these curses and accusations to leave me and go to where the Lord Jesus wants you to go. Never come back, and never disturb or harm anyone. Abba Father, please send angels to help me and accomplish all the work I pray for. Thank you, Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I rebuke, break, and cut off the roots of "anger at God," "unforgiveness," and "bitterness" in my life, including revenge, accusations, exhibitionism, violent fighting, gluttony, blindness, diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, anorexia, cancer, anger, racial hatred, witchcraft, smoking addiction, anger, the occult, drug abuse, alcoholism, family feuds, traumatic memories, or (add your own according to the actual situation). Let them come in one way and go out seven ways.
I plead the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and the living Word of God to cleanse my spirit, soul and mind from any roots of "anger against God", "unforgiveness" and "bitterness" and their fruits. In the name of Jesus Christ, remove the tree of bitterness from my life. All thoughts, imaginations, memories and dreams related to "anger against God", "unforgiveness" and "bitterness" must be completely removed from my soul and blood!
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray that the fire of God will burn and destroy any roots of anger at God, unforgiveness, and bitterness. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I choose to be justified by faith, breaking, cutting off, and rejecting all accusations, worries, legalism, control, condemnation, insecurity, arbitrary judgments, complexities, confusion, delusion, jealousy, arrogance, pride, control, judgment, and deception from the enemy.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Lord, I come before You. For my own sins in life and the sins of my ancestors, I repent before You for allowing these roots of bitterness, resentment, judgment, revenge, sickness, lack of love, to paralyze my soul, to make me unable to see clearly that my soul is in debt, to destroy all kinds of relationships, and to allow these to be firmly planted in my life, so that all these evil deeds are manifested in my life. For these sinful thoughts, words and actions, I repent before You.
Father, I confess that as a result of being hurt, I have allowed myself to hold anger, resentment, bitterness, and (name some different opposition and resistance you have towards different people) in my heart. I confess my sin and now I truly repent and resolve to turn away from my sin and ask You to forgive me and cleanse me with the precious blood of the Lord Jesus. Thank you Father for forgiving me. I now forgive myself for all the things I know You have forgiven me for, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Declare Prayer of Blessing
1. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Abba Heavenly Father, thank you. Your thoughts are thoughts of peace, not thoughts of disaster. Your plans are plans of blessing, not of curse and punishment. You have chosen me in Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world, and have given me every spiritual blessing in heaven. You have also abundantly bestowed every blessing and grace upon me with all your wisdom and understanding.
2. Bless the tree of life that You have planted in my life. I accept the grace of complete forgiveness from the cross of Christ, release all offenses, take the heart of Christ, take the eyes of Christ, take the truth and life of Jesus as the root, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and bear abundant fruits of the Holy Spirit, such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
3. Lord Jesus! Thank you for giving me your words. I choose to rely on your great power and choose the abundant life you have given me. I refuse to let the enemy take away the fruit of my joy. Please strengthen my heart and help me live in your joy and grace every moment.
4. Dear Father God! Please help me to receive God’s joy in my marriage, family, work, studies, service, interpersonal relationships, self-growth, etc., no matter what the circumstances are, beyond what people can understand. Help me to get the secret of every situation in life, whether it is humble, rich, full, hungry, abundant, or lack; I declare the joy, peace and blessings you give, instead of complaining, grumbling, judging and complaining.
5. I choose to listen to, accept, and desire Your ways, so that my heart can be free, and I can obtain the peace and joy from You, so that I can rest in You, believe in the guidance of the Holy Spirit, pray, ask, and thank you for everything, follow Your guidance, and move forward in God's way. Please help me to maintain the clean heart and upright spirit in You, and follow You wholeheartedly. I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Source: Pastoral Department of Omega Ministry Service Centre
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