Truth:
Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-33 (New Living Translation)
Thought:
There are many who, after being forgiven by God and after seeking the forgiveness of those they have offended, find it extremely difficult to live in the freedom that forgiveness brings.
Sometimes they don’t feel they were worthy to be forgiven. This is true; all of us stand before God by His grace. But this is a liberating truth of scripture, not something that condemns us.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, (Romans 8:1 NIV)
The best thing you can do to accept that you have been forgiven is to build your faith in this area by knowing what the Bible says regarding the forgiveness of confessed sins. Because:
…faith [comes] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17 NKJV)
The following verses assure us that we are forgiven when we confess our sins. Remember – believe what the Bible says about you… not what your feelings say!
Read them.
Memorize them.
Meditate on them.
Let them become alive to you. It’s the living word of God that makes faith come alive. Pray them whenever you feel the condemning attack of Satan saying you’re not forgiven.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9 NIV)
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. (Psalms 51:7 NIV)
…who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, (Psalms 103:3-4 NIV)
“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. (Isaiah 1:18 NIV)
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38 NIV)
Are any among you suffering? They should keep on praying about it. And those who have reason to be thankful should continually sing praises to the Lord. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. And their prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make them well. And anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results. (James 5:13-16 NLT)
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense– Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:1-2 NIV)
People who cover over their sins will not prosper. But if they confess and forsake them, they will receive mercy. (Proverbs 28:13 NLT)
You are forgiven from sin that you confess. Work these verses into your thinking if you need to, and pass the truth along to others you can encourage.
Prayer:
Lord, show me Your love for me. Reveal Your passion once more. Thank You for Your forgiveness. Thank You for Your grace. Thank You for Your mercy. Thank You for Your strength. Release Your people to walk in the knowledge that they are forgiven and they are Yours.
Challenge:
Memorize these verses and meditate on them. If they aren’t for you right now, they will be for someone God brings along your path. Share the truth of God’s love for them.
Declaration:
I choose to forgive everyone who has wronged me. I choose to seek the forgiveness of those I have wronged. I choose to accept I have been forgiven of my confessed sin. I choose to walk in the freedom forgiveness brings.
Leave your comments below or please share it across your social networks.
Thanks for helping others live life above the negativity!
Good Morning RevTrev – Once again your message and our Celebrate Recovery lessons are overlapping and I love it! Step 5 says “Admitted to God, to ourselves, and another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.” When it comes to living in the freedom that forgiveness brings – I’ve found that, when I struggle to accept it – my problem is not so much “not knowing” what God has said and done about forgiveness – but that I’m putting my own thoughts above His – as if I know better.
When I admit that “self-centered” thinking to God, myself and another – it lessens it’s hold on me, and the forgiveness and grace that God has given me can take it’s place. Your suggestion to memorize scripture is an awesome one! I can say with confidence that every word I have memorized has continued to be a blessing and acted as a tangible “renewing of my mind.”
God bless you and yours! There is truly no condemnation in Christ! Peace and Grace to you!
Thanks John. I appreciate all your comments and encouragement. Just so you know, I’ve turned off my whitelist because I do want to respond to all the comments, and I’m finding I lose the ones I whitelist.
Keep your great comments coming. I haven’t seen the Celebrate Recovery lessons so it’s nice to know they intersect.