This is the forgiving-others prayer that I use. It’s based upon the prayer that my Wellspring-Ministries-trained counselor had me pray numerous times. [Art Mathias’ version is in his book: Biblical Foundations of Freedom Destroying Satan’s Lies With God’s Truth]. The process continues as long as we still are hated on and James-3 cursed.

Both Jesus and Stephen prayed forgive-them prayers out loud for those who were physically acting out their curses on them, violently killing them. How could they do this unless they had been praying for their ‘enemies’ in this way all along.

This prayer is a little bit more detailed than theirs. Perhaps the more we grow in Christlikeness, the more we are full of the Holy Spirit, the simpler our prayers can be. But for now, it seems that praying this more detailed prayer out for all of those who have or are hurting us seems to be more effective in releasing the Mt.-18 tormentors from our lives.

Jesus said the tormentors will be allowed to torment us unless we forgive everyone from our heart. Matthew 18:

21 Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.

23 Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants. 24 When he had begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But because he couldn’t pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down and kneeled before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’ 27 The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. 28 “But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ 29 “So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you!’ 30 He would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay back that which was due. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told to their lord all that was done. 32 Then his lord called him in, and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me. 33 Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’ 34 His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him. 35 So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.”

Paul also showed how not-forgiving gives demons a right to enter our lives. Ephesians 4:

25 Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor. For we are members of one another. 26 “Be angry, and don’t sin.” Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 neither give place to the devil.

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Repentance Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, in the name of The Lord Jesus, I purpose and choose to forgive (name) from my whole heart for (what they did).

I release (name). I cancel their debts and obligations to me in this issue.
Dear Lord, I ask you to forgive me for my bitterness toward (above name) in this situation.

In the name of Jesus, by the power of Your blood, I cancel all of Satan’s power and authority over me in this issue, because I have forgiven them, and You have forgiven me. It is done and over with.

Holy Spirit, please come and heal my heart. And please tell me your truth about this situation.

I now purpose and choose to forgive myself.
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The counselor then gives the person praying an opportunity to speak what God often says. This is a great way to hear God’s voice!

Then mine asked:

Do you feel any guilt or condemnation?

Does it hurt anymore?

If there is still pain in the memory then there is still unforgiveness, Art Mathias and Wellspring teaches.

Also, the prayer my counselor had me pray says this:

[speak out loud so the dark side can hear it]

I don’t know if this is necessary or not, but it’s probably a good idea. The main thing, I think is to mean what we say and forgive even from the bottom of our hearts — to let God deal with them.

It’s amazing to me that to Jesus, it is so important for us to be right in our hearts toward everyone that He willfully allows us to be tormented by demons until we purpose and choose to forgive those who hurt us, just like He and Stephen did. Then we’ll be free!

By the way, I purposely redden the word, heart in many of my posts to emphasize that this literally means from our actually pumping hearts, that are more than just pumps. They’re the center of our emotions. And forgiving or loving others from the bottom of our hearts can even mean from a place deeper than that, which is why I have the “heart, soul, mind, gut?” category. Scientific studies show there is brainlike tissue not just in the heart, but also in the gut.

The Bible talks about the heart about 1,000 times!

Forgive and be FREE!

Related:

Art Mathias on It’s Supernatural: Spiritual Roots of Disease — Healed Through Forgiving