"Importance of Forgiveness" Recovery Program Session 6 Parts 2C, 2C-1, 2C-2, 2C-2-1& 2C-2-2 Oct 7, 2014

[Dr. Dorothy E. Hooks, PsyD]

"Importance of Forgiveness" Program Agenda – Session 6 Oct 7, 2014

1. Open each session with prayer; asking God to open your understanding as to the areas in your life which needs to be healed and give you understanding of each session. The goal of each session is to help you to heal everywhere you need to be healed so you can become whole.

 

2. Discussion (30 min):

“Importance of Forgiveness”- Part II

 

*The Antidote for Bitterness – Part 2C: There are three antidotes for bitterness: First, we must recognize that we are bitter. This is harder than it sounds. God said in Hosea 4:6, "My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge."

If there is any evidence of unforgiveness, resentment, retaliation, anger, hatred, violence, or murder in our lives, we have bitterness. If there is any pain in any memory, there is bitterness. If we go to bed at night leaving issues unresolved we will wake the next day with the root of bitterness already having budded in our spirit. Admitting that we have bitterness is the first step to recovery.

Secondly, we must repent of the sin of bitterness. Repent means that we fall out of agreement with a thing and turn away from it. And we ask God to forgive us.

Thirdly, we must forgive others and ourselves. How do we do this? There are several aspects to consider; we will explore them in the next topic: “How Do We Forgive?”

 

*How Do We Forgive? – Part 2C-1

We start with the sure knowledge that every negative thing that ever happened to us was planned in hell. Our parents, spouse, children, boss, siblings, and peers— whoever has inflicted pain in our lives — served as a tool of the devil. Understanding this moves us toward forgiveness. Understanding this allows us to feel compassion toward others and separate them from their sins. God the Father is the giver of every good and perfect gift…if it is not good and perfect, it is from the devil (James 1:17).

In Ephesians 2:2, the Bible describes the spirit that is at work in the sons of disobedience. This spirit teaches disobedience.

This is what Ephesians 2:2 says: “in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” (www.biblegateway.com NKJV). We have a choice to allow the “prince of the power of the air” to work in us or to allow the Holy Spirit of God to work in us. Through the Holy Spirit we can have power and dominion over Satan and his works. The choice is ours.

Next, we must learn how to intelligently hate the real culprit, Satan. Intelligently directing our hatred toward Satan opens a pathway to freedom by allowing us to forgive other. Not many of us have really hated the devil. Instead, we have hated each other. Galatians 5:15 says, "But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you consume one another."

3. Handout: Self-Bitterness Affidavit & Prayer for 10-14-14.

 

4. Pray Against Bitterness: Use Bitterness Affidavit & Prayer for this session that was handed out on 9-30-14.

 

5. If you have any questions, email me at [e-mail].

6. Close each session in prayer; asking God to continue to reveal the areas in you which needs to healed and the things you need to deal with.

 

The Self-Bitterness Affidavit - 3C-1

Make a list of all the bitterness you have had against yourself. We need to confess and repent before Almighty God for holding onto this bitterness and believing it, instead of believing Him. The stronghold that self-bitterness has held in your life will be destroyed, and Satan's power over you will be legally cancelled. After you have written your list, pray the “Prayer of Release” (listed below) for each issue on your list; do not do a “blanket” prayer – praying each issue separate will cause you to face and deal with each issue one at a time – if it is too overwhelming for you to do at one time, you can ask someone you trust to help you by letting them pray the prayer and you repeat it.

(See Complete Section in PDF Version)

Prayer of Release (Self-Bitterness) – Say this prayer – Part 3C-2:

“Dear Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, and as an act of my free will, I confess, repent, and renounce my (specific sin of self-hatred). I ask You to forgive me for this sin. I purpose and choose to forgive myself for this (specific sin of self-hatred) from my heart. I release myself from any guilt or shame because of this self-bitterness. In the name of Jesus, and by the power of His blood, I cancel Satan’s authority over me because of the self-bitterness of (specific sin of self-hatred). In the name of Jesus, I command this spirit of self-bitterness to go.

Holy Spirit, I invite You into my heart to heal me of self-bitterness. Please speak Your words of truth to me about this situation.”

As Holy Spirit begins to speak to you, write down what He says; so you can have it later when the enemy tries to come back. After you have prayed through your list about each situation, command the PRINCIPALITY of self-bitterness to go in the name of Jesus.

Click here for PDF version

God bless,

Dr. Dorothy E. Hooks

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