Faith and Forgiveness Part 3 Faith to Forgive

Devotional

Day 1: Understanding the Powerful Link Between Faith and Forgiveness

Faith is the engine that brings God’s vision and purpose for your life into reality. However, unforgiveness acts as a powerful antagonist that can delay or even deny the blessings God has promised. When you hold onto a bitter root, it stagnates your spiritual growth and prevents you from living in the fullness of God’s will. To maximize your faith, you must look inward and address the areas where you have not yet forgiven as commanded. Choosing to let go is essential for the successful Christian life you are called to lead. [03:52]

“And he said to his disciples, ‘Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble. Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, “I repent,” you must forgive him.’ The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’” Luke 17:1-5 (ESV)

Reflection: When you consider the promises God has placed in your heart, is there a specific person or past hurt that feels like it is blocking your spiritual progress?

Day 2: Protecting Others from the Cycle of Offense

Offenses are inevitable in this world, but there is a solemn warning against becoming the channel through which they spread. When you carry an offense, you often unintentionally influence those around you, especially those who are newer in their faith. It is easy to justify your feelings, yet the replication of offense can lead to a cycle of stumbling for the entire community. You are encouraged to watch yourself closely to ensure your reactions do not hinder the growth of others. Protecting the "little ones" in faith requires a commitment to stop the spread of bitterness before it takes root. [09:25]

“And he said to his disciples, ‘Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble.’” Luke 17:1-2 (ESV)

Reflection: In your current circles of influence, how can you more intentionally model a spirit of grace rather than sharing the details of a recent offense with others?

Day 3: Seeking Restoration Through Honest and Proactive Communication

Many rifts in relationships exist simply because of a lack of communication and the fear that builds up over time. Instead of holding onto a hurt and hoping it disappears, you are called to be proactive by going directly to the person involved. Often, what feels like a deep offense is actually a misunderstanding that can be cleared up through an honest conversation. By speaking the truth in love, you create an atmosphere where true forgiveness can be birthed and healing can begin. Taking this step requires humility, but it prevents the enemy from using silence to create unnecessary division. [18:09]

“Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.” Luke 17:3 (ESV)

Reflection: Is there a relationship where silence has allowed a misunderstanding to grow, and what would it look like to initiate a gentle, private conversation with that person this week?

Day 4: Recognizing Forgiveness as Our Fundamental Duty to God

Forgiving someone who repeatedly fails can feel like an impossible task that requires extraordinary faith. However, you are reminded that forgiveness is not an exceptional or "extra credit" act, but the basic requirement of a servant of God. When you remember who you work for, your ego takes a backseat to the commands of the Master. You do not have to wait for the other person to change their behavior perfectly; you simply respond to their verbal repentance as an act of obedience. By focusing on your vertical relationship with God, the horizontal challenges of human relationships become manageable. [24:45]

“Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” Luke 17:7-10 (ESV)

Reflection: How might viewing forgiveness as a simple act of obedience to God, rather than a favor to the person who hurt you, change your perspective on a difficult situation?

Day 5: Overcoming the Enemy’s Strategy with Faith

The enemy often uses offense as a strategic tool to disrupt God’s plans right when a breakthrough is about to happen. These moments of tension are rarely accidental; they are often attempts to stop the blessings and restoration God has in store for you. It takes faith to recognize these distractions and push through them with a spirit of forgiveness. By refusing to spread the offense and choosing to forgive as commanded, you clear the way for God to perform miracles. Trust that as you walk in humility and obedience, God will protect His purpose for your life. [29:54]

“If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.” 1 Peter 4:14-16 (ESV)

Reflection: When you face sudden conflict or criticism, how can you pause to ask God if this is a distraction from a blessing He is trying to bring into your life?

Sermon Summary

Faith is framed as the engine that turns God-given vision into reality—what sets hope and purpose into motion. Yet faith and forgiveness are presented as inseparable; unforgiveness functions like a theological antagonist that can delay or even deny the fulfillment of divine promises. Unforgiveness takes root as a bitter, infectious posture that stagnates spiritual growth, and the enemy exploits human tendencies toward offense to manufacture wide-reaching harm in families, churches, and communities. Jesus’ stark imagery—woe to those through whom others stumble—underscores how seriously God regards the replication of offense.

Practical formation moves beyond platitudes into concrete commands: confront wrongs with honest rebuke, seek clarification where misunderstandings fester, and be willing to release offenses when repentance is offered. The teaching insists that forgiveness is not merely an optional virtue but a required discipline that often demands faith's muscle—especially when someone repents repeatedly. The servant parable recalibrates motive and posture: forgiveness is not a magnanimous bonus for the superior but the baseline behavior of those who remember they serve under a higher authority. When these disciplines are practiced—confession, communication, and a dependence on God to supply the faith to forgive—God’s work can resume, and barriers to blessing are removed.

The discourse refuses sentimentality about grace; it calls for gritty obedience. It acknowledges legitimate caution where physical harm or abuse is present, but presses believers to discern between reasonable self-protection and the spiritual poison of a refusal to forgive. Ultimately, faith to forgive is offered as a spiritual gift aligned with humility and a vertical orientation toward God: when the vertical relationship is real, horizontal relationships are reordered. The promise is that God supplies the capacity to forgive, and when the church adopts these disciplines, miracles of restoration and breakthrough follow.

Key Takeaways

1. Unforgiveness obstructs faith's power Unforgiveness creates a spiritual blockade that can delay or deny the concretion of God's promises in personal and communal life. It hardens the heart, fosters bitterness, and redirects faith energy into grievance rather than obedience. Recognizing unforgiveness as a tactical enemy activity helps reframe the moral urgency of forgiveness as a spiritual necessity rather than an optional virtue. [04:28]
2. Offense spreads unless confronted Offense reproduces itself when left unaddressed; a single unresolved grievance often becomes a vector that causes others to stumble. Honest, timely confrontation curtails the contagion and opens space for reconciliation before imaginings and false narratives calcify. Taking initiative to speak the truth in love halts the enemy’s multiplication strategy and restores relational health. [26:35]
3. Forgiveness requires persistent faith Forgiving one who repents repeatedly is not sentimental; it is an act of faith that trusts God’s provision for wisdom and boundaries. Jesus’ mandate to forgive even seven times in a day reframes forgiveness as a habitual, supernatural capacity rather than a reactive emotion. Faith supplies the stamina to forgive without naiveté, distinguishing repentance from permissiveness. [21:05]
4. Remember whom one serves A right perspective—seeing oneself as a servant under God—deflates pride and enables consistent forgiveness. When service to God governs identity, the need to protect ego diminishes and confession becomes about alignment with truth rather than image management. This vertical orientation produces humility, which is the soil where forgiveness grows and where communal restoration becomes possible. [24:45]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:48] - Defining Faith: Vision into Reality
[03:52] - How Unforgiveness Undermines Faith
[06:07] - The Enemy’s Strategy Explained
[08:15] - Causing Others to Stumble: A Warning
[16:13] - Rebuke and Honest Communication
[18:55] - Forgive When They Repent
[21:05] - The Faith Needed to Forgive
[23:07] - Servant Illustration: Expectations
[24:45] - Remember Whom You Serve
[29:54] - Faith to Push Through Opposition
[30:12] - Final Exhortation: Forgive in Faith

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Luke 17:1-10 (ESV)
And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in a day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

“Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

Observation Questions

In Luke 17:1-2, Jesus gives a severe warning about causing others to stumble. What vivid image does he use to show how seriously God takes the replication of offense? [11:21]
According to Luke 17:3-4, what two specific actions are we commanded to take when a brother or sister sins against us?
In the parable of the servant (Luke 17:7-10), what is the master’s expectation of the servant after a long day of work? What does this teach us about our "duty" when it comes to forgiveness? [23:34]
The sermon points out that unforgiveness can be a powerful antagonist to God's will, potentially delaying or even denying His promises in our lives. [04:28] What does Jesus’ warning about causing others to stumble suggest about the communal impact of a single person's offense?

Interpretation Questions

Unforgiveness can act as a spiritual blockade, thwarting the effects of our faith. [03:52] In what practical ways does holding onto an offense or bitterness drain the spiritual energy that could be used for faith and fulfilling God's purpose?
Jesus commands us to "rebuke" someone who sins against us, which can feel confrontational. The sermon reframes this as honest communication that can clear up misunderstandings. [17:15] What is the difference between a loving, biblical rebuke and simply being a "meddler" in someone else's business? [12:57]
Forgiving someone who repeatedly offends and repents "seven times in a day" requires immense faith. [21:05] How can we balance this radical command to forgive with the wisdom of setting healthy boundaries, especially when an offense causes real harm?
The idea of being a "servant" who simply does their duty can feel humbling. [24:45] How does shifting our focus from a horizontal relationship (with the person who offended us) to a vertical one (with God, our Master) change our motivation and ability to forgive?

Application Questions

Unforgiveness can grow like a "bitter root" that we don't even realize is there. [05:34] Take a moment to reflect. Is there anyone in your life—a family member, a friend, a coworker—that you need to forgive? What is one small, concrete step you could take this week to begin that process?
Offense is contagious and spreads when not dealt with directly. [26:35] Think about a time you were hurt. Was your first instinct to talk *to* the person or talk *about* the person to others? What can help us change this pattern and go directly to the source in love?
Our egos can get in the way, making us "too big to confess." [24:45] When was the last time you needed to repent to someone but struggled because of pride? How does remembering that you are ultimately confessing to God make it easier to humble yourself before others?
We are told that when we stand for what is right, we might suffer for it because those doing wrong may try to make us look wrong. [15:12] Have you ever experienced this? How can remembering that you are serving God, not seeking human approval, give you the strength to stand firm in truth and love?
The command to forgive someone who repents seven times in a day feels almost impossible and requires supernatural faith. [19:20] Where in your life do you need to ask God for the faith to forgive someone who has repeatedly hurt you, trusting Him for the strength and wisdom to do so?
Sometimes a rift in a relationship exists simply because of a misunderstanding that has festered over time. [17:39] Is there a relationship in your life that could be healed by seeking clarification? What would it look like for you to "be proactive about it" and initiate that conversation?

Sermon Clips

``And if you listen to God, then that should affect your future words and actions if you agreed with God. He's the spirit of truth. He will tell you. You don't have to be is who the heck am I or hit anybody else? We are all servants. We are all co laborers. Therefore, we go forward in humility, and we do what we know is right in the sight of God. It's not about the horizontal. It's about the vertical. And when we get the vertical right, the horizontal goes up. [00:25:25] (45 seconds) #VerticalOverHorizontal

See, we don't like to hear this stuff. So so what what Jesus is saying is this. He's saying, you think that it's a really hard exceptional thing for you to forgive a person just because they said I'm sorry. What Jesus is saying is, that's the minimal thing. That's not even a commendable thing. That's not an extra thing. [00:23:50] (26 seconds) #ForgivenessIsBaseline

That we when we are unforgiving, that is such a powerful antagonist to the will of God in anyone's life, in the family, in the church, in the world. The power of unforgiveness is so deep and broad that it can delay or even deny God's promises in your life or in your community. Therefore, if we are to exercise this faith in our life that we might enjoy all the blessings of God, all the beautiful things that God has promised to you personally and to the world in order for us to do that, then we have to look in ourselves and ask ourselves to what extent have we not forgiven as God has commanded us to forgive. [00:04:08] (57 seconds) #UnforgivenessBlocksBlessings

Of course, his desire is to get as many souls as he can. Amen. And if he can't get them into hell, then he certainly wants to bring as much hell on earth as he possibly can. And so he knows that unforgiveness is an excellent pathway to that end. All the more reason that we ought to be cognizant of the power of unforgiveness. [00:06:38] (32 seconds) #UnforgivenessFeedsHell

So what Peter is saying here is that there's two ways you can suffer. You can suffer because you did something you shouldn't have done. When God says don't sin, he's doing he's saying that for your sake. It's not gonna hurt him. But then he's also saying, but guess what? If you stand for right, you're gonna suffer for that too. [00:14:38] (23 seconds) #TwoWaysToSuffer

Why? Because the people who are not doing the right thing don't want to look like they're doing the wrong thing, so they make the person who's doing the right thing look wrong so they don't look wrong. Like I told you, the enemy's clever. So he's saying there's two ways for doing right or for not. But the thing is this, God loves everybody. He's not in the business of blame. He's not in the business of shame. That's the enemy's forte. He's in the business of love. He's in the business of healing. He's in the business of restoration. He's in the business of mending. [00:15:01] (46 seconds) #TheyAttackTheMessenger

Now if that doesn't require faith, I don't know what does. Amen. I mean, I'm just being honest about it. I mean, if somebody has a baseball bat and hits me in the stomach, I'm probably going to bend over. If then I see the shadow of their bat winding back up after they say I'm sorry, I'm going to step back. Amen. And avoid the next swing. Right? I'm not saying that you should take the swing. What I'm saying is that Jesus has set up parameters for us. [00:21:19] (45 seconds) #FaithSetsBoundaries

Now I'll be the first to say that it's very easy to say, forgive. Forgive as God forgave you. God's commanded you to forgive, so you had better do it. But guess what? I'm a human, and we're all here. We've been it's not it's easier said than done, isn't it? Right? Forgiveness is not easy, but I think that's one of the reasons why so many people don't necessarily live in the fullness of God's promises because unforgiveness is in their heart, a bitter root has formed, and they have become stagnated in their spiritual growth. It's not easy at all. [00:05:05] (51 seconds) #ForgivenessIsHardWork

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

How does unforgiveness block the effects of faith

What steps are required to pursue biblical forgiveness

Why must forgiveness be granted even after repeated offenses

Faith and Forgiveness Part 3 Faith to Forgive

Devotional

Day 1: Understanding the Powerful Link Between Faith and Forgiveness

Day 2: Protecting Others from the Cycle of Offense

Day 3: Seeking Restoration Through Honest and Proactive Communication

Day 4: Recognizing Forgiveness as Our Fundamental Duty to God

Day 5: Overcoming the Enemy’s Strategy with Faith

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Faith and Forgiveness Part 3 Faith to Forgive

Share