Prayers of Forgiveness

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05/10/2000
Themes:
Charles Pritchard

If holding onto unforgiveness, evil retains its stronghold on a person until there is true contrition and forgiveness [1]. This Prayer of Forgiveness, if prayed over someone who is seeking healing but holding onto unforgiveness, is especially powerful in bringing deliverance [2]. This prayer also can help those who are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and other mental illnesses to be set free from bouts of anger, anxiety and other behaviours that oppose the fruits of the Holy Spirit [3]. It is also of huge benefit in bringing peace to those who are close to death, or in a coma [4], who may be holding onto resentment, bitterness or anger.

Start by reciting the first part of the Our Father prayer:

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Then stop and ask the person over whom you are praying to state the names of the people whom he or she may be angry, bitter or resentful towards. Give the person time to think about it and say their names, explaining that they need not give the reasons for the unforgiveness because Jesus knows why it happened. Encourage the person to think back to his/her youth too, be it past friends, enemies, teachers, work colleagues, family members, in-laws etc., and when done, ask the person to repeat a prayer of forgiveness after you, as the Holy Spirit leads. For example:

My loving Lord Jesus, I bring you the names of the people I have mentioned. I ask for your mercy and forgiveness upon them. Bless them and to lead them to your Sacred Heart. I am sorry for any anger, bitterness or resentment that I have had towards them. I take back any curses that I said against them and ask you to replace these with blessings upon them [5]. I forgive them from the bottom of my heart. I am sorry for hurting you, my Jesus. Help me, dear Jesus, to let go as you did on the cross when you cried out, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing!” Help me to see them with your eyes of love, mercy and compassion. I love you Jesus. I am sorry Jesus. Heal me Jesus. Amen.

Or alternatively [6]:

Lord Jesus Christ, I bring to you these people whose names I have mentioned to the foot of your cross. I forgive them from the bottom of my heart. I bless them with good health and prosperity in abundance. Lord Jesus Christ, forgive them and bless them abundantly. If I cursed anybody when I was angry with them, I retract those words and please, Lord Jesus, turn those curses into blessings upon them and upon me. I ask forgiveness for the way I have I hurt you, for all the unforgiveness, hatred, rage, revenge and retaliation. If I was angry with you, blaming you, please forgive me Jesus. I am sorry. I will take it to Confession. I love you Jesus. Heal me Jesus.

If the person was angry with God, add:

I am sorry my dear Lord Jesus for being angry with you, for blaspheming your name, for inflicting this pain upon you. Please forgive me. I love you Jesus. Amen.

Then, if one of the people mentioned has died: explain to the person that the deceased soul is present through Jesus Christ and can hear your words of reconciliation and forgiveness [7]. Lead the person to say what they would have liked to tell this person, concluding by saying:

I forgive you and I also ask you for forgiveness. I am sorry for hurting you. Go to Jesus’ arms. Jesus loves you and has forgiven you. My loving Lord Jesus, receive him or her into your loving arms, into your light, the light of Jesus.

As in the story of the rich man and the beggar Lazarus who died (Luke 16:19−31), the deceased have seen their errors and often wish to come back to ask for forgiveness for what they did [8] not wanting them to make the same mistake [9].

Conclude the prayer by completing the Our Father with the final doxology:

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

Take note:

After praying this prayer, even if deliverance has occurred, the person seeking healing must be encouraged to go to the Sacrament of Confession to confess all past unforgiveness incidents, and related sins, to be absolved of these bondages and receive true healing in Christ [10].

 

[1] This is because unless we truly forgive, our Father in heaven doesn’t forgive us our sins (Matthew 6:15), so the demonic bondages that came as a result of these sins, remain.

[2] See the “Deliverance Prayer Guide” in “Resources” on www.alpha-omega.org.za. This prayer is best said in the middle of deliverance prayer when a person’s heart is more open after some spirits have been rebuked.

[3] Uncontrollable bouts of anger and violence are from evil because they oppose the Holy Spirit’s fruits of continency (self-restraint), peace and calm. When someone is weak, Satan uses this opportunity to attack, and it is unconfessed sins that create a spiritual weakness on which he capitalises on. See “Assisting those who have Alzheimer’s and other mental illnesses with forgiveness prayers and confession greatly helps their souls” (17/01/2017) in “Conversations” on www.alpha-omega.org.za.

[4] At times, while praying this prayer, tears have been seen rolling down a person’s eyes who is in a coma. The person cannot speak, but by God’s grace, can often hear the words, reconcile with God and pray in the spirit.

[5] Specific curses must be stated, revoked and taken to Confession to be sure that they have been forgiven and the evil assignments have retracted from those who have been cursed.

[6] Fernanda de Sequeira’s way of praying the Forgiveness prayer.

[8] Especially in relation to inheritances, family feuds and unforgiveness.