Forgive Let Go & Move on
Bishop Henry Fernandez Preached on 8/9/2022John 3:16
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Summary
Bishop Henry Fernandez explores the vital connection between love and forgiveness, challenging believers to let go of past offenses and emotional bitterness to unlock the progress and blessings God has in store.
Key points
- •Forgiveness is birthed out of love; without a foundation of love, it is impossible to truly forgive and let go.
- •God demonstrated his love for us while we were still sinners, meaning we should not wait for others to deserve our love or apologize before we extend forgiveness.
- •Unforgiveness hinders spiritual and emotional progress, often blocking the blessings and promotions God has prepared for our lives.
- •Forgiveness is an act of spiritual maturity that requires living through Christ rather than reacting out of human emotion or hurt feelings.
- •Humility is the key to letting go; it involves moving out of the way and trusting God to elevate you in His proper timing.
Scripture
Forgiveness
Love
Spiritual Growth
Character
Grace
Life application
Identify one person you have been holding a grudge against and consciously choose to release the debt they owe you, praying for their well-being this week as an act of living through Christ rather than your own emotions.
Reflection questions
- In what ways has your 'love walk' been conditional, and how does that affect your ability to forgive?
- Is there a past offense you are still holding onto that might be hindering the progress God wants to make in your life today?
- How does remembering that Christ loved you while you were 'yet a sinner' change your perspective on those who have not yet apologized to you?
- What does it mean to you to 'live through Christ' when dealing with difficult people instead of reacting from your emotions?
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Full transcript
0:03amen would you give the lord a praise
0:06amen
0:07please be seated in the presence of the
0:09lord so let's talk about forgive
0:13let go
0:14and move on
0:18[Applause]
0:29forgive
0:31let go
0:33and move on
0:36can you say that
0:38forgive
0:39let go
0:40and move on come on one more time
0:42forgive
0:44let go
0:46and move on
0:48that tends to be hard for some people to
0:51do but i firmly believe
0:54that god sent me here today
0:56to help some of you deal with this area
0:59of your life
1:01this area that you're struggling in
1:05you see forgiveness is and has always
1:09been the main reason for
1:12our access to god and the opportunity
1:16he gives us
1:18to live the faith life
1:22forgiveness
1:24is the main reason why we have access to
1:27salvation
1:29let's never forget that
1:32the reason why we call ourselves
1:33christians and we believe that we've
1:35been redeemed by the blood of the lamb
1:37it's because of forgiveness john 3 16
1:42makes it very clear that forgiveness
1:46was birthed out of the love god has
1:50for
1:51us
1:53the love that god has for us that his
1:56great love for us led him to provide a
1:59path for us to obtain salvation
2:04you've heard it before
2:06but listen to what the verse john 3 16
2:10says
2:11very simple scripture you can quote it
2:13by heart
2:14it says for god so loved the world that
2:16he gave us his only son
2:20that whoever believes in him should not
2:22perish
2:24but have
2:25eternal
2:26life
2:28clearly john 3 16 is telling us that
2:31love precedes forgiveness
2:35the love precedes
2:38forgiveness
2:39if there is no love there can be
2:44no
2:44forgiveness
2:48it is very difficult for a person who
2:51doesn't possess
2:52love
2:53to forgive
2:56it's impossible
2:58so if you're struggling with
3:00unforgiveness
3:02it's hard for you to forgive maybe you
3:04need to go and start checking out that
3:06love thing
3:08do you love
3:11what's the status with your love walk
3:14because if there's no love you cannot
3:18forgive
3:20so let's talk about love for a moment
3:22because without it
3:24you can't forgive
3:26let go
3:27and move on you won't let go of what
3:30wrong was done to you you can't let go
3:32of the past
3:35you can't let go
3:37of your feelings your emotions
3:41and because you cannot forgive and you
3:43cannot let go you can't move on your
3:47function in but just because you're
3:49functioning doesn't mean you're making
3:51progress
3:55you're not making progress in your love
3:57life because you don't know how to
3:59forgive
4:02you're still bitter against that woman
4:04you're still bitter against that man
4:06you're still angry with your parents
4:09you're still mad with your children
4:13they're still angry with that co-worker
4:15you're still angry with that church
4:17remember you're still angry with that
4:19politician you're still you're just
4:21angry
4:23because the truth is
4:25you struggle with that love walk
4:29in other words you and i are incapable
4:31of forgiving like i said others if we
4:34lack love
4:35the truth is it is easy to love when we
4:39understand the love of god
4:42it's easy to love
4:44when we understand the love of god
4:48god's love for us that love that caused
4:51him to forgive us
4:53and to forgive us of our sin
4:56so that we could be reconciled or be
4:59renewed if you will
5:01in our fellowship with him wasn't based
5:05on our doing anything to earn that love
5:11he didn't love us
5:13for us to do something first then he
5:16extended his love
5:18no
5:19think about that
5:22the condition of our love is based on
5:24people have to do for us
5:26in order for us to love no wonder our
5:28love is tainted
5:31no wonder we struggle with this love
5:33thing it's a selfish love it's the love
5:36that says as long as i get what i want
5:41then i'm cool
5:44then i love you
5:47as long as you meet my requirements i
5:49love you
5:51no wonder we have marriages that are so
5:53screwed up today
5:56because single women and single men are
5:59going into marriage demanding
6:03you have to do this you have to come to
6:06the table with this you have to measure
6:08up to this and if you don't measure up
6:10to it
6:12i can't love you
6:14the way
6:16i want to
6:19so we struggle in relationships we
6:22struggle in family
6:24we struggle
6:25in our love walk as a people because we
6:29want people to first
6:32demonstrate their love
6:36we want people to comply
6:38with our desires and our wants first
6:42before
6:44we love them
6:46very seldom you will find a woman want
6:50to
6:51love a man that is jacked up been messed
6:55up in in in is is on the floor he's not
7:01in a high
7:02status or level
7:05why would you want him
7:07he's broke
7:10he doesn't look like
7:12he's full of potential
7:14he doesn't have what i want he can't
7:16give me the house he can't give me the
7:18car he can't give me the money that i
7:20need he can't give me so i don't need
7:22him now i want a guy that is all perfect
7:26and ready for me he can give me exactly
7:28what i want and here's the sad part
7:30about it women
7:32now will force themselves to love a man
7:36don't care about the emotions don't care
7:38if he's handsome
7:41as long as he meets my basic needs
7:47men the same thing
7:50men are looking to women and it's really
7:54not about
7:56wanting a partner to build and to grow
7:59or to make an empire or build an empire
8:01with
8:03men are just looking as long as she can
8:05sexually satisfy me
8:08and do all them stuff she can swing from
8:11one light to the next
8:34i'm preaching now
8:38i just threw that one in
8:41i can't say god told me to say that
8:46but they're looking for what they can
8:48get
8:50and the truth is
8:52they force themselves to love
8:56because they're getting
8:58their desires
9:01is that really love
9:05and because we're demanding things
9:08when we don't get it and when we're
9:10offended
9:12that's why it's so hard
9:14to forgive
9:16because we get our feelings hurt because
9:18the truth is
9:20we struggle to forgive
9:24because
9:26it's all about our feelings and we never
9:29concern ourselves about his feelings
9:33never
9:35it's never about god
9:37we just read it in john 3 16 even while
9:40we were
9:41sinful in a sinful state
9:45he loved us
9:47he loved us
9:49he was willing to love us
9:52anyway
9:54god was willing to love us anyway let's
9:56look at uh romans 5 verse 8 but god
9:59shows his love for us in that while we
10:03were still sinners
10:06still sinners
10:08christ
10:09died for us
10:11notice that verse doesn't say that god
10:13loves us after we loved him it doesn't
10:16say after we confess our sins after
10:19we've asked him for forgiveness and
10:21accept jesus as lord as our savior then
10:24he showed us his love no no he didn't
10:27say that
10:28it says while we were yet sinners
10:33he loved us
10:35his love was not based on we doing good
10:38first
10:38or getting our act together
10:41first before he would demonstrate his
10:44love to us so what makes us think that
10:47people has to mentor up to our desires
10:50first before
10:52we extend love to them
10:55why do you struggle forgiving your
10:58children when they do dumb stupid silly
11:00things
11:03because
11:06it affects your feelings
11:10think about that
11:13god didn't wait till you got it right
11:14first before he loved you
11:17and if you're ever going to forgive you
11:20have to deal with this love thing and
11:22you have to measure you have to measure
11:24up to god's love where his love that
11:27while we were sinners he made a decision
11:30that you know what as jacked up as we
11:32are
11:33oh
11:34i love them
11:37as crazy as your kids are
11:39i still love you
11:41as crazy as your spouse is
11:45i still love you
11:47as crazy as that church member is
11:51i still love you
11:53as crazy as the co-worker is i still
11:57love i'm not going to love you
11:59after you
12:01do me right
12:06because if you ever desire for people to
12:09do you right first before you love them
12:11you'll never love them
12:13you will struggle to forgive them
12:16and you can't move on
12:18there's a lot of people acting like
12:20they've moved on in life but you've not
12:22come on you've not moved on you know it
12:24stop lying
12:26you know you haven't moved on you've
12:28been divorced five years now 10 years
12:30now and every time you hear his name
12:32you're about to sin
12:40talk to me
12:42every time you hear your parents name
12:45something just
12:47anger and a bitterness
12:49gets into you
12:51you haven't gotten over it
12:53you haven't moved on
12:56that thing that that person did to you
12:58why is it every time you see them or you
13:01hear of their name
13:04something deep on the inside and you
13:06know
13:07it's not the love of god
13:11you know that
13:13scripture says why we were
13:15running around doing wrong god was busy
13:18loving us and he
13:20was forgiving us
13:23if we are unwilling to forgive we are
13:26depriving ourselves of the opportunity
13:28to have the character of god
13:32we are depriving ourselves to have the
13:34character of god as difficult as it may
13:37sometimes seem you must be willing
13:41to love
13:43you must
13:45not just sometime but
13:48all the time
13:50even when conditions doesn't call for it
13:53you and i must have the faith to love
13:56to the extent
13:58that we are willing to forgive that's
14:01hard i know
14:03that's all i know it's very hard to do
14:05that
14:06that's the grace that we must display
14:09and
14:10forgive because the same grace was given
14:14to all of us even when we didn't deserve
14:17it
14:20that same grace was given to us
14:23because it's amazing
14:25you know we're quick to point out what
14:26somebody did to us but
14:29what have you done to others
14:33the same grace was extended to you so
14:35god is asking you to extend that same
14:38grace to someone let's look at ephesians
14:402 uh verse 8 hang in there with me
14:43please i'm not getting much amen today
14:45but i get it i understand let's just
14:47have a little surgery here well you know
14:48you'll you'll be okay in a minute verse
14:518 says for by grace you have been saved
14:54through faith
14:57and this is not of your own doing it is
15:00a gift from god
15:02your greatest level of spiritual
15:04maturity is not how gifted you are it's
15:07not how much you know the word it is not
15:10how committed you are and how committed
15:12you are to attending church or how much
15:14you give away to others it is your
15:17ability to demonstrate the greatest
15:21character of god
15:22and that is
15:24love
15:26that's spiritual maturity
15:29it's not the shouting
15:32it's not the speaking in tongues it's
15:33not it's not the good works you claim
15:35you do for people it is the character of
15:38god and that is you walking in love
15:40first corinthians 13 verse 13 so now
15:44faith hope and love abide these three
15:48but the greatest of these
15:51the greatest
15:53is love
15:55and again i say to you
15:57you are incapable of forgiving others if
15:59you don't live life through the same
16:02love
16:03that was granted
16:05to you
16:07listen to what the bible says in first
16:09john 4
16:109
16:12and verse 11. beginning of verse 11.
16:15it says here
16:16in this the love of god was made
16:18manifested among us that god sent his
16:21only son into the world so that we might
16:24live watch this please don't forget this
16:27he sent his son into the world so that
16:29we may live through him not through our
16:33emotions
16:36that we may live through
16:39you listen you cannot do what the bible
16:42requires of you to do outside of christ
16:45is impossible
16:49it is impossible to love people who've
16:52done you wrong on your own
16:55it's hard
16:57okay how saved you think you are
17:00that you have to live through christ
17:03that you're going to need the help of
17:04god to love you when you know people
17:07have said stuff and done stuff to hurt
17:09you it is hard for you to do it on your
17:12own you have to have god in you
17:15to do that
17:19you have to have god in you to feed your
17:21enemy
17:24come on now there's a difference between
17:26poisoning and feeding your enemy
17:30a huge difference and the human nature
17:33is feed no i'm going to give you
17:35something to drink
17:40so he says you have to live it through
17:42who you have to live it through christ
17:47and then in verse 10
17:48in this is love
17:51not that we have loved god but that he
17:54first loved us verse 11 beloved if god
17:58so loved us if god so loved us
18:03we also ought to love one another see
18:05the commandment of love is this we must
18:08love one another and we must live it
18:11through christ the only way listen
18:14there's some people you have up in your
18:15heart right now there's some people
18:17you're struggling with you know they've
18:19done you wrong whatever you've got to
18:21live this through christ starting today
18:23you've got to say god i let it go
18:26i free myself i'm going to live this
18:29through you because you forgave me and
18:31you loved me unconditionally so god i
18:34don't have to be their friends i don't
18:37have to let them keep abusing me and
18:40using me and heard in me but i choose to
18:43love them
18:47the moment you do that
18:50forgiveness will take place
18:53john 15 beginning at verse 9 it says as
18:55the father has loved me
18:58so i have loved you abide in my love
19:03powerful
19:04if you keep my commandments you will
19:07abide in my love if you keep my
19:09commandments the book the book the book
19:12not your emotions
19:15if you keep my commandments just as i
19:17have kept my father's commandment and
19:19abide in his love these things i have
19:22spoken unto you that my joy may be in
19:25you and that your joy may be full so in
19:28other words loving people forgiving
19:31people brings joy
19:35when you refuse to do that
19:37you just put your life in misery
19:41because there's nothing worse
19:43than to see you have somebody in your
19:46heart
19:47you're mad at them they are out living
19:49their life
19:52i mean they're having a ball
19:56but you still dealing with your heart
19:58attack
20:00of the stuff that they did you
20:03you see
20:04if you're willing or if you're not
20:06willing to model the love of christ
20:08the love that he has taught you
20:11then it's impossible for you to forgive
20:13and to move on so
20:15as i move on to that
20:17forgiveness thing
20:20if you
20:21are still not convinced and you're not
20:23moved by what i've said and the
20:24scriptures i've read so far if you still
20:27got an attitude will you can say
20:28whatever you want to say henry i still
20:31you just don't know and you just don't
20:32know what they did to me and i'll never
20:34forget it i remember the date the time
20:36the place i remember what color i was
20:38wearing the shoes i was wearing the
20:40clothes i was wearing i knew i knew the
20:42temperature of that day i knew it i
20:45documented it and i i can't forgive
20:49i i can't help you
20:53honestly no one can help you
20:56you will
20:58die
21:00having somebody in your heart
21:05they
21:07may have asked god for forgiveness
21:09because you don't know you're not god
21:12and just because they never ask you
21:14forgiveness for forgiveness
21:16there's no scripture that says
21:19if they don't ask you for forgiveness
21:21they won't make it in
21:23there's no scripture that says that
21:26here's the crazy thing about it somebody
21:28can do you wrong and never apologize
21:32but go to god at the last minute before
21:34the breath was taken away from them and
21:36they up in heaven rejoicing and you down
21:39earth
21:40dying
21:42mad at them and you're going to stand
21:44before god and only to find out susie is
21:48in heaven
21:49[Applause]
21:53and you inhale cussing
21:56because how she made it into heaven
22:01think about that
22:03wow
22:04this is good man
22:08see this may be the reason why so many
22:10people are not able to forgive
22:12and let go and move on it's because love
22:14is absent
22:16and when love is absent
22:19soul
22:20is the character of god
22:25so people of god please hear me today
22:27anything
22:29that has caused you pain
22:32or
22:33maybe
22:35have insulted you
22:37or caused you to become emotionally
22:39damaged
22:41it can cause you to have a heavy heart
22:43and to walk around with that heavy heart
22:47and cause you
22:49to
22:51walk in a state
22:53of confusion hurt pain
22:56and it's not going to get you anywhere
23:01you got to let it go
23:03let it go
23:06think of that thing that
23:08have offended you or that person that
23:10have offended you that thing
23:12that really got you
23:14find a way deep in your heart
23:17to release it
23:20to release it
23:21why there are greater things that god
23:23has in store for you right now
23:25and you're holding up your blessing
23:29you're holding up your blessing
23:31with unforgiveness you're holding up
23:33your blessing because you're unwilling
23:35to let things go
23:39and that's why
23:41i think
23:42uh many people are struggling
23:45many people are struggling to find their
23:48way and struggling to find happiness and
23:52joy
23:53because your heart is heavy
23:55your heart was never meant to store up
23:58painful situation insulting and bad acts
24:02people commit against you
24:05doing so will damage your emotions and
24:07invite the spirit and character of the
24:09kingdom of darkness to live in your life
24:12each and every day
24:14here's what ephesians 4
24:17verse 31
24:18and i'm almost through
24:21ephesians 4 31
24:23it says let all bit this is paul
24:26speaking
24:28let all bitterness
24:30wrath and anger and glamour and slander
24:33be put away from you along with all
24:36malice
24:38put away
24:39be done with it
24:41be done
24:43especially for us grown folks
24:46you too old to be keeping malice
24:55some of us too old to be angry
24:58you're too old to be
25:00anger makes you look ugly
25:05it takes away your beauty
25:08seriously it takes away your beauty
25:11you may not know when somebody look at
25:13you you may be very attractive you may
25:15be very handsome but when you're bitter
25:17and you're angry it takes up all those
25:19muscles and you you show it and your
25:21beauty you're no longer attractive
25:26he said in verse 32 be kind to one
25:31another tenderhearted watch this now
25:34forgiven one another
25:37as god in christ forgave you salvation
25:41now is attached to the love of god his
25:43willingness to forgive you
25:45so listen there's always
25:48going to be people who
25:50will do you wrong and show you re and
25:53show no remorse if you will
25:56but you must remember
25:58that in all these situations you must
26:02thrive to forgive
26:04let go
26:05and move on
26:07some people you're never going to change
26:08them you're never going to change them i
26:11don't know who this word is for you're
26:13never going to change them
26:16you're never going to change them
26:20this is not about them
26:23this is about you
26:27it's not about them
26:29don't
26:30die
26:31having them up in your heart
26:36don't
26:37never let anger
26:40that's caused by what someone has done
26:42to you to drive you to live your life
26:45emotionally sick
26:47frustrated and bitter
26:51never it's not worth it
26:54so here's a question
26:56how do you forgive them how do you
26:58forgive it's very simple
27:01we forgive by not holding the wrong
27:03people do to us against them mark 11 25
27:07i love it
27:08this is it
27:09if you just follow the word of god it's
27:11it's not there's no big
27:13you know
27:15profound stuff it's it's very simple
27:18and whenever you stand praying
27:24that's how you forgive
27:26so those of you
27:28lord in the name of jesus your servant
27:31comes to you today
27:33you are the alpha and the omega
27:36you are the beginning and the end
27:39hey
27:40thank you lord ha
27:42glory to god lord i praise your name
27:45today
27:46from the rising of the sun just stop
27:49stop stop stop all of that stuff
27:54because
27:55you could pray like that
27:58and if unforgiveness is in your heart
28:03stop praying
28:05[Applause]
28:08and whenever you stand praying forgive
28:12that's a scripture
28:14if you have anything against anyone so
28:17right now if you got anything against
28:19anyone the bible says so that your
28:22father also is in heaven may forgive you
28:24of your transgressions in other words
28:26you've got to forgive people
28:29first
28:31to receive the father's
28:33forgiveness
28:36wow
28:38wow
28:40i don't know if you're going to go back
28:41to church after this because you're like
28:42i have forgiven nobody
28:46you see forgiveness has nothing to do
28:48with the actions of the other person you
28:51can't make them do right by you nor can
28:54you force them
28:56to stop doing wrong
28:59you have to admit some people you can't
29:02change them at all
29:04you cannot change them
29:07but here's what the scripture says in
29:09luke 17 beginning at verse 1 and he said
29:12to his disciples he said to his
29:14disciples because all of us will be
29:16tempted right he says temptations to sin
29:19are sure to come but woe to the one
29:22through whom they come
29:25it would be better for him
29:27if a milestone or millstone was
29:30uh
29:31hung around his neck
29:33and he were cast into the sea
29:35[Music]
29:36then that he should cause one of these
29:39little ones to sin
29:43the word of god is making it clear the
29:45one who caused others to sin woe to them
29:49but look what he says verse three pay
29:50attention to yourself okay you can't
29:53people are going to do crazy stuff
29:56but he said now but wait a minute pay
29:58attention to yourself if your brother
30:00sins
30:01rebuke him he didn't say you have to say
30:04oh you do me wrong well thank you for
30:06that
30:08he says when people do wrong rebuke them
30:10you know of course
30:12you slap me
30:21okay
30:26bad example
30:28let me come up with something else
30:32you offend me
30:35okay
30:37i'm going to rebuke you
30:39you offended me
30:40i don't like that let's get over it i'm
30:43not going to hold it against you
30:45rebuke him and then here's the thing
30:48because we live in a society where the
30:50bible says if he repents then you
30:51forgive him because some people there
30:53are some people who will
30:56do you wrong and i'm sorry
30:58okay fine be willing
31:00forgive
31:01let go
31:02move on but then there's some other
31:04crazy people here's what the bible says
31:05about them if he sins against you seven
31:08times there are some
31:11people
31:14who are repeated offenders
31:19come on work with me here
31:22if you're screaming and you agree with
31:23me say something man repeated offenders
31:26you forgive them once
31:28twice and they just keep doing it and i
31:31know what you're saying now god don't
31:33make no fool i have forgiven you no
31:35three times here's what the bible says
31:37the bible says if they come seven times
31:40and turn to you seven times and say i
31:42repent in other words because you know
31:44what they'll come to you i'm sorry
31:47i'm sorry and that gets annoying
31:52but the bible says you have to forgive
31:53them
31:54seven times
31:57god says you have to forgive them
32:00so here's what god is saying forgiveness
32:04doesn't hang on the person stopping do
32:07stop doing in the wrong
32:09or stop committing the sin against you
32:12forgiveness means you have to always
32:14forgive even if they don't stop
32:20and that's hard
32:24i told you it was going to be difficult
32:25some of you like i don't know if i want
32:27to be a christian anymore
32:32finally how do you let go
32:34how do you let go now
32:37the first thing you have to do
32:39and this is this is the big thing the
32:42first thing you have to do to let go is
32:44you have to move out of the way and
32:46humble yourself
32:49as long as you stand in the way with
32:51your emotions
32:52you will never be humble
32:56never be humble
32:58as long as you think
33:00you are above what the person did
33:03and da da da da
33:05you'll never forgive and let go you have
33:07to humble yourself
33:09you have to humble yourself because what
33:12you don't know there's a lot of
33:14situations god will put you in to test
33:16your character and your willingness
33:18to humility
33:21because that will determine whether or
33:23not he can trust you with greater
33:30so many of you have lost the opportunity
33:32to become supervisors and to matriculate
33:35in life
33:37because
33:38people were watching you
33:40people who
33:41had the power and the ability to elevate
33:44you
33:45they were watching you
33:47but your attitude
33:49was horrible
33:53it was horrible
33:56your mouth
33:58your body language
34:02your toxic
34:04and they were watching you
34:07and they couldn't
34:09promote you
34:11because you weren't humble
34:14you weren't humble
34:16i say this over and over to you i'm
34:18standing on a stage today
34:20having the ability to control my
34:22emotions because i have been tested
34:25not a perfect man
34:28but i've been tested so many times and
34:30if anybody know me i am mixed jamaican
34:34cuban
34:37i got all kinds of stuff in me
34:40and
34:41when i go off
34:43i go off i know me
34:47but my character was tested before i
34:49became a pastor
34:51and i firmly believe god did it
34:55because he wanted to see can i trust you
34:57when i put you on a big stage
35:00because people will test you
35:05they will test you
35:09i was a youth pastor of this church
35:13and
35:14um you know
35:18submitted to my pastor
35:20very loyal
35:22i don't care what i was loyal to that
35:24pastor
35:26someone in the church went to the pastor
35:28and told him a bunch of lies
35:31henry fernandez wants your church and
35:34people
35:35it's it's i don't even want it's crazy
35:37stuff man
35:39so the pastor called me in and what was
35:42surprising to me is that he believed it
35:44insecure
35:46he believed it
35:48you're the pastor you don't want the
35:49title not me what can i do
35:52but he believed it
35:54and he didn't say anything to me i
35:56thought we were done with it
35:58i was hurt crushed
36:00was i mad absolutely
36:03who would do that to me
36:07but the pastor set me up
36:10set me up there are people watch when
36:13they're silent
36:17watch it
36:19he set me up
36:22he said go preach next sunday
36:25okay it's not the first time i didn't
36:27you know he gave me the opportunity to
36:29preach so i got up and then i preached
36:32and the people seemed to received it and
36:34everything like that
36:36and
36:37i thanked him and i went
36:39and i sat in my front row but i normally
36:42sit and i sat there
36:45and just listening and
36:47the pastor went up
36:50and he said
36:51well church
36:54that young man right there
36:56that just preached the word
36:58he is a false prophet
37:03and what he said was not of god
37:07and he carried on and i sat there
37:11and let me tell you something
37:14whoo
37:17we have folded chairs because the metal
37:19fold the chairs now i'm telling you i
37:21remember it as if it was yesterday
37:25and something said to me get up
37:28fold the chair go up there and slap
37:31the devil out i'm going to tell you the
37:34truth
37:35that's the first thought came to my mind
37:38knock him down
37:41my wife was sitting next to me and she
37:43got up and she with her mouth arguing
37:45and and going in church this is church
37:49i'm saying she's blowing up and sit down
37:54just sit
37:55don't say nothing
37:58it was hard for me to keep my mouth shut
38:02hard i'm embarrassed now
38:06everybody he's false prophet
38:08and it kept like god was saying to me
38:10what are you going to do now
38:11what are you going to do i don't want to
38:13hear god
38:14we're going to have a fight up in here
38:15today
38:20but somehow i was able to keep my mouth
38:22closed
38:25and i was driving home
38:27i'm done with church i'll never go back
38:30there
38:32no sooner than i get in we had 6 30
38:34service
38:35the holy spirit said to me you're going
38:37to church tonight
38:40and you're going back to your front seat
38:44when i came back to church that evening
38:47everybody was shocked
38:48his deacons were watching me they were
38:51they were lucky they're like who comes
38:53back to church after that they didn't
38:55know if i had a gun or something i mean
38:56they
38:58their eyes was on me they were watching
38:59me any move i made
39:01they would attack me man
39:04and i sat there
39:06watch this
39:08faithfully
39:09faithfully
39:12went to church sunday after sunday
39:16totally embarrassed
39:19crushed hurt
39:21still serving but i was hurt
39:26one day god had to say to me
39:29you're still going to the church
39:32but it's not coming from here
39:37if you don't let that thing go boy
39:40it's going to affect the way i'm taking
39:41you
39:45that was some
39:4633 years ago or 34 years ago
39:51had i not
39:54learned
39:55to forgive and i let it go i only
39:57brought it up because i want to prove a
39:59point to you
40:00had i not done that
40:03i don't know what kind of a pastor i
40:04would be today
40:07i don't know if i could love the way i
40:09love today
40:11people
40:12i don't care what people do or say to me
40:14if i can graduate from that
40:18i can graduate from anything else
40:24it took humility
40:27who it took humility to just shut up
40:31don't say nothing
40:33move on
40:35first peter 5 says humble yourself
40:36therefore unto the mighty hand of god so
40:40that at the proper time
40:47god has a set time to elevate you but
40:50you have to humble yourself
40:53that's it
40:55there's a promotion
40:57humble yourself yes they dogged you out
40:59yes they said all kinds of stuff against
41:02you i get that
41:04yes the divorce was bitter yes they
41:07dogged you out and so
41:09god's god will elevate you
41:12god would elevate you i'll never forget
41:14i was counseling a couple one time and
41:16and and it was a bit of relationship and
41:18i remember when they came in my office i
41:20was like in my mind i knew that that
41:22wasn't gonna make it
41:25i mean
41:26the woman was just off the chain she was
41:28just toxic
41:32and i remember when they finally got
41:33divorced years later the guy remarried
41:38and he spoke to me one day and i'll
41:40never forget it and please listen ladies
41:42and gentlemen to this both male and
41:44female
41:46the man said i'm now married to this
41:48woman
41:49and this is what he said
41:51my ex-wife
41:54taught me
41:56how to love
41:57my current wife
42:02in other words
42:03all of what his ex-wife put him through
42:06he humbled himself
42:09it built character in him
42:11and it made him a better man for another
42:13woman
42:15[Applause]
42:21i wonder how many of you
42:23are doing things
42:25that's causing people to humble
42:27themselves not fighting
42:29but it's preparing them for something
42:31better
42:34i wonder how many
42:36so there's three things i believe that
42:39will help you
42:41one
42:42you got a love in spite of
42:45and hold on to what is right
42:49don't let the wrong done to you hold you
42:51back number two
42:53don't let the wrong done to you hold you
42:55back move on
42:57number three
42:59look ahead
43:00and stay focused on god
43:02look ahead
43:04stay focused on god so right now you
43:06have to choose do i forgive
43:11and if you can muscle up the strength to
43:13have god's love in your heart to forgive
43:16then you've got to let go now
43:19let it go
43:20let it go it's a part of your history
43:23whatever it is whatever struggle you're
43:24dealing with and then move on
43:28move on to greater things
43:30move on forgetting those things which
43:32are behind you
43:34move on now to greater things
43:36yeah they never apologize
43:38but okay let it go
43:41move on
43:42defended you they hurt you okay
43:45forgive
43:46let it go
43:48move on to greater things your progress
43:50has been
43:52hindered because of your unwillingness
43:55to find forgiveness
43:58i know it's not been
44:00easy hearing this today
44:03because when god gave it to me it was
44:05hard for me to
44:10but
44:10you talk about moving on
44:13how can you move on
44:15when you're still
44:16trapped with the weight
44:19of the wrong that was done to you
44:23i know i spoke to somebody who's
44:24streaming
44:26and somebody in this house
44:28you know you're here today
44:31and you're struggling with this thing
44:33called for forgiveness call forgiveness
44:35i should say you're struggling with
44:37forgiveness
44:39it's it's difficult and you know it's
44:42prohibiting you from moving on
44:45can you can you just
44:47let me help you i know what it is to be
44:50hurt
44:51i've been hurt a lot in my life and
44:54quite honestly i think i've heard i know
44:56i've hurt people
44:58i know all of us have done people wrong
45:04but we can change
45:06ourselves nobody's going to do that
45:09i know this is tough and you say pastor
45:11wow
45:12it's hard for me
45:14if that's you
45:15could you stand with me right now by
45:18coming down here
45:19and say pastor
45:21that word was for me man
45:23wow you dug up some stuff in me today
45:27that
45:29i need help right now it ain't easy
45:33it ain't easy pastor
45:35but this forgiveness thing
45:39but you got to do it if you want to move
45:41on
45:42that's all i'm saying
45:44that's all i'm saying there's some young
45:46people sitting in this room young people
45:48watching
45:49come on now
45:51there's some stuff in your heart come on
45:52you know
45:53you know you should be down here
45:56there's some stuff in your heart that
45:57you're struggling with you know where
46:00are my young people
46:02where are my young people you're
46:04struggling man
46:05you're struggling
46:08you're struggling a lot of people don't
46:10know you're struggling with this thing
46:11called
46:13forgiveness it's hard for you
46:15people don't know your pain
46:18and let's be honest some of you have
46:20flunked the test man you your emotions
46:22have caused you to do crazy stuff
46:24[Music]
46:26right that can change
46:30that can change
46:33i don't consider myself a good person
46:34because i tell you when that thing
46:36happened to me that day i'm telling you
46:38i still want to go back and rewind the
46:40time and go back and hit him
46:43i still want to go back 33 years because
46:45my flesh is telling me you stupid
46:48don't let nobody talk to you like that
46:51let's be honest don't let nobody talk to
46:53you like that
46:54so i wish i had the power to go back 33
46:56years
46:57and go right back at that place just
47:00just to fulfill my
47:02desire just to satisfy myself i just
47:04want to hit him one time
47:10that's it
47:12you all watch the oscar
47:15[Music]
47:18will smith came up good friends dear
47:20friends
47:21they're friends
47:23chris made a joke
47:25that offended him
47:29and he sat there and i honestly believe
47:33that will smith lost it in that moment
47:36trust me it can happen to any one of us
47:40he lost it
47:42because if you do not control your
47:45emotions you'll be shocked
47:47at what you will do
47:49do you know how many people are in jail
47:51today because they were arguing with
47:53their spouse
47:55and they were in the kitchen or
47:56somewhere else
47:58and it's they just lost it
48:00before you know somebody's dead
48:02[Music]
48:05because whenever bitterness gets into
48:07you and you can't control that
48:10that's what happened
48:13willing the moment
48:16couldn't control it and he went up
48:19and it was a huge slap
48:24we're no better than him
48:27because some of you standing right here
48:29you slapped
48:31you punched
48:33you knocked you did all your stuff
48:36you cursed
48:37[Music]
48:38right
48:39you did all that stuff because we're
48:42humans
48:44but please hear me today if there's
48:46anything i want you to walk away from
48:48today is
48:50you got
48:51to forgive
48:53and let it go
48:55you have to can i pray with you
48:58stretch your hands towards these people
48:59everybody and those of you standing here
49:01lift your hands those of you who want
49:03prayer let me pray father
49:06i've delivered this word today by
49:07encouraging them
49:09to let go
49:11let go of the hurt
49:13forgive
49:15and move on
49:18the same grace that you've extended to
49:20them
49:21they must extend that to people
49:25it was it was tough it was hard it was
49:27difficult
49:29but they have to let it go
49:32for them to be elevated to the next
49:35level
49:36they cannot carry the heaviness and the
49:38bitterness and the anger
49:41help them to let it go
49:44and once they forgive and let go
49:48then they're ready to make progress in
49:50their lives
49:51heal these men's heart
49:55because our heart
49:57so sensitive
49:58[Music]
50:00a lot of women don't understand that our
50:02hearts are sensitive
50:05when it's broken
50:06when it's hurt or offended
50:08[Music]
50:11there's a
50:12depth of
50:13bitterness
50:15that is on the inside of us
50:17help these brothers today god
50:21to find it in their heart
50:23to forgive
50:25let go
50:28these women
50:29who are still emotionally attached to
50:32the brokenness
50:35cut it off today
50:36[Music]
50:38that cord
50:39that has tied them to the event
50:43god help them
50:46help them not to remember
50:48[Music]
50:51help them to let it go
50:53[Music]
50:55it is tormenting them
50:58it is robbing them of their peace it is
51:00robbing them of their happiness it is
51:02robbing them of their joy it is robbing
51:05them of the opportunities that are ahead
51:07of them
51:09help them not to be bitter
51:11[Music]
51:13help them to let it go
51:15help them to let it go
51:17i speak that now
51:20and father i give you all the praise the
51:22honor and the glory thank you for the
51:23audience thank you for those who have
51:25streamed today
51:27but they're willing to let go of their
51:29pain
51:30let go of the wrong
51:33and it's time for them
51:35to move on
51:36we give you praise now in jesus name
51:40amen
51:45was that word for you today
51:48extend everybody wherever you are
51:51man i tell you what
51:53you received it well you shocked me
51:55[Music]
51:56you received it well
51:58you shocked me i mean it was total shock
52:01total shock
52:02let that young lady come back in is that
52:05burgundy i'm horrible with colors
52:08come here sweetheart come here
52:11come here
52:13come here
52:14listen
52:16[Music]
52:18you know this was for you
52:21um
52:24but you have to
52:27you have to
52:29you know why because
52:32there were opportunities
52:34that god sent your way in the past
52:37and you didn't get them you know why
52:40you know right
52:42your heart
52:43[Music]
52:46your heart is too hard
52:49i know it has caused you to be that way
52:53but you have to let the word soften that
52:55heart
52:57you're too beautiful
53:00to be robbed of the opportunity of your
53:02greatness
53:08let it go
53:10i'm serious
53:11[Applause]
53:13one of the things that our black
53:15community don't do well in and i'm
53:18telling you it has really done damage to
53:21us we don't like counseling
53:25we love prayer
53:28we pray for everything
53:30but we don't like to go to counselors
53:32you know why because we think we we
53:34think we're crazy only crazy people go
53:35to counseling
53:37but honey let me tell you something i
53:39don't know why god picked you out today
53:42but get professional helps
53:45get it
53:47and that goes for a lot of us
53:51go find a christian counselor
53:54but make sure they're professional
53:56counselors not want to be counselors
54:00certified and licensed but happen to be
54:02christian
54:04and you go
54:07and because certain things we'll pray
54:10but counseling
54:13i'm telling you
54:14it's needed in the body of christ
54:17and i don't i don't mean to put you in
54:19blast because trust me i need counseling
54:23not just you
54:25thank you
54:27all of us anybody in here need
54:28counseling
54:32go get it
54:33and i promise you
54:35in five years
54:36we'll be shocked to see who you become
54:39[Applause]
54:41love you
54:44glory to god
54:48so let's call our counselors this week
54:50and get some help
54:52i love you guys
54:54may the peace of god go with you and
54:56remember faith in your god will always
54:59move mountains out of your life i'll see
55:01you at 4 o'clock today god bless you
55:03have a great afternoon everybody
55:05go listen to the message over and over
55:07again thank you god bless you