What are the three most powerful words in the whole Bible?  And what do these words have to do with forgiveness and you?  Brace yourself because you’ve probably heard these three words hundreds of times, but most likely you never captured their power.

let’s think about the guy in Jesus’ story who was forgiven a giant debt, and afterward went out and choked another man over a tiny debt (Matthew 18:28).  When we hear this story, most of us are shocked right away.  But when we think about it just a little deeper, we often discover that we’re not that different from him. We may not physically strangle someone, but we certainly know how to hold onto our grudges, demand our rights, get divorced, end relationships, and even take legal action.

Are you ready!  Remember when Jesus was hanging from the cross in pain and agony?  He’d already been beaten, spit on, whipped on both his front and back until his flesh was shredded, had a crown of thorns pushed into his skull, carried his cross, and then was nailed to it with railroad sized spikes.

Now consider through all this horrible torture, how Jesus never said, “I forgive you.”  Have you ever thought about this?  Even though he could have said these words, he never did.  Isn’t that the most interesting and perplexing thought?

Instead, in the middle of all this torture, as he was dying, Jesus called on God.  That’s right.   He asked for God’s help by praying, “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34).

There is no doubt that Jesus did what he always had done – His BIGGEST SECRET….  He CALLED OUT TO GOD his Father. Think of all the times Jesus asked for his Father’s help during his prayer times, or when he healed people, and now Jesus does it again, right in the middle of his struggle with pain, when he needed God’s help to forgive!

Have you ever thought possibly, just perhaps, that Jesus simply did not possess the strength to forgive on his own?  After all, he was a man, and he bled red blood – just like we do.  Jesus must have been exhausted from being awake for the last 36 hours.  After sweating blood out of fear, Jesus had been whipped to a threshold of just below death.   The book of Isaiah prophesized about Jesus’ crucifixion saying, “His appearance was disfigured beyond that of any man, and His form was marred beyond human likeness” (Isaiah 52:14).

And after Jesus called out, “Father forgive them” the most amazing thing happened, almost instantly.   Jesus’ mind became free from the pain he was experiencing and in that moment, he was able, with God’s strength to continue his own words, “for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

Imagine how our lives will change as we keep taking steps in the process of asking for Jesus’ help.  Suddenly, you may find yourself in a place of freedom to not being offended!   If you’re mad at someone right now, it may be almost impossible to believe you’ll experience this freedom, but there is no doubt when you say this heartfelt prayer, you are on your way!

Let’s say this prayer together right now.  “Dear Lord Jesus, please forgive __________.” Let’s say it again, “Dear Lord Jesus, please forgive __________.”  Dear Lord we know that you love the people who have offended and hurt us.  Lord, we ask you to forgive them in your mighty name.

And Jesus help us to continue on the pathway toward true freedom in forgiveness.  If you want more help forgiving, click one of the articles right now and we’ll see you there!