Father, Forgive Them: How Real Revival Begins

Written By Adam Dragoon

Sermon Summary

In these recent days, we have witnessed a remarkable move of God, as seen in the outpouring of testimonies following Charlie’s memorial service. The impact of one life, lived for Christ, has stirred hearts across the world.. drawing atheists, prodigals, and the broken back to the feet of Jesus. The comments and stories shared are only a glimpse of the deeper work God is doing, reminding us that our lives can be a catalyst for others to seek Christ, even in our absence.

At the heart of this movement is the radical, supernatural power of forgiveness. We looked to the cross, where Jesus, in his greatest agony, prayed for his enemies: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” This is not a natural response; it is the very character of God, imparted to us by the Holy Spirit. Forgiveness is not just a virtue to admire, but a calling to embody. It is the mark of true Christian transformation—a new creation, not merely a reformed lifestyle.

Forgiveness is not excusing evil or erasing consequences. Rather, it is a release of the debt of vengeance, a refusal to let bitterness poison our souls. It is an act of faith, trusting that God is wise and just enough to handle the wrongs done to us. When we forgive, we echo the heart of Christ, who interceded for those who crucified him, fulfilling prophecy and opening the way for our own forgiveness.

This kind of forgiveness is impossible in our own strength. It is only possible when we have been born again, filled with the Holy Spirit, and have drunk deeply from the well of God’s mercy. If we struggle to forgive, it is a call to examine whether we have truly received God’s forgiveness ourselves. The challenge is not just to receive forgiveness, but to become a conduit of it—drawing from the well God has filled in us, and pouring it out on those who have wronged us.

Tonight, the invitation is to lay down every grudge, every offense, every wound at the feet of Jesus. To trust him with our pain, and to let the supernatural power of forgiveness flow through us, bringing healing, freedom, and revival—not just to ourselves, but to a watching world.

“Forgiveness is not just a virtue to admire, but a calling to embody. It is the mark of true Christian transformation—a new creation, not merely a reformed lifestyle.”
— Pastor Adam

Watch/Listen

Message Study Guide

Youtube chapters

  • [00:00] - Welcome

  • [00:57] - The Impact of Charlie’s Memorial

  • [01:55] - Testimonies of Changed Lives

  • [05:50] - Erica Kirk’s Forgiveness on Display

  • [09:40] - The Depth of Christ’s Forgiveness

  • [10:47] - Jesus’ Prayer on the Cross

  • [14:37] - Praying in Pain and Injustice

  • [19:11] - The Call to Forgive Like Christ

  • [22:23] - God’s Forgiveness from the Beginning

  • [25:49] - The Father’s Heart Toward His Children

  • [26:52] - The Supernatural Power of the Holy Spirit

  • [29:30] - The Link Between Forgiving and Being Forgiven

  • [32:13] - The Depth of Sin and the Need for Forgiveness

  • [34:11] - Forgiveness as a Witness to the World

  • [37:14] - Personal Forgiveness vs. Consequences

  • [39:46] - The Challenge to Forgive What’s Been Lost

  • [40:19] - Forgiveness as Faith

  • [43:37] - The Need for New Birth

  • [45:47] - Responding to God’s Call

  • [47:53] - Releasing Unforgiveness at the Altar

  • [50:44] - Prayer for Forgiveness and Release

  • [53:50] - Forgiveness in the Body of Christ

  • [55:48] - Closing Prayer

Key Takeaways

  1. Forgiveness Is the Mark of New Birth, Not Just Good BehaviorTrue forgiveness is not a product of human willpower or moral effort. It is the evidence of being born again, of having received a new heart and a new spirit from God. If forgiveness feels impossible, it may be a sign that we need to encounter Christ afresh and receive his transforming power. [44:38]

  2. Forgiveness Is an Act of Faith in God’s Justice and WisdomTo forgive is to relinquish our right to vengeance and trust that God is both able and willing to deal with every wrong. It is a declaration that God is big enough to handle what we cannot, and that his justice is more perfect than ours. This act of faith frees us from the burden of bitterness and allows God’s peace to rule in our hearts. [40:19]

  3. The Depth of Our Forgiveness Flows from the Depth of God’s Mercy to UsWhen we struggle to forgive, we must remember how much we have been forgiven. Every sin, every failure, every act of rebellion—God has shown us mercy again and again. Drawing from this well of grace, we find the strength to extend forgiveness to others, even when it is costly and painful. [37:14]

  4. Forgiveness Does Not Remove Consequences, but It Releases Us from BitternessPersonal forgiveness is distinct from legal or societal consequences. We are not called to erase justice, but to release the poison of resentment from our own souls. Holding onto unforgiveness only harms us, while releasing it brings supernatural freedom and healing. [38:55]

  5. Forgiveness Is the Light That Draws the World to ChristThe world is watching how believers respond to pain and injustice. When we forgive as Christ forgave, it is so foreign and supernatural that it provokes curiosity and longing in those who witness it. Our willingness to forgive becomes a living testimony of the gospel’s power to transform hearts and reconcile enemies.

Bible Reading

  • Luke 23:33-34— And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.

  • Matthew 5:44— But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

  • Colossians 3:12-13— Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Observation Questions

  1. In Luke 23:34, what does Jesus pray for while he is being crucified, and who is he praying for?

  2. According to the sermon, what made Erica Kirk’s act of forgiveness at the memorial service so powerful and unusual? [09:40]

  3. In Colossians 3:13, what reason does Paul give for why we should forgive one another?

  4. What does Jesus command us to do in Matthew 5:44, and how is this different from a natural human response?

Interpretation Questions

  1. The sermon says forgiveness is not just a good habit, but a sign of being “born again” and having a new heart. Why is true forgiveness described as supernatural rather than natural? [44:38]

  2. How does the act of forgiving others demonstrate faith in God’s justice and wisdom, according to the sermon? [40:19]

  3. The pastor mentioned that holding onto unforgiveness is like “taking a poison pill and hoping the other person dies.” What does this mean about the effects of bitterness on our own lives? [38:55]

  4. Why does the sermon say that the world is drawn to Christ when they see Christians forgive in radical ways? [34:11]

Application Questions

  1. Think about a time when you were deeply hurt or wronged. What was your first reaction—was it more like the natural response of revenge, or did you try to forgive? What would it look like to respond like Jesus did on the cross? [10:47]

  2. The sermon challenges us to “lay down every grudge, every offense, every wound at the feet of Jesus.” Is there a specific grudge or wound you are still holding onto? What is stopping you from releasing it to God tonight? [47:53]

  3. The pastor said, “If forgiveness feels impossible, it may be a sign that we need to encounter Christ afresh and receive his transforming power.” Have you ever struggled to forgive someone? What steps could you take to seek God’s help in this area? [44:38]

  4. When you think about how much God has forgiven you, does it make it easier or harder to forgive others? Why? How can you remind yourself of God’s mercy when you are tempted to hold onto bitterness? [37:14]

  5. The sermon points out that forgiveness does not erase consequences, but it does release us from bitterness. How can you practice personal forgiveness even if justice still needs to be served? [38:55]

  6. The world is watching how Christians respond to pain and injustice. Is there someone in your life who is watching how you handle a difficult situation? How could your response be a testimony to them? [34:11]

  7. The pastor led the church in a prayer to “drop the bucket down into that well of deep forgiveness.” What is one practical way you can “draw from the well” of God’s forgiveness this week and extend it to someone who has hurt you? \[50:44]

  • Amen. Thank you. Hallelujah. Let's open up our Bibles tonight. I want to look at us. And as these days and these weeks have been unfolding, it's been one incredible revelation after another. There are spiritual things happening all around us. Whether we know it or not, whether we can receive it or not, that is still a question that needs to be answered tonight.

    But this event that we streamed on Sunday, the memorial service, was, if you watched it, you know. If you know, you know. Something happened in that memorial service. And in order to share with you what I believe is important, I want to read to you some comments.

    So this video was, there was live in the stadium, they say about 65,000 people. And then it was streamed out on all of the social media landscape, including YouTube, and over 100 million people viewed it. 100 million. We're talking about Super Bowl-level exposure.

    And just as I was looking through some of the comments, you know, you're never supposed to read the comments, just so you know, for your mental health. But in this case, I wanted to see what was happening in the comments of this video. And I want to share with you a few highlights.

    One person named Bethany said, "I haven't shared my faith with anyone since I was 10 years old. In the last week, I invited four people to my church, and I don't plan to stop anytime soon. Charlie's death will not be for nothing."

    One man named RJ said, "Thank you, Charlie. I considered myself an atheist most of my life. But something in me has changed. I will be going to church next week. I will be learning about Jesus Christ. I will learn how to pray, so I can pray for your soul every day."

    One person named Smitty said, "First time attending church, 38 years old. And it won't be my last. Thank you, Charlie."

    Another person, Dreamer of Stars, says, "Today was my first day back to church in 22 years."

    Lana Kravitz said, "I've been an atheist my entire life. But after Charlie was killed, something changed in me. I started to pray every day. I cry every day because such a precious young man was taken from us. I feel sorry for Erica and the kids, for his parents, for the nation, for people around the world. I'm from Russia. I've always had—and still have—an American dream. Charlie never let that dream die. He has achieved so many things at a young age nobody could do that. Thank you, Charlie. We won't let you down."

    Threadlights One said, "I started going to church again after more than a decade. I think I will be going from now on. Thanks for everything. We will never be the same after attending this life-changing celebration. Erica Kirk showed us what Christianity is all about. I realized that I need to be more like a Christian."

    Somebody named Chris said, "I'm 34. I left church almost 20 years ago. Charlie brought me back. As much as I might still have disagreements with many churches, we need to reunite and hold together. God is great."

    Josh Braymiller said, "Went to church for the first time in my life yesterday. Charlie moved me in ways that I can't express. I never believed in God or had much faith in anything, but after witnessing that tragedy, something inside of me was awakened. Something I can't quite put my finger on. It's called the Holy Spirit, my brother. So I decided to go to church and hopefully find Jesus and some answers. Along with him, I will continue to try and learn about Christ, and I will do my best to live like him."

    Just a couple more. This person says, "I turned 29 in two weeks. I lost my faith when I was 13. I started watching Charlie Kirk about four years ago. He finally got me coming around to the idea last year, but it's been slow finding my way back. I think today was the nudge I needed. He was my favorite to watch. He was able to be firm or assertive. He shed tears. This week has been difficult."

    A middle-aged Christian father from Hong Kong says, "I used to go to church as a child, but I drifted away and lost my soul. Through Charlie Kirk's guidance, I found my way back to Jesus. Thank you so much."

    For some reason, this person says, "Charlie’s death hurts me in a way I never imagined. All of a sudden, I wanted—and started—to read the Bible. Just a few days ago, my mom's been telling me to do so for years. Okay, I just read about ten of them. What I’m telling you is, if you go look at the comment section on that video—just that one video alone—you’re going to see hundreds, hundreds of comments like that. And I want you to know that that is just the tip of the iceberg. That’s only the people who think to write a comment, and that’s only the people who are willing to share.

    So my thought was this: be the kind of person that when you die, people want to live for Jesus. People want to open their Bible. People want to start praying for the first time. But I want to say tonight—and what I want to preach on—you, this evening, is there was a highlight. Probably the best moment of the whole memorial. I want to show you a clip of that moment. It was Erica Kirk.

    And she's again standing in front of an audience of 65,000 plus another 100 million watching online. And I’m just going to let what she said speak for itself because the entire speech is about 30 minutes long. We’re going to watch a clip of about three minutes. And every word it seemed was dripping in the Holy Spirit. We were on the edge of our seats, and this is how it culminates.

    It’s a real soul that’s been filled with the Holy Spirit, having supernatural strength. And as incredible as that moment was—and I’ve got to say, I don’t think I’ve seen a better moment on public airwaves—something. And as incredible as that was, I want you to know that that forgiveness that was given, it was offered and it was given. We don’t know if it was received. But it was a fraction of a fraction of the forgiveness that Christ had to offer to His enemies on the cross.

    You ask, how can a person do that? Because she learned about it somewhere. She learned it from her Savior. My question is, have you?

    We’re going to see in our Scripture tonight one of the fundamental Christian virtues that has changed the world. That has turned sinners into saints. That has caused criminals to become Christ-like. And that principle, that ethic tonight is called forgiveness. It is not just a theory. It is not just an idea. It’s not just a virtue written in a book. It’s meant to be lived in her life and in yours.

    Let’s read from this tragic moment on the cross. Luke chapter 23, verse 33. Very familiar. "And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him. And the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. And Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.' And they divided His garments and cast lots."

    Let’s pray for a moment. Lord, we come in the name of Jesus. And by the precious blood that was shed, Lord, I thank You for Your Spirit and for Your grace. It gives us power to do what we think we cannot do. There are people right here in this place that are holding on to grudges, that have been hurt, that have been lied about, that have been slandered. There are people here that are angry—angry at others and maybe even angry at You, Lord. And I’m praying, Father, that You would give us the strength like this woman on the screen to be able to forgive those who have taken something from us—something precious. And I’m believing You, Lord, for healing in this place. Touch every heart in Jesus’ name. God's people say, "Father, forgive them."

    Let’s consider this prayer for a moment tonight. To the uninitiated, to the unchristian, to the person who doesn’t know Christ, this seems like an impossible prayer. How could you do that? The natural way of things, the carnal way, the fallen nature—our natural instinct—you see it when children are small. If someone, if one little three-year-old comes up and hits another little three-year-old, what happens next? Retaliation. Revenge. If I throw a baseball at you, you throw a football at me, and the fight continues. That is how we are pre-programmed. That is the sinful nature. That is the way of the world. That if you hit me, I hit back two times harder. And that is not our Savior. That is not holy.

    But to the unbelieving world, this prayer seems impossible—especially when you consider who Jesus was and why He was hanging on the cross that day. Jesus was not hanging there because He was guilty of any crime. He was not hanging there because He had stolen something or blasphemed. They accused Him of many things, but how many know Jesus kept the law perfectly? Not only did He keep the law, but He came into the world as a light shining in the darkness—to do good works, to heal the sick, to open prison doors, to bind up the brokenhearted. Jesus did good things. And that’s why this is the greatest injustice that has ever occurred on planet earth: the perfect man receiving the death penalty on the cross.

    If there’s anybody in all of history who has a gripe, who has a reason to complain, who has a reason to hold on to the grudge, it’s Jesus. What did He—here’s Jesus hanging on the cross, the worst moment of His life, the most difficult and painful place on planet earth in all of history—and what do we find Him doing? He is not just praying for His family, His followers, His disciples. In that moment, He is praying for His enemies. This was something that Jesus had already taught about in the Sermon on the Mount. But how many know Jesus never teaches something without showing us how to do it? He says it’s easy for us to forgive our friends— even the pagans do that. To be a blessing to friends. But what about enemies? Pray for them, for those who persecute you. And He is only doing what He has taught others.

    In this moment, interestingly enough, these words also fulfilled prophecy. It was predicted 800 years before Christ came to the earth. It’s in Isaiah chapter 53, verse 12. Here’s the prediction about the Messiah who was to come: "Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great; He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death. He was numbered with the transgressors. He bore the sin of many." Does this sound like anybody to you? He bore the sin of many, and listen—He made intercession for transgressors. So, 800 years before Jesus lived, it was predicted that this is exactly the path of the chosen one—the one who would save the universe. He would be a prayer warrior—not for the righteous, but for the broken, the lost, the bound, the murderers, the killers, the rapists. Jesus is the pure, perfect Lamb of God, rejected and crucified by the very people He loved and prayed for.

    Sometimes that’s hard for us to consider as we go through life, because guess what? Along the way, we’re all going to have a few enemies. There’s going to be somebody who hurts you, speaks evil of you, besmirches you, attacks you unjustly. Now, I’m not talking about the problems you get yourself into—that’s a whole different category, right? There’s a category of stupid decisions that lead to bad consequences. That’s one thing. But the question is: what do you pray for when you’re hanging on the crosses of your life? When you’re unjustly accused? When people speak evil about your name, your family? When someone takes something from you—something precious, something you had hopes and dreams for?

    What Jesus demonstrated for us—and what He sows into every one of His followers—is the possibility and the expectation that we are called to be people of forgiveness. If we go down that path, it solves nothing. Because once you exact your revenge on people, guess what? The emptiness still remains. Did you ever figure that out?

    Let’s look a little closer at this prayer. First of all, who did Jesus pray to? He prayed, "Father, forgive them." This whole prayer is centered in the relationship that Christ has with His Father— that eternal relationship from the beginning of time. And that loving relationship is a relationship of trust and faith. And even though Jesus is experiencing the worst that the world has to offer, He still prays, "Father." In that one word, there is trust—trust to say that God, You are still in control. Even though I don’t understand all of this, I still believe that You are my Father, and I am Your Son.

    True forgiveness—the ability to forgive the evildoer and the enemy—is born out of the nature and the character of God. How does someone forgive their enemy? Like we saw on the screen here. How does that happen? Because people like Erica Kirk are not operating in their own strength. Because she has been born again. She has received a new spirit, a new life, a new standard, a new way of thinking. And even though it’s still painful—you could see, couldn’t you? You could see the pain on her face as she releases those words—there is something supernatural that takes place. And yet, where does the strength to do that come from? Because she has a Father. She has been born into a new family. And now she bears the resemblance of the Father.

    Our Father—your own image—they run and go crazy and do stupid things and shake their fists at you. I’m sure glad I’m not God, because if I were God, y’all would be dead. You know what I’m saying? Yeah, hit the small button. My image—God—is merciful and just. That even from the very beginning, you know, God gave Adam and Eve a warning. Didn’t He? What was the warning? "If you take of this fruit, you eat of it, what’s going to happen?" You’re going to die. That was the warning. "This is my tree. Don’t eat the fruit. If you eat that fruit, you’re going to die." Then they thought they knew better than God. They got confused by the enemy. Eve took of the fruit and gave her husband, and he ate also. And you know what should have happened next? They should have keeled over and died. Isn’t it amazing that God, from the very beginning, shows His forgiveness by not—God is holy. They deserved the punishment that He warned about. "I told you guys, if you eat this, you will die." They didn’t die that day. The process of death began. And yes, there were consequences for their sin. But God didn’t kill them. And the very next thing that happens is, the Bible says, they tried to cover themselves with plants, with leaves, with whatever they could find—trying to look the part, like Tarzan and Jane. And it wasn’t working very well. So the Bible says that God clothed them with the skin of an animal. You have to think about that for a second. Where did the skin come from? Something else had to die. Some poor little animal was scurrying along through the garden, having a wonderful day, and God said, "Come here." And He took the skin off that animal. I have a good guess which animal it was—maybe we’ll find out someday. But I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that God killed a lamb—and took its skin and used that skin. God became the very first Jewish tailor, making animal-skin suits for His creation. But because He still loved them, He forgave them and clothed them, as a good father does.

    You know, it’s so good. It’s so good. One of the things we’ve heard again and again—Charlie said—is, "You know, it would be really good if you grow up and get married and have lots of children—more than you can afford." It’s one thing he said over and over. And one of the reasons why that is a good thing is because when you have children, you get a college-level education about God. You begin to understand things you never understood before about the heart of God. And all of a sudden, you have these little creatures in your house. Yeah, they’re cute. But you know what? They make bad smells, and they do bad things sometimes. But because they’re yours, and because they bear your name and your image, you love them. And no matter what they do, you’re always going to love them. Isn’t that incredible?

    And this is the relationship that the Father has with His creation. Can I tell you tonight? Can I remind you—even people who have done you wrong are still made in His image. To forgive. This is the prayer that Jesus prayed to the Father. He said, "Forgive them." When our nature calls for revenge and hatred and retaliation, Jesus prayed for forgiveness. This is what He taught in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:44: "Love your enemies. Bless those who curse you. Do good to those who hate you. And pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you." Can I tell you? If you’re not saved, that’s impossible. If you don’t have the Holy Spirit in you, you can’t even get down the freeway without using four-letter words. You know what I’m saying? It doesn’t happen in our flesh.

    But if we are filled with the Holy Spirit—what kind of Spirit? The Holy Spirit makes you holy, makes you like Him. I’m not saying it’s easy. I’m not saying it’s natural. No, it’s supernatural. What do you do? See, often it takes moments like this. It takes moments where we’re bearing our cross, where we’ve lost all other support systems in our lives. You know, it’s amazing to me—people who name the name of Christ, but then don’t do the things Christ did. It’s possible to go to church. It’s possible to know some Scriptures—and still have been wronged. You can see that rage begins to fill their eyes. You can see blood pressure rising, veins popping out of their neck. And what that is—that is a natural response. And we all understand the natural response. But if we call ourselves Christians, if we call ourselves people filled with the Holy Spirit, that should not be our response. And if that is your response here tonight, you’ve got to check your heart. You’ve got to examine and say, "Am I really in the faith?" Because I don’t think I could stand up there and say what she said.

    And now, don’t get the idea tonight that I’m trying to offend you or hurt your feelings. I’m just trying to say, look—if that kind of forgiveness is not in you, it just means you’re still operating under the old rules, under the natural way, the carnal way. And everybody understands that. We would have compassion for that. But it’s not Christian. Not only to be forgiven, but to be a conduit of forgiveness toward others.

    In the Sermon on the Mount again, Jesus teaches us to pray. This is what He taught us in Matthew 6:12: "Forgive us our sins." Okay, that’s pretty understandable, right? As we live in this broken world, and as we are still connected to our fallen flesh, there will be times we fall into sin and trespass. Yes, I’m not the only one, right? Can we be honest? Because really, your sins can’t be forgiven unless you can be honest about them. Okay? So forgive us our sins every day. And then He says, "Forgive us our sins as we have forgiven those who sin against us." Verse 14: "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." So there is a direct correlation. There is a connection between your willingness to forgive and God’s willingness to forgive you.

    If God forgave you the way you forgive others—purpose of forgiveness—verse 34 of our scripture, Jesus says, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." It’s almost like when He says that, it’s almost like these men are unaware—how wrong it is that they’re doing. It’s almost like they’re sinning in ignorance. So they’re not as guilty as they seem. But I don’t think that’s what is meant here. Jesus is not excusing or blinking at their sins. He’s not affirming them, who are doing Him wrong unto death. This is not the case. And we know this by looking at Scripture. For example, Pilate, he knew what he was doing when he washed his hands of the responsibility. Judas knew what he was doing when he took 30 pieces of silver to betray the Lord. Annas, the high priest, who spun his web in the darkness, he knew what he was doing—leading a good man to death. Not one of them could say, "I’m not guilty." Right?

    But how was it then, in what sense, that they were ignorant? I believe the ignorance is not in whether they knew or not what they were doing was wrong. The ignorance was in the depth of how wrong it truly was. Lord, they don’t understand how deep and how terrible this truly is for them. They are in desperate need, Lord, of forgiveness. Isn’t this doubtless true of every sin you commit as well? We look at sin as if it’s just a little part-time problem, a little plaything, a little toy I can keep on the side. But when we understand what the Bible says about sin, we will understand that all sin is a killer. It’s like inviting a scorpion.

    God answers this prayer. John 3:17: "God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." I want to tell you, when Jesus prayed this prayer, God the Father answered it. Later, in Colossians, we get the meaning of the cross. Colossians 2:13: "You, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us, and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." That’s what we’re talking about. That’s what Christ accomplished with His prayer.

    And if it’s true then that we have repented of our sins, that we have been born again into a new life with Him, then forgiveness is not just something for us to receive. Hello? It’s for us to practice. And I can tell you, you—and so we have to realize that when we go through things, when people hurt us, when there’s name-calling, when there’s worse than that—there’s theft, there’s crimes committed against you—sometimes we don’t realize this is how God gets His message out into the world. Because it is so foreign to the world. Because it’s so strange. Because I guarantee you, there are sinners, there are people who watch that speech, and they did not understand how she could do that. And it creates in the unrepentant heart a longing—if that is what it means to be a Christian. I know I can’t do that on my own. But if that’s what real Christianity looks like, why does God allow the evil in this world to take place? Sometimes we don’t pray. I preached this a couple of weeks ago. We don’t pray for persecution. Right? We don’t hope that we are killed, and that bad things happen. I’m not hoping for that. But listen—the reason why God allows those things sometimes is to give true believers the opportunity to exercise the forgiveness you have received. It’s like a deposit. God makes a deposit into the bank account of your life—His forgiveness. And for the rest of your life, whenever something bad happens—someone does something bad to you—you get to make a withdrawal. You get to dip down into that deep well of forgiveness that you have received.

    If you ever have a hard time forgiving somebody, here’s what you need to do: you need to think about how many times you have violated God’s will. You need to think about how many times you knew to do right, and you didn’t do it. And God still had patience with you. And He still didn’t strike you with a lightning bolt. And He still gives you so many blessings. And then you can realize, wow—I have this wellspring of forgiveness that God has poured into my life. Maybe I could drop down a bucket and pull out a little bit.

    I do want to say quickly, before we close, that there’s a difference between personal forgiveness—like we saw on the screen—and consequences for crimes. I don’t believe that Erica Kirk was calling for the government to let him go or to pardon his crimes. No, he’s still going to pay a consequence for his sins. But the kind of forgiveness she had the ability over is personal. She’s not going to hold on to that. She’s not going to be angry about it.

    And listen, they say that bitterness and unforgiveness is like taking a poison pill and hoping the other person dies. Because the longer you hold on to it, the more it eats away at your soul. And more than that, the longer you stew in your rage, the longer you dwell on it, what’s happening? God is no longer able to pour out His forgiveness onto your life.

    What you hear now is not easy, but it’s the path of the cross. Consider what she said one more time. Her husband was publicly murdered in a gruesome manner. I do not recommend you actually look at it, because when I did, it’s been haunting me. And yet, at his public memorial, she stands and says, "That young man, I forgive him." And I do that—I forgive him—because it’s what Christ did, and it’s what Charlie would do. This is no cheap sentiment. It was costly. There was pain on her face as she said that.

    So here’s my challenge for you: Has someone murdered what’s precious to you? Maybe your dreams. Maybe a hope or a vision you had. Someone has murdered your reputation—spoken evil of you. Will you, in your pain, echo the words of Jesus on the cross: "Father, forgive them"? Or will you refuse to carry the debt of vengeance on your soul?

    The reason why this matters, church—the reason why it’s so deeply linked with the Christian ethics and the Christian worldview, and why the Bible’s mindset is rooted in this—is because forgiveness at its core is an issue of faith. Either you believe God is good enough, smart enough, and big enough to handle the problem that’s on your hands, or He’s not.

    What forgiveness is, is saying, "Lord, I cannot carry this burden of vengeance. I can’t do it. But I believe that You can. I believe that You are big enough, that in Your way and in Your time and in Your ability, You’re smarter than I am, You’re more holy than I am, and You are able to do what I cannot do." So, Lord, I am leaving this in Your capable hands. Forgiveness is faith. I’m trusting You, Lord.

    Jesus was hanging on the cross that day. And when He prays for those who put Him on that cross, that’s exactly what He’s doing. "Lord, my Father, I still trust You." Even though I’m bleeding and I’m dying. The longer you hold on to unforgiveness, the more damage it will do to your soul and the further away from God you’ll become. Because that’s not what God does. God does not hold on to bitterness. Did you know that? He’s not like that. The moment—aren’t you glad?—that you can come to the Lord and say a single prayer: "Lord, I’m a sinner. I’m broken. I’m lost." And God’s not up there going, "I’m still..."

    The culture is very personal. It’s very real. This is a lesson happening right in front of our eyes. Before we close tonight’s service, maybe you’ve come in here and you’re being honest. You look at that video, you listen to the words that lady spoke. And if you’re really honest, maybe you’d say, "I don’t know if I was in that situation. I don’t know if I could say the same thing. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t." I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have that strength, that courage, that power, that ability to say, "I forgive the murderer of my husband and the father of my children." You’re not sure if you have that power. What you’re really saying is, "I’m not sure if the Holy Spirit lives in me." Because that is not natural. That’s not pre-programmed.

    The way we all come into this world is programmed for vengeance, for retribution, for revenge. That’s natural. We understand that. We know that well. But that’s not the way of God. And what it reveals in your heart—if there’s a question mark of, "Could I forgive my enemy the way she did?"—what it reveals is that maybe the Holy Spirit doesn’t live in you the way you think. It could mean you’re religious but not spiritual. It could mean you’ve had some experiences with God, but it’s all on the outside. It has never penetrated into the heart of your soul.

    What Jesus described—His work of salvation—is called being born again. We’re not talking about a reformed lifestyle. We’re not talking about a new habit on Sundays. We’re talking about a new creation in Christ. And that’s the only way. The only way to have the power of forgiveness in your life is if you become a new creation in Him. I cannot inherit this for you. I cannot teach a class to show you how to be more forgiving. No. This is something we inherit from the Father by His Spirit.

    And if you’re here tonight, you’re saying, "I’m not sure if I have that," Pastor, "if I’ve got that in me," maybe it’s time to make sure. You cannot forgive if you haven’t been forgiven. And if you need the forgiveness tonight for your sins, now’s the time. Why are we putting it off?

    True revival is marked by repentance—not just bigger church services, not just bigger worship sets, but lives changed. People serving the Lord with... people who deserve that, take the grace of death in the peace. This is the way you... Because there’s the ability to bring us back up tomorrow, and I’m sure I can take that. If you’re going through it, you can’t even tell. How to things at ease of luck in—gression—their hearts and their minds, loving God with all that they have.

    And I wonder tonight if you need that power of salvation, forgiveness from God. You can respond right now with an uplifted hand and say, "Pastor, pray for me. I need what you’re talking about." It’s not religion. It’s not church membership. It’s being born again—a new life in Christ. If you’re here tonight and you need that, please do not leave this place without it. There’s a God who loves you. He cares about you. And the moment you turn from sin and trust in Christ, you will be transformed. You’ll be a new creation.

    Is there anyone here tonight you want to respond? Uplifted hand. Maybe you’re backslidden in your heart. There’s been a time, maybe like these, that I read those comments from the YouTube video. Some of them said, "I ran from God 20 years ago." "I ran from God 15 years ago." There are a lot of people in this so-called Christian nation. A lot of people who ran from God X number of years ago. Is that you tonight? Maybe God’s catching your attention. Maybe you’re realizing that your faith wasn’t all that you thought it was. It’s time to come home, prodigal. Is that you? Quickly, you’d lift up a hand. Pastor, I’m not right with God, but I want to be. Is there anyone here? Quickly, with an uplifted hand. Please, let me pray for you. Someone here. God’s speaking to you. You’re hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit right now, the voice of the Savior calling you. Is there anyone else? Anyone else at all tonight? Lift up a hand for prayer.

    Amen. Then I want to open up this altar this evening. We’re going to pray together. Church, this is an opportunity. I spoke tonight about forgiveness, and I would dare say every person here is going to have to deal with the issue of forgiveness. God allows offense and pain and persecution in your life. This is the way that God shines His light into the darkness. But so many times, if we call ourselves believers, we don’t take it right. Many times. But I want to believe God that He’s speaking to somebody here. There is some unforgiveness at work in your life, and you want to lay it before the altar. You want to say, "Lord, I’m going to trust You." This issue of forgiveness is an issue of faith. Lord, I’ve been believing myself instead of believing You.

    And if you want to bring that to the Lord, we’re going to do that together in prayer as we open up this altar. Can we stand to our feet tonight? We’re going to pray for a few moments. Maybe there’s a person that’s coming to your mind right now. A person or a situation, a circumstance that continues to cause you pain. And tonight, God’s putting His finger on an issue in your life. Would you come? Would you find a place of prayer? Let’s let our voices be heard tonight. There needs to be a release.

    You saw it on the screen tonight. She struggled, she struggled, she struggled, and she let the words out of her mouth: "I forgive him." And in that moment, there was a release—a supernatural release of power. In her own life, a blessing of the Holy Spirit fell upon her and the entire audience. What would happen tonight if you released your unforgiveness right now? As we pray, please take this moment. We’re going to worship, but you need to pray. There’s an issue in your heart tonight. Let’s leave it to God. Let’s believe Him. Let’s trust Him with all of our heart. Let’s pray tonight.

    I want to make one last statement. I want to pray with us, with everyone tonight. I just want to say that sometimes the hardest forgiveness we have to give is not for the stranger, but for the person. There are some people here—you’re carrying a burden because you look in the mirror and you see somebody you hate. You see somebody—you see only failures. Isn’t it funny how we look at ourselves one way, and the way that God sees us is very, very different? He sees somebody that He’s working on. He’s changing. He’s transforming. He’s got a future and a hope. But many times, we think of ourselves, and we only see the evil that we’ve done.

    I’m going to just lead you in a prayer this evening. We’re going to let God release His Holy Spirit into our lives. Let’s say together: "God in heaven, I am so grateful for Jesus who died on the cross and rose from the grave so that my sins could be washed. I am drinking deeply of Your forgiveness, Your mercy, and grace over my life, which I do not deserve. But by faith, I receive Your love, Your truth, Your righteousness, and Your forgiveness. Oh, fill the well of my soul with forgiveness, because I know I will have need to draw from that well as people hurt me, as people persecute, as offenses come against me. Lord, please help me not to become bitter, but to drop the bucket down into that well of deep forgiveness and draw it out for those who also don’t forgive or don’t deserve my forgiveness, but I will willingly give because that’s what You did for me. I trust You that You are smart enough, strong enough, wise enough to handle the offenses against me. If I hold on to it, I get worse. So I release it to You, Lord. I release those who’ve hurt me into Your hands. Lord, I trust You and I believe You. Thank You for the Holy Spirit and the strength that He gives to me. In Jesus’ name. Amen."

    Let’s give Him praise tonight. Oh, Jesus, we thank You.

    Listen to Colossians 3:12 as we close: "He is speaking to the church here. Is it possible that Christians could offend one another? Is that even possible? Is it possible that I have to show mercy to y’all? And you got to show mercy to me?" That’s what it says. Listen: Colossians 3:13. "If anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do."

    The reason why a bunch of crazy people can come together under the banner of Jesus Christ, from different backgrounds, different personalities—some people like sandpaper, like me—you know. Some people can be difficult. We can all be difficult. And the reason why we can come together and love one another, and be a family, and be the body of Christ—the only way that happens—is if we are practicing. Some probably are. It’s okay. It’s okay. If you’re mad at me, don’t hold on to that. Matthew 18 principle—we need to talk. I got more coming. It’s okay. I learned this week that I was holding on to something for a long time I didn’t even know about. It came up in a conversation, and I had to ask for forgiveness. I’m not beyond that. We need humility. We need meekness. We need long-suffering. You know what that means, right? In Greek? To suffer for a long time.

    Stephen, close us in prayer.

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Written with Love by Pastor Adam Dragoon

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Adam Dragoon
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