Matthew 18:21-34 NLT

21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone[a] who sins against me? Seven times?”

22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven![b]

23 “Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. 24 In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars.[c] 25 He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.

26 “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ 27 Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.

28 “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars.[d] He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.

29 “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. 30 But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.

31 “When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. 32 Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. 33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ 34 Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

 1. FORGIVENESS RECEIVED MUST TURN INTO FORGIVENESSS RELEASED:

   A. When you refuse to forgive you place yourself in a self-induced prison.

2. UNFORGIVENESS ISN'T EVEN A WORD

   A. Unforgiveness is a poison

   B. Nelson Mandela once said, "Refusing to forgive really is like drinking a poison in the hopes that it will hurt your enemy."

Mark 11:25 NLT

25 But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.[a]”

Mark 11:26 NLT

26 But if you refuse to forgive, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins.

3. UNFORGIVENESS IS A CANCER

Matthew 10:28 NIV

28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

4. STEPS TO BE RELEASED FROM YOUR PRISON:

   A. Choose to forgive

   B. Choose to "Walk it Out"

   C. Choose to live in freedom