Prepare. Position. Press. Day 4 — Release, Forgive, Move On.

I spent 3 weeks between October and November releasing things and as I prepared this list, God brought releasing up again. Releasing is essential for freedom and victory. Releasing is critical to moving forward from stagnant periods of life.

What is different between the focus of the last email and this one? Well getting rid of things does not wholly include forgiveness and releasing the effects of experiences and relationships on ourselves and our lives. You can throw away or donate old clothes that an ex-love interest gave you but it is not the same as uprooting the betrayal and hurt and releasing it back to God. Getting rid of things creates a void and releasing further excavates that void of any residual remnants that would pull you backward. Forgiveness and releasing prepare us to receive God’s love for us via healing.

So as we prepare and ultimately position ourselves to press into God for whatever He has for us to learn and receive, it is critical to be free of any residual hurts. Sometimes hurts and old wounds block us from hearing God and getting His revelation for us. Remaining wounded makes us prime candidates for offense and being easily offended. Think about it, someone could have been giving you a life-changing word but because you were offended you rejected it. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have time or energy to do that. I cannot miss anything that God wants me to have any more.

Let’s pray, leaving this and every offense with God. Let’s clear out space in our heart and memory of things that would cause us to doubt. Let’s leave all hurts, hang-ups, and frustrations with God once and for all.

Prayer:
Father God, I pray that this time will ready my heart and mind to receive all You have for me. I repent right now for holding on to every burden, hurt, insecurity, traumatic experience, or situation that happened to me. I release those things that are not at the top of my memory. I release the things that I vowed I would never forgive. I thank You for the lessons and the blessings that have come out of my hurt. I pray that You take this pain away and You uproot the roots of these things — pain and wounds caused by others, generational issues I aligned with, and my own sin — and prepare my heart to be full of love and faith for everything You desire to do. I forgive others, myself, and You, God. I thank You for a new and transformed perspective. I thank You that I am no longer the same and that at the end of this time, I will be prepared for Your plan and purposes. Thank You that I will not be the same. In Jesus’ name, Amen.