🎥 Video Teaching Series TOC:
The Freedoms in Christ — How Jesus Sets the Soul Free
Start Here:
👉 Series Introduction (Welcome + Outline)
Part 0 — Devotion Foundation:
👉 Confession & Bring Your Double to Jesus (Devotion Blog link)
8-Part Video Teaching Series:
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👉 Part 3 — Renewing the Mind: How to Overcome Fear with Truth
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👉 Part 5 — Be Angry and Sin Not: Healing Anger Without Being Ruled by It
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👉 Part 6 — Why Forgiveness Frees You (and Unforgiveness Keeps You Bound)
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👉 Part 7 — Confession That Heals: Bringing the Real You Into the Light
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👉 Part 8 — Entering God’s Rest: Leaving the Past and Living Forward
Series Introduction: The Freedoms in Christ
— How Jesus Sets the Soul Free
Hello and welcome.
I’m Karen, and I’m honored you’re here.
Before we begin this teaching series, I want to say this clearly and gently:
This is not a self-help class.
This is a Jesus-help journey.
Because there’s a difference between learning how to cope… and being set free.
And the freedoms we’re talking about here are not “motivational freedoms.”
They are real freedoms found in Christ — freedoms of the soul.
Here’s the revelation that anchors this whole series:
LIGHT IS THE POWER OF GOD IN THE DARK PARTS OF OUR HEART.
Light is not something to fear.
There is no shame in the presence of Jesus.
There is no condemnation in Christ.
Jesus came to set the soul free —
free from fear, torment, emotional bondage, unforgiveness, sinful habits, and the thoughts and emotions that keep us tied to the past.
And the heart of this series is simple:
Bring the real you to Jesus.
Not the perfect you.
Not the religious you.
Not the strong you.
Bring the you that feels divided — the part of you that loves God,
but still struggles.
The Bible calls that being “double-minded” — divided in the soul.
And Jesus doesn’t reject that person.
Jesus heals that person.
In this series we’ll walk through eight teachings — little by little — with Scripture, truth, and the gentle invitation of Jesus.
You are welcome here.
You are invited to come into the presence of the Living God, who loves you.
And in Jesus’ name — freedom is possible.
Series Outline (8 Parts)
Part 0 — Devotion Foundation: Confession & Bring Your Double to Jesus
Part 1 — Freedom is a Person: What Jesus Frees Us From
Part 2 — What Fear Really Is (and why it controls people)
Part 3 — Renewing the Mind: How to Overcome Fear with Truth
Part 4 — Emotions Are Real — But They’re Not Rulers
Part 5 — Be Angry and Sin Not: Healing Anger Without Being Ruled by It
Part 6 — Why Forgiveness Frees You (and Unforgiveness Keeps You Bound)
Part 7 — Confession That Heals: Bringing the Real You Into the Light
Part 8 — Entering God’s Rest: Leaving the Past and Living Forward
With love in Christ,
Karen
Hope in Today Ministries
Jesus is never too busy to listen to me —
and I can never bring a problem to Him that would leave Him helpless or wondering what to do.
And the same Jesus who meets me there… is willing to meet you there too — because He is faithful, and He loves you.
And I know this is true because I have received Him in my heart as both Savior and Lord.
🔗 Quick Links
🔗 Back to Video Series TOC:
👉 [The Freedoms in Christ — Video Series TOC]
🎥 Watch the Full Video Series Playlist:
👉 [YouTube Playlist — Coming Soon] (link)
📖 Start with the Devotion Foundation (Part 0):
👉 [Confession & Bring Your Double to Jesus — Devotion Blog]
➡️ Next:
👉 [Part 1 — Freedom is a Person: What Jesus Frees Us From]
Part 1 — Freedom is a Person: What Jesus Frees Us From
Freedom is not first a feeling.
Freedom is a Person.
And His name is Jesus.
Some people are looking for freedom like it is a moment…
or a breakthrough…
or the removal of pressure.
But real freedom begins when you know this:
Jesus does not only give freedom — He is freedom.
That’s why Scripture doesn’t say,
“if you learn enough you’ll be free.”
It says:
“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
John 8:36 (KJV)
This means freedom is not something you earn.
It’s something you receive through Christ.
And what does Jesus set us free from?
He sets us free from the things that secretly rule the soul:
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fear and torment
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condemnation and shame
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emotional cycles that keep pulling us back
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anger and unforgiveness
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sinful habits that grow out of pain
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the divided heart that wants God… but keeps struggling
And He doesn’t free you by telling you to “try harder.”
He frees you by bringing you into truth
— and by giving you His Spirit.
Because the deepest bondage is not always what happens around us…
It’s what happens inside us:
the thoughts we can’t shut off,
the memories that keep replaying,
the emotions that keep reacting,
the cravings that keep calling.
But Jesus came for the soul.
And His freedom is not temporary relief.
It is deliverance, healing, cleansing, and restoration.
The Word says:
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus…”
Romans 8:1 (KJV)
So if you are in Christ — shame is not your identity.
If you are in Christ — bondage is not your future.
If you are in Christ — freedom is not a dream.
Freedom is your inheritance.
And that is why this series begins here:
Not with behavior… but with belief.
Not with self-effort… but with surrender.
Not with “fixing yourself”… but with coming to Jesus.
Because once you truly see who Jesus is —
you begin to understand this:
He doesn’t just change what you do.
He changes what you desire.
He changes what you crave.
He changes what you tolerate.
He changes what you believe is possible.
And from that place… freedom begins.
🙏 Prayer (Part 1)
Jesus,
I confess that freedom begins with You.
Not with my effort… but with Your truth.
Not with my strength… but with Your Spirit.
I bring You my whole heart
— even the places still struggling.
Set me free indeed.
Heal what is wounded.
Cleanse what is unclean.
Restore what has been broken.
I believe You are able.
And I receive Your freedom by faith.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
With love in Christ,
Karen
Hope in Today Ministries
Jesus is never too busy to listen to me —
and I can never bring a problem to Him that would leave Him helpless or wondering what to do.
And the same Jesus who meets me there… is willing to meet you there too
— because He is faithful, and He loves you.
And I know this is true because I have received Him in my heart as both Savior and Lord.
🔗 Continue the Series
🔗 Back to Video Series TOC:
👉 [The Freedoms in Christ — Video Series TOC]
🎥 Watch the Full Video Series Playlist:
👉 [YouTube Playlist — Coming Soon] (link)
⬅️ Previous:
👉 [Series Introduction (Welcome + Outline)]
➡️ Next:
👉 [Part 2 — What Fear Really Is (and why it controls people)]
Part 2 — What Fear Really Is (and why it controls people)
Fear is not just a feeling.
Fear is a spirit.
And until we understand that,
we will keep treating fear like it’s only “an emotion”
… instead of recognizing it as something that tries to rule.
The Word tells us plainly:
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
Notice what Scripture calls it:
a spirit of fear.
That means fear is not only a reaction — it can be a bondage.
It can be something that attaches itself to the mind… and pulls the soul into control.
Fear does not just make you feel unsafe.
Fear makes you live unsafe.
And it often disguises itself as:
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“I’m just cautious.”
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“I’m just guarded.”
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“I’m just protecting myself.”
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“I’m just preparing for the worst.”
But beneath that… fear is usually doing one thing:
trying to become your provider.
Fear says:
“If I control everything, I will be okay.”
“If I overthink enough, I can prevent pain.”
“If I stay ready, I won’t be blindsided.”
But fear is not wisdom.
And fear is not protection.
Only God is.
The Lord doesn’t call His people to live by fear.
He calls us to live by faith.
Because fear produces bondage, but faith produces peace.
And here is the truth many people don’t realize:
Fear does not leave on its own.
Fear must be confronted with truth.
That is why God doesn’t just say, “Calm down.”
He says:
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God…”
Isaiah 41:10 (KJV)
God doesn’t remove fear by telling you to try harder.
He removes fear by revealing Himself.
Because fear cannot stay where God is believed.
Fear loses power when God is trusted.
So the question becomes:
What has fear been controlling in your life?
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Your decisions?
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Your relationships?
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Your emotions?
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Your peace?
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Your obedience?
Because fear will always demand one thing:
agreement.
But you don’t have to agree with fear.
You can agree with God.
And as we move through this series, you’ll see this clearly:
Freedom from fear doesn’t come from perfect circumstances…
It comes from surrender (Surrender = Trust & Obey).
It comes from remembering:
God is with me.
God is for me.
God is able.
And God is faithful.
And when fear rises, you can do what Scripture teaches:
Bring that fear into the light.
Confess what’s happening inside you.
Then bring it to Jesus.
Because the Lord is not intimidated by your fear.
Jesus heals that place too.
🙏 Prayer (Part 2)
Jesus,
I bring You my fear — the fear I can name, and the fear I can’t explain.
I confess the places I’ve been controlled…
the places I’ve been driven…
the places I’ve been guarded, anxious, or overwhelmed.
Lord,
You have not given me the spirit of fear.
So I reject fear, and I receive what You give:
power, love, and a sound mind.
Strengthen my faith.
Quiet my soul.
Teach me to trust You again.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
With love in Christ,
Karen
Hope in Today Ministries
Jesus is never too busy to listen to me —
and I can never bring a problem to Him that would leave Him helpless
or wondering what to do.
And the same Jesus who meets me there… is willing to meet you there too
— because He is faithful, and He loves you.
And I know this is true because I have received Him in my heart as both Savior and Lord.
🔗 Continue the Series
🔗 Back to Video Series TOC:
👉 [The Freedoms in Christ — Video Series TOC]
🎥 Watch the Full Video Series Playlist:
👉 [YouTube Playlist — Coming Soon] (link)
⬅️ Previous:
👉 [Part 1 — Freedom is a Person: What Jesus Frees Us From]
➡️ Next:
👉 [Part 3 — Renewing the Mind: How to Overcome Fear with Truth]
Part 3 — Renewing the Mind:
How to Overcome Fear with Truth
Fear is not defeated by willpower.
Fear is defeated by truth.
Because fear lives in the mind
— and what the mind believes becomes what the soul follows.
That is why God does not only set us free by changing what’s happening around us…
He sets us free by changing what is happening within us.
The battlefield is the mind.
And Scripture makes this clear:
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…”
Romans 12:2 (KJV)
Notice what it says:
transformed
by the renewing of your mind.
That means true freedom is not instant emotional relief.
It is a transformation process — a new pattern of thinking.
The enemy knows this.
That’s why the enemy uses thoughts as weapons.
Because a thought believed long enough becomes:
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a mindset
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a pattern
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a stronghold
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a lifestyle
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a cycle
And many people are not stuck because God is not able…
they’re stuck because their mind is still agreeing with lies.
But here is the good news:
You can change what you agree with.
And this is part of what it means to bring your “double” to Jesus:
You are not pretending the battle isn’t real —
you are confronting it with truth.
Scripture says:
“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
2 Corinthians 10:5 (KJV)
This is not poetic language.
This is a spiritual instruction.
Bring the thought captive.
That means you stop letting your mind run on autopilot.
You stop letting fear narrate your future.
You stop rehearsing what could go wrong.
And you begin to speak truth
— even when emotions resist it.
Because truth does not become powerful in your life only when you hear it.
Truth becomes powerful when you agree with it.
So what does renewing the mind look like?
It looks like this:
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You recognize the thought: “This is fear.”
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You reject the thought: “God did not give me this.”
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You replace the thought: “God is with me, and God is able.”
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You rest your soul: “I trust You, Jesus.”
Renewing the mind means you stop feeding the fear.
Stop feeding the replay.
Stop feeding the worst-case story.
Stop feeding the old identity.
And instead, you feed your spirit with truth.
Because faith comes by hearing — and hearing by the Word of God.
And the more truth fills you… the less fear can rule you.
So let me ask you gently:
What thoughts have been tormenting you?
What thoughts keep returning?
What thoughts are stealing your peace?
Bring those thoughts to Jesus.
Do not hide them.
Do not excuse them.
Bring them into the light.
Because a renewed mind is one of God’s greatest instruments of freedom.
And the Lord is not asking you to do this alone.
He is inviting you into His truth — little by little — until your mind becomes steady again.
🙏 Prayer (Part 3)
Jesus,
I bring You my mind.
I confess the fearful thoughts, the spirals, the worries, and the tormenting “what ifs.”
Teach me how to renew my mind with truth.
Show me the lies I’ve believed,
and replace them with Your Word.
Help me cast down imaginations that rise against the knowledge of God.
Help me bring every thought into obedience to Christ.
Give me a sound mind.
Give me peace.
Make my thinking steady again.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
With love in Christ,
Karen
Hope in Today Ministries
Jesus is never too busy to listen to me —
and I can never bring a problem to Him that would leave Him helpless or wondering what to do.
And the same Jesus who meets me there… is willing to meet you there too
— because He is faithful, and He loves you.
And I know this is true because I have received Him in my heart as both Savior and Lord.
🔗 Continue the Series
🔗 Back to Video Series TOC:
👉 [The Freedoms in Christ — Video Series TOC]
🎥 Watch the Full Video Series Playlist:
👉 [YouTube Playlist — Coming Soon] (link)
⬅️ Previous:
👉 [Part 2 — What Fear Really Is (and why it controls people)]
➡️ Next:
👉 [Part 4 — Emotions Are Real — But They’re Not Rulers]
Part 4 — Emotions Are Real
— But They’re Not Rulers
Emotions are real.
God created us with emotions.
But emotions were never meant to lead us.
They were meant to signal something — not rule something.
Because if emotions become rulers, the soul becomes unstable.
And many people don’t realize this:
You can love Jesus deeply…
and still be led by emotion.
You can pray…
and still be driven by fear.
You can worship…
and still react from pain.
And that is why God teaches us to bring the soul into order.
The soul includes:
how we think,
how we feel,
and what we want.
And if we don’t learn how to bring emotions under the Lordship of Christ, emotions will become the steering wheel.
But Scripture shows us a different way.
David spoke to his own soul:
“Why art thou cast down, O my soul?
and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God…”
Psalm 42:11 (KJV)
This is powerful because it reveals something many believers never learn:
You don’t have to obey every feeling.
You can talk back to your soul — with truth.
David didn’t deny his feelings.
He didn’t pretend he wasn’t discouraged.
But he didn’t let discouragement become his identity.
He brought it into the light… and commanded his soul to hope in God.
That is spiritual maturity.
And this is what emotions must learn:
You are allowed to feel.
But you are not allowed to be ruled.
Because emotions change quickly.
Truth does not.
Emotions rise like waves.
But the Word of God stands.
So what does it look like to live free from emotional ruling?
It means you learn to pause.
You stop reacting instantly.
You stop letting offense take over.
You stop letting fear narrate your future.
You stop letting sorrow turn into despair.
And instead… you bring your emotions to Jesus.
You bring the “double.”
You bring the divided places.
Because emotions often reveal something deeper.
Fear often points to distrust.
Anger often points to pain.
Sadness often points to loss.
Rejection often points to longing.
And the Lord doesn’t shame you for that.
He wants to heal the root.
That’s why Scripture says:
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
Proverbs 3:5 (KJV)
God is not telling you emotions are sinful.
He is telling you emotions are not reliable leaders.
Because your understanding will sometimes be shaped by pain.
But truth will heal pain.
And peace will come when your heart learns to rest in the Lord instead of reacting.
So today, let this be the invitation:
Bring your emotions into the presence of Jesus.
Not to hide them.
Not to excuse them.
But to surrender them.
Because Jesus does not only save the spirit.
He heals the soul.
And freedom includes emotional freedom.
Not emotional numbness — emotional healing.
Not emotional control — spiritual stability.
And that stability comes when emotions take their rightful place:
real…
but not ruling.
🙏 Prayer (Part 4)
Jesus,
I bring You my emotions.
I confess the places where I’ve reacted instead of surrendered,
where I’ve been driven instead of led,
where I’ve been overwhelmed instead of anchored.
Lord, heal the roots of what I feel.
Teach me to bring my emotions into the light
— and under Your Lordship.
Give me spiritual stability.
Teach my soul to hope in You.
And let Your peace rule in my heart.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
With love in Christ,
Karen
Hope in Today Ministries
Jesus is never too busy to listen to me —
and I can never bring a problem to Him that would leave Him helpless or wondering what to do.
And the same Jesus who meets me there… is willing to meet you there too — because He is faithful, and He loves you.
And I know this is true because I have received Him in my heart as both Savior and Lord.
🔗 Continue the Series
🔗 Back to Video Series TOC:
👉 [The Freedoms in Christ — Video Series TOC]
🎥 Watch the Full Video Series Playlist:
👉 [YouTube Playlist — Coming Soon] (link)
⬅️ Previous:
👉 [Part 3 — Renewing the Mind: How to Overcome Fear with Truth]
➡️ Next:
👉 [Part 5 — Be Angry and Sin Not: Healing Anger Without Being Ruled by It]
Part 5 — Be Angry and Sin Not:
Healing Anger Without Being Ruled by It
Anger is a real emotion.
It is not automatically sin.
But anger is powerful — and if it is not handled Biblically, it becomes a doorway.
Scripture doesn’t tell us, “Never be angry.”
It tells us:
“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
Neither give place to the devil.”
Ephesians 4:26–27 (KJV)
That means anger is real
— but anger must be governed.
Because anger has momentum.
Anger can carry pain.
Anger can carry injustice.
Anger can carry betrayal.
Anger can carry grief.
Anger can carry the memory of being misunderstood, manipulated, or ignored.
And if we do not bring that anger into the light… it does not disappear.
It settles.
It hardens.
It becomes bitterness.
And bitterness is one of the most dangerous things a believer can carry
— because it doesn’t just affect emotions.
It affects:
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your spiritual hearing
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your peace
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your relationships
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your prayers
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your ability to trust
-
your ability to love freely
That’s why Scripture says, “Neither give place to the devil.”
Anger that stays unresolved becomes a place.
A foothold.
A spiritual opening.
And that is why some people can love God… and still feel stuck:
they are not only carrying pain…
they are carrying anger.
Anger keeps the soul tied to the past.
It keeps replaying the offense.
Replaying the betrayal.
Replaying the conversation.
Replaying the injustice.
And the enemy uses that replay to steal peace.
But Jesus came to heal that.
Jesus came to free the soul — even from anger.
So what does it mean to “be angry and sin not”?
It means:
You are allowed to feel anger.
But you are not allowed to let anger lead you into darkness.
Anger does not get to become:
revenge,
hatred,
retaliation,
or constant reaction.
Instead, anger becomes a signal that something needs healing.
And healing begins when we bring it into the light.
This is why confession matters.
Because anger often has layers.
Sometimes anger is covering:
hurt,
fear,
rejection,
or deep disappointment.
And the Lord does not shame those layers.
He heals them.
So I want to ask you gently:
What are you angry about?
Who are you still reacting to emotionally?
What wound keeps reopening?
What memory still triggers you?
Bring it to Jesus.
Not to excuse sin.
Not to remain stuck.
But to be healed.
Because anger may be justified in the flesh
— but Jesus calls us higher.
Jesus calls us into freedom.
And freedom looks like this:
You are no longer ruled by what happened.
You are no longer chained to the offense.
You are no longer living in the same emotional chapter.
God is able to heal you so deeply that you can remember… without reliving.
That is emotional freedom in Christ.
And it begins when you stop hiding anger…
and start surrendering it.
🙏 Prayer (Part 5)
Jesus,
I bring You my anger.
I confess the places I have been hurt, wounded, betrayed, or misunderstood.
I confess the memories that still trigger me and the emotions that still rise.
Lord, I don’t want anger to rule me.
I don’t want bitterness to grow in me.
I don’t want the enemy to have a foothold in my soul.
Heal what is beneath my anger.
Cleanse my heart.
Teach me how to forgive and release.
Set me free from constant reaction.
And fill me with Your peace.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
With love in Christ,
Karen
Hope in Today Ministries
Jesus is never too busy to listen to me —
and I can never bring a problem to Him that would leave Him helpless or wondering what to do.
And the same Jesus who meets me there… is willing to meet you there too — because He is faithful, and He loves you.
And I know this is true because I have received Him in my heart as both Savior and Lord.
🔗 Continue the Series
🔗 Back to Video Series TOC:
👉 [The Freedoms in Christ — Video Series TOC]
🎥 Watch the Full Video Series Playlist:
👉 [YouTube Playlist — Coming Soon] (link)
⬅️ Previous:
👉 [Part 4 — Emotions Are Real — But They’re Not Rulers]
➡️ Next:
👉 [Part 6 — Why Forgiveness Frees You (and Unforgiveness Keeps You Bound)]
Part 6 — Why Forgiveness Frees You (and Unforgiveness Keeps You Bound)
Forgiveness is one of the most misunderstood commands in Scripture.
Some people think forgiveness means:
-
what happened didn’t matter
-
the pain wasn’t real
-
the person was right
-
you should trust them again
-
you should pretend it never happened
But Biblical forgiveness is not denial.
Forgiveness is release.
Forgiveness is a spiritual decision to let God be Judge
— and to stop keeping your soul tied to what happened.
Because unforgiveness is not neutral.
Unforgiveness is a chain.
It keeps the soul living in yesterday.
It keeps emotions stuck on replay.
It keeps the heart braced for offense.
And it often feels justified:
“They don’t deserve forgiveness.”
“They ruined things.”
“They never apologized.”
“They knew better.”
And friend — you may be right.
But forgiveness is not first about what they deserve.
Forgiveness is about what you need.
You need freedom.
Because unforgiveness doesn’t only hold them accountable…
it holds you captive.
That’s why Jesus speaks so directly about it.
“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Matthew 6:14–15 (KJV)
This verse is sobering.
Not because God is cruel
— but because unforgiveness is spiritually dangerous.
Unforgiveness poisons love.
It hardens the heart.
It blocks spiritual intimacy.
It keeps a person trapped in judgment.
And many believers don’t realize this:
Unforgiveness is often the hidden reason people feel spiritually dry.
They pray… but feel blocked.
They worship… but feel heavy.
They try to move forward… but feel pulled backward.
And it’s because unforgiveness keeps an open wound in the soul.
But forgiveness heals the future.
This does not mean reconciliation is always required.
You can forgive and still have boundaries.
You can forgive and still say “no.”
You can forgive and still step away.
Because forgiveness is not giving someone access.
Forgiveness is giving God control.
It’s saying:
“Lord, I release them into Your hands.”
And when you do that, something happens in the soul:
the enemy loses ground.
Because unforgiveness gives the enemy a place to work:
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bitterness
-
offense
-
resentment
-
hatred
-
suspicion
-
constant reaction
But when forgiveness enters, the soul begins to loosen.
The chain begins to fall.
And the heart begins to heal.
Scripture teaches:
“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you…
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
Ephesians 4:31–32 (KJV)
Forgiveness is not pretending.
Forgiveness is obedience.
Forgiveness is trust.
Forgiveness is surrender.
And sometimes forgiveness is not one moment
— it’s a process.
But the direction must be chosen:
“I will not live chained to this.”
So today, I ask you gently:
Who do you need to forgive — not because they earned it…
but because you want freedom?
Bring that person to Jesus.
Bring the pain.
Bring the anger.
Bring the whole story.
And let the Lord begin to heal the place that keeps reopening.
Because forgiveness doesn’t erase the past…
But it does release your future.
🙏 Prayer (Part 6)
Jesus,
I confess I have been hurt.
And I confess that I cannot heal myself by holding onto unforgiveness.
Lord, I bring You the person… and the pain… and the memory.
I bring You what was said, what was done, and what was stolen from me.
I choose to forgive — not because they deserve it,
but because I want freedom.
I release them into Your hands.
I lay down judgment.
I lay down retaliation.
I lay down the emotional replay.
Heal my heart, Lord.
Cleanse the wound.
Restore my peace.
And teach me to love with Your love
— with wisdom and truth.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
With love in Christ,
Karen
Hope in Today Ministries
Jesus is never too busy to listen to me —
and I can never bring a problem to Him that would leave Him helpless or wondering what to do.
And the same Jesus who meets me there… is willing to meet you there too — because He is faithful, and He loves you.
And I know this is true because I have received Him in my heart as both Savior and Lord.
🔗 Continue the Series
🔗 Back to Video Series TOC:
👉 [The Freedoms in Christ — Video Series TOC]
🎥 Watch the Full Video Series Playlist:
👉 [YouTube Playlist — Coming Soon] (link)
⬅️ Previous:
👉 [Part 5 — Be Angry and Sin Not: Healing Anger Without Being Ruled by It]
➡️ Next:
👉 [Part 7 — Confession That Heals: Bringing the Real You Into the Light]
Part 7 — Confession That Heals:
Bringing the Real You Into the Light
Confession is not punishment.
Confession is not shame.
Confession is not God pointing a finger at you and saying,
“Look how bad you are.”
Confession is a doorway.
Confession is light.
Because here is something the Lord has taught me:
LIGHT IS THE POWER OF GOD IN THE DARK PARTS OF OUR HEART.
And what stays in the dark stays powerful.
But what comes into the light loses its grip.
That’s why confession is not meant to crush you.
It is meant to free you.
Many people think confession is only:
“I did something wrong.”
But Biblical confession is deeper than that.
Confession is saying:
“Jesus, this is what’s really happening inside of me.”
“This is what I’m feeling.”
“This is what I’m tempted by.”
“This is what I keep returning to.”
“This is the pain I don’t know how to heal.”
And when you bring that truth into the light…
the enemy loses the power he had in the dark.
Because secrecy feeds bondage.
But confession breaks it.
Scripture says:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:9 (KJV)
Notice what that verse says.
It does not only say forgive.
It says cleanse.
That means Jesus doesn’t just pardon you
— He purifies you.
He doesn’t just excuse — He heals.
He doesn’t just cover — He restores.
And this matters, because many sinful cycles do not start as rebellion…
They start as pain.
People numb.
People cope.
People escape.
People try to soothe the ache.
People look for relief.
And if we don’t bring our pain to Jesus,
we will always be tempted to bring it to something else.
But none of those substitutes can heal the soul.
Only Jesus can.
Confession is how freedom begins.
Because confession brings your divided places into the light.
Confession brings your “double” to Jesus.
The part of you that believes…
and the part of you that still battles.
The part of you that wants peace — but fear rises.
The part of you that wants to forgive — but anger flares.
The part of you that wants to move forward — but keeps getting pulled back.
And Jesus is not offended by that place.
Jesus invites it.
Because Jesus doesn’t heal what we pretend isn’t there.
He heals what we bring.
So today, I want to say this gently:
Bring the real you.
Bring the double.
Bring it all.
The Lord already knows.
But confession opens the door for cleansing.
And confession turns struggle into surrender.
It turns the hidden war into a healed heart.
And freedom begins.
🙏 Prayer (Part 7)
Jesus,
I bring You the real me.
Not the version that looks strong…
but the version that still struggles.
I confess what has been happening inside of me —
the temptations, the pain, the anger, the fear, the divided places.
Lord, shine Your light into my heart.
Heal what I cannot heal.
Free what I cannot free.
Cleanse me, renew me, and restore me.
I choose to bring it into the light.
And I receive Your freedom by faith.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
With love in Christ,
Karen
Hope in Today Ministries
Jesus is never too busy to listen to me —
and I can never bring a problem to Him that would leave Him helpless or wondering what to do.
And the same Jesus who meets me there… is willing to meet you there too — because He is faithful, and He loves you.
And I know this is true because I have received Him in my heart as both Savior and Lord.
🔗 Continue the Series
🔗 Back to Video Series TOC:
👉 [The Freedoms in Christ — Video Series TOC]
🎥 Watch the Full Video Series Playlist:
👉 [YouTube Playlist — Coming Soon] (link)
⬅️ Previous:
👉 [Part 6 — Why Forgiveness Frees You (and Unforgiveness Keeps You Bound)]
➡️ Next:
👉 [Part 8 — Entering God’s Rest: Leaving the Past and Living Forward]
Part 8 — Entering God’s Rest:
Leaving the Past and Living Forward
God’s rest is not laziness.
God’s rest is not “doing nothing.”
God’s rest is spiritual surrender.
It is the place where the soul stops striving…
and begins trusting.
And many believers don’t realize this:
Some of the greatest exhaustion in life is not physical.
It is emotional.
It is spiritual.
It is the exhaustion of carrying what only Jesus can carry.
The Word says:
“For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.”
Hebrews 4:10 (KJV)
That means entering God’s rest requires a decision:
to cease.
To stop carrying.
To stop fighting old battles.
To stop replaying yesterday.
To stop trying to control outcomes.
To stop striving for what only grace can produce.
Rest is not simply sleep.
Rest is when the heart says:
“Jesus, I trust You with this.”
And when you enter that rest, something changes:
The mind stops running.
The soul stops spinning.
The heart stops negotiating with fear.
Because the struggle was never just in your schedule.
It was in your soul.
And if we’re honest, one of the hardest things to rest from is the past.
The past has a voice.
The past has memories.
The past has emotions attached to it.
And sometimes the event is gone
— but the soul is still living there.
But the Word tells us:
“Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before…”
Philippians 3:13 (KJV)
This does not mean pretending it didn’t happen.
It means refusing to live there.
Because you cannot walk into your future while dragging yesterday like a chain.
And here is the truth that sets many people free:
God does not only want to heal what happened to you…
He wants to heal what it did in you.
He wants to remove the hooks:
the anger hook
the fear hook
the shame hook
the rejection hook
the reaction hook
So that you can be free
— not only in behavior, but in the heart.
Rest is the fruit of healing.
Rest is what happens when the soul finally believes:
God is able.
God is faithful.
God is with me.
And I don’t have to carry this anymore.
So let me ask you gently:
What is God asking you to rest from?
What is still consuming your thoughts?
What are you still trying to “fix” emotionally?
What part of your past still has a grip?
Bring that to Jesus.
Because entering God’s rest is not weakness.
It is faith.
It is surrender.
It is spiritual maturity.
And when you enter God’s rest, you are no longer living from reaction.
You are living from trust.
And this is what the Lord is calling you into:
A life where you stop carrying…
and start reflecting.
Because even if you feel like you are a small body of water…
God only needs a reflection of His power in your life.
Jesus is the One True Light.
And in Christ, we are called to be the light — by receiving His light…
and reflecting it to whosoever is near our “pond.”
That is rest.
That is freedom.
That is living forward.
🙏 Prayer (Part 8)
Jesus,
I choose Your rest.
I lay down striving.
I lay down the emotional replay.
I lay down the burdens I was never meant to carry.
Heal what is still gripping my soul.
Cleanse what is still heavy.
Restore what has been worn down.
Teach me to trust You fully.
Teach me to live forward.
Teach me to reflect Your light with peace.
I enter Your rest by faith.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
With love in Christ,
Karen
Hope in Today Ministries
Jesus is never too busy to listen to me —
and I can never bring a problem to Him that would leave Him helpless or wondering what to do.
And the same Jesus who meets me there… is willing to meet you there too — because He is faithful, and He loves you.
And I know this is true because I have received Him in my heart as both Savior and Lord.
🔗 Continue the Series
🔗 Back to Video Series TOC:
👉 [The Freedoms in Christ — Video Series TOC]
🎥 Watch the Full Video Series Playlist:
👉 [YouTube Playlist — Coming Soon] (link)
⬅️ Previous:
👉 [Part 7 — Confession That Heals: Bringing the Real You Into the Light]
✅ Series Closing:
👉 [Walk Forward in Freedom — Closing Encouragement + Prayer]
(Lord willing & the Creeks don't rise ---Coming Soon)