From the Biblical account of Adam and Eve’s fall into sin in Genesis 3, we can see that sin (rejecting God’s ways) damages us emotionally and spiritually, damages others in the same way, and damages our relationships with each other and God.
Jesus died to free us from that damage and that is what these prayers are about.
FREEDOM PRAYERS
Romans 8:12-14 (NLT) “Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.”
Freedom Prayer 1
Lord Jesus I ask you to be obviously present to me now.
Lord I ask that by the power of Your blood and Your death on the cross I be freed from captivity to the sins of others.
I ask that you cleanse me from all the sins that have been done against me so they no longer have power over me.
I nail to Your cross all the negative words that have been spoken against me, all the negative thoughts they have had of me and all the physical ways other people have hurt me.
I ask that you cleanse me from all the sins that they have done against me so it no longer has power over me.
Wash all those things away from me with Your blood so that they are powerless to control me any more.
(Allow time here for the Holy Spirit to bring to mind any specific things He wants to deal with and repeat the above as seems appropriate for what He brings to mind).
e.g. Irritated; Harsh or hard; Bitter; Resentful; Impatience; Selfishness; Uncontrolled, Addicted; Being mean; Fickle or unreliable; Perfectionist, Religious.
Holy Spirit from the well of Your Presence in me, pour out Your Resurrection healing power into me to heal those sin damaged places in me. Fill those places with Your powerful eternal life. Be my double compensation for the losses I have received.
Show me the new, whole, clean and Godly spirit and heart/soul You have planted in me and teach me to live from that. Glorify Jesus in me now and always.
Every hindrance becomes an advantage instead
Irritated – Harsh or hard – gentleness
Bitter – grateful
Resentful – content
Impatient – patience
Selfishness – goodness, selflessness
Uncontrolled, addicted – self-control
Being mean – moving in the goodness of God
Fickle or unreliable – faithful
Perfectionist, religious – gracefull
“So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose.” Romans 8:28 tPt
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
Freedom Prayer 2
Lord Jesus I ask you to be obviously present to me now.
Lord I ask that by the power of Your blood and Your death on the cross I and others be freed from captivity to my sin.
I ask that you cleanse me and others from all the sins that I have done against others so they no longer have power over me or them.
I nail to Your cross all the negative words that I have spoken against anyone, all the negative thoughts I have had of anyone and all the physical ways I have sinned against anyone.
I ask that you cleanse us all from all the sins that I have done so they no longer have power over us.
Wash all those things away from us with Your blood so that they are powerless to control us any more.
(Allow time here for the Holy Spirit to bring to mind any specific things He wants to deal with and repeat the above as seems appropriate for what He brings to mind).
Holy Spirit pour out Your Healing Presence on all those I have sinned against and heal the damage I have done. Glorify Jesus in them.
Holy Spirit from the well of Your Presence in me, pour out Your Resurrection healing power into me to heal those sin damaged places in me. Fill those places with Your powerful eternal life. Be our double compensation for the losses we have received.
Show me the new, whole, clean and Godly spirit and heart/soul You have planted in me and teach me to live from that. Glorify Jesus in me now and always.
Freedom Prayer 3
Lord Jesus I ask you to be obviously present to me now.
Lord I ask that the power of Your death and resurrection work in me now to enable me to forgive ……………………………………(name of person) for ……………………………………… (the ways they have hurt you). In Your Name and because You have paid the price for their sin too, I announce they are forgiven. Thank You Lord, Amen.
Biblical References for freedom prayers:
Psalm 107:20; Job 42:10; Jeremiah 31:33; Ezekiel 36:26; Isaiah 53:4-6; Matthew 8:16-17; Luke 10:1, 17-20; 13:10-15; John 3:5-6, 16; 5:21; 12:31-32; 17:3, 20-23; Acts 11:15-18; 15:9; Romans 1:21; 2:29; 3:22-24; 5:5,17, 21; 6:4-5, 14, 22; 8:2, 5-8, 10-17; 16:20; 1 Corinthians 1:18, 30; 3:17; 6:11, 14; 2 Corinthians 3:3, 6, 14, 17-18; 4:4, 16; 5:14-17; 10:4; 12:9; Galatians 3:13; 4:5-7; 5:22-24; 6:8,14; Ephesians 1:4-5, 7, 13-14, 19-20, 23; 2:5, 10, 13-16; 3:19; 4:17-18, 20-24; 5:8-9; Philippians 3:12-14; Colossians 1:19-20, 22; 2:9,12; 3:1, 3, 9-10; 1 Timothy 6:5; Hebrews 8:10; 9:11-14, 28; 10:10, 12-18, 22; 12:23; Titus 1:15; 2:14; 3:5; 1 Peter 1:2, 21-23; 2:24; 2 Peter 1:3-4; 1 John 1:7; 2:2, 20, 27; 3:8; 4:4, 9; 5:1, 11-12; James 1:3-4; 5:14-15.
Favour that produces vengeance. Every curse against you you can turn into a prophesy for good. Every evil purpose becomes an opposite blessing. Every area of defeat God will turn into a victory! For everything against you He’ll give you a promise for the exact opposite. As you partner with God he will move you from measure to fullness because everything will be useful for your growth and development. God will do more than you can ask or think.
Instead of
Fear – courage
Anxious – confident
Timidity – bravery
Nervous – totally unafraid
Distressed – lionhearted
Abandoned, Rejected – One in Christ
Intimidated – bold
Bound up – free
Unbelief. – faith
Compliant towards the enemy – assertive towards the enemy
Procrastination – energy to do something now
Negativity – enthusiastic
Cynical – optimist
Immorality and sin – righteousness
Shame -holiness
Critical, Abusiveness – kindness
Hate – love
Tiredness, Depression – joy
Angry, stressed – peace
Agitated – peaceful
Hating yourself – love yourself
Misery and sadness – joy of the Lord
Sickness -health
Praise instead of despair.
“In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory. They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago. They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations.
Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double share of honor. You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours. “For I, the LORD, love justice. I hate robbery and wrongdoing. I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering and make an everlasting covenant with them.
I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels. The Sovereign LORD will show his justice to the nations of the world. Everyone will praise him! His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring, with plants springing up everywhere.” Isaiah 61:1-4, 7-8, 10-11 NLT
“For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.” Galatians 3:26-27 NLT
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
So daily as you run into difficulties, declare the negatives in your life as dead on the cross with Jesus and thanking Him for the compensation He is giving you, particularly the love, joy, and peace He is gifting you with. It is challenging, sometimes very challenging to trust God to make everything right. The results are not always immediate but the rewards will make the effort very worthwhile.
Why forgive?
Holding on to the hurt or offense, waiting for human justice, remorse, apology or even an opportunity for revenge keeps us tied to the person who hurt/offended us and we remain a victim of their behavior.
How can we forgive?
God says Jesus’ death on the cross is sufficient punishment for everyone’s sin.
So if we choose to come into agreement with God, then Jesus has already taken the punishment for the hurt or offense that has been inflicted on us. He was crucified for their sin as well as ours. Jesus has paid for the right to own our bitterness, our offense, our hurt, our desire for revenge and judgement. He has paid to set all the captives free!
So we can give our offense and hurts to Jesus and receive in their place His love, healing and forgiveness flowing through us to set us free from the people who hurt/offended us. Ask Jesus to pour out on you the compensation for your hurts, the healing and blessings for which He paid so dearly. Let Him do the work of forgiveness in you and for you. Let your hurts and offenses die with Jesus on the cross and receive the fullness of His powerful eternal life to fill all those places of hurt with His healing Presence and love. Look for the compensation Jesus has already paid to give you.
Jesus himself claimed this exchange ministry (Luke 4:16-21)
“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, for the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the LORD’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory. They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago. They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations.
Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double share of honor. You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours. “For I, the LORD, love justice. I hate robbery and wrongdoing. I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering and make an everlasting covenant with them.
I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels. The Sovereign LORD will show his justice to the nations of the world. Everyone will praise him! His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring, with plants springing up everywhere.”
Isaiah 61:1-4, 7-8, 10-11 NLT
Please note this is about our heart attitudes NOT a comment on whether legal action is necessary. The circumstances may require legal action to protect people but human justice does not heal the damaged heart.
New for old:
God says Jesus’ death on the cross is to exchange our old life for a new one overflowing with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and self-control.
So if we choose to come into agreement with God, then Jesus has already killed our old life which was subject to negatives like loneliness, illness, grief, fear, pride, unbelief, hurt etc. on the cross. He was crucified so all that was negative in our lives could die with Him. Jesus has paid for the right to own all the negative stuff in our lives. He has paid to set all the captives free!
So we can give our griefs, problems and hurts to Jesus and receive in their place His love, healing and forgiveness flowing through us to set us free. Because while whatever caused the negative things we experience may be very real, it is our response to them that binds us to them or sets us free. And Jesus died to give us a new response. So we can come into agreement with Him and declare all those negatives are now dead, powerless against us because they died with Jesus on the cross. Then we can declare we will receive from Jesus the compensation for these negative things, the healing and blessings for which He paid so dearly. Let Him do the work of transformation in you and for you. Let your negative experiences die with Jesus on the cross and receive the fullness of His powerful eternal life to fill all those places of loss with His healing Presence and love. Look for the compensation Jesus has already paid to give you.
Jesus himself claimed this exchange ministry (Luke 4:16-21)
“The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, for the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the LORD’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive
Jesus declares to you:
Every mistake, Every sin You have ever made is now Mine and the burden for it, the responsibility for it, belongs to Me. I purchased the right to it from the cross. I paid for the right to exchange it for My eternal life, My eternal love, and My kingdom blessings.
Every mistake, every sin, whether Yours or someone else’s that has hurt or hindered you or others is now Mine and the burden for it belongs to Me. I purchased them all on the cross. I paid for the right to exchange them for My eternal life, My eternal love and the eternal blessings of being a child of God.
I am Your justice, I have paid all your debts, given back more than you or they ever lost.
I am your advocate and I say you are now innocent.
I am your Judge and My verdict is, “Not guilty!”
You are My joy, My desire, the love of My life!
All that I am and have I have given to you. Everything that is negative you have ever been part of, all the hurt, pain, anger, frustration, rejection, fear, shame, violence, abuse, illness, persecution, etc. it all belongs to Me now.
Justice has been done, the penalty paid so let it all die with Me on the cross.
Pick up My love gifts for you, My love, joy, peace, healing, patience, kindness, goodness, and self-control. Enjoy them!
Live in the arms of your new long family, Papa God, Holy Spirit and Me, your brother Jesus.
Be clothed, filled with us and Our love for you – it is Our Presence in and around you that guarantees you are whole and holy, loved and valued. You are Our joy, Our delight, a treasured member of Our family.
The Amazing Exchange 