This sermon emphasizes the importance of forgiveness, highlighting the need to forgive others as God has forgiven us. It discusses the significance of maintaining a clear conscience by forgiving everyone, resisting the devil in Jesus' name, and ensuring that Satan does not gain an advantage over us through unforgiveness. The speaker stresses the distinction between forgiving unbelievers and correcting fellow believers within the church, urging listeners to pursue peace and righteousness in their relationships.

Then seeing the multitudes, he felt compassion for them because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd. We get hundreds of emails from our internet and YouTube ministry. From so many countries, even Greenland which is supposed to be a place filled with ice. It's amazing what the internet does, really to the outermost parts of the earth the world goes. Because through email we don't know who the person is, where he is writing from. So they are very honest about their problems. Because they know that nobody knows who I am. And there is so much of problem in today's young people. Defeated by sexual sin and so many problems in marriages. Things unheard of in India even 25 years ago. So many divorces and husbands who are unfaithful to their wives. Leaving them and going with some other. See this modern world where so many men and women are working in the offices together. There are so many temptations for men and women. Married people having some problem at home and they go to work and they find some compassionate friend over there. And they become friendly with them. And their own marriage breaks up. And the children suffer. In America this has been going on for 60-70 years. But it didn't happen among Indian families. But with the internet and the movies and all these things. It is happening in India also. It's amazing what is happening. There are marrying men in America now. And some of them are pastors in churches. And you know in the book of Leviticus it speaks about these things. Sexual perversion. Leviticus 18. Verse 22. We start with verse 20. You shall not have intercourse with your neighbor's wife. That is the first step. Downwards. And then verse 22. Man lying with man. That is one more step down. That's not the last. There is one more step down. When you lie with an animal. A man and a woman. And that is also happening in Europe and America now. And the Lord says here, don't defile yourself like this. Because it is because of these things that I am driving out the nations before you. Because the land has become defiled and I have visited its punishment and the land itself is spooing out these inhabitants. So many people ask, why did God drive out the Canaanites and kill all the Canaanites through the Israelites? Why did he drive them out and kill them? It says here, because, verse 24, these nations are doing all these terrible things I just mentioned here. Then you see the reason why the Canaanites were driven out. The Canaanites and those nations were going into all these sexual sins mentioned from 19 to 23. And they were defiling the land. God said, you got to cleanse this land, drive them out. In the days of Noah also, they were doing things like this. It was so bad that God wiped out the whole world. It was so bad that God wiped out the whole world. Then he said, I won't do that again. But he drove out the Canaanites. We are living in such a wicked generation. Jesus called it a wicked and adulterous generation. If that is the case, then the children of God must be particularly pure in the sexual area. Otherwise we have no power to be a witness to this wicked and adulterous generation. If you play the fool little by little by little, you will also sink into it one day. If you play the fool little by little by little, you will also sink into it one day. Our children, by the time they become 12, 13, 14 years old, they are being exposed in the school to all these things. Our children, by the time they become 12, 13, 14 years old, they are being exposed in the school to all these things. Parents must not say, no, no, no, I won't talk about these things. Parents must not say, no, no, no, I won't talk about these things. You don't teach the children properly at home, they will learn all types of filthy things in their school. If we don't teach the children all these things properly at home, they have to go out and learn all these things. It's our responsibility to teach them in a godly way about what God's standards on sex are when they come to the right age. It's our responsibility to teach them in a godly way about what God's standards on sex are when they come to the right age. Those of us who are older, you know how it was with us when we were young. Those of us who are older, you know how it was with us when we were young. How many of you who are over the age of 35 or 40? How many of you who are over the age of 35 or 40? Or even the over 30? How many of you can say, when you had a question about sex, you went to your parents and asked them, what is this? How many of you can say, when you had a question about sex, you went to your parents and asked them, what is this? No, we never talk to our parents because parents also won't talk about that subject. The thing is, our parents never spoke to us about such things. Our parents never wanted to talk to us about such things. Now tell me, because of that, did you remain ignorant of it? No! No! What your parents did not teach you, you picked up from the gutter. Everybody. And now, where are your children going to pick it up from? From you or from the gutter? I taught my children. Because I didn't want them to go and get information from the gutter. It's the right age for that. I'm just saying the world has become much more evil today than 30 years ago when I talked to my children about these things. We need to become parents. You have to be very close to your children. There are a lot of teachings today that this male and male getting married is because of some inner thing they are born with. That is an absolute lie. God makes people male and female. That's how he made them in the beginning. But some people become abnormal mainly because they don't have good parents. Many stories I have heard. You know people write to me, people talk to me, I've been in Christian ministry for 50 years and I know. There are people who say my father never spent time with me. He was too busy with so many things. My father was very cruel. These are the things that drive children away from the Lord. Like I heard of a teenage girl who told her mother, I have no time to talk to you. When I was 5 years old and I wanted to talk to you, you had no time for me. You were busy with so many things. Now I'm 19 years old and you want to talk to me? I have no time to talk to you. What shall I say? Parents, please be affectionate, loving towards your children. Put your arm around them, hug them. Put your arm over them and kneel down and pray with them. And sometimes take each of your children out for a little one hour outing alone. Once a month at least. One by one. Spend a little time with them, just go for a walk. Go outside, eat something or something expensive. One by one. Become friendly with your children. That was my great desire. When my children came back from school, very often I was traveling in the ministry here and there. When my children came back from school, my wife would always be there at home. One reason she gave up her job was to be a mother. She could have earned a lot of money as a doctor. She never earned one rupee as a doctor in all these 48 years. She spent her time at home as a mother. And then used her medical knowledge to help people. And then used her medical knowledge to help people. I have four children who follow God. When they came back from school, my wife would ask them, What happened in school today? She tried to get information from them. Because you know, in school they can pick up so many bad words, bad habits. So everyday, we would talk to them. We would look into their bags to see if some friend gave them some book which they should not have. See, children are innocent. They don't know what is good and bad. They can use a bad word without even knowing what it means. If your children use a bad word, where did they learn it from? They didn't learn it from you. They learned it from school. If you ask them, what does it mean? Most of the time they will say, we don't know what it means. They heard it. Then we have to teach them, you must never use that word. I believe there is a great need for parents to take an active interest in their children in these days. And some of you whose families are in India, you have to be very very careful. Your wife must do a double job. You must keep in touch with those children by telephone. Nowadays, phone calls you can do very cheap. I remember when my first son went to college at the age of 18. 1987. It was very difficult to make a phone call. And very expensive. Those days, 26, 29 years ago, it was 60 rupees for a minute phone call. That's like 600 rupees today. We could phone him once a month. We didn't have so much money. There was no cell phone, nothing those days. So I would write letters to them. Regularly, every week. Because I knew that they can go astray. I told them this. If you go astray, I will not blame you, I will blame myself. That I did not bring you up right. But if you do go astray, I will pray that God will break your legs or do something and put you in a hospital till you repent. You will have a road accident or something. Because, I rather have your legs broken than you go to hell. To me, Christianity is serious. It was very serious for me. If you don't take it seriously, I see parents who don't take it seriously. That is why their children go astray. So I want to warn all of you. God is on your side in this job. So that is a great encouragement. We are not doing it alone. In this battle against the devil, He is on our side. He is helping us. He is helping us to prevent our children from falling into the hands of the devil. There is a song in English called, Will the circle be unbroken? See like in the family, we all stand together. Like in the family, we all stand together. We all hold hands together. That is a circle. Now the question is, In heaven, will there be a gap in that circle? Think of your family all holding hands together in the room. Your own family, your house, your family. One circle. Everybody is there now, sons, daughters. Father and mother all holding hands. It's a circle. Nobody is missing. Now the question is, when we go to heaven, Will there be a gap in that circle? Anybody missing? Will one of your sons or daughters not be there? Now is the time to think about it. Pray for them. Say, Lord, do whatever you want, But bring them back to life. My wife and I used to claim this promise. First of all, Isaiah 54. Isaiah 54. Isaiah 54. And verse 13. All your children will be taught by the Lord, And the well-being of your children will be great. What a wonderful promise. All your children Will be made disciples by the Lord. This is like a check. If you get a check and you just keep it in your drawer, You won't get any money. Just take it to the bank and cash it. But if you take the check to the bank and cash it, You won't get any money. Here is a check. Take it to the bank of heaven and claim it. 2 Corinthians 1. 2 Corinthians 1. And verse 20. All the promises of God are yes. And by him is our amen. To the glory of God through us. Let me paraphrase it. Explain it as an illustration. All the promises of God are like bank checks. All the promises of God are like bank checks. Jesus Christ is a bank check. But I have to sign on the back saying Amen. Amen means, you know the meaning of Amen? Let it be so. It will be so. Not let it be so. It will be so. Many people don't know the meaning of Amen. When you say Amen, To a prayer, You are saying I agree with that. It will be so. So all the promises of God, You say Amen to it. It will be like that. The Lord will disciple my children. Yes, it will be so. And the other promise, That my wife and I claimed many times. When children grow up, They can face so many problems. We had health problems with all our children. Small thing or the other. All children have it in this world. Which child is there that will not get sick. Sometimes major problems, minor problems. Physical sickness. There can be problems in the school with the teacher or other students or something. All types of problems. From the time they are small. They play with other children and they fight. I remember once, One of my 5 year old boy was playing with the next year 5 year old boy next door. And they were fighting each other. And afterwards I called my son and said why did you do that? I said you must not fight with anybody. You know the usual answer. He fought with me first. Okay, but you also should not fight back. Okay, now we are going to do something. You must come with me. We are going to his house. And you are going to ask forgiveness from him. He says, will he ask forgiveness from me also? That is not important. I am not responsible for him. I am responsible for you. So, I took my little boy to the house. And I knocked at the door. And I said, see my son wants to talk to your son. So, that boy came. And my son said, I am sorry for fighting with you. And my son said, I am sorry for fighting with you. So, that boy said, okay. And we came away. So, he says, dad he never apologized to me. What is the result? Today that son of mine is serving the lord. That boy, I don't know where he is. Teach your children good values from childhood. Matthew 18 verse 19. Husband and wife can claim this. Husband and wife can claim this. If two of you agree concerning anything. Maybe concerning your children. You must be united. If husband and wife are fighting, they cannot claim this promise. Who will suffer? Not the parents, the children. When husband and wife are united like this, that Jesus is between. The devil is always trying to separate the husband and wife. Some misunderstanding. Some angry words. Some little, usually some earthly thing which is on the mind and then the gap comes and then the devil comes through to attack your children. He is not after you. He knows that you are established in the Lord. He can't touch you. He is there. But he knows your children are weak. At least for the sake of your children keep that gap closed. So many parents are so foolish. You can keep the front door closed and keep the back door open. The devil usually comes through the back door. In the front door we are praising the Lord and doing wonderful things in the church. Make sure that the door is closed at the back. Keep united with your wife. This is very important for the time in which we are living. I told you I read hundreds of these emails that come. Tremendous problems. Christian families. And I can only warn you be careful. Encourage you saying God is on your side in this battle. Think of this promise. 1 John 4. You are from God little children and you have overcome them because the one who is living in you is greater than the one who is in the world. You are from God little children and you have overcome them because the one who is living in you is greater than the one who is in the world. We have to teach our children also. You don't have to be afraid of the devil. When Jesus died on the cross he defeated Satan. In the name of Jesus the devil will only flee from you. I have even taught little children this verse James 4.7. Submit to God. That means open your heart and let Jesus come into your heart. Lord Jesus come and fill my life. Then resist the devil and he will flee from you. We must teach our children that. You know sometimes children say oh daddy I am getting fearful dreams at night. Many children say that. I tell them take the name of Jesus and say in Jesus name I drive you out. All your bad thoughts, fearful thoughts, the devil will flee from you. It's good for children to learn that from a very young age. The one that Jesus who lives in us is greater than the devil. That's why we must encourage our children to believe in the mighty power of the name of Jesus. Take that name with you wherever you go. You know in the villages in India we come across demon possessed people just like you read in the gospel. Men also. And exactly like you read in the gospels. I have seen that every single time. Once you say in the name of Jesus get out of that person. Immediately the person goes. It happened once in America also where they cast out a demon from one young girl. 25 year old. It's becoming very common. But in the name of Jesus the devil always goes. And I want to say I have never had to say that more than once. One sentence is enough. Because Jesus said only once. He said go and the demon would go. I have seen in some Pentecostal churches they yell and scream and fast and pray for so many days. That's not the way to do it. It's in the name of Jesus. I remember once one brethren man elder called me to pray for one lady in their church. Because they don't believe in casting out demons. So he didn't know what to do. I said sure I'll come and pray for her. Because that family was living next door to some temple and those people had thrown something or buried something. Anyway when I went there there was another Pentecostal man there who was yelling and screaming and what not. And this poor lady was there. So I thought I don't know who's got the demon. Is it this one or that one. So I told that elder please ask him to go then only we can do something. So then I told her. Ask Jesus to come into your heart. And this voice came from her mouth. Tell her to do it. Don't tell me. That was a demon speaking from within her. Tell her to accept Jesus not me. So I said you get out in Jesus name. And the demon left. Then I told her the same thing. Ask Jesus to come into your heart. Immediately she could receive. Never had a problem after that. It's got nothing to do with me. It's the name of Jesus. I want you all to have faith in that. You children have faith in that. There was a very godly man in China about 60-70 years ago. In a village where there were many demon possessed people. He would always bring him to this godly man and he would cast out the demon. Always. One word and the demon would go. So one day somebody brought a demon possessed person. The man was not there in the house. The 12 year old son was there. So he said bring him in. Bring the person in. Because he had seen so many times what his father did. And he had faith. So that 12 year old boy cast out the demon and the person was free. Are you surprised with that? Is there any verse which says only after you are 40 years old or something you can take the name of Jesus. I tell you the young children have got more faith than the 40 year olds. So there is mighty power in the name of Jesus. You will need it in the days to come. Any type of fear comes to you. In the name of Jesus you command it to go. When you are afraid at night when you sleep. In the name of Jesus you say get out all your fear, all thoughts of fear. It's not always demons. It's just oppressive thoughts. But I want to say there is mighty power in the name of Jesus Christ. It says in Proverbs the name of the Lord is a strong tower. The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous runs into it and he is safe. Today the name of Jesus is a strong tower. But you must be righteous. That means your sin must be confessed first. If you are living in sin you will have no power. The righteous runs into it and he is perfectly safe. So think of the name of the Lord like a strong tower. It's something God has given us to use against the devil. It's something God has given us to use against the devil. You know I was thinking of this verse the other day in Revelation chapter 12. In verse 9. In verse 7. There was war in heaven and Michael and his angels were waging war with the dragon. That is the devil. And they were not strong enough and there was no place found for them in heaven. So those angels fought against the devil and drove them out. Now I say we are not servants of God like angels but sons and daughters of God. We have got more authority. If these angels can war against Satan and drive him out why can't we? It says there was no place found for them in heaven. Verse 8. And I say Lord there must be no place found for Satan in my heart. God is full of mercy. The devil has got no mercy. That's why he destroys people. The one place in the universe where there is zero mercy is hell. So if you lack mercy in your heart towards other people, you got a little bit of hell in your heart. If you can't forgive somebody for some mistake they made, there is no mercy in your heart. That's having a little bit of hell in your heart. You won't have power over Satan if you are unmerciful to people. Because God is full of mercy. We read in James chapter 2. James chapter 2 verse 13. Judgment will be merciless to the one who has shown no mercy. Do you believe that? Supposing somebody does some mistake and you suffer and you don't forgive that person. God won't forgive you. It says here that judgment will be merciless to those who don't show mercy. Mercy doesn't mean that you are not strict. God is very merciful but he is very strict also. So if you are in a place of work you have to be strict with the people who work under you. Otherwise people won't do their work. I remember when I was in the Navy. I was a believer and I wanted to live by the principles of Jesus Christ. So how to be strict and yet be merciful? There is a rule in the military that anytime a sailor passes you he must salute you. And then you return the salute. So if a person passes you without saluting you, you have to pull him up and question him. Why didn't you salute? So I used to ask myself what should I do as a Christian? As a Christian I am not bothered if anybody salutes me or not. I was not at all interested in that. But I had two stripes on my shoulder. The Navy had given me a responsibility and they are paying me every month a very high salary to keep discipline in the Navy. So when this chap passes by and he doesn't salute me, as a Christian I am not bothered. I have to be faithful to the job given to me. So I will call him. Why didn't you salute? That is the way discipline is kept in the military. And that's why you know the military is the most efficient in every country. You see like when there is a problem in a city, when the police can't handle it, then they call the military. Because otherwise we are encouraging indiscipline. But personally we must be merciful. If somebody does some harm to me, we have to forgive them. So I want to ask all of you sitting here. Please listen carefully. Can you think of anybody who did some harm to you or spoke evil of you? I am sure there are many people like that. You can remember. Even the children I am sure they can remember. The older we are, the more people have done harm to us. And the question now is this. Have you forgiven them? I am not asking you whether you fellowship with them. Fellowship may be impossible. When Jesus is hanging on the cross, he said, Father forgive them for they don't know what they are doing. Forgive them. But he didn't have fellowship with them. He had no fellowship with the Pharisees. Forgiveness and fellowship are two different things. When you forgive somebody who has harmed you, I am not saying you must go and visit his house and talk to him or any such thing. No. In your heart you say, I have forgiven them. You may never see them for the rest of your life. But you must forgive them. Otherwise your father will not forgive you. So ask yourself right now. Is there anybody who has hurt you? Know your life as far as you can remember. Have you forgiven all of them? Can you say before God, Lord you know I have forgiven them. I have forgiven this person and this person and this person. And if there is anybody else I have not forgiven, tell me. I will forgive them right now. You can do that right in your seat now. In one second it's over. In one second it's over. Again let me say, you don't have to go and meet that person. No, the Bible says pursue peace with all men. And sometimes the best way to pursue peace with somebody is never visit them. You go there, there will be another quarrel. Then again you have to forgive. So with such people it is best to stay away. Because we want to pursue peace with all. Don't go where more problems will be created. Even if somebody does not ask you for forgiveness, you have to forgive them. See, people who killed Jesus, they never asked for forgiveness. But Jesus said forgive them. So even if they don't ask forgiveness, we say forgive them. Because they are ignorant, they are blind, we are not bothered. Our eyes are open. The only place where a person must ask forgiveness is where fellowship has to be built. If fellowship has to be built, that cannot be built without the person acknowledging their sin. See, Matthew 18 it says, that if somebody commits a sin in the church, a brother, Matthew 18 verse 18, you must go and correct him. Matthew 18 verse 15, if your brother commits a sin, you must go and correct him. Now, why didn't Jesus go and correct those Pharisees who were crucifying him? Why didn't he correct the Pharisees who called him Beelzebul? He forgave them without correcting them. Why? Because here it says, if a brother does that, they were not his brothers. We will deal differently with brothers and those who are not believers. If an unbeliever does something wrong, don't try to correct him. Father forgive them, I forgive them, they don't know what they are doing. But if it's a brother who does it, supposing a brother in this church does something seriously wrong, they say okay, we are going to ignore it, forget it. We are treating him like an unbeliever. He has done something wrong. Let him go to hell, I am not bothered. I don't want him to go to hell. And so, I have to tell him, brother, this is wrong. And the aim is to win him, verse 15. And if he doesn't listen to you, take the elders and go and speak to him again. If he still doesn't listen, tell the whole church, verse 17. And if he doesn't even listen to all the leaders, treat him like an ungodly one. Then how do you treat him like an unbeliever? Then you forgive him and release him. So, unbelievers we just forgive without asking any questions. But when there is a believer, we have a responsibility to make sure he doesn't go to hell. And we must love him enough to correct him. And sometimes you don't have the wisdom for it, let the elders do it. See, I've been an elder for many years now. There are many many people I've had to correct. But people are not in the church, I don't correct at all. Like I told you, in that little fight my 5 year old had, I corrected my son, but I did not correct the other person's son. That is his business to correct him. So, we have a responsibility for people within our church, they are like our family. We are not responsible for others. So, in our CFC churches, if I see somebody doing something wrong, I always correct them. And I remember once when I corrected a brother, he said, Brother Zak, I don't like anybody talking to me like that. Oh, I said, I'm sorry, I will never talk to you again. I never spoke to him after that day, many years ago. He left the church and he's gone completely astray. I hope he's saved, I don't know. But as soon as I see somebody is not interested in correction, I stop. I'm not interested. God is also like that. If he corrects you and you don't listen, he'll stop correcting you. We want God to correct us for the smallest things. I know sometimes God has spoken to me very strongly about some small little thing. I'm so thankful. You love me so much that even for a small thing you correct me. So, we have to be careful that we ourselves don't ever keep anything in our heart against anyone. And that we have forgiven everybody. And always live like that. So that one day when Christ comes, our heart is clear. See 2 Corinthians 2. It says that if we don't forgive somebody, the devil gets an advantage over us. See 2 Corinthians 2. If you have forgiven anything, I also forgive. And if I have forgiven anything, I did it in the presence of Christ. Why do I forgive? Verse 11, so that no advantage will be taken us by Satan. Satan gets an advantage when I don't forgive somebody. I know many times people come to me for prayer, for sickness. Every time I ask them one question before I pray for you. Have you forgiven everybody? Have you got a bitterness against anyone? If there is anybody you have not forgiven, right now before I pray for you, forgive that person. Otherwise we can pray and like I said, the heart is covered, God's blessing will not come in. So when we don't forgive, our heart is blocked. And Satan gets an advantage. So this is very very important. To keep our conscience clear, forgive everybody and never let Satan get any advantage over us. And resist him in Jesus name. If all of us do that in our personal life, the church will become a strong church. And in the home especially, forgive your husband, forgive your wife because God has forgiven you so much. You may say, but she is so evil or he is so bad. You were much worse towards God. And He forgave you. Why can't you forgive others? I know God has forgiven me so much. I am ready to forgive everybody in the world. I can't have fellowship with everybody. Even Jesus didn't have fellowship with everyone. He forgave everyone. He spat on his face, he forgave them. He called him the devil, he forgave him. He killed him, he forgave him. We must follow in his footsteps. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I pray that you will build a strong church here in Bahrain. We don't pray that you will build a big one but a strong one. Because it is quality that you look for. I pray this will be a church that you can approve of. Bless those who have responsibility. Give them an anointing in their life. Both George Ooty and Sojan, give them an anointing in their life. Give them wisdom to guide the affairs of this church. And raise up many young brothers and sisters who will be zealous to live for you in this church. Who will be able to be examples to the little children growing up here. Make this like a light that shines for you. Help everyone to do their part. In Jesus name, Amen. For more information visit www.fema.org