Inner Healing through Forgiveness

Tue May 29 16:23:04 PDT 2007

*"TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE" MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt – Beth Chesed, **Tacoma***

*PO Box **25116 – Federal Way** **WA** **98093-2116***

*Web: www.2rbetter.org – Fax: 253.474.0189*

*Tel: 253.874.4265 – Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*May 29, 2007***

* *

*"INNER HEALING through FORGIVENESS"*

*(A Powerful Witness from **Turkey**)*

* *

*INTRODUCTION: *A friend from Israel writes: "I recently sent you the gory
details of the martyrdom of 3 men in Turkey. Here is a first hand report of
one of their funerals that will rescue our hearts from hate or fear or
anger, and give us understanding of God's heart and purposes. Here it is:

*A Powerful Witness in the Funeral of the Turkish Martyrs*

* *

On Wednesday April 18, 2007, the fledgling Christian community in this
nation of 70 million Muslims, suffered a devastating blow, when three of its
finest, were brutally murdered for their faith. One German and two other
Turkish brothers were found in the print shop, in south central Turkey,
where they published and sold Bibles. They had been tortured, stabbed
repeatedly, and bound with their throats slit. Sadly, it was at the hands of
five trusted young men, who had claimed to be seekers of our LORD. The
murder was skillfully pre-meditated and ruthlessly carried out. Needless to
say, as members of the Body, we have been deeply grieved by this terrible
tragedy. Yet, what appeared to be a victory for the enemy has since resulted
in the most OPEN DECLARATION of the GOSPEL this nation has seen since the
Apostle Paul! Therefore, we rejoice that not one drop of blood shed by these
dear saints has fallen to the ground in vain.

Last Saturday, approximately 500 believers gathered in a demonstration of
solidarity, to honor the lives of these colleagues. Despite the heavy police
and media coverage in a country that is 99.9% Muslim, each of us had
determined that it was worth the risk and exposure, to stand together for
our LORD. After all, it seemed a small sacrifice, compared to the loss
experienced by the wives, children and fiancé of the deceased.

What we witnessed has FOREVER changed our lives! As the body was carried
into the courtyard, high upon the shoulders of our Turkish brothers,
spontaneous applause burst forth! I leaned over to my national friend and
queried, "Is this normal for funerals, in your culture?" "No," he asserted,
"it's because he's a martyr!" As the casket continued its journey toward the
front, the really beautiful worship music erupted – somewhat reminiscent of
a Gregorian chant. Then everyone joined together in the singing of Turkish
praise songs.

However, what followed nearly took our breath away! Approximately ten
[Christian] Turkish leaders proclaimed openly the GOSPEL in front of
television cameras, news reporters, Police officials; the Deputy Governor of
Izmir, and several other important officials. FEARLESSLY, yet with GENTLE
STRENGTH each shared his faith in CHRIST, and HIS FORGIVENESS of those who
had committed the heinous murders! Additionally, they shared that CHRIST had
won the VICTORY, and at this very hour the martyrs were standing before the
very throne of GOD! Several mentioned that the lives of these men were
perhaps the seeds that must be planted in order for a harvest to come forth.
One pastor passionately exclaimed, "We will spread this message, God's Word,
because we are children of the Lord! You may kill us all, but we will spread
this message, because we love you and because Jesus loves you! We forgive
the attackers, because we too have been forgiven." Powerful applause,
"Amens" and "Hallelujahs" erupted from among the scores of nationalities
represented there! It was awesome!

However, what happened next … can ONLY be explained by the SUPERNATURAL LOVE
and STRENGTH that GOD ALONE can give. Spontaneously, in an unplanned moment
– Necati's wife asked if she could speak. Amid her tears she spoke of her
forgiveness of the very men who had tortured and killed her precious
husband, and the father of her children! In an emotion filled voice, she
asserted: "I know my Necati was praying for them, even while he was being
tortured." She also spoke of the wonderful love they shared as a family and
their joy in serving the LORD together.

Lastly, she stated "I loved my husband very, very much – but, I love my
Jesus even more. And that is how I can face tomorrow." Again thunderous
applause burst forth! We were spell bound!

In the closing moments of this incredible service, one of the pastors
shouted "Afferin Necati!!! Afferin Tilman!!! Afferin Ugur!!! – Which
translated means – "Well done Necati!! Well done Tilman!! Well done Ugur!!
We are certain the LORD echoed those same sentiments, as He received those
precious men into His heavenly kingdom!!! Then, as Necati's body was
lovingly ushered onward to its final resting place, applause and praise
resonated throughout the garden! As we looked up, we noticed that the media
stood utterly dumbfounded! We were quite certain they had NEVER witnessed
anything like this before. Yet, as believers we know we had been in the very
presence of the LORD!

It seemed as if we had observed church history in the very making. Most
importantly, we believe that the precious blood of these saints was NOT shed
in vain, but will be used to further GOD'S KINGDOM in a manner that has not
occurred since the time of the apostles!

*SO LET IT BE WRITTEN – SO LET IT BE DONE!!!!!!*

* *

*NOTE:  *Forgiveness is a key requirement for Inner Healing. Dennis Bennett
entered into this through his wife Rita near the end of his life. From the
beginning of their marriage Rita supported Dennis in his Evangelistic gifts
both at St. Luke's and throughout the world.

Then in the latter part of his life, Rita came out with several books on
Inner Healing. This led into conferences that took on an ever increasing
importance. Then their roles changed! Dennis became Rita's support in the
growing "Inner Healing" Conferences.

Joseph, the 11th son of Jacob, is a remarkable example of the important
relationship of Forgiveness to Inner Healing. It is a good thing that his 10
half brothers did not come to Egypt for grain prior to the birth of
Manasseh!

His name means "Forgetfulness." Joseph's thought at his birth was this –
"God has made me FORGET the bitterness of the past (13 years of it) through
the joy of this little son Manasseh. I doubt if Joseph could have
demonstrated to his brothers such a spirit of forgiveness as recounted below
prior to the birth of Manasseh.

Genesis 45:3-8 NLT – "I am Joseph!" he said to his brothers. "Is my father
still alive?" But his brothers were speechless! They were stunned to realize
that Joseph was standing there in front of them. 4"Come over here," he said.
So they came closer. And he said again, "I am Joseph, your brother whom you
sold into Egypt. 5But don't be angry with yourselves that you did this to
me, for God did it. He sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives.
6These two years of famine will grow to seven, during which there will be
neither plowing nor harvest. 7God has sent me here to keep you and your
families alive so that you will become a great nation. 8Yes, it was God who
sent me here, not you! And he has made me a counselor to Pharaoh – manager
of his entire household and ruler over all Egypt."

Of all the Old Testament types of Jesus, perhaps Joseph is the greatest.
Hear His words from the Cross concerning his persecutors and haters of His
soul. Luke 23:34 NLT -- Jesus said, "Father, forgive these people, because
they don't know what they are doing."

Both Joseph and Jesus experienced full Inner Healing because of their
unusual heart attitude toward those who abused and misused them.

But when we consider the words of those at the funeral of one of the three
recent martyrs in Turkey – we see the exact same spirit of forgiveness! It
is like the spirit of the early Christian martyrs that Rome sent into the
arena of wild beasts – and of Stephen!

Pray and believe for this same deep spirit of forgiveness in us as God's
people today. Deep Inner Healing will flow forth from the Throne of God to
all such.

Your friends – Jim & Marie Watt
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