Settling All Claims

If all our sins are forgiven, we have total rights of redemption. But if there is any sin in our lives that is not confessed — and is therefore not forgiven—we do not have full legal rights of redemption in that area. Satan still has a claim in that area. I have proved this many times in the ministry of deliverance. If Satan has any claim, he will not give it up. You can shout in his face or fast for a week, but you will not change the situation because Satan knows that he has a legal claim that still has not been settled.

Another common way in which believers give Satan a legal claim in their lives is by failing to forgive others. Jesus taught us that we are forgiven by God in the same measure in which we forgive others. We are to pray:

“Forgive us our debts [trespasses], as we forgive our debtors [those who trespasses against us]” (Matthew 6:12)

We are not entitled to claim forgiveness from God above the measure in which we forgive others (see verses 14–15). Therefore, if there are any people we have not forgiven, in that measure, we are not forgiven by God. In other words, any area of unforgiveness in our lives is an area to which Satan still has legal claim. Do what you will; you cannot dislodge him until you have forgiven whomever you need to forgive.