Jesus, help me understand that these debts presented here include sins. Make it clear to me that sins aren’t the only thing included in the word “debts;” but, that is all You can teach me for right now. Train me so I can teach my friend how to see that they, like all the rest of us humans, have done things that have hurt people. In some cases they didn’t mean to, in others they did. There have been times when they couldn’t identify with other’s situations and they said and did things that damaged those people. There have been times when they were insensitive to other people’s needs and problems. Other people tried to reach out to them and they couldn’t or wouldn’t help. Help me show them that God calls this behavior sin.

Jesus, let me help them understand that every adult has contracted the spiritual disease of sin. The reason they hurt people is because they are damaged themselves. Help me explain to them that God understands that they can’t help themselves. He knows they are going to continue to hurt people because they have contracted the deadly, highly contagious spiritual disease of sin. He knows that, if left untreated, sin is going to keep on making them worse. No matter how hard they try, they are going to mistreat more and more people.

Jesus, help me see that the important thing to teach my friend is that God isn’t upset with the fact that they sin. The Bible says that He responded to their condition with love. At a time when we were all infected with this sin disease, He demonstrated His love for us by dying for our sins (Rom 5:8). Help this Scriptural concept speak to my friend’s heart. Let me help them realize that the big issue is sin; BUT, Jesus has solved the issue of sin! He has provided all the help they need concerning the deeds they have committed against themselves and others.

Jesus, as I read this next verse to my friend, let them understand that all the sins in their life can be cured: 1 John 4:9-10 This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Jesus, help me explain to my friend that it is like them going in and getting medicine that cures a deadly, highly contagious disease. In that case, there would only be one way for them to die from it and pass it on to others. They would have to refuse to go get the cure. Help me show them that, that is their case with the deadly, highly contagious spiritual disease of sin. Jesus produced the cure; all they have to do is “do what it takes” to experience the cure. Once they do, they get healed and they are then helped to stop spreading it.

Jesus, help my friend understand that God demonstrates His own love for them in this: While they were still a sinner, Christ died for them (Rom 5:8). Help them understand that God isn’t going to judge them because they are a sinner; He will only judge them because they have a way of being set free from sinning against themselves and all the people around them, and they don’t take it; He is going to judge them if they won’t accept the cure. Help me explain to them that by praying this prayer that Jesus provided, they will be accepting the cure.

Jesus, help me teach them that by praying this part of this prayer, they are facing two issues. First, they are asking to be forgiven for all the bad things they have done to their self and others, whether they did it on purpose or accidently. Second, they are being asked to forgive all those who have hurt them. Help me take time to allow them to see if You bring anyone into their mind. Let me explain to them that for the moment, they will only need to forgive those people You bring into their memory. Remind me to tell them that You will bring others to mind later on; that will require them to keep forgiving each person that You bring up.

Jesus, if my friend is having problems with being willing to forgive ALL those who have hurt them, help me spend some time assisting them in asking God to help them forgive these people. Later when we look at some more Scriptures that follow this prayer, let them see how important it is to forgive all who have hurt them.

Jesus, help me explain to my friend that this word “debt” is being used to describe all the things they have done to hurt people and all the things people have done to hurt them. Help my friend pray the words “Forgive us our debts” and realize this is talking about all their sins. Help me explain to them that God will forgive them of all their past, present, and future sins. But, help me also explain that the main requirement is that they do the same for those who have sinned against them.

Jesus, people have said things to my friend that they feel they should apologize to them for. They feel it is a debt because they OWE them an apology. Others OWE them money or things they have taken or borrowed from them. Let me teach them that, if their “debtor” can pay them back--let them. If they can’t, then they should forgive them the debt. If they can apologize--let them. If they can’t or won’t--forgive them. Then let me explain why they should do this.

Jesus, help me explain to my friend that You had to give Your life in order for them to be able to be forgiven of their debts and sins. Help me show them that if there had been any other way, God would have done it and protected His Son; but, there was no other way. Help them see that with our little brains we may think we could have found some other way. We might think that we didn’t need this sacrificial death. But, if God, Who knows everything, decided there was no other way for our spiritual disease to be cured, then we must all believe there was no other way.

Jesus, since You paid such a heavy price for my friend to be forgiven, You are now asking them to forgive others of the debts and sins that have been created against them. If my friend needs more time praying for the strength and desire to forgive others, let me take out as much time as is necessary to help them. Their forgiveness for others must be real and from their heart.