You Have Authority to Release People from Sin.. ON EARTH!

One of the greatest truths I have learned in freeing other people from their past is the authority Jesus has given us.  Found in John 20:21-22 "And when Jesus had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

I have been practicing this for many years.  It all started in a service that I held in Salem, Oregon.  I was standing behind a man in the service and when the leader told us to turn around and greet people, he turned to me. I could smell alcohol on his breath and on his body.  I knew he was an alcoholic if he smelled on Sunday morning.  Then I told him, "After today sir, Jesus is telling me you will never take another drink of alcohol."  I went up to speak and the man ran out of the service. I think he was fearful that I would embarrass him. I felt condemned that I had chased him away.  But not known to me, he slipped back in the back of the auditorium.  When I gave the invitation, he came to the front.  I led him to Jesus and he repeated the sinners prayer.  Then I told him, "Jesus just told me to give you this message.  Your sins are forgiven.  Everything you have done before today, He has totally forgiven.  You are released from your past sins".  He burst into tears with a loud groan. He fell to his knees and began to weep.  For quite awhile he knelt there until there was literally a puddle of tears.  Then he got up and told me, "All my condemnation that led me to drink is gone!"  I went back 8 months later to hold another School of Evangelism in that city and who is sitting in the front row? The man set free 8 months earlier.  He then told me, "I have never taken another drink after Jesus freed me that day you prayed with me."  Let's practice this great authority ON EARTH!