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"We struggled, and clawed at the rock, straining to reach the top,
weighed down with our incredible burdens. Sharp
cries of anguish rang out as others slipped and slid down the rugged face,
pulled along by the gravity of their load.
Many clung to crevices, exhausted and drained.
The rest of us groaned under the weight, straining for the crest, the
apex of our hope . . . .
At the summit, climbers scurried to and fro,
bearing their buoyant loads, preparing for the feast.
The Leader stood on the crest, surveying the scene.
He turned and gazed down at the valley, and surveyed all the baggage that
had been dropped, to tumble down the face, coming to rest at the cross.
Why did the others struggle so with their loads?
The price has been paid. All
were free to throw off their burdens at the foot of the cross, and scale the
height. Tears coming to his eyes,
he turned looking up to heaven, "Father,
please let them know . . ."
Michael
The inability to forgive has probably been the most common sin that will
block a deliverance from occurring. It
is critical that unforgiveness be resolved.
We are required by God to forgive other people.
Christ said, "If you forgive men for their transgressions, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you. But
if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your
transgressions" (Matt 6:14-15). When
demons are commanded to leave a person, they will not do so if there is
unforgiveness and consequent bitterness harboured in the heart of the
individual. If forgiveness is not
extended, then ground is retained by darkness, and freedom will not come.
We have discovered that unforgiveness is one
of the primary tools that Satan uses to gain access to a believer's life.
We are admonished by Paul to forgive one another "in order that no
advantage be taken of us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes"
(2 Cor 2:11). Failure to forgive
one another may have become one of the biggest sins of the church.
As a result, Satan has been able to put his grip on us - hindering God's
ability to release us from the effects of sin. It
is also critical that the believer extends forgiveness to himself, and
experiences freedom with himself.
"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and slander be
put away from you, along with all malice. And
be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in
Christ also has forgiven you" (Eph 4:31,32).
"Be merciful, as your Father is merciful" (Lk 6:36).
"Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.
Forgive as the Lord forgave you" (Col 3:13).
Who are we to forgive?
We should forgive everyone whose name conjures up feelings of bitterness
or anger. It does not matter how
wrong the person was or how much they hurt you, we are commanded to forgive.
Forgiveness is a matter of the will, not the emotions.
We must first determine to forgive someone, and then stand, determined to
renounce all wicked bitter thoughts that come to mind, telling them that they
must go because forgiveness has been extended.
Eventually the emotions will change. PROCESS
TOWARD FORGIVENESS
1. Tell
the Lord that you are willing to forgive all those who have hurt you.
Ask him, by His Spirit, to make you aware of anybody towards whom you
hold bitterness, anger, or hurt. Write
these down on a piece of paper and describe the wrong that was done.
Do not forget to include yourself or God.
2. Make
a conscious decision that you will forgive whether the person is repentant or
not, or even if the person repeats the same offense over and over again (Lk
7:27-36; Matt 18:21,22). Realize
that forgiveness is our extension of Christ's work on the cross.
Also realize that you are free to take steps to stop the offender from
offending again.
3. Turn
the memories and injustices over to God. Decide
that you are going to drop the case, and drop it into the Lord's hands.
He is to be the one who is to handle justice. "Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.
Respect what is right in the sight of all men.
If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.
Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of
God, for it is written, `Vengeance is Mine, I will repay. says the Lord.
But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a
drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.'
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Rom
12:17-21).
4. Take
your list before God and say the following:
"I forgive ( name ) for ( list the offenses ).
I release this person to you God, along with any debts that he/she owes
me. Your will be done."
Do it out loud. Chances are you will not feel any change in your emotions,
but if you are sincere, they will change over time.
Do not repress any emotions that surface, but pray asking God to take
them and heal the associated pain. Once
you have completed the list, write across the whole page "FORGIVEN"
and then destroy the list.
5. Confess
to the Lord your previous sin of unforgiveness and renounce it.
Ask the Lord to fill you with his comforting Holy Spirit, and to fill
your heart with love for those that have hurt you.
This kind of love will never be "eros" or "phileo"
but rather "agape" love; a calm respect for their personhood - created
in the likeness of God.
6. Pray
for those who have done the offense, that they will be blessed (Matt 5:44; Lk
6:28), and that they may find the freedom of forgiveness (Gal 5:1,13-14).
7. If
required, privately ask forgiveness from those whom you have wronged (Matt
5:23-26; Lk 6:27). If this is impossible or inappropriate, you may want to write
a letter. If the person no longer
lives, put this in the hands of God. Be
sure also to forgive yourself.
8. Realize that you have now
done all that you can do - and all that is required by God.
If thoughts of hatred surface, reject them and give them to God.
If accusatory thoughts enter your mind, realize that they are not of the
Holy Spirit (but of the devil), and reject them.
The Holy Spirit never accuses, but gently leads into righteousness.
While it is important that each individual
take care of all his/her own personal business before there is any actual
confrontation of the kingdom of darkness, it is also very important that there
be a strong prayer base with which to empower the process.
Let's look at some suggestions.
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Power2Serve Resources Box 954 Lumsden, SK, Canada S0G 3CO |
