Forgive

August 15, 2018

Forgive

The enemy of our soul is as a lion seeking whom to devour, he tries to find any weakness and exploit it with temptation, entanglement, condemnation, destruction, deceit, and all manner of evil.

1 Peter 5:8 KJV — Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil (Satan), as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Sometimes he will send someone to wound you, to draw near to you and pierce you at your most vulnerable (Judas Iscariot). This can be in the form of a friend, a loved one, a family member, a boss, a stranger... He wounds to kill, and his attacks are many, and his thrusts are constant.

Genesis 3:1 KJV - Now the serpent (Satan) was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

He may cause your family to break apart, he may cause your sister to start a drug addiction, he may cause your wife to cheat on you, your best friend to betray you, a stranger to mock you, a parent to scorn you...

When we receive these wounds, we must deal wisely with them. We must cover the wounds with forgiveness, we must see past the hurt and preserve our heart.

Many times in my life I allowed the darts of the enemy to poison me, for bitterness to consume me. As hurt turned into anger, and anger turned into hate, and hate into bitterness, and bitterness into strife, and my joy and peace and love waxed cold and I sought to self medicate and numb myself so that I may never feel hurt again.

You see the enemy wants us to hold seeds of resentment in our hearts, to cripple us with unforgivness, bitterness, and to feel as though no one loves us. That is where we draw nourishment from the love of Jesus Christ, Elohim, so that he may heal our heart and to shower down love on us despite what the world says, despite all of the scars or open wounds we have.

Yet, we must also remember that we have wounded God with our sins, or we may have ruined others lives with our sins, or our own life at that. Hurt people hurt people. This is why He calls us to forgive any one who has who wronged us in order so that He can forgive us of our sins, and to stop the cycle.

When we realise that it is usually not a personal attack from a person, but rather influence by the devil, we can see that the enemy seeks to wound and destroy us, bit by bit, or with a devastating blow. We must hold on to

the love of Christ, and allow His love and Spirit to comfort us through all affliction and persecution so that we may live with a pure heart and be unspotted from the corruption of the enemy. We must be as a child in malice, but as a learned man in wisdom. For the pure in heart shall see God in all His glory, and for that is my greatest treasure.

Jesus gave us this sobering message on the need to forgive those who have sinned against us:

Matthew 18:21-35 KJV - Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? [22] Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. [23] Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. [24] And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. [25] But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. [26] The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. [27] Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. [28] But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. [29] And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. [30] And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. [31] So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. [32] Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: [33] Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? [34] And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. [35] So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Every time the enemy crucifies us, we must not hold onto it but rather follow in the love and wisdom of the Son of Man, the Living God embodied:

Luke 23:34 KJV — Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

John 10:10 KJV — The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

2 Corinthians 2:7-11 KJV — So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

John 13:27 KJV — And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

Ephesians 6:12 KJV — For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

1 Corinthians 14:20 KJV — Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

Ephesians 4:31 KJV — Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

Ephesians 5:27 KJV — That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

2 Corinthians 11:2 KJV — For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.