Forgiveness
Jerry Wilhite, author Those who do not forgive, are in bondage to whatever it is they are not forgiving. To forgive is to release one from bondage of whatever or who ever they forgive. Judging keeps one in bondage to whatever or who ever they are judging. To avoid judging is the same as avoiding debt judging is bondage of a yoke no lighter than that of debt. If you judge you will not forgive what is the first step to forgiveness in general is ending judging. Matthew 7 1. Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4. Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5. Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. If you judge another you are saying you are superior to them in some way. And then when you meet the Lord on judgement day you have to meet up to the level of judgement you met out to others here. A good way to avoid judging others is to judge your life in and with God in His love. Luke 23 I am not Jesus, He was of the Spirit and could forgive. Matthew 27 46. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? When Jesus died on the cross He was just a man, the spirit left Him that is why He said " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" So He was no different at that moment than you and I, and those who do not believe Jesus came in the flesh need to read I John 4:1-3. Matthew 6 14. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. We have to forgive to be forgiven. Mark 11 25. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. Without forgiveness there is no salvation, what holds us up is our sin, and what we need is forgiveness of sin. We sin, Satan accuses, we ask forgiveness, Jesus stands in for us and profess the Blood, we are forgiven, God forgets and the next case comes up. But when we bring the sin up again, or just won’t let go of it for what ever reason,. this gives Satan a chance to accuse. But we do not ask forgiveness again, so Satan is able to get through our armor and give us hell. At least until we remember to ask for forgiveness, repent, or just pray the Lord’s Prayer and except our forgiveness. If we truly believe the word of God we except our forgiveness and forget it. If you except your forgiveness and don’t hold on to the sin, and forget it, then you are cleansed, you are new, health and prosperity will come your way if you are of God. The only other area of forgiveness that holds us up is forgiving someone else. This is almost as hard as forgiving self. Let’s say a woman’s 3 year old is raped, and killed, and she does not forgive the person, what happens? Two things first she has given Satan a wide birth in her life and second it will eat at her until she is nothing but an empty shell. When we do not forgive we are then given permission to depression, hate, anger, offense to enter and we are forcing out the fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, etc. Think of it this way when we forgive we are taking back our life but those who do not forgive are allowing who or whatever did them wrong to continue to do them harm even if the person is no longer involved. What happens if she forgives the person? She is kicking Satan out in this area of her life and taking it back from Satan and the one who did her wrong. Why should we forgive? Because mankind was created in God’s image, meaning what we are, not our flesh, but our spirit and soul (mind, will and emotions). And since God is not evil, neither are we, but we do allow evil in all forms to enter and they do things that appears to be us doing them. But it is not our true selves. So we should forgive the sinner and love them while hating the sin and evil. You can hate, as long as it is directed towards evil and sin and not towards people. The woman above if she would forgive would be forgiving the person, not the sin. And this would do more to help her. And if we truly believe in God, we believe in the next life. And if we believe in the next life, then there is no death, there is only a passing from this less than perfect world to perfection. Where we will meet those loved ones that left before us. It is only a temporary separation. In the measurement of time compared to eternity, it would be but a blinking of an eye. So the true loss would be if the woman did not forgive, and allowed it to eat her up to the point of falling away and rejecting God. Because then she never would see her child again. And that is true grief, grief is only of a loss, and if you will see each other again, then there is no loss, just a short separation. How do you grow and allow this type of forgiveness to be in your life; How often should we forgive? Matthew: 18:22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. What is the only unforgiveable sin? and why? Matthew:
34. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
12:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
Why? Because the only way to blasphemy the Holy Ghost is not to be of the Holy Ghost. And the only way to be forgiven is of the Holy Ghost, so if you are not of the Holy Ghost, you can not be forgiven.
So I say unto you now, forgive all unto all and accept your forgiveness.
Don't allow Satan another victory by consuming you with bitterness that comes from unforgiveness.