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FORGIVENESS - an OPTION OR COMMAND?
by Ruth M. Lambert
It seems today that the enemy
of our soul is running rampant within the Body of Believers using offenses and unforgiveness as his most lethal weapons!!
Lethal?
YES!!!
Offenses and Unforgiveness are lethal weapons Satan uses to destroy relationships, families, friends, churches and
ministries. Lethal because Offense and Unforgiveness kills love, fellowship (with God and man), worship, the anointing of
the Holy Spirit, and brings US Spiritual DEATH! Satan's agenda has never changed....he comes to steal, kill and destroy! His
tactics are old and proven over time......"if I can get them offended and angry, I can rob their joy and strength, kill their
faith in God, and destroy the work for God's kingdom and waylay them into being useless."
Satan has a PLOT!
but
My
GOD has a PLAN!
FORGIVENESS - ONE OF GOD'S "HARD SAYINGS"
How do we "see" God? If we look at Him as being unloving,uncaring,
and harsh....expecting us to forgive those who have hurt us as if what they did doesn't matter to Him, then we will have a
very difficult time "forgiving" others. If we are still thinking along the ways of the world, we want revenge and justice
on our terms. We want to see those who have hurt us, be hurt in return for their actions. We want revenge for our woundings.
When we take such responses to offenses and hurts, we invite Satan into our heart and circumstances. And when the Enemy comes
in, he brings his demon cohorts that feed sin!
This is Satan's PLOT!
He tempted you to get angry because someone hurt
you...that was his bait! If you have taken his bait, now your anger is an open door for him to move in and bring his seven
cousins that have been just looking for such an opportunity to enter your house(you). Take a look at them....Anger invited
Resentment, Bitterness, Hatred, UNFORGIVENESS, Depression, Discouragement and Dispare. An ungodly bunch to associate with
wouldn't you agree?
If we understand the LOVE that God has put into "forgiveness" then we begin to see the true character
of God. We come into an understanding of His deeper purposes in His command to us to forgive others. "God so loved the World
that He gave us His Son", "Jesus so loved the Father that He laid down His life to do His Father's will."
GOD HAS A PLAN!
God's
PLAN? Restoration!!
Restoring man to a right relationship with Himself and bringing us into fellowship with Him. How? THRU
FORGIVENESS! He made a way for us to be restored thru Jesus Christ and all that He SUFFERED FOR US EVEN UNTO DEATH!
This
is the true character of God!
LOVE!
THIS IS THE CHARACTER OF JESUS! HE LOVED!
He gave! He Restored!
HE became
THE WAY for you and me to be restored to the Father even though our sins were many! How then does this tie into God's command
to us to FORGIVE OTHERS? Let's look at it!
OBEDIENCE vs. EMOTIONS!
In the garden of Gethsemany when Jesus went to pray,
before He was taken to be nailed upon the cross for the sins of all mankind......He was in agony in His emotions! YES! His
emotions were finghting against His spirit and the Father's will.
He cried, He prayed, He sweat drops of blood so earnest
were His prayers and so great was the battle of His flesh that He wanted to know if there was another way for this to be done,
BUT He also knew in His heart WHAT the Father's will was and WHAT He must be willing to do! So after agonizing long in His
flesh, His Spirit took over the emotions and HIS WILL and CHOICE was TO DO THE FATHER'S WILL!
Jesus Christ FULLFILLED God's
PLAN by making it HIS CHOICE TO BE OBEDIENT TO HIS FATHER.
Should we do anything less?
FORGIVENESS IS A COMMAND(TO US)
NOT AN OPTION!
BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST ALREADY PAID THE PRICE FOR US!
The command to FORGIVE has no sideboards!
The
command is NOT bent to our liking!
The command IS LIFE to our soul and to our spirit!!
THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST FLOWS
THRU OUR FORGIVENESS!!
To WASH, CLEANSE, HEAL AND RESTORE US
AND
SET US FREE FROM OUR TORMENTORS!
FORGIVENESS
AND MERCY ARE THE CORNER STONES OF OUR SALVATION
SHOULE WE STRIVE TO BE ANY LESS or GIVE ANY LESS THAN WHAT WE HAVE BEEN
GIVEN FREELY thru JESUS CHRIST? Jesus went to the Cross for US not for Himself! There are times WE are called upon to do the
same......
When we choose to FORGIVE it is more for our benefit than what we realize! It sets us free to follow the ONE
who took the lead in Our place! It releases God to work in the one whom we forgive!
FORGIVENSS IS NOT AN OPTION! IT IS
A DIRECT COMMAND FROM GOD THE FATHER!
from:WOMEN UNLIMITED IN CHRIST
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