shepherdsgrace
Member
- Joined
- May 4, 2005
- Messages
- 148
According to the teachings of Jesus, there is nothing more important than having a heart that is filled with forgiveness. And for many there is nothing any harder to do! Yet the scripture teaches plainly that when we do not forgive then we are not forgiven! We simply must forgive all offenses.
I want to give three simple steps without going into much teaching detail that will help in releasing ourselves from the bondage and captivity of the unforgiving heart.
1. We turn to God and ask him to forgive us for our unforgiving state. It is a sin to harbor unforgiveness.
2. We release the person to God. Release him from our desires and binding emotions. We trust in God to deal with him as He sees fit. We release to God. He is the judge.
3. We simply forgive the person in the presence of the Lord. At this point God will intervene and help us because our own bondage of unforgiveness is under the blood of the Lamb. He will enable us to do what seems impossible.
4. We continue to exercise our forgiveness. When future thoughts arise we make decisions to drop it all before the Lord.
To walk with a forgiving spirit is a walk of freedom. There is nothing so precious as to walk in freedom.
The truth is that in our human nature we are very incapable of forgiving and we are most often in a state of denial. We do not recognize our need to forgive. We hold grief, pain, sorrow, fear,bitterness and hurt close to us. It just seems to take up residence without any effort at all. Pain from the actions of others can simply consume us.
That is why it is so vital to realize our state of unforgiveness. Once we have asked God to forgive us then the Holy Spirit moves within us to enable us to loose and forgive and continue to mature in a forgiving spirit.
It is an hour by hour walk that takes us into a brighter future. It is a sowing to the spirit rather than the flesh.
The way of the cross is hard. But it is the WAY! It brings a death to the old ways and resurrection life to the new ways of God.
Praise the Name of the Lord
I want to give three simple steps without going into much teaching detail that will help in releasing ourselves from the bondage and captivity of the unforgiving heart.
1. We turn to God and ask him to forgive us for our unforgiving state. It is a sin to harbor unforgiveness.
2. We release the person to God. Release him from our desires and binding emotions. We trust in God to deal with him as He sees fit. We release to God. He is the judge.
3. We simply forgive the person in the presence of the Lord. At this point God will intervene and help us because our own bondage of unforgiveness is under the blood of the Lamb. He will enable us to do what seems impossible.
4. We continue to exercise our forgiveness. When future thoughts arise we make decisions to drop it all before the Lord.
To walk with a forgiving spirit is a walk of freedom. There is nothing so precious as to walk in freedom.
The truth is that in our human nature we are very incapable of forgiving and we are most often in a state of denial. We do not recognize our need to forgive. We hold grief, pain, sorrow, fear,bitterness and hurt close to us. It just seems to take up residence without any effort at all. Pain from the actions of others can simply consume us.
That is why it is so vital to realize our state of unforgiveness. Once we have asked God to forgive us then the Holy Spirit moves within us to enable us to loose and forgive and continue to mature in a forgiving spirit.
It is an hour by hour walk that takes us into a brighter future. It is a sowing to the spirit rather than the flesh.
The way of the cross is hard. But it is the WAY! It brings a death to the old ways and resurrection life to the new ways of God.
Praise the Name of the Lord
