Living in the power of forgiveness

If you’re a child of God, forgiveness is not a suggestion it is a command, it should be a part of who we are without question.​

Yes, people will hurt us, some intentionally or unintentionally, but we have done the same thing, and when we do we want forgiveness from those we have hurt.

Besides that, when we repent God forgives us of every sin, past, present, and future, we cannot hold anything over someone, for God has completely forgiven us, forgiving others requires the admission of our own depravity, and the forgiveness we've received.

Forgiving someone isn’t about their character or what they’ve done forgiveness is about our character and how we respond.

Anything less than total forgiveness is unforgiveness.

Jesus came not to be worshipped as a baby, not to be celebrated as a teacher or wise philosopher, He came to cleanse us of our unrighteousness, to forgive us of our sins against God, He came to reconnect us to the Father and be our Lord and Savior.

He is the only one who can forgive us of our sins and reconcile us to God the Father.

Each of us is guilty before God of sin, without the forgiveness of Christ and the shedding of His blood on the cross we can’t be forgiven, we did nothing to earn this forgiveness, nor do we deserve this forgiveness, or should we receive it continually every day.

But God in His grace gives it to us freely.

Our world holds onto things that separate us from God, and each other, we are an unforgiving people.

As Christians we must be the example of forgiveness, for we are the sons and daughters of God, we are to be examples of His love, grace, and forgiveness every day to those around us.

Giving forgiveness may not be easy, but with the grace of God and the help of the Holy Spirit, we can forgive others as Christ the Son has forgiven us.

Forgiveness sets us free from the chains of hurt, anger, frustration, betrayal, it puts control over these things back in our hearts and hands, and allows us to live freely.

Are you ready to be free today from the bondage of unforgiveness, then ask God for His help, peace, and strength to do so, repent of your unforgiveness, and forgive as God has forgiven you.

God’s word says this:

“So he got into a boat, crossed over, and came to his own town. Just then some men brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Have courage, son, your sins are forgiven.” At this, some of the scribes said to themselves, “He’s blaspheming!” Perceiving their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why are you thinking evil things in your hearts? For which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” — then he told the paralytic, “Get up, take your stretcher, and go home.” So he got up and went home. When the crowds saw this, they were awestruck and gave glory to God, who had given such authority to men. As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the toll booth, and he said to him, “Follow me,” and he got up and followed him. While he was reclining at the table in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came to eat with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Now when he heard this, he said, “It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”Matthew‬ ‭9:1-13‬ ‭CSB‬‬​
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“Then Peter approached him and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? As many as seven times?” “I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven. “For this reason, the kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle accounts, one who owed ten thousand talents was brought before him. Since he did not have the money to pay it back, his master commanded that he, his wife, his children, and everything he had be sold to pay the debt. “At this, the servant fell facedown before him and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything’ Then the master of that servant had compassion, released him, and forgave him the loan. “That servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him, started choking him, and said, ‘Pay what you owe!’ “At this, his fellow servant fell down and began begging him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he wasn’t willing. Instead, he went and threw him into prison until he could pay what was owed. When the other servants saw what had taken place, they were deeply distressed and went and reported to their master everything that had happened. Then, after he had summoned him, his master said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And because he was angry, his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he could pay everything that was owed. So also my heavenly Father will do to you unless every one of you forgives his brother or sister from your heart.” Matthew‬ ‭18:21-35‬ ‭CSB‬‬

“Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer live as the Gentiles live, in the futility of their thoughts. They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts. They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more. But that is not how you came to know Christ, assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, to take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth. Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another. Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and don’t give the devil an opportunity. Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need. No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” Ephesians‬ ‭4:17-32‬ ‭CSB‬‬