Understanding forgiveness is key and leads us to experience the fearless freedom it offers.
Forgiveness is not minimizing, excusing, or agreeing with the offense. We must see sin for what it is and recognize who the true offender is. Remember, our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness in high places...against the author of anger, fear, frustration, hurt, pain, sin and confusion.
Separating the sin from the sinner opens up our heart to forgiveness of our fellow human beings...it allows God to shed His Healing Light and Truth on the stronghold of the offense...and the darkness loses its power.
Forgiveness does not always lead to reconciliation. Jehovah IS Holy and He calls us to holiness. He also calls us to guard our hearts. There are certain relationships and circumstances that we should not expose ourselves to because they are not born of The Holy Spirit. We can forgive the offense...love and pray for the sinner...but must diligently separate ourselves from sin.
If we seek God and His truth...listen to the whisper of The Holy Spirit...He will enable us to forgive others and ourselves...lead us to the people, places and situations that He ordains, according to His purpose.
We have certainly all sinned and fall short of God's glory. But, as believers, we are to be imitators of Christ. And if we make forgiveness a priority, we will indeed experience peace, healing, wholeness and freedom...and honor Him with a clean heart.
Proverbs 19:11
A man's discretion makes him slow to anger, And it is his glory to overlook a transgression.
Matthew 6:14
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Romans 15:7
Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring glory to God.
Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and tender-hearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.
Luke 6:37
Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Colossians 3:13
Bear with each other and forgive any complaint you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Proverbs 4:23
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Ephesians 6:12
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 14:33
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
