Our faith is built on Jesus and what He did for us on the cross. We know that the cross is the place of exchange. When we put our faith in Jesus we give Him our sin and shame and in exchange we receive His forgiveness for all our sins. What an incredible exchange! However, just as we have been forgiven everything, we in turn need to forgive those who sin against us. You might be wondering, “Why is unforgiveness such a big deal?”. Let’s look at that now.
1. WE ARE CLEARLY TOLD IN SCRIPTURE TO FORGIVE
Matthew 6:15 says, “But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins”.
We see clearly from the verse above that Jesus taught us that if we don’t forgive others their sins against us, God will not forgive our sins. This is a non-negotiable part of our walk with Jesus. We have to forgive others who sin against us. The same grace and mercy that was extended to us on Calvary must be freely given to those who sin against us.
2. UNFORGIVENESS BRINGS DEMONIC OPPRESSION
At first glance, when you forgive someone it may seem like you’re just letting them get away scott free. Remember though, that unforgiveness is a trap that opens the door to demonic oppression in your life and it will produce a harvest of death not life.
So in essence, when you forgive someone you are in fact releasing that trap and setting YOURSELF free. Now, you can be at peace again as you surrender and entrust the situation to God.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I’M STRUGGLING TO FORGIVE?
Let’s face it, it can be a real struggle to forgive at times. It’s something each one of us has struggled with at some point of our lives. There are 5 tools that have really helped me with this.
REMEMBER THAT YOU’RE NOT CONDONING THE BEHAVIOUR
It’s important to understand that forgiveness doesn’t mean you are saying what was done to you was right. You’re not condoning the actions. You fully acknowledge that what was done was devastating, wrong and hurtful BUT you choose to forgive, release and surrender that person and the hurt and pain to Jesus.
ALWAYS IDENTIFY YOUR TRUE ENEMY
Always remember who your true enemy is.
Ephesians 6:12 says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms”
Keep this truth in mind when someone sins against you. There is a demonic spiritual force behind the person’s actions. That’s your true enemy, not the person who is hurting you. It can be so hard to make the distinction between this in the moment of the hurt, but it’s so critical. It’s so essential because when you realize this then you can forgive the person and pray for them. You see them now as someone who needs your compassion and prayer because they’re acting out of the demonic strongholds in their lives.
REMEMBER THAT GOD WORKS ALL THINGS TOGETHER FOR YOUR GOOD
Never forget the promise of Romans 8:28. You can truly release people and forgive them completely because you know that God will work all things together for good in your life, even the pain and hardships.
YOU NEED TO WALK IN FORGIVENESS
Keep in mind that there will be situations where forgiveness will be a journey. You will need to walk in forgiveness. As things arise, keep making the decision to forgive.
PRAY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE HURT YOU
And lastly, always pray for the person you’re struggling to forgive. This is a sure way to begin to walk in the freedom of forgiveness.
Let’s humble ourselves before God and ask Him to help us have hearts that are willing to forgive, offer compassion, and pray for those who have hurt us.