Forgiveness Brings Power

Luke 23:34

And Jesus prayed, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do…AMP

There is an inherent power that God wants to draw out of us when we refuse to succumb to offense that leads to unforgiveness, bitterness, and resentment towards someone that knowing or unknowingly made us angry or caused us pain, perhaps through rejection, by taking something from us, gossip or slander about us, betrayal, or someone who hurt a loved one, etc. There are a number of things we can think about that people have done to get us angry and wanting revenge. But the Bible says that it is best to desire mercy than judgment. James 2:13 says, “For to him who has shown no mercy the judgment [will be] merciless, but mercy [full of glad confidence] exults victoriously over judgment AMP.”

Colossians 2:13-15 also states, “¹³ And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. ¹⁵ Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. NKJV”.

This happens because God uses the circumstances we go through to dismantle the enemy and his tactics to create chaos and strife in our lives that could derail us from God’s purposed destiny, and makes ridicule out of them when we choose to let go of the offense, and forgive the offender. Sometimes it takes prayer for us to be able to forgive and give the person(s) into God’s hand for Him to intervene in the situation whether it is to bring reconciliation or to remove the offender(s) that refuse(s) to repent from oppressing God’s people after many warnings to repent or face judgment. God also uses these situations we encounter that require for us to forgive and pray for an offender to bring them to repentance as we bless them and ask God to forgive them and bless them as well. The expected outcome here is the offender’s surrendering to God’s love for them through His Son, so he or she can receive Him as their Lord and Savior or be reconciled to Him. If it is someone in the family of God, we pray that they come out of darkness and back into the arms of Jesus to be healed, set free and able to walk in unity with their brethren.

I remember about five years ago I was in a meeting with other members of a Ministry I used to be a part of where we used to pray and seek God on behalf of Christians, mainly business people, that sometimes were brought to a crossroad or felt stuck somewhere and did not know how to come out of that stance and be enabled to continue walking God’s path and process for them. This particular time, two ladies came without having made an appointment and because they saw us and recognized some of us, decided to approach us and ask for prayer. They seemed desperate and one of the ladies asked for prayer because a man had stolen her identity and sold her information causing a lot of problems for her and she at that time was faced with having to go to court to try to prove her innocence from the charges against her due to the mistaken identity.

When we in the group started seeking God for a word in the situation on behalf of the lady, I heard the Lord say that she needed to forgive the man and not only that, He wanted her to intercede for him because He wanted to use the situation to draw the offender to His Son to be saved. When I related this to the lady she was not happy to hear that. She would have preferred to have heard that God was going to punish that person severely and bring great victories for her in court. I’m not sure the lady obeyed God's command for her because she left us in a disappointing state of surprise because of what she heard the Lord tell us to convey to her.

But Romans 8:28-30 explains the reason why God chooses to work in our lives this way, “²⁸And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified NIV.”

I have heard a plethora of testimonies in which God commanded the offended or hurt to pray or do an act that proved he or she had forgiven the offender. Sometimes things were as serious and devastating as a person who killed a person’s loved one and how the grieving family had to express forgiveness to the killer. Other times it was a rapist or someone who was caught stealing other people's wealth and assets. These actions opened the opportunity for the Lord to visit those who were guilty and bring them to a place where they recognized they needed a Savior to give them a new live in Him.

Moreover, of the examples mentioned, many of these people that hurt others are today being used mightily to advance God’s Kingdom with their lives and bring many who like them, have caused pain and discomfort to others one way or another to be joined to the family of God, thus being used like the Samaritan woman in John 4 that brought many to not only hear her testimony, but to know the Lord for themselves. God works His mysterious ways and we are the vessels He wants to use to reconcile others to Him and to be made in the image of His dearly beloved Son. Also, this way we are fulfilling the commandment given by Jesus to love the Lord with all our hearts, souls, and minds, and strength, and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). To Him alone be all the gory.

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