Page Suggestions: Bible Facts
What does the BIBLE say about Forgiveness
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Whether we "feel" forgiveness in our hearts or not, we are under obligation to obey God. As we obey Him, He will supply the feelings. Obedience must come first, then the right feelings will follow. We can't wait for a special nudge from On High to get us to do what His Word already tells us plainly to do. The longer we wait, the worse off we will be. Oswald Chambers, in his famous devotional, My Utmost For His Highest, preaches strongly about this concept:
"Revise where you have become stodgy spiritually and you will find it goes back to a point where you knew there was something you should do, but you did not do it because there seemed no immediate call to, and now you have no perception, no discernment; at a time of crisis you are spiritually distracted instead of spiritually self-possessed."
The best way to be rid of bearing a grudge against someone (or a race, nation, gender, or church, etc.), is to confess it to the Lord and seek His help. Then, begin to pray for that person as if you were praying for yourself.
"Lord, bless so and so. Cause their way to be pleasing to You in all that they do. Lead them closer to you! Cleanse them of all sin and give them the grace and strength to repent of any wickedness in their heart. Cause them to thirst for intimacy with You, and let them be fulfilled in Your presence. Let them honor You and put You first in all their ways. Send Your Holy Spirit to minister to them, to strengthen them, and to lead them. Let them fulfill the call of God on their life. Bless their family/job/ministry/etc. Cause them to be fruitful and to be established in your love. Minister to them in the area of their deepest needs. Help me to be truly concerned for them. Let me have your heart for this person. Show me how to pray for them and love them as you want me to...."
Then, bind away any spirit of deception that has come over them, or anything else the Lord may show you in prayer. This is what "loving our enemies" is all about. It is looking past the sin they have committed against us, and honestly wanting the best for them and for God to be merciful to them.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:44-48
As you are faithful to pray for those who have wronged you in this way, you will see a change come about in them--and in you!!! Instead of hate, you will begin to have God's compassion for them. There is nothing that pleases the Lord more than to see His children bearing each other's burdens, loving each other from the heart, and living in humility toward each other.
"Standing on the Promises of God"
Many have written us with a fear that perhaps they have "gone too far." They have continually struggled with a besetting sin that seems to master them again and again. They wonder if they have lost their salvation, if God has given up on them, of if they were ever truly saved at all.
Please know this: If you are crying out to Him for forgiveness, it is only because He has given you the grace to do so--and He WILL answer your heart's cry. If you were past the point of no return, you wouldn't even care about the concept of forgiveness. It is only because you belong to the Lord that you are still seeking Him.
All whom My Father has given (entrusted) to Me, will come to Me and I will most certainly not cast out--I will never, no never reject one of them who comes to Me.
If you are feeling weak, understand this about your beautiful Savior: "He does not crush the weak, or quench the smallest hope..."
(Matthew 12:20 (Living Bible)
A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.Matthew 12 (KJV) verse 20).
God loves you and He is on your side to help you overcome sin. He is not against you. He is for you.
Please refer to the above (and following) scriptures as often as you feel the need--as often as the devil would whisper lies of condemnation in your ear (Satan literally means "Accuser" and that is what he does best). Jesus stood against the devil with scripture and we should do the same thing!
These promises are true and precious, for "God is not a man that He should lie"
(Numbers 23:19God [is] not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do [it]? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?Numbers 23 verse 19).
Even if you don't "feel" forgiven, that is beside the point. God's word is truer than our emotions.
All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. That is why Jesus died for us in the first place! This is the most basic tenant of Christianity, yet it seems it is the primary lesson we all must learn again and again. God doesn't love us because we are worthy. He loves us because He IS Love.
Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised.) Hebrews 10:18-23
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God and God in him. In this way love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgement, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
1 John 4:16-18 (NIV)(verse 16) And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
(verse 17) Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
(verse 18) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.1 John 4 (KJV) verses 16-18
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. Psalm 103: 8-13