The Poison of Unforgiveness

 THE POISON OF UNFORGIVENESS

– By Sis Nancy Manoj

Most of us like to getting promoted and there is nothing wrong with that.
But sometimes we fall in tests in certain areas that keeps us from getting
promoted.
UNFORGIVENESS is a poison that the enemy uses against God’s people, and is
one of the deadliest poisons a person can take spiritually. If causes
everything from mental depression, to health problems such as cancer and
arthritis, bone pain, spondylitis, chest pain, nervous break down, asthma
etc.
Request: If someone has hurt you, don’t spend the next 10 years of your
life hurting yourself by hanging on to the offense. Most likely, that other
person isn’t even thinking about you, while you dwell on the incident for
years. That only hurts one person – one.
You see, when you forgive someone, you are helping yourself.
To help you understand the importance of forgiveness, here are five ways to
detect unforgiveness in your heart. Once exposed, you’ll be one step closer
to your personal promotion from God.
5 ways to find Unforgiveness and Remove it
1. Unforgiveness always keeps score (records)
In Luke 15:29, the elder brother of the prodigal son said, “Look! These man
years I have served you”. Peter wanted to know how many times he had to
forgive someone. Unforgiveness is always looking at the score. But 1 Cor
13:5 says, Love take no account….. It doesn’t count up the evil done to
it.
1. Unforgiveness always boasts of its own record.
In Luke 15:32, the older brother of the prodigal son says “These many years
I have never done wrong’. Judgmental people always says I always do good
and others do bad. An unforgiving spirit keeps us from God’s best for us.
1. Unforgiveness always complains
God’s Word clearly says that we’re not supposed to complain. And if you’re
continuously using your mouth to complain about some incident of offense,
you won’t get past it. Don’t waste time by complaining.
1. Unforgiveness always divides and separates – Your kids, my kids, my
bank account, my money, etc.
2. Unforgiveness is always envious and jealous when angry at someone who
gets blessed. If someone who has hurt you gets a blessing, it bugs you.
It did it for me until I learned how to forgive.
Testimony: Back in the early days of our marriage, I would bring up stuff
which happened some days ago. I learnt lots humility and forgiveness from
my husband. Even if I would say something that would upset him he would be
so cool and I noticed that immediately after some argument and discussion
we would sort out the matter and then he would behave so normal with me as
though nothing has happened. But on the other hand, I would keep record of
what he said and still sulk and not want to talk to him. I did not want to
forget my hurt. I would meditate on it day and night. But Bible says
meditate on God’s Word day and night. Then one day my husband, Pastor Manoj
sat with me and told me that we should have a forgiving heart or else the
devil will take advantage (2 Cor 2:10-11). He also asked me “do you want to
make the devil happy” I said “no”. When we have discussed and forgiven one
another we must also forget the same immediately. Never carry your hurts
even to the next minute. Let Jesus be always on your mind. I realized my
mistake and asked forgiveness from the Lord and since then I never carry
any hurts about anyone in my life. If anyone hurts me, I decide to forgive
them from that very moment from my heart and because of which the love and
compassion of Jesus flows in me.
WHAT DOES UNFORGIVENESS DO?
1. UNFORGIVENSSS SHOWS WE REALLY DON’T LOVE JESUS
John 15:12, Jesus commands us to love one another, as He has loved us. True
love does not hold bitterness or unforgiveness against that person. If we
are bitter or hold unforgiveness against somebody, then we don’t love them
as Christ love us. If we don’t keep Jesus’ commandments, then it proves
that we don’t love Him.
John 14:24, “Anyone who does not really love me does not observe and obey
My teaching.
1. UNFORGIVENESS PREVENTS GOD FROM FORGIVING OUR SINS
Math 6:15, “But if you do not forgive others their trespasses [their
reckless and wilful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up
resentement], neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses.
1. UNFORGIVENESS OPENS UP TO THE TORMENTORS (THE DEVIL) (MATH 18:23-25)
God sent his Son Jesus to die for our sins, so that we may be reconciled to
Him, without spot or blemish. He asks that we give others the same
forgiveness that paid for us. He tell parable Mathew 18:23-35 – One owed 10
talents. He fell at his feet and said “Lord have patience with me, and I
pay you everything. King moved with compassion, loosed and forgave him”.
Same servant went out and found His fellow servant owned him 1 pence – laid
hands on him, took him by throat saying, “pay me that you owe me”. Servant
begged with him Have patience with me, and I will pay you. But he would
not. He went and cast him into prison till he would pay his debt.
Oh your wicked servant, I forgave all your debts because you desired.
Shouldn’t you also have had compassion on our fellow servant, even as I had
pity on you.
AND THE LORD HANDED HIM OVER TO THE TORTURERS TILL HE SHOULD PAY ALL THAT
HE OWED
Vs 35 So also My heavenly Father will deal with every one of you if you do
not freely forgive your brother from your heart his offenses.
Our responsibility to forgive others
1. UNFORGIVENESS CAN BLOCK GOD FROM ANSWERING OUR PRAYER
Mark 11:24-25 When you pray, believe – received them. Vs 25 Forgive
Mathew 7;7, 12 “Ask and it shall be given …. Therefore all things
whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them…
John 15:5, 10 tells us that if we abide in Christ, we will produce much
fruit. And the way we abide in Christ is by keeping His commandments.
Vs 12 Love one another as He has loved us
Vs 7 If we abide in Him (by keeping His commandments), and His Word is in
us, we can ask anything and it will be given unto us
1. UNFORGIVENESS CAN DEFILE A PERSON
Hebrews 12:15, says Exercise foresight and be on the watch to look, to see
that no one falls back from and fails to secure God’s grace (His unmerited
favour and spiritual blessing), in order that no root of resentment
(bitterness or hatred) shoots up and causes trouble and bitter torment, and
many become contaminated and defiled by it –
Notice at the end it says, “Many be defiled”. This is a VERY common, if not
of the most common everyday things that defiled people! Many bondages can
be shed when a person forgives those who have wronged him or her.
1. UNFORGIVENESS CAN GIVE SATAN AN ADVANTAGE
2 Cor 2;10-11, “If you forgive anyone anything, I too forgive (that one);
ad what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your
sake in the presence Christ, to keep Satan from taking advantage of us; for
we are not ignorant of his schemes.
1. UNFORGIVENESS CAN KEEP A PERSON OUT OF HEAVEN
Math 7:12, 21 Whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do even so to
them…
Not everyone who says Lord, Lord…. Will of my Father
1 John 3;14, “we know that we have passed from death unto life, because we
love the brethren. He that does not love his brother abideth in death.
1. UNFORGIVENESS CAN PREVENT US FROM BEING FRUITFUL SPIRITUALLY
John 15:5 tells us that if we abide in Christ, we will produce much
spiritual fruit, and the way we abide in Christ is by keeping His
commandments (vs 10) Vs12 says it is a commandment.
So if we do not abide in Him, and how are we supposed to produce much
spiritual fruit if we don’t abide in Him? According to verse 6, the branch
that doesn’t abide in the vine will be cast into the fire.
1. UNFORGIVENESS CAN OPEN UP TO CURSES
When people in the Old Testament disobeyed God’s commandments, it opened
them up to curses (Deut 27:26). When people nowadays disobey God, it can do
the same thing; it can open them up to curses. Curses can cause mental and
emotional problems (Deut 28;28), physical problems (Deut28:35, 60, 61),
financial problems (Deut 28:17, 38, 43), emotional stress (Deut 28:34),
childlessness (Lev 20:21), and that’s not all, plus those curses can be
handed down to your future generation (Ex 20:5)
Forgiveness is a decision – not a feeling
SO HOW TO FORGIVE?
1. Decide – You will never forgive if you wait until you feel like it.
Choose to obey God and steadfastly resist the devil in his attempts to
poison you with bitterness thoughts. Make a quality decision to forgive,
and God will heal your wounded emotions (Mth 6:12-14)
2. Depend – You cannot forgive without the help of the HS.
3. Obey – The Word tell us several things we’re to do concerning our
enemies
1. Lk 6:26-27 Pray for your enemies and those who abuse and misuse
you and as you pray, God can give them revelation that can bring them out
of deception. Sometimes they may not even be aware they hurt you, or may
be they are aware but they are so self-centered that they don’t
care. Either way, they need revelation.
2. Bless and do not curse (Rom 12:14) in Greek to bless means “to
speak well of” and to curse means “to speak evil of”. You can’t
walk in forgiveness and be a gossip. You can’t get over it if you
continue to talk about it. Proverbs 17:9 says that he who covers and
offense seeks love.
When you pray for people who have hurt you, it’s a choice. But there’s
healing in that for you. Bless and do not curse them means to speak well
and not evil of them when that person is not around. The reason a lot of
people’s prayers are unanswered, is because they aren’t keeping the
commandments that Jesus gave us; therefore they aren’t abiding in Christ’s
love, and if we aren’t abiding in Christ’s love, how can we expect Him to
hear our prayers?
In the New Testament the TWO COMMANDMENTS given to us by God Math 22:37-40
Jesus said unto him, Thou shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the 1st and greatest
commandment. And 2nd – Love your neighbor as yourself.
Jesus gave us a very important commandment to follow; one of them was to
love one another, as He has loved us (John 15:12).
Love is exact opposite of envy, jealousy, pride, bitterness. You can’t love
somebody and hold bitterness or unforgiveness against him or her at the
same time.
Conclusion:
WHAT ARE THE BLESSINGS OF RELEASING FORGIVENESS
When we forgive,
- it opens us up to God’s forgiveness (Mathew 6:15),
- it puts us in a receiving position when we pray (Mark 11:24,25)
- it helps us become spiritual fruitful (John 15:10, 12, 5),
- And we will know that we have passed from spiritual death to being
reconciled with our Heavenly Father when we love each other (1 John 3;14)
- When we keep God’s commandment and love one another, we prove that we
love Jesus (John 14:21) and we abide in Christ’s love (John 15:10)!
Ephesians 4:26 BE ANGRY [at sin – at immorality, at unjustice, at ungodly
behavior), YET DO NOT SIN; do not let your anger [cause you shame, nor
allow it to] last until the sun goes down 27 And do not give the devil an
opportunity [to lead you into sin by holding grudge, or nurturing anger, or
harboring resentment, or cultivating bitterness].
I want to encourage you today to make a decision to start living a
lifestyle of forgiveness and refuse to be offended.
WHAT A MAGNIFICENT BLESSING FORGIVENESS REALLY IS !!!
If you feel you want to forgive all those who have hurt you today, say this
prayer with me:
Lord, others have trespassed against me, but in obedience to your command I
now forgive each person who has ever hurt me in any way. As an act of my
will I now forgive (name them, both living and dead). Lord, I bless each of
these; I love them with your love; I ask You to forgive them also. And
since you have forgiven me, I also forgive and accept myself in the name of
Jesus Christ. The curse of unforgiveness has no more power in my life. I am
free by the blood of the Lamb. Amen.
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