Forgive and go forward!
Sometime ago, a young lady asked me to pray for her mum’s business to prosper so she would be able to pay her school fees. When I asked her about the dad, almost immediately, she began to curse him that it will never be well with his father. She went on and on with tears of great pain in her eyes to narrate how the father had abandoned the family for over 7 years in the name of business in Abuja. Only for them to discover that he had got another mistress with another set of children from her.
I will never forget one statement she made that day ‘Please sir, it will be better and faster for God to strike him with the HolyGhost fire than for us to wait for God to change him’. By the grace of God, I was able to persuade her to forgive the father or else I would not pray for her. When she finally declared her father forgiven, I prophesied to her that within one month that her family shall come together. To the glory of God, the father returned home on the third week after the prayer and we celebrated their family restoration.
This is one testimony among several others where I have witnessed forgiveness making room for God’s power to manifest in favour of the offended. Jesus said that in the last days, because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall grow cold. (Matthew 24:12). In this last days, I believe the few people that their love shall remain hot would be those that still choose to forgive despite the increase of human wickedness in our world. It is sad that Christianity has got to the point where the world now knows us more by our ‘Holy Ghost judgement prayers’ than by the sacrificial love of Christ for our enemies. (John13:35). Unforgiving heart is like putting your car on a reverse gear and yet you are wishing to move forward. On the other hand, there are some Christians that have got their gear of forgiveness on drive but are always looking at the side mirrors of their past broken relationships which also has greatly reduced their speed in destiny.
The greatest work of Christ was forgiveness and when we extend it towards others, God grants us more grace to live above such weakness in life and destiny. The harder it’s for you to forgive, the more you belittle yourself before demons. When people have to apologize to you before you can forgive them of their wrongs, then you have given your power to the enemy to determine your freedom. Jesus said that the limit of forgiveness in a day is 70 times 7, which is another way of saying don’t ever get tired of forgiving. (Matthew 18:22). Again, this does not mean that you should not do everything possible to avoid people hurting you, especially those that find pleasure in your pain.
God is love and cannot hate someone because he or she hurt you. When you think that way, you are turning God into a personal idol that does your revenge. When believers are praying against their human enemies, they are ignorantly helping the works of the devil. But when you pray against the demons that are using your enemies to attack you, you are co-operating with God to destroy the works of satan. If the people are intentionally hurting you, those demons that employed them for such evil works would go back to torment them with 7 times more of what they planned against you. However, if your enemies were hurting you ignorantly, God will arrange circumstances that will humble them unto repentance. (Deuteronomy 28:7)
As a believer, you must determine not to disobey the divine command to forgive others because of those that are obeying the command of their master the devil to hate you.
God often uses the hate of your enemies to accelerate your destiny much more than the love of your friends. It was through the betrayal of Joseph by his brothers that he got to the throne of Egypt. It was through the envy of the Jews that crucified Jesus that God glorified him above all names. Do not get worried when people talk against you, it’s only those at the top that enjoy being the latest topic in town. Lead such a life that whatever bad news that the enemies are spreading against you, people will see your massive goodness when they finally meet you and speak up for you to the glory of God. (1 Peter 2:15)
I remember sometime ago when we were in a desperate situation and I asked the Lord to help us with some money for our church project. I was shocked when He replied me that He too didn’t have. He went further to explain that He doesn’t use Naira, Dollar nor any earthly currency in Heaven. However, He could either give me an idea that will bring in the money or He could touch the hearts of people to give towards the projects. It was from that encounter that I learned why Jesus said ” when you come to offer a gift unto God and there remember that your brother has something against you, you should leave your gift at the altar and seek forgiveness and come back afterwards to offer your gifts. ( Matthew 5:23-24). When you walk in unforgiveness towards any man, especially believers, you cut off the divine channel of blessings that God might want to use for your good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. (Luke 6:38). I prophesy that as you receive this grace to walk in total forgiveness, every seed that you have planted at the altar without any significant harvest shall suddenly spring forth abundantly in Jesus mighty name!
