Day 4
Free To Love & Free To Forgive!
[content_box_red width=”75%”]WOW Words of Today: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. –Psalm 51:10[/content_box_red]
Satan wants us to stay chained to our past. He plans for and desires that we may never overcome the pictures of the past, painful memories and more. Our heavenly Father remembers our sin no more.
Not long ago, I was confessing my sins of unfaithfulness in earlier seasons of my life. I had done this numerous times before. This time, my Lord’s response was, “I don’t remember and you shouldn’t either.”
My mouth dropped open in revelation for I immediately remembered the scripture in Isaiah 43:25 that says, “I, even I am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” I have learned forgiveness is not a feeling but a faith choice. To my amazement, I would choose to forgive someone only to feel exactly the same anger and hurt rise up later.
My lesson has become to base my forgiveness on faith not feelings. It doesn’t have anything to do with what I feel. It becomes an act of my will to choose forgiveness until my feelings line up with my choice. Many times our wounds and hurts have been so deep that it takes the supernatural power of faith to make the difference.
Kenneth Copeland in his From Faith to Faith devotional admonishes us with, “You’re to forgive as God forgives. Operate as if nothing bad ever happened.” As you purposely forget as well as forgive, something supernatural will happen within you. The power of God will wash away the pain caused by that incident. Learning to forgive and forget will open a whole new world of blessing for you.”20 If you have not yet walked in the power of forgiveness, here are a few pointers through Scripture that will help you in your journey.
Forget the past—Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it.? Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV) Forgive others—Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another…even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. Colossians 3:13 (KJV) Forgive yourself— God remembers our sin no more. Jeremiah 31:34
Forgive as a command. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. Mark 11:25 Remember, the price has already been paid for our sins. We must accept Christ’s death on the cross as sufficient payment for all of our sins.
After accepting our Lord’s death as sufficient, we must turn and freely give what was freely given to us. Walk in forgiveness. Remember, forgiveness is not a feeling but a choice. So join me as I purpose anew to walk in the power of forgiveness by faith.
[divider_line]Insert Your Text Here[/divider_line]
21 Day W.O.R.D. Challenge Exercise
(Memorize Memory Scripture, Pray and Say it aloud throughout every day of the challenge.)
- Memory Scripture: For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. -2 Corinthians 5:21
- Confession: I am the righteousness of God through Christ.