Forgive

Tuesday 1 August
READ: Eph. 4: 31 -32
MORE LESSON: Col. 3: 12 – 15

There are many people who carry offenses and bitterness around. A believer may be outwardly serving diligently and passionately and it looks as if everything is alright. However, God who searches the inward parts looks inside his heart and He is turned off. Unforgiveness turns God off a life and destiny. The reason many people do not experience miracles, lifting and breakthrough is because they abhor unforgiveness in their hearts. Until there is forgiveness, there is no answered prayer. Mark 11: 24 -25 says, Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive.... Scripture directly links answered prayers to forgiving people that have wronged us. Unforgiveness kills; many times people die suddenly and we start asking God questions. Men can only see the outside; only God sees the inside.
A lot of people carry subtle killers like unforgiveness, bitterness, pride and resentment on the inside and until its result materialises we may not know. This doesn't imply that everyone who dies suddenly carries such. The truth however is that many kill themselves and then people question God. Why give yourselves high blood pressure and mental problems because someone offended you? Unforgiveness is the reason many people do not experience break-throughs but only break-downs.
There are people in the Church who cannot speak to the person sitting next to them because of offence. Some hate others so badly that they don't look the direction of the person anymore. They are not free to look around; you can't be so offended by a person that you subject yourself to suffering. It is cheaper to forgive and live in peace and health.
In Matt. 5: 23 – 24, Jesus admonished that if you have anything to offer to God and you know that there is someone that you have offended or has offended you, go and make peace with the person before you present that offering. We must personally make the choice to go out to forgive and ask for forgiveness. Never find it difficult to apologise and ask for forgiveness. It is unavoidable to offend and be offended while relating with people; mutual forgiveness is the way out.
Living in unforgiveness is like swallowing poison; a person cannot drink poison and expect someone else to die in his stead. One can't carry bitterness, anger, unforgiveness and expect the object of his anger to be affected. We only affect ourselves with our unforgiveness;
the other person is bouncing around joyfully. This is why you should set yourself free and let it go by forgiving. Receive today the grace to forgive.

Prayer/Action
* Pray that unforgiveness, bitterness, pride and resentment will not have a hold over
you.
* Ask God to give you power to forgive and grant you the joy of forgiveness.
* Pray that offences from men will not make you sin against God.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
God of Zion, Shepherd of Israel, thank You for the free gift of August, I give You my praise, in the name of Jesus.