Category: From Our Fathers Heart

"You walk in unforgiveness and still claim to be My vessel of service. How can that be? Forgiveness is what the cross of Jesus is all about. He died so that you could be forgiven. Forgiveness is what you have received so that We could talk. Forgiveness is what you are counting on when you stand in front of Me on that last day. Would you like to be given the same forgiveness that you have given others, especially those close to you? That is what will happen unless you change your heart. Forgive as Jesus did. Forgive as you have been forgiven. Don't think that I am with you in anything you do until you have forgiven everyone who has harmed you. Come to Me; I will help you!"

23) "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

24) leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift."

The root sin of unforgiveness is pride.  Because that is rarely recognized, it is never really dealt with as such; and we evade submitting the root sin to the total Lordship of Jesus Christ. Anyone harboring unforgiveness toward another has, in essence, determined to hold that sin (real or imagined) over that person and has chosen to be the "lord" of that incident or grieving situation. The dominance and control exercised by the unforgiving party denies all that was promised to God when he/she committed to the Lordship of Jesus in all areas.  This area, therefore, remains under the dominance of Satan. Pride caused him to be expelled from the presence of God, and he is delighted when we follow his lead in any area of our lives.

If God has forgiven the person who has offended you but you won't, are you not telling Him that your position is loftier than His? In light of the truth, that's not possible, is it? What do you need to do at this point?

God demands that we forgive if we desire to be truly free.  He even shows us, in Luke's account of the crucifixion, that Jesus forgave all those who harmed Him; and also the repentant thief just before he died. We must do the same.

Unforgiveness, although often deeply masked by wounds, scars, and self-pity, is one of the greatest causes of weakness in the body of Christ and it will cripple any attempt to draw close to the Lord if left unconfessed. Once this main stronghold is acknowledged and confessed, a tide of healings and freedoms are able to surface and it can be brought under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

"Since the days of Jesus, My kingdom has come upon the earth. What are you doing to further it? What kind of life are you living to proclaim Jesus and have My Word go forth? As Jesus sent His people forth two by two to that generation, I am sending you. I call you to heal the sick. You are to bring life to those who are dead. Do not worry about your life for it is hidden in Christ. I will provide for you. My hand is upon you. My heart is for you. My Holy Spirit is with you. Fear nothing for you are Mine."

10) "But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into the streets and say,

11) 'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you.'"

17) The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."

18) He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

19) I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

20) However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

When some of those, who had been sent to proclaim that the kingdom of God was manifesting in that generation, came back, they marveled at the power they had been given. Jesus had them refocus on the importance of who they were in Him, rather than on what they were able to do.

Each of us, who belong to Jesus, has the astounding privilege of furthering God's kingdom in our generation. There is no more important task available to all of mankind. What we do for our Lord with a pure heart will testify of our love for Him during our lifetime.

As important as that is, who we have become is far more important than what we do. Have we taken up our cross, His cross? Have we given all that we are willingly, so that He can live His life through us? Have we exchanged our priorities to own His priorities in our hearts? Have we emptied ourselves of our own interests to take on His heart of love in all that we do?

Jesus lived, died, lived again, and then left so that His life, loves, and heart motives could be reproduced over and over again by the power of the Holy Spirit in each of us who call Him our Lord and Master. None of us, however, are called to give away what we do not own in our hearts. Those who are looking for the truth of God's Word will not listen to those who talk of Jesus, yet do not reflect Him in their words and actions.