Encounter God...
This last weekend I went to an "Encounter God" retreat. It was a Friday night-Saturday all day event filled with teachings on Spiritual warfare, strongholds (both good & bad), and then a lot of hands on prayer and deliverance. Cool stuff.
It definitely wasn't "fun." But there was power in God's truth, the power of pure, true light breaking through areas of darkness. If you ever come across this material (by Jim Egli) it's worth checking out. Even more well known is the book "Bondage Breakers" (different author) which covers a lot of the same territory.
One revelation I had that I'd like to share: Unforgiveness. Most of us know that this is not what God wants in our lives. Understanding that Jesus commands us to forgive still doesn't always make it a sure thing, especially because part of what we are feeling is valid. God has wired us to be sensitive to "injustice" and when that injustice had been committed against us, how very aware of it we are. Here's what I learned...
Unforgiveness is us holding a debt against someone. We believe somewhere in our hearts that by holding this debt we will eventually get justice. But you know, what? That's not true. And besides, God says that He is the one who gives justice, and yet God is the very one telling us to forgive. What a dilemma!
Or is it? Here is a freeing thought: What ever debt is owed you, the bible says Jesus has paid that debt, too, on the cross. And what ever has been robbed - a friendship, a father, a passion, your self esteem, your purity- as hard as it is to bare the pain of the loss, Jesus asks you to look to him and see that he has what is needed to pay the debt off! He will give you the friendship, the love, the passion, the esteem, the purity that you so greatly desire, and he will often give it in far greater amounts then we could EVER hope to have received it back from the one we would not forgive.
Then Jesus may even open our spiritual eyes to see that the person who we hold a debt against is literally incapable of paying their debt. The Lord will often show us how depraved and empty our debtor is in the very area we were expecting something back. This revelation might even change your posture from anger to pity. Such brokenness in our world and in the people around us, EVEN in believers. What joy awaits in the wholeness and fullness of our God. He is where we will truly find the debt we are looking for.
In the end, unforgiveness actually "ties" us to the person that has wronged us. And that is pain God has not asked us to suffer. He wants to free you from your unforgiveness. Will you let Him?
It definitely wasn't "fun." But there was power in God's truth, the power of pure, true light breaking through areas of darkness. If you ever come across this material (by Jim Egli) it's worth checking out. Even more well known is the book "Bondage Breakers" (different author) which covers a lot of the same territory.
One revelation I had that I'd like to share: Unforgiveness. Most of us know that this is not what God wants in our lives. Understanding that Jesus commands us to forgive still doesn't always make it a sure thing, especially because part of what we are feeling is valid. God has wired us to be sensitive to "injustice" and when that injustice had been committed against us, how very aware of it we are. Here's what I learned...
Unforgiveness is us holding a debt against someone. We believe somewhere in our hearts that by holding this debt we will eventually get justice. But you know, what? That's not true. And besides, God says that He is the one who gives justice, and yet God is the very one telling us to forgive. What a dilemma!
Or is it? Here is a freeing thought: What ever debt is owed you, the bible says Jesus has paid that debt, too, on the cross. And what ever has been robbed - a friendship, a father, a passion, your self esteem, your purity- as hard as it is to bare the pain of the loss, Jesus asks you to look to him and see that he has what is needed to pay the debt off! He will give you the friendship, the love, the passion, the esteem, the purity that you so greatly desire, and he will often give it in far greater amounts then we could EVER hope to have received it back from the one we would not forgive.
Then Jesus may even open our spiritual eyes to see that the person who we hold a debt against is literally incapable of paying their debt. The Lord will often show us how depraved and empty our debtor is in the very area we were expecting something back. This revelation might even change your posture from anger to pity. Such brokenness in our world and in the people around us, EVEN in believers. What joy awaits in the wholeness and fullness of our God. He is where we will truly find the debt we are looking for.
In the end, unforgiveness actually "ties" us to the person that has wronged us. And that is pain God has not asked us to suffer. He wants to free you from your unforgiveness. Will you let Him?
posted by FREEMAN at 1:49 AM
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