The Power of Forgiveness pt2
Last week we talked about the power of forgiveness in relation to living in a place of complete freedom in Christ by forgiving those whom have offended, hurt, abused, abandoned or mistreated us. Forgiving coming from a place of letting go so those people can no longer have any power over us in our lives. From spouses, to children, parents and exes. Bosses, friends and enemies, forgiving those whom have done us wrong is empowering, liberating, and according to scripture, a necessity in living as an example of having the heart of Christ. But what we didn’t talk about last week, that we will as we close on the subject of forgiveness, is the power of forgiving ourselves from things that we aren’t proud of. One thing that I have learned from my mentor Apostle Theresa and her mentor Dr. K that literally changed my perspective on how I minister to others is this fact, when God gave human beings dominion, he gave us dominion over everything except other people. We can ultimately only be responsible for our own decisions as it relates to our personal walks with the Lord. So when we ourselves have made mistakes, or down right done others wrong, or have done things not pleasing to the Lord, we have to not only ask Christ to forgive us as we repent of our sins, but we must also forgive ourselves of those things that have caused us shame.
Burying feelings or not dealing with some of the things done in the past, doesn’t make them go away. Oftentimes, just having a talk with the Lord about things we haven’t been proud of and asking the Lord to help us cope with those infractions can make all the difference in the world. Why are so many believers stuck in a place where they feel they can’t move forward? Oftentimes it’s do to not forgiving self. Why is forgiving yourself important? It’s important because it allows us to acknowledge the mercy and grace of the cross that Jesus went to, for our sins. Why accept Christ as Lord and Savior but not take full advantage of your birth right to be forgiven by Christ in every area. Even in forgiving ourselves for things we have done to others, to ourselves, before salvation and sometimes after. Our past should never be held over our heads. Just as we have been forgiven, and our sins thrown into the sea of forgetfulness, we also must understand that letting go of who we use to be and what we use to do and not allow the memories of our past sin lives to keep us in a constant state of condemnation and shame.
One of the ways to work through the process of forgiving yourself is to become comfortable acknowledging what Christ has brought you out of or from. By telling your story and sharing your testimony, you create distance between the shame you once felt and who you have become.
The definition of shame.
Shame 1.a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior.
The definition of guilt.
Guilt is a cognitive or an emotional experience that occurs when a person believes or realizes—accurately or not—that they have compromised their own standards of conduct or have violated a universal moral standard and bear significant responsibility for that violation.
Here are some scriptures to meditate on in relation to forgiving self.
1 Peter 5:7 New International Version (NIV)7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
2 Corinthians 5:17-18
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
Psalm 103:10-12 New International Version (NIV)
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Romans 3:23 New International Version (NIV)
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Philippians 3:13-14 New International Version (NIV)
13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:1-2 (NIV)
8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you[a] free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 6:6-7 (NIV)
6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
Psalm 32:5 New International Version (NIV)
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Romans 10:11-13 New International Version (NIV)
11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”[a] 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”[b]
Hebrews 12:2
Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
1 John 2:28 ESV
And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.
(If you would like to view the full teaching on "The Power of Forgiveness, part 1 and 2", please go to Kingdom Citizens Ministries page on Facebook and enjoy. God bless.)
