Life Lessons
Power to Forgive Our Enemies
Scripture Reference 1 Corinthians 2
And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
3 I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.
Life Lesson: The power to forgive our enemies is possible because of the forgiveness God has given to us through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. No offense that has been committed against you can compare with the offense of sin God has already forgiven you through Christ!
Jesus forgave from the cross, Luke 23:34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Stephen prayed for his murderers, Acts 7:60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.”
Now tell God why you are unwilling to forgive.
You Are Forgiven! You Have Been Set Free! Therefore, You Can Forgive!
To Forgive is to Exercise the Freedom Christ has given to You!
To be unwilling to Forgive is a Prison of our own Choosing! Matt. 18:32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. 35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive a brother or sister from your heart.”
Listen, you cannot live in the Freedom that Christ has made possible and harbor bitter resentment: Matt. 6:14 For if you forgive others when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
I will say it again, Christian: YOU Are Forgiven! Therefore the Power to Forgive Lives in you, if Christ Lives in your heart! Freely you have received, now freely give!
