Forgiveness: The Gateway To Inner Healing

Forgiveness is a decision to liberate our offenders and in turn to set ourselves free. If we could bring off love in action by overcoming evil with good, heaven will be our limit and God will open great doors in our lives. 

Jesus is our role model and on the Cross he prayed a prayer of forgiveness and though we deserved death, Jesus considered us innocent and set us free. Legally, the woman who was caught in the act of adultery was blamable and those who were around saw a prostitute in her, Jesus took it as a moral issue, saw what she will become through His love and thereby set her free. God’s perspective is way different from that of mere humans. Similarly, we too can receive the revelation of what our offenders can become in Christ when we extend love and forgiveness toward them and thus dive into acts of forgiveness. Jesus forgave us all our sins on the Cross - past, present and future sins; but we often struggle to forgive our wrongdoers in that measure - total forgiveness. 

If we don’t totally forgive from our hearts, such incidents and revengeful thoughts can bubble up in our hearts while we lie on our deathbed. David had such an issue and though he charged his son Solomon with what was considered legally right, based on the New Testament principles David could have avoided that and instead instill good and joyful thoughts on Solomon.

1 Kings 2:5,6 Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of the armies of Israel. He killed them in peacetime to avenge the blood of war. He stained with the blood of war the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. So act according to your wisdom, and do not let his grey head go down to Sheol in peace.

1 Kings 2:8,9  Keep an eye on Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim who is with you. He called down bitter curses against me on the day I went to Mahanaim, but when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD: ‘I will never put you to the sword.’ Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man. You know what you ought to do to him to bring his grey head down to Sheol in blood.”

Never rejoice in others’ destruction. We should be willing to forgive and bless our enemies. Many times, though we forgive, our feelings won't be aligned to it; yet we can overcome such feelings by pronouncing blessings over our offenders and as we consistently do so, our minds will begin to comprehend that there’s no point in bringing negative thoughts over and over since we’re determined to be a channel of blessing even to those who persecute us. Eventually, our words and mind will become aligned and we’ll begin to feel that we’ve forgiven.

Proverbs 17:5 Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
Proverbs 24:17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles.

Even when we don’t feel like forgiving the person, we need to make a decision to forgive them just as God forgave us (total forgiveness); and as we decide, the Holy Spirit who is our greatest help and strength the Father has given us will enable us to implement the same. To err is human, to forgive is divine!

Once we decide to forgive a person, we must execute the same by not taking any action against them, by not speaking against them and thirdly (which may take time), by not thinking against them. Our actions, words and thoughts should reflect our forgiveness. When we overcome evil with good, we liberate ourselves from every stronghold in our minds and God will release His blessings even on our emotions. 
Remember: Unforgiveness toward others is a hindrance for our own blessing in every area of our being - spirit, soul and body.  

Mark 11:24-26 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

As mentioned at the start of this series, 85% of the diseases in the world are psychosomatic disorders and people approach the doctors who can only treat the symptoms whereas only Jesus, His Word and the Holy Spirit can go deep and treat the root cause of your sufferings. Studies report that unforgiveness, bitterness and revenge are the real culprits for breast cancer in women. 

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

In order to experience the deeper levels of forgiveness, you need to be baptized with love; where one dies to oneself and a dead person has no revengeful thoughts.

1 Peter 4:8  Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

1 Corinthians 12:30-13:1 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues ? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

Often, people in North-India are persecuted and imprisoned for the sake of the gospel, but even when in prison they rejoice, continue to share the gospel with other prisoners and consider it a great privilege to be persecuted for His Name! Paul and Silas is a similar example from the Word. 

If the Spirit dwells in us, He will baptize us with love. Jesus came to this Earth with the ministry of reconciliation. He reconciled us to the Father and will also help us to be reconciled to those around us on a day-to-day basis. Hallelujah!!!

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About The Author:

Dr. Damien Antony
Born and brought up in a Christian family, Dr. Damien Antony possessed an unquenching quest for truth right from his boyhood days and eventually his relentless search led him to the Bible. He is a Revival Preacher, Bible Teacher, Leadership Trainer, Author and a Life Coach. He moves under the anointing for Prophetic, Healing, Deliverance, Inner Healing and Financial Breakthrough. God has also blessed him with an Apostolic Mandate to take the Universal Body of Christ to the next level of revelation and anointing.