Don’t Give The Enemy An Open Door

The enemy of our soul has an open door in many Christian’s lives. This door has a big welcome sign on it telling Satan come on in. This door is the door of unforgiveness in the Christian’s life. Unforgiveness comes from many places…a parent or parents too busy with their own life to care and cherish their child…a teacher who speaks words that are to correct a child but are full of poison…a spouse who just cannot be faithful to their mate…a romance with a bright future that is extinguished…a abusive parent or spouse who wreaks havoc on the family…a drunkard or drug addict who uses people…an older person molests a child…a Christian who hurts another Christian with their words and actions… Unforgiveness comes in all shapes and sizes. Everyone is faced with issues that can bring about unforgiveness.
Christians are called to have an attitude of forgiveness.
For if you forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. ( Matthew 6:14,15).
Then Peter came to Him (Jesus) and said, “Lord how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you up to seven times but up to seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21,22).
And whenever you stand praying, if you have something against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive your trespasses. (Mark 11:25).
Forgive and you shall be forgiven. (Luke 6:37).
Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day and seven times in a day returns to you saying, “I repent,” forgive him.(Luke 17:3,4).
And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, fogiving one another just as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32).
Forgiveness is a reflection of the very character of God. Forgiveness is God’s Spirit working within me. Forgiveness will release me from the hurt. Forgiveness transforms me, the person who was hurt and transforms the person who I forgive. Forgiveness is an act of grace empowered by God. Forgiveness causes my attitude to be changed. Forgiveness will take time. Forgiveness causes me to forget the offense. I may never be reconciled to the one who hurt me but I can choose to forgive but I cannot choose the response of the offender.
Jesus said in John 10:10 “The thief (Satan) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.” Unforgiveness limits that abundant life God has promised me. I may have gifts and talents but they are limited by unforgiveness. I may be able to teach and win people to God but that is also limited by my unforgiving heart. I may do great things for the Kingdom of God but I limit God because of my unforgiveness.
I have learned that Satan will use unforgiveness and that it is like the mirey clay sucking me down deeper and deeper. A root of bitterness will grow in this mirey clay. I am to be as a tree planted by the waters not as a root of bitterness growing in the mirey clay.
I have had to go to my heavenly Father time after time saying “Father help me to forgive and make this offense to me be as if it never occured.” I have had to live not day by day nor hour by hour but minute by minute to when thoughts of revenge or anger have surfaced and I had to rebuke, rebuke, rebuke and then rebuke some more.
I have had to determine in my heart not to dwell on the incident. I do not want Satan to have any foot holds in my life. I do not want to give him any access to anything in my life.
Unforgiveness is a mighty weapon in the hands of our enemy, Satan, and he will use it to utterly destroy those who choose not to forgive.
My life was bought at a great price and nothing can compare with the Blood of the Lamb of God. It is priceless.