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N E I L   A N D E R S O N   D A I L Y   D E V O T I O N A L
             from Freedom in Christ Ministries

October 27

FORGIVING YOUR PAST

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other,
just as God in Christ also has forgiven you (Ephesians 4:32).

The second step in resolving past conflicts is to forgive those
who have offended you. After encouraging Cindy, a rape victim, to
deal with the emotional trauma of her rape, I said, "Cindy, you
also need to forgive the man who raped you." Cindy's response was
typical of many believers who have suffered physical, sexual or
emotional pain at the hands of others: "Why should I forgive him?
You don't know how badly he hurt me!"

"He's still hurting you, Cindy," I responded. "Forgiveness is how
you stop the pain. You don't forgive him for his sake; you do it
for your sake."

Why should you forgive those who have hurt you in the past?

First, forgiveness is required by God. As soon as Jesus spoke the
amen to His model prayer--which included a petition for God's
forgiveness--He commented: "If you forgive men for their
transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But
if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your
transgressions" (Matthew 6:14, 15). We must base our
relationships with others on the same criteria on which God bases
His relationship with us: love, acceptance and forgiveness
(Matthew 18:21-35).

Second, forgiveness is necessary to avoid entrapment by Satan. I
have discovered from my counseling that unforgiveness is the
number one avenue Satan uses to gain entrance to believers'
lives. Paul encouraged mutual forgiveness "in order that no
advantage be taken of us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his
schemes" (2 Corinthians 2:11). Unforgiveness is an open
invitation to Satan's bondage in our lives.

Third, we are to forgive like Christ forgave in order to keep our
hearts from bitterness. Paul wrote: "Let all bitterness and wrath
and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with
all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving
each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you"
(Ephesians 4:31, 32).

Your act of forgiveness will set the captive free, then you will
realize that the captive was you!

Lord, teach me to forgive others from my heart as You have
forgiven me.


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