Unforgiveness

Somebody once said, “Unforgiveness and resentment is like drinking bitter poison and expecting the other person to die.”

This made me think back to 2013, where there was a guy named Jonathan who acted like a mentor for me. I met him through a college bible study held on campus once a week that he led. He’s very wise, knowledgeable, and gifted in discernment. I had wrestled with emotional and spiritual instability constantly and was a mess. I didn’t have a good relationship with God, as there was some much needed development and pruning to take place. Jonathan understood but was very patient and humble towards me as he continued to pour his love into me, even when I wasn’t lovable at all whatsoever. 

One day, Jonathan’s pastor preached a wonderful message over unforgiveness and demonic warfare. Jonathan heard God tell him after the sermon was over, “This is for Jennifer.” He took notes and gave them to me with the link to the sermon and sure enough, it addressed the issues with my unstable moods and spiritual depression.

By refusing to forgive, I was giving Satan access to torment me. And it prevented me from drawing near to God, hence why I felt so far from Him. That’s why I continued to struggle so much and have unstable moods.

I’m learning it all comes down to where I place my thoughts and emotions on the heart-throne of my life. In order to be truly stable in my emotions, I must align my feelings to what is true (Phil 4:8) and go to the Word to renew my mind (Romans 12:2) to let it master over my life instead of being mastered by emotions. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Since the fall of humanity, creation and relationships have been distorted and twisted from its original design. Bringing disorder and dysfunction everywhere, including what’s in our hearts and minds. The Bible has much to say on this in Romans and other Scriptures throughout. There’s always going to be a tug-of-war of what feels right versus what IS right. And the only way to overcome is to bring ourselves to the knowledge of Scriptures that declare who God is, what He’s done, our identities we have in Him, and repetitiously meditating on these until fruitful evidence begins to show.

Notes

Unforgiveness

• Hinders prayers
• Blocks relational intimacy with God and others
• Opens doors to the demonic realm to oppress you (Ephesians 4:27; 6:12; Matthew 18:21-35)
• Causes one to stumble in darkness by resisting God and submitting to the devil (James 4:7-8)
• Negatively affects your health (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual)
• Isolates you from community
• Results from sinful pride in a fallen body
• Damages your credibility and witness
• Is forgetting the evidences of grace, mercy, and tenderhearted love at the Cross

Continued notes

• Does not mean your salvation can be lost
•   A born-again Christian is positionally and eternally secure
•   A born-again Christian is positionally sanctified and will continue to be sanctified. They cannot keep on sinning in the Spirit (1 John 3:9; 2 Corinthians 5:17)
• Forgiveness is a verb that involves faith (Luke 17:4-6)
• Forgiveness does not minimize or diminish wounds
• Forgiveness enables you to walk in freedom and healing from bondage of sin and oppressed chains
• Forgiveness fosters unity and reconciliation, but it doesn’t always mean reconciliation will or should happen
• Forgiveness is remembering that you’ve been forgiven so, so much when it wasn’t deserved and extending that to another person

I couldn’t find the sermon Jonathan sent me with the notes but fortunately, I’ve found sermons very similar from the same pastor down below.

Relational Strain part 1

Relational Strain part 2

Relational Strain part 3

Overcoming Bitterness

When To Forgive

How To Forgive

The Power of Grace