The Deceptive Evil of Unforgiveness

Let’s lean into the enemy’s strategy to ensnare and keep us bound through unforgiveness. After Jesus had just taught on forgiveness in Matthew chapter 18, Peter responded thinking to really impress Jesus with his generosity by replying,

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “…not up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” Matt 18:21, 22

Jesus’ point was that anyone willing to seek genuine reconciliation for wrong or harm done is worthy of our forgiveness no matter how many times they sin, primarily from our own reconciliation with Him and the mutual relationship that He has granted us. Jesus goes on to tell the consequences of the individual who is granted forgiveness, yet refuses to forgive. That unfortunate soul will experience sensitizing circumstances until they learn their lesson. However, Jesus’ seventy times seven was not a random equation, He was addressing and penetrating the enemy’s kingdom, locating the very puppet strings of Satan’s control in our heart – the venomous realm of prideful, stubborn and hardened unforgiveness!

For example, when the Children of Israel were being led through the wilderness, they didn’t like the process to bring them to liberty and were discouraged, so they complained against God and Moses. So God sent serpents to bite them – a physical visual of what they were spiritually suffering from – the stinging nature of the Serpent! Many died in their stubborn complaints, but for those who sought reconciliation with God, He made a provisional symbol, a type and shadow of Himself becoming stinging sin for us,

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.”  Num 21:8

Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. John 8:28

Jesus became sin for us, was lifted up on a pole and was crucified – He reconciled His perfect hatred for sin with His perfect love for us! And by doing so, made forgiveness an absolute standard in the Kingdom of God! By and large, most of the things we need to forgive come easy to those who are reasonably self-aware, responsible individuals who themselves have sought forgiveness for their own faux pas. But for those felt biggies, forgiveness is far more life-and-death by nature and our choice to or not to forgive, goes to the core of our being – whether we will become the evil that hurt us or overcome it. And that conscience choice, beloved, is made from a deep and militant desire on the inside of us to be good, like our origin of a Good God!

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. Matt 6:14, 15

Guilt is the need for forgiveness and resentment is the need to give forgiveness.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean we have to accept, agree, or approve of the actions done to us or others. In fact, what God forgives in us, He does not accept, agree with or approve of – forgiveness doesn’t make wrong right. A lessoned learned from those who have been purified by Him is that He won’t hold our shortcomings against us, but He will hold us accountable! Forgiveness does not forfeit justice! On the contrary, it yields the right to act in a limited independence from God, the Just Judge, the One Who holds all accountable – every word and every deed. The Apostle Peter taught us that Jesus Himself committed to this mindset,

Who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously 1 Peter 2:23

Let’s not take the bait and give our power to our pain or anger, but learn to be proactive, being willing to ask for forgiveness and to generously give forgiveness. Let’s reconcile our injustices at the cross and seek reconciliation for mutual relationship. And for those who will not reconcile with you, forgive them – no matter what – accept it, and go on! 

We will either be defined by the injustices done to us or by the victories Jesus has enable us to overcome – take heart beloved, all injustice is temporary! In short, we choose whether we will be a victim or a victor and either disassemble or build the architecture of iniquity in our own hearts! Here is a truth that absolutely gives a knock-out blow to the mentality of victimization or entitlement, nothing or nobody has to change for me to choose to walk uprightly and enjoy right relationship with God!