Hi guys I want to talk to you today about an experience and an encounter that I had last night and this morning. That has brought me to a new understanding.
Last night I asked my wife if she could drop off something to my parents on her way to work for me today and she said no. She had good reasons for her answer so I arranged it another way. During the night I started having a strange dream. I dreamt that I was trying to make a decision while packing the parcel to my parents so I could get it delivered. But I could not decide what I wanted in the package.
This indecisive reaction led me to a place of worry and fear. The fear started crippling me in many ways and aspects of my life. I woke up and started praying but nothing would relieve the pain and the anguish. Until this thought came into my mind of asking the Lord for forgiveness for the reaction I had to my wife the night before with her decision. So I did, instantly the pain the anguish and fear completely disappeared. It was at that exact moment, my wife walked into our bedroom and said “I’ve decided to drop off the parcel to your parents this morning on the way to work because now I have time”.
I later asked her why she had decided to drop the parcel off and she said because God said it was ok too.
This is an amazing testimony that holds so much understanding of the power of forgiveness !
The Lord was
showing me if we have any unforgiveness in our life it exposes us to the enemies schemes. But when we forgive he has no power anymore.
I wonder when was the last time you stopped and examined your heart to see if you have any offences, unforgiveness and resentment against others.
May I suggest you take sometime aside and do this today. We are about to step into a new season and things like offences, unforgiveness and resentment will stop you from truly embracing and restrict you from being fully effective.
Matthew 6:14 (Passion Translation NT)
14 “And when you pray, make sure you forgive the faults of others so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you.
This verse seems so harsh, until you understand it is coming from a Loving Fathers heart. He knows without true forgiveness there is no real meaning or worth to relationship. For both these can only be founded in Love. He also knows that unforgiveness will led us outside of His protection which is centred in Love.
So as a good Father does He warns us to make sure we forgive and the consequences if we don’t. Size to God has no relevance as He knows it all will lead us to the same place and my testimony above is prime example of this.
So here is your challenge today if your up for it.
1. Ask the Lord to show you those people, companys, organisations, churches or areas you have unresolved unforgiveness in.
2. Write them all down.
3. Now one by one say a prayer like the following prayer ” Father God I choose today to forgive……………………… for what they have done and I ask Lord that you will forgive me for holding onto it. Amen
Father I ask your grace to abound in this time as we ask you to search our hearts to clean out the clutter of forgiveness. Please help us be more effective in this area in our life from this day on. We give you all the praise and the glory. Amen
Craig and Winnie Patten
Itinerate Pastors/ Apostilic Leaders
Encounter Ministries
