Prayer 2021 - March 28 - Forgive If You Have Ought Against Any

Scripture For Today:

Mark 11:25

“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in Heaven may forgive you of your sins.”

Forgive If You Have Ought Against Any

One of the most important things you need to remember about receiving your prayers as answered is to FORGIVE OTHERS first. Prayer will not work if you have an unforgiving heart.  You know that one of my favorite scriptures of faith is Mark 11:23-24.  But it is useless if you do not tie – and fulfill – verse 25 at the same time.

Nobody can have an effective prayer life if they are still holding unforgiveness in their heart. This may sound mean and cruel, I don’t mean it to be, so don’t write me any nasty letters, but I’m using this as an example, ok?

If someone was raped or a loved one murdered, you still have to forgive the person who did it. It may be hard, I’m not saying it won’t be. But there will come a point in time when your unforgiveness of that person will affect your life. Your prayer life. Your faith life.

Remember what Jesus did on the cross. He had been beaten so badly he did not even look like a human being anymore. As they nailed him to that cross, He prayed, “Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing.” 

Now, in the natural, they knew exactly what they were doing. Just like the person who did you wrong knew exactly what they were doing. They knew IN THE NATURAL what they were doing. But they probably did not know in the spirit, what they were doing.

It is the spirit that matters the most. Every person will die at some point in time. Some sooner than others, I’m not arguing that point. But every person’s spirit WILL NEVER DIE. That is the important part to remember. EVERY PERSON actually lives forever.

Those who do evil and never repent and ask Jesus to forgive them, they live forever just like the most faithful Christian that every lived. The only difference is WHERE they spend eternity.

Now, you may feel they deserve to spend eternity in hell…and they do. But guess what – SO DO YOU! So do I. WE ALL deserve…get that word… DESERVE to spend eternity in hell. But that is why Jesus came, lived and died and rose again – so WE don’t have to.

But, if YOU deserve hell, but Jesus finally found a way to reveal Himself to you and you accepted his offer of salvation and the forgiveness of YOUR sins, He also did the same thing for those that sinned against you, however that may have happened. As tragic as it was…Jesus still died for them, just like He did you.

Unforgiveness in your heart is not affecting that person at all. It IS affecting you. It IS affecting your prayer life. It IS affecting the answers to your needs being met. So, as difficult as it may be, you MUST forgive that person. 

It may not be easy. It may be day by day or even minute by minute. You may have to say it over and over. “Lord, I forgive so and so for what they did to me (or my loved one, etc.). I make the decision to forgive them according to your word. Help me Lord, to maintain that forgiveness in my heart and in my mind. Send your laborers to witness to this person so they will repent of their sins and receive you as their Savior, just as you did me, in Jesus Name, Amen.”

Then, the next time you think of that person again, you may have to pray the same prayer – again. That is a devil trying to bring it to your remembrance and causing you to carry unforgiveness in your heart. Just say the same thing and maybe add, “NO Mr. Devil. I’ve already forgiven that person. I’ve rolled the care of it over on Jesus. I do not carry unforgiveness in my heart.” Then you may have to even repeat the prayer again.

Eventually, over time, you won’t even think about it anymore. And when you do – you will remember you’ve already forgiven them and you will thank Jesus for the Peace of God that reigns in your heart.

Like I said, it probably will not be easy, at least not at first. But it IS needful for your spiritual well being. 

Let’s Pray!

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