“So watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him” (Luke 17:3-4 NIV).
My forgiving someone doesn’t have anything to do with what that person did or didn’t do to me. I forgive them because of the blood. God honored the blood and forgave me in the face of my sin, so even as He has forgiven me, I forgive you.
For me not to forgive would be to dishonor that blood.
This is serious business we’re talking about here! When you dishonor the blood of Jesus, you’re stepping out from under its protective covering into the devil’s territory. You’re stepping out into darkness where he can get a shot at you.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to go out there. I don’t care what anyone may do to me, I won’t let their mistreatment of me push me out into darkness. No, I’ll just honor the blood, forgive them and keep right on walking in the light. If somebody hits me on the cheek, I’ll just do what Jesus said: forgive and turn the other cheek.
Some people think if you do that, you’ll get the daylights beaten out of you. But they’re wrong. If you keep your faith up, when you turn the other cheek, God will protect you from the one who’s trying to hit you.
I know of a preacher who experienced that. He was witnessing to a member of a New York street gang who was threatening him with a knife. Instead of fighting back, the preacher just kept telling him Jesus loved him. The guy kept swinging that knife, trying to cut that preacher, but every time he tried, a force he couldn’t see would stop him. He literally couldn’t touch him.
As a result, that gang member fell down on his knees, received Jesus and today he is one of the most outstanding evangelists in the world!
Listen, friend, forgiveness is one of the most powerful forces in existence! To walk in forgiveness is to walk in victory.
Speak the Word: I honor the blood of Jesus by choosing to forgive; therefore, I walk in victory and power. (Luke 17:3-4; Rev. 1:5)
For Further Study: Colossians 1:9-14
Daily Scripture Reading: Job 35-36; Revelation 17
Excerpt permission granted by
Eagle Mountain International Church, Inc.
aka: Kenneth Copeland Ministries
For the last 50 years Kenneth and Gloria Copeland have been passionately teaching Christians all over the world how to apply the principles of faith found in God's WORD to their lives.
They have seven ministry offices around the world: United States, Canada, Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Ukraine and Latin America. Their God-given directive is to preach and teach the uncompromised WORD of God on every available voice, which is being accomplished through a variety of channels, including our Believer's Voice of Victory TV and radio broadcasts, podcast and magazine; Believers' Conventions, Victory Campaigns and Living Victory meetings; published books, website, and social media channels, to name a few.
With the expansion of technology, they have more work to do now than ever. They are determined to let the world know Jesus is LORD, and they are not slowing down anytime soon!