Family and Relationships (3)

The Power of Forgiveness

Colossians 1:9 NKJV

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Hurt and pain will happen. But God can use it for our good… If we don’t allow God into our hurt we open the door for darkness to come in

Colossians 1:10 NKJV

that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Hurt will cloud your judgment and cause you to hurt others back.

Colossians 1:11–12 NKJV

strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

The fruit of the Spirit cannot be lived out when we are bitter and angry.

Luke 6:37 NKJV

“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Matthew 6:14–15 NKJV

“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.

Mark 11:25 NKJV

“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.

God’s plan for us is beautiful but we can spoil it if we remain in darkness.

So many of our relationships can be full of darkness.

The Good news is that Jesus has made a way to deliver us from this darkness and its power!

Colossians 1:13–14 NKJV

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Rescue/ Delivered

Power of Darkness

Transfer

Kingdom of His Son

Purchased

Freedom

Forgave

Sins

The Work of Jesus is to rescue us from the power of darkness...

and transfer us Into His kingdom

God’s way is the only way

Why do we so many times walk right back into darkness?

The power of darkness is found in our hurt, pain, unfair treatment, unfulfilled expectations, injustice, evil doings

We become angry with one another and blame one another, homes, are broken, relationships are torn.

Strife...

We become so blinded by it that we attack one another. Fully convinced that its our right.

But all we are really doing is hurting Jesus!

Attacking Others, Hurting Jesus

A young lady named Sally took a seminary class taught by Professor Smith, who was known for his elaborate object lessons. One day Sally walked into class to find a large target placed on the wall, with several darts resting on a nearby table. Professor Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone they disliked or someone who had made them angry—and he would allow them to throw darts at the person’s picture.

Sally’s friend (on her right), drew a picture of another woman who had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend (on her left), drew a picture of his younger brother. Sally drew a picture of Professor Smith, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing, even drawing pimples on his face! She was quite pleased at the overall effect she’d achieved.

The class lined up and began throwing darts amidst much laughter. Some of the students threw with such force that they ripped apart their targets. But Sally, looking forward to her turn, was filled with disappointment when Professor Smith asked the students to return to their seats so he could begin his lecture. As Sally fumed about missing her chance to throw the darts, the professor began removing the target from the wall.

Underneath the target was a picture of Jesus. A hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled image of their Savior—holes and jagged marks covered his face. His eyes were virtually pierced out.

Professor Smith said only these words, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

Lee Rhodes, Wheeler, Michigan

It’s easy sometimes to minimize our response to things in life. But it matters...

Most of the times we feel wronged by someone we don’t want to take it to Jesus.

We know that Jesus is full of mercy and will probably dismiss it and not do anything about it.

So I must take matters into my own hands and fix it...

Other times we just try and distract ourselves from the pain...

Catching up to the Pain

I learned a long time ago that if I hustle fast enough, the emptiness will never catch up with me. First I outran it by traveling and dancing and drinking two-for-one whiskey sours at Calypso on State Street in Santa Barbara. Then I outran it by lining up writing deadlines like train tracks and clicking over them one by one. Then I outran it by running laps around my living room, picking up toys and folding blankets, as recently as yesterday.

You can make a drug—a way to anesthetize yourself—out of anything: working out, binge-watching TV, working, having sex, shopping, volunteering, cleaning, dieting. Any of those things can keep you from feeling pain for a while—that’s what drugs do. And, used like a drug, over time, shopping or TV or work or whatever will make you less and less able to connect to the things that matter, like your own heart and the people you love. That’s another thing drugs do: they isolate you. Most of us have a handful of these drugs, and it’s terrifying to think of living without them. It is terrifying: wildly unprotected, vulnerable, staring our wounds right in the face. But this is where we grow, where we learn, where our lives actually begin to change.

Shauna Niequist, Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living, Zondervan.

This is no way of living...

This is what the bible says about living in pain or unforgiveness

Proverbs 10:12 NKJV

Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins.

Proverbs 29:22 NKJV

An angry man stirs up strife, And a furious man abounds in transgression.

Romans 14:19 NKJV

Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.

The work of Jesus is to transfer us out from under the power of darkness

He wants to lead us into His light… His kingdom… Where love and peace and joy abound.

Watch yourself that you are not caught up in unforgiveness and guard your heart.

It grieves the Holy Spirit when we don’t walk in forgiveness..

Today lets break the power of darkness… Lets allow Jesus to turn things in our hearts, Lets confess our transgressions and seek His face...