Christians around the world are celebrating the life, death, and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ this month, thanking Him for His selfless sacrifice and immense love toward us. We should honor Him for His perfect gift of salvation, which includes the forgiveness of all our sins—past, present, and future. Without Jesus’ resurrection and completed divine assignment, we would all be condemned and headed to hell (John 3:16–20).
There is great power in forgiveness, and it does not only come from our Heavenly Father. The Bible commands Christians to forgive others as God forgave us. When we choose to harbor unforgiveness, we not only cause ourselves sickness and disease (Matthew 6:14–15), but we also hinder our prayers from reaching the throne of God. I admit that forgiving someone who has wronged us is not always easy. Therefore, we must ask God to heal our hurts and choose to release anger and unforgiveness (Philippians 3:13–14; 4:6–8). By doing so, we remove the sin that holds us back from receiving the promises of our salvation in Jesus (Proverbs 14:29–30).
Forgiving others is an act of our free will by faith in God’s Word. When we do, we can be confident that our prayers of faith will be answered, and we will walk in the victory that Jesus secured through His life, death, and resurrection.
I am not saying that the betrayal we endured was justified. However, the person who holds unforgiveness is headed toward destruction. Satan continually brings up past offenses to keep us from forgiving and living in victory. Forgiveness must be done by faith to honor God and Jesus, who forgave us unconditionally. Forgiving others—and ourselves—is a vital step toward growth and victory in Christ.
When we choose to forgive by faith, we avoid Satan’s traps. Forgiveness is for our benefit and well-being, not just for the offender. While it may not erase painful memories, it gives us the strength to move forward in peace—the kind of peace that surpasses all understanding.
Here are some reasons we must choose to forgive others:
- God commands us to do so in His Word:
- Mark 11:25–26
- Ephesians 4:32
- Colossians 3:12–15
- Our prayers can be answered and healing can take place:
- Exodus 15:26
- Psalm 103:2–5
- James 5:15–16
- We stop Satan from stealing, killing, and destroying:
- Hebrews 12:14–15
- James 4:6–7
- 1 Peter 5:5–11
- The love of Jesus can truly operate in our lives:
- John 13:34–35
- 2 Corinthians 2:5–11
- 1 John 2:9–11
Kansas City
Christian Faith Center
Christian Faith Center
