How Forgiving Your Enemies Sets You Free!

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32

As a believer, we believe in the power of forgiveness. Forgiveness frees you from the anger and resentment that can hold you back from achieving your goals. It allows you to move on and focus on what’s important in life. When we forgive, we set ourselves free. Forgiving others doesn’t mean that you condone their actions or pretend their behavior didn’t hurt you. It means that instead of harboring resentment and bitterness, you try to understand why they did what they did and then let go.

In Matthew 18:23-35, Jesus Christ said the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlements, a debtor was brought to him owing ten thousand talents. Since the man could not pay, the master ordered him to be sold to pay his debt, along with his wife and children and everything he owned. Then the servant fell to his knees before him. ‘Have patience with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ His master had compassion for him, forgave his debt, and released him.

Matthew 5:7 says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”

However, when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me.’ So his fellow servant knee down and begged him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he had the man thrown into prison until he could pay his debt. When his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and recounted all of this to their master.

Then the master summoned him and declared, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave all your debt because you begged me. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had on you?’ In anger, his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured until he should repay all that he owed. That is how My Heavenly Father will treat you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” Brethren, forgiving your enemies is key to your freedom and peace of mind. In other words, when you forgive people, the greatest beneficiary is you. So now release! Let go and let God. Your anger cannot produce the righteousness of God’s desire (James 1:20). Matthew 6:14 says, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”

Prayer:
1. God had forgiven me for what I have done; therefore, I am grateful in Christ Jesus.
2. Lord, grant me the strength to forgive those who have wronged me.