Walking in Forgiveness Empowered by the Holy Spirit

Article written by my sister-in-Christ, M. Featherson

Walking in Forgiveness: Empowered by the Holy Spirit

Forgiveness may often feel like an enormous challenge. Thankfully, if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you do not travel the path of “forgiving” alone.

 

Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He promised that He would send us a Helper – the Holy Spirit, who is our Advocate, Comforter, and Helper (John 14:16; 16:7 ESV). The Holy Spirit enables and helps us do whatever God has commanded us to do, including forgiving others and ourselves.

 

Forgiveness Has No Limit

Jesus not only offers forgiveness to us, His children but also to those who are lost (1 John 1:9; Acts 2:38-39; Ephesians 1:7). He taught the subject of forgiveness on multiple occasions and even included it in the prayer He modeled for His disciples, known commonly as the Lord’s prayer (Matthew 6:12 NKJV). When Peter asked Jesus how often we should forgive those who offend us, Jesus’ response was seventy times seven (Matthew 18:21-22 NKJV).

 

Jesus wasn’t saying 490 times is the limit. He was making it clear that forgiving others has no limit. The number seven and seventy in the Bible represents perfection, completion, and wholeness. In other words, Jesus wants us to forgive others completely. And, as I indicated earlier, God has equipped us to do so by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

 

How To Walk In Forgiveness

“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,”  Ephesians 3:14-17 NKJV

 

Walking in Forgiveness by Yielding to the Holy Spirit

Walking in forgiveness requires us to be totally yielded to the Spirit. Each day we wake up, we need to spend time with God before involving ourselves with matters of the day. During this time, we pray, read the Word, and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit as God begins to pour out the provision we need for the day. Then, when we need to forgive, we can lean on Him to empower us, to have a heart that is willing to do so.

 

In our strength, walking in forgiveness can be a daunting task because, really, who wants to forgive someone that has hurt them! Thankfully, God has equipped us with the ability to forgive.

 

Walking in Forgiveness by Obeying God’s Word

Praying, personalizing Scriptures aloud, meditating on God’s Word, and applying what you read and hear from the Holy Spirit to your life will shift your perspective and bring healing and deliverance to whatever situation you are in.

 

If you need healing, deliverance, freedom, and or extending forgiveness, let God’s Word perform the necessary work in you. Just be surrendered and implement these practical steps.

 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 NIV

 

Offering forgiveness isn’t about saying you weren’t wronged or harmed in any way. It’s about obeying God’s Word, choosing not to hold a grievance against the offender, and walking in freedom.

 

Extending mercy to the person that has wronged you is the same way our Father gives grace and mercy to us. In Lamentations 3:22-23, Jeremiah reminds us of God’s mercy, compassion, and faithfulness to us.

 

“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 NKJV

 

Putting On Christ…Dying To Self

As believers, we are exhorted to clothe ourselves in righteousness. But what does that look like? It looks like choosing to obey and apply God’s precepts to your mind, speech, and deeds: it’s looking and acting like Jesus.

 “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” Colossians 3:12-13 NKJV

 

Conclusion

A great story on love and forgiveness is found in Luke 15:11-32, the parable of the Lost Son often called the Prodigal Son.

 

It’s a story of a father and two sons. The younger one wanted his inheritance immediately, so he could leave and enjoy life without his father’s restrictions. He received his portion and squandered it away, leaving him stuck, desperate, broke, and starving.

 

Because of his poor choices, he took a job feeding swine to sustain himself — the young man sunk so low because of his disobedience that he had no food to eat. He even longed to eat from the pods the pigs ate, but no one offered him anything. Then one day, he came to his senses and realized he should never have left home. Even the hired servants of his father lived better than he did. So, he decided to return to his father, confess his sin and ask for forgiveness.

 

His father saw him from afar and, with compassion, ran to him and kissed him. What a welcome home! He confessed his sin and professed that he was not worthy of being called his son. “Make me a servant,” he asked, but the father restored him by placing a robe, ring, and shoes on him and celebrating his return with a feast.

 

This is a story of reconciliation and restoration, from an earthly father to his son, and it’s also every believer’s story of salvation and restoration from our Heavenly Father to us.

Be Blessed,

M. Featherson

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