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"So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
(John 210:21-23)
I call you forgiven, healed, blessed, loved, and restored! This should be our declaration over every believer's life. Yet without knowing it we come into agreement with what we see happening in their lives, and not what God says in His Word! Without knowing it, we speak against God's will by speaking over their circumstances, and speaking our unbelief by that things won't change. This is not right. If God's Word says they are healed why do we contradict that, and speak to the contrary? If God says they are delivered why do we call them bound? If God says they are blessed why do we call them cursed? If God says they are restored why do we call them broken? If God says they are forgiven why do we hold their past against them?
"Jesus said, "If we forgive any sins they will be forgiven." What we don't realize is that we can keep people stuck by retaining or holding their sins against them. Accusation is the work of the devil.
Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down." (Revelation 12:10)
When we retain people's sins (or past) against them we bring them under condemnation, and shame. The bible says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." (Romans 8:1) Once a person has repented, God's Word says that they are no longer condemned or sentenced to live under anyone's judgment. Why then do we judge? "Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand." (Romans 14:4)
Sadly judging others, being critical, condemning, and accusatory is a widespread problem in the church. There is a reason people don't feel safe about being transparent so they continue to live in shame, bound by the opinions of men, and hoping to be free from sin but feeling they can never achieve it. If the people in church don't feel safe why would anyone outside of the church feel comfortable enough to go in? We can't reach the people we judge. Don't get me wrong God has called us to judge or discern people's fruit but he did not call us to retain or hold people's past against them or their struggle with sin against them. "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted." (Galatians 6:1)
The compassionate ministry of reconciliation, and restoration of family members is what is really missing in the church. Many times we act like the older brother of the prodigal son. We become angry that God welcomes His son, and daughter home. God immediately showers them with gifts, gives them their authority back, clothes them in righteousness, and throws them a party! Some of us would like to bring the prodigal home, and require that he would earn his way back home instead of just walking in grace again. We say we earn salvation by grace but turn around, and require people to work for the mercy of God. "This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?" (Galatians 3:2-3)
Question: Are we requiring people who need to be restored to work their way back into our good graces? Yes, people need to prove themselves. They need to show forth their fruits of repentance. However, are we going to now require that they perfect themselves by the works of the flesh? Do they now need to work on their salvation or receive it by faith again? I don't see the Father meeting the prodigal, and giving him a plan whereby he can become a son again. He has always been a son or she has always been a daughter. The moment someone goes to the cross Jesus declares it is finished! You know when someone has been to the cross because their life becomes consecrated again. They bear fruits of repentance.
The most famous of prodigals was Peter. He was in Jesus' ministry for three years plus. He was the first one to get the revelation of who Jesus' was, and also the first one to tempt Jesus to take a shortcut by tempting him not to go to the cross. Either way Peter was part of Jesus' inner circle. Even though he walked with Jesus the day came that the stress of the ministry became too great, and he abandoned his post. He left Jesus, and even denied he knew him. In today's world Peter would have been considered a fallen leader, a prodigal son, and a minister that morally failed his Savior. Yet, Jesus did not retain or hold his sins against him. He simply called his son home, and made him affirm his love for him. "So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” (John 21:15)
The restoration process for Peter began with his declaration for his love for Christ, and confessing him before all men but continued in that upper room as he waiting on God for the Holy Spirit to fill him. In that upper room God transformed those fearful disciples, who had abandoned their posts, and made them the leaders of the greatest outpouring known to mankind. Jesus never once made them work to be in his ministry again or judged them for walking away. He did not retain their sins against them. It is time the church stop putting shame on people who have fallen away or are struggling in their relationship with God. It is God's love and kindness that led men to repentance. Look at what Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery, "Go and sin no more." If they sin no more, and continue to walk blameless before the Father who are we to condemn? If they get up, and you throw a stone at them then the love of the Father is not in you. "Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. 7 But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless." Matthew 12:6-7
It is time we stop condemning the guiltless. If they have gone to the court room of heaven, then Jesus has already declared them "Not guilty." Who Jesus declares is forgiven is forgiven. Let us start agreeing with heaven, and God's Word.
Father, I pray for whoever is reading this that would receive the love of the Father, that all guilt, condemnation, and shame give way to your loving presence. That they would realize that you are a Good, Good Father it's who you are, who you are and that they are loved by you; it's who they are, who they are! Amen!
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Jaziz Gutierrez
Official Website: http://www.loverevivalrevolution.com
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