PASSIONATE PURSUIT...THERE IS POWER IN FORGIVENESS!

COLOSSIANS 2:13-15

AND YOU BEING DEAD IN YOUR SINS AND THE UNCIRCUMCISION OF YOUR FLESH, HASTH HE QUICKENED TOGETHER WITH HIM, HAVING FORGIVEN YOU ALL TRESSPASSES; BLOTTING OUT THE HANDWRITING OF ORDINANCES THAT WAS AGAINST US, WHICH WAS CONTRARY TO US, AND TOOK IT OUT OF THE WAY, NAILING IT TO HIS CROSS; AND HAVING SPOILED PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS, HE MADE A SHEW OF THEM OPENLY, TRIUMPHING OVER THEM IN IT.

The beautiful thing about Jesus Christ dying on the cross is that he put the guilt and the shame on the cross. He paid the price with his blood we we wouldn't have to. These days with the spiritual warfare, folks are used to bringing accusations against the saints of the Most High, but the Lord Jesus has blotted out every ordinance written against us and that was contrary to us. No matter the circumstance or situation Jesus moved every power out of the way and nailed it to the cross and forgave us all. He stated for us to believe only and love the Lord God with all our heart, mind, and soul. He said for us to apply the word to our lives and not just be hearers only, but doers also. Do not allow the adversary to come and bring chastening and act like its from the Lord. Jesus first comes in gentleness and love and mercy. The adversary comes to deceive and make us feel guilty for things he's already forgiven us for and wiped the slate clean. Plead the blood against the guilt and shame and against all snares and traps the adversary has set. We plead the blood of Jesus against all powers of darkness and spiritual wickedness in high places.

COLOSSIANS 3:12

PUT ON THEREFORE, AS THE ELECT OF GOD, HOLY AND BELOVED, BOWELS OF MERCIES, KINDNESS, HUMBLENESS OF MIND, MEEKNESS, LONGSUFFERING:
FORBEARING ONE ANOTHER, AND FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER, IF ANY MAN HAVE A QUARREL AGAINST ANY: EVEN AS CHRIST FORGAVE YOU, SO ALSO DO YE.
AND ABOVE ALL THESE THINGS PUT ON CHARITY, WHICH IS THE BOND OF PERFECTNESS.

Love and forgiveness are a team. There isn't one without the other. We must accept the purified love of Christ in our lives and allow Him to reign completely. That is the only way to have assurance in the faith. It is the love of Christ that moves us to pour out the mercies of God unto each other, to show the loving kindness and long suffering one toward another.

It is love that hopes for all things and bears all things. Love is the bond of perfectness and the driving force that moves us to seek the face of God and to do His will and purpose. If Christ dwells in us, then we are to be in unity with Him. The flesh is dead and it is Christ that reigns within us. If then it is Christ reigning by His Holy Spirit, then we have the heart of God. He said that he is one with the Father and we are one with Him by his Spirit. Therefore, we should rooted and grounded in love and this love gives us the fullness of God unto perfection.

MATTHEW 9:2

AND, BEHOLD, THEY BROUGHT TO HIM A MAN SICK WITH THE PALSY, LYING ON A BED: AND JESUS SEEING THEIR FAITH SAID UNTO THE SICK OF THE PALSY; SON, BE OF GOOD CHEER; THY SINS BE FORGIVEN THEE.
AND, BEHOLD, CERTAIN OF THE SCRIBES SAID WITHIN THEMSELVES, THIS MAN BLASPHEMETH.
AND JESUS KNOWING THEIR THOUGHTS SAID, WHEREFORE THINK YE EVIL IN YOUR HEARTS?
FOR WHETHER IS EASIER, TO SAY, THY SINS BE FORGIVEN THEE; OR TO SAY, ARISE, AND WALK?
BUT THAT YE MAY KNOW THAT THE SON OF MAN HATH POWER ON EARTH TO FORGIVE SINS, ( THEN SAITH HE TO THE SICK OF THE PALSY,) ARISE, TAKE UP THY BED, AND GO INTO THINE HOUSE.
AND HE AROSE, AND DEPARTED TO HIS HOUSE.'
BUT WHEN THE MULTITUDES SAW IT, THEY MARVELLED, AND GLORIFIED GOD, WHICH HAD GIVEN SUCH POWER UNTO MEN.

Jesus went into His own city and thought there were many spectators, he set the standard and made the path that the sons of God had power on earth to forgive sin. That path was established by faith. It was just that simple The things sometimes we allow our mind to make complex among us, the Lord Jesus Christ made somewhat simple for us. He said to believe with our whole heart that He is the son of the living God. He confirmed His word with works of faith.
There is power in forgiveness! How wonderful it is to pour love upon another and have mercy to forgive. What freedom it is to be on the receiving end just as well. That power is driven by the purified love of Christ. When you are after God's own heart, you'll find that He is truly a rewarder of them that diligently seek after him. Love is rewarding. There are no words that can describe how you can penetrate the heart of another brother or sister by showing compassion through forgiveness. Forgiveness mends broken hearts and sets captives free.

LUKE 7:42

AND WHEN THEY HAD NOTHING TO PAY, HE FRANKLY FORGAVE THEM BOTH, TELL ME THEREFORE, WHICH OF THEM WILL LOVE MOST?
SIMON ANSWERED AND SAID I SUPPOSE THAT HE TO WHOM HE FORGAVE MOST. AND HE SAID UNTO HIM, THOU HAS RIGHTLY JUDGED.
AND HE TURNED TO THE WOMAN AND SAID UNTO SIMON, SEEST THOU THIS WOMAN? I ENTERED INTO THINE HOUSE, THOU GAVEST ME NO WATER FOR MY FEET: BUT SHE HATH WASHED MY FEET WITH TEARS, AND WIPED THEM WITH THE HAIRS OF HER HEAD.
THOU GAVEST ME NO KISS: BUT THIS WOMAN SINCE THE TIME I CAME IN HATH NOT CEASED TO KISS MY FEET. MY HEAD WITH OIL THOU DIDST NOT ANOINT: BUT THIS WOMAN HATH ANOINTED MY FEET WITH OINTMENT WHEREFORE I SAY UNTO THEE, HER SINS, WHICH ARE MANY, ARE FORGIVEN; FOR SHE LOVED MUCH: BUT TO WHOM LITTLE IS FORGIVEN, THE SAME LOVETH LITTLE.
AND HE SAID UNTO HER, THEY SINS ARE FORGIVEN.
AND THEY THAT SAT AT MEAT WITH HIM BEGAN TO SAY WITHIN HTEMSELVES, WHO IS THIS THAT FORGIVETH SINS ALSO?
AND HE SAID UNTO THE WOMAN, THY FAITH HATH SAVED THEE, GO IN PEACE.

The Lord compares sin to a burden and something that requires constant payment. He also has written that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus. Jesus makes clear that He paid the price and it was paid with His blood. The gift of God, even forgiveness, has freely been forgiven. In the very first verse He says that both owed a debt that was forgiven, then the Lord ends the scripture by asking a question about love. The Lord desires for us to love Him and to love each other as He has loved us. As out Father, his expectations of his chosen are simple and it is our reasonable service to oblige.

We have the ability to stand in the gap for each other and pray on each others' behalf concerning forgiveness, just as Moses stood for the children of Israel. The word states the he stood in between the living and the dead. That's how powerful love and forgiveness is! Numerous times the Lord told Moses in his anger to move that he may destroy them in that moment, but the power of love intercepted the circumstance and satisfied the wrath of God. Love stands in the way of death so that we can live through Christ.

There were several religious leaders present in the house of Simon attempting to make known the sins of the woman publicly. They began to state, :If you knew what manner of woman this is...” There are many people who call themselves children of the Most High who instead of wanting our sins covered would rather them be revealed for the sake of embarrassment and humiliation. That's not love. The word says that in the last days the love of many will wax cold. However, He has given the chosen of God the power to forgive sins right here in the earth. Yet, that requires the purified love of Christ and bowels of mercy toward a brother or sister. The Lord says we should have compassion on some, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh (Jude 23). how simple is it for you to say to another member of the body of Christ; thy sins be forgiven?”
Sometimes sins are known openly and some men's sins are revealed later (1 Tim 5:24). However, sometimes the revelation is to stand in the gap, pray for their forgiveness, and cover the sin for judgment sake.

PSALM 32

BLESSED IS HE WHOSE TRANSGRESSION IS FORGIVEN, WHOSE SIN IS COVERED.

That is the purified love of Christ. In these last and evil days, though we have the power and privilege to forgive, we don't utilize that power nearly as often as we should. Within this power is healing and deliverance, and when we mingle faith with the purified love and forgiveness, hearts are healed and captives are set free. These signs will follow the believer, even the remnant in the end times if we allow His Holy Spirit to reign completely.