EXAMPLES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO FORGIVE

EXAMPLES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO FORGIVE

Discover the stories of Esau and Jacob, Joseph and his brothers, and Moses' forgiveness of Miriam and Aaron. These narratives highlight the importance of forgiveness in our close relationships and show how it can foster healing and reconciliation.

Chapter Markers
- 0:00 Why The Bible Teaches Forgiveness
- 1:20 Esau Forgives Jacob After Betrayal
- 9:30 Signs You Have Truly Healed
- 16:29 Joseph Reframes Betrayal As Purpose
- 24:40 Forgiveness Shows Up In Actions
- 28:31 Moses, Racism, Honour, And Instant Mercy
- 40:25 Solomon And The Prophet Who Releases Enemies
- 46:13 Jesus Models Radical Forgiveness

Transcript

Why The Bible Teaches Forgiveness

SPEAKER_01 0:00

I would like to share with us examples of individuals who forgive. The Bible is such a practical book. It gives us real life examples of human beings just like us who are spirit, soul, and body, who have families, who have employments, businesses, go about our day-to-day interactions in life. So these people that we're gonna look at are real individuals. And um I think we can reflect and learn something from these people. And the word of God is meant for us to look at those examples and see, wow, this is what Jacob did, this is what Joseph did. If Jacob can do it, if Joseph can do it, if Solomon can do it, if David can do it, these are real men and woman. Deborah can do it, Esther can do it, for sure. I can also do it. I think God can also make a way for me to forgive. So that's why we have an example in the Bible, and the Bible is so realistic. The first instance of someone who forgave in the Bible is Esau. Esau forgave Jacob. We all know about the story between Esau and Jacob, their brothers. Jacob took two precious things away from Esau. Now we're looking at forgiveness and family relationships. Forgiveness within a family context, between husband and wife. Forgiveness is necessary between your son and your daughter. Between cousins. So forgiveness is needed in a family relationship. And this is exactly what we're gonna see here between Esau and Jacob. Jacob too took two precious things from Esau. One of them was well, I don't want to say he stole it from Esau. Jacob valued what Esau had. The first thing that Jacob took from Esau was the birthright. And the second thing that Jacob took from Esau with the help of Jacob's mother is the fatherly blessing. The blessing. Birthright and blessing. Those are the two essential things that Jacob took from Esau. Now, can you imagine the experience from Esau regarding his blood brother? We can relate this in our own family relationships. Your sister, your brother, your son, your husband, taking things that are so precious to you for their own advantage. So Esau, first of all, the first thing that was taken from him, he wasn't as upset as it could have been. But now the second precious thing has been taken from him, the blessing of his father, the firstborn blessing, and how Jacob did it was through deception. That could have hurt really bad in Esau. But guess what happened? These two brothers became dark enemies. Most times the Bible instructs you and I to forgive our enemies. Your enemy is not just somebody who you fight with in a war. Your enemy could be a family member. Your enemy could be a church member. Even your pastor could be your enemy when there's unforgiveness in your heart. Even your wife could be your enemy when there's unforgiveness in your heart. Even your son could be your enemy if there's unforgiveness in your heart. So unforgiveness tends to be towards our enemies, not just those in the war zone. We're gonna look at Genesis chapter 33 from verse 4 to 5. So after many, many years without seeing each other, an occasion arrived. It says, But Esau ran to meet him. If you read the previous verses, Jacob was very, very scared to see Esau. He was very, very scared to see Esau to the point where he strategized his family members according to those that he loved. We see the humanness of Jacob. And if you look at the life of Jacob, he was a very fearful man. He was afraid of Liban, he was also afraid of Esau. These are the two people that Jacob was afraid of. Esau ran to meet him and embraced him. Wow, after many many years, Esau was excited to meet Jacob. How could that be? It can only be God. Sometimes time is necessary for you to heal in order to fully forgive. I know when somebody offends you, we as ministers we tend to brush away the hurt and our pain. Oh just forgive. No, forgiveness is not just an easy thing to do. Yes, you can confess, I forgive, but it takes time and healing to truly forgive someone. Again, it will take time and God to do the healing process for you to fully forgive someone. You can confess it, it doesn't mean that you are forgiven or you have let go. The pain is still there, the hurt is still there. So it takes time to do its work and it takes God to do its healing. After many years, I believe that God worked on Esau. That's why he ran to meet Jacob. He didn't attack Jacob, he could have attacked Jacob. And then he embraced him. Wow. Wow. Not only embraced him, look at all these verbs. He fell on his neck and kissed him and they wept. Wow. Wow. Wow. He embraced him, fell on his neck, and kissed him, and both of them, they wept. They have not seen each other. This is what we call true reunion of forgiveness. Both of them, Esau had bitterness towards Jacob before. Jacob was afraid of what he had done to Esau. But God, through his mercy and grace, and goodness and tremendous power was working in both Esau and Jacob. Sometimes a person that will need to forgive, allow God to work in them. You might not expect them to be grateful to you when you forgive them. You might not expect them to come back and say, Oh, Musumba, I hurt you. You might never get an answer from them why they hurt you. It's okay, it's hard. I have been through that. I ask God, God, I need to know why this person hurt me. And up to now, I've not received an answer why this person hurt me. Maybe I don't need to receive an answer. I just have to fully forgive. Sometimes you might not get an answer why they hurt you. It's hard. You want to know why why did you hurt me? Why have you why why do you slander me? Why do you blackmail me? Why do you emotionally hurt me? Mentally afflict me, spiritually bewitched me. Why? I told you you're my friend. I thought you were my church member. I told you my pastor. I told you my manager, my co-worker. Why are you doing? What did I do to you? Most instances, the reason why for unforgiveness becomes so hard is because we didn't do anything in return for us to deserve such treatment. But again, we are all human beings. Okay? So both of them they wept. And he lifted his eyes and saw the woman and children and said, Who are these with you? Esau was so happy to meet Jacob. He kissed his young his brother, and both of them they wept. And he also welcomed Jacob's family.

unknown 9:22

Wow.

Signs You Have Truly Healed

SPEAKER_01 9:23

So forgiveness is extended with love to those that pertains to you. In Genesis chapter 33, verse 10 to 11. And Jacob said, No, please, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand. So Jacob had something to give his brother Esau. And now he's saying to his brother, If I found favor, obviously he has found favor. Because if he didn't find any favor, I don't think Esau would have run, embraced, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and then both of them they wept. So God has ensured that Jacob found favor in the sight of Esau. And now Jacob is saying, Okay, then take this present in my hand. Inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I have seen the face of God and you were pleased with me.

unknown 10:26

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 10:28

Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. You see how? Because Jacob knew that there's no way, Esau, Esau, that I know. The two things that I've done to Esau. Now let me shout. The two things that I've done to Esau. I took his birthright by transaction. I took the blessing from his father by the deception of our mother. He deserves to be angry, he deserves to be bitter at me because of what I've done, not once but twice. He deserves. But guess what happened? Grace intervened. You see, God is a God of families, not just for individuals or nations. God is a God of families. If your family is going through unforgiveness, child of God, call on God for your household. Jacob confirmed that wow, this could have only been God to walk in the heart of Esau. That's exactly what he saw. Because sometimes your countenance can either reveal that you are pleased with somebody or you're not pleased with somebody. Your countenance means your face. It's welcoming. After God has worked in your heart, when you see that person, one sign that you have forgiven somebody fully is that when you see their face, you smile. But when you see their face and you're still frowning, you have not fully healed, or you have not fully forgotten about it, or you have not fully forgiven. Your countenance will either expose you or reveal to that person that, yes, I am pleased with you. You can try to pretend, but it eventually is going to show up. I've seen that in my own life. I'm using myself as an example. When I still have unforgiveness, bitterness, even though after many years I've not seen that person, after many days or months, I've not communicated to that person that offended me. When I have the chance to talk to them, when I have the chance to see them, guess what? I'm frowning. I'm frowning. I'm like, oh God, please work on me again. I'm still frowning. I'm still frowning. This is a practical lesson. Examples of forgiveness. He said, I know you are pleased with me. When you have been healed, you'll be pleased with that person and anything that pertains to that person. You'll be happy for that person. You'll be happy for their success. You'll be happy for their progress. You'll be happy for their for their excellence. You'll be you celebrate them because you are pleased with them. The face of God. You have seen the face of God. That's powerful. Please take my blessing that is brought to you. Oh God, enough to the point where Jacob could have triggered Esau with blessing. Jacob could have triggered Esau with the word blessing. Oh God, this is deep. Because another sign that you have been fully healed when certain words that were used to hurt you no longer trigger you. Ah, God is powerful. The word of God is so powerful, so precise. Another sign, let me say that another sign that you have been fully healed is when somebody intentionally or unintentionally will use certain words that will bring memories of that incident that took place to make you have unforgiveness. Blessing. He said, Please take my blessing that is brought to you because God has dealt graciously with me because I have enough. So he heard him and he took it. The sign that Esau was healed and truly forgiven Jacob is number one, his countenance, his face showed it that he was pleased with Jacob and he has seen the face of God. Because Esau has been in the presence of God for God to work in his heart, and God has prepared him. Your actions, your face would tell that you are forgiven somebody. These are all signs that you are healed. And then on his face, he was pleased with Jacob. And the last thing is that he accepted that trigger word and didn't allow that trigger word to bring memories again.

unknown 16:20

Wow.

Joseph Reframes Betrayal As Purpose

SPEAKER_01 16:22

That's a takeaway from the process of forgiveness in a family context. Another example is Joseph and his brethren. Again, forgiveness in family. Forgiveness in family. Wherever there are human beings, there will be unforgiveness and forgiveness. You have to choose. Because human beings are imperfect, human beings have selfish reasons. Human beings have this tendency to hurt one another. So you just have to accept the reality that hey, your spouse is going to hurt you, your children are going to hurt you. Your uncle is going to hurt you. You just have to be ready to forgive. You just have to be ready. Have your mind that your wife is going to say stupid things to you, your husband is going to treat you. Wherever there's a relationship, unforgiveness and forgiveness is a choice. Okay? Now let's look at Joseph and his brethren. Genesis chapter 45, from verse 5 to 15. It states, but now do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourself because you saw me here.

unknown 17:34

Wow.

Forgiveness Shows Up In Actions

Moses, Racism, Honor, And Instant Mercy

SPEAKER_01 17:35

Wow. Wow. Forgiveness does not mean that you don't recall the fact. You can recall the fact of the matter, but you don't hold on to the fact of the matter. Let me start again. You can recall the fact of the matter, but you don't hold on to the fact of the matter. Joseph recalled the incident. Said, guys, I know you are grieved. Don't be angry at yourself because he sold me here. But the view of Joseph was that God was behind us. Sometimes, if when when when when people are using you, God works everything to work together. Oh, this is oh my god. This this was the verse that healed me. God works everything together, everything good or bad, to those who love him, those who are called to his purpose. If you have that mindset that, okay, my brother hurt me, my spouse hurt me, my pastor hurt me, the minister hurt me, my children hurt me. But I know God is gonna take all these hurts, all these pains together, all these problems, and do something marvelous with it. That was a view of Joseph at the end. He said, For God sent me before you to preserve life, and that can actually wipe out unforgiveness when you realize that there's a greater good at the end of this maltreatment, at the end of this pain, at the end of this arm, at the end of this hurt, there's a greater good, especially those who love God and those who are called according to his purpose. Joseph, a perfect example of that. For these two years, the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plural nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth and to save your lives for by a great deliverance. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. You have to learn to forgive, even at work. Somebody will slander you, somebody will blackmail you, your manager will not celebrate you. You still have to forgive, child of God. We as believers, we have we have been called to forgive, but there's a greater good ahead. Say, God, why is this person treating me this way? I don't like it. I don't like to be treated like this. Take it to God, and God will explain to you the reason why. The most times, the reason why we are frustrated is because we don't take it to God, we want to deal with issues with ourselves, but take it to God, and that's exactly what Joseph did. So now it was not you who sent me here. Wow, even though, yes, you were a channel to get to where I am, but God, and He has made me a father to Pharaoh. I'm just gonna skip all this. So it's narrating how God was able to turn the betrayal, the jealousy, into something very good, not only for Joseph, also for oh my god, oh my god, also for his family. Sometimes the person that hurts you, after God has dealt with you, God can use you to be a blessing to that person. That is why, in your family, if your spouse or your children hurt you, never wish them evil. Because God is going to use you in that process to teach them something, to teach them kindness, to teach them love. Oh God, to teach them an attribute of God and for God to use you as a channel to be a blessing. Forgiveness always with the help of God, God will always use forgiveness as a channel of blessing. That's exactly what Jesus Christ did. He said, Father, forgive them, but they don't know what they're doing. But guess what? The channel of blessing is what salvation. There's always a channel of blessing when there's forgiveness, even for that person that hurts you, that doesn't even deserve your goodness. Ah, this God that we serve. Ah, sometimes I wonder, God, the way you love is excess. Sometimes I feel like the love of God is so crazy. But again, he's a crazy lover. What can I say? I accept it, we believe it. Let me just jump to 12 and and behold, your eyes. Your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you. So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt and of all that you have seen, and you shall already and bring my father down here. Then he fell on his brother Benjamin's neck and wept. Again, we see a similar thing between Esau and Jacob. Joseph has been fully healed for him to embrace his brother and encourage them. Guys, don't feel bad about betraying me. Don't feel bad about selling me out. Don't feel bad. It's okay. God was in this, and God turned everything out for good. You see, when you see, this is how you know that you are fully forgiven. You will start being an encourager. You will speak positive words to the so-called enemies that you have. But if you have not been fully healed and fully forgiven, oh my god, the things that you say in your mouth, they're not godly. Wow, practical examples. Joseph said, guys, don't feel bad. It's okay, it's okay. And then he fell on his brother Benjamin's neck and wept. And Benjamin wept on his neck like Esau and Jacob. And he and moreover, he kissed all his brothers. Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god! And wept over them. Wow, wow! Kiss is a sign of intimacy that let's get back to be blood brothers. Kiss and embrace is a sign of intimacy, it's a sign of reunion of the relationship again. Can we apply this between a wife and husband? After your wife has done something stupid, your husband has said something stupid, you guys forgive each other, and you guys kiss each other again. Most times, again, you can't just say I forgive you. No, you forgive with action. Let's say you used to prepare, you used to prepare food for your wife or your husband, and because she did something now, he said, okay, I forgive you, but you refuse to prepare food. No, no, no, no, no. Don't just don't forget most times. We tend that forgiveness is just for us to alter, oh, I forgive you. No, no, no, no. Your actions have to go back like it used to be. If you were kind, be kind. And then you kiss that person, you embrace your lover. So forgiveness is not just oh confession, no, it's an action that wow, I'm going back how I used to treat you. I'm not gonna stop. Okay, and let's see Genesis 15, 19 to 21. Joseph said, Do not be afraid, for I am in the place of God. No, do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God. But as for you, you meant evil against me. Sometimes, like I said, one thing that we can learn from um Joseph is that he spoke the facts of the matter. That guys, this is what you guys did to me. What you guys did to me was evil. Yes. Sometimes you have to let that person that hurt you die. So you don't just push away their sin, no, because they have to learn that betrayer was evil. I didn't expect this from you. I didn't expect this from you, my son. I didn't expect this from you, my daughter. I didn't expect this from you, my wife, my husband. I didn't, I didn't really expect, I was not prepared for this. You see for you meant evil against me. That's the truth. But you know what? God meant it for good in order to bring it about as it is this day to save many, many life, many alive. So, what we see here, child of God, is like this verse in Romans chapter 28 that God causes all things to work together to those who love him, those who are called according to his purpose. We see the reality of that verse in the life of Joseph and his brothers. They meant evil against him, but God meant it for good. So all the hurts, all the pains, all the trauma, child of God, take it to Jesus Christ, take it to God Almighty. He specializes in taking what is broken and mend it. He specializes taking what is hurting you to heal you. Run to God Almighty. He specializes in taking care of your body, soul, and spirit, your emotions, your mental state. Because oh my god, unforgiveness is deadly, it's like cancer, it will hit you up. That's why don't play with unforgiveness. Run to God immediately. Run to God immediately when you sense unforgiveness in your heart. Don't play with a child of God. If you know you're not okay with this person in your spirit, communicate to that person. And then if you don't, if you know that you want to communicate to that person, there's gonna be a fight, communicate it to God. Joseph said, but God meant it for good in order to bring that. Now, therefore, do not be afraid. Wow, he's encouraging them, he has been fully healed. Do not be afraid, all your little ones. I'm not gonna hurt you, I'm not gonna pay back. Oh my god. Another sign that you have been fully healed and you have been fully forgiven. There's no such thing in your mind or in your heart of revenge. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, or pay back. No. Oh my god, you will not start praying. Oh God, this is the time I will get them, I will show my brothers that me too, ah, what they did to me, I will make them suffer, I will make them pay for it. That's the attitude and the heart condition of somebody who has not been truly healed, and there's still unforgiveness that lies in their hearts. There's no such thing as revenge or payback, no. But guess what? He did, he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. Another sign that you have been truly healed from unforgiveness, and you have been truly forgiven of your enemies, is that you will speak kindly to them and you will comfort them, you actually encourage them, Moses and Mariam. So, all the examples that I've given us, all of them are family context of forgiveness, which sometimes we take for granted. Okay, Numbers chapter 12 is from verse 1. Then Mariam, this is Moses forgiving Mariam and Aaron, forgiving his elder sister and elder brother. Then Marian and oh spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman he had married. God hates racism. That is why God, oh my god, that is why God took an action against this matter to teach us that there's no place for racism. Moses had the right to marry whoever he chooses to. So they said, as the Lord indeed, you see, to the point where now they discredit his office. Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Look at this man, look at his decision that he's making, marrying a black woman. You know, I don't think God, I don't think God would have spoken to Moses about this because if God would have spoken to Moses, his choice of wife would have been right. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. Has he not spoken through us also? And the Lord heard it. One thing that I've learned, if you want God to use you mightily, one of the most important traits, humility. Every great man of God or woman of God that God has used greatly, all of them had humility. Deborah, a prophetess, had humility. Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, had humility. Moses, humility, David, humility, even Jesus, our savior, a man of sorrow, humility. So humility is one of those traits for greatness. I'm telling you this, us as ministers, if you want to be great according to God's way, humility, embrace it. Embrace it. God heard what they were saying. Suddenly, then the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Marion said, Okay, bring them out. God, God, God, God. God said, Most Moses didn't know about this, okay? It was God now that brought this to Moses' attention. Oh my, you see, most God fights for his servant. Sometimes that is why, child of God, don't fight for yourself. Don't fight for yourself, okay? Don't fight for yourself. God sees, and God will fight, God will handle the matter for you. He knows what to do. You just chill back and relax. Just be cool, calm, and collected, and just allow God to handle your business, especially if you're if you're a child of God and you trust God. He said, Bring them out, come out, you three. He said, You three, come, you three, you three family members, come out. Oh my god. To the tabernacle of meeting, come out. He said, So the three came out. Oh God. Then the Lord came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle and called Aaron and Marian. And Pishop, most like, oh God, am I in trouble? Why this? Why are you calling out my family members in public? What's going on? What's going on? And the boat went forward. It's like God, God is a school teacher. He's a school teacher. He said, Yo, you three come out, and then you two, you you you come out further. Then he said, Hear my words. Wow, God is a father. Hey, hey, God is a disciplined father. God is a disciplined father. He said, Hear my words. If there is a prophet among you, so God heard what they were saying. You see, the reason why God even got more involved was that they dishonor the office that has been a blessing to them. That is why I'm warning us as a church. You might not like the type of personality our pastor has. You might not like at times how she views life, but when she has been called by God, she has been called by God. We're honoring her because of the grace of God upon our life. So be careful what you say to a man of God or woman of God. Not because you are afraid of them, it's because of the God that they have in them. I've learned this principle a long time ago. Even if the man of God is wrong or people are saying things about that person, man of God, you have no right to speak to a man of God. Let God be the one to do that. You just keep him. Instead, you know what you should do, you should pray for that man of God or woman of God. On social media, don't slender any man of God if you don't know the full story. Even if you know, pray for that man of God. Because they are men of God. Let God handle them, not you. But we as Christians will easily go out there and put to shame our men and women of God. Not even the unbelievers that will do that. Do you think the politicians, when they do their bad habits, their members will go out there and put put it on show? No, they will protect themselves, they will claim they are their messes in their own house. But we Christians, we think that we have this moral high ground. Oh no, no, that man of God, that woman of God who look at you yourself too. You're misbehaving, but God doesn't put you to shame. So Marian and Aaron, they were trying to, they were looking for something very tiny, but they had an hidden agenda, they were jealous of their brother. So they used his relationship as a way to really speak what's in their hearts, which is has God really spoken to Moses alone? That was it, because God knew their hearts, God knew their hearts. Speaking against his wife was just the surface, but what was really in their hearts was against his calling. It's not like Moses was like fronting, oh look at me, I'm the only prophet. No, that is why the oh Marcos Sharabah. That is why in verse 3, the Bible says that Moses was very humble. Moses was very humble. He wasn't fronting, saying that I'm the only man of God. No, no, no, no, he wasn't. But the view of Mariam and Aaron was out of jealousy and envy of their brother, of their younger brother, younger brother. But Moses was not fronting. So God knew exactly what was in their heart. That is why he said in verse 6, then he said, Hear my words. If there is a prophet among you, God didn't even bring up the idea of Moses married an utopian woman. God doesn't care. God doesn't care who you married, as long as that person loves you, that person follows you as a man, or that person fears God. It doesn't care if it's black or white, short or tall, it's us human beings that care about those types of things. But God He doesn't care. That's why He's addressing them. But Mary and um Marion Aaron, what you guys are talking about, the type of wife that Moses chose. That's that's between Moses. I don't care, but you don't speak against his office because I'm the one that called him. I don't know where I'm leading this way. Okay, hear my words. If there's a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision. I speak to him in a dream, not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house, I speak with him face to face and plainly and not in dark sense. Wow. And he sees the form of the Lord. When then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? Again, you see, we should be afraid of men and women of God because why? They are servants of God. As much as we are afraid of the prime ministers of the president, we should be afraid of servants of God, the spirit of honor. You honor men of God, you honor those in authority. That's just how God works. So the anger of the Lord was arose against them, and it departed.

unknown 36:13

Wow!

SPEAKER_01 36:14

And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Mariam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Mariam, and there she was a leper. So Aaron said to Moses, Oh my Lord, please do not do not lay this sin on us, in which we have done foolishly, in which we have sinned. Mariam would have been the one to instigate this. And then Aaron, Aaron is the type of man that always follows what you see. The difference between Aaron and Moses, like Aaron was a people's pleaser, Aaron didn't have any side. Everyone can take today, everyone will take your side today, tomorrow it will take another side, it will take Moses' side today, tomorrow it will take the people's side today. He took the side of the people to build a bull as an idol. Now he he took the side of Mariam. He would have said, Maram, shut up, be quiet, don't speak like this to our brother. You have no business to speak like this to our brother. Mariam just opened her mouth, so that's why God dealt with Mariam. She became a leper. And now Aaron now is saying that Moses, please do not lay this sin on us, in which we have done how foolishly, stupidly, in which we have sinned. Please do not let her be as one dead. Wow. Whose flesh is half consumed when when he comes out of his mother's womb. Now look at Moses, so look at Moses. So Moses didn't even know Moses didn't even know about it. But God expose expose Maryam and Aaron. They speak against my choice of wife, they spoke against my calling. It's okay. Instead, what Moses did, he cried out to the Lord saying, Please heal her. Oh God, I pray.

unknown 38:04

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 38:05

That's what we call instant forgiveness. Certain forgiveness can be instant if your heart is clean towards people. If there's no building up of rage or anger towards people, I don't think Moses had any issue with Aaron or Mariam. I think his view was, oh, these are these are my not only my family members, but these are ministers who are serving with me. My family members who are ministers who are serving with me. They are with me, they are for me. God has sent them towards me, which shows that ministers in the context, not just of relationships, even in church, we as ministers we can speak evil of one another. And where we need to forgive instantly, like Moses did.

unknown 38:52

Wow.

Solomon And The Prophet Who Release Enemies

Jesus Models Radical Forgiveness

SPEAKER_01 38:53

Moses' heart was clean. That is why, child of God, I'm here to remind you: make sure your heart is constantly clean towards people. When people, when people offend you, quickly let it go. Don't don't hold it. If if the enemy wants you to ponder on it, take it to God. Take it to God quickly, quickly, let it go, let it go, let it go. It's easy for you now to pray for that person. Say, God, forgive, please heal. Heal. So Moses was not only praying for healing for the leprosy, Moses was playing praying for healing for the heart condition of Mariam and Aaron. Then the Lord said to Moses, If her father, ah, God, God, God, God, God, God. You see, God, certain things that God doesn't mess around or you see, God doesn't mess around when he speaks against his servant. That's something that he doesn't mess around. Certain things that he does not, he does not share his glory with anybody, and he does not mess around with somebody that he has called. Those two things don't even try to stay away from those two things. If her father had been had had had but spit in her face, God is the one speaking like this. So he said, if her father had but spit in her face, would she not be a would she not be shamed seven days? Who she not be shamed seven days? Her father spit in her face. Let her be shut out of the camp seven days, and afterwards she may she may be received again. Don't play with God, child of God. You see, God is gracious, he's merciful, but God doesn't play certain things you need to know, certain things that God dislikes. God dislikes dishonor, pride and dishonor, those two things God dislikes. Solomon forgives Adonijah. Now, Adonisia, I'm reading from 1 Kings 1, 50 to 53. Now Adonisia was afraid of Solomon. So he arose and went and took hold of the owns of the altar. And it was told Solomon, saying, Indeed, Adonisiah is afraid of King Solomon, for look, he has taken hold of the owns of the altar, saying, Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword. Then Solomon said, If he proves himself a worthy man, not one hear of him shall fall to the earth. But if wickedness is found in him, he shall die. So King Solomon sent them to bring him down from the altar, and he came and fell down before King Solomon. And Solomon said to him, Go to your house. David had enemies before he passed away. And he instructed Solomon that Solomon, these people who are alive, they are my enemies. Some of them are your blood brothers who have betrayed you, who have betrayed the kingdom. Adonisha is one of them. So Adonis realized that wow Solomon is the king, and he is so determined to take out anyone that was against his father, that is against his kingdom. He was trying to wipe them out. If you read the entire first king, he was wiping out men who were against his father David, even priests, even priests, men who were serving his father, and then they rebel, could d'etat. He was wiping them out. Wow, he was wiping them out. Some of them were asking, Hey, Solomon, please forgive me. And this is one of the scenarios. And Solomon said, Okay, if you've proved yourself to be a worthy man, a man that I can trust. But if you can't if you if you act wickedly, you will die. You will die. So I'll let you go because you have you have you have you have act foolishly. I'll let you go. So go to your house. That's forgiveness to release somebody. I'll let you go. I know you have been a wicked man ever since. And because you have asked forgiveness, I'll let you go. Okay. And then another another instance where um somebody forgave someone in the Bible is a prophet of Judah forgave Jeroboam. That is first Kings chapter 13, verse 3 to 6. And he and he gave a sign the same day saying, This is the sign which the Lord has spoken. Surely the altar shall spilt apart and the ashes on it shall be poured out. So it came to pass when King Jeroboam heard the sayings of the man of God who cried out against the altar in battle, that he stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, Arrest him. Then his hand, which is stretched out toward him, without so that he could not pull it back to himself. Again, Jeroboam, a stupid king, was trying to attack a man of God. You should never, I keep saying this, don't ever, ever attack a man of God physically, verbally, or mentally. Don't ever do that. We have seen instances where people attack men of God. Mariam, Aaron, now we see King Jeroboam. It doesn't matter. You see, a man of God, a man of God, a woman of God, they are more powerful than a king, than a president. This was a king that attacked a man, a prophet. And guess what happened? His hand, which is stretched out towards the king, trying to physically assault it. The prophet, without without, so that he could not pull it back to himself. Then the altar also was. Split apart, and especially when the man of God, the woman of God is doing the work of God and he's just attacking them for no reason. You do you want to invite the the judgment of God? That's exactly what happened here. The prophet is doing his job, and then the king attacked the prophet according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the Lord. Again, then the king answered and said to the man of God, Please entreat the favor of the Lord your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored to me. Who dare you? Who told you to attack me? I came here to speak the word of God, to do the work of God, and then you attack me for no reason. This is what happened to you. You attacked me, you attacked me first. And God intervened. God protected me from you. Now the king, foolish king, was saying that please, man of God, please, man of God, entreat your God for me and pray for me that my hand may be restored to me. Sometimes when you attack a man of God or woman of God, you don't go to God or for God to intervene. You don't go to God. You have to go to that man of God to pray to God on your behalf. That's exactly what Moses did. That's the principle. I pity Christians or people who attack men and women of God. They think that they can just move on with their life. No, you will not have peace. You have to come back. If God really loves you, it's a come back and go speak to that person, that man of woman of God that you offended. Speak to them for them to release you. You have to, even if you talk to God about it, God will direct you that no, it's not me. You didn't have a problem with me. You had a problem with my man of God. So go to that man of God or that woman of God for them to speak on your behalf. That's what we see with Mariam and Aaron. That's what we see with King Jeram and the prophets. So the man of God entreated the Lord, and the king's hand was restored to him and became as peaceful. So when you go to the man of God, when you go to the woman of God, they're so forgiven, they'll forgive you and pray for you. That's the heart of a man of God. So why would you attack a man or woman of God that has the heart of God, who are actually there for your own good? It doesn't make any sense. Sometimes you do this out of foolishness. Finally, Jesus forgives his enemies. It's where I'm gonna close. Luke chapter 23, verse 34. It says, Then Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. Sometimes you just have to forgive people, especially our children. Sometimes they do stupid things, they have no clue what they're doing. Just have to, you know what? I forgive you, I let it go. Some people they do deliberately, you still have to forgive, or ah, they do it willingly, intentionally. You still have to forgive, my sister, my brother. Okay.