“And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” Mark 11:25-26
As promised….
We know from yesterday’s post that forgiving others is required in order to experience God’s forgiveness, but don’t miss the forgiveness-intercession connection.
Believers are called to pray for others. The call is to pray for everyone, even your enemies. Praying for another person really means approaching and communicating with God on their behalf. It’s called intercession, and it is a powerful aspect of prayer ministry.
When we intercede, we pray that God’s will is done in the lives of another. True intercession is not made from a selfish perspective. Intercession is not made because we want someone to change in order to meet our needs, live up to our expectations, or obtain an apology. We intercede because we desire the will of God for their lives. We love them and want God’s best for their lives. True intercession is motivated by love. Are you beginning to see why forgiveness is so important?
Withholding forgiveness blocks the spiritual movement that happens as a result of prayer. Furthermore, it reveals a greater concern for yourself than the other person. In order to ask seek God’s best for another person you must have compassion toward them. Forgiveness is a great demonstration of compassion. When there is more concern about what is owed to you than someone’s soul, it is impossible to ask God to bless them. True intercession erupts out of deep compassion or concern for another person. You truly desire God’s best for them. Your act of forgiveness is simply releasing them from a debt. A debt they can not pay. Forgiveness does not mean an offense didn’t occur. It powerfully acknowledges there is no capacity to pay what is owed. Your act of forgiveness opens the door for God’s power and influence to enter the situation.
I could go on and on because forgiveness is such a rich topic, but I’d rather hear from you. Please share your comments, thoughts, or even your questions.
Blessings to you,
MC