What are the consequences of unforgiveness?

Greetings to you, dear friends! Grace and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ! Yesterday we talked about the fact that without forgiveness we rob ourselves of the faith and good conscience. Without forgiveness we can suffer shipwreck of our faith and end up in the prison in the hands of the spiritual torturers. On the other hand, forgiveness makes us like our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Who forgave us all our iniquities. What are the consequences of unforgiveness? 

1. Unforgiveness gives place to the devil in our lives and churches.

 The Bibles tells us not to give place to the devil. One of the ways to do that is to be quick to forgive: 

 «”Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil» (Ephesians, 4:26-27).

 As we have seen, unforgiveness may open the door for torturers in our lives. When God is forced to discipline us because of an unrepentant heart, He takes away His protection. Then Satan does everything in his power to make our lives unbearable and miserable. He causes such physical and emotional illnesses that can’t be cured by human medicine. Remember what Job’s life was like after God removed His protection (see Job, 1:9-22). God is not the author of tragedies. It is the devil whom the Bible calls wicked. Through unforgiveness a person destroys God’s protective walls around his life and becomes a victim of the one who seeks to devour – the devil. 

«Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour» (1 Peter, 5:8).

 

            «The LORD has made all for Himself, yes, even the wicked for the day of doom» (Proverbs, 16:4).

 

            «He who digs a pit will fall into it, and whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent»(Ecclesiastes, 10:8).

 

            «Why have You broken down her hedges, so that all who pass by the way pluck her fruit? The boar out of the woods uproots it, and the wild beast of the field devours it. Return, we beseech You, O God of hosts; look down from heaven and see, and visit this vine and the vineyard which Your right hand has planted, and the branch that You made strong for Yourself. It is burned with fire, it is cut down; they perish at the rebuke of Your countenance. Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, upon the son of man whom You made strong fro Yourself. Then we will not turn back from You; revive us, and we will call upon Your name. Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved!» (Psalm, 80:14-19).

 

            «You have broken down all his hedges; you have brought his stronghold to ruin. All who pass by the way plunder him; he is a reproach to his neighbours» (Psalm, 89:40-41).

             We give place to the devil in case when we refuse to solve conflict situations and keep offense in our hearts. After the man from Corinthian church repented of his sin, Paul wrote to the church telling them to forgive the man and help him get established in faith. Paul warned that otherwise the devil would do much harm: 

 «…so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices» (2 Corinthians, 3:7-11).

             Unforgiveness opens doors for different demonic manifestations. 

2. Unforgiveness deprives us of grace, because it feeds the root of bitterness which originates from unforgiveness.

 When we do not forgive right away, offense, wrath and unforgiveness turn into bitterness which – like some spiritual infection – poisons our spiritual life and deprives us of God’s grace. Many ministers have lost their ministry and anointing because of offense and unforgiveness. Our gifts function by God’s grace that we walk in. If we lose grace because of bitter root, then our gifts are bound up: 

 «Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled» (Hebrews, 12:14-15).

 Tomorrow we will talk about other effects of unforgiveness. God bless you! Pastor Rufus Ajiboye