Arise and Shine - Forgiveness, February 5, 2023

By Pastor Elijah Mutiso

Associate Pastor, Fedha Church KAG 


Arise: to move upwards.

Shine: to perform extremely well.

What shines is what has been polished from its former state into a better state, invoking stagnation.

Stagnation is the condition that is on mark time but lacks movement or progress. State of having a life but with no motion.

Factors that attract Hindrance and Stagnation

Luke 23:34‭-‬35 NIV (New International Version)

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”

We live in surrounding where people and ourselves will cause pain and infliction by words, actions, behaviors, and misconduct.

Jesus had done miracles, preached to us the love, and demonstrated to us the kingdom we accused, insulted, misconducted, beat, and crucified him.

Jesus on the cross when he was almost losing it said one prayer, FATHER FORGIVE THEM. Despite the pain, mockery, insults, shame

You can't move on unless you release some people out

Bitterness is one of the major factors that cause stagnation and lack of progress in a man's life.

You lose focus on what you need to work on to focus on what you have been through.

When you know what's ahead of you is more important than what's behind you, what you have been through you let Go and let God.

Two types of Unforgiveness:

1. Self-unforgiveness: hold on to self-mistakes and the past.

2. Second-party Unforgiveness: hold people for the wrongs they did to you and your family.

Matthew 5:23-24 

So if you are about to offer your gift to God at the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift to God.

Matthew 6:14‭-‬15 NIV 

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Colossians 3:13 

Be tolerant of one another and forgive each other if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, you also should forgive.

Matthew 18:21-22 

Then Peter came to Jesus and said, “Lord, how many times may my brother sin against me and I forgive him, up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I tell you, not seven times but seventy times seven!

Leviticus 19:17‭-‬18‭, ‬22 NIV

Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. “ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. With the ram of the guilt offering the priest is to make atonement for him before the Lord for the sin he has committed, and his sin will be forgiven.

Mark 11:25 

And when you stand and pray, forgive anything you may have against anyone, so that your Father in heaven will forgive the wrongs you have done.

Matthew 6:12 

Forgive us as we forgive others.

Anger towards relatives, spouses, friends, bosses, and business partners.

Leviticus 19:17-18 

Do not bear a grudge against others, but settle your differences with them, so that you will not commit a sin because of them. Do not take revenge on others or continue to hate them, but love your neighbors as you love yourself. I am the Lord.

2 Corinthians 2:10-11 

When you forgive someone, I do, too. Indeed, what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I did in the presence of the Messiah for your benefit, so that we may not be outsmarted by Satan. After all, we are not unaware of his intentions.

Some of us inherited hatred from our parents for our relatives, friends, neighbours.

Ephesians 4:26-27 

Be angry, yet do not sin. Do not let the sun set while you are still angry, and do not give the Devil an opportunity to work.

Ephesians 4:31 

Get rid of your bitterness, hot tempers, anger, loud quarreling, cursing, and hatred.

Ignorance

Knowledge is light and in this life, you can only move to where you can see.

Every time a man walked with God he could only become and go as far as he could have the revelation of... I.e. Jer 1, Gen 15:5,  2 king's 13:18,

You test your level of ignorance by sitting with superior knowledge

Satanic forces

1 Thessalonians 2:18 

For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way.

Lack of divine direction

The inability to access the leadings of GOD.

No matter the vision, or the plan you have as long as it's not divinely backed up it's bound to fail.

It's impossible to actualize destiny outside God, To fulfill your assignment you need to be guided and led by God.

Confusion is part of the limitation in all men, our decisions in life are based on exposure and knowledge, the orientation you have into doing things.

Psalms 119:105- 

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Luke 11:34 

34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy,[a] your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy,[b] your body also is full of darkness.

You can be carrying darkness thinking it'd light until you see true light

Psalms 37:23 

The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him;

Proverbs 16:25 

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

Deuteronomy 32:10 (NIV)

In a desert land he found him,

    in a barren and howling waste.

He shielded him and cared for him;

    he guarded him as the apple of his eye,

Keys to be lead by God

Accept you are limited -meek, teachability.

Psalms 25;9 

He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.

Pray for divine direction.  When you are physically prepared without spiritual approval you are bound to fail john 16:13 - Holy Spirit speaks and guides.

Open your heart for supernatural encounters

Seek Counsel

Never sit with great people and behave as if you are in the company of your colleagues or peers.

You test

In this life don't just respect them that have succeeded but also respect them that have failed and sit to hear their journey to learn.

Never be impressed by greatness and despite the humility, there is something they know the great did not. Great people have power but simple people have information.

Pain is a teacher and an authority, when a woman has been Burren and blessed in her old age, her victory has been made an authority.

A testimony of disappointment, and frustrations.

Competence

The gospel of God lifts is right and opens certain doors but once you enter certain doors your competence is required to be relevant.

Research on the subject matter

Unforgiveness is a major cause of cancer - refer to the clip - Link to the Youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHB6q3x1nc4&ab_channel=CBNNews

People who forgive fast live long. See citation - Toussaint LL, Owen AD, Cheadle A. Forgive to live: forgiveness, health, and longevity. J Behav Med. 2012 Aug;35(4):375-86. doi: 10.1007/s10865-011-9362-4. Epub 2011 Jun 25. PMID: 21706213.

Comments