Author : Paul Milligan

Paul Milligan has over thirty-five years of experience in the corporate world and twenty-eight years in building his own companies. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of Andrew Wommack Ministries/ Charis Bible College since 2003 and served as CEO for several years. Paul teaches in the Charis Third-Year Business School and is a frequent guest speaker at Charis conferences and events. He and his wife, Patsy, have been married for forty- four years and have three  children and nine grandchildren.

We know from Scripture that Satan has schemes (2 Cor. 2:11, New American Standard Bible). A scheme is a well-designed, well-thought-out plan to destroy you.  Unfortunately, Christians can get caught up in the enemy’s schemes. One scheme that traps many people is unforgiveness, and that’s what I want to focus on. Forgiveness is commanded by God. Matthew 18:21–22 says, Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Jesus was not saying to stop forgiving after 490 times, but to always forgive. Jesus goes on in Matthew 18:23–35 to tell the parable of a servant who is forgiven of his debt by his master, yet he has no compassion to forgive those who owe him. Jesus said the unforgiving servant would be delivered unto tormenters, and the  same will be done to us if we don’t forgive. God releases you to the consequences of your sin.

When you don’t forgive others, Satan has a legal right to be in your life, and he’ll bring things you don’t want. Unforgiveness invites Satan into our lives to torment us. The enemy will help you make the case against the person who offended you. People will fight for their right to be offended, yet it tortures them.

We forgive because Jesus forgave us. People will hurt you, but there is no justification for unforgiveness. You may wonder how to truly forgive someone after they’ve hurt you. The answer is to separate your soul from your spirit. The real problem is your unrenewed mind. When offense comes, we’re not prepared to  stand against it.

Too many people default to responding out of their souls. The only part of you that is renewed when you’re born again is your spirit. You forgive someone by making the choice to forgive, not by how you feel. Matthew 26:41 tells us that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. You need to use the part of you that is willing—your born-again spirit—to make the choice to forgive. Though you’ve suffered and been hurt, when you practice forgiveness, in time you will be strengthened, settled, and established (1 Pet. 5:10).

God’s grace will do amazing things in your life. Don’t get caught up in Satan’s scheme of unforgiveness. Make the decision through your born-again spirit to  forgive, and you will be blessed.