Deliverance from Unforgiveness

I had the pleasure of attending a Saturday service in Tennessee recently. While I was there, a testimony was given about unforgiveness. Later on in the meeting, the Lord brought to my remembrance my testimony of being delivered from unforgiveness and pressed upon me to share it.

I had unforgiveness in my heart toward someone. The Lord said it was time to be delivered and started working with me; this ended up taking about one year.

It was rough at first. The enemy didn't want to leave and tried several times to keep me from forgiving. I put up a wall around me when this person was around; it was my own natural way to keep from being hurt anymore. Some encounters were better than others but the more I prayed the better they got. Oftentimes my memory would be flooded with all the hurtful things that I had buried inside, but I would cry out to the Lord and ask Him to forgive me for holding onto them and would He please take them. He always did.

There were times that I would be mad or aggravated with this person and would start ranting about what they had done. These rantings, at least the ones I said out loud, were always to my mom. The rantings I said in my mind were to the Lord. He would always settle me down and take that memory so that it would be gone. My mom would very gently and lovingly look at me and tell me to let it go and remind me that I had to forgive this person. Most of the time it worked, but a few times I would fire back at her out of frustration and tell her, "I know. I'm working on it, but it doesn't go away over night". My mom prayed for me a lot, probably more than I realize.

During this time, the Lord had me listen to The Curse of Unforgiveness series. I downloaded it to my iPod and would go for a walk and listen to it. I listened to it several times. The more I prayed and overcame, the more layers the Lord peeled off.

During the winter months, I like to stand or sit in front of the fire to pray. It's always quiet and peaceful. On one particular night, the Lord put this person in my mind, so I started to pray. As I was praying, I asked the Lord to forgive me for having unforgiveness, anger, hurt and bitterness in my heart and would He please take it. As soon as I said those words, I felt it all come out of my chest; it was gone. I can't explain the feeling, but it was great! I started praising the Lord with tears streaming down my face. I was free.

The next night, I was in my same spot, praying. The Lord brought this person to my mind again, only this time I had to ask for love. I told the Lord, "I don't love this person. Would You please forgive me and give me love for them?" As soon as I said those words, I felt the love of God go right in through my chest. This feeling is indescribable -- 100 times better than the night before. I stood with tears streaming down my face, praising the Lord for His grace to get me through to the end.

I love this person now and pray for them. I can be around them and it doesn't bother me; there are no more buried memories. The Lord tilled up all of the roots so they could be plucked up and He could plant His seed. Whenever I am delivered of something, I ask the Lord to fill that spot with something from Him.

I thank You, Heavenly Father, for Your grace to get me through to the end.

Note from David: Unforgiveness is the root of many things that separate us from God and others. Anger, bitterness, wrath, murder, faction, slander, railing, railing, judging, criticism, etc. All of these and more have the same fruit -- the unforgiveness of God toward us: {Mat.6:15} But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. And tormenting spirits in our lives: {18:34} And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. {35} So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.

Printer-friendly version