“The lessons of forgiveness in heaven’s kingdom realm can be illustrated like this: “There once was a king who had servants who had borrowed money from the royal treasury. He decided to settle accounts with each of them. As he began the process, it came to his attention that one of his servants owed him one billion dollars. So he summoned the servant before him and said to him, ‘Pay me what you owe me.’ When his servant was unable to repay his debt, the king ordered that he be sold as a slave along with his wife and children and every possession they owned as payment toward his debt. The servant threw himself facedown at his master’s feet and begged for mercy. ‘Please be patient with me. Just give me more time and I will repay you all that I owe.’ Upon hearing his pleas, the king had compassion on his servant, and released him, and forgave his entire debt. “No sooner had the servant left when he met one of his fellow servants, who owed him twenty thousand dollars He seized him by the throat and began to choke him, saying, ‘You’d better pay me right now everything you owe me!’ His fellow servant threw himself facedown at his feet and begged, ‘Please be patient with me. If you’ll just give me time, I will repay you all that is owed.’ But the one who had his debt forgiven stubbornly refused to forgive what was owed him. He had his fellow servant thrown into prison and demanded he remain there until he repaid the debt in full. “When his associates saw what was going on, they were outraged and went to the king and told him the whole story. The king said to him, ‘You scoundrel! Is this the way you respond to my mercy? Because you begged me, I forgave you the massive debt that you owed me. Why didn’t you show the same mercy to your fellow servant that I showed to you?’”
Matthew 18:23-33 TPT
This resonates in me this morning.
It speaks for itself-
But the Word declares that we overcome by the Blood, and the Words of our Testimonies of what the Blood has accomplished.
Expounding on this- is an understatement, if that’s my approach.
This is the story of my life.
Unfortunately, I’ve kept many behind bars.
Myself included.
At times, unknowingly, and others, fully aware that I was keeping them there,
As I felt they should be.
But then I saw that word patient.
I’m sure it’s always been there.
But I failed to “expound” on that in my own life.
Yes, I wanted patience for myself to grow and receive mercy to pay off my debts-
“Letting patience have her perfect work”
but,
Even in that thinking: my debt, according to Jesus was singular, as a whole.
Not plural, as in he would have to keep paying for them.
He decided once.
My debt was paid.
Now out of that decision, mercy flows, unlimited.
But what about the flow from me?
Through me?
Is it unlimited?
And if it’s not, I see the kink now.
Patience.
Sure I want to forgive you the first time, when it’s fresh that I’ve been forgiven.
But then after I’m good, we’ll, you’re not.
So I feel justified.
But that’s not how I’ve been justified.
I was justified, just-as-if-I’d- never accumulated debt.
Whole debt remember, not the string of baby debts.
But as I sing, “my chains are gone, I’ve been set free…”
I’m linking another chain to my brother that I’m holding as an offense.
But in reality it’s like we’re handcuffed together.
The Father doesn’t take lightly to that, and why should he?
It didn’t take the man in scripture long to bind his brother.
He lacked the very patience He had received.
It was a choice.
It wasn’t because he was being asked to give up something he didn’t have.
We’ve been forgiven brothers and sisters.
Let us flow in that Forgiveness.
Father, forgive me- as I forgive others.
Help me to see the bondage I’ve allowed in my life, by binding others.
I say we are Free today.
Free to forgive, free to love.
Open our eyes to your forgiveness and the depth of the price paid.
Let us never again hold someone’s trespassers against them.
In Jesus Name.
I want you to look at this last verse;
“In a fury of anger, the king turned him over to the prison guards to be tortured until all his debt was repaid.”
Matthew 18:34 TPT
If you’re experiencing torture in your thoughts or life, I dare say that you’re walking in unforgiveness.
Today is the day of Freedom.
Be Freed- and then Release that Freedom to whoever hurt you.
I’m not saying the act was right, but I am saying that Jesus is, and in time,
(that’s where patience comes in- )
He rights the wrongs that have been done.
ThankFully Restored 