May 6, 2026

Make It Serve You

I have shared posts on the subject of forgiveness for the past two days [May 4 and May 5]. Today’s post reveals, to some extent, God’s sense of humor.

A couple of years after insisting that I forgive a man I blamed for so much pain in my family, and giving me the grace to do so (read about it here), the Lord led me to Christ For the Nations Bible Institute in Dallas, Texas. Shortly after arriving, to my complete surprise, I ran into this man’s son, who was also there as a student. Tom (not his real name) happened to be among the 15 or 20 students who became my inner circle. He was a few years younger than me and had no idea of the hatred I once held for his dad. I’m sure he was completely unaware of what had even taken place a few years prior to this. Tom had gotten into drugs and alcohol while in high school and became horribly addicted. He had come to Christ and was attending the Bible institute to help firm up his walk with the Lord. I found it very encouraging that I could relate to him with no feelings of awkwardness or resentment.

About six months into my time there, Tom had a bit of a relapse and used some recreational drugs, which was obviously against the strict policy of the Bible College. The school was not a rehabilitation center equipped to deal with drug addiction and rehabilitation, so they were very firm in their stance. Violating the policy meant dismissal, along with suggestions for finding a place better suited to helping them. Of course, if Holy Spirit led otherwise, they made exceptions.

The Dean of Men, who would be making this decision and doling out the consequences, called me to his office. I knew him somewhat from some on-campus prayer meetings I had attended. He was quite strict regarding the school’s policies. He was also very prophetic. He prayed regarding situations of this nature, asking Holy Spirit to give him wisdom and guidance. I had no idea why he was summoning me to his office.

He explained what happened with Tom and spelled out the normal consequences for the offense. “I feel I am to give him another chance, however,” he stated. “I believe his heart is pure and repentant. He is a friend of yours, isn’t he?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said, “he is a friend.” I felt truly spiritual being able to say that. Not that I was proud, you understand. My assumption was that the Dean was about to ask me if I thought it was a good idea to give Tom another chance.

NOT!

“I’ve seen you spending time in the prayer room,” he began. I was, indeed, attempting to become an intercessor. I certainly wasn’t an expert, but I was passionate. “I am willing to give Tom a second chance,” he said, “if you are willing to take him on as a personal assignment. You must accompany him to the prayer room every day and pray with him, teaching him to pray, and helping him get free from his addictions.”

Did I mention that this Dean was very prophetic?! He knew nothing about my past with this young man’s father. Nothing! But had he ever heard from God! I said yes, and left the room dumbfounded. I’m not sure what my exact words to the Lord were when I left the dean’s office, but they were something like this: “Well, God, You sure do have a sense of humor.”

“I do,” He answered. “But I’m doing more than being humorous. I’m finishing the job. Drive the nail into the coffin of your past. Make satan pay. Overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). You are free in your heart; now seal it with your actions.”

I was able to do this assignment. I led this young man to the prayer room every day - actually, he had no choice - and prayed over him, as well as making him pray, for an hour or so. Surprise, surprise! It worked…for both of us. We chased off his demons and buried my past pain. Only God. Tom became free and, as far as I know, was able to remain free.

The word “overcome” in the verse above (Romans 12:21) is the Greek word nikao.(1) It means “to conquer, prevail, overcome; even legally - to win in a court of law.” It’s a wonderful word describing our God-infused ability to be overcomers in life. There is one place, however, where Holy Spirit evidently decided this word was not strong enough to describe the overcoming nature He has given us.

Romans 8:37 tells us: “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us,” (NASB). The KJV says we are more than conquerors. As this revelation was breathed into Paul by Holy Spirit, so he could pass it on to us, Paul was overcome by the strength of what he was seeing. As he searched his mind for the correct word, he came up empty and finally had to combine two words into one: hupernikao, translated above as “overwhelmingly conquer.” This Greek word is used nowhere else in the New Testament.

The prefix huper means “overwhelmingly, over, beyond, exceedingly, excessively, more than.” Our English word, hyper, comes from this Greek word. Paul, overwhelmed with emotion and excitement, shouts with his pen, “We are hyperconquerors! We overwhelmingly conquer! Our ability to conquer is excessive, over the top!” Holy Spirit wants us to overwhelmingly conquer our past and anything else satan throws our way. 

“Through Him who loved us,” Paul goes on to say (Romans 8:37b). Everything God does is motivated by His heart of love. He’s a Giver, a Blesser, a Healer, a Destiny-provider. When He asks us to release, let go of past offenses, He is actually saying, “Here’s how I can get rid of your pain. Let me have it.” Forgiveness, releasing the person who hurt you, is one of the ways God erases the negative side of the ledger. He moves your pain into the asset column, working it for your good, making it serve you!

You can do this. Let it go!

Pray with me:

Father, we thank You for Your determination to heal, equip, and strengthen us for success. You have a plan for each of us, and You are determined to accomplish it. We pray the prayer of the Psalmist, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way” (Psalm 139:23-24). (“Hurtful way” could be translated as “way of pain.”) Reveal any pain in us that could hinder our destiny.

We want clean hands and pure hearts. We pray now for our brothers and sisters who struggle with the pain of past experiences. Help them let go. Pour Your grace into them, enabling them to release it all to You. You are such a good Father, and You will release and heal them completely.

And we pray that in the coming revival, we will be healing agents. We ask You that through our wholeness, we will produce wholeness. We can be the generation that heals our land of racism, division, and strife. Start in us, Your people, then anoint us to release Your healing. We ask this in Christ’s name. Amen.

Our decree:

We declare that we will walk in the wholeness of Christ and minister His wholeness to those in need.

Click on the link below to watch the full video.

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1. “Strong’s Hebrew: 3528. (nikaó) -- To conquer, to overcome, to prevail, to gain victory.” Bible Hub, https://biblehub.com/greek/3528.htm. May 12, 2025.

May 5, 2026

The Power of Forgiveness

Yesterday, I spoke with you about offenses and forgiveness. The New Testament word translated as “offense” actually came from animal traps. This word was the stick upon which a piece of raw meat was placed. When an animal reached for the meat, the trap was sprung, and they were captured. It is very revealing that the word for “offense” basically means to “take the bait.” This is also why it is called “picking up” an offense.

Regarding forgiveness, in yesterday’s post, we mentioned that the New Testament word means “to release.” A good translation of Luke 6:37 would be “Release, and you will be released.” When we release the person who has offended or wounded us, we can then be released from the bruises and pain they caused us. Releasing them releases us. We also said yesterday that forgiveness is a choice - a decision - not a feeling.

My Testimony

When I was 17 years old, my family went through a very difficult time. The Board of Directors of the church my father had planted removed him and took the home where we were living. The house had been given to our family, but for tax purposes, it was put in the church’s name. We were left penniless and homeless. I didn’t know at the time that they had removed my father because of immorality. Shortly thereafter, he divorced my mother and married the other woman. Our family was devastated once again. Circumstances had gone from bad to catastrophic.

I became bitter at Dad for his role in this, and at the church that abandoned my family, especially the chairman of the church board. I focused much of my anger upon him, an anger that soon became a bitter hatred. After all, he kicked us to the street. I said on several occasions that I could not kill this man, but I would rejoice if someone else did.

Though it was irrational, I also became bitter at the church, in general. I associated my pain and my family’s disintegration with religion, and swore I would never darken the door of another church. Becoming very rebellious, I ran from God and turned to drugs and alcohol.

God was incredibly patient. He protected me and, for two years, waited patiently for me to come to a point where I could respond to Him again. I returned to Him and have enjoyed a wonderful walk with God since that time.

Around six months into my renewed walk with the Lord, He began dealing with me about my hatred for the man I had blamed for many of our problems. I heard Holy Spirit very clearly telling me I needed to forgive him. I did not angrily resist the Lord, but I did not believe I could ever truly do so. The bitterness I had against this man was so strong, I had no confidence whatsoever that I would be able to forgive him; I told the Lord this.

Holy Spirit was gentle with me, not condemning. His promptings always came as a gentle nudge deep in my heart. He was, however, insistent and persistent: “You will have to do this if you want My best for you and to truly be free from all of the pain this caused.” When my heart softened to the point that I was willing to try, Holy Spirit began teaching me how to do it. Some of what He taught me I shared in yesterday’s post.

He revealed to me that I could have emotional feelings of anger, hurt, etc., and still choose to forgive from my heart, overruling my emotions. As an example, He said, “You don’t like to get up early some days and go to work, but you do it anyway because it’s the right thing to do; it’s your responsibility. You don’t like to exercise, but you do it anyway because you know that you need to.” Then came the final blow, “Jesus did not want to go to the Cross, but He did so anyway, for the joy He knew it would produce later” (Hebrews 12:2). “Choose to do this because it’s right, even though you don’t want to. Don’t allow your feelings to rule you. If you will make this choice and maintain the decision daily, I’ll be able to release you from all the pain, resentment, and hatred. Your responsibility is to let go; it’s My responsibility to heal your emotions and release you from every effect of this. Choose life!”

Somehow, the dots connected in my thinking. I realized I could overrule my “feelings.” I didn’t have to “feel” like it, and I didn’t need any positive feelings toward this man. I simply needed to “release” him to God, trusting Him to do what was right. I did so daily, saying something along these lines (it’s important to say it), “I choose to release David [not his real name] from all he did to hurt my family.” Every time he came to mind, and unpleasant feelings began rising up inside of me, I would say it again, “I choose to release David from all he did to hurt my family.” Some days I had to do this multiple times. After a couple of weeks, he was rarely coming to my mind, and when he did, I felt less emotion. I continued this process. A week or two after that, he came to mind again, and I realized that I felt no pain or anger whatsoever. I was shocked! I knew God had released me from all the effects of what had occurred two years earlier.

The Proof

However, Holy Spirit wanted to show me that I was truly healed. One Sunday night, my mom and I were returning home from a church service and stopped at a local restaurant to grab a bite to eat. There were no tables available, and we were waiting for one when I noticed this particular man and his wife seated across the room. He noticed us at the same time. I also saw that he and his wife were seated at a table for four people, and two of the chairs were empty. He jumped to his feet and headed in our direction. Well, I thought to myself, he wants to say hello. I’m about to find out if this is real. He wanted to do more than just say hello. “Would the two of you like to join us at our table?” he asked.

“Sure,” said my mother, “that’s very kind of you.”

I kept waiting for that angry, bitter feeling in the pit of my stomach that used to surface when I thought of him. I expected at least a few negative emotions. But there were none. I was not having to feign being nice to him while burying my anger and hatred. It was actually easy - it felt normal to treat him with kindness. I felt no pain whatsoever. I thanked the Lord for delivering me from my chains of bitterness. No, this man did not become my friend, but he was no longer my enemy.

Friends, regardless of the level of your pain, who hurt you, or when it occurred, God can and will do this for you. Let’s pray.

Pray with me:

Father, it is impossible to go through life and not have many opportunities to forgive. You said offenses will come. You did not tell us to forgive only if we felt like it; You simply said to do so. You never ask us to do anything You will not enable us to do. So we choose this day to honor Your word and obey it from our hearts, our spirits, regardless of how our emotions feel. As we obey what You have said, our emotions and feelings must come into alignment with the Word-based decision we make. They must…and they will. As we release, we will be released.

Father, we ask for tremendous grace to everyone praying this prayer with us now. Give them the grace to forgive and release. Let a process of healing begin for those who have been abandoned, abused, rejected, betrayed, and wronged in any way. Release a strong revelation that forgiveness is a choice we can all make. May today mark a new beginning for them, and all the negative results of what they have suffered be reversed. Let this begin today.

We ask that You heal bodies through this. Mend hurting hearts and minds. Tear down the walls we’ve built to protect our emotions. Cause victims to be victimized no longer. Let the abused go free. Release captives, mend broken hearts, and restore hope. We ask that today truly be a new beginning. And we ask it all in the name of the great healer, Jesus. Amen.

Our decree:

We declare that we will walk in forgiveness to all.

Click on the link below to watch the full video.

May 4, 2026

It’s a Trap

In Luke 17:1, Jesus tells us that offenses are inevitable; they WILL come. The Greek word for “offense” is skandalon. It is also translated as a “stumbling block,” a word or event that causes an individual to stumble or fall, figuratively speaking.

This word is very fascinating. Skandalon literally means “a trap-stick.”(1) It was the trigger of a trap (usually made of wood) on which bait was placed; when the bait was taken by an animal, the trap was sprung. Skandalon is also the Greek word from which we get our English word, scandal. When we, like an unsuspecting animal, take certain types of bait, we are trapped and often find ourselves in a scandalous situation.

It also became the word for an “offense” since an offense results from “taking the bait” when wronged. Thus, the phrase, “pick up an offense.” When we have been wronged or mistreated, the key to remaining free from bitterness and lasting pain is to not pick up the offense - don’t take the bait. Jesus told us very clearly that we WILL be baited - offenses WILL come. We must not pick them up - they are traps!

The bait used in an animal trap is food the creature finds appealing, something it desires to eat. How else could the trap actually be successful? Likewise, we pick up offenses because it is desirable; it feels good to pick it up. When treated poorly or unfairly, stolen from, spoken to harshly, abused, or mistreated, it is appealing to take the bait. We “deserve” to be angry, to feel resentful, to take up an offense. After all, they wronged us. 

But it’s a trap!

Years ago, in a certain part of Africa, monkeys were trapped by placing a banana in a jar that was tied to a tree or stake. The opening of the jar was just large enough for the monkey’s hand to fit through when open. However, when the hand was closed into a fist, it was too big to remove it. The monkey wanted the banana so badly that it would not let go of it, and consequently could not remove its hand. It was now trapped by its desire.

If you have picked up an offense, if you have taken the bait, let go of it. It’s the only way to be free. If you hold on to it, you will become a captive to the effects of the wound, and to satan.

Forgiveness - The Key to Freedom

This brings us to the subject of forgiveness. Jesus told us in Luke 6:37 to forgive, and we would be forgiven. In the prayer we call the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus again instructed us to forgive our debtors, or “those who trespass against us.” The word forgive also means to release. “Release and you will be released,” Luke 6:37 says. The key to being freed from the effects of being wronged - pain, fear, emotional walls, and more - is to release the person who hurt us. Let go of the banana. It may feel good to resent or hate the offending party, but it’s a trap.

Here are three truths that will help you “let go.” Firstly, one of the biggest hindrances for those needing to forgive is a misconception of forgiveness itself. Most people tie it to their feelings. But forgiveness doesn’t come from our feelings or emotions. It is a decision we make based on truth, not how we feel. God did not intend for our feelings to lead or control us. They should not define us. Being angry at someone we love doesn’t mean we no longer love them. We may not “feel” the love at the moment - in our emotions we feel anger - but we still love the person. In the same way, forgiveness isn’t a feeling. We can make a genuine decision to forgive/release, while still feeling anger, hurt, pain, etc. We do so as an action of our will, based on truth - God said to do it. And if we maintain our decision, it allows God to work the process of releasing and healing us from the pain and hurt.

Another hindrance to forgiveness is failing to realize that when doing so, we are not saying that the offending person did nothing wrong, or that they deserve to be forgiven. We are simply releasing them to God - He reserves the right to judge individuals. We are trusting Him to do what is right.

Still another hindrance to forgiving is the belief that if we have truly done so, we will have only positive thoughts or feelings toward the offender. This is simply not true. There are people I have forgiven who I still do not trust or like as a person. Some are mean, unkind, and unrighteous. But I have chosen to forgive them, releasing them to God, though they will never be my friends.

Roots of Bitterness

When we pick up an offense, it will become a root of bitterness if not released. The fruit this bitter root produces is destructive: sickness, emotional disorders, anger, loss of joy, and a breach between us and God. It also spreads to others. Hebrews tells us that a root of bitterness in us defiles many. “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled” (Hebrews 12:15; KJV). The Greek word for “defiled” is also the word for a stain on clothing. When we become bitter, we stain others with our bitterness. We’ve all seen entire families separated through bitterness. How tragic.

In tomorrow’s post, I will share the story of my hatred toward an individual, and God’s healing of my hardened heart. I truly hated this man and would have loved to see him destroyed. God, however, showed me I could release him, and would have to, to be released from my own chains. He will grace you to do the same.

Pray with me:

Father, we thank You for modeling love and forgiveness. While we were still sinners, You sent Your Son to die for us. Jesus, You forgave those who crucified You. We want Your forgiving nature to control us. We want to walk in love. We ask for grace now to do so.

As You taught us to do, we choose to forgive those who have hurt us. We release them. As we do so, we believe it will release a healing process in us. Wounds will heal, sickness will leave, and emotions will no longer control us. We desire to forgive and release so You can forgive us (Mark 11:25). 

And Lord, we know healed people heal people. Make us healers. Help us to spread healing love, not stain-causing bitterness. Heal our land of racial wounds, political division, and cultural divides. We want to see the accuser cast down in our nation. We bind spirits of division and strife, declaring their hold broken. 

We desire to be ambassadors and examples of Your love and forgiveness toward others. Help us represent You well. We pray these things in Christ’s powerful name.

Our decree:

We decree that we will love and forgive as we have been loved and forgiven by God.

Click on the link below to watch the full video.

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1. Spiros Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible - New American Standard (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1984; revised edition, 1990) p. 2274.