SPIRITUALITY AND FAITH
FORGIVENESS AND EMOTIONAL HEALING
Article by Pastor Philip Nissley,
New Hope Assembly of God, Taylor, MI
and to set free those who are oppressed.” So:
I. SEEK TO LIVE IN GODLY FORGIVENESS
A. Daily renew your purpose in Godly devotion (v. 4-5) Live close to God so when circumstances say--“No way,” you hear from God who says--“this way!” Like Joseph standing before his brothers in Gen. 45, God has a dream to be fulfilled in you! Its why we must guard against unforgiveness! In Joseph’s case, 12 years before his brothers beat him, threw him in a pit and then sold him for 20 shekels of silver as a slave to Midianite traders. But God used greed & misconduct of his brothers to spare & transport Joseph exactly where God needed him to be. In Egypt he was sold to Potiphar (Pharoah’s captain of the guard).
B. Look beyond the pain of injustice to God’s justice! When you read Joseph’s story, you find Joseph looked beyond pain and injustice to understand God’s greater purpose. His brothers’ injustice got Joseph where God could save lives (Gen 45:4-8a). God allowed him to be sold into slavery in Egypt toPotiphar (officer to Pharaoh) because God had a plan for him to rescue
Stories of people needing forgiveness and healing from emotional scars fill the Bible, because Satan has been at work against people like you for a very long time. I am so thankful that Jesus came to help us in the midst of life’s challenges and said in John 10:10 that He came so we might experience “life, and that more abundantly.”
As Christians, we need to realize that this abundant life is lived in a real world filled with pain, rejection, failure, and the search for significance. But you are reading this today because:
1. Jesus has the same anointing He had during His ministry years on earth. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
2. Jesus has the same authority He had when He ascended into heaven. Matthew 28:18 says, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”
3. Jesus has the same power He demonstrated in Luke 4:17–19. Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me…to proclaim release…recovery of sight to those blinded by circumstances,