The Bonds of Unforgiveness

In the Book of Acts chapter 8 there is an account of a sorcerer named Simon. He had witnessed the laying on of hands of Peter and John, and the people receiving the Holy Spirit. Simon offered money to Peter and John to be able to have the power to lay hands on folks so they could receive the Holy Spirit.

Well, Peter's response was "Your money perish with you because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgive you. FOR I SEE THAT YOU ARE POISONED BY BITTERNESS AND BOUND BY INIQUITY."

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The notations in my Bible say this:
KINGDOM DYNAMICS 8:23 The Bonds of Unforgiveness, DELIVERANCE A sorcerer is one who deceives, manipulates, and delights to control others and does so by demonic enablement. Peter identified the basis for Simon's sorcery as bitterness -- the deepening effect of unforgiveness (v.2). Here is warning regarding the danger of tolerated or embraced unforgiveness, which may, like poison, permeate and bind the sould, ultimately corrupting everything around it. In Simon's case, his bitterness shaped his passion to control others (vs. 19) -- which prompted his request to purchase the ability to impart the gift of the Holy Spirit. Though having believed and been baptized (vs 13), the residue of his past bondage surfaces as he unworthily seeks power to manipulate others for self-exalting purposes. Peter discerns the root of his bondage (vs 23) and summons Simon to repentance and deliverance. Though Simon did not repent, this episode still points to one of the foremost keys to deliverance from entrenched bondage in a believer's soul -- the act of forgiveness. Forgiving others from our heart flushes out the "poison" with the power of the Cross. In contrast, unforgivenss can, as with Simon, lead down paths we would never have imagined we would travel. (See Matthew 6:14, 15; Colossians 3:13; Hebrews 12:15-17)

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The poison of unforgiveness can go far and wide in everyones life. It will lead us down paths that we never dreamed.

Our oldest is 37 this year and her younger brother is 31. When they were very small we had gone downtown to run errands. She was about 6 and our son was yet in arms, around a year old. We were getting out of our car, I saw our reflection in the pane glass of a business I'd parked in front of. At that time I heard, as plain as I'd ever heard God speak to my heart say: "If you don't forgive that dead man, you will never go any farther in Me." I knew who that dead man was, there was no mistake.

All of my life God had been the most important part of my life, and when I heard that, it just about took my breath away. I could not imagine a living without a active relationship with Him.

I finished my errands, all while pondering what I'd heard.

Afterwards, I poured my heart out to God and told Him that I did not want ANYTHING coming between He and I, was willing to forgive but that unforgiveness had been such a huge part of my life that I was in a rut and stuck, and didn't know how to. Told Him that I was willing, but that I needed His help. Well, He did, and I was able to gain the release from the bonds of unforgiveness that I knew now I needed.

I cannot begin to imagine what my life would have become as a result of bitterness and unforgiveness. There were things that was thrust upon me as a child that I did not know how to deal with. None of us needs to remain in ignorance and bondage. With the help of the Lord and the power of the finished work of Jesus, He came to set the captive free.

Simon was in a situation described by Peter: "poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity."

Father, I ask You to HELP US. We need Your help to show us YOUR way. If there is any unforgiveness that has turned into bitterness in our lives, I ask You, by Your Spirit, to shine the light of Jesus upon it. Expose it so we may knowingly and willingly walk towards and extend forgiveness and bring us the release from bitterness. NONE OF US wish to be embittered people, Lord. I thank You that You know the hearts of all people, and that Your will for us is to live fulfilling lives. That cannot be done if there are "bitterness and iniquity" in our lives. I submit myself to You, Lord, and plead the Blood of Jesus over us all, asking that You bring an end to a long and hard path that has been a result of unforgiveness. In the Name of Your Son, Jesus.