Step 11: I will continuously pray that Jehovah El Nose Helps me to forgive myself and others.

 

STEP 11

I will continuously pray that Jehovah El Nose will help me to forgive myself and others.

Ephesians 3:16-19 ⁽¹⁶⁾I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ⁽¹⁷⁾so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ⁽¹⁸⁾may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ⁽¹⁹⁾and to know this love that surpasses knowledge -- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (NIV)

 

                  Jesus had a great mission to accomplish when He came to earth, and that was to save mankind from their sins. The pieces were in place and all that had been prophesied by the prophets of old was coming to past. The Savior of the world was about to die, but not before being betrayed by one of his own disciples for thirty pieces of silver. Zechariah 11:12-13 I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter” – the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord to the potter. (NIV) Prophecy had to be fulfilled and Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ disciples, would play a major role in it coming to past.  

 

 

                  Jesus spent 3 ½ years teaching, preaching, and performing miracles wherever He went. He had chosen twelve disciples to accompany Him during that time. They were not just mere companions, but they would have a great commission of spreading the gospel to all the world. Jesus took great care to teach them about God and what He expected from those who would place their trust in Him. Nevertheless, one of them would yield to the temptation of the devil, and turn his Master over to his sworn enemies. Judas, Jesus’ disciple, was doomed for destruction as prophecy had to be fulfilled. Jesus knew that one of his own would betray him, but this did not keep him from choosing Judas as a disciple. John 17:12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. (NIV)

                  The religious believers hated Jesus and plotted to kill him. They knew that the best way to get to Jesus would be from within after being approached by Judas. Matthew 26:14-16 ⁽¹⁴⁾Then one of the Twelve – the one called Judas Iscariot – went to the chief priests ⁽¹⁵⁾and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. ⁽¹⁶⁾From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over. (NIV) The devil would have had to be in possession of Judas’ mind in order for him to even think of doing such a wicked thing. How could anyone betray a loving Savior who had done only good to all who were around. Judas had witnessed first-hand the dead being raised to life, the miracle of the five thousand being fed, the lame healed, the deaf being able to talk, and countless other miracles. Yet, the enemy was able to get a hold of him to take money in exchange for the ultimate betrayal.

                Judas betrayed Jesus with the kiss of death and He was taken away to be crucified. Mark 14:44 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” (NIV) A disciple, follower, companion, and even so-called friend was the one to open the doors for Jesus to be killed by His enemies. After he had done this wicked deed, he felt what many may call, “buyer’s remorse.” He knew that he had betrayed the One who loved him most and guilt came all over him. He attempted to return the money that he had received, but those who made the evil deal with him did not even want the money back. They had used him to accomplish what they wanted. You can probably imagine that they did not want to have anything else to do with him. After all, who would trust a traitor?

 

 

                Thoughts of what he had done ran across Judas mind. He possibly thought about the anger that he would face from the other disciples. He may have pondered as to the thought of seeing Jesus upon the cross for a crime he had not committed. Judas may have considered the possibility that he would be a total outcast from society and that his life would never be the same. Even more sadder was the fact of feeling that what he had done was UNFORGIVEABLE. This led him to do the unthinkable. He committed suicide and that was an act of no return. Matthew 27:3-5 ⁽³⁾When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. ⁽⁴⁾”I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” ⁽⁵⁾So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. (NIV)

                Jehovah El Nose would have forgiven Judas if he had only asked. Jehovah El Nose is a forgiving God and even when we are undeserving, He is always there to give us a second chance. All we have to do is ask. Judas was unable to forgive himself and therefore, he felt that he could not be forgiven by Jehovah El Nose. If only he had asked for forgiveness, his testimony would have been the most powerful among all of the other disciples including Peter.

                When encountering unforgiveness, we have to also make sure that we forgive ourselves as well. You can only truly be forgiven and allow forgiveness to take place in your heart if you forgive yourself about a previous discretion as well. There comes a point when you have to just LET IT GO! This means that you do not continue to carry it around, but release it to the One who can package and send it to the depths of the sea with no return address. It’s over, done with, and now you can move forward. Jehovah El Nose will forgive you and now it is time for you to forgive YOURSELF. 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 ⁽¹⁷⁾Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come. ⁽¹⁸⁾All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ⁽¹⁹⁾that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message or reconciliation. (NIV)