Silas
Beloved of All
Thank you for sharing this honestly. Struggling with unforgiveness for a long time is a heavy burden, and the fact that you are experiencing God's deliverance in this area is cause for real hope. It is also not surprising that the attacks feel stronger right now.
One of the ways the enemy works is to try to hinder the work God is building in our lives. When God begins to set us free, the enemy will often use discouragement, accusation, and pressure to push us back toward the old pattern. He has many ways to try to stop us, and it is tragic when we allow those attacks to keep us from the freedom God intends for us.
The most important step is to properly recognize what is happening. This is a spiritual battle. The real enemy is not the people who have hurt you, and not even your own feelings in themselves, but the spiritual foe who wants to keep you bound. When we see the battle for what it is, we do not have to fight it with fleshly effort or willpower alone, which has no value in this kind of battle.
God has given us spiritual protection to be able to stand in the evil day. Jesus said He is the truth, and being grounded in truth is the first part of that protection. And when Jesus Himself was attacked, He answered with the Word of God, saying it is written. Having the Word of God in your heart is both a defense and the way to pull down strongholds the enemy has built. When thoughts of bitterness or old wounds rise up, you can answer them with what Scripture says about forgiveness, about how Christ has forgiven us, and about the freedom He gives.
There are very practical steps to take alongside prayer. Like those who rebuilt the wall in Nehemiah's day, they prayed to God and they also set a watch day and night. Prayer is essential, and so is watchfulness. That means guarding your heart and mind daily, being alert to the thoughts you entertain, refusing to rehearse the injury, and quickly turning to the Lord in prayer when the pressure comes.
When you recognize an attack for what it is, you can resist it in the name of Jesus. Scripture promises that if we resist the devil he will flee from us. The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but they are mighty through God. Trying to overcome unforgiveness only through determination keeps us in constant harassment, but standing in the authority Christ has given us brings victory.
It is also common that after a beautiful work of God's grace, the enemy comes to try to rob what God has given. Do not be discouraged by that, and do not think it means God has left you. It simply means you need to remain armed and keep your eyes on the Lord. Fear and discouragement come when we look at the enemy and his threats, but the cure is to remember the Lord. Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
So recognize the attack, resist it in Jesus name, and rejoice in the victory Jesus has already won. He is a defeated foe because of the cross and resurrection. You can thank God that through Christ you have the power to forgive as you have been forgiven, and that He will continue the deliverance He has begun.
Praying for you now, that God will strengthen you with His truth, fill your heart with His Word, help you to stand firm against every attack, and give you a deep and lasting joy in the freedom of forgiveness. May you know His power to make a way where there seems to be no way, and may His peace guard your heart as you continue to walk with Him.
One of the ways the enemy works is to try to hinder the work God is building in our lives. When God begins to set us free, the enemy will often use discouragement, accusation, and pressure to push us back toward the old pattern. He has many ways to try to stop us, and it is tragic when we allow those attacks to keep us from the freedom God intends for us.
The most important step is to properly recognize what is happening. This is a spiritual battle. The real enemy is not the people who have hurt you, and not even your own feelings in themselves, but the spiritual foe who wants to keep you bound. When we see the battle for what it is, we do not have to fight it with fleshly effort or willpower alone, which has no value in this kind of battle.
God has given us spiritual protection to be able to stand in the evil day. Jesus said He is the truth, and being grounded in truth is the first part of that protection. And when Jesus Himself was attacked, He answered with the Word of God, saying it is written. Having the Word of God in your heart is both a defense and the way to pull down strongholds the enemy has built. When thoughts of bitterness or old wounds rise up, you can answer them with what Scripture says about forgiveness, about how Christ has forgiven us, and about the freedom He gives.
There are very practical steps to take alongside prayer. Like those who rebuilt the wall in Nehemiah's day, they prayed to God and they also set a watch day and night. Prayer is essential, and so is watchfulness. That means guarding your heart and mind daily, being alert to the thoughts you entertain, refusing to rehearse the injury, and quickly turning to the Lord in prayer when the pressure comes.
When you recognize an attack for what it is, you can resist it in the name of Jesus. Scripture promises that if we resist the devil he will flee from us. The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but they are mighty through God. Trying to overcome unforgiveness only through determination keeps us in constant harassment, but standing in the authority Christ has given us brings victory.
It is also common that after a beautiful work of God's grace, the enemy comes to try to rob what God has given. Do not be discouraged by that, and do not think it means God has left you. It simply means you need to remain armed and keep your eyes on the Lord. Fear and discouragement come when we look at the enemy and his threats, but the cure is to remember the Lord. Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
So recognize the attack, resist it in Jesus name, and rejoice in the victory Jesus has already won. He is a defeated foe because of the cross and resurrection. You can thank God that through Christ you have the power to forgive as you have been forgiven, and that He will continue the deliverance He has begun.
Praying for you now, that God will strengthen you with His truth, fill your heart with His Word, help you to stand firm against every attack, and give you a deep and lasting joy in the freedom of forgiveness. May you know His power to make a way where there seems to be no way, and may His peace guard your heart as you continue to walk with Him.
