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Date: May 5, 2003

This word is submitted by Teresa Seputis (ts@godspeak.org)

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                              Forgiveness

So many of My children have been snared and entangled by unforgiveness,
and they are not even aware of it.  Many have been falsely taught that
all they have to do is to make a one time decision of their mind or will 
to forgive.  But they go on feeling hurt, angry, bitter, resentful.  They 
go on wishing harm upon the one who harmed them.  Many of My children say 
that they forgive when they have not truly done so.  These same ones who
have "forgiven" go on to cry out to Me for "justice" -- meaning that they 
want Me to punish the very one that they claim to have forgiven.

Do you not know that I have called you to a higher standard of forgiveness
than this?  I have commanded you to forgive from the bottom of your heart,
to give up your "right" for revenge and to truly leave the decision of
what to do about it in My hands.  Do you not understand that the offense
is not against you, it is against Me.  You are My servant, My representative.
When a person wrongs you, I count it on My account, not on yours.  Do you
remember when My servant David sinned against Bathsheba and Uriah -- forcing
one into adultery and costing the other his life?  This same David, under
the prophetic unction of My Holy Spirit said to Me "Against You and against
You only, oh Lord, have I sinned." [Editor's note: that is Ps 51:4]  What
he spoke to Me was truth -- for I did not put the sin on Uriah's account nor
did I put it on Bathsheba's account.  I put the offense directly on My own
account.  And it was with Me -- not with Uriah and not with Bathsheba --
that David had to deal.

Child of Mine, you are not your own, you have been purchased with a great
price, you are My possession. And the offenses committed against you are not
on your account, they are on Mine. That is why I require you to release
offense to Me and to give ownership to it's proper place.  Since you are
Mine, the wrongs committed against you are wrongs committed against Me.
Therefore, it is My choice what to do about them.  You do not own that 
choice any more.  That is why you must forgive and release ownership of
the offense to Me, for I am the rightful owner.  Just as you are never to 
steal My Glory, so you are never to steal My justice.  Ownership must go to 
Me. The decision of whether to hold accountable and punish or whether to 
release unconditional forgiveness belong to Me.  That decision is Mine, 
just as you are Mine.  

Child, when you hold onto resentment, anger, bitterness and a desire for
revenge or harm on your oppressor, you open yourself to the whiles of the
enemy of your souls.  He is out to destroy you, to torment you, to bring
affliction and sickness and poverty and harm into your life.  He lays claim
of your unforgiveness as his right to attack you.  He does this because
I have commanded you to forgive -- and when you do not forgive you are in 
sin and rebellion against Me.  And that sin and rebellion opens the door
for the enemy to torment you.

Close that door, child of Mine. The one who is hurt by your unforgiveness
is you.  It can allow the enemy to effect your health, your finances, your
relationships and your sense of well being.  Is it worth it to hang so 
tightly onto something that I claim as My own? 

Here is what I require of you for true forgiveness, the type that comes
from the bottom of your heart.  Release your ownership of the offense --
and release your ownership of retaliation.  Give up your right for the
oppressor to be punished and leave it in My hands.  Allow Me to decide
what I want to do in this case and do not make demands on Me to hold that
one accountable.  I am good and I am wise. I am also holy and I am just.
I will put a separation between you and the offense/offender.

Leave the judgment in My hands.  When you give up your "rights" to Me
in this regard, then I count it as forgiveness.  And I bring healing and
restoration to you.  And I raise up a standard against the enemy's attacks
upon you.  And I will quiet the pain of your heart and emotions and I will 
break the power of the harm over you.  For I desire to set you free 
regardless of how I deal with the one who caused you harm.  I desire that 
you be whole and that your joy be full.

When your heart wants to feel offense, resentment or unforgiveness, give the
ownership to Me -- for I count the offense as against Myself.  Allow Me to 
minister healing and restoration to you.  Do not allow unforgiveness to hold 
you in bondage.  Give it to Me, give your rights to Me, and I will set you 
free from the power of the offense that was committed against you.