Proverbs 20:22, “Do not say, “I’ll PAY YOU BACK for this wrong!” Wait for the LORD, and He will deliver you” {NIV}
Contrary to popular belief, REVENGE ISN’T SWEET; it makes us SOUR! Marcus Aurelius said it best: “The best revenge is to be UNLIKE him who performed the injury.”
Furthermore, studies have shown an association between negative emotions such as Anger and Revenge with a variety of Destructive Physical Symptoms, including headaches, backaches, allergic disorders, ulcers, nausea, high blood pressure, and heart attacks! Sadly, while vengeful people plot another’s demise, they are unaware that they often develop a painful health problem for themselves! In a nutshell, they don’t realize that Paybacks have a way of Paying You Back Too!
Mahatma Gandhi gave us this insight: “An eye for an eye only makes the whole world blind.” It’s vital that you Remember for every Payback, there is a Surcharge. So, YOU will have to Pay Also! My personal insight “You can’t fire with fire, you will never put out the flame” REMEMBER: It’s Conditional! You Are Forgiven After You’ve Forgiven!
The Scripture Will Not Change Just Because You’ve Been Wronged! The Fact Is, If You Don’t Forgive Them, HE Will Not Forgive You! Now, Do You Want By God? I don’t know about you, but Absolutely No One Can Make Me That Mad! Anger, Revenge, Resentment, Unforgiveness are All Expensive To Take Chances Living Outside The Forgiveness of God?! Are You That Angry With Someone That You Would Rather Walk Around Unforgiven! They Will Cost You God’s Forgiveness; Heaven as Your Home; a Crown; a Robe; Your Name Written In the Lamb’s Book of Life; Peace; Joy; Contentment etc.
My personal experience with God two days ago. I was preparing my message for my broadcast, and I was going to talk about forgiveness, how believers and people of God need to examine their life and remove any unforgiveness. I knew that I was ready with my message, at least I thought I was ready. I had prayed about teaching on forgiveness and presented it to God. So, I proceeded on to preparing the message, typing it out and after I finished, I felt as though God was staring me in my face. The Holy Spirit jolted me, and God spoke almost audible in my spirit and asked me: How are you going to speak on forgiveness, what are you going to tell the people, have you searched your own heart, are you sure you are ready?
That’s when God had to convict my heart. You see about 10 or 12 years ago, a friend of mine who was an attorney had done a lot of wrong to some clients. He had developed a drug addiction, and he stole a lot of money from clients who were people I had referred to him. It had gotten so bad that he began to steal from my family, and he broke into a friend’s house and stole her jewelry. He and I were close friends, we had met during our time at the university, he knew my family and my children, and I knew his wife and children. When I found out what he had done to not only me but other people I knew personally, I thought this was it. I will never ever forgive him. He called me one time down on his luck. I told him that I would never forgive him, even if Jesus told me too, which was foolish, that’s how angry I was. He was calling people when he was trying to get himself together asking friends to call me and ask me to forgive him. I would not bulge. Then my son asked me one day had I seen this attorney lately and drugs had caused him to look so frail and my sister said the same thing. Then my son said mom, you should forgive him. This is my son that my attorney friend took 10,000 from and he was asking me to forgive my friend, so I want to be stubborn until God got my attention on Friday. God will surely test you. I had not heard from this friend in 10 years or more, do you want to know what happened. My heart should have convicted me, but God had to convict me. God knew what to do.
My friend sent me a request on FB. I did not reply, then he sent me a message on Messenger, I just set there looking at it, and I heard those words in my spirit what God had said earlier “How are you going to speak on forgiveness, have you searched your heart? He was asking me to please call him, he said that he had been hurting for years and he felt God wanted him to call me and ask for forgiveness. I began to weep, and I called him and a felt some weight lifted from me. He cried and shared that the one person that was always by his side, that made him believe that he could even be a judge, encouraged him to not give up, is the person that he used and took advantage of, he did so many things wrong and wanted to ask for my forgiveness. I said yes, yes, you are forgiven and forgive me for not wanting to forgive you, I did not want to live outside the forgiveness of God. He shared that he had given his life to God and had started practicing law again and sent me a picture of you, where he is looking healthy now. He had gone through treatment and is campaigning for a Judge position soon. We laughed and he asked me to pray for him and with him. I had not reached out to him, and I believe God intervened and touched his heart to call me because God had spoken to my heart, and He knew that I would respond to my friend’s plea. I wanted to share this because we must do our part as followers of Jesus Christ. We must represent him well. Before I could talk on forgiveness, I needed to re-evaluate my heart, I had to repent and ask God for forgiveness. Forgive today and watch God do His part in your life. Do not let God convict you as He convicted me.
Revenge Opposes the Golden Rule: “Do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12). Another translation says this: “So then, whatever you desire that others would do to and for you, even so, Do Also To And For Them…” (AMP). Therefore, if you seek Forgiveness when you are in the wrong, don’t expect to get it if Revenge is the Seed You’ve Sown in the Lives of Others!
Instead of taking things into our own hands, this proverb encourages us to let go and let God deal with our enemies! Because with God; wicked people, will eventually get their “just due!” Therefore, You are Never to Exercise Vengeance because God said: “Beloved, Never Avenge Yourselves, but leave the way open for [God’s] wrath; for it is written, Vengeance Is Mine, I Will Repay (requite), says the LORD” (Romans 12:19 AMP). Therefore, vengeance Belongs to God, and He Alone Has the Right to Exercise It! And Unless You Can Prove You Are Indeed GOD, You Have No Rights to Vengeance! Another translation reads: “Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. Don’t insist on getting even; That’s Not For You To Do. “I’ll Do The Judging,” Says God. “I’ll Take Care Of It” (Msg). Did you catch all that? You don’t get to hit back, you don’t get to get even, you don’t get to judge, and you don’t get to take care of it! That Is All In God’s Authorization and Under His Jurisdiction Alone! The word “jurisdiction” means: “the official power to make legal decisions and judgments; the territory or sphere over which the legal authority of a court or other institution extends” Its Latin Origin comes from “Jus,” meaning “Law” and “Dicere” meaning “Say.” In other words, When It Comes to Vengeance, God Alone Has Jurisdiction to Make Decisions! Why? Because that’s what the Law (Bible) Says!
Louis XII of France is said to have treated his enemies in an Unexpected Manner after ascending to the throne. Before coming to power, he had been cast into prison and kept in chains. Later, when he did become king, he was urged to seek Revenge on those who had opposed him, BUT HE REFUSED! Instead, he prepared a scroll on which he listed all who had perpetrated crimes against him. Then, he placed a Cross in Red Ink behind every man’s name! When the guilty heard about this, they feared for their lives and fled. Then the king explained, “The Cross which I drew beside each name was not a sign of punishment, but a pledge of forgiveness extended for the sake of the crucified Savior, who upon His Cross Forgave His Enemies and Prayed For Them.”
Moral of the Story: Just because you have a right to be angry doesn’t mean you can exercise it to cause injury! In God’s Book, that’s still Wrong! Anger is one letter short of Danger.
“Anyone who angers you conquers you!” (Author Unknown) And last I checked, the Bible Still Says, You Are to Be Led or Controlled By the Holy Spirit ONLY, Not Your Emotions, Feelings, or Hurts! So, stop allowing your anger, resentment, and attempts at Revenge to become your mini-god! You’ve bowed down to it long enough and often enough already! Cast down the idol of your anger, resentment, and Revenge, and serve the Lord as His True Disciple: “Let me give you a new command: Love One Another. In the Same Way, I loved you; you Love One Another. This is how everyone will Recognize That You Are My Disciples – When They See The Love You Have For Each Other” (John 13:35 MSG)
You can’t say out of one side of your mouth that you love God, but you hate your brother or sister out of the other side! The Bible reads: “If anyone boasts, “I Love God,” and goes right on Hating His Brother or Sister, Thinking Nothing of It, HE IS A LIAR. If he won’t Love the Person He Can See, How Can He Love the God He Can’t See? The Command We Have From Christ Is Blunt: Loving God Includes Loving People. You’ve Got to Love Both” (1 John 4:20 MSG).
“My dear friends, with our tongues we speak Both Praises and Curses. We Praise Our Lord and Father, And We Curse People Who Were Created To Be Like God, AND THIS ISN’T RIGHT” (James 3:9-10 CEV). So, like it or not, if you’re going to Love God, You’ve Got To Love LIKE God!
- “Forgive Us Our Debts, As We Also Have Forgiven Our Debtors” (Matthew 6:12). Another translation says it like this: “And Forgive Us our debts, As We Also HAVE FORGIVEN (LEFT, REMITTED, AND LET GO OF THE DEBTS, AND HAVE GIVEN UP RESENTMENT AGAINST) Our Debtors” (AMP). Did you get that? Forgive Us Because We’ve ALREADY FORGIVEN THEM FIRST! Now That’s Within Your Jurisdiction!
Hear the Word: “In Prayer There Is A Connection Between What God Does, And You Do. You Can’t Get Forgiveness From God, For Instance, Without Also Forgiving Others. If You Refuse To Do Your Part, You Cut Yourself Off From God’s Part” (Matthew 6:15 MSG). However, I don’t think we fully grasp this Scripture!
Look at it this way: If you are angry with your brother or sister over what he or she did to you on November 1, 2009, and you haven’t forgiven them since all the wrong YOU’VE has done since November 1, 2009, Has Never Been Forgiven By God No Matter How Many Prayers You’ve Prayed! Because Your Forgiveness Hinges On Their Forgiveness! I’ll reiterate the text: “In prayer, there is a CONNECTION between what God does and What You Do. You Can’t Get Forgiveness From God, For Instance, Without Also Forgiving Others. If You Refuse To Do Your Part, You Cut Yourself Off From God’s Part” (Matthew 6:15 MSG). I don’t know about you, but I do too much wrong from day to day that needs the Forgiveness of God, that I can’t afford to go year-by-year Living Outside of the Forgiveness of God!
Therefore, I ask you again, Is Payback Really Worth That Much To You That You Would Pay This High Price to Bankrupt Your Soul By Losing So Much of God’s Goodness!?
Someone may ask you, why should we forgo Revenge and offer Forgiveness? Tell them it’s simple Because We Have Been Forgiven Repeatedly and Completely By God! Therefore, We Can’t Live Anyway Contrary! Consequently, we Must Do For Others What Has Been Done For Us, Forgive, Repeatedly, and Completely!
Matthew 18:21-22, “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, when my fellow believer sins against me, how often must I forgive him? Should I forgive him as many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you; you must forgive him more than seven times. Even if he wrongs you seventy times seven” (NCV).
To many, this seems unfair. It seems wrong. It seems unjust. However, what if God only forgave us seven times, then stopped? Where would we be? Imagine God saying, ‘sorry, you’ve maxed out your forgiveness benefits.’ And Peter only offered seven times. But from birth, how many times have we wronged God? If this were the case, many of us wouldn’t be forgiven past our youth! You’re not going to want to hear this, but as a believer, you don’t get to put a limit on Forgiveness. Why? Because God doesn’t set a limit on your Forgiveness. And since your Forgiveness is directly connected to theirs, do you want God to cut you off as Peter would suggest, at seven? I think not. Because as saved as we are, we sin beyond seven times by the time we wake up in the morning! We need God’s constant Forgiveness, and likewise, our brothers and sisters need our endless Forgiveness. So, pray and ask God to give you a heart of compassion like His. Provide you with stricter skin to handle offense because the offense will often come by those we love most.
Think of Jesus. After all, He did among the 12; three of them couldn’t even stay awake for Him in prayer, one would betray Him, and only one could be found at the foot of the cross at His death! And yet, He didn’t replace them, didn’t cut them off, didn’t destroy the friendship, didn’t keep rehearsing what they did and didn’t do. No, He continued to be with them, to reveal more of Himself to them; He still loved them and loved them so much that He forgave them. So let us, as Christians, start acting more Christ-Like. Stop keeping a headcount on who hurt you and how many times. Because if God were to count how many times you’ve hurt Him, what would that number look like?
Today, forgive significantly because you have been greatly forgiven. 4:32 forgive as God in Christ forgave you.” (MSG).
Pay Back is a Blessing, so if You are to Pay Anyone Today, Make the Payment a Blessing, and Watch God Add to You a Bonus!
Blessings
J.P. Olson
www.journeyintotheword.com
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