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The Messenger=
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A Prophetic Bulletin Publishe=
d by
Prepare the Way International
"Behold, I send My
messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me."
Volume 8, No. 5<=
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July
2010
“Dead Man Walking”=
;
by Kay Winters
“Dead Man Walking” is an expressio=
n used
when referring to individuals on “death row”, who in most cases
have been convicted of committing murder.&=
nbsp;
However, murder is not only committed by the relatively few on ̶=
0;death
row”, but also by thousands of Christians who refuse to release their
offenders through forgiveness. The
Oxford Dictionary defines “murder” as “to punish severely=
or
be very angry with”.
I John 3: 14-15 “He who does not love his
brother abides in death. Whoe=
ver
hates his brother is a murderer and you know that no murderer=
has
eternal life abiding in him.”
Indeed, murderous rage fills the hearts of man=
y who
call upon the name of Jesus.
Hypocritically, we declare “Jesus as Lord”, yet curse our
offenders. Like a broken reco=
rd, we
daily rehearse the trespasses and injustices of those who have betrayed or
abandoned us. Unfortunately,
holding a grudge not only gives Satan the legal right to bind us to our sin=
s,
but also obstructs us from fulfilling our destiny.
Forgive and Be
Forgiven
I personally wore a crown of offense for years=
. Though neither heard nor seen by m=
en,
daily I inscribed judgments upon the tablets of my heart. In the battlefield of my mind, I a=
dopted
the role of conqueror, repeatedly vanquishing my offenders through bitter r=
oot
judgments. I was confined beh=
ind prison
walls that were guarded by demons of offense, who daily served me the bread=
of
sorrow dipped in the bitter gall of vengeance.
Nevertheless, the Lord began to deal with me
regarding forgiveness through a testimony I read in a Christian
publication. The testimony wa=
s about
a minister in the
Mark 11:25-26 R=
20;And
whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive=
him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.
But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven for=
give
your trespasses.”
This testimony shook me to the core and caused=
the
fear of the Lord to arise in my heart.&nbs=
p;
Convicted of my sin, I forgave my offenders and released all past
injustices. Having been washe=
d and
cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, I no longer sought vengeance on those who
had offended and betrayed me. I
experienced His peace and pardon in a very unique and liberating way, and w=
as
amazed how simple it really was to forgive. A lifestyle of forgiveness has not=
only
brought me exhilarating freedom, but also has dramatically increased the
manifest presence of God in my life. Truly, the shackles of unforgiveness h=
ave
been broken off of me, enabling me to hear more clearly and frequently the
voice of the Master.
Along with unbelief and pride, unforgiveness i=
s one
of the most prevalent sins plaguing the Church today. Many counselors and deliverance
ministers assert that unforgiveness is often the root cause of most
bondages. Shut out from the
presence of God, those incarcerated by unforgiveness silently suffer undern=
eath
a veneer of cheer; yet in reality they are filled with fear, anger, and bit=
terness. Continually perplexed about the li=
berty,
peace and joy that elude them, victims fail to realize that forgiveness is =
the
key that will open the door not only to their freedom, but also to their
destiny.
Regrettably, many pulpits today have remained =
relatively
silent on the issue of unforgiveness, ignoring it as the mortal sin that it
truly is. We “blow the
whistle” loud and long on sins of adultery, gambling and drinking, wh=
ich
are rampant within the hallowed walls of our churches. Yet the sin of unforgiveness will =
only
merit a “slap on the wrist”. Perhaps you have heard someone say,
“You have every right to feel that way”, or “Some things =
are
just unforgiveable”.
A Spiritual Tor=
nado
of Destruction
In the spirit, unforgiveness operates much lik=
e a
tornado in the natural realm. Tornados
form when contrary air masses meet, which subsequently create a vortex
accompanied by increased wind velocity and atmospheric instability. If a tornado reaches F-5 on the Fu=
jita
scale, death and destruction are sure to follow.
Similarly, unforgiveness originates when peopl=
e with
contrary attitudes or ideas collide, resulting in offense. If the offense is not quickly reso=
lved,
the offense spirals into bitterness, hatred and vengeance. Eventually, unforgiveness entombs =
its
victim in the embalming fluid of bitterness, creating a broad path of defil=
ement
and destruction that affects the lives of many. Indeed, unforgiveness has brought
widespread devastation and division to the Church, and has sealed off the
passageway to revival.
Today, many are taking anti-depressants in an
attempt to deal with the effects of unforgiveness. Doctors also have determined that =
certain
diseases, such as cancer and arthritis, can be effects of long-term bittern=
ess
and resentment. Although ther=
e can
be a myriad of causes of physical and mental disease, we first need to exam=
ine our
hearts. Are there flies breed=
ing on
a garbage heap that we have refused to burn and bury? In other words, are there offenses=
from
our past that we have refused to forgive and forget? We must not allow unforgiven offen=
ses
from our past to paralyze our present and future. On the contrary, we must release a=
ll
past offenders, that we might be free to fulfill our purpose in the
Many in the Body of Christ today appear to be =
alive,
but are wrapped in a death shroud of unforgiveness. They appear to be free, but are
suffering in a prison of bitterness and resentment. They simply are “Dead Men
Walking”.
Revelation 3:1 “I know your deeds that y=
ou
have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.”
Forgiveness allows us to experience the abunda=
nt
life Jesus provided, whereas holding a grudge will only produce death. Jesus, while dying on the cross, o=
vercame
the destructive force of unforgiveness by releasing His offenders from the
ultimate trespass, saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do no=
t
know what they do.” =
Likewise, we all must choose =
life
by forgiving our offenders and walking free from the bondage of unforgivene=
ss,
bitterness and revenge. Truly,
those whom the Son sets free are free indeed! (Luke 23:34, John 8:36).
The Messenger is a prophetic bulletin published by Prepare the
Way International. Issues of =
The
Messenger are available on our website (www.preparethewayint.com). If you would like to receive strat=
egic
prophetic bulletins, prophecies and stay informed regarding our prophetic
gatherings and training seminars, subscribe to Prepare the Way e-mail
distribution, by e-mailing us (
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