Forgive And Be Free! Series

FORGIVE AND BE FREE!

Genesis 41:51-52.

"And to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him. 51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: “For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.” 52 And the name of the second he called Ephraim: “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

Genesis 45:3-11.

"3 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph; does my father still live?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence. 4 And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

9 “Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph: “God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not tarry. 10 You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near to me, you and your children, your children’s children, your flocks and your herds, and all that you have. 11 There I will provide for you, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty; for there are still five years of famine.”

Joseph, at seventeen years of age, was loved by his father Jacob more than any other of his sons, and he made him a robe of many colours. Joseph's brothers hated him. They conspired against him and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver, who then sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard.

Potiphar’s wife tried unsuccessful to seduce him, and when he rejects her advances, she cooked up a story and falsely accuses him and he was imprisoned.

Many years later, Joseph interprets a dream for Pharaoh and is released from prison and made the second most powerful man in the whole of Egypt. At the age of thirty (30), Joseph became the Prime Minister of Egypt. He got married and became the father of two sons.

One fateful day, Joseph found himself standing face to face with the brothers who victimised, oppressed, hated and sold him into slavery. He had all the power in the world to oppress, avenge, punish or to pay them back. But, he chose to forgive.

Joseph forgave his evil brothers. He determined that he would not be a prisoner of his past. And because he forgave, God made him to be fruitful in the land of Egypt. (Genesis 41:51-52.)

It is impossible to reach and stretch for the future when we're living in the pain of the past.

Philippians 3:13-14.

"Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Colossians 3:13.

“Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

Psychologists generally define forgiveness as "a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of hatred, resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has wronged us, regardless of whether they actually deserve our forgiveness or not."

Being hurt by someone, particularly the ones you love and trust, can cause anger, sadness, confusion and other emotional wounds. But, if we dwell on the situations, grudges filled with resentment, vengeance and hostility can take root. We're commanded to forgive!

POINTS TO NOTE ABOUT FORGIVENESS:

1. Forgiveness is the act of pardoning an offender.

It is to release or let go of your right to punish another.

2. Forgiveness is an act of love, mercy, and sacrifice.

3. It is to let go of hatred, anger, revenge, frustration, disappointment, resentment, or other painful feelings associated with an offense..

4. Forgiveness is a decision. Yet, it’s not easy.