When someone wrongs you or mistreats you, are you quick to forgive and forget; or do you fly off the handle or hold it against them? You may decide to bite your tongue and walk away without saying anything, but do you then let the situation continue to fester in your mind? If so, you are constantly being distracted by the devil.

When you hold on to hurt feelings, they will change into bitterness; and bitterness grieves the Holy Spirit. Paul said, Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you (Ephesians 4:31,32). When you go to Calvary, the Lord forgives you of all your sins.

Are you holding on to any hurt feelings or grudges? Jesus told His disciples, If ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses (Mark 11:26).

Joseph’s Brothers Did Him Wrong

Do you feel justified in carrying a chip on your shoulder because you have been hurt or mistreated in life? Joseph could have felt justified in doing that after his own brothers threw him into a pit with no water and then sold him to a band of merchants for twenty pieces of silver. Those merchants then sold him as a slave to an officer of Pharaoh in Egypt.

Joseph’s brothers held on to a lot of hate and jealousy toward him because their father had shown him more love and favor than he had shown his other sons. He had even made a coat of many colors for Joseph, and it constantly reminded his brothers of their father’s favoritism toward him. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him (Genesis 37:4).

The brothers’ hate toward Joseph grew even more when he shared two dreams with them that portrayed him as being a ruler over them. I don’t believe Joseph was trying to fuel his brothers’ hatred by sharing the dreams with them. I’m sure God had laid it upon Joseph’s heart to show them what was going to happen in the future so God would later get the glory, but they were so blinded by hate that they took offense. Then their bitterness and hatred toward Joseph grew. Even if a person has wronged you, it is so important for you to flush any bitterness from your mind because it can lead to hate down the road.

A Slave with No Bitterness

The Bible says, Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother (I John 3:10). Do you love all of your brothers and sisters in Christ, or is there someone you envy because they seem to receive more favor than you? Maybe there is someone you are always finding fault with. If so, you need to examine your heart to find out what you are holding against that person. You may have told yourself you had forgiven them for something they did against you; but if you are still holding things against them, that is not the case.

Joseph was stripped of his wealth, heritage and freedom and became a slave in a strange country; but he didn’t let bitterness set in. Most people would think Joseph had every right to be bitter and angry after what had happened to him, but the Lord can’t work with bitterness. Joseph had kept his heart pure before the Lord, and God was able to bless him and use him as a witness to others.

And his [Joseph’s] master [Potiphar] saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand (Genesis 39:3). Potiphar trusted Joseph completely, and he put him in charge of his house and all that he had; and the Lord prospered him for Joseph’s sake.

Even so, Joseph’s life was not easy. Later, he was falsely accused of making advances towards Potiphar’s wife. When Joseph was performing some of his duties in the house, Potiphar’s wife caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out (Genesis 39:12).

Even though Joseph ran away, Potiphar’s wife lied and said Joseph had made advances toward her. Unfortunately, Potiphar believed his wife, and he put Joseph in prison. But even then, the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison (Genesis 39:21).

Eventually, an opportunity arose where Joseph was brought to Pharaoh to interpret a dream that was troubling him. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it (Genesis 41:15).

Joseph was a man of God, and God gave him the interpretation of that dream. Then Pharaoh made Joseph to be second in command over all the land of Egypt. God had put Joseph right where He wanted him to be; and later, Joseph was able to provide food for his family during a seven-year famine. God was able to use Joseph like that because Joseph did not hold a grudge toward his brothers, and he did not let hate and resentment grow in his heart.

A Special Interpreter

On one of our ministry’s missionary journeys to Rwanda, I met a young man named Daniel. He was traveling with some of us to a village to help pass out literature and invite people to the weekend crusade services. I noticed that Daniel kept to himself, and I could tell he was shy; so I decided to ask him to be my interpreter for the day, and he was so excited. It’s very hard to communicate at times without an interpreter because some of the people in the countries we visit don’t speak English.

The people of Rwanda were still healing from the 1994 genocide that had killed about a million of their people in just a few months, and those people needed the power of God’s healing love. We were there to tell them that Jesus loved them and could deliver them from any bondage.

When we left the bus, we began meeting people right away. We were able to invite them to the crusade services and give them literature about the truth. Many people were ready to give their hearts to the Lord, and others were receiving miracles and healings. Daniel was by my side interpreting what I had to say, so there was no barrier keeping the truth from the people. When they were ready to say the sinner’s prayer, Daniel was there to help them become born again.

We were able to visit a hospital, and Daniel went with me from room to room. I was using the blest cloth to lay hands on those who were sick, and people were receiving miracles. In one particular room in the AIDS section of the hospital, I noticed Daniel was on the other side of the room. When I looked closer, I was surprised to see him praying over an AIDS patient with the blest cloth.

Daniel had been a victim of the 1994 genocide during which his Tutsi tribe had been unjustly attacked by the Hutu tribe; but as he was leaning over that sick, fragile AIDS patient, it didn’t seem to matter to Daniel whether that person was from his tribe or not. Daniel had divine forgiveness in his heart.

Daniel’s Village Under Attack

Later that day, Daniel opened up and shared his story with me. When he was just five years old, life suddenly went from being completely normal to being as if the powers of the devil had just broken loose. The people in the Tutsi tribe were being targeted by the Hutus, and even long-time friends were betraying one another.

The attackers started burning the houses in Daniel’s village, so his parents ran with their children into the jungle to hide. Daniel had two older brothers, a younger brother and a younger sister. When things seemed to be quieting down, his parents saw their house was still standing; so they decided to take the children back there and hide them in the storage room. Daniel had a bad cough, and they were afraid the attackers might hear him; so they left him in the jungle by himself and covered him up with branches.

Think of how scared little Daniel must have been hearing people screaming and crying as he lay there all alone in the dark. I’m sure it was a very hard decision for Daniel’s parents to leave him behind, but they honestly thought that it was best for all the children.

Once the children were hidden in the house, Daniel’s mom and dad then split up and hid in different locations in the jungle to increase the chances that at least one of them would survive. They didn’t want their children to become orphans.

After all of that effort, the attackers searched the house and found the children hiding in the storage room; and they hung all four of them, two of them were under the age of five. When the youngest one didn’t die, they cut her down and threw her like garbage into the latrine so she could drown in human waste. Those attackers had no conscience, no mercy and no compassion. They were completely taken over by the devil.

Tribulation Is Coming

Those attackers sound like the Beast Regime, which, after the Rapture takes place, will start going from door to door in search of those who have not taken the Mark of the Beast. If you are left behind, what will you do when the Antichrist’s soldiers show up at your door? Do you think they will have compassion on you when their mission is to kill all those who have not taken the Mark? No.

If a group of people could go on a killing spree as they did in Rwanda, what makes you think it’s not going to happen after Jesus takes the Bride away and the Holy Spirit takes His flight? There will be nothing to stop the devil from taking over completely, and the Earth will be filled with devil-possessed people.

The Horrors Continued

Later, Daniel’s mother found him in the jungle and took him to a Christian friend’s house where they prayed together for protection. Then the two of them escaped by traveling at night and hiding during the day until they made it safely to Burundi.

Daniel’s father was not as fortunate. He went to seek help from a friend he had known since childhood; but his friend was from the attacking tribe. That so-called friend made Daniel’s father think he was going to help him; but instead, he betrayed him and gave away his location. Dogs were sent to track him down, and Daniel’s father was eventually captured and beat to death with a spiked club.

The men who had killed Daniel’s brothers and sister were eventually caught and sent to prison, but they served only five years. After Daniel got through telling me his story, he quietly said, “Those men are out of prison now, and no one has ever asked to be forgiven for what they have done; but I forgive them.”

The only way Daniel could have forgiven after all the pain and sorrow he had endured is through divine forgiveness. You may be having a hard time forgiving someone, but this story should let you know that you can forgive through divine forgiveness. And the only way you can have divine forgiveness toward others is to receive it from Jesus.

Unjustly Persecuted

During another mission trip, I met a young man in Cape Town, South Africa named Ernest; and he was also from Rwanda. He was one of eight children—he had four brothers and three sisters. He and his family had always lived in peace with their neighbors; but when he started high school, he noticed that the teachers began to discriminate against those who were of the Tutsi tribe. Ernest didn’t grow up knowing what tribe he was from, but he soon found out he was from the Tutsi tribe.

Ernest would study hard for his exams and get the questions right, but the teacher would always give him a failing grade because he was from the wrong tribe. Eventually, Ernest decided that the only way he would be able to help his family financially in the future would be by fleeing to another country to continue his education in a place without prejudice.

That was a very dangerous idea because Ernest knew if he got caught crossing the border, he would be killed; but he went ahead with his plan. Just like Daniel and his mom, Ernest traveled at night and hid during the day until he made his way to Burundi.

Soon after, those of the Hutu tribe came looking for Ernest; and when his family would not tell them where he was, they threw his parents into prison. Sometime later, Ernest received word about that from his cousin, and it drove him to turn to alcohol and cigarettes. He had taken on the spirits of anger and revenge toward those people who had put his parents in prison.

Ernest Faced a Severe Test

In December of 1993, Ernest went to a church and became a born-again Christian. He quit smoking and drinking and started serving the Lord. Then in mid-1994, Ernest received word from his cousin that his parents and all his brothers and sisters had been murdered in the genocide. His youngest sister was only eight years old. The whole reason he had risked his life to escape to Burundi was so he could get an education and provide for his family. Now, his entire family was gone.

Ernest had an important choice to make: Was he going to use the spirit of divine forgiveness toward those who had murdered his family, or was he going to seek revenge? Ernest told me that within himself, he didn’t think he would ever be able to forgive those murderers; but he also knew that the Bible said, With God all things are possible (Mark 10:27). Ernest decided to seek the Lord, trust Him and forgive those men. Then he knew he needed to go on serving the Lord.

Beaten Without Cause

Sometime later, Ernest moved to a different part of Burundi that was on the verge of civil war; and once again, people did not trust one another. One day as he was delivering a letter, he found himself surrounded by four men from Rwanda. They didn’t know Ernest, but they began accusing him of taking part in the genocide.

Ernest kept telling them that he was just a student who didn’t identify with either tribe and that God had changed his status. He could have told the men he was from the Tutsi tribe because they were too, but he didn’t want to be involved in any part of the conflict. The men then began to beat Ernest, and they continued for about an hour and half. While he was lying on the ground in pain, he prayed and asked God to take his life because he couldn’t take any more.

Just as the men were about to get a gun and finish him off, several of his schoolmates showed up and confronted them. When they found out the men were beating Ernest because they thought he had taken part in the genocide, they became outraged and wanted to kill them. They knew Ernest had not been a part of the genocide and, in fact, had been a victim just like them.

As that was going on, Ernest remembered Stephen in the Bible and how he had asked God to forgive those who were stoning him. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge (Acts 7:59,60).

Then Ernest stood up as best he could and said, “Don’t kill them. I forgive them.” Those attackers were shocked! Then that gave Ernest an opportunity to tell them about Jesus and how He could forgive them of all their sins. Both Ernest and Stephen had divine forgiveness in their hearts. What kind of forgiveness do you have?

Whenever you are mistreated or hurt by someone, think of all Daniel and Ernest went through and of all Joseph and Jesus went through. Then suddenly, your situation will seem so small in comparison. Jesus tells us, But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you (Matthew 5:44). You have to forgive others to get to Heaven.

Job Never Turned on the Lord

The Bible tells us of Job losing all of his children. One day, a messenger came running to Job saying, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped (Job 1:18-20). The devil was severely trying Job, and that tragedy caused him great emotional pain; but he didn’t blame or forsake God.

Next, the devil tried to get Job to fail God by afflicting him physically. So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown (Job 2:7). Job’s wife told him to curse God and die; but Job said to her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips (Job 2:10).

Like Job, both Daniel and Ernest faced losing their families; and Ernest was tested physically as well when he was severely beaten. All three of them humbled themselves before the Lord and put their trust in Him, and their testimonies are touching lives.

Jesus Taught Forgiveness

Although Peter was around Jesus so much, he didn’t always understand divine forgiveness. Then came Peter to him, [Jesus] and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times (Matthew 18:21)? I’m sure Peter thought forgiving his brother seven times was more than enough; but Peter must have been shocked and embarrassed when Jesus replied, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven (Matthew 18:22). It may sound impossible to forgive someone 490 times, but Jesus knew that to forgive a person on that scale would take divine forgiveness. Do you forgive with divine forgiveness, or is your forgiveness limited?

After Jesus answered Peter, he went on to tell a parable of a king who had a servant who owed him ten thousand talents. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents (Matthew 18:23,24). In today’s world, that would be over 100 million dollars.

Of course, the servant didn’t have that kind of money, so the king was going to sell the man and his family as a form of payment. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt (Matthew 18:26,27).

After that servant had been forgiven of so much, he went and found a fellow servant who owed him only one hundred pence, which is about 180 dollars. He grabbed that fellow servant by the throat and demanded he pay him. And his fellow-servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all (Matthew 18:29).

That is exactly what the first servant had done before the king, so you would think he would have forgiven his fellow servant of his much smaller debt; but he didn’t. Instead, he had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.

Later, the king heard about what had happened; so he called the servant before him and said, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him (Matthew 18:32-34).

Jesus ended the parable saying, So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses (Matthew 18:35). Jesus’ point was that you always need to forgive people whether it is a small thing or a big thing.

Are you one who expects people to overlook your mistakes, yet you are always ready to point out the mistakes of others? You must examine yourself to see if you match the personality of Jesus and have the same divine forgiveness He had.

Forgive with Divine Fruit

When you forgive, the fruits of the Spirit must shine forth from you. Do you forgive someone because you love the person’s soul or because you know you have to make it to Heaven? Do you have joy and peace when you forgive someone, or do you have resentment in your heart and want to seek revenge for what that person did to you?

Do you look for the good in people when you forgive and give them the benefit of the doubt that they probably didn’t mean what they did to you? Are you gentle in your spirit towards those who mistreat you, or do you purposely shun them? Do you have the spirit of meekness that Moses had when he continually made intercession for the sins of the Israelites? Do you pray for those who despitefully use you? Do you forgive with the fruit of faith? If you don’t, you will always mistrust that person and never give them a chance to redeem themselves.

Are you longsuffering and patient with those who mistreat you, or do you expect them to bend over backwards to make up for what they did to you? Do you keep your mind and spirit under control when someone does something that hurts you? Do you immediately forgive people even if they don’t ask for your forgiveness?

The Lord knows what is in your heart. You can’t have bitterness and resentment toward those who wrong you, or it will spring up like a weed and choke the love of God out of your heart. Then souls you are supposed to touch will be lost forever. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled (Hebrews 12:14,15).

Many people wronged Jesus throughout His life. When He hung on the Cross, He was mocked and reviled by the high priest, scribes and elders; and even the two thieves hanging next to Him mocked Him. Jesus endured all of that and took on the sins of the world so we could have forgiveness for our sins.

If Jesus had not forgiven with divine forgiveness, there would be no salvation for mankind. His divine forgiveness is still available today, and you must accept it; or you won’t be able to have forgiveness in your heart for others.

Let Jesus Heal Your Soul and Body

Sinner, Backslider, you may think Jesus won’t forgive you for all you have done, but He will. When you go to Calvary, He will welcome you with open arms. Then His divine blood will clean up everything that is unholy in your life and make you a new creature in Christ. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (II Corinthians 5:17).

Jesus never expects a person to pay back what they have lost in sin because He has already paid that debt, and none of us can ever repay Jesus for what He did at Calvary. What Jesus wants is for you to live holy and forgive your loved ones, your enemies and all those who have wronged you just as He forgave his enemies and all those who had wronged Him.

Let Jesus heal your heart and soul today with His divine forgiveness. Pray with me now and say, Oh God, save my soul. Forgive me for my sins. I have come home to serve you for the rest of my life. I believe that the blood of Jesus washes away all of my sins. Come into my heart, Jesus. Come on in. Amen. Friend, if you meant that prayer, you have Jesus Christ in your heart. Live holy before Him every day.

Jesus is also the healer of your body, so let’s get your miracle for you right now. God made you; He can heal you. Raise your hands as a point of contact and let’s pull down Heaven together. Lord, Heavenly Father, you know what the needs of these people are. Break their bondages and set them free. We curse every sickness and disease in their bodies. Heal them in the holy, blood name of Jesus Christ, I pray. We thank you for all you are doing, Lord. Amen. Friend, look for every sign of improvement and always give God the praise, the honor and the glory for everything He does.

We would love to hear about what God has done, so share your testimony with us. You can contact us on social media or email your testimony to testimonies@ernestangley.org. We want to help you tell others how God is moving in your life.