God’s Presence in Your Home (5) by Pastor Faith Oyedepo

Author: Pastor Faith Oyedepo

Topic: God’s Presence in Your Home (5)

Dear Reader,

You are welcome to this week’s teaching in Jesus’ Name.  Hope you enjoyed your Christmas celebration? In less than 12 hours from now, by the special grace of God, we shall be entering into another year. This week, I will be teaching on forgiveness.

Forgiveness simply means to decide not to punish someone for a wrong, to cancel debts owed. Forgiveness is the character trait of God.  He is all-forgiving. The Word of God says, To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him (Daniel 9:9).

Ever since the first man, Adam, man lived in rebellion to the Almighty God.  Yet, because of God’s mercies, He always pardons our iniquities. The ultimate price was paid at Calvary; Jesus was nailed to the cross, not for anything He did, but for our sins.  The Word of God says, …Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do… (Luke 23:34).

I believe that aside from forgiveness coming out of His merciful nature, the sacrificial death of Jesus also made Him to forgive.  He looks back at the cross and remembers how much Jesus suffered for our iniquities; He sees the shed blood and it moves Him to forgive. If we are to forgive one another, then we must be prepared to exercise patience because God is not through with working on us as individuals.  The Word of God says, And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you (Ephesians 4:32-5:1).

Unforgiveness is one major problem in many families today.  It causes couples and other members of the family to hold on to issues, offences, misunderstandings and various hurts of the past, and before long, there is a rift which tears the family apart. That shall not be your portion in Jesus’ name!

Don’t carry a mentality of offence against God or people; if you do that, it will surely affect your character.  Don’t get offended in God, if you do, tell me who will help you? God is your Helper.  Never question God on why some things were allowed to happen to you.  Forgive yourself and your fellow men.  Don’t carry hatred and bitterness around.  Whatever anyone has done to you is past and gone.  The Word of God says: Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before (Philippians 3:13). The reason why so many people find it difficult to forgive their fellow men is that they hardly forget what that fellow has done to them.  They carry all the hurts of the past and unknowingly, hurt themselves.

If you desire God’s presence in your home, you must learn to forgive.  Unforgiveness has caused a lot of trouble in families today.  In most cases, it is the hidden factor behind separation and divorce.  It is refusing to pardon something one’s spouse or any member of your family has done. Below is a testimony that proves that forgiveness is very important.

“Today marks three years since I started attending this church. I came here because of my spiritual lack, not material lack.  I was born again five years before I came here and was attending a living church.

However, since I started worshipping here, God has given me the spirit of understanding concerning His Word and my faith has been on the increase.  Most importantly, there has been captivity turnaround in my life, particularly in my marriage.

My marriage technically broke down on our wedding day, at the reception table! But I stayed in it for almost a decade, though it was a thorn in the flesh.  Eventually, I left.  Right inside my matrimonial home, I got a SAN to prosecute the divorce.

I got born again after then, but the Word never came to me until I got to this church.  There was a teaching on forgiveness one day, which made me realize that I was living in self-righteousness all along.  I forgive, but don’t forget.  I got this corrected in my mind, through the anointed book Marriage Covenant, anointed preaching of the men of God and counseling. As a result, my marriage got miraculously healed and right now, I’m having a honeymoon.”- Olaleye

Has someone offended you? Why not let him or her go? It may be the reason why you are still where you are right now.  I liken unforgiveness in families to cancer.  I call it family cancer.  Just as cancer eats up the body, many families have been eaten up and torn apart by unforgiveness.

It is a medical fact that when you are angry, bitter or live in unforgiveness, your body system is set at an imbalance which ultimately destroys your health.  A researcher is quoted as saying that one minute of depression suppresses your immune system by six hours, whereas one minute of laughter boosts your immune system by twenty-four hours.  So, take heed to God’s Word and learn to destroy every root of bitterness and offence before it gets a chance to destroy you.  You will not be destroyed in Jesus’ name!

Are you born again? If your answer is no, why not ask God for forgiveness of your sins and repent and make Jesus Christ your Lord and personal Saviour today.   You can say this prayer and be born again: “Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today.  I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the living God.  I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.”

If you prayed this simple prayer, you are now a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

Congratulations! You are now born again! All-round rest and peace are guaranteed you, in Jesus’ Name. Call or write, and share your testimonies with me through contact@faithoyedepo.org; OR 07026385437 and 08141320204.

For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building A Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).