Are you withholding something positive from a person who has sinned against you?

Resisting blessing is not wishing one well before God and others. Whereas the other three prison walls of withholding forgiveness hold on to negatives, resisting blessing holds on to a positive. We withhold wishing the offender well before God and others — the ultimate goal of forgiveness. This withholding occurs in our heart — our will, emotions, mind, and spirit. Whereas revenge emphasizes the will; resentment emphasizes the emotions; and regret emphasizes the mind; resisting blessing emphasizes the spirit. We choose to withhold spiritual blessing of our offender. In a word, it is hate — not loving our neighbor, including our enemy. We yield to our prideful desire to treat others as they treat us.

Jesus addressed this in the Sermon on the Mount: “You have heart that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:43-48). Jesus called us to love and pray for those who sin against us.

Have you wished your offender well before God and others? Ask Jesus to give you His heart to do so. Don’t resist blessing the person who harmed you. Rather, seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance to love and pray for the one who did you wrong.

Episode 61: The Prison Wall of Resisting Blessing from mitchkrusetv on Vimeo.