The Device of Unforgiveness

While reading 2 Corinthians 2:10, 11, I saw something about unforgiveness that I hadn’t seen before. It reads,

‘Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.’

Notice verse 11 says, ‘lest Satan should take advantage of us…’ How would he be able to do so? It’s simple, through unforgiveness. According to this verse, Satan uses unforgiveness like a device.

A device, according to Merriam Webster Dictionary is defined as a ‘a thing made or adapted for a particular purpose, especially a piece of mechanical or electronic equipment.’ [1] Strong’s Concordance defines it as ‘a perception, purpose or disposition.’ It is also defined as an exercise of the mind which also means, ‘to comprehend, consider, perceive, think, and/or understand.’ [2] Therefore, when you combine the two…

The device of unforgiveness creates a perception of that person in our minds and helps us to see, think, and understand them through the lens of unforgiveness.

We adapt our interactions and responses accordingly which allows the enemy to take advantage of us. But why is he able to use unforgiveness against us?

Because as children of God we are commanded to ‘forgive men their trespasses…’ (Mt 6:14). When we don’t, the enemy uses that unforgiveness like a USB and inserts it into certain situations; being assured we’ll respond as he sees fit. Though Jesus is our password to our PC (i.e., our lives), Satan gains access to our PC through the USB of unforgiveness. He’s then able to take advantage of our lives by hacking into our emotions and thus causing us to store the memory of what that person did to us which were inadvertently saved on his USB. We thought it was cute to talk about what they did to us. But the reality is that every time we do, the enemy is silently infecting our spirits with the deadly malware of unforgiveness. Thus, it would behoove us to get some type of antivirus protection which just so happens to come in the form of forgiveness. And for all my readers who aren’t technically savvy, I keep it simple. Forgive.

Go back as far as you can remember and forgive the person in which you’ve held the longest grudge…even if you have to do it by faith. Because if you don’t, Satan is going to insert his USB of unforgiveness and control your emotions for the rest of your life.

Pray this with me: Heavenly Father, please help me to forgive ______________________. I don’t want to but neither do I want Satan to take advantage of my emotions. Lord, show me how I can truly forgive, even if I have to do it by faith and in steps. In Jesus’ name.

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