DECLARE THAT YOU ARE FORGIVEN

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“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”

Ephesians 1:7

In Mark 2 there is an interesting story about a paralyzed man. “Son, your sins have been forgiven,” were the words Jesus said to the paralytic who had been placed in front of him. These words baffled the Pharisees, because according to their teaching, the only one who could forgive sins was God. As a result they thought that Jesus was blaspheming. However, the Lord put a question to them, “Which is easier? To say to this paralyzed man ‘your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘get up, take up your mat and walk?’” For the many people it may be easy to be cured, because there are lots of ways to be healed. However, for the forgiveness of sins, there is only one way and that is through the love of Jesus that was expressed through His blood. Paul said, “You were bought at a price therefore glorify the Lord in your hearts” (I Corinthians 6:20). Why is the blood of Jesus stated as the only price and the only means for us to be cleansed from sin? When God created Adam He gave him pure, uncontaminated blood, and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it. However, in the middle of the garden there was a tree that the Lord warned him about, saying that he should not eat from it or he would surely die. Adam disobeyed God and ate of that fruit, thus contaminating his own blood. Someone else’s blood that had not been stained was required for the full redemption of all of humanity. That was the blood of Jesus. He came as the second man and only in Him do we have redemption from all of our sins.

One of the adversary’s strategies is to make us believe that some of our sins have not yet been forgiven. He does this to keep control over our lives. However, when we confess with confidence that all of our sins have been forgiven by the blood of Jesus, we experience victory. Right now, proclaim that by the blood of Jesus, all of your sins have been forgiven.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
I was in Mexico leading a conference and we went to a restaurant to spend time with some of the people there. When we finished, a young man who was with us said, “Pastor, Can I speak with you?” I responded, “Of course, how can I help you?” He pulled me to one side and said, “Pastor, I feel miserable; I have failed God. My thoughts, my desires, my flesh, and the environment that I am in have overwhelmed me, and I feel like I don’t have the strength to stand against the enemy.” I said to him, “The solution to your problem is very simple. All you have to do is understand the power of the blood of Jesus, because that is where true power lies. When you get home, get on your knees and bow down before the feet of Jesus just like the woman with the alabaster jar. She held on to His feet and began to cry and cry over them, and then she dried the tears with her hair; she couldn’t stop kissing his feet. That day the Lord said, ‘Because you have loved much, your many sins are forgiven’ (Luke 7:47). You need to realize that it is the devil who wants you to feel miserable”.

That night the young man prayed that prayer. When I saw him the next day, he looked different. He had peace because he knew his sins had been forgiven.

TODAY’S DECLARATION
“I am forgiven because of the redeeming power of the blood of Jesus.”

Today’s post is an excerpt from Pastor Cesar Castellanos’ book, Declarations of Power for 365 Days of the Year: Volume One.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING

    • Old Testament: Genesis 25-26; Psalms 10
    • New Testament: Matthew 5:1-12; Acts 6

DECLARE THAT YOU ARE FORGIVEN