Schemes of Unforgiveness

Judges 13-16; 2 Corinthians 2 

“If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven – if there was anything to forgive – I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.”

2 Corinthians 2:10, 11

Relational conflict, and the case of Paul’s context in writing to Corinth following church discipline, provides an opportunity for Satan to gain a foothold in our lives. Unforgiveness is a common strategy of Satan to put disciples of Christ ‘offside’ with the Lord. There are many schemes of Satan to distract, discredit, and destroy God’s people. Few are as effective as unforgiveness. We can rationalize unforgiveness as being justified for any number of reasons; but we ourselves then become bound by it. To outwit someone, is to use deception to defeat them. As those who have been forgiven by Christ, we are called to forgive others, regardless of the offense.

What schemes have the enemy plotted against us in this area of unforgiveness, and what are we doing about it?

“Lord Jesus, thank you for the cross which sets me free, for your glory.”