We started last week from SoS 2:15.
Let’s go there again.
Song of Songs 2:15
Catch us the foxes,
The little foxes that spoil the vines,
For our vines have tender grapes.
In Isaiah 5, there is this allegory concerning a vineyard which the Lord planted.
And it says, the vineyard is the house of Israel.
Jesus said in John 15 He is the Vine and we are the branches.
“For we are fellow workmen (joint promoters, laborers together) with and for God; you are God's garden and vineyard and field under cultivation, [you are] God's building.”
1 Corinthians 3:9 AMPC
If we are His vineyard, we need to be careful what we allow into this field.
From our text, foxes are little animals that would invade a vineyard, destroying the grapes.
By extension, there are “little foxes” that can destroy the grapes in us.
Last week, we examined “a fox” -
- People that try to kill you or truncate your destiny
- False prophets who mislead or derail your destiny
- Sinful indulgence! Hidden issues, invisible negative tendencies and indulgences that work against you and disrupt your destiny.
The sin is so silent (sicknesses called ‘silent killers,’ like bp) that you do not normally think you are committing any crime.
- sins of commission and sins of omission.
#2 Another fox is unforgiveness.
In my book, The Healing Power of Forgiveness, I scripted the following in the blurb:
Unforgiveness is an insidious disease that eats up and devours one once it is given room to breed in one’s life.
It is a cancerous growth that if not quickly detected and dealt with, can consume one life like a wild fire would a dry forest.
You’ve heard of wild fires in California, Australia and even the Amazon forests of Brazil, costing those Governments millions of dollars to contain.
That’s how unforgiveness is.
It will cost you a fortune if you allow it to bloom.
*AHITHOPHEL & Unforgiveness
Unforgiveness opens the door for the devil to torment one.
In Matthew 18:23-35, we see an account of a servant who was forgiven of a great debt but would not forgive his fellow servant of a little debt, and how this unforgiving servant was handed over to tormentors until he paid the debt.
Matthew 18:34 (kjv)
And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
For whatever crime you feel someone has committed against you, you committed worse crimes to God deserving of hell, but He forgave you and demands that you extend mercy to fellow humans.
This is for your own good.
“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.”
- Lewis B. Smedes
Holding someone (in your heart, for a past offence) is akin to physically holding someone down (who stepped on you and tried to move on).
You hold the person down saying, “You ain’t going nowhere!”
Yet, you are also stuck at the same spot.
That’s what happens when you hold people in your heart. You are stuck to that point.
Progress is only in sight when you release (them) through forgiveness.
“The reason some people are sick a lot and even die prematurely is that they don’t walk in love. Unforgiveness is the main reason people fail to receive their healing.” - Kenneth E. Hagin
“Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door or resentment and the handcuffs of hate. It is a power that breaks the chains of bitterness and shackles of selfishness.” - William Arthurward
“As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison.” - Nelson Mandela
Do you know what happens to you when you start holding grudges against others?
According to Kenneth Hagin Jr, it’s the same thing that happens in the arteries of your heart when too much fat gets in.
Fat starts collecting around the edges of the artery and restricting the flow of blood. Once it starts collecting, it builds up and builds up until no blood can flow at all.
In the spiritual realm, unforgiveness builds up the same way. It starts collecting in the channels where the Spirit flows, and if you’re not careful, it clogs the channel. Before you know it, nothing is flowing at all.
The flow of blessings, life, spiritual gifts, etc, are restricted through unforgiveness.
“People ought to know that if men of God- particularly those who are used of God along the line of healing - lay hands on them and they don’t get any results, they ought to start examining themselves (especially with regards to unforgiveness and walking in love) - Kenneth E. Hagin
“He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass.” - George Herbert
As we close tonight, I want you to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and expose every tinge of unforgiveness, and grant you the grace to release all hurts, in the name of Jesus.
Kill this fox right now.
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