Power Of Forgiveness
August, 2018
I believe God wants to communicate the freedom we can have from strongholds in our life by choosing to forgive. The prison represents the strongholds that are built in our lives as we take on an offense. The offense is the first link. It is next to the lock because it is the first decision we make ... to take on the offense or to forgive. Once we decide to take on the offense, it begins. to create other chains within our life. These are represented through the words attached to the other chains. These chains imprison us to immobility in life and within aspects of our relationship with God and others. God commands us to forgive to protect us from this self-imposed prison, but it is our choice.
Colossians 3:12-13 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
The letters hanging at the top represent three aspects which are intertwined within this stronghold. The first is the inward focus we begin to take upon ourselves. This is denoted with the "I" in red and the fact that many of the things on these chains feed our "flesh" rather than our spirit. This opens the door for the enemy to begin to deceive us and plant "lies" through flesh that extend to taint what we believe about ourselves, one another, and even God. We then begin to operate from the perspective of this prison and filter life through it.
Ephesians 4:26-27 "in your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.
The good news is there is a key. This key is forgiveness and through God's grace it is available at any time. This is represented by the individual realizing there is more than what the prison is offering a she or she reaches for this key to freedom.
James 4:6-8 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
The feathers on the key are related to freedom as well as the care and love God has for us, as an eagle that cares for its young and teaches them to fly on these wings of freedom.
Deuteronomy 32:10-12 In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft. I The Lord alone led him; no foreign god was with him.
Thank you for the opportunity to share this painting with you. It was an honor to paint it, and I hope it blesses you as much as it has me. May the power of forgiveness bring you Kingdom freedom.
RM