The power of forgiveness

The Power of Forgiveness

Brendan Mc Crossan

The Power of Forgiveness

The power of forgiveness! You may say I didn’t know there was power in forgiveness, and for most Christians and non Christians they have no conception of the power there is in forgiveness, they, for the most of them, don’t even think about how much power is also in unforgiveness, how it holds them in bondage and also hold others in bondage.

Forgiveness is an amazing gift from God the Father; in his love and mercy he created us just like him, and in him is forgiveness as a part of his divine nature and for the born again Christian they have the same nature inside them, they have that same power to forgive.

If you would just stop and think about this for just a few moments; you the Christian or non Christian hold the power of God in your mouth, by saying to someone who hurt you deeply, “I forgive you,” that releases them from the burden of guilt some have carried since hurting you. You’re forgiving them releases them from the emotions of guilt, and guilt can cause depression, it can lead to suicide, it can keep a person chained up in darkness for years and years! So yes there is power in forgiveness, forgiveness releases people from the bondage of sin and guilt.

As I write this the lord is prompting me to forgive the ancestors of both sides of the religious divide here in Ireland that have kept the war that has been going on, for over 500 years. I am only one person, but I have the power to release the captive. Just as Jesus said he was sent to free the captive, so he is prompting me at this moment to forgive the ancestors of both sides of the religious divide, and so I do; I forgive my ancestors and all of the people on my side of the divide for all the wrongs they done by hurting the protestant, and English people, and I forgive the protestant community and their ancestors for the ways they have hurt the Catholic community down through the years.

As I write I am reminded that I am a descendant from a warrior prince in Ireland, his name was Red Hugh O’Donnell. He was named Red Hugh because of his flaming red hair and his red beard. And as a warrior prince I am sure he killed many people in his battles, and the lord is asking me at this moment to reach out forgiveness towards him, to forgive him for his killings and I do so now in Jesus name. When first I read about Red Hugh I was proud to be a descendant of a prince who’s father obviously was a king, if he was a prince, so I was delighted to be a descendant of a king; I was descendant of Irish royalty, something to be proud of, that was until I became a Christian, and then discovered that I am a Son of God the king of all creation, and Red Hugh and my Irish ancestry faded away into nothingness because of who I was now at this very moment a king of life as scripture says.

I have my place of royalty in this life and in heaven, I am a king of life, Jesus my brother is a king of kings and my Father is the almighty king of everything there is. My present day status as a king of life outshone my Irish ancestry, by eons. So I stopped searching for information on Red Hugh, and searched the word of God in relationship of my present day royalty.

Now today as I write this; the lord is prompting me to write about Red Hugh and how his ancestry affects me in this present moment and my children and grandchildren, and great grandchild.

How, you may ask does your ancestor affect you or effect you, well it does, when you consider what has gone on down through history since Red Hugh in my families history. My family has always supported the republican movement since it started with the war in Ireland in 1916. It was obvious that they would support the republican movement because if you look at it from God’s perspective what Red Hugh handed down from fighting the invaders of his land, his country area, “the fighting spirit” passed down from generation to generation to my generation and to my children and grandchildren and to my present day great grandchild. Did you note the words I wrote; “the fighting spirit,”

Almost all my relatives have fought the British army and RUC in this present day war, it was in their genes as some might say, but I say it was in the spirit passed down from generation to generation from this first descendant Red Hugh O’Donnell. A spirit was passed down, a fighting spirit that has not been dealt with yet, until now, and I am going to deal with that spirit even as I write this book. But first, I have to forgive my ancestor Red Hugh, and then all his descendants who carried that spirit down through the generations, right up to me and the buck stops here.

When I became a Christian the first thing God dealt with, was my idolatry of worshipping a country and being prepared to fight and die for this country.

{Read my book, “Christians who are unaware they are living in spirit idolatry” for the full story of my involvement in the IRA.}

Without Forgiveness for Red Hugh that spirit has the right to effect and affect my family and their family and so on and so on for century after century, because there was no one with knowledge to stop it and cast it out except me, and I do so now because God is telling me to do it, to stop the spirits activity in my children and grandchildren and great grandchild. So I am stopping for a few moments to deal with this thing right now before I go on any further!

{Spirits do not go about in ones, they go about in clusters, so if you are a Christian casting out a spirit of, say, abuse from someone, you will need to cast out all accompanying spirits, spirits like, lust, perversion, immodesty, control, fear, to name but a few, and you are a fool if you think that you need to cast just one spirit out of a person who has been abused sexually, there are tremendous effects caused by abuse, and those spirits intertwine within the abused person and also theabuser. You command “all” spiritsthatareatwork here, to getoutand don’tcome back. You can cast the spirit of abuse out but you leave the spirits of lust, fear, perversion, immodesty, and so on still there, “so deal with the whole lot.”}

Back again to my ancestor Red Hugh O’Donnell!

What did I just do? well I asked God to forgive Red Hugh first, for his violence towards others, and then I forgave him from an ancestor perspective, and then I spoke to the “spirits” that controlled my ancestor Red Hugh, that passed on to the next generation after Red Hugh Died,

and so on and so on until they got to me, his present day descendant. I commanded those controlling violent spirits to loose their hold over me and my children and my extended family and relatives who were in the family line from Red Hugh, and I commanded them to get out of me and out of every child of mine and my grandchildren and great grandchild, and to get out of every relative in Jesus name, “now!” And I broke their effect and affect in Jesus name over all the present day descendants of Red Hugh, and I set everyone free from those controlling spirits in the power filled name of Jesus Christ. I now believe that all my children and relatives will suddenly find themselves free from violent thoughts and behavior, and they will wonder what happened; they have a new peace within. You know and I know what just happened to them. Because there is wonder working power in forgiveness, and in the name of Jesus Christ. You the reader have ancestors, maybe they lived in Ireland, maybe they fought wars in this country or another, and they need forgiveness from you their descendant. Without going into a deep scripture discussion with you, read your own bible and you will see God gave us the right to pray for our ancestors, and to forgive them also. And this is in the New Testament as well as the old.

If you know your family history, forgive those who done things contrary to the word of God. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” That scripture should cover all things wrongly done to others. You as a believer do what I just done. Break the family link with insanity, depression, murder,sex,violence,rebellion,orwhateveritisthatrunsinyourfamily;askthelordtoreveal to you the root cause of your family problems. And he will reveal if you’re willing to listen.

My history was I was a terrorist in Northern Ireland, violence was a part of my nature, and my relatives were terrorists or supported them. All family from Red Hugh down supported violent overthrow of the invaders as they seen them, my children never got involved in the IRA or any other terrorist group but some supported them, and that is the same according to the Word of God; {example; If you look at a woman with lust in you’re heart you already committed the act.}

Take it up with God if you don’t agree with me. If you think it, you did it, according to God, so all you armchair supporters of this bloody war in Ireland you’re just as guilty as the men who bombed, or shot, or beat people to death, in you’re heart you agreed and so your guilty, and need to repent, now!”

I was violent in my words and my action not just in fighting the British or RUC, but also in my home, more violent with my mouth than with my fists, but violence was just inside my control and sad to say sometimes not, and all this passed down from my mothers side, my mother was a republican supporter. Those violent spirits that controlled my ancestor was also controlling me for years. I put the violent part of me under the control of the Holy Spirit and without his grace and mercy I could have murdered my wife on occasions but the Holy Spirit helped me to control those impulses that were prompted by my ancestors evil spirits that passed down through the generations, down as far as me and maybe further to my great grandchild until “now,” when I put them to flight in Jesus name, the name above all names. My fathers’ side of the family was all musicians and singers, entertainers, and I inherited from him and his ancestors the ability to play a musical instrument, the guitar. They had no interest in Ireland’s history or wars, they just played music. These were two different sides from my parents inherited by me.

What’s controlling or influencing you right now today?

What impulses are controlling you right now?

We break the curse of the family line in healing sessions today and we pray for healing in the generational family line but it only reaches just a small amount of people in the church setting. We have a God who desires to set his children free from all that oppresses them and he is doing it even as I write this book, he is prompting you to search your family background and see if there is a pattern in your family that is not healthy, and then he asks you the Christian child of his to break the power the devil has wielded through our ancestors wrong doings, forgive them and break the spirits power over your families lives and relatives lives. Forgiveness reaches beyond the grave, as the dead are not dead eternally yet.

Forgiveness is a power we the Christian hold is our mouths and we need to release that power by forgiving others including our ancestors and the ancestors of others who have affected us right up until this present moment in time. Use your gift of forgiveness to break the devils strongholds in your life and in the lives of your family and relatives; be the one who will step out in the love and mercy of God and set the captive free from the bondages they lived in for centuries.

Scripture tells us to tear down the devils strongholds; he has strongholds in our family linage, and its now time to bring those strongholds to an end, the buck stops with you; you are the one in your family that the lord has revealed these things to and has given you the power to do something about it. You have the name of Jesus, you have the word of God, and you have the power of forgiveness, as mighty weapons.

When you forgive someone, you exercise power over them, a good power not a bad power, you remove from them the guilt and sometimes shame over things they have done to you, and you release them from the bondage they were living in, by your forgiveness. You are doing as Jesus said to do; love them into life.

I want to give you some scripture to help you understand how you have power over your ancestors, the power to forgive.

1-John-5-16- If you see a Christian sinning in a way that does not end in death, you should ask God to forgive him and God will give him life, unless he has sinned that fatal sin.

{Commentators differ in their thinking, some believe that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an unpardonable sin, and they are not sure if this means spiritual death or physical death.} {Bible commentary}

If you know thatyour Christian ancestors sinned by their actions then you havetherightbefore God to ask for forgiveness for them, {if they had not already asked God for forgiveness, or maybe they died without seeking forgiveness,} as their descendant; and by their actions, how this has affected you, you forgive them for this, and ask God to forgive them also.

1-Corinthians-15- 29- If thedead willnot comeback to lifeagain, then what point is there in people being baptized for those who are gone? Why do it unless you believe that the dead will some day rise again?

The early Christians were being baptized on behalf of their ancestors; they believed they could get them saved in this way. If you read this scripture in your bible you will see Paul doesn’t say this is wrong, {as some Christians today say} he finds it worth mentioning. This wasn’t a Jewish tradition, but a new Christian one, now knowing the mercy and love of God and having new revelation given to them on behalf of their ancestors, as laid out in the promises in the Old Testament. If it’s in the word then it is viable and shouldn’t be dismissed, it’s there for a reason even if you don’t understand it at this present moment.

Do you remember what Jesus said to the scribes and Jewish leaders, that Isaac and Abraham were alive not dead as the Jews thought; he said;

Matthew-22-32- “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob”? “So God is not the God of the dead but the living.”

The new Christians knew this and were acting on the word of God that their ancestors were alive in Gods world.

It blows your mind when you realize there are heavenly things going on that were not even aware of.

John-5-29- Don’t be surprised! Indeed the time is coming when all the dead in their graves shall hear the voice of God’s Son and shall rise again – those who have done good, to eternal life; and to those who have continued in evil; to judgment.

This scripture tells us that the dead aren’t dead as we think of death, but that they are able to “hear!” the voice of God’s son.

John-5-25- and I solemnly declare that the time is coming , in fact, it is here, when the dead shall hear my voice – the voice of the son of God.

The dead physically won’t hear the voice of God but their spirit which is alive for eternity can hear the voice of God, the dead physically bodies rot and decay in the grave and are no more, but their spirit and soul are alive awaiting the final judgment. Which for us who have accepted Jesus don’t have to worry about because we passed the first judgment, and will pass the second judgment also according to the word of God?

To forgive your and others ancestors is a wonderful gift from God because he says in.

John 21-22 then he breathed on them and told them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgiveanyone’ssins,theyareforgiven,ifyourefusetoforgivethem,theyareunforgiven.”

Catholics have taken this as confession between them and the priest, but it does not say that, it says to the Christian Baptized in the Holy Spirit believer, that if they forgive anyone’s sins they are forgiven and if they refuse to forgive, that other person’s sins are not forgiven.

Many have died unforgiven by others, and you and I have the power to deal at least with our ancestors and the ancestors of others, to forgive them, knowing, what we know of their sinfulness. Their traditions caused offense to the lord, which they were not spiritually aware of, and offence against the other community.

IforgiveKingWilliamofOrange,forallthetroubleandhardshipshebroughttotheCatholic population here in Ireland. I forgive all those in his army for their murders of men women and children through this act of war. And for all the hatred he was responsible for which passed down from generation after generation, because of his actions.

Now hundreds of years later the protestant community still celebrates with marches and parades, his victory over the catholic King James and his people. And this causes hatred to arise year after year, after year, up until this very present moment. It is no wonder we as Christians have a choice to make, and as Christians we chose to forgive those who wronged our forefathers on both sides, asking God to heal the religious divide, after all we are supposed to have the one lord and savior Jesus Christ. Religion has divided us not God’s spirit.

I forgive the RIC the pre runner to the RUC and now the PSNI, for the murders and injustices they performed in the name of Britain, and also the Ulster Defense Regiment, which hurt the catholic community. I forgive those whom I seen doing wrong to my community.

Now you as a protestant or British person need to do the same with those on my side of the house so that the house of God can be at least restored.

Their blood cries out to God

We need to repent for the wrongs done and the blood spilled which cries out to God, just like the blood of Able cried out to God for vengeance. The blood of Irish / British ancestors cries out to God for vengeance, to an end of blood letting in this country once and for all.

I believe God desires to heal this land of ours and he cannot do so until the Christians, at least, repent for their wrong doings and their ancestor’s wrong doings. We cannot get the non believers to repent for their wrong doings towards others so God deals with those who are in him together as brothers and sisters.

2-chronicles-7-14- If my people humble themselves and pray, and search for me, and turn from their wicked ways. I will hear them from heaven, and forgive their sins and heal their land.

I will listen wide awake, to every prayer made in this place. For I have chosen this temple and sanctified it to be my home forever, my eyes and my heart shall always be here.

Every great thing began with just one little step; you and I are called to make the first step to restoring through forgiveness, this Christian community of ours, when wecan truly say, “Jesus is our Lord and savior our one true God.”

By our decision to forgive the ancestors we know of, just like mine, Red Hugh O’Donnell, and by searching out information regarding our ancestors who have caused a negative influence in our lives, we can then break that linage by the power of forgiveness and the name of Jesus Christ.

If every Christian who reads this would take action then we could cause a great hole in Satan’s control over the atmosphere in this country of ours, just like the hole in the ozone layer. We could cause a ripple effect to occur and who knows with God’s power of forgiveness behind this what amazing effect it could have on our country.

Every great move of God begins with one person, “be that person,” do what you have read about, take action take a stand for Jesus body, the Christian believer. Start with me; Forgive me for being a terrorist, for putting my country before you and God.

Note; by taking account for our ancestor’s actions and forgiving them, we can release ourselves and family members from the evil that has followed us down through the generations.

It doesn’t have to be political for you; maybe your ancestors were like my father’s ancestor’s just interested in music, but there were also wrong things that happened in his linage, which I have already dealt with.

Maybe there is heavy drinking on your side of the house, or maybe something sexual. Maybe it is homosexuality or fear, or suffering from panic attacks for no explained reason. Or maybe you and others in your family suffer from depression, and it was that your grandmother suffered depression and then your mother and now you, then you can be assured that it is something that has passed on down through the family line to you and that thing is spirits. You too can forgive your ancestor’s and command those foul spirits that have attached themselves to your family line to get out in Jesus name. But first forgive the ancestors then deal with the demonic in Jesus name.

All these things are easy for the Christian who is born again and especially if they have the Holy Spirit inside them, they have all the power of God at their disposal, use it for your benefit and for God’s glory. There is power in forgiveness, use that amazing power to release yourself and others, start the ripple effect now today, in Jesus name. Amen.