Demonic Oppression and Unforgiveness

I believe there is a dimension of freedom that will never happen in our lives until we choose to forgive. The Word of God says we must forgive others in order to be forgiven ourselves. Forgiveness is not an option—it is a command. There are several examples in the Bible where God outlines the importance of forgiveness:

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses (Matthew 6:14-15 ESV).

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times (Matthew 18:21-22 NIV).

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins (Mark 11:25 NIV).

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you (Colossians 3:13 NIV).

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you (Ephesians 4:32 ESV).

God is serious about His command to forgive. We need to come to a place where we understand that we have absolutely no right to hold unforgiveness. Everyone gets hurt and the pain those hurts cause is very real. There is no denying that pain—and God understands. The act of forgiving someone, however, is not an act of acknowledging that what the person did was okay. It is an act of releasing the person to God, not because the person deserves to be released, but because it is commanded in the Word of God. Just like we need forgiveness from our own sins, God expects us to extend that same grace to others and will not tolerate anything less.

Apart from it being a command, forgiveness is also necessary for freedom and deliverance to happen in our lives. If we do not forgive, we essentially tie God’s hands and the devil gets a legal right to torment us. God makes this very clear in Matthew 18:34-35 (NKJV):

And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.

You might be saying to yourself right now, What?! God is going to give me over to the torturers?! Not my God! Often when we think of God, we don’t think of Him as one who would allow torture to come to His children. God absolutely does not want us to be tortured, which is why He has provided us with a way to escape this snare of the devil—simply forgive.

What is torture? What exactly is Satan permitted to do to Christians who choose not to forgive? Torture can be defined as extreme pain, anguish of body or mind, agony or torment. How does Satan carry out this torture and torment over people who hold unforgiveness? These torturers described in the Bible are demonic spirits that have been given a right to torment a person because of the sin of unforgiveness.

If we harbor unforgiveness, it becomes like a seed within us. The more we water that seed—the longer we hold unforgiveness—the more it begins to grow into a plant of bitterness. Bitterness is essentially unfulfilled revenge. Hebrews 12:14-15 (ESV) says:

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.

Not only will bitterness defile you but it will also defile those around you. Have you ever been around a bitter person? It can be both challenging and hurtful.

Often Christians do not realize the toxic effects that sin, particularly unforgiveness, can have on their physical bodies. It can feel very heavy, weighing us down and making us feel very sick. God describes this in Psalm 38:3-4 (ESV):

There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

A spirit of bitterness is one that can cause many problems such as anger, hurt, and rage. Bitterness can also manifest itself as a physical ailment such as arthritis or joint pain. If you struggle with either of these ailments, ask yourself, Am I angry at anyone? Am I bitter? Your first step to freedom is to forgive.

I was conducting a personal deliverance session once with a client who had been complaining about extreme stomach pain. He had been to several doctors and nobody had been able to determine the cause of his pain. As I began ministering to him, we discovered that he had been holding unforgiveness toward several individuals. In the session, he made the choice to forgive them and released each of their names aloud to God.

As he was doing this, my assistant saw in the spirit that every time he released a name and forgave that person, a pin came out of his stomach. Those pins were demonic spirits that had been inside his stomach, causing anguish and pain. When the session was finished, his stomach pain was completely gone. His act of obedience and forgiveness broke the right the devil had to torment him with pain. He was fully healed!

There are earthly consequences of sin, as well as requirements to receive liberation from these consequences. Forgiveness is a major key. Regardless of what has been done to us, we must follow Jesus’ example, as described in Luke 23:34 (ESV): “And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’” Jesus was more blameless than we have ever been, yet He was able to forgive. Forgiveness is a choice. If we ask God to help us forgive, He will do just that.

In the numerous ministry sessions that I’ve had the privilege of leading, I have found that unforgiveness will block a person’s freedom. I have also noticed that unless the person truly forgives, the session is not fruitful, and liberation is not achieved. Many times, clients that have been deeply hurt read a forgiveness prayer, making the choice to forgive, and God is able to move. Often clients become unblocked instantly and begin to weep right there on the spot as liberation takes place.

Do you want to make the choice to forgive right now? Are you ready to be unblocked, putting an end to all the torture and torment? Are you ready to untie God’s hands, so that He can remove the pain and hurt that you have been carrying? Say this prayer aloud and allow God to move on your heart:

Forgiveness Prayer

Lord, I have unforgiveness in my heart. I confess that I have not always loved others. I have harbored resentment and bitterness, but I am coming to You now to ask You to help me forgive those who have hurt me. I want to forgive them from my heart. I don’t know if I can, but I make the choice to do so. Help me to forgive them. Please take away the pain, the hurt, the resentment and the bitterness. Lord, show me now the people I need to forgive, so I can release them and be released myself.

Pause, and let the Holy Spirit show you the names or faces of people you need to forgive. They may be living or dead. Take your time; and as the Lord shows them to you, forgive them in your own words. If God shows you individuals you feel you have already forgiven, forgive them again anyway. If God is bringing them to your memory, it is likely because you still need to forgive them.

Joanna Adams