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Forgiveness is the act of pardoning an offender. In the Bible, the Greek word translated “forgiveness” literally means “to let go,”

Romans 12:18-21 New King James Version (NKJV)

18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 Therefore

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him.

If he is thirsty, give him a drink.

For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

21 Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.

Depending on what a person has done, forgiving that person can sometimes be exceedingly difficult. I have learned to let things go. There was a time when I was not that way. The more people hurt me, the more I held on to it. Until I got to a point where my heart was hard. To the point where I did not want to give or do anything nice for anyone. And if you know me, then you know that I have always been a giver. Whether it be of my time, love, or physical/material things. When I got to that place, I was no longer me. I try to tell people, do not hold things in your heart. Because ultimately, it is not worth it. If you do, eventually you can become accustomed to holding in a lot of negativity. It does not hurt the person you are angry with. It hurts you. To be honest, I was tired of being angry. I did not want to be mad at one more thing. In Romans 12:18 – 21, the Bible says live in peace. Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good. You must be kind to your enemies. Let me tell you, it takes great practice to do such a thing. In fact, it takes a lot of LOVE to do such a thing! Which is in accordance with the word. When I feel myself getting angry, I pray it away. Because I refuse to allow anything to disturb the peace that I have found in the Lord. One thing I know for sure is that, if you ask humbly, God is willing to forgive all of our trespasses. If God is willing to forgive, then who am I not to? Holding on to pain has never made anyone happy or done anyone any good. Let go and Let God! Each day I must correct the error of my ways. I am happy to say that with each day that passes, there are less errors to correct. For that, I am grateful! To God be the glory!

John 13:34-35 NKJV

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

God’s love is unconditional!

I actually wrote this back in June of 2020. However, I said that whenever I started my blog, I will post it. Still, a year and a half later, God is sustaining me. He is also teaching me! How lucky am I?!?!

Manna = a noun

(in the Bible) the substance miraculously supplied as food to the Israelites in the wilderness (Exod. 16).

I have heard this word a few times over the past couple of weeks. The first time was in a sermon titled "It tasted like honey". Then someone else mentioned manna during their prayer. Last night while on the phone, someone mentioned manna again. I'm thinking to myself, there's a significance here that God wants me to know. So, I began doing a little research.

One document said…

The purpose of the manna provision was to help the Israelites know the Lord. Slavery had been a hard experience. Many of us know how the darkness of another’s sin can skew our understanding of God’s character. The desert season was an intimate time for the Lord with His people. So that they would know Him. No taskmasters. No distractions of keeping up with daily chores. No demanding bills to pay. Just simple experiences of trust and provision.

My take away…

GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU!!!! The manna WILL SUSTAIN YOU!!! JESUS WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU!!!! I sit and I think about Jesus all day. My goodness, I just can't get over this overwhelming feeling of love that I feel! I think back to all the times that God was there for me, and He has always been there. I just didn't understand the level of love that God has for his people until now. And I still think I don't fully understand. Because God loves us more than a parent loves their child. And one may say, well, why did God allow this and that to happen. Free will. We all have free will. But if you truly accept Christ in your heart, then He will hear your prayers.

In this season, God is telling me Manna... He is telling me and showing me that He will sustain me. He has!

Quick story...I went to the Dr. just before the Pandemic outbreak because I was sick. This was my 2nd visit to the Dr. And they began taking my blood and I had a whole attitude because I'm like, I'm just here for some antibiotics. But they took my blood. Come to find out I had a vitamin D deficiency. You know, if your vitamin D is low, you can get sick very easily. Your immune system is compromised. The Dr. prescribed me a heavy dosage of vitamin D, with prescription refills that lasted through the 3 months of the stay at home order. A BLESSING DO YALL HEAR ME!!! You can't tell me that wasn't God! Manna...

I have been knee deep in God's word and it has sustained me throughout all of these ordeals that the world is going through. I feel complete peace. Manna... There are more personal pieces that I won't mention, but let me just tell you. HE HAS ME!!! I am not the person I was 4 1/2 months ago. If you are at a point where you are in complete darkness and can't go on. Go and get your manna... It tastes like honey...

Deuteronomy 8: 2-10 explains the significance perfectly.

“And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD. Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the LORD your God chastens you. “Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper. When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you.”

(June 2020)

A good friend and even better mentor told me. When you begin your walk, you will not have to say anything. Because people will know that you belong to God. This became crystal clear to me this week. I reached out to one of my sisters, wanting to share some news with her. Unbeknownst to me, she already knew what I was going to tell her. The change that people see in the way I communicate (because no one has seen me) is raising some eyebrows. No one comments, but everyone is looking…

What does she mean, coming out the of the darkness? This simply means that I see. 20/20 vision in 2020. I am no longer walking in darkness. I am surrounded by light. It is a daily process, walking in the light and giving your life to Christ. (Luke 9:23) Yet, this is what I was made for. Anyone who knew me when I was 17 or 18 years old. Then they know that I used to walk around saying that I was anointed. That I had a calling on my life. I used to say this ALL THE TIME! I am anointed and I have a calling on my life. (Ephesians 4:1-6) Somehow, I was sidetracked. That journey led me to a dead end. I had to turn around (REPENT). Grabbed the lamp that was handed to me, which is a light unto my path!!!!!!!! (Psalms 119:105) People are whispering and saying, Nikki has gone mad!!!! Nikki has gone CRAZY!!! The chatter of those who are somewhat confused. (1Timothy 6:20-21) Because in this day, many have given up on GOD!!! Yet, here he is giving me manna and sustaining me! (John 6:31) I am completely transparent in this transformation. Because this is my testimony. This is not for me, but ultimately this is by God’s grace and for God’s Glory!!! Who did that? God did that! (Ephesians 2:8-9)

God prepared me for this day and the preparation began when I was just a little girl! A little girl born with the WORLD against her! At no one’s fault. Because we are all born in iniquity. (Psalm 51:5) Some of us will make it and some of us will not. Yet, here I am, proof that anything is possible. Here I am, proof that God is good! (Romans 12:1-21, Romans 3:23, 1John 4:1, 2Timothy 3:16, 1John 4:8)

So, when you see me posting and sharing the good news! Be grateful for what you see!!! Because if I can be saved, so can you! To God be the glory!!!!! (John 20:21, John 1:9, Hebrews 4:12-13)

God bless you all! May God restore what is his! In Jesus name, Amen!!!! (John 14:6, John 8:12, John 3:16)

1Peter 5:8

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

Job 1:7

“And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.”

A few nights ago, I had a dream. It was dark out, and I saw a man with a glow about himself with a mean scowl upon his face. He was mouthing something in a different language and moving his hands as if he were casting a spell. When he did this, little demons emerged. He walked past me casting his spell, but nothing happened. He did the same thing in front of next house and the demons emerged, going towards their home. He looked back angrily at me and came back and cast the spell again towards me, then the demons emerged. I crouched a bit and screamed as loud as I could “I REBUKE YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS”, and the demons burned up. And he kept doing it and I kept screaming “I REBUKE YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS”.

When I woke up the next morning, I remembered that dream. Then I remembered the scripture 1Peter 5:8. I just kept thinking about it. I know I had that dream for a reason. God does not give you a vision without a purpose. My first thought was, I need to stay rooted and grounded in the word no matter what happens. Then I thought, well, this is what has been happening all my life. The devil has been attacking me over and over again. So much so to the point that I thought right was wrong and wrong was right. Down was up and up was down. Scripture says to be sober. Have a clear mind. How can you fight a battle if you are always intoxicated? How can you take the blinders off on your own when you do not know right from wrong? Where do you go when you do not know what is up or what is down? There is complete chaos. Many are 100% confused and do not know it! Morals are just out the window.

Please do not get me wrong, I judge absolutely no one. Because I cannot judge anyone. I was once many things and very much of the world. Then I found Jesus! Hallelujah! Now when something goes wrong. I say, let me get my bible. Let me get me some JESUS! I am better for it!

I say all of this to say, I am not the only one being attacked! Everyone is being attacked. If you do not have Jesus in your life, then you are losing the battle! Some of you may think that you are winning, but you are losing. God raised me up for such a time as this! I am ready for the battle. For many are called, but few are chosen! (Matthew 22:14) Some people know God is real because they have blind faith. I know God is real because I have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord! There is nothing that anyone can tell me to believe otherwise.

James 4:7 says to “Submit yourself therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

1/8/22

First, I would need to say that actions speak louder than words. We can repeatedly say that we forgive someone, but what does our actions say? I have an example.

The other day, a family member told me they were sick. I became worried, I began praying, asking my pastors and friends to pray for this family member. That night, I was praying again, and the Holy spirit said, “Did you also pray for this person?”. My heart sank. You see, another person in my family was sick. I took NONE of those same steps. Then my thoughts spiraled to have you truly forgiven them? What’s really in your heart? Sometimes, we must dig deep and be honest with ourselves. I can’t go around preaching about forgiveness when I struggle with the same concept myself. God checked me! Look at you! Praying for one and not the other. It’s shameful. How can I ask for forgiveness and be unwilling to forgive? It doesn’t work that way. Also, how can I truly heal if I am holding on to the old? To make room for the new, we must get rid of the old. In this case, it’s getting rid of the old way of thinking. Now, this doesn’t take away from the dramatic changes I’ve made in my life. This is just an indicator that the healing process is ongoing. The relinquishing of myself is a daily process.

Forgiveness is the act of pardoning an offender. I’ve mentioned this before. But this is more of a “next steps” phase of forgiveness. 😊 It’s easy if you never have to see that person again. That’s simple. On the other hand, if you must interact with a person that did something that you once deemed as unforgivable. That's not so simple.

Now that you walk with Christ. There’s no room for unforgiveness. It’s a matter of the heart. What’s in your heart? Is it hatred, unforgiveness and revenge? Or is Christ reflected in your heart and you cascade a beacon of light, love, and hope? If you try to be both, then you are lukewarm and are likely to be spat out. Accountability is so important.

Rev 3:16

“So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am going to spit you out of my mouth”

One more thing! Not only should we forgive others, we should also forgive ourselves. True healing begins with honesty, letting go, and letting God. 😊

Be blessed, be a blessing, and be encouraged.