BITTERNESS PART II

MANY TIMES, WE JUST CAN’T ACCEPT THE TRIALS AND EVENTUAL END OF OUR TROUBLES AS AN INCREASE IN OUR LIVES. ALL WE CAN SEE IS THE NOW. USUALLY OUR TRIALS ARE ONLY A FORERUNNER OF THE JOY TO COME. WHEN IT CONCERNS WHAT OTHERS SAY ABOUT US, IT IS REJECTION BY THAT PERSON’S ACTIONS THAT TROUBLES US THE MOST, EVEN IF WHAT THEY ARE SAYING IS UNTRUE.

IN HANNAH’S CASE, SHE DIDN’T RETALIATE AGAINST HER HUSBAND’S OTHER WIFE (POLYGAMY WAS TOLERATED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, BUT FORBIDDEN IN THE NEW TESTAMENT), BUT PATIENTLY ENDURED ALL THE REPROACHES CAST UPON HER, YET SHE WEPT AND DID NOT EAT.

THERE WAS A REASONING IN THE MIND OF PENINNAH FOR HER TORMENT OF HANNAH: BECAUSE HER HUSBAND LOVED HANNAH MORE. SHE HAD FALLEN INTO A STATE OF JEALOUSY, BY WHICH SHE JUSTIFIED HER ACTIONS.

IF WE COULD JUST “GET-IT”, THAT GOD CARES ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT  GOES ON IN OUR LIVES, AND, AS A CHRISTIAN, WE HAVE THE PROMISE THEY WILL TURN OUT FOR OUR GOOD, WE WOULD HAVE JOY IN THE KNOWING THAT IT WILL NOT STAY THE WAY IT IS NOW, BUT THAT GOD WILL SOMEHOW TURN IT ALL AROUND.

ANOTHE EXAMPLE OF BITTERNESS IN THE BIBLE, IS ABOUT SIMON WHO WAS A SORCERER. HE WAS IN THE GALL OF BITTERNESS. WHY?  BECAUSE WHILE HE WAS A SORCERER, BEFORE HE RECEIVED SALVATION, IT WAS SAID ABOUT HIM, WHEN HE BEWITCHED THE PEOPLE, “THIS IS THE GREAT POWER OF GOD.” BUT AFTER SALVATION, HE NO LONGER HAD THE EVILPOWER.

ACTS 8:9-11; 13; 18-22 – BUT THERE WAS A CERTAIN MAN CALLED SIMON, WHICH BEFORE TIME IN THE SAME CITY USED SORCERY, AND BEWITCHED THE PEOPLE OF SAMARIA, GIVING OUT THAT HIMSELF WAS SOME GREAT ONE:

TO WHOM THEY ALL GAVE HEED, FORM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST, SAYING, THIS MAN IS THE GREAT POWER OF GOD.

AND TO HIM THEY HAD REGARD BECAUSE OF LONG TIME HE HAD BEWITCHED THEM WITH SORCERIES (WITCHCRAFT).

THEN SIMON HIMSELF BELIEVED ALSO; AND WHEN HE WAS BAPTIZED, HE CONTINUED WITH PHILIP, AND WONDERED, BEHOLDING THE MIRACLES AND SIGNS WHICH WERE DONE.

AND WHEN SIMON SAW THAT THROUGH LAYING ON OF THE APOSTLE’S HANDS THE HOLY GHOST WAS GIVEN, HE OFFERED THEM MONEY.

SAYING, GIVE ME ALSO THIS POWER, THAT ON WHOMSOEVER I LAY MY HANDS, HE MAY RECEIVE THE HOLY GHOST.

BUT PETER SAID UNTO HIM, THY MONEY PERISH WITH THEE, BECAUSE THOU HAST THOUGHT THAT THE GIFT OF GOD MAY BE PURCHASED WITH MONEY.

THOU HAST NEITHER PART NOR LOT IN THIS MATTER, FOR THY HEART IS NOT RIGHT IN THE SIGHT OF GOD.

REPENT THEREFORE OF THY WICKEDNESS, AND PRAY GOD, IF PERHAPS THE THOUGHT OF THINE HEART MAY BE FORGIVEN THEE.

VERSE 23 – FOR I PERCEIVE THOU ART IN THE GALL OF BITTERNESS, AND IN THE BOND OF INIQUITY.

THEN ANSWERED SIMON, AND SAID, PRAY YE TO THE LORD FOR ME, THAT NONE OF THESE THINGS WHICH YE HAVE SPOKEN COME UPON ME.

WHAT HAPPENED HERE? WHY WAS PETER SO UPSET WITH SIMON? BECAUSE ALL THE GIFTS AND CALLINGS OF GOD ARE FREE, AND NONE COULD BE OBTAINED BUT THROUGH GOD, AND NOT FOR A PRICE. JESUS HAD ALREADY PAID THE PRICE ON THE CROSS.

SIMON HAD GIVEN UP HIS UNHOLY GIFT OF WITCHCRAFT, BUT HIS FLESH STILL LOVED THE EXCITEMENT OF THE SUPERNATURAL AND THE ATTENTION IT BROUGHT HIM. HE SAW SOMETHING THAT WAS MANIFESTED ON THOSE RECEIVING THE HOLY GHOST AND THAT THE HOLY GHOST CAME ON THEM IN SUCH A SUPERNATURAL WAY THAT OTHERS SAW SOMETHING HAPPEN, THAT HIS FLESH WANTED THIS POWER.

BUT WHAT WAS HIS BITTERNESS? I BELIEVE THAT HE NO LONGER HAD THE POWER TO THRILL PEOPLE LIKE HE ONCE HAD, AND SEEING THOSE WHO HAD THE POWER OF GOD ON THEM, HE WAS JEALOUS: WHICH IS A PART OF BITTERNESS.

THE GALL:  A PERSON, A WICKED PERSON, WHOSE LIFE AND BEHAVIOR IS OFFENSIVE TO GOD. I T MEANS THIS WAS THE DEEPEST KIND OF BITTERNESS, BECAUSE IN HIS MIND HE WAS ASSOCIATING THE EVIL SUPERNATURAL WITH THE DIVINE.

HEBREWS 12:15 – LOOKING DILIGENTLY LEST ANY MAN FAIL OF THE GRACE OD GOD; LEST ANY ROOT OF BITTERNESS SPRINGING UP TROUBLE YOU, AND THEREBY MANY BE DEFILED  (OR HOW YOU ACT AFFECTS THOSE WATCHING YOUR LIFE).

THE ROOT OF BITTERNESS, IS DEEPLY EMBEDDED BITTERNESS THAT COULD SPRING-UP UNEXPECTEDLY AT ANY TIME AND TROUBLE THE PERSON WHO POSESSES IT. IT CAUSES THEM TO SAY THINGS THAT CAUSES DISCORD IT THE BODY OF CHRIST AND FAMILIES, AND CAN DEFILE MANY.

THOSE WITH IT, MOST OF THE TIME, DON’T BELIEVE THEY HAVE IT, OR DON’T EVEN KNOW THEY HAVE IT, BECAUSE IT IS SO EMBEDDED DOWN DEEP WITHIN. IT HAS TAKEN ROOT IN THEIR PERSONALITY, AND HAS BECOME A PART OF THEM.

TO GET RID OF IT, THEY HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THEY HAVE IT, AND ASK GOD TO EXPOSE IT TO THEM; CHANGE THEIR ATTITUDE; AND BAPTIZE THEM WITH LOVE.

BUT MOST OF THE TIME, ALARMINGLY, THEY HAVE HAD IT SO LONG, THEY WANT TO KEEP IT. SO, MANY ARE DEFILED AND ARE AFFECTED, OR SHOULD I SAY INFECTED.

EVEN IF YOU SUSPECT YOU HAVE A PORBLEM, ASK THE FATHER TO SHINE A LIGHT ON IT, AND SHOW YOU IF ONE EXISTS. IF IT DOES, GIVE IT TO GOD AND ASK HIM TO DELIVER YOU. ASK HIM WHAT CAUSED IT TO TAKE ROOT, AND EXPOSE IT TO YOU. THEN FORGIVE.

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HOW TO DEAL WITH OFFENCES

Luke 17:1 – Then said He (Jesus) unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!

A fact: It is impossible to live as a Christian and not be offended. The purpose for offences, is to stop God’s purpose.

People don’t mean to offend us; but sometimes they do so because they don’t understand what God is doing in our lives. Sometimes they offend us because they are jealous.

Different reasoning brings offences, but the purpose is to destroy God’s purpose.

Matthew 16:13-18 – When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Phillipi, He asked His disciples, saying,whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said,  Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, but whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven.

Peter received divine revelation of who Jesus was, but did not understand the purpose of Jesus.

When Jesus began to explain the purpose of God for His human life, Peter did not understand, which offended Jesus.

Peter, unknowingly, tried to stop the the purpose of the Father through Jesus.

Matthew 16:21-23 – From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took Him and began to rebuke Him, saying, Be it far from Thee, Lord: this shall not be unto Thee. But He turned and said unto Peter, Get thee behind Me, Satan: thou art an offence unto Me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

Personally, I believe that all offences come from the forces of the enemy to stop the purpose of God. People who understand who God is, don’t understand how God is working-out his purpose.

Children of God don’t get offended by lost people. Offences come from other Christians. 

We loose the mind-set of God because we are not seeking God, and we get the mind-set of the flesh.

When we have been hurt, we want to retaliate. We get a mind-set  (or savourest) the things of men and fall into the purposes of Satan. Then we become the offender, and our actions offend the other little sheep; and in the middle of our crusade to get revenge, we stop or hinder God’s purpose.

His kingdom must be more important than our pride.

I have been an offender, and I have been offended.

There is a cross I must pick up.

Peter wanted Jesus to be the Christ, but he did not want the suffering Christ. He wanted salvation without suffering.

We want salvation without suffering. We want salvation without denying our flesh.

For God’s purpose to come, we must sometimes suffer; and even though we have been offended, we must forgive the offender. If we don’t, we will stop or hinder God’s kingdom purpose and hurt innocent Christians who are bystanders.

Luke 17:1-5 – Then said He unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: bur woe unto him, through whom they come! It was better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Take heed to yourselves if thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him: and if he repent thou shalt forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day and turn again to thee sayng, I repent: thou shalt forgive him. And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

Faith produces obedience, when we choose to obey, the grace of God  comes and  we can pray with power.   Forgiveness is a choice. We make a mental deicision to forgive hurts, trespasses. Jesus is teaching us in the next verse to speak to the very root of the problem, again forgiveness is not a feeling but a decision.

If we hold on to offences  we either hinder or stop  God’s  purpose in our lives . We must speak to the tree of unforgiveness, this thing that is trying to grow in our lives.

Praying , and saying,  Lord I choose not to receive this offence in my life, I Choose to forgive. I choose  blessing and not curses.  I refuse to loose my victory. I will not allow unforgiveness to hinder that powerful anointing  for  His purpose on by life.  I will forgive them even if they never ask me to.   I speak to every mountain of bitterness  that has tried to attach itself to me, Go and be cast into the ocean of forgetfulness, I am free and blessed. Peace and joy will fill my life and the heavens are open to my prayers. Glory to God!

Child of God, please don’t take this as that I am judging, but as I am trying to help someone because I have fallen in this trap before myself.       

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