When I was little, some unfortunate events unfolded that laid the groundwork for bitterness to take root - & it did for years!
It became the driving force behind my desire for success - I skipped the 6th grade & started college at the age of 15. I was on a fast track to nowhere, unaware that I was bound in the land of bitterness.
This morning, I began pondering this question:
What’s the antidote when bound with bitterness?
You wanna know something fascinating & so God-winkish? When I opened my Bible to today’s reading, the word “antidote” was written 2x’s in the margin of Psalm 37!
David commands the reader with exclamation to stop being angry, to turn from our rage & not lose our temper because it only leads to harm. Those are all indicators of being bound by bitterness.
The antidote?
“Trust the Lord. Be still. Wait patiently for HIM to act & He will help you.”
Trusting God is the antidote to satan’s ploys.
I learned this week that bitterness is a principality that holds us hostage through the lesser demons that answer to it. It sounds weighty because IT IS!
Bitterness governs us only by our agreement with its claims.
Buckle up as I share what I learned about the steps of bitterness😉
👉🏽Bitterness enters our ❤️ through UNFORGIVENESS
👉🏽Ruminating wrongs from our past then invites RESENTMENT to follow suit
👉🏽Unforgiveness & resentment create a foothold in our ❤️ that make way for the spirit of RETALIATION to enter
👉🏽At this point, these 3 spirits are unspoken, but then, bitterness sends the spirits of ANGER & WRATH which give voice to what’s happening inside
👉🏽VIOLENCE begins to surface & eventually the worst spirit of bitterness reveals itself - MURDER - Murderous hate-filled speech can be wielded like a sword. The primary aim of bitterness is the death of God’s Spirit.
I walked through all of those awful stages holding hands with the evil spirits as if they were my dear friends.
It wasn’t until I realized I was bitter, however, that I could get better. It required a conscious decision to fall OUT of agreement with them. Then for MY benefit, the Lord reminded me of the much I’d been forgiven & invited me to do the same.
I will never forget the day I fell out of love with bitterness & was no longer bound by its minions. When I forgave, I was released to love with the love I’d received!
When we receive God’s unfailing love & trust in His Truth, the bounds of bitterness break & can no longer hold us back from the freedom that God intends.
August 20 One Year Bible Readings
Esther 8:1-10:3
1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13
Psalm 37:1-11
Proverbs 21:23-24
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