Download Speaker: Pastor Ryan Walker Wednesday May 1, 2013

Speaker: Pastor Ryan Walker
Wednesday May 1, 2013
OVERCOMING BITTERNESS
Acts 2:46-47 fellowship without offense
1 John 3:17 let God love reign in your heart.
Jesus said offenses would come. It is impossible to live in this fallen world full of
self centered people and not be offended. The problem is: many people let
offenses fester into a serious wound that is called bitterness. I want to help you
avoid the poison of the soul called bitterness. Here's how.
I. What is Bitterness?
We once had a lady in our church many years ago in another state, that was
easily offended. She always wore her feelings on her shirtsleeve. We'll call her
"Lady Shirtsleeve" to preserve her anonymity. Lady Shirtsleeve got offended
because there was a party and she didn't get an invitation. She was out of town
when the invitations were sent out. The people sending out the invitations didn't
think she was going to be in town when the party was going to be held so they
didn't send her one. She arrived back home early to discover that there was a
party and she wasn't invited. When the people holding the party discovered
what had happened they called the offended lady and apologized. They verbally
invited her since it was too late to mail an invitation. Nothing would appease
her. She was so angry she was not going to forgive them. She began to sow strife
in the church. I talked to her and tried to minister to her, but like Jacob, she
refused to be comforted. And all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort
him; but he refused to be comforted, and he said, "For I shall go down into the
grave to my son in mourning." Thus his father wept for him. (Gen. 37:35)
Bitterness results when we refuse to be comforted. I was grieved in my spirit by
the strife that this angry and hurt lady was sowing in the church. That night I
had a dream. In the dream there was a big angry grizzly bear. This bear was
running after the people in the church and when he would catch one of them he
would maul and mangle them. Some were severely wounded. Several were
killed. I said, Lord what does this mean, and He said, "Bitterness is a bear" He
was showing me that bitterness was an angry wounded bear that would not be
comforted. It was a bear that wanted to make others feel the pain he also felt.
Bitterness is defined as: unpleasant, angry, hostile, sour, and resentful. When
we are offended and refuse to forgive, and receive God's comfort, it is just a
matter of time until bitterness sets in.
We find many examples of bitterness in the Word of God. The children of Israel
were bitter because of the hard bondage they had been under in Egypt . They
responded to every situation they found themselves in from a bitter perspective.
The evidence of their bitterness was found in their speaking. You can always
detect a bitter person by the words they speak. "Out of the abundance of the
heart the mouth speaks." A murmuring, complaining, attitude is proof of a bitter
spirit.
The Word warns us not to let bitterness take root in our heart: looking carefully
lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up
cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; (Heb. 12;15)
Here are some of the symptoms of bitterness
1. Bitterness will poison your soul
Bitterness will defile us. It will poison our soul. When the Apostles were praying
for people to be baptized in the Holy Spirit, Simon the sorcerer saw what was
happening and wanted to buy this gift of getting people baptized in the Holy
Spirit. Here is what the Apostle Peter told him: Then they laid hands on them,
and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 And when Simon saw that through the
laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them
money, 19 saying, "Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands
may receive the Holy Spirit." 20 But Peter said to him, "Your money perish with
you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!
21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in
the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if
perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are
poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity." ( Acts 8:17-23) Simon was
poisoned by bitterness.
2. Bitterness will bind you up.
Bitter people are bound to the people who have offended them, the past incident
of offense, and the pain that was afflicted upon them. The unforgiving servant
was delivered to the torturers (which represent demons). Mt. 18:34.
3. Bitterness is troubling. (Heb. 12;15)
Bitterness troubles the soul of the unforgiving person and causes them to sow
trouble and strife wherever they go. Don't allow this poison to ever contaminate
your heart no matter what someone may have done to you. It isn't worth it.
4. It hinders faith and prayer.
In Mark 11:25,26, right after the Lord talks about mountain moving faith he
adds that we must forgive men their trespasses or ours won't be forgiven. If you
have bitterness in your soul, you can't walk by faith because your heart will
condemn you. Your conscience will keep telling you, "you're not right with God
because of unforgiveness so how can you really think God will answer your
prayers."
5. It causes many people to be defiled. (Heb. 12:15)
Offended people offend others and wound them. They in turn wound others if
they don't forgive. A chain reaction takes place where many people become
contaminated with the poison of bitterness. Whole families can experience an
epidemic of unforgiveness, resentment and bitterness. The root of bitterness can
be passed down to future generations. It is vital that we learn how to be free
from this insidious trick of the enemy.
For now. Make a choice to forgive. Stand in that choice and don't allow thoughts
of vengeance to contaminate your mind. After you follow these two steps you'll
begin to heal emotionally.
How To Overcome Bitterness II
We are living in times when it is easy to be offended because there are many
offensive people who disregard and disrespect others. Nevertheless we can't
afford to let ourselves hold onto offense.
There are many things that cause offense which if left unchecked, can ultimately
result in bitterness. During these evil times, I have found myself having to guard
against taking offense or letting some of the insanity of the world affect my
spirit. Sometimes we need to shut the news off, or get away from an irritating
person, or avoid certain places in order to guard our hearts. The Bible says, "
Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life." Prov.
4:23.
"If you have begun to recognize some of the root causes of bitterness, have good
cheer. Jesus will deliver you from a root of bitterness or even the beginning
stages of bitterness such as unforgiveness, resentment,
Here are some roots of bitterness and how to overcome them:
1. Wilderness experiences.
The Israelites began to be bitter because of the harsh conditions they had to
endure in the wilderness. When we go through hard times we can respond in
one of two ways. We can either get bitter or we can get better. Instead of getting
bitter about the tests and trials of life get better. Use them as a challenge to grow
your faith and patience. Stand steadfast on the Word of God in prayer and get
through whatever you're going through. Don't quit. Picture yourself as a
contestant on one of the "reality" programs. There are a great cloud of "faith
witnesses" looking down from heaven on you. If Daniel can go through the lion's
den, and David can face a giant, you can go through your trial in victory through
Christ too. Know that God is with you and is testing you and trying you to know
what is in your heart (De. 8:2). Learn to glory in tribulations. (Romans 5:3).
2. Offenses.
People will do you wrong, whether it is intentional or not. Offenses will come.
Jesus said so. Even "perceived offenses" or in other words something someone
does that you thought was offensive, but wasn't intended to be an offense still
works bitterness into your soul if left unopposed. To maintain a "sweet spirit"
forgive that person as soon as you realize you have taken offense. Walk in that
decision of forgiveness until the "feelings of forgiveness" come. Remember,
feelings follow thoughts and decisions. So don't let feelings lead you or make you
think you haven't forgiven. Just stand in that decision of forgiveness and you'll
eventually feel the forgiveness.
3. Betrayals.
When people betray us it hurts, and it causes offense if we that offense to go
without forgiving. Don't let unforgiveness abide even for one second. As soon as
you realize that you have taken offense, forgive them. Jesus immediately said,
"Father forgive them, they know not what they do."
How To Overcome This Poison of The Soul:
1. Know that you can forgive anything.
If our Lord could forgive his crucifiers, we can forgive anything.
2. You must want to forgive.
You must want to forgive so that you please God and get released in your own
soul. You must want to forgive because the Word of God tells you that you have
to in order to be forgiven. You must want to forgive because you will be bound
up and delivered to the tormentors until you do. Mt. 18:34.
3. You must make the choice to forgive.
Forgiveness is first a choice. Many people confuse forgiveness with their
emotions. If they don't feel like they have forgiven they don't believe they have.
Nothing could be farther from the truth. Forgiveness is a command from God
and therefore a choice. We choose to forgive and then we begin to experience
deliverance in our emotions as we live a lifestyle of forgiveness.
4. You must walk in that choice until the healing of your emotions comes.
Healing of the emotions can take a while. Just persist in walking in the decision
you made to forgive the person that offended you and eventually the way you
fell about your offender will change. If you want to accelerate the process begin
to pray for them (Mt. 5:44). Your whole attitude will change. Forgiveness
releases you from the person that offended you, the past incident, and the pain
that it caused. Forgiveness is for your benefit.
5. Have someone pray for you to be delivered from a root of bitterness.
If you have become bitter it is necessary to receive ministry. There is a spirit sent
from Satan that specializes in bitterness that will begin to dominate a person's
thinking. This is what we call a root of bitterness. This root that goes deep into
the soul and forges a pattern of thinking that must be changed. We need to
retrain our mind to think the best of people and not judge them. We need to
develop a mindset that is quick to forgive. This takes time to develop but it can
be done. We can have a sweet spirit.
JESUS IS LORD!!!