Bible Topics: Bitterness
Bible Topics: Bitterness • Sermon • Submitted
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Bible Topics: Bitterness
Bible Topics: Bitterness
Definition: Holding on to or showing feelings of intense [strong] animosity [hatred, anger], resentment or vindictiveness [wanting to get back at someone]. -- Other words that describe bitterness are: merciless, unforgiving, holding a grudge. Bitterness is also described as feelings resulting from something that is difficult to accept.
1. God's Word warns us against the dangers of bitterness.
1. God's Word warns us against the dangers of bitterness.
[When we allow ourselves to become bitter against others, we create walls difficult to overcome, which isolates us from others.] A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle., [Bitterness is a sin to be repented of.] Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall [poison] of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. [Be on guard against it, because even a little root of bitterness can do much harm to you and others.] Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled [contaminated]. [See also .] If ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not [don't brag about it.], and lie not against the truth.
19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city:
And their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
18 Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood;
14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
2. Do not carry or keep bitterness, but replace it with love, kindness and forgiveness.
2. Do not carry or keep bitterness, but replace it with love, kindness and forgiveness.
Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear [carry or keep] any grudge [bitterness] against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord. [Love can overcome bitterness, but watch out about opening up old hurts felt from others. Better to forgive and forget.] He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth [harps about] a matter separateth very [true] friends. [See also 10:12.], For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. [In His parable of the unmerciful servant, Jesus made it clear that we will suffer if we refuse to sincerely forgive our brethren, when we know Jesus has had mercy on our sins.] 35 So likewise shall My Heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. [Hypocritical, judgmental self-righteousness can cause us to harbor bitterness, while feeling justified for doing so, yet it ends up bringing God's punishments upon ourselves.] Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 4 Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath [you are saving up terrible punishment for yourselves] against the Day of Wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds., Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour [shouting or crying], and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice [desire to do harm]: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. [Even if someone has mistreated or wronged you, God's love is love enough to forgive.] And above all things have fervent love among yourselves: for love shall cover the multitude of sins.
18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.
9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love;
But he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
3. If you allow bitterness a place in your heart, it will eventually come out of your mouth in murmuring and complaining.
3. If you allow bitterness a place in your heart, it will eventually come out of your mouth in murmuring and complaining.
, [Job complains to his friends:] Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together! 3 For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up [have been rash]. [See also 7:11.] [Job also said:] My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. [See also 16:6-16.] [Job's self-righteousness caused him to become bitter against God, thinking he knew better.] Then Job answered and said, 2 Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning. 3 Oh that I knew where I might find Him! That I might come even to His seat! 4 I would order my cause before Him, and fill my mouth with arguments. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. [See also 15:11,18,19.] Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
2 Oh that my grief were throughly weighed,
And my calamity laid in the balances together!
3 For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea:
Therefore my words are swallowed up.
1 My soul is weary of my life;
I will leave my complaint upon myself;
I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
1 Then Job answered and said,
2 Even to day is my complaint bitter:
My stroke is heavier than my groaning.
3 Oh that I knew where I might find him!
That I might come even to his seat!
4 I would order my cause before him,
And fill my mouth with arguments.
34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
4. The Lord, in His love, can deliver you from the sin of bitterness. Here are some examples of three who overcame it, and one who didn't:
4. The Lord, in His love, can deliver you from the sin of bitterness. Here are some examples of three who overcame it, and one who didn't:
[If anyone had cause to be bitter, it was Joseph. His brothers had despised him; they brutally sold him into slavery and lied to their father that he had been killed by a wild animal; he spent time in prison on false charges of rape; was left there for two years longer because Pharaoh's forgetful chief butler forgot his promise to help get Joseph out of jail. In spite of all this, here's how Joseph reconciled with his brothers:] And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. 4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. 5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and He hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. ... 10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: 11 And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty. ... 15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him. [Hannah, mother of Samuel, was sorely provoked every year by Peninnah, the second wife of her husband, Elkanah. Peninnah had children and purposely tried to make Hannah feel badly because she had no children. After years of Peninnah doing this, Hannah, having become bitter, not eating well and feeling that she somehow was not blessed of the Lord, took her bitterness to the Lord in desperate prayer, openly confessing her grief, both to the Lord, and to Eli, the priest, and finally a great victory was one, first by faith, followed by the Lord's blessings.] 10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore. ... [Eli, when he saw Hannah sobbing, mistakenly though she'd been drinking and was drunk:] 15 I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. ... [She explained her prayer that God give her a son.] 17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of Him. 18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad. [By faith Hannah had given her bitterness to the Lord, and because of it, was able to return to her family, having been freed from sadness and was even able to eat normally. Later the blessings came: the Lord not only blessed her with Samuel, her first born who she gave to the Lord, but also with three other sons and two daughters!] [King Hezekiah grew bitter during a nearly fatal illness. During his worst days, he felt the Lord was cutting him off. Yet his desperate prayer and tears brought eventual healing and victory.] I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years. 11 I said, I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord, in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world. 12 Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd's tent: I have cut off like a weaver my life: He will cut me off with pining sickness: from day even to night wilt Thou make an end of me. 13 I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will He break all my bones: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me. 14 Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me. 15 What shall I say? He hath both spoken unto me, and Himself hath done it: I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul. 16 O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: [then Hezekiah begins to speak faith:] so wilt Thou recover me, and make me to live. 17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back. [Absalom, son of King David, bitterly hated his half-brother, Amnon, for having raped Tamar, Absalom's full sister. This unbridled bitterness grew for two years until Absalom had Amnon killed.] And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar. ... 28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? Be courageous, and be valiant. 29 And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled.
22 And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
10 I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave:
I am deprived of the residue of my years.
11 I said, I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord, in the land of the living:
I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world.
12 Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd’s tent:
I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off with pining sickness:
From day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.
13 I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will he break all my bones:
From day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.
14 Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter:
I did mourn as a dove:
Mine eyes fail with looking upward:
O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me.
15 What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it:
I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.
16 O Lord, by these things men live,
And in all these things is the life of my spirit:
So wilt thou recover me, and make me to live.
17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness:
But thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption:
For thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.
10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.
3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. 4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. 5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. 9 Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not: 10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children’s children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: 11 And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty. 12 And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. 13 And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither. 14 And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.
3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. 4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. 5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. 6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. 9 Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not: 10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children’s children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: 11 And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty. 12 And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. 13 And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither. 14 And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.
5. Bitterness stems from feelings of anger and an unforgiving attitude towards others. Here are some more solutions from the Word on how to avoid it.
5. Bitterness stems from feelings of anger and an unforgiving attitude towards others. Here are some more solutions from the Word on how to avoid it.
[If we are truly hungry to learn from the Lord, even bitter experiences are looked upon as "blessings in disguise."] The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet., Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought [grievance] against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in Heaven may forgive you your trespasses. [Bitterness is also described as the feelings resulting from something that is difficult to accept; so it's important to always remember that the Lord has a good purpose in everything that He allows to happen to us.] We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. [God's Word often speaks of "renewing our minds," which implies letting go of the old; particularly any past grievances and bitternesses.] And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. [See also .], [Going to bed in anger is an avenue for the Devil to work.] Let not the sun go down upon your wrath; 27 Neither give place to the Devil. [Bitterness is also caused by holding on to bad or angry feelings about someone or something that happened, but the Lord tells us to forget the things that are past.] Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
7 The full soul loatheth an honeycomb;
But to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
The Bonds of Bitterness
The Bonds of Bitterness
Has someone ever said or done something to you for which you found it difficult to forgive them?
Every time their very name is brought up, even if it was years ago, it still brings butterflies to your stomach. When you think of them, your heart rate increases. And you can feel your blood pressure rising when you think of what they said or did. It’s as though you were reliving it again, just thinking about it!
If so, it may be that you are in the bonds of bitterness. Which is a shame…because bitterness doesn’t even touch the person you are bitter toward, but it sure will harm you, no exceptions. Like Frankenstein, bitterness is a monster which turns on its creator, and causes internal damage beyond compare…an internal poison eating it’s way out!
The other person continues their life, and may be happy and content, and never even think about you, but because you hold bitterness for them, they continue to control your life…if they do think about you, it’s in satisfaction as they can see they still get at you!
Ill.—counseling w/ women abused as girls: He continues to touch you until you give that bitterness to God. Men hit by their fathers…he’s still hitting on you?
Many emotions which we feel are not necessarily sin:
Anger—“be ye angry and sin not”
(it’s possible…righteous indignation)
But when anger gets out of its cage, it’s sin.
(Or when the object of our anger is misplaced)
Guilt is not always sin
Sometimes the Lord gives us a Godly guilt, a conscience, a convicting, to get us back onto the straight and narrow.
But Satan uses guilt to paralyze us in our Christian walk…and when guilt gets out of its cage it is sin.
Grief is not always sin.
Grief is a gift from God when used to help us heal from loss or sorrow of some kind.
But if we refuse to allow the Holy Spirit to comfort our grief, it becomes self-pity…a sin.
Anger/guilt/grief, are they sin? Maybe so, maybe not. But there is a human emotion that is always, w/ out exception, a sin: Bitterness!! Bitterness and unforgiveness is always sin!
If you spit in my eye, you have sinned. If I turn away in bitterness, I have sinned.
You question my motives/ injure me falsely…
Have you been sinned against? Don’t join in on the sinning by responding wrong!
Who is that person that comes to mind? For whom do you hold bitterness, if you’re honest w/ God today? Don’t explain it away…they came to mind for a reason. The Holy Spirit of God brings them to your mind because He loves you and wants to rid you of a cancer that is eating you from inside out!
It may have been last week or last year…I don’t care if it was decades ago when you were a child…but you know in your heart that you’ve never truly forgiven them for it.
And whatever you do, don’t say: I don’t hardly ever think about them at all. That wasn’t the question. The question is when you DO think about them, or someone else brings it up even, what are your thoughts about them? “Thank you Lord for forgiving me though I don’t deserve it, and for not holding my sins against me…and thank you for giving me the power to forgive others.”
Let’s all be honest, no denial…who is it?
6 things Bitterness will do to your life:
1. Bitterness will devastate you spiritually
Why? For 2 reasons:
• Because bitterness necessitates that you walk in the flesh, and not in the Spirit.
All Christians have that choice every day, many times a day, to take a step in the flesh or to take a step in the Spirit.
(only 2 choices on the shelf…)
We can’t control what happens in life, but we can control how we respond/react!
A bold sounding statement: If you have unresolved bitterness in your life, you are not right with God, and you are not walking in the Spirit, but in the flesh!
Proof:
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance
These are the very things you hold back from them, as long as you are bitter…
You are w/ them and don’t feel like displaying love
You think about them and don’t feel joy, and have no peace at all!
You aren’t longsuffering, or you would give them more latitude…you’d think about how much you’ve been forgiven for by Christ and it would make it easier to forgive them yourself, even if they don’t deserve forgiveness…neither do you! (which is meekness!)
You can erase them from your hit list if you’re walking in the Spirit!
The very next chapter drives it all home:
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption
Yes, bitterness will devastate you spiritually
Holding bitterness is walking in the flesh…sowing to the flesh, and it will eat you up inside.
It’s impossible to be wrong w/ man and right w/ God at the same time.
Ill.—Ragsdales g’daughter messes w/ clock, sees g’ma coming and says, I love you!
(No, you can’t love on me when you’re disobeying!)
That’s how it is with the Lord, you can’t love on him when you’re wrong w/ someone else, living…or dead!
• Because bitterness necessitates that you walk in the flesh, and not in the Spirit.
• Because bitterness halts spiritual growth altogether.
How many want to grow in grace? Say Amen!
Want church to grow in grace?/Be all you can be for God?/Reach fullest potential He intended for you?/use your spiritual gifts for His glory?
If you want to stop that process dead in its tracks, all you have to do is harbor bitterness! God says, the train stops right here, and doesn’t move again until you take the stow-away of bitterness and throw him off the train!
In the Bonds of Bitterness? Let Christ set you free, because: Bitterness will devastate you spiritually…
2. Bitterness will destroy you physically
It’s like a constantly running machine. It’s not an occurrence, it’s a lifestyle. It enters into your subconscious mind, and it runs while you’re sleeping, eating, watching TV, talking to a friend.
And medical doctors say bitterness will affect your body, your physical health.
Bitterness has been medically linked to glandular problems, high blood pressure, cardiac disorders, ulcers, and even insanity.
One leading psychiatrist wrote, “90% of all people in insane asylums could be released immediately if they would learn how to forgive, or how to be forgiven.”
An article from The Gospel Herald:
“There was a man whose health was good. He was sturdy and strong. His heart action and blood pressure were fine. Then his father died, and he got into a prolonged legal dispute with his sister about their father’s will. The case went to court, and the sister won. From that day on, the man could think of nothing more than the lawsuit and his sister. He talked about it, he thought about it, he filled himself w/ it, it became an obsession. And each day, he grew to hate his sister more. Then he began to have difficulty with his heart and blood pressure. Next, his kidneys bothered him. Before many months, complications killed him. It seems obvious that he died from bodily injuries brought on by powerful emotion. I believe the man killed himself, death by bitterness.”
He committed spiritual suicide, and the trigger that he pulled was the trigger of bitterness.
(not implying for a moment that all sickness is caused by bitterness, but I am saying it’s impossible to be bitter, and it not affect your body.)
Prisoner of Bitterness? Let Christ set you free, because: Bitterness will devastate you spiritually, destroy you physically…
3. Bitterness will Discourage you emotionally
Where there’s bitterness, there’s discouragement. Because bitterness leads to paranoia. You start to develop a victim’s mentality=everyone’s out to get you. You become negative, critical, and paranoid. You become judgmental of others and think you know their motives. You think people are talking about you.
Joke—can’t go to football game because team huddles and you’re sure they’re talking about you. (looking for contact!)
Ill.—teacher makes student hold book at arm’s length…kid laughs…it’s not heavy…but after a while, sweat will pour and tears will roll, and he’ll beg for mercy.
Some of you minimize the seriousness of that “little bit of bitterness” you may have…and you say, it’s not really a problem for me…but you hold onto it long enough and you’ll drop your spiritual arms in discouragement!
That’s why our text says in —lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees!
Prisoner of Bitterness? Let Christ set you free, because: Bitterness will devastate you spiritually/destroy you physically/discourage you emotionally…
4. Bitterness will Divide the fellowship
We’re on a great roll here at GBC…the momentum is moving in a good, steady direction…PTL! If you want that to stop, then just harbor bitterness for someone else who’s here!
We’re all human, and at times we’ll give each other reason to be offended…sometimes unintentionally, sometimes not!
Joke—“son, I’m taking momma to the Dr. for her Colitis”
Son: Who’d momma collide w/ this time?
Collisions will happen w/in the fellowship…we can’t completely avoid that…but we can control how we respond!
“You don’t know what they said/did to me!”
I don’t mean to minimize your pain, or sound arrogant, but “you’re not the 1st person to get hurt in church!”
Sometimes we just need a good old-fashioned dose of growin’ up! Grow up, and get over it. Remember that you don’t deserve God’s forgiveness, and even if they don’t deserve yours, it’s still the right thing to do to grant it to them!
I’ve only been here a short time, and I’ve been lied to, lied about, criticized falsely, my motives judged (an arena God reserves only for Himself!), my sincerity questioned.
But maturity each time begs me to blow it off, because it’s to be expected if you’re doing what’s right. And I believe there’s bigger things to focus on, and I’m not willing to take my eyes off of the real goal. God’s my defender, and He’ll be yours, if you’ll let go, and let Him! Don’t take it into your own hands, put it in His!
God allows us to be hurt sometimes, as a test…will they become bitter, or better? Sometimes he allows valleys to be cut into our soul, but He can use those valleys as a channel thru which he can transmit His grace to others, if you’ll allow the wound to heal, by leaving it in the hands of the Great Physician, and not taking it into your own hands.
I’ve been in churches that are gonna have to have some funerals before they’ll ever go forward for God, because of some members making a conscious decision to harbor bitterness.
Ill.—Kimberly can tell you about a fistfight she’s seen in God’s house!
Bitterness divides the fellowship.
“you don’t know what happened!”
I don’t need to know…
In Christian love,
On the authority of God’s Word…
Get over it!
Prisoner of Bitterness? Let Christ set you free, because:
5. Bitterness will defile your relationships
There’s a spill-over effect w/ bitterness.
You don’t have to be bitter toward your spouse to ruin your marriage. You can be bitter toward your mom or dad, and ruin your marriage!/you can be bitter toward me and ruin your relationship w/ your children! Because of the spill-over effect.
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: [14] Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: [15] Their feet are swift to shed blood: [16] Destruction and misery are in their ways: [17] And the way of peace have they not known:
Be sure of this: Bitterness toward anyone, living or dead, will destroy your relationship w/ God.
6. Bitterness will deprive you of a blessing
You’ll bring that negative, critical spirit to church w/ you. You won’t come looking for a blessing, you’ll be looking for what’s wrong…and you’re sure to find it!
How to remove bitterness:
v. 15 “root” of bitterness
Only 1 way, yank it by the root, by the grace of God. You cannot do it by yourself.
Ill.—Children of Israel crossed Red Sea, were thirsty, came to Marah (bitter). What did God tell Moses to do to heal the bitter waters? Cut down a tree…and when the tree made contact w/ the waters, they were healed!
The only hope for the bitter waters sloshing around in your soul is for them to come into contact w/ the cross of Calvary!
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.
(Bro. Jones’ testimony—whose card are you carrying around?)
In the Bonds of Bitterness? Jail break this a.m. at ll:??
Nothing more bitter than a sinner who needs to be forgiven, can be forgiven, and yet is not forgiven, because they won’t accept it. Forgiveness is offered. Take it!
Has someone ever said or done something to you for which you found it difficult to forgive them?
Every time their very name is brought up, even if it was years ago, it still brings butterflies to your stomach. When you think of them, your heart rate increases. And you can feel your blood pressure rising when you think of what they said or did. It’s as though you were reliving it again, just thinking about it!
If so, it may be that you are in the bonds of bitterness. Which is a shame…because bitterness doesn’t even touch the person you are bitter toward, but it sure will harm you, no exceptions. Like Frankenstein, bitterness is a monster which turns on its creator, and causes internal damage beyond compare…an internal poison eating it’s way out!
The other person continues their life, and may be happy and content, and never even think about you, but because you hold bitterness for them, they continue to control your life…if they do think about you, it’s in satisfaction as they can see they still get at you!
Ill.—counseling w/ women abused as girls: He continues to touch you until you give that bitterness to God. Men hit by their fathers…he’s still hitting on you?
Many emotions which we feel are not necessarily sin:
Anger—“be ye angry and sin not”
(it’s possible…righteous indignation)
But when anger gets out of its cage, it’s sin.
(Or when the object of our anger is misplaced)
Guilt is not always sin
Sometimes the Lord gives us a Godly guilt, a conscience, a convicting, to get us back onto the straight and narrow.
But Satan uses guilt to paralyze us in our Christian walk…and when guilt gets out of its cage it is sin.
Grief is not always sin.
Grief is a gift from God when used to help us heal from loss or sorrow of some kind.
But if we refuse to allow the Holy Spirit to comfort our grief, it becomes self-pity…a sin.
Anger/guilt/grief, are they sin? Maybe so, maybe not. But there is a human emotion that is always, w/ out exception, a sin: Bitterness!! Bitterness and unforgiveness is always sin!
If you spit in my eye, you have sinned. If I turn away in bitterness, I have sinned.
You question my motives/ injure me falsely…
Have you been sinned against? Don’t join in on the sinning by responding wrong!
Who is that person that comes to mind? For whom do you hold bitterness, if you’re honest w/ God today? Don’t explain it away…they came to mind for a reason. The Holy Spirit of God brings them to your mind because He loves you and wants to rid you of a cancer that is eating you from inside out!
It may have been last week or last year…I don’t care if it was decades ago when you were a child…but you know in your heart that you’ve never truly forgiven them for it.
And whatever you do, don’t say: I don’t hardly ever think about them at all. That wasn’t the question. The question is when you DO think about them, or someone else brings it up even, what are your thoughts about them? “Thank you Lord for forgiving me though I don’t deserve it, and for not holding my sins against me…and thank you for giving me the power to forgive others.”
Let’s all be honest, no denial…who is it?
6 things Bitterness will do to your life:
1. Bitterness will devastate you spiritually
Why? For 2 reasons:
• Because bitterness necessitates that you walk in the flesh, and not in the Spirit.
All Christians have that choice every day, many times a day, to take a step in the flesh or to take a step in the Spirit.
(only 2 choices on the shelf…)
We can’t control what happens in life, but we can control how we respond/react!
A bold sounding statement: If you have unresolved bitterness in your life, you are not right with God, and you are not walking in the Spirit, but in the flesh!
Proof:
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance
These are the very things you hold back from them, as long as you are bitter…
You are w/ them and don’t feel like displaying love
You think about them and don’t feel joy, and have no peace at all!
You aren’t longsuffering, or you would give them more latitude…you’d think about how much you’ve been forgiven for by Christ and it would make it easier to forgive them yourself, even if they don’t deserve forgiveness…neither do you! (which is meekness!)
You can erase them from your hit list if you’re walking in the Spirit!
The very next chapter drives it all home:
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption
Yes, bitterness will devastate you spiritually
Holding bitterness is walking in the flesh…sowing to the flesh, and it will eat you up inside.
It’s impossible to be wrong w/ man and right w/ God at the same time.
Ill.—Ragsdales g’daughter messes w/ clock, sees g’ma coming and says, I love you!
(No, you can’t love on me when you’re disobeying!)
That’s how it is with the Lord, you can’t love on him when you’re wrong w/ someone else, living…or dead!
• Because bitterness necessitates that you walk in the flesh, and not in the Spirit.
• Because bitterness halts spiritual growth altogether.
How many want to grow in grace? Say Amen!
Want church to grow in grace?/Be all you can be for God?/Reach fullest potential He intended for you?/use your spiritual gifts for His glory?
If you want to stop that process dead in its tracks, all you have to do is harbor bitterness! God says, the train stops right here, and doesn’t move again until you take the stow-away of bitterness and throw him off the train!
In the Bonds of Bitterness? Let Christ set you free, because: Bitterness will devastate you spiritually…
2. Bitterness will destroy you physically
It’s like a constantly running machine. It’s not an occurrence, it’s a lifestyle. It enters into your subconscious mind, and it runs while you’re sleeping, eating, watching TV, talking to a friend.
And medical doctors say bitterness will affect your body, your physical health.
Bitterness has been medically linked to glandular problems, high blood pressure, cardiac disorders, ulcers, and even insanity.
One leading psychiatrist wrote, “90% of all people in insane asylums could be released immediately if they would learn how to forgive, or how to be forgiven.”
An article from The Gospel Herald:
“There was a man whose health was good. He was sturdy and strong. His heart action and blood pressure were fine. Then his father died, and he got into a prolonged legal dispute with his sister about their father’s will. The case went to court, and the sister won. From that day on, the man could think of nothing more than the lawsuit and his sister. He talked about it, he thought about it, he filled himself w/ it, it became an obsession. And each day, he grew to hate his sister more. Then he began to have difficulty with his heart and blood pressure. Next, his kidneys bothered him. Before many months, complications killed him. It seems obvious that he died from bodily injuries brought on by powerful emotion. I believe the man killed himself, death by bitterness.”
He committed spiritual suicide, and the trigger that he pulled was the trigger of bitterness.
(not implying for a moment that all sickness is caused by bitterness, but I am saying it’s impossible to be bitter, and it not affect your body.)
Prisoner of Bitterness? Let Christ set you free, because: Bitterness will devastate you spiritually, destroy you physically…
3. Bitterness will Discourage you emotionally
Where there’s bitterness, there’s discouragement. Because bitterness leads to paranoia. You start to develop a victim’s mentality=everyone’s out to get you. You become negative, critical, and paranoid. You become judgmental of others and think you know their motives. You think people are talking about you.
Joke—can’t go to football game because team huddles and you’re sure they’re talking about you. (looking for contact!)
Ill.—teacher makes student hold book at arm’s length…kid laughs…it’s not heavy…but after a while, sweat will pour and tears will roll, and he’ll beg for mercy.
Some of you minimize the seriousness of that “little bit of bitterness” you may have…and you say, it’s not really a problem for me…but you hold onto it long enough and you’ll drop your spiritual arms in discouragement!
That’s why our text says in —lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees!
Prisoner of Bitterness? Let Christ set you free, because: Bitterness will devastate you spiritually/destroy you physically/discourage you emotionally…
4. Bitterness will Divide the fellowship
We’re on a great roll here at GBC…the momentum is moving in a good, steady direction…PTL! If you want that to stop, then just harbor bitterness for someone else who’s here!
We’re all human, and at times we’ll give each other reason to be offended…sometimes unintentionally, sometimes not!
Joke—“son, I’m taking momma to the Dr. for her Colitis”
Son: Who’d momma collide w/ this time?
Collisions will happen w/in the fellowship…we can’t completely avoid that…but we can control how we respond!
“You don’t know what they said/did to me!”
I don’t mean to minimize your pain, or sound arrogant, but “you’re not the 1st person to get hurt in church!”
Sometimes we just need a good old-fashioned dose of growin’ up! Grow up, and get over it. Remember that you don’t deserve God’s forgiveness, and even if they don’t deserve yours, it’s still the right thing to do to grant it to them!
I’ve only been here a short time, and I’ve been lied to, lied about, criticized falsely, my motives judged (an arena God reserves only for Himself!), my sincerity questioned.
But maturity each time begs me to blow it off, because it’s to be expected if you’re doing what’s right. And I believe there’s bigger things to focus on, and I’m not willing to take my eyes off of the real goal. God’s my defender, and He’ll be yours, if you’ll let go, and let Him! Don’t take it into your own hands, put it in His!
God allows us to be hurt sometimes, as a test…will they become bitter, or better? Sometimes he allows valleys to be cut into our soul, but He can use those valleys as a channel thru which he can transmit His grace to others, if you’ll allow the wound to heal, by leaving it in the hands of the Great Physician, and not taking it into your own hands.
I’ve been in churches that are gonna have to have some funerals before they’ll ever go forward for God, because of some members making a conscious decision to harbor bitterness.
Ill.—Kimberly can tell you about a fistfight she’s seen in God’s house!
Bitterness divides the fellowship.
“you don’t know what happened!”
I don’t need to know…
In Christian love,
On the authority of God’s Word…
Get over it!
Prisoner of Bitterness? Let Christ set you free, because:
5. Bitterness will defile your relationships
There’s a spill-over effect w/ bitterness.
You don’t have to be bitter toward your spouse to ruin your marriage. You can be bitter toward your mom or dad, and ruin your marriage!/you can be bitter toward me and ruin your relationship w/ your children! Because of the spill-over effect.
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: [14] Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: [15] Their feet are swift to shed blood: [16] Destruction and misery are in their ways: [17] And the way of peace have they not known:
Be sure of this: Bitterness toward anyone, living or dead, will destroy your relationship w/ God.
6. Bitterness will deprive you of a blessing
You’ll bring that negative, critical spirit to church w/ you. You won’t come looking for a blessing, you’ll be looking for what’s wrong…and you’re sure to find it!
How to remove bitterness:
v. 15 “root” of bitterness
Only 1 way, yank it by the root, by the grace of God. You cannot do it by yourself.
Ill.—Children of Israel crossed Red Sea, were thirsty, came to Marah (bitter). What did God tell Moses to do to heal the bitter waters? Cut down a tree…and when the tree made contact w/ the waters, they were healed!
The only hope for the bitter waters sloshing around in your soul is for them to come into contact w/ the cross of Calvary!
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.
(Bro. Jones’ testimony—whose card are you carrying around?)
In the Bonds of Bitterness? Jail break this a.m. at ll:??
Nothing more bitter than a sinner who needs to be forgiven, can be forgiven, and yet is not forgiven, because they won’t accept it. Forgiveness is offered. Take it!
