Poison Fruit from Bitter Roots
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Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
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;
Introduction.
Introduction.
Thank the folks who bought the picnic tables.
Visitors.
Every fruit comes from a plant, a tree or a vine, and every plant has a root.
ῥίζα (rhiza). n. fem. root. The part of a plant or tree that receives water and nutrients from the soil.
In the NT, this word is used only in metaphors or allegorical parables. There, it functions primarily as a symbol of origins, including spiritual and genealogical origins.
John the Baptist was seeing the wrong fruits among the older generation. His Message was to turn the heart of the fathers to the children. Those gray haired men standing there rejected the Message of this 30 year old upstart.
Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
The axe is not laid to the symptoms but to the cause. Your root is bad. this can only be dealt with by the fire of the Holy Ghost.
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
The problem with psychology is that it names the fruits, and teaches you how to store them.
If the root of something can be found, it can be dealt with.
And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:
And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.
And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.
They went into Jerusalem and came back the next day.
And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
Peter said, “Look at that tree, it’s dead from the roots up.” Why? Jesus rebuked the life that was in that tree, that was in the roots, and the whole thing died. Hallelujah!
That same Christ can rebuke a cancer from the roots, and the whole thing will die. That tree was standing there just the same as it was, hours before, but you find the leaves begin to drop off, and then see the bark begin to peel off.
Begin to wear away, day after day, and week after week, and after a while there wasn’t even one speck of that tree left. Hallelujah!
Cancer, tumor, cataract, or anything else, will have to go when Christ speaks. 53-0608A - Demonology, Physical Realm
When dealing with sickness of the Spirit, the same thing applies. Too often we treat the symptoms. Another vacation, more fun, a new car, a new home, a new wife, a new church.
When the poison fruit springs up we say “oh well, I just need more self love”. “I need some me time” What you need is to get rid of the root. Not the root in someone else, the root in you.
Someone said, “Brother Roberts, Brother Branham, will pray for five hundred while you pray for three.” That’s right. Certainly. “He’ll get twice the testimonies.” Certainly. “Fifty times the testimonies.”
Because you’ll…After all, it’s based upon the faith of the individuals being prayed for. But, the ones that fails in there, then they come over to the meeting.
If a doctor…You go to a doctor’s office, say, “I’m sick at my stomach, and got a headache, and so forth.” And that doctor just writes you out a little prescription of aspirin or a tranquilizer, something, he’s never diagnosed that case.
He’s just trying to get you out of the office. Now, if he’s got you upon his heart, and he’s interested, he’ll diagnose that case until he finds the cause.
And when a man is sick, or a woman, and something has happened, there’s only one way to correctly get that, that’s, go back and find the cause. Go back till we see what they done. In the meetings, watch them stand on the platform.
The Holy Spirit say, “Ten years ago, you was at a certain place, and you done a certain thing. And you did this, and certain.” You’ve heard it, many of you, in the meetings.
“You did that. You’ve got to make that right, first.” And then, if they promise to do it, then you’ll hear It come forth, “THUS SAITH THE LORD.” Mark it in your books. Did you ever see it fail? [Congregation says, “No.”—Ed.]
Certainly not. It doesn’t. It can’t. What is it? See? You, the first thing, you’ve got to find the cause before you can produce the cure. You’ve got to find the reason for it.
And now, today, we are trying to educate people to that, to the scientific approach to God, and you can’t do that. God is known not by science, but by faith we know God. 63-0412E - God Hiding Himself In Simplicity
Example: Nervousness
Bro. Branham is praying for a man who is depressed and nervous, instead of just asking God to calm his nerves, he goes back into his past to find the cause.
When you was a child, a little boy, with knee pants on, you’ve got problems with something, run…I believe it’s a dog that chased you, or something (Isn’t that right?), a big dog, and you run to a porch. 50-0820E - Believe Ye That I Am Able To Do This?
(There was also a young Hispanic boy in Tucson with the same problem.)
The same symptom may have a different root.
Age
That’s one of your troubles, is nervousness. ... Now, your nervousness is caused from your age, see, but now that’ll all leave you. 64-0307 - A Testimony On The Sea
Oppression.
All right, the thing of it is, that you’re really, the trouble is, you’re suffering from a nervous breakdown. You’re having some kind of mental scruples in your mind. It’s oppression from Satan.
This has been going on for some time. It’s caused your body to get weak. Your heart is weak. You’re in a very bad shape. By this, your whole family is just about into a breakdown. 63-0802 - Perseverant
Domestic Trouble
Something strange. I see a man, a young man, appear in here. It’s your son, and he is suffering from a mental condition. And the mental condition was caused by a domestic trouble. That’s THUS SAITH THE LORD. 63-0604 - Jesus Christ The Same Yesterday, Today, And Forever
Something that happened in another generation.
(A lady tried to contact Bro. Branham for 9 years.)
The lady moved back. And she said, “Brother Branham, just a word with you.” Standing there, a vision broke over this fine-looking young woman, and see that her heart was burdened. And she was trying to work to make a living.
And a great thing happened back, way back in the time of her parents, that had caused this great thing to happen to her, and the Lord Jesus revealed it and showed what it was. And there, in a moment’s time, took it from the woman. 63-0721 - He Cares. Do You Care?
Death of a loved one.
The lady suffers with an extremely nervous condition. .. But you’re all upset about something, and you’re weary, and you’re…I see you shake your head or something, and in pra…You even wonder sometime if you’re actually saved.
That’s true. You’ve doubted your experience of being saved, but I’ll tell you now you are. But this was caused by a call, some kind of a shock you’ve had, some news or something that shocked you all at once and caused this.
I think it was a death of your husband last fall. God bless your heart, lady. Let’s move the sadness. Everything will be all right. 57-0810 - Jehovah-Jireh
That is the same symptom with 6 different root causes.
If you want to quit producing poison fruit, you need to let the Holy Ghost deal with that root.
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Quit making excuses for the fruit. Dig the root out.
A poison root infiltrates every area of your life.
Simon the Sorcerer tried to buy the gift of the Holy Ghost, but he was rebuked by the apostles.
Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
The root of bitterness can be hidden for awhile, but it springs up at the most unfortunate times.
Bitterness is usually the result of a wounded Spirit, followed by a decision not to forgive.
Example: Judas.
How did satan get into Judas spirit? He was upset at being mildly rebuked by Jesus, and he immediately went and sought revenge.
It does no good to blame the ones who did the wounding.
(What if we were working in construction and I accidently left a board with a rusty nail sticking up and you stepped on it. Instead of going to get a tetanus shot you spend your time blaming me for leaving the board out. You die. At your funeral, who is really to blame for your death? The wound was not fatal, but the poison was!)
Being hurt is human, but you better deal with that wound.
First of all you need to decide if this is a real hurt, or if you are simply an oft offended person.
If it is real, follow the command of scripture. Deal with it.
Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
Notice this is a brother. This will not work if the person is not a Christian, because the church has no authority over that situation.
Christians talk to one another.
But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
This is not to get revenge, but so that the matter can be settled.
If I knew tonight that I had an enemy, I may have. I perhaps have. But if I do, I don’t know just who it is.
If it was, I sure wouldn’t go to preaching till I went, first, and made that right, see if I could get it straightened up, ’cause we’re not supposed to have anything against anyone, or if anything we can do, let no one have anything against us.
And It don’t say, “If you have ought against a brother,” but, “if the brother has a ought against thee,” see, “you go to him,” see, “if he has the ought.” And that way, why, we live peaceful. 61-0215 - Thou Son Of David, Have Mercy On Me
How many situations could have been avoided if two people would have sat down and talked something out, instead of telling somebody else.
A root of bitterness causes brother to persecute brother, when we should be working together.
Now Smyrna means “bitterness,” and it comes from the word of myrrh. And the first church, had lost their first love, the Ephesian church.
And this church had begin to have “a root of bitterness” coming up in them because that this church, the main church, the big part (the majority of them, always) was hammering against the Holy Ghost ruling in the church, and they wanted to rule, themselves.
Now, this church had begin to spring up “a root of bitterness.” Why? It was bitter against those who want to continue on with the Holy Ghost.
The love had faded away, and they were trying to swap it to creeds and denominations, getting away from the Holy Ghost leadership. Think of that! That’s why the bitterness was in them.
Now, the first church, this…the bitterness started creeping in. The second church, a little more. And, finally, it creeped right in because they were “making a better church”; they thought they were. Right here they had something dignified, the great Roman people could come in.
Why? They had a pope, they had great men, cardinals, and so forth. They dressed fine. They got away from all the noise and everything they had; very quiet. Showed they was dying. They were dying. And so they got dignified and they made a better body.
Now, a church. Now, the church name is associated with the nature of its character. Did you notice the Smyrna meaning “bitter”? And you notice each one of the church now, it’s the church name has something to do with the character of the church.
And this church was called Smyrna because it was dying. Smyrna means “bitterness.” In other words, a root of bitterness was coming up and was choking it out, it was on its road out to myrrh.
That’s what they anoint bodies with, myrrh, see. It was myrrh, frankincense, as an ointment. Myrrh is used to anoint dead bodies after they embalmed them, and so forth. Associated with death, and the church was dying.
And, oh, can’t you see, today, friends, the great Pentecostal move that did have Life a few years ago, can’t you see it’s being anointed now with myrrh?
The same ointment was in this church here has come plumb down and anointing this one down here; dying out because they’re going back to ecclesiastical rags, and taking off their white robe, saints.
The little people who stood out there, and a genuine Holy Spirit, spoke with tongues, and manifested God. And, brother, they was as honest and, “all wool and a yard wide.”
They absolutely were genuine, you could trust them anywhere. Now you don’t know what to trust and who to trust. There’s something’s happened. Something’s happened. What is? They’re being anointed with myrrh, of bitterness.
What had caused it? One come in, there was a church called, the first, was a General Council. Then they called it the Assemblies of God.
Out of the Assemblies of God come the Church of God. From the Church of God, then they begin to look across, say, “You’re Assemblies.” The other say, “You’re Church of God.”
Then out of that come the United Pentecostal Church of God, on an issue. And then, the first thing you know, instead of accepting Light and walking in It, why, they done organized themselves till they couldn’t accept Light.
And so I like that, I like a fellowship. But when we draw lines like this, and say, “No, this is our denomination,” and won’t reach over and shake hands with the next man, and say, “Bless God, brother!” My!
That’s when you call fellowship. If you don’t, you get that root of bitterness just like the Smyrnaeans got back there, and you cause the same thing. 60-1206 - The Smyrnaean Church Age
Paul warned them about it.
But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
You’ll eat the poison fruit from Bitter Roots.
The word Smyrna means, “bitter,” being derived from the word, myrrh. Myrrh was used in embalming the dead. Thus we have a two-fold significance found in the name of this age.
It was a bitter age filled with death. The two vines within the framework of the church were drifting further apart with an increased bitterness toward the true vine on the part of the false. CAB 04 - Smyrnaen
How did men who once called themselves brothers, end up torturing and murdering so called fellow Christians? Roots of Bitterness.
You’d better die to that thing, or it will show up while you’re preaching, it will show up when you’re praying, it will show up in your marriage.
Conclusion.
Conclusion.
You know how to dig a root out? We used to take a grubbing hoe and just get down at it, and dig it till there wasn’t a speck left in it. And they said, “If there be any root of bitterness spring up into you, grub her out.”
That’s right. And that’s what the Holy Spirit does, root out all the roots. Dig them out. Pile it up; burn them. Get rid of them. You get a good crop then, if we do that. 57-0828 - Hebrews, Chapter Two #3
If the brother, you think he’s a little wrong, or the sister, say, “Lord, don’t let me never have the root of bitterness spring up, ’cause it’ll affect him, and it’ll take the Christ right out of my life.”
That poison acids of malice, and jealousy, and hatred, that will just take the Holy Spirit right away from you. It will run Him from the tabernacle here. It’ll kill the Spirit of God, or drive It away from here, hurt your pastor. It’ll do everything. Don’t you do that.
You just wax that much closer together. Draw up the…Take the buckle, as the brother testified, a minister here the other night, about having a buckle, seeing it in a vision. Just, that buckles on the whole armor of God.
Just pull her on, tighten up, move right up close to one another. Love one another, anyhow. Talk nice about one another, say nice things about one another, and then God will bless you. 63-0728 - Christ Is The Mystery Of God Revealed
Waters of Marah.