Bitterness is the natural human response to betrayal, mistreatment or hurt.
Proverbs 14:10
The heart knows its own bitterness.
Hebrews 12:15
“See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled…”
1. Everything is filtered through the roots. All water and nutrients are filtered through the roots.
2. Roots go down deep.
3. Roots are strong and can be very destructive.
Roots “just spring up.”
Hebrews 12:15
“See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled…”
1. Bitterness “causes trouble and brings trouble.”
2. Bitterness “defiles many.”
3. Bitterness can cause you to “come short of the grace of God.”
Hebrews 12:16
“…that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.”
“godless” (bebelos): Lacking affinity to God, worldly, spiritually dull.
Esau was immoral. Bitterness leads to immorality.
Bitterness is a thief that robs us by making us react to situations today, out of the pain and anger of the past.
Josephs Four Wounds:
1st Wound: Family
2nd Wound: Potiphar’s wife
3rd Wound: Potiphar
4th Wound: Betrayed by the system
Genesis 39:21-23
But the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer. 22 The chief jailer committed to Joseph’s charge all the prisoners who were in the jail; so that whatever was done there, he wasresponsible for it. 23 The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph’s charge because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made to prosper.
Genesis 41:39-41
So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you are. 40 You shall be over my house, and according to your command all my people shall do homage; only in the throne I will be greater than you.” 41 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”
Genesis 41:51
Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.”
“Manasseh” = “one who causes to forget” (ie – God enabled me to forget)
Josephs 4 Secrets to Overcoming bitterness:
1st Secret: Joseph “forgot” his betrayals by focusing on God’s blessings.
Genesis 41:52
He named the second Ephraim, “For,” he said, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
“Ephraim” = doubly fruitful or extra fruitful in the land of my affliction.
Josephs 4 Secrets to Overcoming bitterness:
2nd Secret: Joseph allowed God to bless him where he was.
Genesis 45:5-8a
“Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. 8 Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God…”
Josephs 4 Secrets to Overcoming bitterness:
3rd Secret: Joseph believed God was sovereignly working out a wonderful purpose in His life.
4th Secret: Joseph forgave his betrayers from His heart.
Genesis 45:15 “He kissed all his brothers and wept on them…”
Job 7:11
I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
Isaiah 38:15b
I shall wander all my life because of the bitterness of my soul.
1. Choose to “forget” your past ill treatment and choose instead to focus on God’s present goodness.
2. Accept your present circumstances as the place where God will begin to bless you.
3. Believe that, just as He did with Joseph, God can use the mistreatment by others to work out His purposes.
4. Forgive those who have sinned against you.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. The Bait of Satan by John Bevere
2. Freedom Classes and Conference
Register here for Freedom Foundations Class
Foothills Text Line:
Text PRAYER to 619-375-0805
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