SCRIPTURE: Behold the Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear. Isaiah 59:1-2.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Bitterness disconnects people from the Presence of God.
It has been confirmed that bitterness disconnects people from the Presence of God. If you are offended by people, and you become bitter, refusing to forgive them, your own sins are with you, (Mark 11:26), and if your sins are with you, they would separate you from God (Isaiah 59:1-2).
Bitterness does not only cause separation from God’s Presence on earth; it also causes separation from God’s Presence in eternity.
There are people who never committed immorality in their lifetime, they lived and died as virgins, yet they are in hell because they refused to forgive someone. Can you imagine yourself ending in the same hellfire with terrible sinners because all you did was refusing to release someone from your heart? God forbid!
Sometime ago, I heard a story about a man who died and later came back to life. This man laboured greatly in the Kingdom of God; he preached and pushed the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He fasted for many days while on earth; he would fast for many days like 21 days, 30 days, 40 days, etc. He had unusual grace for fasting.
It was said that when he died, the Lord told him, “Return to the earth. You have been embittered by your primary school teacher. Go and look for him and forgive him and let him forgive you.”
Can you see the effect of bitterness? If not for the mercy of God, he would have gone to hell.
Beloved, reject bitterness by all means. Ask for the grace to forgive others because offences must surely come. Make up your mind never to hold grudges against anyone in your heart. Receive the grace to live free of bitterness and malice, in Jesus’ Name.
Remember this: Bitterness disconnects people from the presence of God.
ASSIGNMENTS:
- Ask God for the grace to release everyone who had offended you from your heart.
- Make up your mind never to harbour offences; forgive liberally.
PRAYER: Lord, I ask that You help me to release every weight of offence I have harboured in my heart against anyone. Baptise me afresh with the spirit of love and kindness, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.
FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: THE PLAGUE OF LOVELESSNESS
QUOTE: Bitterness is a state of resentfulness. It is an intense or very striking, deep seated feeling of anger. It is an in-depth feeling of hurt which normally arises due to a bad or negative experience; where a person feels he or she has been treated unjustly; or in a way not deserved. Culled from the book, “AM I BITTER?” by Dr (Mrs) Becky Paul-Enenche.
DAILY READING: Job 31-33
AMAZING FACT: Christianity is getting increasingly popular among Chinese youths. As many as 100 million people, or 7 percent of the population, have converted to the religion. The city of Wenzhou alone has more than 1,100 churches.
PROPHETIC WORD (DECLARATION): I curse every root of bitterness in your heart. Receive the grace to forgive now, in Jesus’ Name.
