How Does Love Overcome
Bitterness?
How does Satan work to destroy us?
• As a young Christian I did not understand
the dangers in the works of the flesh.
Consider the “anger family.” (Gal 5:19-21)
How does Satan work to destroy us?
• Galatians 5:19-21 - Now the works of the
flesh are evident, which are: adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20
idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions,
jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish
ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21
envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries,
and the like; …..
How does Satan work to destroy us?
• I was surprised to see how many would
fall over time.
• These works can cause you to lose your
mind!
• God tells us that we must major in
guarding our hearts! (Prov 4:23)
How does Satan work to destroy us?
• Proverbs 4:23 - Keep your heart with all
diligence, For out of it spring the issues of
life.
How does Satan work to destroy us?
• We win the battle of the mind when we
allow God’s word to produce the fruit of
the Spirit in our hearts. (Gal 5:22-23)
How does Satan work to destroy us?
• Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23
gentleness, self-control. Against such
there is no law.
How does Satan work to destroy us?
• This says fruit and not “fruits.” We are to
possess all!
The Love of God teaches us how to think
• When we are emptied and transformed by
God’s love, then we will respond to all
things differently! (1 Cor 13:4-7)
The Love of God teaches us how to think
• 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 - Love suffers long
and is kind; love does not envy; love does
not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does
not behave rudely, does not seek its own,
is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not
rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
The Love of God teaches us how to think
• In the things that we experience we can
choose to emotionally react or thoughtfully
act out of love.
• This is very difficult and requires diligent
teaching and thought.
• God’s love teaches us that God knows
what happens to us and we should give
God those things that we cannot change.
(Mt 11:28-30; Lk 12:6-7)
The Love of God teaches us how to think
• Matthew 11:28-30 - "Come to Me, all you
who labor and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest. 29 "Take My yoke upon you
and learn from Me, for I am gentle and
lowly in heart, and you will find rest for
your souls. 30 "For My yoke is easy and
My burden is light."
The Love of God teaches us how to think
• Luke 12:6-7 - "Are not five sparrows sold
for two copper coins? And not one of them
is forgotten before God. 7 "But the very
hairs of your head are all numbered. Do
not fear therefore; you are of more value
than many sparrows.
The Love of God teaches us how to think
• When anger gives way to bitterness men
can lose the ability to reason!
• When men are stirred emotionally they
can easily forsake sound men.
(Gal 4:16-17)
The Love of God teaches us how to think
• Galatians 4:16-17 - Have I therefore
become your enemy because I tell you the
truth? 17 They zealously court you, but for
no good; yes, they want to exclude you,
that you may be zealous for them.
The Love of God teaches us how to think
• When men are stirred to anger they can
easily forsake sound teaching.
(Gal 5:8-10)
The Love of God teaches us how to think
• Galatians 5:8-10 - This persuasion does
not come from Him who calls you. 9 A
little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I
have confidence in you, in the Lord, that
you will have no other mind; but he who
troubles you shall bear his judgment,
whoever he is.
The Love of God teaches us how to think
• You can see the rash, unmerciful way they
speak and act. (Gal 5:13-16)
The Love of God teaches us how to think
• Galatians 5:13-16 - For you, brethren, have
been called to liberty; only do not use liberty
as an opportunity for the flesh, but through
love serve one another. 14 For all the law is
fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall
love your neighbor as yourself." 15 But if you
bite and devour one another, beware lest you
be consumed by one another! 16 I say then:
Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the
lust of the flesh.
The Love of God teaches us how to think
• Have you ever had to deal with an angry
man, a “spear-thrower” in your life?
• We have a great example of this situation
in King Saul and David.
• How can we keep from becoming like the
unreasonable angry man?
We will be tested in life by angry and
unreasonable people.
• God will let you be tested by unfair people!
• There are many things and many people
that we cannot change! We must know our
limitations! (1 Cor 3:5-7)
We will be tested in life by angry and
unreasonable people.
• 1 Corinthians 3:5-7 - Who then is Paul,
and who is Apollos, but ministers through
whom you believed, as the Lord gave to
each one? 6 I planted, Apollos watered,
but God gave the increase. 7 So then
neither he who plants is anything, nor he
who waters, but God who gives the
increase.
We will be tested in life by angry and
unreasonable people.
• Some work by intimidation and guilt to get
their own way.
• It is not uncommon to have an enemy
without a cause! (Ps 35:19-21; 69:4)
We will be tested in life by angry and
unreasonable people.
• Psalm 35:19-21 - Let them not rejoice
over me who are wrongfully my enemies;
Nor let them wink with the eye who hate
me without a cause. 20 For they do not
speak peace, But they devise deceitful
matters Against the quiet ones in the land.
21 They also opened their mouth wide
against me, And said, "Aha, aha! Our eyes
have seen it."
We will be tested in life by angry and
unreasonable people.
• Psalm 69:4 - Those who hate me without
a cause Are more than the hairs of my
head; They are mighty who would destroy
me, Being my enemies wrongfully; Though
I have stolen nothing, I still must restore it.
We will be tested in life by angry and
unreasonable people.
• A Christian’s effectiveness can be blocked
to one who has listened to gossip! Unjust
people will believe it.
• The man who loves will believe all things
and be just. (Prov 18:17)
We will be tested in life by angry and
unreasonable people.
• Proverbs 18:17 - The first one to plead
his cause seems right, Until his neighbor
comes and examines him.
We will be tested in life by angry and
unreasonable people.
• A person can do you wrong and then hate
you! (Prov 26:28)
We will be tested in life by angry and
unreasonable people.
• Proverbs 26:28 - A lying tongue hates
those who are crushed by it, And a
flattering mouth works ruin.
We will be tested in life by angry and
unreasonable people.
• Saul became David’s enemy because of
envy. (1 Sam 18:7-9)
We will be tested in life by angry and
unreasonable people.
• 1 Samuel 18:7-9 - So the women sang as
they danced, and said: "Saul has slain his
thousands, And David his ten thousands." 8
Then Saul was very angry, and the saying
displeased him; and he said, "They have
ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me
they have ascribed only thousands. Now
what more can he have but the kingdom?" 9
So Saul eyed David from that day forward.
We will be tested in life by angry and
unreasonable people.
• David would do anything for Saul! Even
though David tried to help, this was
something completely beyond David’s
ability to change.
• David has God’s love as his foundation.
He kept his eyes on the Lord!
(Ps 17:1-2, 7-8)
We will be tested in life by angry and
unreasonable people.
• Psalm 17:1-2 - Hear a just cause, O
LORD, Attend to my cry; Give ear to my
prayer which is not from deceitful lips. 2
Let my vindication come from Your
presence; Let Your eyes look on the things
that are upright.
We will be tested in life by angry and
unreasonable people.
• Psalm 17:7-8 - Show Your marvelous
lovingkindness by Your right hand, O You
who save those who trust in You From
those who rise up against them. 8 Keep
me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me
under the shadow of Your wings,
We will be tested in life by angry and
unreasonable people.
• Paul asked to be delivered from
unreasonable men. (2 Thess 3:2)
We will be tested in life by angry and
unreasonable people.
• 2 Thessalonians 3:2 - and that we may
be delivered from unreasonable and
wicked men; for not all have faith.
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• When bitterness overcomes a person,
Satan takes control of the heart.
(Eph 4:26-27)
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• Ephesians 4:26-27 - "Be angry, and do
not sin": do not let the sun go down on
your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil.
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• You must let the desire for personal
vengeance go. (Rom 12:19)
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• Romans 12:19 - Beloved, do not avenge
yourselves, but rather give place to wrath;
for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will
repay," says the Lord.
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• When you fail to do this it will take over
your heart like a cancer.
• A bitter man will hide his motives! He will
also lie to himself. (Prov 10:18)
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• Proverbs 10:18 - Whoever hides hatred
has lying lips, And whoever spreads
slander is a fool.
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• Sadly, some will come to you as a friend
and have a heart of bitterness. Some will
view you as a competitor. (Prov 27:6)
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• Proverbs 27:6 - Faithful are the wounds
of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are
deceitful.
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• Saul pretended to care for David but
actually wanted to harm him.
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• He pushed for David to marry one of his
daughters as an “honor” to him. His real
motive was for David’s harm.
(1 Sam 18:17, 20-21, 25)
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• 1 Samuel 18:17 - Then Saul said to
David, "Here is my older daughter Merab; I
will give her to you as a wife. Only be
valiant for me, and fight the LORD's
battles." For Saul thought, "Let my hand
not be against him, but let the hand of the
Philistines be against him."
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• 1 Samuel 18:20-21 - Now Michal, Saul's
daughter, loved David. And they told Saul,
and the thing pleased him. 21 So Saul
said, "I will give her to him, that she may
be a snare to him, and that the hand of the
Philistines may be against him." Therefore
Saul said to David a second time, "You
shall be my son-in-law today."
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• 1 Samuel 18:25 - Then Saul said, "Thus
you shall say to David: 'The king does not
desire any dowry but one hundred
foreskins of the Philistines, to take
vengeance on the king's enemies.' " But
Saul thought to make David fall by the
hand of the Philistines.
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• David learned the difference between what
Saul said and his motives.
• An angry man will blindly sacrifice his
family for his anger. (Eph 6:4)
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• Ephesians 6:4 - And you, fathers, do not
provoke your children to wrath, but bring
them up in the training and admonition of
the Lord.
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• Many “unsolvable problems” among God’s
people are a result of bitterness.
• When you are angry you can easily accept
false doctrine because of you hatred of
“legalistic brethren.” (Deut 29:18-19)
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• Deuteronomy 29:18-19 - "so that there
may not be among you man or woman or
family or tribe, whose heart turns away
today from the LORD our God, to go and
serve the gods of these nations, and that
there may not be among you a root
bearing bitterness or wormwood;
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• 19 "and so it may not happen, when he
hears the words of this curse, that he
blesses himself in his heart, saying, 'I shall
have peace, even though I follow the
dictates of my heart' -- as though the
drunkard could be included with the sober.
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• You become poison! If you stay like this it
is just a matter of time before you leave
“sectarian brethren” and take others with
you. (Prov 14:10)
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• Proverbs 14:10 - The heart knows its own
bitterness, And a stranger does not share
its joy.
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• Please do not closely associate with an
angry man. (Prov 22:24-25)
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• Proverbs 22:24-25 - Make no friendship
with an angry man, And with a furious man
do not go, 25 Lest you learn his ways And
set a snare for your soul.
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• The heart of bitterness will slander and
gossip. (Psa 64:2-5; 35:19-21)
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• Psalm 62:4-5 - They only consult to cast
him down from his high position; They
delight in lies; They bless with their mouth,
But they curse inwardly. Selah 5 My soul,
wait silently for God alone, For my
expectation is from Him.
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• Psalm 35:19-21 - Let them not rejoice
over me who are wrongfully my enemies;
Nor let them wink with the eye who hate
me without a cause. 20 For they do not
speak peace, But they devise deceitful
matters Against the quiet ones in the land.
21 They also opened their mouth wide
against me, And said, "Aha, aha! Our eyes
have seen it."
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• We need to be careful who we open our
ears to! (1 Jn 3:14-15)
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• 1 John 3:14-15 - We know that we have
passed from death to life, because we love
the brethren. He who does not love his
brother abides in death. 15 Whoever
hates his brother is a murderer, and you
know that no murderer has eternal life
abiding in him.
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• Anger is easily spread. If you lose control
of your heart you can easily change your
doctrinal beliefs! (Prov 29:22; 15:1)
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• Proverbs 29:22 - An angry man stirs up
strife, And a furious man abounds in
transgression.
Bitterness can overtake a child of God
• Proverbs 15:1 - A soft answer turns away
wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.
How love overcomes bitterness
• Jesus is love and he showed us how to
overcome angry men. (1 Pt 2:19-23)
How love overcomes bitterness
• 1 Peter 2:21-23 - For to this you were
called, because Christ also suffered for us,
leaving us an example, that you should
follow His steps: 22 "Who committed no
sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth";
23 who, when He was reviled, did not
revile in return; when He suffered, He did
not threaten, but committed Himself to Him
who judges righteously;
How love overcomes bitterness
• God’s love helps me keep my hurts in
perspective. (Heb 12:3-4)
How love overcomes bitterness
• Hebrews 12:3-4 - For consider Him who
endured such hostility from sinners against
Himself, lest you become weary and
discouraged in your souls. 4 You have not
yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against
sin.
How love overcomes bitterness
• I want Jesus in control of my life! Love lets
me let go and move on!
• Love lets me see the terrible fruits the
angry person will experience.
• They will have problems with relationships.
(Prov 25:21-24)
How love overcomes bitterness
• Proverbs 25:21-24 - If your enemy is hungry,
give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give
him water to drink; 22 For so you will heap
coals of fire on his head, And the LORD will
reward you. 23 The north wind brings forth
rain, And a backbiting tongue an angry
countenance. 24 It is better to dwell in a
corner of a housetop, Than in a house shared
with a contentious woman.
How love overcomes bitterness
• They will tear down what they work hard to
build up. The ones most affected by anger
will be your family. (Eph 6:4)
How love overcomes bitterness
• Ephesians 6:4 - And you, fathers, do not
provoke your children to wrath, but bring
them up in the training and admonition of
the Lord.
How love overcomes bitterness
• We gain wisdom in how to defeat it.
(Prov 16:32; James 1:19-20)
How love overcomes bitterness
• Proverbs 16:32 - He who is slow to anger
is better than the mighty, And he who rules
his spirit than he who takes a city.
How love overcomes bitterness
• James 1:19-20 - So then, my beloved
brethren, let every man be swift to hear,
slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the
wrath of man does not produce the
righteousness of God.
How love overcomes bitterness
• Love lets adversity draw us closer to God.
(Psa 27:11-14)
How love overcomes bitterness
• Psalm 27:11-14 - Teach me Your way, O
LORD, And lead me in a smooth path,
because of my enemies. 12 Do not deliver
me to the will of my adversaries; For false
witnesses have risen against me, And
such as breathe out violence.
How love overcomes bitterness
• 13 I would have lost heart, unless I had
believed That I would see the goodness of
the LORD In the land of the living. 14 Wait
on the LORD; Be of good courage, And
He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say,
on the LORD!
How love overcomes bitterness
• While your enemy frets and plots in his
self-defeating bitterness, you can move on
and rejoice in the manifold love of God.
(Psa 23:4-6)
How love overcomes bitterness
• Psalm 23:4-6 - Yea, though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear
no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and
Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a
table before me in the presence of my
enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My
cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me All the days of my life; And I
will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.
How love overcomes bitterness
• You also will draw closer to Christians!
God’s love will not let you down!
(2 Thess 3:5)
How love overcomes bitterness
• 2 Thessalonians 3:5 - Now may the Lord
direct your hearts into the love of God and
into the patience of Christ.
How love overcomes bitterness
• Let God’s love free us from the bondage of
bitterness. (Eph 4:31-32)
How love overcomes bitterness
• Ephesians 4:31-32 - Let all bitterness,
wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be
put away from you, with all malice. 32 And
be kind to one another, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, just as God in Christ
forgave you.