Digging Deeper Day 16

Barrier: Bitterness

Sometimes there are words that define themselves. Such is the case with bitterness. Say the word and a disgusting taste comes to the mouth. “Yuck” is a great description of the word bitterness. Bitterness is the end result of a life which depends on the provisions of the world and the flesh. The fruit of the Spirit is “joy.” The fruit of the flesh is “bitterness.’ The flesh promises happiness, ecstasy, freedom, but it ultimately leaves bitterness and poisonous venom.

Bitterness is the end result of choosing anger and vengeance over love and forgiveness.

Bitterness is the end result of choosing drink and drugs over being “filled with the Spirit.”

Bitterness poisons life. Bitterness cripples relationships. Bitterness steals hope. Bitterness kills joy. Bitterness clears everyone out of your life until there is only you, alone, angry, fearful, hateful, cynical, Bitter.

Do you get the picture? Let the “joy of the Lord be your strength.” Choose the path of forgiveness. Do not harbor anger, hatred, and unforgiveness, they lead only to bitterness and bondage. But the Lord wants you to have joy. He has come for you to have “abundant (joy-filled) life.” “I have told you these things so that My (Jesus) joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11) If you remain in Christ (Read John 15:1-17) and obey His commands joy will be the end result.

Joy, in spite of circumstances. When circumstances rule bitterness is the result. Jesus doesn’t say “joy” will eliminate troubles. In fact He said, “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart I have overcome the world.” Trust the Lord. Seek the Lord. Obey the Lord. Love the Lord.

“I have told you these things so that My (Jesus) joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11)

Old Testament Meaning
Definition
bitterness bitter, bitterness
of water or food
of harlot's end, end of wickedness, cry (fig.)
of pain (subst) adv
bitterly
gall,
venom
poisonous
Word Usage - Total: 51
bitter 15, bitter thing 1, bitterly 4, bitterness 14, discontented* 1, embittered 1, fierce 1, fierce* 2, great bitterness 1, greatly distressed 1, gall 1, poison 4, poisoned 2, poisonous 2, poisonous weeds 1
Job 3:20
"Why is light given to him who suffers, And life to the bitter of soul;
Job 7:11
"Therefore, I will not restrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
Job 10:1
"I loathe my own life; I will give full vent to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
Job 21:25
While another dies with a bitter soul, Never even tasting anything good.
Proverbs 17:25
A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her who bore him.
Ecclesiastes 7:26
And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her.
Isaiah 5:20
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Isaiah 38:17
"Lo, for my own welfare I had great bitterness; It is Thou who hast kept my soul from the pit of nothingness, For Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back.
Jeremiah 2:19
"Your own wickedness will correct you, And your apostasies will reprove you; Know therefore and see that it is evil and bitter For you to forsake the Lord your God, And the dread of Me is not in you," declares the Lord God of hosts.
Jeremiah 4:18
"Your ways and your deeds Have brought these things to you. This is your evil. How bitter! How it has touched your heart!"

New Testament Meaning
Definition
bitter gall
extreme wickedness
a bitter root, and so producing a bitter fruit
metaph. bitterness, bitter hatred
Word Usage - Total: 4
bitterness 4
Acts 8:23
"For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity."
Romans 3:14
"Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness";
Ephesians 4:31
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
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;
James 3:14 - But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.

Breakthrough: Joy

Funny how the Old Testament gets a bad rap, isn’t it? God is a God of wrath or at least that is what we hear about the Old Testament. It’s like all that God does is zap people. Yet the word “joy” or a variant of it is mentioned over 200 times! Why? Because that is who God is!

When a person obeys God “joy” is the result! When God’s Presence descends “joy” comes. God’s “joy” is so powerful that Nehemiah said it would sustain the people, give them strength in the battle and their struggles. If you embrace God, if you seek God, “joy” will be the result. I’m not talking about making demands of God and getting mad at him because he doesn’t give you what you want. I’m talking understanding that at His core, God is joy. When you understand that then you can be satisfied with trusting Him and praying the prayer of Jesus: “Thy Will Be Done.” Why? Because His will and only His will is the path to Joy! The fruit of the Spirit which is the attitude and heart of God is “Love, joy, etc...” Joy comes from the Lord.

I don’t have all the accounts or all the definitions of the word “joy.” There is just no room so if you need more joy in your life just look up the word in the concordance and go to it... You’ll see that “joy” is everywhere! Praise God!

Old Testament Meaning
Definition
joy, gladness to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad
to be glad, be joyful
to be well placed
to be well for, be well with, go well with
to be pleasing, be pleasing to
to make glad, rejoice
to do good to, deal well with
to do well, do thoroughly
to make a thing good or right or beautiful
ringing cry
of entreaty, supplication
in proclamation, joy, praise
Word Usage - Total: Over 200 times
joy 2adorned 1, amend 3, better 3, better he made 1, bless 1, celebrating* 1, deals well 1, do 1, do it well 1, do them good 1, do them good 1, do you good 1, do good 1, do good 12, do well 3, do...good 1, does 1, does...good 1, done good 1, done well 1, found favor 1, glad 1, go well 6, goes well 1, good 1, good 2, good that i do 1, good reason 3, happy 1, joyful 1, make 1, makes a cheerful 1, makes...acceptable 1, merry 3, pleasant 1, please 1, please the better 1, pleased 2, pleased* 9, pleases* 1, pleasing 2, prosper 4, reform 1, seemed good 2, seemed reasonable 1, seems 1, seems best 1, seems good 1, shown 1, skillfully 2, stately 2, surely prosper 1, thoroughly 4, treat you better 1, treated...well 1, trims 1, truly amend 1, very 1, very small 1, well 13, well you prepare 1
cry 12, joy 2, joyful shout 1, joyful shouting 9, joyful singing 1, rejoice 1, shout of joy 3, shouts of joy 3, singing 1


1 Chronicles 16:27
Splendor and majesty are before Him, Strength and joy are in His place.
Nehemiah 8:10
Then he said to them, "Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."
Psalm 30:5
For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.
Psalm 42:4
These things I remember, and I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God, With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.
Psalm 47:1
For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. O clap your hands, all peoples; Shout to God with the voice of joy.
Psalm 61:1
For the choir director; on a stringed instrument. A Psalm of David. Hear my cry, O God; Give heed to my prayer.
Psalm 88:2
Let my prayer come before Thee; Incline Thine ear to my cry!
Psalm 105:43
And He brought forth His people with joy, His chosen ones with a joyful shout.
Psalm 106:44
Nevertheless He looked upon their distress, When He heard their cry;
Psalm 107:22
Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, And tell of His works with joyful singing.
Psalm 118:15
The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.

New Testament Meaning
Definition
exultation, extreme joy, gladness joy, gladness
the joy received from you
the cause or occasion of joy
of persons who are one's joy
Word Usage - Total: Over 100 times
gladness 3, great joy 1, joy 1 greatly 1, joy 54, joyful 1, joyfully 1, joyously 1, rejoicing 1

Hebrews 1:9
"Thou hast loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Thy God, hath ANOINTED Thee With the oil of gladness above Thy companions."
John 15:11
"These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
Romans 14:17
for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:32
so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company.
2 Corinthians7:4
Great is my confidence in you, great is my boasting on your behalf; I am filled with comfort. I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.
Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Phillipians 1:4
always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all,
Phillipians 1:25
And convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,
Phillipians 2:2
make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.
Phillipians 2:29
Therefore receive him in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard;
Phillipians 4:1
Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, so stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.
Colossians 1:11
strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously
1Thessalonians 1:6
You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,
1Thessalonians 2:19
For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?
Hebrews 12:2
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
James 1:2
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,