FEBRUARY 25TH 2024
PREACHER: PASTOR AKINDELE

TOPIC: Healing From Bitterness

In our journey with God, God brings us to himself.

Exodus 19;4
4 You have seen how I treated the Egyptians and how I bore you up on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.
NABRE

God has chosen to reveal himself as Jehovah Rapha in order to heal the waters;

The first act of God among the people of Israel was to heal the waters. The first act after the crossing of the Jordan was the healing of the waters. Of all the things God could have done, the first thing He did was show Himself as Jehovah Rapha; ”the God that heals.”.

He healed the waters. This was the first name he unveiled to the children of Israel.

Exodus 15:
22 Then Moses led Israel forward from the Red Sea, and they marched out to the wilderness of Shur. After traveling for three days through the wilderness without finding water, 23 they arrived at Marah, where they could not drink its water, because it was too bitter. Hence this place was called Marah. 24 As the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” 25 he cried out to the LORD, who pointed out to him a piece of wood. When he threw it into the water, the water became fresh. It was here that God, in making statutes and ordinances for them, put them to the test. 26 He said: If you listen closely to the voice of the LORD, your God, and do what is right in his eyes: if you heed his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will not afflict you with any of the diseases with which I afflicted the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your healer. 27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.
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There are bitter places in our lives and many of us do not know how deep our bitter experiences go. It is the intention of God to heal our waters. It is his will to heal the land, the economy, your family, and the circumstances around your life, not just your body.

God performed so many miracles that involved the waters, and they are scattered across the scriptures; healing the waters, turning water into wine, and the like.

2Kings 2:19-21
19 The inhabitants of the city complained to Elisha, “The site of the city is fine indeed, as my lord can see, but the water is bad and the land sterile.” 20 Elisha said, “Bring me a new bowl and put salt into it.” When they had brought it to him, 21 he went out to the spring and threw salt into it, saying, “Thus says the LORD: I have purified this water. Never again shall death or sterility come from it.”

Exodus 15
25 he cried out to the LORD, who pointed out to him a piece of wood. When he threw it into the water, the water became fresh. It was here that God, in making statutes and ordinances for them, put them to the test.
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Revelation 22
1 Then the angel showed me the river of life-giving water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of its street. On either side of the river grew the tree of life that produces fruit twelve times a year, once each month; the leaves of the trees serve as medicine for the nations. 3 Nothing accursed will be found there anymore. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will look upon his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 Night will be no more, nor will they need light from lamp or sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever and ever. 6 And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true, and the Lord, the God of prophetic spirits, sent his angel to show his servants what must happen soon.”
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Ezekiel 47
1 Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and there! I saw water flowing out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east. The water flowed out toward the right side of the temple to the south of the altar. 2 He brought me by way of the north gate and around the outside to the outer gate facing east; there I saw water trickling from the southern side. 3 When he continued eastward with a measuring cord in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and had me wade through the water; it was ankle-deep. 4 He measured off another thousand cubits and once more had me wade through the water; it was up to the knees. He measured another thousand cubits and had me wade through the water; it was up to my waist. 5 Once more he measured off a thousand cubits. Now it was a river I could not wade across. The water had risen so high, I would have to swim—a river that was impassable. 6 Then he asked me, “Do you see this, son of man?” He brought me to the bank of the river and had me sit down. 7 As I was returning, I saw along the bank of the river a great many trees on each side. 8 He said to me, “This water flows out into the eastern district, runs down into the Arabah and empties into the polluted waters of the sea to freshen them. 9 Wherever it flows, the river teems with every kind of living creature; fish will abound. Where these waters flow they refresh; everything lives where the river goes. 10 Fishermen will stand along its shore from En-gedi to En-eglaim; it will become a place for drying nets, and it will abound with as many kinds of fish as the Great Sea.
NABRE

God’s intention in this season is to turn bitter experiences around for good. God is interested in the bitter places of our lives and intends to heal us completely.

Many of us have unfulfilled wishes that have left us bitter over time that God needs to heal us from. We cannot afford to sit and bemoan our bitter places.

We usually sing, “Out of my belly shall flow rivers of living waters.”. What exactly are the waters flowing from us?

Maybe you have failed, maybe you have had people write you off, and these experiences have brought you to a bitter place. God is interested in bringing healing to these areas of our lives.

Do you think your life is sweet compared to what God wants?

Joseph went through one of the most bitter experiences we could imagine, yet it was God working to ensure he became who He wanted him to be, and as a result, he was used to save the people of Israel during the years of famine.

Why do we have the Holy Ghost on our inside and rivers flowing through us yet we do not experience healing ourselves?

We have come to encounter the God who turns things around. Healing our dead places, bringing life to dead places.

Prayer;

1. Let us ask the Lord to heal us of our bitter experiences.
2. Let’s ask Jehovah Rapha to heal bitter places; in families, businesses, ministries, the body of Christ, and in our territories.
3. Show me where I have bitter waters.

Prophetic Word: “ God will confront past mistakes.”

Declaration

We declare a reversal of past mistakes, we release the power of Jehovah Rapha to cause the bitter to be made sweet, water to be made wine in Jesus’ Name.