“You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:18 NKJV).
Warning from the Lord Against Harboring Grudges and Hatred
On September 5, 2015, I received a vision from the Lord relating to state of things after the rapture occurs. As we mentioned in last week’s article, we intend sharing this vision with you in our book, which will be published in late October/November time frame. This vision pertains to things to come, and this past week, on September 16, the Lord again showed Charis the opening part of the same vision, and we are allowed to share this here with you. Charis and I were shown the same person, but different scenes.
In my vision, I was shown a Christian sister and the person whom she held hateful feelings and grudges against. I was made to feel the intense hatred that emanated from her heart, and why she felt that way. She found it very hard to forgive the other sister who had committed a wrong against her, even after she had asked for forgiveness. I heard the Lord say that this sister was left behind because she held grudges and could not forgive others, and neither did she heed correction to repent from this sin.
Charis’ was shown the same vision about this sister. The sister was shown pointing her index finger at a young lady who had wronged her, and she did not apologize. Likewise, Charis felt very uncomfortable when she saw the expression of hatred in this sister’s face; she felt the intense feelings of grudges and unforgiveness. The Lord said that we should forgive others even if they do not apologize to us for wrong-doing, and that we should pray for them. Additionally, our love for them must be unconditional and not given grudgingly.
Our Attitudes and God’s Judgements
Brethren, this is a very serious message from the Lord! Having experienced and learned first-hand through the rebukes He issued to many of us in this ministry, this message should not be disregarded or taken lightly. Like we shared in previous articles, the Lord revealed the true condition of the hearts for many of our ministry members as well as other people who made requests. The Bible warns that there are certain things that could render us ashamed and disqualify us from entering Heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). The Bible also teaches that the Lord Judges the intentions of the heart (1 Samuel 16:7; Proverbs 16:2; Jeremiah 17:10).
I have identified at least seven judgments the Lord issued against members of this ministry. From our experiences with Him, He judged our motives with power, saying that these are very serious sins that must not be allowed in us. In messages to each one of us in this ministry, and to some other brethren around the world, we were rebuked and challenged by the Lord on all of the points considered below. In humble submission and obedience to the Lord, we share with you as a warning from Him.
- We were rebuked against using our tongue and words to intentionally inflict emotional harm or hurt on others (Proverbs 18:21; Matthew 12:33-36; James 3:5b-8; Ephesians 4:29).
- We were warned against holding evil thoughts and lustful feelings in our hearts and minds (Psalm 19:14; Jeremiah 4:14; Matthew 5:28).
- Similarly, the Lord weighed the motives of our hearts whether we meant to do things with good intentions, or whether we meant to show off (Proverbs 21:2; Matthew 6:5)
- The Lord was especially displeased when we deliberately engaged in sinful acts like fighting, stealing, lying or any other sins that resulted from our actions (Revelation 22:15; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
- We were rebuked for following and defending false teachers (Proverbs 19:9; 2 Peter 2:1-3). We should not idolize people or things, but faithfully serve God (Exodus 34:14).
How to Guard Against Ill Feelings
As we are daily expecting the coming of our Lord and Savior, we should heed His call to guard and pray consistently (Mark 13:33; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Matthew 26:41). In this life on Earth, it is impossible to ignore the existence of sin and what it does to us; the moral decadence that we are witnessing is only the beginning, and a time for reaping is coming (Isaiah 24:6; Romans 5:12; Galatians 6:7). Unfortunately, no one can claim that they are totally innocent and guilt free (Genesis 6:5; Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8, 10). As humans we are confronted daily by the challenges of sin and the answer to conquer sin is through our choices (Genesis 4:7). The phrases ‘if you do’ or ‘if you do not do’ in this verse signifies a choice followed by an action that reveals our motive and in this case it is either to obey or disobey. Choosing to confess and repent should therefore be the first step (Ezekiel 14:6; 18:23, 32; 33:11; 1 John 1:9).
Similarly, the Bible says, “…but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2 HCSB). Often, we slowly allow bad things to influence our hearts. Like the Lord said, we are motivated by the things (good or bad) that we have stored in our hearts (Matthew 15:18; Luke 6:45). The absence of correction and conviction from the Holy Spirit in a person’s heart renders such a person totally wicked and useless to inherit the Kingdom of God (Romans 8:5). Therefore, the purpose of the teachings from the Word of God is to help us fight and fend off sinful corruption that seeks to establish a stronghold in us. Even though the teachings from the Word of God via this medium or from your church are helpful, please do not neglect the DAILY reading from the Word of God. Reading God’s Word daily and praying consistently leads to growth and renewal of our attitude, and serves as a guard against the penetrating sinful thoughts that result in corrupt actions (Hebrews 4:12).
In our article on “Bad Company Corrupts Good Character”, we mentioned that Social Media can corrupt the heart because of the many wicked things that are perpetuated over the Internet, such as gossip, slander, lust, envy, pride, etc. (James 4:11; 2 Corinthians 12:20). As a testimony, we have been ministering to a young lady for over two years and she shared with me how pornography and computer/mobile games led her astray from the Lord, resulting in very bad thoughts, corrupt actions, and endless feelings of worthlessness. While she tried daily to read the word of God, her mind was controlled by the images of the wrongs she engaged in, and she found it difficult to resist those forces, leading her deeper into sin (Matthew 12:43-45; Luke 11:24-26). The Lord, in a teaching to us on how demons influence mankind, showed us how people operate under the influence of demonic forces to commit sinful acts (1 John 3:8-10). Truthfully, as in the case of the young lady above, these demons come as a result of our exposure to wrong or ungodly things (however innocent or common they may seem – for example Television, worldly music, books, etc.), which leads us to habitual actions and struggle with sin (James 1:14). Brethren, we do not need science to explain Biblical truth that exposure to wrong things results in corrupt actions, which leads feelings of shame and more wickedness (1 Corinthians 15:33).
We should also point out that harboring grudges and hate can lead to being vengeful, which is a clear violation of God’s command – vengeance belongs to the Lord alone! (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19). We should therefore seek to forgive others as the Lord God forgives us (Matthew 6:12, 14), settle differences quickly (Matthew 5:24-25) and love others as ourselves (Leviticus 19:17-18; Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31).
In conclusion, Brothers and Sisters, we encourage you to spend most of your time in God’s presence through prayer, Bible reading, and engaging in godly activities. This will serve as a safeguard against the ever-demanding appetite of sin to control us (Genesis 4:7). There is no better way out! Daily, in our first morning prayers to the Lord, we should set ourselves ready to guard our hearts against any sin or temptation that may come at us. We ought to acknowledge before the Lord the challenges we will face, and since our weaker nature may succumb to its habits, we should ask the Lord to help us survive the day through making godly choices, thus proving our obedience to Him.
The Lord bless you, Brothers and Sisters, as you seek to have pure motives for obedience, making godly choices and submitting to His will. Please make every effort to live peacefully with everyone and to be holy, for without holiness no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).
If you would like to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please begin by praying this
Grace and peace to you,
Brother Glenn and Preparing for the Kingdom Ministry Team.
