“And do not give the devil a foothold… Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4: 27-32)
Sometimes it may seem that it’s worldly people who give the devil a foothold, but here the Apostle Paul, writing to the Church of Ephesus, warns that religious people are not far away from the danger of giving the devil a foothold as well. It’s interesting why the Apostle Paul enumerates negative qualities in this particular order. Why is bitterness the first on the list, even though rage, anger, brawling and slander are more severe manifestations of negative feelings? Is it just a coincidence?
Scripture says to believers: “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” (1 Corinthians 3:16) All the expressions of negativity mentioned above are connected with our internal state. This negativity is manifested in words, which are the reflection of this state. “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” – Christ taught the disciples (Matthew 12:34). Therefore, bitterness is a door, that lets out the real hell dogs: rage, anger, brawling and slander. It’s clear that the Holy Spirit has nothing to do with these “messengers” and It will abandon such a heart. The result is the afflicted Lord, the afflicted Holy Spirit, afflicted people around us and a deep affliction in the soul of Christians.
Bitterness is a yellow traffic light in your soul. When drivers see the yellow light, they know it’s time to slow down, because very soon the light will turn red. That’s why at any place, in any business or conversation, if bitterness has entered your soul, it means that you need to hit the brakes. This is a sign that “hell dogs” are already scratching at the front door of our hearts, eager to inflame the circle of life around us and grieve the Holy Spirit.
Stand guard over your salvation. As soon as bitterness creeps into your heart, stop all the disputes, don’t prove who is right and who is wrong, even if you have to demean yourself and tolerate injustice for the sake of the Lord, surrender, don’t seek your own good, but give this case to the Righteous Judge. This will be your victory, that you will never regret, and the feeling of God’s approval will descend to you with the Holy Spirit, for you will save It in your heart. “…in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” (2 Corinthians 2:11).