Hey beautiful
Have you ever found yourself weighed down by bitterness or unforgiveness toward someone?
Maybe they wronged you, weren’t kind to you, or spoke harshly about you.
I had a powerful experience not long ago that gave me some firsthand insight into this struggle.
After a recent breakthrough I had with the Lord, I experienced an encounter at church that upset me. Isn’t it just like the enemy? Right after a breakthrough, he shows up, trying to lure us away from it.
A woman at church had apparently seen something over me a few weeks prior, and she spoke a word over me in a way that was far from encouraging. It felt like a curse rather than a word from the Lord—like she was declaring something evil over my life and calling it a “prophecy.”
I was grateful that God gave me the grace to respond in kindness while also rejecting the words she spoke over me. But even though I didn’t receive the words or enter into agreement with them, I allowed the situation to fester in my heart.
👉🏽 Prophecy should always point toward redemption, hope, and a solution. If it brings chaos or judgment, it’s not from God.
The question is: how do we let go of those hurtful words said or actions done toward us?
While I was calm outwardly, I was upset inwardly, and bitterness began to take root in my heart.
Days following, I kept replaying the encounter in my mind, thinking things like, “Is she operating in witchcraft?” and “Why didn’t anyone around me speak up for me? Why didn’t anyone say that we as Christians should speak life over one another?”
I shared the encounter with my pastor because I didn’t want to keep it in the dark. It’s good to bring to things to the light and seek wise counsel. He assured me that what was spoken was untrue and reminded me that people are supposed to ask permission first and we should weigh the word carefully. Meaning, if it’s not from God, you don’t have to receive the words spoken to you.
But as the days went on, I found myself rehearsing the situation over and over again in my mind.
I began to feel anger and bitterness in my heart—the very place God should be taking full residence.
I allowed negative thoughts to plant seeds in my mind, which soon took root in my heart.
What happened next was confirmation that what was happening in the spirit realm was manifesting in the natural…
God kindly spoke to me by giving me a vivid warning dream.
I dreamt of a spider that kept harassing me. I was seated in the back seat of a car as this spider continuously harassed me. Over and over it jumped at me. It was annoying and frustrating. But the key moment came when I moved from the back seat to the front seat of the car.
When I finally stopped being apathetic and allowing this spirit to manipulate me, I moved and took control of the situation.
In the back seat, I was putting up with the spider, letting it continuously affect me. But when I moved to the front seat—back into my authority—I swatted the spider away. Not in aggression, but firmly. The spider shrivelled up and died.
God continues to speak to me in waking life as He trains me through these situations.
The next day, I went outside to my Bible which I had been reading, and to my surprise, a dead spider was sitting on the open pages…
God was speaking clearly.
The question became: Was I going to stay in the back seat of my mind—ruminating, and letting the enemy’s lies control me? Or was I going to take control of my thoughts from the driver’s seat and align them with God’s truth?
When Jesus faced temptation in the wilderness, He didn’t argue with the enemy—He responded with the Word of God. The Word is a sword that cuts through the enemy’s lies and kills their power over us.
The Bible also warns us about bitterness:
Bitterness is like a root that grows deep, affecting not only our hearts but the people around us, too. And if left unchecked, it can lead to anger, unforgiveness, and spiritual bondage. Bitterness opens a door and can give the enemy a foothold in our lives.
Unchecked bitterness and anger can open the door to spiritual oppression—and that’s exactly what happened to me.
God desires freedom for us, not chains. Forgiveness is one of the most powerful weapons we have in spiritual warfare.
I’ve experienced firsthand how bitterness can open doors to spiritual oppression. But thanks to my God who loves to teach my hands for war, I’ve seen how surrendering those feelings to God, blessing the person, trusting God, and letting His Word wash over my mind can bring freedom.
Remember, our battle isn’t against the person but the spiritual forces influencing them. Speaking blessings over someone who hurt you might feel hard and repetitive, but even if it takes a hundred times, endurance deepens our maturity as Christians and transforms our hearts to a posture of love toward them. The ultimate test of christianity is blessing those who curse you (Matt 5:43-44).
We have to become mature sons so we can conquer our enemy and take dominion over the territory God’s given us.
God wants to teach us to become sons and daughters. Not immature orphans who don’t feel loved. This is what I teach inside ‘Found in Him’, a space where we walk and grow together in our identity, learning to trust God. Because when you focus on behaviour rather than identity, you will not become transformed.
Let’s guard our hearts, forgive, and trust God to heal the wounds that bitterness tries to protect.
Reading God’s Word daily is necessary—not only to strengthen ourselves in battle against evil but also to protect ourselves from deception. If we aren’t in the Word, we will be deceived, and the devil will gain a stronghold in some way, shape or form.
You don’t have to walk this journey alone. His grace is more than enough to help us overcome.
God bless you, mighty woman of God.
PS. If you’ve felt this struggle of letting go—I’d love for you to join ‘Found in Him’, a space where we walk together, grow in our identity and learn to trust God and walk in His purpose for us.
You can also join our WhatsApp community here, and connect with other women on the same journey and for prayer. Prayer moves mountains.
Sarah | Woman of Faith xx
thanks for stopping by
Jesus has my heart, I love my Jack Russell, Bear, and all things creative and beautiful.
After striving on my own and facing heartbreak after heartbreak, I found myself brought to my knees in my dad’s living room, crying out to God. That moment marked the beginning of my journey back to my first love—Jesus.
I’m here to help women encounter His love and be transformed in their identity, so they can walk powerfully in their anointing.
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