What Is A Bitter-Root Judgment?
“Bitter-root judgments are judgments that we make concerning hurts that we have experienced that we have not surrendered to the Cross.”
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 . . .
A root of bitterness comes from unforgiveness and can lead to resentment that corrupts our relationships and our ability to love like Yeshua loves. Bitter-roots grow when we fail to secure God’s grace to forgive. Bitterness and unforgiveness are the driving forces behind re-occurring problems, patterns, and destruction in our lives.
We must forgive. As soon as we experience a hurt we must immediately turn that hurt over to the Lord so that we do not take on a wound. Two of the most important people whom we must forgive is our mother and father (Exodus 20:12).
Bitter-root judgments can be judgments that we made towards our parents because of hurts that we incurred during our upbringing. From the womb certain patterns are formed that opened the door for us to form unhealthy judgments and strong opinions of ourselves and others. Whenever we make a judgement as a result of the hurts that we incurred that we do not bring to the Yeshua we set into motion forces that will cause us to reap in kind the very same judgement that we project upon others. (Galatians 6:7-9).
“Through heartache, I have learned that my strong opinions and my two-cents are best left on the threshing floor. Whenever I am presented with a situation in which I could pass judgement on someone, I choose to withhold my opinion and pray for the person instead. In life we can either take on the role as an enforcer or an intercessor, I choose the latter.”
Not all of us, have had the best parental experience. Some of us have experienced abuse. Some of us have experienced abandonment and neglect. However, to honor our parents is to forgive them and to accept their humanity.
We all have our stories”¦ Hurt is real. Pain is real. Yeshua does not dismiss the wrong done to us. However, we miss God when we demand vengeance”¦. “Well, you say someone has to pay””¦ Yeshua already paid. Yeshua covers the offense, the offender, and the offended with His precious BLOOD — and if we stay in His presence He will bring us to a place of lasting peace.
Romans 2:1-3:
“Therefore you are without excuse, O man–every one of you who is judging. For by whatever you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things. We know that God’s judgment on those who practice such things is based on truth. But you, O man–judging those practicing such things yet doing the same–do you suppose that you will escape the judgment of God?”
Identifying Bitter Roots:
Bitter-roots can affect your relationships and destroy your future. Often our wounds go down deep. Often it takes the Lord to reveal, heal, and uproot bitter-roots. Pray and ask God to reveal the judgments that you have made against your parents and against others. It may take some time. God will reveal what you need to know when you need to know it.
Look for patterns of fear, doubt, rejection, heartache, jealousy, or anger. These patterns may be from judgments that you have made against others. Notice situations where you repeat the same behavior over and over.
Some examples of bitter-roots that can indicate judgment toward your parents include: perfectionism, addictions, critical spirit, emotionally unavailable, hostility, manipulation, working continually, rejection, uncontrolled anger or rage, bitterness, rejection, and performance orientation.
I have been a believer for 30-years. I had a very abusive childhood. Over the years, God has taken me through layers of forgiveness. God has walked the winding path of wholeness with me. Every time I recall a painful memory, I release the hurt to God. It has been two years since my mother died. Although, my mother is not here to physically reconcile, I speak out forgiveness in my prayers. “I forgive you. I love you. I release you in love and redemption.” I have reconciled every hurt, pain, disappointment, fear, rejection, to the Cross.
“Bitter roots bring about bitter fruit. When we condemn others. We condemn ourselves. We Must Forgive!”
Luke 6:37:
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Pardon, and you will be pardoned.”
How To Cancel Bitter-Root Judgments?
There is an old saying: “what goes around comes around” but God calls it “the law of sowing and reaping” (Galatians 6:7-9). We must REPENT, FORGIVE, & RELEASE! We are not to let the sun go down on our wrath. When we harbor resentment, we open the door to the enemy to reap a bitter reward. Yeshua has come to free us from bitterness and re-set our default. Below are so helpful steps to help us deal with bitter-roots.
Confess your bitter-root judgment. Name whom you judged and what you judged them for. Pray for forgiveness, and repent and renounce your sin.
If others have judged your harshly, forgive them and release your pain to God.
Ask God to meet the needs that were not met in you as a child. Some of the basic needs for adults and children are unconditional love, acceptance, worth and value, security, recognition, nurture, emotional nourishment, and comfort.
Ask God to show you how this bitter root has affected your relationships with others. Pray for God to heal those relationships. Thank God for your answered prayers.
Prayer:
Father, I repent for not speaking life over myself and loved ones. Lord, please forgive me for misunderstanding the high calling and privilege of intercession and to speak words of righteousness — not doubt and fear. Father, please remove all bitter-root judgments that entered my life as a result of harshly judging others.
Father, I ask that You uproot any bitter-roots in my life that entered through wounds of rejection. Please heal me of all the rejection, pain, trauma, shock, fear, terror and shame. Father, You have not given me a spirits of rejection, bitterness, or shame; but of love, power and soundness of mind.
Father, please allow me to feel the depths of Your love. Please come and establish Your dominion of peace in my life and manifest Yourself in such a way that I will know that You are with me.
Father, from this day forward, I shall walk in the light of Your love. You have filled every empty place within me. Your love permeates every area of my life. Father, I trust in Your MAGNANIMOUS power to rescue me, heal me, bless me, provide for me, protect me, sustain me, establish me, advance me, aide me, guide me, promote me, deliver me, and give me a delightful inheritance. In Yeshua’s name – Amen.
Additional Prayer Resources:
Let’s go deeper in prayer. These powerful prayers and resources will equip us to ENTER and POSSESS the Land — and conquer the strongholds keeping us from FREEDOM and FULLNESS in Messiah Yeshua. Please CLICK HERE for powerful prayers and resources.
Additional Audio Resources:
CLICK HERE to listen to this life changing message on Dealing With Bitter-Root Judgments from Win Worely.
For inspirational resources, please visit: TheGodBlog.Org.
