The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has admonished Christians to guard their hearts against bitterness, which tends to destroy the human body.
According to Apostle Nyamekye, bitterness is a seed of resentment, displeasure at someone, dissatisfaction, and discontent at something considered unjust in the human heart.
He further explained that bitter people describe their feelings as righteous anger because they feel offended but do not want to retaliate.
Apostle Nyamekye made this admonition on Sunday, May 28, 2023, at the climax of the ‘You Must Be Born Again’ Gospel Crusade, held at the multi-purpose auditorium of the University For Development Studies (UDS), Tamale Campus.
Ministering on “Bitterness: Seed of Resentment In the Heart,” the Chairman of the Church mentioned that the human being is a complex being with a spirit, soul and body.
Expanding on the nature of the human being, Apostle Nyamekye described the spirit and soul as components of the heart, the inner essence of a person. He emphasised that the heart plays a significant role in shaping one’s character and actions.
“This inner man is the shaker and mover of the entire body, and the human mind can be very deceiving because it can stand aside few actions,” the Chairman said.
Apostle Nyamekye further stressed that Judas Iscariot kissed Jesus but had a different motive.
“You are a good person or a bad person depending on the state of the heart,” he stated.
Quoting Matthew 5:8, he said, “Seeing God depends on the purity of the heart and not some gymnastics one shows in church. It is not about what you do on the outside but what is done on the inside.”
He added: “Be careful not to have a sinful and unbelieving heart that will turn away from God.”
The President of Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) emphasised that the sickness of the heart depicts bitterness as a viral disease that is acquired, destroys the carrier, defiles many, is infectious and tends to spread to others.
“Bitterness weakens your spiritual immune system, making you susceptible to other spiritual ailments,” he said, adding, “The health of your heart should be told from the onset because when people harbour bitterness, they think it’s a justifiable anger.”
Apostle Nyamekye urged Christians to prioritise the health of their hearts by guarding against bitterness.
To combat bitterness, he advised church members to refrain from nurturing it, emphasising the devastating consequences it brings.
“Bitterness not only harms the individual but also destroys relationships, marriages, organisations, churches, and even nations,” he stated.
Apostle Nyamekye highlighted common symptoms of bitterness as anger, hatred, an unforgiving spirit, dwelling on past wrongs, inflicting pain, and experiencing sleepless nights.
He ended his sermon by recommending four approaches to overcoming bitterness: expressing it, repressing it, subduing it and confessing it.
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