I wonder what you're facing right now, and I wonder what response you're making in the middle of it. If you're complaining, if you're pouring out negativity, if you're overwhelmed with that, then there is definitely bitterness in your heart. This would be a great time tonight to say: God, I don't want to be bitter. I want my spirit to be sweet.
I just love the story of Nelson Mandela, who had all those years in prison, all those years in prison. When he came out, and he had the power put in his hands, he could now pay back all his enemies; and instead he brought a message of reconciliation. He brought sweetness, where he had every reason to be bitter. God had done something in his heart. Joseph was the same. I wonder what happens out of you, or what flows out of your life, whenever you're in difficulty. Is it sweetness and confidence in God; or is there negativity and complaining, overflowing of bitterness and a sense of being a victim and blaming someone? What flows out of your heart?
You know what's flowing out of your heart. This would be a great chance to bring it to the Lord. Can we close our eyes right now? This is the way you handle those difficulties that you're in, you bring them to God. You come to Him and cry out to Him. You begin to listen to Him for His insight into how to solve it, and you may take a little while to do that, then you have to apply what God has shown you, whether it be forgiveness, whether it be patience, whether it be perseverance, whether it be just trusting Him to see this thing worked out.
Whatever it happens to be, you have to actually apply what God shows you. So while our eyes are closed and heads are bowed, I wonder tonight if there's anyone here - I believe there's several of you that are in a very difficult experience right now, in a very painful experience or a bitter experience or a time of disappointment, a time where things are going very hard for you. I wonder if you could say: that's me tonight, I'm in that place. Would you just raise your hand right now? I wonder just while our eyes are closed and heads are bowed, I wonder if those people that are going through difficulty, if you recognise that complaining becomes very much a part of your life, that actually you do things with complaining and groaning and murmuring, and your response has not been good. If you know that's true, it means probably there's bitterness somewhere in your heart, you need to ask the Lord to heal it.
I want to do this tonight. I want to give you an opportunity for prayer, for God to come and touch you, for the prophetic word to encourage you. God is not finished with you. You are in a season where He's trying to change you, and build you to be a better person, because He has better things ahead for you. Father, I just thank you for each person here tonight that's responded. We ask Lord as we pray for them, and minister to them, that the grace of God will come upon them. There may be someone here tonight who doesn't know Jesus. If you're a person here tonight that doesn't know or haven't experienced Jesus Christ, haven't given your heart to Jesus, this would be a great night to respond to Him.
The Bible says that everyone who put their trust in Him, received Him, and gave their life to Him, became a follower of Jesus - to him He gives power to become a child of God. Tonight you could walk out with your sins forgiven, joined to heaven, joined in your heart to God, a child of God - or you could walk out empty. It's your choice. If you want to receive Jesus Christ tonight, I encourage you to come up. Someone will stand with you and pray with you.