-Srength for Today- “You Can Beat Betrayal” - Psalm 41:9.

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?David cries out to God in Psalm 55:1-2, verses 1-2:?Listen to my prayer, O God. Do not ignore my cry for help! Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles.?But even more so, Jesus knows the pain of betrayal. He understands what?we’re?feeling. Because at the?“culminating”?point?“of His earthly ministry,”?that night two of His?own disciples,?“Judas”?and?“Peter,”?“betrayed Him.”??

Sometimes,?we’ll?embellish?“truth,”?and?“trust”?to?those close to us, such as?“a close friend,”?or?“a loved one.”?And when that trust is violated, the only thing to do is to “Trust in the LORD forever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength” – Isaiah 26:4.?

Betrayal can produce a “whirlpool of emotions,”?and without?“spiritual guidance,” it can overwhelm us. So,?when?we’re?betrayed, first we need to?“cry out to God,”?and allow Him “to handle our honest emotions.?It’s?normal “to feel anger over a betrayal,”?we just?don’t?want to get stuck there. Because if?“anger isn’t “processed”?and?“released,” it’ll become?“a long-standing grudge,”?and a “bitterness will eat us up on the inside.”?

???So, heed this warning,?“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place to the devil”?-?Ephesians 4:26-27.?Let God deal with your betrayer:?First: “Respect the origin of your betrayer.” When?you’re?confronted with the?“seed of betrayal,”?you’re?facing those who’re?“walking with Jesus, but following Satan.”?So, you need to?look up and recognize that their?“destiny,”?and?“objective”?is to?“plot”?and?“scheme;”?standing ready to?“unleash whatever destruction?necessary”?to see their?“dark objective”?accomplished.?And in Jesus' case,?“Judas sealed it with a kiss.”?

Secondly, “Anticipate that “betrayal” will come from “unexpected sources.”?Only those close to you?“can know your story.”?Only they can know?“your intimate reasoning”?and?“purpose in life.”?So,?in order to?overcome?“the spirit of betrayal,”?you must?address your?betrayer,?“emotionally,”?and?“mentally” “as friend,”?on?“the soil of his or her demonic?pursuance.”?And thirdly, you must?“fight the betrayer with spiritual weapons”?

Jesus knew who would?betray?Him.?Judas is a chilling reminder that some who?profess?to follow Jesus Christ?don't?continue to the end and?aren’t?saved. Therefore, there’s?“no?betrayal?stings worse than a knife in your back”?wielded by?“someone who was supposed to have your back.”?

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People outside your inner circle “persecute”?can “malign”?you, but they?can’t?really betray you because?“betrayal?implies trust.”?Therefore,?“it doesn’t matter what people think,” but?“it does matters what God thinks.”?So,?“trust in the Lord, and?“lean not unto your own understanding.”?So that when “you refuse to retaliate,” you know that?“He’ll?vindicate!”?Whether you?“see that vindication immediately”?or?“it takes years,”?hold on to these words from Romans 8:33-37.?

?Author: Plez Lovelady, Jr., PhD

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