Romans 12:19 Do not bother yourselves to get even, dear ones. Do not let anger or irritation distract you; that which we have in common with one another (righteousness) must set the pace. Scripture confirms that the Lord himself is the revealer of righteousness. (Mirror Bible)

Psalms 89:18 For the Lord is our defense; and the Holy One of Israel is our king. (KJV)

Are you seeking to get revenge?

Revenge is a practice for someone who is not mature in God. If you choose to feel hurt, you will most probably forget the fight is not against flesh and blood. Your choice can sometimes reveal an enormous amount of pain, which will cause you to lose your ability to think constructively. Your decision to “be hurt” can create a snowball effect that ends in more pain for you. The word of God is true. You can choose not to be hurt.

 Luke 10:19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall in any wise hurt you. (American Standard Version)

Nothing means nothing. When you choose to feel hurt, you also look for someone to blame. The enemy convinces you revenge will cause the person, you blame for your “hurt,” will feel the same hurt you feel or felt. He will make you think you can get even. The devil is a liar. In those times, you must believe the word of God.

1 Peter 3:9 And never return evil for evil or insult for insult [avoid scolding, berating, and any kind of abuse], but on the contrary, give a blessing [pray for one another’s well-being, contentment, and protection]; for you have been called for this very purpose, that you might inherit a blessing [from God that brings well-being, happiness, and protection]. (Amplified Bible AMP)

He will even tell you to ignore the word, and Luke 10:19 does not apply to your current situation. He will try to assure you revenge will reduce or even make your pain go away. None of what the devil says is true. What actually happens is the desire for revenge pulls you into a vicious cycle of planning and plotting, which results in you indulging your flesh and not obeying the Spirit of God living on the inside of you.

Proverbs 27:20 Just as Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so human desire is never satisfied. (New Living Translation NLT)

You will never satisfy your flesh. You can’t. What you will do is keep trying to come up with something else to do. You will have wasted energy and time. All the while, your heart is being darkened, and your spirit is being drained.

Matthew 6:22-23  “The eye is the lamp of the body; so if your eye is clear [spiritually perceptive], your whole body will be full of light [benefiting from God’s precepts]. 23 But if your eye is bad [spiritually blind], your whole body will be full of darkness [devoid of God’s precepts]. So if the [very] light inside you [your inner self, your heart, your conscience] is darkness, how great and terrible is that darkness!” (Amplified Bible AMP)

Whatever happened is over. Rehearsing it and playing it like a movie in your mind just causes you to relive the pain continuously.

Romans 12:17-19 Never hold a grudge or try to get even, but plan your life around the noblest way to benefit others. 18 Do your best to live as everybody’s friend.19 Beloved, don’t be obsessed with taking revenge, but leave that to God’s righteous justice. For the Scriptures say: “If you don’t take justice in your own hands, I will release justice for you,” says the Lord. (TPT)

The Lord will handle what happens for you and for them. As you pray, He will provide answers and solutions, and you will grow. You don’t have to defend yourself; just give praise to Jehovah Maginnenu [ja-hō-va mig-a-nū-nū] (The LORD Our Defense).

Please agree with me as I pray:

Father, I confess, when I was young, I wanted to get revenge. I would think about getting even with someone. Surprisingly enough, because I spend a great deal of time thinking, analyzing and rethinking, I could never figure out something to do that actually made sense. I repent for the time I wasted. Thank you for revelation and guidance. I could never come up with anything because I am not You and whoever I wanted to get revenge on was not me. No one could or would not feel the way I felt. There was no need to try. You showed me if someone could feel the way I do about things, there would be no need for revenge. They would not have done it. In addition to the time I spent plotting, I wasted even more time trying to understand how to stop feeling what I felt. I would try to see if it was my fault. I would try to analyze my actions. I would rehearse the interaction in my mind to see if there was something I could’ve done differently. I thought that was the best thing to do as I prepared myself for the possibility of a next time or a next person. I did not want to do the same thing. The whole thing was exhausting. Also, I had no guarantee that what I came up with would work. I repent for not spending that time with You and waiting in Your presence for what You wanted me to do . Thank You for stopping me and reminding me I have You. You let me know You use every experience to teach me. If I let You, I will learn either what to do or what not to do. If I was in the wrong; I can ask for forgiveness, and You will forgive me. If I wasn’t in the wrong; I can forgive whoever was. The point is, You delivered me from being stuck in those moments, then and now. Thank You! I am no longer tied to past situations, stuff, and junk. My heart is no longer heavy, and my spirit is no longer drained. You are my defense. You will do what needs to be done, and provide the recompense needed everytime…

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Ask the Lord what He wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal His response as described here.