Hate Bait

The hate-trap is easier than you realize to fall into. I know many adults who have been deeply wounded in their formative years and now twenty, thirty, and even forty years later they’re so engrained with hate that it seems natural - almost part of their character. What does it look like? When someone is in the grip of hate it shows up in various ways. The victim often practices extreme control in select areas so they can mask the darkness, but in other corners of reality they are highly frustrated, unreasonable, and even volatile. Their life is the definition of a paradox. Extreme control meets radical covert living. It’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde all over. 

We’ve all heard the expression ‘daddy issues’. The truth is many of us have them. Humanity is so lost that we tend to comfort ourselves by uniting around the commonality of our issues. Basically, we redefine sin as being a character trait, a choice, an identity, or even license to never be free. Can you imagine that? The enemy seducing us wholesale into embracing bondage? Satan is an expert deceiver. I’ve seen people fight for their right to remain broken and stew in their hatred. 

Let me show you why this is such a deceitful trap, the hate-trap. The word for ‘love’ in the Hebrew is made up of three letters that basically tell us love is the father’s heart revealed. Now if you were to replace that middle letter for the word ‘love’ with the letter Yood, suddenly you have the word anger, hatred, the basis for hostility, and enemy. The Hebrew word picture for this combination of three letters asks, “Where is the father?” This ancient definition tells us it’s hate so deep you can hear it.

We live in a predominately fatherless society. Even when the dad stays home there is still such a lack of true Biblical fathering that spiritually speaking, we live as orphans. We have a whole generation caught in the hate-trap. The Bible says that Lucifer is the accuser of the brethren. The language of choice today is accusation. People can’t even have a conversation without exercising Satan’s weapon of choice, accusation. Everyone’s “daddy issues” are on full display. Society demands its own way wrongly thinking it will substitute for God the Father’s way. It’s spiritual suicide.

When I was a boy the anger that lay beneath the surface of my skin boiled like a pot of rancid stew. I didn’t know it but when I felt my dad had rejected me it left me in a hate-trap. He was living out of his reality of rejection and deep hurt. He could only give what he had.

For several years I struggled with the enigma of pursuing God’s love and carrying hatred, my own rejection. I fell deeper into hating myself. And then I justified unhealthy relationships because that’s what you do when you self-loathe. In the religious world we like to call it sacrificial living or suffering for Jesus.

This is a lie.

1 John 4:8 tells us “God is love.” We live in an angry world full of hate because of one reason; people need God’s love. Why all these angry Christians then? Good question. We’re doing the spiritual splits trying to receive God’s love but refusing to let go of our anger. Our mouth is full of hate bait. I love my dad and I forgave him but I had to forgive me too. I laid the rejection and pain down at the foot of the cross. Christ forgave me, so I have the power to forgive everyone, myself included. 

Listen to 1 John 2:11, “He who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going.” Don’t bite on the hate bait. You can walk in the light today and know where you’re going. Don’t let darkness become so familiar that you begin to like it. Forgiveness directly sets you free even though you give it to others. Walk in the Light! You do it ... now, today. Spit out the hate-bait, using forgiveness and drink in love. Jesus said “Streams of living water will flow.” (John 7:38)       

Pray the Word:

Heavenly Father you love me with the same love that you love Jesus.  I’m not going to allow hate to pull me apart on the inside anymore.  It is finished!  Jesus is already victorious over death, hell and the grave.  My faith in Christ means I’m part of Your family God and You are the good Father meeting all of my needs.  I am loved by You and out of my most inner being is flowing rivers of living water.  God You are my source of life and love.  I refuse the language of the Accuser.  I won’t take his bait.  I love You and therefore I walk in perfect love toward my brother and sister in Christ.  Amen.