There is a murderous spirit of betrayal among the Body of Christ today. It is part of the tribulations, difficulties prophesied for these last days in Matthew 24:10-13, “And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.“
Jesus understands the pain of betrayal you are passing through, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15.) He endured tremendous betrayal for you. “Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!” (Matthew 27:3-4.) How it hurt Jesus to know that one of His very own disciples, partner in ministry betrays Him because of money. And I will say to those of you in ministry that feel deep wounds in your spirit because someone who comes along side of you to help and assist you to fulfill your calling turns their back against you because of the love of money –Jesus suffers the pain of their punishment so you can be free from the pain they cause you. Hebrews 6: 4-6 tells us, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.” Their open sin against you, which is really a sin against God crucifies Jesus again and causes Him shame.
And when Judas realizes the evil he has done against our Lord, the leaders do not care. They respond, “What is that to us?” It’s your problem, not ours.This is a painful response that many of God’s people hear today. These are the false leaders, false brethren that we are warned about in Scripture. 2 Timothy 3: 1-7 describes these careless people as follows, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
I write this to say, yes, what you are experiencing is real, and it is utterly painful. But remember you are not alone, His Word tells you, “Let your character [your moral essence, your inner nature] be free from the love of money [shun greed—be financially ethical], being content with what you have; for He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!” (Hebrews 13:5 AMP.)
And the ashes of His pain transforms your pain into His beauty if you will do as He does, “Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” (Luke 23:34.) Forgiveness is the only way to true freedom from betrayal. He makes known to us the key to deliverance and healing from the sin of betrayal in Matthew 6:14-15, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.“
The choice belongs to you, you can choose to be free from this pain of betrayal, or you can hang on to it and allow bitterness to destroy you. I pray you will do as Jesus does, and forgive today.
Becky Dvorak is a prophetic healing evangelist and the Destiny Image author of DARE to Believe, Greater Than Magic and The Healing Creed. Visit her at authorbeckydvorak.com.