Monday, February 5, 2018

The Destructive Path of Offense and How to let it Go!



Lesson 7


"Beloved, I hope you are prospering in every respect 
and are in good health, just as your soul is prospering."
Dearly beloved, this is also my passionate prayer for everyone of you, because I know the joy of freedom!
I have seen over and over that when people get offended it brings about a wide open door for the enemy of our souls to come in, steal, kill and destroy.

3 John 2 New American Bible 

We can easily take offense when someone has hurt us or treated us unjustly. There are two ways to deal with the offense. First, by remembering that the other person probably acted out of his/her own insecurity.   

Offense easily grips a heart when someone feels left out, overlooked or unrecognized. 
Comparing yourself with others who are celebrated, leaves you feeling rejected, not good enough, not coming up to expectations. 

Many people carry offenses because of perceived injustices regarding the issue of money.
This can steal friendships, cause family splits, etc.  
We are called into the ministry of restoration - with God and with man.

Others suffer through false accusations and curses. These are only a few. 

The greatest theft in the case of offense is that it always involves the issues of unforgiveness, anger and bitterness, which harden the heart and bring a wall between us and the other person and especially between us and the Lord, blocking our prayers.

Ask the Lord to give you His perspective on the situation and the grace to overcome, breaking the stronghold of offense.

When we overcome by love, seeing the offender's needs, we will no longer have a negative reaction to the offender, but live Jesus to him/her. 
Secondly, by remembering that our security is in Christ alone; we do not need to react and defend ourselves, because He has promised to defend us (Isaiah 35:3–4)

The problem is that the result of offense is bitterness, which will cause you to think and talk negatively about the offender.  This will inevitable bring division and further hurt.  But the problem doesn't end there.

When we harbor unforgiveness and bitterness in our hearts, the negative thoughts cause distortive neurons in the brain and toxins are secreted into the body, which will cause sickness in the end.  It is said that all sickness starts in the gut. Sometimes this is a swift path.


In Luke 17 Jesus warns about taking offense and teaches us to forgive.


"Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you,saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”


Forgiveness is the antidote for offense! Then let the blood of Jesus heal you and set you free to live in peace and joy!

I have often seen that when people fully forgive their offenders they get healed of different kinds of bodily ailments.

PRAY:  I choose with an act of my will to loose from my mind, memory and emotions any trauma brought about by offense in Jesus' Name. 
I bind God's love and forgiveness to my soul, choosing to let go of all bitterness, releasing and forgiving the people involved.
I declare that I am set free from the bondage of offense, the stronghold having been broken in my mind - in Jesus' Name!
I am now walking in the freedom and liberty of the Holy Spirit.

If you have taken offense because of injustice, having been wounded in your soul and finding it hard to get over it, bring it to the Lord and then pray the prayer for healing for your soul. 
  



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