Taking Offense

TAKING OFFENSE? CHOOSE TO WALK IN LOVE AND GROW 
You will never grow spiritually beyond your offenses. Offense is like a chain-link fence that hampers your every movement. Offense is like trying to water ski with the anchor down. We know what we want to do but are limited by such constraints. This is how offense hinders your spiritual development. You know what to do and you desire to do such, but the sickness of your spirit will not allow your desires to come to maturity. Offense feeds on itself and produces after its kind.

The cycle of offense is as follows:
  1. An event takes place and you have opportunity to be offended. 
  1. Your feelings and/or expectations are hurt. 
  1. You then take offense. 
  1. You make inner vows based on your offense. 
  1. You speak forth words of strife based on the offense rather than the situation. 
  1. Offense becomes a memory. 
  1. You are now set up for another event to take place where you can be re-offended. 

Questions now arise; how is an offense destroyed and removed? How are the walls that divide torn down and the debris removed? In Isaiah 58:6 we read, “Is this not the fast which I chose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bonds of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke?
 
CHOOSE TO WALK IN LOVE AND GROW FROM THE EXPERIENCE. 
Loosen the bonds of wickedness. A bond is that which ties two things together. The bonds of wickedness are the inner vows you have made. These bonds tied your offense to your spirit. You must repent for them and allow Jesus to cut their hold over your life. These vows have become the rope that has tied your offenses to your back. You have become burdened from the strain of carrying that load. Cut those bonds by repenting of your vows. The joy of the Lord has been but a distant memory because of laboring under this load. Allow Jesus to cut the cords as you repent.

Undo the bands of the yoke. The bands are that which keep the yoke in place. It is the gossip and words of strife you have spoken against the person who offended you. Again, repentance is in order. But you might say, “I was unjustly treated, I was mishandled, I was hurt, and they were wrong.” The issue is not the justification for your offense. Jesus said offenses would come. The issue is how you dealt with the offenses.

The offense came to make you more Christ-like. What have you done with that opportunity? Words of strife are the metal collar of the yoke. It is up to you to take the collar off. Some of you may need to go to those you gossiped to and repent to them also. Let the oppressed go free. Forgiveness will set both you and the person free who offended you. While you are offended, you are held captive to that offense.

Let us say you have been offended by a pastor. As long as you take offense you will not receive from him any of the words that the Lord has employed him to share with you. You are in bondage. The pastor is also in bondage because, when you are offended, you cease to pray and speak needed words of encouragement to him. He misses out on the many ways the Lord could use you to minister into his life.

Break every yoke. The yoke is that which is employed by the devil to place you into slavery. God desires for you to be a servant, not a slave. The yoke is the offense. Choose to walk in love and grow from the experience. It is easy to be offended; it is difficult to love. Love involves Christian maturity and discipline. This is the high road to glory and fullness in your Christian walk.

I pray that the offenses that have held you captive will fall at the foot of the cross of Jesus who forgave even as His last breath was exhausted.

Recent

Archive

 2020
 December

Categories

Tags

#CKAnnualConference #CovenantKeepers #GivingTuesday #MarriageRestoration #SaveMyMarriage 1 peter 5:8 2020 vision 2=1 Marriage Ministry Annual Conference Bible verses about divorce Bible verses about marriage Bible Biblical reasons for divorce CK Ministry Conference Cheating Spouse Christian Covenant Keepers Annual Conference Covenant Keepers Covenant Craig Hill Divorce Alternative Divorce Recovery Divorce in the bible Divorce Donation Dream Events Faith Family Foundations International Giving Back God restores marriages God Healed Marriage Testimony Holy Land Holy Spirit Hope For My Marriage Hope I dont want a divorce I need help Israel Jesus Marilyn Phillips Marriage Conference On Zoom Marriage Conference Marriage Help Marriage Mike Phillips Paul Pilgrimage Praise Prayers for Marriage Prodigal's Perspective Prodigal\'s Perspective Prodigal\\\'s Perspective Prodigal\\\\\\\'s Perspective Reconcilliation Remarriage Reme Romans 8:38 Save My Marriage Scripture about giving Scripture on divorce Scripture Selfish Separation Alternative Separation Standing For Marriage Standing Stewardship Testimony Thanksgiving The Enemy The Flesh The World Wedding Yellow Ribbon Day abortion abundant blessing abuse adultery alternative to divorce angels anger anxiety argument blessing can God heal my marriage can God save my marriage can God speak to me can I live alone can I save my marriage can a Christian be divorced can my marriage be healed can my marriage be saved cheating husband children of divorce children christmas communication culture of blessing custody does God approve of divorce does God speak to people encouragement enemy faithful family fasting fear feast finances forgiveness forgivenes freedom friendship gift opportunity gift giving god's provision godly friendship godly marriage groups healing heart change holiday how long husband idolatry intercession international joy legal divorce marriage counseling marriage peace maturity miracle more of God my husband wants a divorce my spouse wants a divorce my wife wants a divorce needs met new year no divorce offense other woman peace praise report prayer prophesy prophetic word provision radiant joy radiant reasons for divorce reconcile reconciliation recovery relationship with Jesus resentment restoration restored marriage retirement sowing spiritual battle spiritual growth spiritual healing standers journey standing for your marriage stop divorce stop the steal strife struggle surprises teaching thankful the devil wants my marriage the other woman tired tradition tribe trip unforgiveness vision weariness will I be ok women in the bible women words of knowledge