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Feeling Offended?

Understanding the Satanic Trap of  “The Offense”

nborlando.org

Proverbs 18:19 (KJV)

A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like he bars of a castle.

Definition – Trap – a strategy or an instrument designed to ensnare and victimize the unsuspecting!

Definition – Offense – a perceived violation or attack of wrongdoing, which causes hurt, anger, bitterness and resentment!

If you are ignorant about offenses then you are a prime target for the devil to trap you. Offenses will increase in the last days: Matthew 24: 10
Jesus talks about in the last days offenses will run rampant in the body of Christ.

A lot of people are offended at their mates.

Offense comes to those who are not grounded in the word

Mark 4:16-17

Offense does not escape the judgmental radar of God.  Remember if a person intentionally harm you that God is your vindicator! Matthew 18:6-7

Offense torments; it torments its carrier.

If you don’t forgive the bible says in Matthew 18 in the parable that you are turned over to the tormentor.  Hebrews 12:14-15

Four kinds of relationships that occur after offense takes place

  • Severed relationship- disconnected, flight
  • Strained relationship – When you have asked for forgiveness the relationship is not what it was before. Sometimes it might take a little time. In a strained relationship either you will grow out of the beef and it becomes strengthen or superficial
  • Superficial relationship – A disguise. On the surface you act like everything is all right. You’re faking it!
  • Strengthened relationship – A relationship is strengthened in an offense when the person say, “this is something we have to work through.”

*Mousetrap Illustration – the spring is the most important part of the trap. The spring holds the victim in place until all the life is chocked out of it! Proverbs 16:18
The string on the trap of offense is personal pride:

  • Pride will keep you from admitting your true condition, distorts your vision, provides a sense of protection of self-image, and reverses conviction into victimization.
  • Proverbs 18:1 – isolation can be devastating when offense has occurred! Flight is the reaction of the flesh to offense and riot the response of the spiritually mature!
  • You are enticed to magnify others imperfections ignoring your own.
  • You began to entertain derogatory elements from outside the relationship
  • You began to minimize the benefits you’ve experienced from the relationship
  • You redefine others who love you as your enemies

When the seven basic emotional needs are violated, transgressed or threatened the opportunity for offense is present!
The seven basic emotional needs include:

  1. Assurance
  2. Acceptance
  3. Affirmation
  4. Adventure
  5. Acknowledgement
  6. Affection
  7. Allegiance

Your response to offensive situations is critical to your future. The situation will be either a stepping-stone or a tombstone!

Daily we must reaffirm that pleasing God is the object of our affection

We must know that the flesh must be denied, Romans 8:12-13

*Remember, flesh left unchecked will always take you back to what you were delivered from!

The Vaccine against offense is spiritual maturity. Four things we must learn:

  1. The focus must be fulfilling our destiny
  2. Must maintain an openness to confront and be confronted
  3. Must learn to base long-term relationships on revelation not emotions
  4. Must learn to trust God for our righteous vindication

Isaiah 54:17, Five traits to inherent:

  1. Establish yourself worth based on your relationship with God not man
  2. Choose to walk in love in every situation no matter how distasteful the situation
  3. Be quick to repent and be sensitive to the needs of others.
  4. Let others live in the overflow of your relationship commitment to God
  5. Remain controlled by “purpose” and not by impulsive passion

The antidote for offense is forgiveness and repentance

Whenever an offense takes place and is internalized there is a sense of payback needed to rectify the hurt! Forgiveness cancels that outstanding debt!!

Lesson Taught by Pastor Howard | Summarization by Tarmale Daniel

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