Home Tags Posts tagged with "Offense"
Tag:

Offense

Articles

If This Article Makes You React In Offense; Please Forgive Me

by Jennifer LeClaire
written by Jennifer LeClaire

When I went to journalism school, they told me I needed to develop a thick skin. People don’t always like what you write, even when it’s 100 percent accurate. When I went into ministry, they told me I needed to develop a big heart to go along with that thick skin. People don’t always like what you say, even when it’s 100 percent in love. But you have to love even your worst detractors without reacting in offense.

 

You’d be surprised at the vitriolic (a fancy writer’s word to describe acidic speech) emails I get from some readers. It never feels particularly good for people to judge your heart. In the early days of ministry, my skin was so thin you could practically see my heart beating through my chest. Now I have thick skin, but not a calloused heart (Important difference!) When someone launches a fiery dart of accusation because I call sin…sin, I realize it’s only because the rock I threw into the enemy’s camp chipped away at their justification for transgressing.

 

Offense: Don’t Take The Bait

When someone takes a prophetic word out of context, twists it in an unrecognizable knot, and calls me a false prophet, I rejoice in the persecution. When someone judges my heart, I pray for them because they are opening the door for someone to judge their heart. I refuse to fall into the enemy’s snare.

What about you? Do you have thick skin and a big heart? It doesn’t take a prophet to foresee that you run into your fair share of opportunities to get offended. That’s one of the reasons the Bible says to guard your heart with all diligence—out of it flow the issues of life (see Prov. 4:23).

The Greek word for offense in the Bible is skandalon, which is the name for the part of the trap on which bait dangles to catch prey. We know that Satan roams about like a roaring lion, seeking prey to devour (see 1 Peter 5:8). And he often uses offense as his bait. Vine’s Dictionary defines offense as a hindrance or a stumbling block. The offense is a hindrance to walking in God’s best plan for your life because it can lead to resentment, unforgiveness, bitterness, and even hatred.

 

If you are easily offended, ask the Holy Spirit what Satan has found in you. What strings is he pulling? Maybe you are selfish and get offended by people who won’t do things your way. Maybe you have some pride issues and get offended easily when someone offers constructive feedback about your work.

Offense: What Would Jesus Do?

 

If anyone had opportunities to be offended, it was Jesus. Jesus had plenty of “natural” reasons to be offended. But Jesus didn’t take the bait. Satan found no place in Him. Jesus knew who He was in God. Jesus’ security in the Father allowed Him not to react in offense. His response: “Forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:24, KJV).

 

Jesus saw the big picture and He knew who He was: the Son of God. Do you know who you are? You are a son of God—the bride of Christ. And you have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. You are the head and not the tail, above and not beneath. So, you are blessed going in and blessed coming out. Blessings chase you down and overtake you—unless you stumble over offense.

 

Pray For Your Offenders

 

Who cares if you didn’t get invited to the birthday party? And who cares if someone forgot yours? Who cares if the clerk in the grocery store was rude? Who cares if someone interrupts you while you are talking? And who cares if nobody agrees with you? When you get all wrought up over these sorts of things, you are hurting yourself. Sure, you may upset other people with your cold shoulders or tantrums, but ultimately offense leaves you in bondage.

 

I could get offended with the bloggers who call me a false prophet or the commenters who judge my heart and label me with all sorts of mean-spirited monikers. I could get offended, but instead, I take pity on the ones who are bringing the offensive words. Jesus said, “Woe to the man by whom the offense comes!” (Matt. 18:7, NKJV) Sometimes offenses are imagined. Other times they are real. Either way, when you begin to feel offended, pray for the one bringing the offense. Ask the Lord to forgive and bless them. It keeps your heart clean. Amen.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
Articles

Forgiveness: A Stealth Spiritual Warfare Weapon Satan Can’t Stand

by Jennifer LeClaire
written by Jennifer LeClaire

My imagination was running wild. I couldn’t comprehend how someone who claimed to be a Christian could leave town on Christmas Eve without finishing the construction work in my home he was paid to complete a month earlier. I was literally shocked that this man, who I’d known for years, would essentially leave me living in a construction zone without any way to take a shower or cook a meal. Forgiveness was not even on my radar.

I was seething mad. But I was also violating Scripture. The Bible tells us to cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled (see 2 Cor. 10:5-6).

When we meditate on the thoughts the enemy puts in our minds, we are setting ourselves up for destruction. In this case, the enemy was playing on the injustice to set me up for bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness. Thankfully, I caught on to the enemy’s plan and brought those thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ, being quick to forgive and trusting God to be my Vindicator.

Forgiveness: Your Stealth Weapon

If the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, then forgiveness may be among your stealthiest weapons. The enemy never sees it coming. Think about it for a minute. God used forgiveness to deliver us from the enemy’s camp. All we have to do is repent and receive that forgiveness to remain free from oppression and condemnation the enemy heaps on our souls when we sin.

But there’s another side to that truth: When we walk in forgiveness toward others, the enemy cannot put us into bondage to resentment, bitterness, and unforgiveness. When you look at forgiveness through this lens, it becomes a powerful weapon that keeps your heart free and clean.

Forgiveness is a double-edged sword. If you do not forgive others, God will not forgive you (see Matt. 6:15). Unforgiveness hinders your fellowship with God and affects your anointing. You may still command devils in the name of Jesus, but authentic spiritual authority is diluted when you fail to obey God’s command to love people. Love and unforgiveness do not flow from the same spring.

If you do not forgive, it will hinder your prayer life. Jesus said, “Whenever you stand praying if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25) Spiritual warfare falls under the umbrella of prayer. How can you effectively bind devils when you yourself are bound with unforgiveness? Unforgiveness puts you at a clear disadvantage on the spiritual battlefield.

spiritual-warefare-checkmate

Overcome Evil With Good

Spiritual warfare is more than binding devils in Jesus’ name. Spiritual warfare is forgiving those who oppose you, hurt you, or persecute you. And not only forgiving but blessing them. And not only blessing them but trusting God to avenge you.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus offered revelation on how to deal with people who mistreat you: “I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” (Matt 5:44) How can you apply that revelation if you aren’t willing to forgive?

You may not feel like forgiving. And you may feel like giving that someone a piece of your mind. You may not feel like blessing your enemy. And you may feel like telling the whole town what they did. You may not feel like showing kindness. And you may feel like putting your wrath on display. But when you do you give the enemy a toehold, which can lead to a foothold, which can lead to a stronghold.

The weapon of forgiveness is mighty not only to pull down strongholds but to prevent the enemy from establishing a stronghold in the first place. Indeed, forgiveness is a powerful weapon—one that is too often neglected in our binding and loosing exercises. So, before you head to the battlefield, consider that the Lord is long-suffering and slow to anger, and abundant in mercy and loving-kindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression (see Numbers 14:18 AMP).

The Lord is a warrior—and He never loses a battle. When you follow His lead and forgive—when you set your heart to overcome evil with good and allow God to take vengeance—you can’t lose. Amen.

 

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
Faith

Dealing With Offenses In Our Lives

by John Mathai
written by John Mathai

Offense is a common experience for most of us. Our response to offenses is what makes the difference to how we will manage our lives. If we give in to offense then it will haunt us for the rest of our lives. Offense is the devil’s strategy to upset people from achieving their destiny. Like failure, it will keep you from moving forward.

We all are guilty of offending others by word or deed. Offense works both ways. It affects the offender and the one offended. The offender feels guilty for causing the offense to another. The offended feels ashamed and put down. In both cases, the offence has caused an insult to our soul. Our thoughts and feelings have been assaulted. We see the other person as one to avoid and demean and insult. What is the way out of this cycle of offense?

Jesus’ Example

Jesus is a good example of one who suffered offense all His life. He came as the Savior of mankind but suffered because of our sin. On the Cross, He took upon Himself the blame and the shame that we feel. While on Earth, He did not retaliate because He knew who was really the offender. The devil uses people to offend because that is his job description. The devil was thrown out of Heaven and in response, he was hell-bent on causing offense through man as a way to pay God back. God took it upon Himself to save us from the offense. Jesus paid the price by going to the Cross and carrying our offenses upon Himself. Now we are free from the hurt of offenses as we embrace His salvation, full and free.

God’s Solution For Offenses

Offense is causing so much damage in the body of Christ. The devil is targeting leaders since they are on the front lines. How a leader copes with offenses determines how he leads his flock. Many drop out of ministry because they have given in to offenses from people close to them. The devil’s strategy is to divide and rule. He has done this well over the centuries. Now is the time to reverse this trend and give the devil a hard time. We must send the offenses we experience to the Cross and leave them there. We must rise up and use the experience to turn our offense into the joy of suffering for Jesus’ sake. He said we would face suffering but also joy. Most of all, we will experience the power of His resurrection. So let go of any offenses and let God take over and we will see revival come to our land.

Read More By This Author: John Mathai

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
Articles

Offense Vs. Hurt: How To Heal And Seek Deliverance

by Randy Coggins II
written by Randy Coggins II

As I was driving in Ft. Lauderdale, FL just a few days ago the Lord began to speak to me concerning HURT and OFFENSE. There is a difference between the two.

Hurt Vs. Offense

When you are HURT, you’re like a child, you want someone to help you, comfort you, and make the pain go away. But when you are OFFENDED you try to find someone to hurt. And you often seek revenge. Revenge is never the answer. And it is never worth it. For example, it is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to reap the consequences of it. There comes a moment where you have to let go and let God work things out concerning your situation.

Furthermore, being OFFENDED will make you become something you don’t like and the exact same thing you hated.

Spirit of Offense

The spirit of OFFENSE has destroyed lives, homes, marriages, ministries, businesses, etc. And it is often because people make horrible decisions simply out of HATE & RAGE.

I want to challenge you as you read this today. Make a decision to be FREE of OFFENSE. It’s okay to be HURT because that can HEAL. But OFFENSE has to be delivered. So, let’s go back to my first question…are you HURT or are you OFFENDED? Furthermore, do you need to be HEALED or do you need to be DELIVERED?

Healing & Deliverance

I pray that you walk into full healing and deliverance in every area of your life, whatever you may be facing. Today the spirit of offense is being uprooted and destroyed from your life, In Jesus’ Name!

Finally, here are two scriptures for you to think about:

“A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.” (Proverbs 19:11)

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.” (Luke 7:23)

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
unconditionally
Faith

Unconditional Love

by Rene Lafaut
written by Rene Lafaut

What focus ought we to have in order to make love real to those we meet daily? How do we love them unconditionally and further dismantle our strongholds of sin? Put another way how are we: “to love without conditions” the people in our lives?

It is helpful to ask what sorts of conditions exist that keep us from loving unconditionally the people in our lives? There are many, but “Do they deserve my love?” is the strongest condition I can think of that stops us from loving people. It is often tied to revenge or “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth” (Exodus 21:24) mentality. The idea being that people ought to get what they deserve because it is only fair.

Taking Offense

When I start to wrestle with and take offense at the boundary violations or hurts others have visited on me when I look for reasons to love, then this path can easily lead towards judging, self-pity, anger, resentments, unkindness and a lack of love if I’m not careful.

A quick and easy way to put such judging to death is to ask myself: “Do I want to be gracious to the guilty party?” Or ask: “Do I want to love them unconditionally?” If I answer yes to these questions, then the judging shackles fall to the ground as grace flows into me enabling me to do an act of love with God’s grace. That touches the life of someone I was tempted to formerly treat like an enemy instead.

This is not done through minimizing what the guilty party did or didn’t do. But it is done because we know about and experience God’s grace or unconditional love each day. And we want God’s grace for everyone not just ourselves. God’s love inspires us to love unconditionally. The fewer sin strongholds in our lives the stronger and more likely this strategy is going to help bear love.

Identifying Strongholds

There are many strongholds against love besides judging. These include compulsive laziness, jealousy, wanting things to be fair, self-pity, anger, conceit, pride, and using people. When such blocks are dealt with then love can and will blossom more fully.

The only way to growing in love involves repenting in wise, genuine and caring ways. When we get unhealthy stuff that is sinful, negative, mean, intolerant, jealous, and manipulative triggered within us (while interacting with any person) then such attitudes are doorways to change when we know how to pray.

—

To learn more read – Dismantling The Tree of Knowledge of Good And Evil Within So Love Can Thrive.

Read also: Jihadist Sees God In A Dream And Confesses “I Fell In Love With Jesus”

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
Faith

Are You Offended By God?

by Henrietta Decruz
written by Henrietta Decruz

“And they took offense at Him [they were repelled and hindered from acknowledging His authority, and caused to stumble].” (Matthew 13: 57)

When you look at your walk with the Lord, what do you see? Do you find that your love that was fervent and passionate in the beginning has become cold and indifferent? 

It is possible even for believers who loved the Lord and were faithful to Him for years to become distant from Him. It happens when something triggers a feeling of offense towards the Lord. The believer may not even be aware of it. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says that we should “lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ.” For this reason, it is important that we examine and check our hearts for any offense from time to time.

What is offense?

What does the Bible say about “offense”? What are the repercussions of having an offense against the Lord?

When Jesus, who did great miracles, healed the sick and raised the dead to life came to His own hometown, He wanted to do miracles for people there too. But the people of this town were offended with Him, they refused to accept Him. They could not believe in Him because of their offense. Their offense restricted Him from using His power for their benefit.

The Amplified Bible says they were “repelled and hindered from acknowledging His authority, and caused to stumble,” from having faith in Him. What was the result of their taking offense? Matthew 13:58 says, “He did not do many works of power there, because of their unbelief (their lack of faith in the divine mission of Jesus).” 

Have you wondered why miracles break out only in some places or wondered why only some people seem to be able to receive miracles from the Lord? 

Believer, have you wondered why some people seem to have testimony after testimony but some others don’t? 

A time for soul searching

Perhaps it is time to check your faith and search your heart to find whether you are offended with God over something that happened in the distant or recent past. Check if offense or unbelief has kept you from seeing your prayers answered and prevented you from seeing miracles and amazing testimonies unfolding in your life. If it is so, it is time to renew your faith in the Lord.

Peter says in Acts 10:34-35, “God shows no partiality and is no respecter of persons. But in every nation He who venerates and has a reverential fear for God, treating Him with worshipful obedience and living uprightly, is acceptable to Him and sure of being received and welcomed [by Him].”

God is not unfair! If you open your heart to Him and revere Him, He will do great miracles for you! 

Just like the father of the boy who was tormented by an evil spirit (see Mark 9:24) who acknowledged his lack of faith saying, “Lord, help me overcome my unbelief!” we too can cry out to the Lord for help. The Bible says that Jesus responded to the father’s cry and the boy was set free.

Turn to God, He loves you with an everlasting love!

Reach out to God! He is waiting for you.

Reach out to God!

What is it you need from the Lord today? Pray in faith, believing that He is able and He will answer your prayer and He will do it for you. Matthew 7:7-8 encourages us to, “Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened.” 

When we don’t receive an answer –  we are to persist in praying and not give up! Luke 18: 1-7 encourages us to keep on praying and seeking until we receive an answer. Just like the widow who kept on knocking on the door of the unjust judge till she got justice, we too should keep praying and seeking God’s intervention and solution for our problems. Let us be open to receive God’s answer and expect that He will do what is best for us.

If you find that you have lost your closeness with God, the first thing you need to do is go back to Him and tell Him you are sorry. Repent for getting offended with Him and ask Him to cleanse your heart of every thought, feeling and attitude that goes against Him. Ask Him to enable you to see things in His light.

The most important relationship

Our relationship with God is the most important and longest relationship we will ever have. Psalm 139:13 says, “For You did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother’s womb.” God knew us before we were conceived. After we finish our time on earth we will have to go and stand before Him. Our relationship with Him is not just on earth but eternal. If we use our free will to go against Him our deeds could cause eternal separation from Him.

Let us always guard our hearts against any kind of offense against God. Let us remember to take every problem to God and ask Him to help us overcome it so the enemy cannot cause a rift between us and God through it. Let us be mindful of how we spend our lives because how we spend our time on earth will finally define how we spend eternity.

God’s never ending love

In Jeremiah 31:3 the Lord says, “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you.”

He knows our frame, He knows how much we suffer, out of love He calls out to us saying, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]” Matthew 11:28

Won’t you turn to Him and give Him a chance to lavish His love on you? He is the perfect gentleman He will not force His love on you, He waits for you just like the father of the prodigal son waited for his son longingly. His arms are open wide.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
Articles

Death By Offense This Holiday Season

by Brendon Worth
written by Brendon Worth

With the holidays upon us, I wanted to weigh in on something that is very easy to slip into this time of year, offense. Wait! Before you exit off of this blog thinking “oh that’s not me, I don’t deal with offense!” (And are maybe even mad at me for bringing it up)  Hear me out.

Let’s take a little journey together. Imagine you’re sitting around your family table at Christmas. You can smell the pie and the coffee as you’re finishing up the delicious meal that your little grandmother spent all day preparing, when all of a sudden a certain family member (or as you may refer to them “that family member”) looks up at you and makes some passive aggressive comment about an event you forgot, the way you’re dressed, or even the way you have your elbows on the table. What do you do?

For some this means it’s time to buck up and let them know how wrong they are, for some it means it’s time to completely ignore the comment and move on, and for some it means that it’s time to post an equally passive aggressive post on social media that starts with “You know who you are” and ends with “please no one ask any questions.”  Seem familiar?

Regardless of what your initial response is in situations like this, in these moments we are presented with a choice – will I be offended or will I forgive and move on? See offense is a sneaky thing. It comes in during one of these moments and slowly begins to eat away at your very soul (sounds dramatic I know but it’s true.)  Offense is out to KILL you; however, it doesn’t happen overnight. It lures you into its chamber by a situation like this and tortures you slowly while it watches you bleed out. In reality, you could stop it at any time by just walking away but it keeps you there by telling you you’re right to feel this way until you finally are dead, joyless, and sad.

See here’s the thing – we live in a society that often pushes the idea that if you hurt me I have the right to be mad until you say you’re sorry. (and even after then if I want) In an essence, my being angry and offended (not to mention my joy and freedom) rides on your actions instead of my own. Basically, if I’m going to be happy, I have to have everyone around me always be perfect in the way they treat me and if I’m mad it’s one of their faults, not mine. See the problem here?

Choose to live above offense

During this holiday season when it seems that everyone on social media is offended by something, I encourage you to take responsibility for yourself and choose to live above offense. When someone offends you, forgive them. When someone screws up, remember you’re human too. When offense tries to tell you that you’re right to stay offended, remember that it wants nothing more than to keep you in chains and to kill you slowly. Forgive, move on, and run out of the cell that offense wants to trap you in. In this, you will be happier, healthier, and will be able to step more into what God has for you!

“But instead be kind and affectionate toward one another. Has God graciously forgiven you? Then graciously forgive one another in the depths of Christ’s love.” (Ephesians 4:32) The Passion Translation.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
bored
Articles

4 Things That Kill Your Fire For God

by GOD TV
written by GOD TV

What quenches your fire for God? “Fire-killers” differ from one person to another, but everything boils down to one source: Satan. He is the ultimate fire-killer. And God won’t let him snatch what He started in you.

Here are some of the fire-killers that you need to protect yourself from.

1. Offense

99% of people in the church today leave because of offense. Many people leave the church because they were easily offended. What hurts you? Whatever it is, do a heart check. Ask the Lord to reveal the root of your offense. Is it pride? Bitterness? Unforgiveness? Or something else…

Offense is the Devil’s trap to cause your fire to die out. Don’t allow it to drive away your love for God and His people.

2. Disappointment

As Christians, we pray and fast for the things we need or want. But sometimes, we get disappointed because things don’t happen. It may not only be with God, but also with family and friends. Every time you get disappointed, return to His Word and remind yourself of His goodness and faithfulness.

3. Busyness

How do you spend your day? We become so busy that we don’t have time to spend with the Lord. Sometimes we equate busyness with being faithful workers for the Kingdom. Busyness could be a result of intimacy, but busyness itself is not proof of maturity in God. Intimacy with God is better than busyness, even when it comes to serving the church or His people. Remember the story of sisters Martha and Mary:

“But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’” (Luke 10:40-42)

If you are too busy to pray, you are too busy. What are the things that keep you too busy to sit at Jesus’ feet?

4. Materialism

It’s not when you have stuff; it’s when the stuff has you. Sometimes having too much overwhelms us and make us forget God. The key is to surrender everything to God. From the smallest penny on your pocket to your vast selections of materials you have. When God has the right to take anything from your hand, you have the privilege to take anything from HIS pocket. As co-heirs with Christ, God gave us the right to be His children which provides us with access to His kingdom.

Light the Fire again…

Life may be tough, but take heart, Jesus is with you! Be confident that whatever it is you are struggling with, He will always be by your side. You are not alone. Jesus is our good shepherd, and His Word is our shield from the lies of the enemy. Thus, it is vital to connect with God every single day.

Pray this to help restore your zeal:

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (Psalm 51:12)

Watch Pastor Vladimir Savchuk speak this wonderful topic below.

Things That Water Down The Fire Of God @Vlad Savchuk

This article is written by Chinine Badelles

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
offense
Lifestyle

Do You Need Peace in Your Relationships? Important Steps to Let Go of Offense

by Elizabeth Pitman
written by Elizabeth Pitman

Important Steps in Letting Go of Offense

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…” (James 1:19)

The last word…We have all been there. Someone says something hurtful or irritating, and we have that comment on the tip of our tongue in response. The kind of comment that is cutting…The kind that would tear someone down…The kind that would make you “mic drop” and walk away. We have seconds to decide how we are going to react and whether we will release those words or hold them back. The flesh cries out, “Go ahead; say it.” The Spirit says, “Don’t say it. You’ll regret it. Respond in love.” The flesh wars against the Spirit. And, in that second, what will you personally decide?

The harder and better choice is most certainly responding in love, but how tough that is when it’s so easy to take offense! It really takes the strength of God to ignore the flesh and to act in a Christ-like manner. In order to handle unforeseen and hurtful comments from others the way Christ instructs us to, it really takes the Spirit of God and the study of His Word firmly planted in our hearts. Therefore, when temptation comes, we are better equipped and can cling to the Truth in order to react biblically.

The following steps are based on 1 Peter 3:9-13 and can greatly help us toward becoming peacemakers by avoiding arguments and conflicts in our treatment of one another in order to overcome offense:

  • “Never return insult for insult, but on the contrary blessing” (Verse 9).”

When insulted, we are to bless the other person. Imagine saying something complimentary or encouraging after being insulted, instead of retaliating. As hard as it may be, blessing someone can diffuse a situation and stop an argument in its tracks. In fact, the end of this verse says that obedience to God can bring blessing in your own life. So, as you contemplate what decision to make, remind yourself of the rewards of your obedience, but most importantly, remind yourself that Christ commands it.

  • Refuse to talk about the other person.

Verse 10 states, “For let him who wants to enjoy life and see good days keep his tongue from evil and his lips from guile (treachery, deceit).” After someone mistreats us, the most common response is to tell other people about it to get their sympathy and to make the other person look bad. Instead of using our tongues to backbite, gossip, spread lies, or all of the above, let’s use our speech to uplift, build up, and encourage one another. With the help of God, let’s learn to silence our tongues when offended, and, instead, pray about the situation and the person who has wronged us.

  • Search for peace and turn away from wickedness.

Verse 11 is very clear that we are to make an effort to promote unity amongst one another and to avoid conflict. Unbelievers should be able to recognize a difference in us based on our love for others, not by our slander, not by our idle talk; not by our divisiveness. Matthew 5:9 reiterates this by saying, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for the will inherit the kingdom of God.” Pray for peace. Bless your enemies (Romans 12).

  • God’s eyes are on those who seek to do right, and His ears are open to their prayer.

This is definitely incentive enough to keep our heart’s obedient to Christ. God takes notice of our actions. His eyes are watching, and His ears are open to our prayers, particularly when we handle things according to His Word.

  • As we live a life of a peacemaker, our enemies diminish.

“Now who is there to hurt you if you are ‘Zealous followers of that which is good? (Verse 13)'”. Throughout life, we will, at times, encounter opposition. However, if we are always responding in love, instead of bitterness and hatred, the person causing the potential argument, will not have a reason to continue firing off at the mouth if we don’t play into the same game they started. My grandfather was someone who truly was a peacemaker and lived this principle. Out of all my years of knowing him, I did not ever hear him speak unkindly about anyone. This precious man imprinted a legacy for those he left behind.

By taking these verses to heart, let’s encourage each other to respond to offense biblically in order to become peacemakers.

Will there be times you need to confront others?… Most certainly, yes. But, we must make sure to do so with a Christ-like, loving attitude and the Spirit of God leading our words and actions. We must also remember that our response to mistreatment is vital and that retaliation brings regret. Forgiveness brings the opportunity for healing, not only in our relationships with one another but also in our own hearts, as well. If we have hurt someone with our words and caused offense, it is important to ask that person for their forgiveness. Putting on love and humility and realizing that Christ’s opinion is the only one that matters makes all the difference. As we do this, not only do we obey God, but we also show others that we are different from the world. “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” (Colossians 3:14)

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail

GET YOUR DAILY
DEVOTIONAL