Do you know someone who is easily offended? Does it seem like every time you turn around you hear them complaining about what they don't like about this person and that person, who hurt their feelings, who didn't include them, who didn't give them opportunity or what they didn't like about this and that, etc.? Are they highly opinionated and have something to say about everything and everyone?
When people become offended, they often POUT and let you know that they're unhappy through their body language, facial expressions and mannerisms.
You can usually tell they're offended, because they're no longer smiling, participating, eager, zealous or pleasant.
I've watched the spirit of offense move through entire families. Even when that spirit is RECOGNIZED and they confess that they know it is something they struggle with, because they've seen it in their parents, their grandparents, etc...unless it's REPENTED of and RENOUNCED, it passes from generation to the next as a NORMALCY and it keeps cropping it's head up generationally.
Cain became OFFENDED at God and manifested his anger upon his brother Able.
- Genesis 4:5 "But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell."
- Genesis 4:6-7God said to Cain, "Why are thou wroth? And why is thy countenance fallen? If thou does well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him."
God clearly told Cain that if he "DID RIGHT" his sacrifice would be accepted too. He was correcting Cain and showing him how to get over this offense. God said, "If you will master this thing, great joy will follow!" God was pushing Cain toward the RIGHT ATTITUDE, which would yield the RIGHT ACTION. However, Cain did not receive the instruction the way God intended, and thus he allowed offense to build in him to the point that he yielded to his flesh and murdered his own brother. We can murder people with dirty looks, words and actions.
What does it mean to DO RIGHT?
For example, imagine you have a desire to be part of a particular ministry in the church. You envision yourself serving there, giving a 100% and really giving it your all. You sign up, show up and start serving. You know what the protocols and requirements are and are willing to keep them, because it's your heart to serve in this area.
However, if the spirit of offense is still in you, it isn't long until it crops its head up and begins to war within you because you feel you aren't being given the opportunity you envisioned, or you feel you're more qualified than someone else and you should have been given the lead, etc.
You recognize this spirit...and you don't want to yield to it again...but it's badgering becomes such a battle in your mind that it begins to affect your DESIRE, ATTITUDE and COMMITMENT.
Before you know it, you allow yourself to WITHDRAW from the very thing you said you wanted to be part of.
Q:Why?
A: The spirit of offense.
Once the spirit of offense has manifested, it's easy to move in to the mindset of being the VICTIM. When you see yourself as a victim, you'll blame those whom you think hurt you, and you'll try to justify your resentment. However, when you do...you lose.
When God is trying to bring you to another level, sometimes it's painful. However, promotion often comes from pain. God is ultimately trying to do a work IN US, so He can do a work THROUGH US. In my own experience, I've found that it's easier to LEAVE a difficult situation than to STAY and grow in grace.
- Listen to these words: "For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with PEACE." Isaiah 55:12
- God is a God of PEACE. Listen again to Psalms 119:65 "GREAT PEACE have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them."
Ultimately, the PEACE of God will keep your feet from running when you fall head over heels in love with His Word!
Churches aren't like cafeterias; you can't pick and choose what you like! Paul says, "But now God has set the members...in the body just as He pleases." (1 Corinthians 12:18). You are not the one who chooses where you go to church - GOD does.
Satan will try to offend you and get you out of the place where God wants to bless you and make you spiritually FRUITFUL. David says, "Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God" (Psalms 92:13).
If God plants you, He's the only
one who should uproot you!
one who should uproot you!
Take authority over the Spirit of offense! Don't allow it rob you one more day of the JOY that God has intended for your life.
