Good day
In Hebrews 12:1-2, the bible says that we are in a race, and that we should run this race with endurance. When we run, we gain momentum. We're moving forward; we're progressing. The devil tries to derail us from that race. He tries to sabotage our race by throwing us off course or causing us to become distracted, losing focus, losing momentum, and if we're not careful - keeping watch over ourselves - we can end up progressing towards a different, and unintended, destination.
One of the ways he tries to do so is by causing offence and unforgiveness in our hearts towards others.
While we cannot always control what others say to us, or about us, or even do to us at times - we can control how we choose to respond to situations like these.
Jesus said in Mark 4:15-19, that satan comes for the word's sake (to steal the word of God from our hearts). He knows that by doing so, it can cause a major dent in our spiritual lives, especially with regards to hearing and receiving the word of God from others or while in a church service. The enemy will always find ways (including those mentioned in the rest of that passage) to try and derail us from our course. He doesn't want us to succeed or prosper spiritually.
God knows what He has outlined for your life, and it's a good ending, a successful end, a happy-ever-after kind of story. One that only His will for your life provides and the devil would like nothing more than to sabotage those plans that God has outlined and destined for your life! (A great future, secure and steadfast in His love towards you as you remain obedient to His Holy Spirit on the inside of you)
Jesus said in Luke 17:1 that it's impossible that no offence should come! Meaning it will happen, to all of us, likely more than once in our lifetime, so we shouldn't be surprised when it happens to us ... knowing this, knowing that it's bound to come up some time or another, positions us to be aware of this snare/trap from the enemy ... So how should we respond?
Luke 17:3-4
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.”
Matthew 18:21-35
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
“At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.
When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
From this we can see that God takes offence, and our response to offence, quite seriously, so much so that it can sever our relationship with Him.
- Don't allow the enemy to place this stumbling block in your path. Recognise it for what it is! An attempt by the enemy to get you into unforgiveness towards someone else.
- Getting you to step out of love.
- Causing bitterness and resentment to build up in your heart.
- Allowing your soul to be in turmoil.
- Creating an absence of peace and potentially causing a blockage from receiving instructions from the Holy Spirit.
Therefore allow God to mend your heart. Take your matter before Him and seek His counsel and wisdom (1 Peter 5:7, James 1:5); and take heed to applying the word of God to your situation:
Luke 6:27-36
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Remember, you're not doing this for their sake, you're doing it for yours!
I'd like to encourage you to take the time to forward this email to at least one other person that you believe would be encouraged by it.
God bless you my friend.