A Nugget from New Life Network
(by Dr. Larry Ollison)
Scripture for the Day – October 23, 2019
Therefore I (Paul) always exercise and discipline myself [mortifying my body, deadening my carnal affections, bodily appetites, and worldly desires, endeavoring in all respects] to have a clear (unshaken, blameless) conscience, void of offense toward God and toward men. (Acts 24:16, AMPC))
Like many carnal people, those who hold offense tend to defend themselves by saying, “I have a perfectly good reason for acting the way I do about this situation.” But what they have failed to realize is that offense comes with a number of objectives. The devil will bring offense in order to destroy you, your anointing, your marriage, your family, your finances, and your friendships.
The second reason offense comes is to disrupt your communion with God. Mark 11:25 says, “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.” This verse clearly reveals the connection between forgiving others and being forgiven by God.
Offense will not only produce a barrier between you and God that hinders your prayer life, it will also keep you in a constant state of being upset towards the person who has offended you. Many times, the person with whom you are angry doesn’t even realize that they have done something to hurt you. So, while you are being eaten up with hurt and unforgiveness, they remain carefree. The issue is not whether the hurt was intentional or not; what matters instead is that unforgiveness and offense are not allowed to take root in your life.
The third reason the devil brings offense into your life is to steal the Word of God that has been sown in your heart. Notice Mark 4:14-17 says, “The sower sows the word. And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.”
After the Word of God has been sown in your heart, the devil will immediately bring trials, tribulations, and ersecution for one purpose: to steal the Word of God before it takes root.
The Greek word skandalizo is not only translated “offend,” but also “stumble.” That means when someone is offended, there is a stumbling block in their path, prohibiting any advancement. Although these people receive the Word with gladness, they stumble when persecution or trials come, because they have no root in themselves.
It is always God’s desire to give good gifts to His children; however, offense can make the power of God ineffective. Matthew 7:11 says, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”
Don’t allow offense to sidetrack you from the miracle God has planned for you! Instead, choose to forgive every hurt and wrongdoing so the stumbling blocks that are prohibiting your advancement in the Kingdom of God will be removed.
