This past week, the women’s bible study that I’m a part of at my church started our new bible study for the spring semester.  This semester, we are studying “The Bait of Satan” by John Bevere.  I’ve read this book before and I’m looking forward to reading it again, but studying it deeper now than I did the first time.

I don’t know about you, but books like this are ones that I like to have the physical book so that I can mark up, underline, highlight and earmark all the pages and passages that speak to me while I’m reading them.  We’ve only discussed the first two chapters in the book.  But as I was reading through the next section in preparation for our class, several of the passages and statements, along with scriptures jumped right off of the page.

Some of these passages spoke so personally to me, that I wanted to share them with you.  Most of these come from the first three chapters in the book and some of the scriptures from the first two chapters of the workbook.  If any of you are dealing with offense in any way, I pray these speak to you as boldly as they did to me.

Luke 17:1

“…It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!”

Just because you were mistreated, you do not have permission to hold on to an offense.

Matthew 5:44

“But 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.”

If we do not deal with an offense, it will produce more fruit of sin, such as bitterness, anger and resentment.

2 Timothy 2:24-26

“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.  Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”

Jesus said our ability to see correctly is another key to being freed from deception.  Often when we are offended we see ourselves as victims and blame those who have hurt us.  You will only repent when you stop blaming other people.

There are two Greek words for love: phileo and agape.

Phileo is a love among friends; it’s affectionate and conditional.

Agape is the love of God and is unconditional; it is a love that gives even when rejected.

Galatians 6:8-9

“Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature.  But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.  So let’s not get tired of doing what is good.  At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”

When you sow the love of God, you will reap the love of God.

We walk in a selfish love that is easily disappointed when our expectations are not met.  If I have no expectations about someone, anything given is a blessing and not something owed.  We set ourselves up for offense when we require certain behaviors from those with whom we have relationships.  The more we expect, the greater the potential offense.

If we don’t risk being hurt, we cannot give unconditional love.  Unconditional love gives others the right to hurt us.

To not be offended, we must freely receive and freely give.

Complaining is rebellion and a lack of fear of the Lord.

Philippians 2:14-15

“Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,…”

If it is not dealt with, offense will eventually lead to death.  But when you resist the temptation to be offended, God brings great victory.

James 4:7

“So humble yourselves before God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Authority is given to serve, not to set you apart.

Often, we focus on the impossibility of our circumstances instead of the greatness of God.

1 Corinthians 10:13

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

Absolutely no man, woman, child or devil can ever get you out of the will of God!  No one but God holds your destiny!  No mortal man or devil can supersede the plan of God for your life.  But there is only one person who can get you out of the will of God and that is you!

If you stay free from offense you will stay in God’s will.

Remember that Satan fights you the hardest and brings his greatest attach again your harvest (God’s inheritance for you) just before your harvest manifests and becomes a reality.

Numbers 23:19

“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind.  Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”

God has already seen every adverse circumstance we will encounter—no matter how great or small—and He has the way planned for escaping it.  Often the thing that looks like an abortion of God’s plan actually ends up being the road to its fulfillment if we stay in obedience and free from offense.

Stay submitted to God by not becoming offended; resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  We resist the devil by not becoming offended.

God’s Word, His promise, will always come to pass as long as you don’t get offended.

1 Peter 5:10

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”

Please feel free to comment and share with me any of the passages, statements and/or scriptures that spoke to you or share with me some of your own…