Why do we take offense. Usually because we get mad at people for hurting, or disrespecting us in some way. This obviously can be very subjective because it is all dependent on our understanding of the situation.
What is offense.
Annoyance or resentment brought about by a perceived insult to or disregard for oneself or one’s standards or principles:
a breach of a law/boundary or rule; an illegal act:
Trust in the Almighty with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3 v 5-6
What if we could seek to be an advocate and look for ways to understand the offender. Instead of trying to indite them and find them guilty. What if we could investigate what happened to them in their lives? How they have been hurt and how they have been coping. Find out how the spirit of offense entered their lives. How long it has been there and how much damage it has done.
Pray for the persons deliverance and minister to their needs if they have any.
But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Luke 6 v 26
Hurting people hurt people
Trauma is usually an opportunity for offense to come in. The enemy works overtime to set up these situations so that he can have access to our lives.
Yashya said “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.“
john 10 v 10
When a person gets offended, they are now a carrier of the spirit of offense. Spirits are transferred through contact. Once this spirit is not cast out then it is only a matter of time before it will cause problems. So, finding out where a person is hurt is often vital to identifying how the spirit of offence has been operating. Along with the spirit of offence there can also be lying spirits and spirits of anger that gained access.
If we are not mindful that we are dealing with spirits then we will just fall victim to their wicked schemes.
So without any spiritual awareness we immediately blame the person for hurting us. Yes they agreed to be used by the enemy but often unknowingly. When the spirit of offense comes in it usually shuts down affections and puts us on the defensive. This makes us a tool of the adversary and puts us in his camp.
What is the antidote
Resist the spirit of offense at all cost.
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil. Ephesians 4 v 26 – 32
What if we could determine not to take offense and not to cause offense if possible. This means that we would need to dialogue in order to understand as we pray to bind the forces of darkness.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of [a]the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6 v 12
The closer we are to the incident the more effective this strategy will be.
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
mathew 16 v 19
The person is not your enemy they are usually a victim
When we take offense because we have judged a situation based on our own understanding. It just means the enemy has gotten access to our lives. We now become a vessel he can use to destroy others.
For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well.
james 3 v 2-2
There is often others who will be used to stroke the fire . Rather than cause offense it is better to walk away.
And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
mathew 18 v9
It is important to do whatever it takes to avoid causing offense.
Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!
mathew 18 v 7
We resist the enemy by using weapons of warfare
The best way to handle offense is to make peace with the offender as quickly as possible.
If your brother or sister[b] sins,[c] go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’[d]17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church/Assembly; and if they refuse to listen even to the church/Assembly, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. Mathew 18 v 15
Another good way is to just overlook or forgive the offense
Then Peter came to Jesus/Yahshya and asked, “Master/Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Yashya/answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
Ultimately if offense is not handled quickly it morphs into resentment .
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
So, it is critically important to handle it quickly.
Offense is a gateway for many other spirits
Other spirits that will seek to enter after offense are:-
resentment
anger
wrath/rage
hate/murder
bitterness
evil speech/gossip/slander
malice
If we do not get rid of offense quickly then these other spirits will come in and use us to come in agreement with evil in order to fulfill the devil’s playbook.
“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”
Mathew 12 v 43
Guarding our hearts is very important. We are what we think because what we do comes from what we think.
23Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
proverbs 4 v 23
How to guard our hearts
We have to be vigilant about casting down thoughts that does not agree with the word.
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of Yah/God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Mashyach/ Christ;
2 cor 10 v 5
We must also seek to keep our minds stayed on The most High.
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Isaiah 26 v 3
We also have to practice not depending on our own understanding, but to ask for His guidiance in everything.
Trust in the Almighty/LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. [6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3 v 5-6.
What we think about matters.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4 v 8.
When we are able to guard our hearts it stops offense from taking root. Often the things that offend us is our interpretation of what other people say and do. The enemy likes to speak to us through our thoughts and get us into victimhood and self pity. He also gets us to play the blame game. We are usually caught before we know it because we have sin in our hearts and we are not aware of the enemies devices.