Overcoming the Spirit of Offense

Nice & Wavy

Nice & Wavy

Well-Known Member
How to Avoid Being Offended

http://www.wolm.net/index.php?option=com_zoo&view=category&Itemid=281

I know so many people who are very easily offended. The slightest controversy throws them into a tail spin, ruins their day and separates them from those who have offended them. Sadly, many times the person that offended them wasn’t aware they did, so eventually the offense spreads to them as well.Constantly offended people are not very happy because life is difficult for them. They become contagious to others...... in other words, the offense goes viral! Haven’t you noticed that a spirit of offense is prevailing in our society today?

Here are a few steps to follow if you find yourself being offended easily:
1. Offenses will surely come because we’re created to have relationships, but we need to see where they originate. The bible clearly says our enemies are never people....demon spirits influence them to offend us.
If we don’t remember that truth daily, we’ll always fall victim to the spirit of offense. People who walk around offended all the time are hard to please, are very critical and judgmental and they’re difficult to be around. Their hearts have become hardened because the river of God’s love, meant to flow through them, has dried up.

2. Walk in forgiveness. I mean pre-determine to forgive, since offenses will come. Don’t wait until after the offense, to decide whether to forgive them or not. No, you have to already pre-determine to forgive those who offended you before they actually do. Therefore, praise God.....you’re becoming an un-offendable person!

3. Be constantly filled with the Holy Spirit. Zechariah 4:6b, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts.” Only through Him do we have the power to be un-offendable and He’ll remind us daily who the real enemy is. He will also remind us that we are Christ’s ambassador here on earth.... re-presenting Him through His love flowing through us. The Holy Spirit also reminds us how valuable the person who offended us is to God and therefore valuable to us as well. Without the Holy Spirit living in us, we will be offended all of the time! Yes, it’s not only possible to live this un-offendable life; it is God’s will that we do. Ephesians.4:26,27 says, “Be angry, and do not sin, do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.”

4. Don’t give any room for the devil in your heart and mind. He will take advantage of you, making you over-sensitive to everyone’s remarks. Guard against being feeling-led and not spirit-led. Satan wants you to live your Christian life from your soul and not your born-again spirit and renewed mind. Staying in God’s word and checking to make sure your love tank isn’t running low, will help you see things God’s way (not how the devil wants you to see them).

Remember, offenses will come, but you don’t have to get offended. Join me and let’s choose to live an un-offendedable life, putting the spirit of offense under our feet. Let’s never forget that the One who lives in us is greater than he that is in this world!
 
Speaking straight to my heart. And I KNOW, that I'm being tested because it the same persons, doing the same thing... (not forum related).

Lord thank you for sitting me down and knowing that you mean what you say, when you told me to give it to you, 'you got this'. :yep:
 
kila82 said:
I love this.


We learned in church that offense is something you literally have to "take". Someone cannot force it on you, you have a choice to take it or not. When I started to think of it that way I just refused to "pick it up". I just let it hang in the air lol no thanks I don't need it
Click to expand...

:amen: I like that, "let it hang in the air" . :up:
 
This is right on time. God is dealing with me now regarding my offenses and offenders. HE has told me love and compassion is needed in dealing with them.
 
kila82 said:
I love this.


We learned in church that offense is something you literally have to "take". Someone cannot force it on you, you have a choice to take it or not. When I started to think of it that way I just refused to "pick it up". I just let it hang in the air lol no thanks I don't need it
Click to expand...

You are so right. It reminds me of this parable I heard a long time ago...

Whose apple is this?

One day a poor man was seated near the house of a wealthy man, begging for his daily food. The wealthy man came out and begin to insult him, calling him lazy and worthless. But the poor man remained very calm. The poor man's calmness caused the wealthy man to become increasingly more angry and abusive, in an attempt to illicit some reaction or response.

The poor man had an apple that someone had given him in his begging bowl. He held up the apple to the rich man and said:

"If I give you this apple, and you accept it, whose apple is it? The wealthy man answered, "Why my apple, of course, since you gave it to me and I accepted it!"

The poor man then said "But if I offer it to you and you do not accept it, THEN whose apple is it?"

The wealthy man replied, "Why, then its YOUR apple, of course!"

The poor man said, "You offer me anger and insults, but I do not accept them, so the anger and the insults remain YOURS."

The wealthy man was astounded by the realization of why he was becoming more and more angry.
Click to expand...
 
kila82 said:
I love this.

We learned in church that offense is something you literally have to "take". Someone cannot force it on you, you have a choice to take it or not. When I started to think of it that way I just refused to "pick it up". I just let it hang in the air lol no thanks I don't need it
Click to expand...
You know...the Lord just keep dropping these nuggets in your spirit to share with us...I love it!!!:yep:
 
Shimmie said:
Speaking straight to my heart. And I KNOW, that I'm being tested because it the same persons, doing the same thing... (not forum related).

Lord thank you for sitting me down and knowing that you mean what you say, when you told me to give it to you, 'you got this'. :yep:
Click to expand...

Going through a simillar situation. God has been sending these types of messages to me for a while though. So when the demon, I mean individual showed up at my doorstep today, right on time to disturb me at a critical moment, with the usual nonesense...I was prepared. Thank God for answered prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Thanks for the post OP.

I also really liked the 'Whose apple is it' parable.
 
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MSee said:
Going through a simillar situation. God has been sending these types of messages to me for a while though. So when the demon, I mean individual showed up at my doorstep today, right on time to disturb me at a critical moment, with the usual nonesense...I was prepared. Thank God for answered prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Thanks for the post OP.

I also really liked the 'Whose apple is it' parable.
Click to expand...

MSee... I love that parable too.

And guess what? If it ain't a Granny Smith Apple, I don't want it.

Granny Smiths' never offend me, I love em'. :lol:
 
God knows I need help in this area, thought I'd add this daily word from G. Craige Lewis

Psalm 110:1 - 'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit in honor at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.' NLT

We all have enemies somewhere. No matter how nice or kind you are, and no matter how saved and sanctified you are, there is always someone that doesn't want to see you prosper. An enemy is merely a person that is assigned to block you and stop your forward progress. But did you know that your enemies are actually good for you? I know that sounds crazy, but to understand it, you must first understand the reasoning behind the footstool. In the bible, the word "footstool" is referring to a place to rest your feet, or to "put your feet up" as we would say. Many of us were taught that this was a step, or a ladder like object so we could stand on it. And I know people that I would love to "step or stomp on" because of how bad they treated me! But there is another way to view this scripture as well. We should love and pray for our enemies and those that do us wrong because they only allowed the enemy to creep in just like he has done us in the past. So, we should see ourselves in our enemies and remember the time when we were under the influence of the enemy. That helps us forgive them and look past the devil working through them.

When people have problems with blood flow in their body, the doctor many times recommends that they sit or lay down and put their feet up. This will cause the blood to flow better. That is what the footstool is really for. It's to put your feet up and keep your blood circulating properly to prevent swelling or clots. God said that he would humble your enemies and then make them a footstool under your feet. That means that he is gonna use the way they treat you and act towards you as a method of increasing his blood flow in your body! God is working something through the hurt, pain, misery, and turmoil caused by your enemies. Your enemies are making you better and causing the blood of Jesus to circulate throughout your whole body. Many times we get strong in certain areas but are very weak in other areas of our lives. We master certain things, and fail at other things. But our enemies come to take us through things so we can grow stronger and wiser in areas where we may have been weak. God is allowing our enemies to teach us and strengthen us. And once we endure the afflictions of those that mistreat us, we can sit back and put our feet up! They become a resting place for our feet to increase the Spiritual blood flow in our entire body. That way, the blood of Jesus touches every part of us. And we gain balance and wisdom in all areas and not just some. Aren't you tired of being strong in one area, and crying all the time because of weak areas in your life? Aren't you tired of having the blood of Jesus applied to certain areas in your body but other areas in your body are clotted or deadened because of no blood flow? Allow God to make your enemies your remedy! That way, God will cause everyone that is against you to be a footstool for you to put your feet up and allow the blood of Jesus to flow evenly throughout your life and balance out those uneven areas.
 
Great thread, very timely. I just started reading The Bait of Satan by John Bevere last week and it's really good so far.
 
I so needed this to meditate on...like YESTERDAY. I continually ask God for the grace to move around them while helping me understand who He says that I am.
 
Great thread. The enemy is out to kill, steal, and destroy. When you have faith that a certain thing will come to pass, he will use people to offend you and make you think it won't happen. At least, that's been my experience. I rebuke, rebuke, rebuke and thank god for his faithfulness. :-)
 
Bumping! This topic has been repeating itself in my life lately. I'm gravely offended by those who've betrayed and hurt me, and I'm having a hard time letting it go. I'm just learning this now ... that I have become captive to "offense".

I think back to how Jesus said "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do" for those who crucified Him to the cross. Yet, I can't bring myself to "be like Him" and forgive them.

Just started reading the Bait of Satan (as well) and then I remembered this thread and came back to look it up again. Bumping!
 
loolalooh Me too girl. The same people have hurt me over and over. Every time I forgive them, I end up hurt again. My method of moving on is to cut them off, but I know that's not the best solution. I know we're to be Christ-like and forgive our offenders infinitely many times, but I'm not perfect like Christ in that I can truly do so. I'm tired of being nice and forgiving them and then going through the pain of their betrayal over and over again. Ugh.
 
fifi134: Yes. I totally hear you, especially about cutting them off. It's getting to the point where my walls are going so far up that I'll probably cut off people before even giving them a real chance. Yep, there's got to be a better solution, but I don't know. Hopefully this book I'm reading (The Bait of Satan) will help.
 
loolalooh said:
Bumping! This topic has been repeating itself in my life lately. I'm gravely offended by those who've betrayed and hurt me, and I'm having a hard time letting it go. I'm just learning this now ... that I have become captive to "offense".

I think back to how Jesus said "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do" for those who crucified Him to the cross. Yet, I can't bring myself to "be like Him" and forgive them.

Just started reading the Bait of Satan (as well) and then I remembered this thread and came back to look it up again. Bumping!
Click to expand...
Glad you bumped this up again. This is a message that must be talked about more often because its happening all the time, to many people.

When people do things to you it hurts...and it hurts a lot. What have helped and is helping me in this area is that when it happens...I don't own it....it doesn't belong to me but to that person. So, I let them know that they have hurt me, I forgive them and keep it moving. What's that phrase I keep hearing people say:

I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT!
 
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fifi134 said:
loolalooh Me too girl. The same people have hurt me over and over. Every time I forgive them, I end up hurt again. My method of moving on is to cut them off, but I know that's not the best solution. I know we're to be Christ-like and forgive our offenders infinitely many times, but I'm not perfect like Christ in that I can truly do so. I'm tired of being nice and forgiving them and then going through the pain of their betrayal over and over again. Ugh.
Click to expand...

This is exactly where i am in my life right now. God only gave me 2 cheeks, but how many more times am i turn the other cheek to get the other slapped again. Cutting folks off is how i deal unfortunately. I know its not right, but some people you can only love from a distance because they dont change and at some point i just will not allow myself to be hurt anymore. :nono: Sigh.
 
kila82 said:
I love this.


We learned in church that offense is something you literally have to "take". Someone cannot force it on you, you have a choice to take it or not. When I started to think of it that way I just refused to "pick it up". I just let it hang in the air lol no thanks I don't need it
Click to expand...

You know I have been doing this at work and its been working. I just need to apply it to personal relationships.
 
love the post, and it came right on time. there are these two people who I have cut off because they have hurt me time and again, it's hard because they don't see what they did and talking with them brings about no change. So i don't interact with them the same way.

Recently, I have been feeling impressed to talk with them about why I am acting differently with them now. I will probably write them a letter and just let them now about why things are different and that it's not because I don't want to be their friend but because the safest place for me right now is anyway from them. sigh I haven't even thought of all what I will write yet..... but I think this is my last step until I am completely healed from the pain they caused
 
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