INTRODUCTION:
Life is an offence-full place, no matter how good you are, as long as you still exist on earth, offence is a must. You may be an offense free person (not offending anyone) but that does not exempt you from being offended by someone. There is no offence free world on earth, even God the creator of all still get offended by men. “And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart” Gen 6:6
Since there is no offence free world and we need to live our life to the best ordained by God full of peace, there is a need for us to understand how to deal with and handle offences in life. Therefore, this teaching is divinely inspired to position us as believers towards living beyond the offences in an offence full world. May the Holy Spirit open our eyes of understanding and release grace upon us to walk with him in Jesus name.
WHAT IS AN OFFENCE?
The word offence/offense is many-sided in definition; however for the purpose of this teaching in relation to handling offences between brethren, the following defines offence(s):
a. An offence is any act that brings annoyance, displeasure, or resentment
b. A lack of politeness; a failure to show regard for others; wounding the feelings of others
c. The state of being insulted or morally outraged Matthew 13:54-58
7 REVELATIONAL TRUTHS ABOUT OFFENCES & YOU
Insight into scriptural revelations reveals the following about offences and the believers.
1. Every offence(s) not properly handled will give room for enmity and many times open doors for the devil. Offences are door openers for enmity. Saul was offended because of the way people hailed David and from that day the sought to kill him. 1 Sam 18:6-16, 29. Abraham discovered how to handle offences and refused to be offended at Lot. Gen 13:7-16, Gen 14:12-16.
2. Offences close the heavens upon the offended when not properly handled. When you are offended and you refuse to release, you are positioning yourself for a closed heaven. Offences are wrong, so also refusing to release the offender is not right. Matthew 5:23-26
3. There is always a price to pay for every offence when not properly handled. Luke 17:1-2
4. Prolonged offences when due birth bitterness and bitterness when not curbed leads to wickedness. Bitterness is rooted in offences; you cannot be bitter and expect to be better. Bitterness strengthens sickness. Heb 12:15, James 3:14
5. Your ability to properly handle offences is a test of spiritual growth and maturity. If you are easily offended at all times and at everything, it is a sign that you are not growing as a Christian. If as a believer you find it difficult to let go offences, you might likely not make it to heaven. Matt 6:14, 2 Cor 2:10-11, 1 Peter 3:9, Matthew 18:21-35, Gal 5:19-21
6. Increase in offences together with all forms of trouble is part of the signs of the end time. Matt. 24:3-10
7. Most times offences manifest through three channels :
(a) Words: What you hear, what you say and how you say it. James 3:2
(b) Thoughts: What you think, what you think others think about you, what people think about you
(c) Actions: What you do, what you refuse to do, what others do against you or what they don’t do that they should do.
HOW TO HANDLE OFFENCES
Offences come and they go, however it has been discovered that many times the fruits of offences last beyond the offence itself. Therefore, we need to understand how to deal with offences even before they occur so as to position ourselves to always get the best out of it, the following are some of the insightful revelations that can help handle offences.
1. Understand and agree within yourself that offences are part of life’s process and it is a test of maturity for believers. Ephesians 4:1-3, 14-16, 29-32
2. Make a resolute decision not to hold on to offences by settling and forgiving easily. If you are not willingly to let go offences, you are not ready to walk with God and enjoy the best of God. The bible is explicit on how to resolve issues of offences. Matthew 18:15-18 (1. Go and tell him privately 2. Take with you and go to or more people 3. Tell it to the Church 4. If still adamant then treat him/her as someone to be avoided.) Romans 16:17. This opens up the heavens on your speedy results. The Key here is pursuing peace with brethrens. Hebrews 12:14, Ephesians 4:31-32
3. Always feed your mind with your word of God. Offences many times tampers with our mind and emotion, it takes feeding our mind with the word of God to develop God’s kind of mind , the word of God is a major instrument in building up our spirit to handle offences properly. Psalm 119:165
4. Advance your love level daily both for God and for man. Until you grow in love, you may not grow in handling offences. Love covers multitudes of sin. Genuine love for God and for man is what makes it easy to walk in forgiveness. 1 John 2:10, 1 Cor 13:5, 1 Peter 4:8
5. Consistently ask for Grace. It takes grace to run the race of life, no man depending on the arm of the flesh can walk through life and not nurse offences. The grace of God empowers us as believers to properly handle offences.
CONCLUSION
It is not enough to understand that life is full offences and discover what offences do, the best that we can do for ourselves as children of God is to be like our father in heaven who forgave us our sins and reconciled us to himself. No matter how hard you decide to hold on to offences it does not do you any good. Are there people around you that has offended you, are there people you have offended, either you are right or wrong if your whole purpose of serving God is to spend eternity with him, then you MUST forgive them and release them. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” Matthew 7:21
