Your Response Determines Your Future

‘Your Response Determines Your Future”

I. Introduction

A. Your response determines your future:

1. Deception is not knowing while thinking you know.

2. Holy Spirit will reveal, that which is hidden.

3. Unknowingly you will look at “offense opportunities” through

the glasses that you put on,

a. Love walk

b. Self walk; (flesh)

B. Your response must be determined prior to “offense opp”

1. Through knowledge, by being taught how to respond

2. Through prayer, by being strengthened prior to the ‘off opp’

C. Disciples response to command to not be offended but to forgive.

^”lord increase our faith”^

1. Did not consider an increase in faith needed to do miracles!

2. Considered it necessary to operate in forgiveness.

D. The promise of ‘offense opportunities’ are direct and plentiful

1. Lk. 17:1) “it is impossible that no offense should come..”

a. forgiveness and non-offense = forgiveness &ministry b. unforgiveness (by us) = Unforgiveness from God (sow and

reap principle)

E. Offenses come from those closest to us.:

Ps. 55:12-14)

1. those we attend church with

2. those we confide in; grow up with; sleep next to.

3. the one delivering the sermon

^The higher the expectations the more severe the offense.^

F. Balaam put a [stumbling block] in the path of Israel” (Rev. 2:14)

- [stumbling block] = [Trapstick]= [skandalon]

- [offend] = [skandalon]= [Trigger of the trap]

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G. The Lord wants to refine us as GOLD

1. Offense opps’ will allow the impurities {slag} to rise to the

surface during the heating process.

^how many can testify that during the heating process you had some slag problems?^

2. Where there are no trials (firery) there is no refining! -{ in good times anyone can look like a saint}

3. Where there are not tests there is no test-a-mony!

H. Two groups of offended people

1. Genuinely mistreated and response was wrong.

2. Not mistreated but misunderstood the circumstances.

^Does not matter which group you find yourself in -

-YOUR RESPONSE DETERMINES YOU FUTURE.^

I. Joseph - example of one genuinely mistreated

1. Gen. 45:5)*r

2. Gen. 50:20)*r

^His response determined his future - pit or palace^

-had he become resentful/vengeful he would have had to have

remained in pit, because He would have destroyed the heads of the

tribes of Israel and ruined the plan of God.

J. David - example of one genuinely mistreated.

K. Samuel - example of one who given a great opp to become offended.

Conclusion of Introduction

ICor. 10:13 - with the temptation will come a way of escape.

II. ESCAPING THE TRAP

“And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men.” -Acts 24:16

A. IT TAKES EFFORT

1. Paul likens it to excercise -

a. takes a commitment before it will happen

b. it has to be done by the person it will benefit

ill. Man climbing a wall and tears muscle. “if you had been in shape it wouldn’t have happened. Now must re-habilitate. *-r

B. THERE ARE STEPS YOU CAN TAKE

1. Realize there is a problem - Allow Holy Spirit to show you the real problem. (perceived or real)

2. Commit to solving the problem (your response determines future)

a. Commit in prayer to forgive as you’ve been forgiven

b. Commit to restoration not revenge.

3. What about relapses? Reoccuring thoughts of hurt or revenge?

a. 2Cor. 10:5 - cast them down

b. Ask the Lord how to keep these thoughts from drawing

you back into unforgiveness.

c. Continue until you can pray for that person like David

did in Psalm. 35:13-14

^You may have to start out monotone (by faith) but you don’t have to continue that way forever!^

trans

sent When you can pray for the person who offended you as passionately as you pray for God to forgive you........You may take the next step to reconciliation.

C. There is Healing in Confrontation.

1. Go to (bro. or sis) The bible says for you to go if you have offended or if you have been offended. (isn’t that great?)

2. You can be reconciled now because you are not there to reek

revenge.

ill. NOT THE WAY to do it: Bro._______________I came today to forgive you because I know that you didn’t mean to destroy my self esteem when you said what you did. I’ve worked through it and now I have forgiven you. Will you forgive me for m unforgiveness?

NOW HE HAS TO START ON STEP ONE !!!!!

THE WAY: Bro. _____________I am here today because in the past months

I have been working through some things and the things I have