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July 4, 2023
Don’t Take the Bait
Beloved child, have you ever been offended? I do not believe there is a human being on the earth who hasn’t been offended at some point in life. Let me ask you, have you ever taken on the offense of someone else? Perhaps, someone, you love? I have been both offended and taken on the offense of someone else, especially when they are being mistreated which doesn’t make it right. I have discovered in my walk with God that offense is a trap, the bait of Satan to trap or block you from your destiny and purpose. You can be offended, or you can choose to fill yourself up with the Word and reject the offense. It’s your choice.
The biggest key element that the offense does is break up unity. It loves to conquer and divide. We see this in the Word, (A brother offended (pasha) is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle. (Proverbs 18:19) Contention stirs up strife. (Proverbs 15:18) When you get offended you want to let someone know how wrong the person was. You get upset and must tell somebody. Jesus said that He came not to bring peace (Matthew 10:34-35) but that the gospel will bring division. Why? Because the world is offended by it, and we are not of this world. (John 15:19)
The Word says, ‘Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; as the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. (Psalm 133) The power of unity is likened to the anointing, and it touches not only the head but leaders and reaches down to every single member of a church. There is unity in the Godhead. The Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit are in complete unity with each other, though the three be as one. (1. John 5:7, Acts 5:3-4)
“I’m right and you are wrong…” How many times have we felt that way? That is not the offense but it’s what you do with that can become offense. It’s what the Greek word for offense implies ‘skandalon’ is originally referred to as the ‘bait in a trap’, a stumbling block,’ it is the method that sets off a trap. Have you ever put cheese in a mouse trap, the cheese is the bait! The spirit of offense is a form of self-righteousness. When something happens or is said it is like bait for a trap. Will you engage and be trapped by offense, or will you not take the bait and move on? A lot of times we don’t realize we are being set up for offense. It’s hidden behind our pride and self-righteousness.
The Pharisees and Sadducees of Jesus’s day were extremely self-righteous, and they were offended by Jesus left and right. (Matthew 15:12) It is said that self-righteousness to God is the equivalent of filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6) No, not a dirty dish rag or something you clean the toilet with. It’s referring to a menstrual rag! Kind of gross but it’s eye-opening at the same time. Your blood doesn’t cleanse, only Jesus does. I feel so strongly as I am writing this, there are women whose husbands have hurt them and they are offended, and vice versa. I encourage you to deal with it and forgive your spouse. Don’t allow an offense to come between you. It is the bait of Satan used to cause issues in your relationship. Be on guard and recognize that offense is the bait of Satan to trip you up. Tomorrow I will share, how you can dismantle offense and close with a prayer of repentance if you have taken the bait. It’s Independence Day and God wants you to be free!
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