This Sunday I'll be teaching from Colossians 2:2 where the Apostle Paul points to the preeminent characteristic of the church of Jesus Christ...namely, love for one another. As we explore that “characteristic” we will find out that AGAPE love is grounded in humility and not allowing Satan to destroy love by being offended. God inspired Paul to tell us “love is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered...endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:5,8).

I came across an insightful book entitled “The Bait of Satan…Living Free from the Deadly Trap of Offence.” The author, John Bevere writes:

“As I travel across the United States ministering, I have been able to observe one of the the enemy's most deadly and deceptive traps. It imprisons countless Christians, severs relationships, and widens the existing breaches between us. It is the trap of offense.”

In his book, Bevere makes the point that when we are offended (real or imagined) our natural inclination is to defend or excuse our self-protecting reaction often accompanied by resentfulness, hatred, retribution, demand for justice, or withdrawal. In other words we naturally dwell on how we've been mistreated, maligned, attacked. Bevere points out that being offended is an opportunity for the supernatural…it's about demonstrating the love of Christ overcoming seemingly impossible, natural, human reactions.

In My Utmost for His Highest, Chambers reminds us -

A true servant of Jesus Christ is one who is willing to experience offence for the reality of the gospel of God. When a person is confronted with contempt, immorality, disloyalty, or dishonesty, he is so repulsed by the offense that he turns away and in despair closes his heart to the offender. But the miracle of the redemptive reality of God is that the worst and the vilest offender can never exhaust the depths of His love. Paul did not say that God separated him to show what a wonderful man He could make of him, but “to reveal His Son in me…” (Galatians 1:16).

One of the things I like about Bevere's book is at the end of each chapter he has what he calls “declarations”…that is, insights for our prayer life that would keep us from the “trap of offense.” Three of these “insights” are my prayer for you and me this day:

    • “Holy Spirit, flow into my life with Your power, and eradicate every fiber of selfishness that would try to snare me and cause me to love myself more than I love You and others.”

    • “I will use this period of spiritual training in my life to focus on the greatness of my God instead of the impossibility of my circumstances.”

    • “When I am treated unjustly by others, I refuse to become offended and thereby fulfill Satan's purpose to move me out of God's will.”

Walk with the King today and be a blessing.