The Mandate

THE ENEMY’S EFFORTS TO USE EACH ONE FOR HIS PURPOSE

The tactics of the adversary is to ensure that we take offence in any way he can get us to in an effort to hinder our peace within and spiritual progress before God. If he fails in separating families, then he would try to make it difficult for us at work, school, church or wherever people gather. Offence touches everyone, weather wealthy or living in poverty, you have been offended at some point in life. There is no respect of persons in doing wrong because the enemy is fierce in his endeavors in plotting to cause you to fail in your walk with God. He does it by causing you to become offended either by something someone said or did toward you. Sometimes we may be able to brush off little brash things that people say or do, or we may be so hurt that it can go on for many years and we find ourselves not speaking to the one whom we believe offended us. Persons have been known to separate from families because of what might have happened. The Bible says, “Woe to the world because of offences! For it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence comes! (Matthew 18:7)”

We can also be guilty of offending others, so offence can happen both ways and when we know we have hurt someone be quick to apologize and make it right. The enemy works in our minds to sway us toward any negativity that we are open to and fight against each other. Let us not keep records of the wrong someone else has done to us and keep replaying the old broken record. Even if they do not offer an apology, forgive them in any event. We would know we have truly forgiven and let it go when we do not feel the need to rehearse the pain again and again. It is then when we will begin to heal from the hurt. The Word says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it, flows the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23) Let us be vigilant over our own hearts! God rewards us when we press to let go of offences and walk in love. God has not forgotten you and knows exactly what you have endured. So, we do not have to wait around to see if they get what is coming to them. It is not healthy to walk in offence as it only hurts more and can lead to other conditions such as Depression or Anxiety.

Now that you walk with God, trust that He will prompt you when you have taken offence and become hurt for any reason. My experiences have been that, offences constantly come at you, as you will soon find out. You may go into a store, and somebody does or says something negative or rude to you. You go to work or to a meeting and an offence happens, even in the parking lot something may go wrong to upset your spirit and put you off course. It may not have even been intentional, or you might have had a rough day, and could have taken what another person said out of context. One does not seek to be offended, but the enemy makes sure offences are presented to you. Ask God to show you when an offence has occurred, to give you an opportunity to forgive that one in your heart and to never show any ill will toward them. Do Not take the bait!

We must depend on God for spiritual strength, to help us overcome when we have been offended. Offences are designed by the enemy to cause anger within you. He does this by putting mischief in the minds of others to carry out the offence, even possibly unknowing to them. Never seek revenge or try to repay in the manner of the wrong which was done. “Not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. (1 Peter 3:9)” For instance, if it is felt your name has been slandered, then one should not also seek to slander that person’s name, which is not godly and causes more friction. Sometimes persons do not know that they have hurt you. Or they may know and do not really care. Staying away from gossip and tale-baring is important, as the Holy Spirit is the best revealer of character. Trust Him to reveal who is the new person at work, church, the neighborhood etc. and He does not tell lies. The important thing is that if one is faking good character, they can only pretend for so long. “Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ:” (2 Corinthians 10:5) Again, don’t take the enemy’s bait!

One should notice that in each of the above situations, un-forgiveness, holding grudges, bitterness, anger, resentment, strife and contention, jealousy and envy, gossip, lying, judging, pride, adversity, panic and fear etc. are all negative states of the spirit. This means, these occur within us and cannot be seen with the physical eye. It also reveals that the enemy does his best, to fill our spirit with the negative, to weaken, intimidate, cause insecurity and to keep us from fulfilling the purpose God sent us to the earth to fulfill. One can become so preoccupied trying to get over what they believe has been done personally toward them that they discontinue seeking spiritual growth or moving forward in life. Many become stunted in general and like the old dog – always chasing after its tail, going nowhere.

Understand that Satan is a liar, and the father of lies. Do you want a liar speaking into your spirit, controlling your mind (John 8:44)?