Spirit of Offense

If you want to catch a mouse in your home you will setup a mouse trap where you see mice droppings … and when the mouse feels safe enough hopefully it will take the bait. Mice carries diseases so it always comes down to getting rid of the mouse A.S.A.P to avoid health problems.

Everybody, every single person who has ever lived on earth, has been offended. Not once, but many times. In some cases, many, many times. Offense can lead to bitterness and hatred … and in some cases murder. Offense is serious business! Like the mouse running around in your house we can become trapped by the bait that was intentionally set up to trap us when we felt safe enough to make contact.

Like a mouse living in your home … a spirit of offense brings health problems and it happens when someone says something to us in the most harsh manner leaving a stinging effect crippling all your emotions. Emotions pent up gives rise to anger which when internalized leads to insomnia, and insomnia drives you into overthinking creating panic attacks. In other words offense needs to be redirected once the blaring sirens go off in your heads.

We ought to be very wise with those who cause arguments and intentionally hurt innocent people’s feelings. Stay away from them. Someone said, “Maturity is learning to walk away from people and situations that threaten your peace of mind, self-respect, values, morals and self worth.” Anything that steals your peace needs to be caught immediately to protect your health and that of your family.

A good relationship with God doesn’t ensure that offenses will be easy to deal with, BUT the Bible says in Psalms 119:165 — “Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing shall offend them.” In other words, your peace comes from mediating on the Word …. and not regurgitating the attacks. It’s allowing the Word to purify and clean up your thoughts.

So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man. Acts 24:16 NIV

The start of an argument is like a small leak in a dam. Stop it before a big fight breaks out.
Proverbs 17:14 ERV

Offenses will come, just as Jesus said. They will come from the most unlikely people to those who simply are confrontational … making you become bitter or wanting to get even. Your character is your most valuable possession at this point… so choose to walk away with your integrity intact. Anger leads to sin (when you KNOW something is wrong but you do it anyway).

Don’t be lured by the baits of offense. It’s a booby trap waiting to destroy your worth and your value. According to the dictionary — A booby trap is a device or setup that is intended to kill, harm, or surprise a person or animal. It is triggered by the presence or actions of the victim and sometimes has some form of bait designed to lure the victim towards it.

Slam the doors of the booby trap tight before a big fight breaks out. Strive to keep your conscience clear before God and man. Great peace have they who know their God and nothing shall offend them.

There will be temptations to fight back, but remember that all of us will offend others from time to time, even unintentionally. So with the same measure of forgiveness move right along. Let it go! Your health and peace of mind are worth it.