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TheBaitofSatan
JohnBevere

Matthew24:1013Andthenmanywillbeoffended,willbetrayoneanother,andwillhateone
another.Thenmanyfalseprophetswillriseupanddeceivemany.Andbecauselawlessnesswill
abound,theloveofmanywillgrowcold.Buthewhoendurestotheendshallbesaved.

Proverbs18:19Abrotheroffendedishardertowinthanastrongcity.

Anoffendedpersonwilleventuallybetray
Wallswerebuiltaroundancientcitiestokeeppeopleout
WallsarecalledstrongholdsintheNT(2Cor.10:5)

2Corinthians10:35Forthoughwewalkintheflesh,wedonotwaraccordingtotheflesh.4Forthe
weaponsofourwarfarearenotcarnalbutmightyinGodforpullingdownstrongholds,5castingdown
imaginations(reasoning,thoughtprocesses)andeveryhighthingthatexaltsitselfagainstthe
knowledgeofGod,bringingeverythoughtintocaptivitytotheobedienceofChrist.

imaginationsarethoughtprocesseswedevelopdeepwithinoursoulstoprotectourselves

Whatisabetrayal?

BetrayaliswhenIseekmybenefitormyprotectionattheexpenseofoneIhaveacovenant
relationshipwith.
Webuildthoughtprocessesattheexpenseofsomeonewithwhomyouhaveacovenant
relationship
Whenwekeepsomeoneout,weleaveoutJesus
Thisleadstohatred(hatredmeanstoloveless,theabsenceoflove,vacuumoflove,thevoidof)
Anoffendedpersonleadstobetrayalwhichleadstohatred
Anoffendedheartisthebreedinggroundofdeception

Jesuscallsfalseprophets:wolvesinsheepsclothing
Wolvestravelinpacks
Separatethecaribou(sheep)fromtheherd
Theyisolatepeoplefromthebody

Proverbs18:1Amanwhoisolateshimselfseekshisowndesire;Heragesagainstallwisejudgment.

Isolationhappenswithinthesoul(thoughtprocesses)
Anomia(GRKforlawlessness)youarealawuntoyourself
AlawlessthoughtiswhenyoudevelopathoughtcontrarytoScripture
Becauseoflawlessnessthelove(agape)ofmanygrowscold
manythevastmajority
Heisspeakingofthechurch
V.12lawlessnesswillabound
Wearealawuntoourselves
WedevelopalawcontrarytoGodslawoflove
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Loveeros,storge(awe),phileo,apage
Invs.12,JesususesthewordagapeselfgivingloveofGod
Jesusistalkingaboutthechurch(24:13,buthewhoendurestotheendshallbesaved)

Theonewhocanhurtyouthemostistheoneclosesttoyou
Weasbelieverssetourselvesupforoffensebecauseofourexpectations
Somesay,TheworldtreatsmebetterthanalotofChristians.
Why?becauseourexpectationsoftheworldarelower
Category1:thosewhohavebeengenuinelymistreated
Category2:thosewhothinktheyvebeenmistreated
a. Theyhaveinaccurateinformation
b. Theyhaveaccurateinformationbuttheyhavediscerneditinaccurately
(misinterpretationofevents)
Willspeakaboutno.1Thismessagedealswiththeaughtwithinus(weareoffendedandneed
tobefreed)

Doyouhavetherighttobeoffended?IfyouwanttowalkwithGodNo.

Matthew18:2135
21
ThenPetercametoHimandsaid,Lord,howoftenshallmybrothersinagainstme,andIforgivehim?
Uptoseventimes?
22
Jesussaidtohim,Idonotsaytoyou,uptoseventimes,butuptoseventytimesseven.23Therefore
thekingdomofheavenislikeacertainkingwhowantedtosettleaccountswithhisservants.24And
whenhehadbeguntosettleaccounts,onewasbroughttohimwhoowedhimtenthousandtalents.25
Butashewasnotabletopay,hismastercommandedthathebesold,withhiswifeandchildrenandall
thathehad,andthatpaymentbemade.26Theservantthereforefelldownbeforehim,saying,Master,
havepatiencewithme,andIwillpayyouall.27Thenthemasterofthatservantwasmovedwith
compassion,releasedhim,andforgavehimthedebt.
28
Butthatservantwentoutandfoundoneofhisfellowservantswhoowedhimahundreddenarii;and
helaidhandsonhimandtookhimbythethroat,saying,Paymewhatyouowe!29Sohisfellowservant
felldownathisfeetandbeggedhim,saying,Havepatiencewithme,andIwillpayyouall.30Andhe
wouldnot,butwentandthrewhimintoprisontillheshouldpaythedebt.31Sowhenhisfellowservants
sawwhathadbeendone,theywereverygrieved,andcameandtoldtheirmasterallthathadbeen
done.32Thenhismaster,afterhehadcalledhim,saidtohim,Youwickedservant!Iforgaveyouallthat
debtbecauseyoubeggedme.33Shouldyounotalsohavehadcompassiononyourfellowservant,just
asIhadpityonyou?34Andhismasterwasangry,anddeliveredhimtothetorturersuntilheshouldpay
allthatwasduetohim.
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SoMyheavenlyFatheralsowilldotoyouifeachofyou,fromhisheart,doesnotforgivehisbrother
histrespasses.

10Ktalents=7.5Billiondollars
100denarii=100dayssalary=1/3ofayearssalary
100denariiisabigoffense,butnothingincomparisonto10Ktalents
AnoffendedpersondoesntknowwhattheyvedonetoJesus
Anoffendedpersonwhocannotforgivedoesnotrealizewhathehasbeenforgivenof
Mt.18:21ourforgivenessistobelikeourheavenlyFathers(inexhaustible)
Wedeservehell,butGodchosetoforgiveus
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Acts24:16Thisbeingso,Imyselfalwaysstrive(exercise)tohaveaconsciencewithoutoffense
towardGodandmen.
takepains,strivemeansexercise(weneedtobepraying,readingtheWord)
Ifweexerciseforgiveness,nothingcantouchus(offendus)

Psalm19:165Greatpeacehavetheywhichlovethylaw:andnothingshalloffendthem.

Someoffenseswoundus
Somepeopleareweakinthespiritandwhenoffenseshitthemtheyarewounded.
Wounds,ifnotproperlyhealed,canstaywithusforlife

Matthew5:4444ButIsayuntoyou,Loveyourenemies,blessthemthatcurseyou,dogoodtothem
thathateyou,andprayforthemwhichdespitefullyuseyou,andpersecuteyou;

Inprayer,wefocusonthosewhoabuseus

Psalm35:1114Falsewitnessesdidriseup;theylaidtomychargethingsthatIknewnot.They
rewardedmeevilforgoodtothespoilingofmysoul.Butasforme,whentheyweresick,myclothing
wassackcloth:Ihumbledmysoulwithfasting;andmyprayerreturnedintomineownbosom.I
behavedmyselfasthoughhehadbeenmyfriendorbrother:Iboweddownheavily,asonethat
mournethforhismother.

fastandprayforthosewhooffendus
Oftenwehavetodowhatdoesntfeelgood
Whenweforgive,Jesushasthepurposeofreconciliation
Whatledustorepentance?ThegoodnessofGod

Matthew18:15Moreoverifthybrothershalltrespassagainstthee,goandtellhimhisfaultbetween
theeandhimalone:ifheshallhearthee,thouhastgainedthybrother.

Thisisnotanexcusetoexplainhowbadlyyouhavebeentreated.
Jesushasthepurposeofreconciliation.
Jesusforgaveusatthecross.
Jesusdidnotwaitforustoapologize.
Wearereconciledwhenweaskforforgiveness.
Anoffendedpersonwhocannotforgiveisapersonwhohasnotrealizedwhathehasbeen
forgivenof
Offenseisnotaright!
OurforgivenessistobelikeourHeavenlyFathersitisinexhaustible(70x7)
Godtookourunpayabledebtandnailedittothecross
LikeourHeavenlyFather,wearetocreateanatmosphereofgoodnessthatwillmakethe
otherwanttobereconciled

Luke17:1Thensaidheuntothedisciples,Itisimpossiblebutthatoffenseswillcome

TheloveofGodcoversamultitudeofsins
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offense(skandalon)baitstickofatrap(tocaptureandkilltheanimal)
offenseisthebaitofSatantopullyouintocaptivity

2Tim.2:26Andthattheymayrecoverthemselvesoutofthesnareofthedevil,whoaretaken
captivebyhimathiswill.

PeoplecanbeusedbytheHolySpirit,butwatersofbitternessareflowingfromthem
AnoffenseisthebaitofSatantodrawusintohisschemesofsowingbitterness
Offensedoesnotjustifysin
Whatwasdonetoyoumayhavebeenwrong,butitdoesntjustifythesinofholdingoffense.
Twowrongsnevermadearight.

ReflectiveQuestions:

1. Letsexamineourownhearts.Areweharboringoffense?
2. Canweidentifyimaginations(thoughtprocesses)withinourmindsandheartsthatareleading
usdownthepathofoffense,bitternessandisolation?
3. Theactionofanotherpushesabuttoninus.Arewewillingtofaceourbuttonsandthepain
theyrepresent?
4. Arewewillingtowalkthepathofforgivenessandreconciliation?Whatwouldthatlooklikefor
usandthepeoplewhohaveoffendedus?
5. Howdowehandlesituationswheretheremayneverberesolution/restoration(marriage,
family,church,work,team,etc)?
6. WalkingthepathofChrist(seekingforgiveness,peaceandreconciliation)maygetuskilled.Are
westillwillingtofollowthepath?
7. Inpracticalterms,whatdoesitmeantoforgive70x7(thoserepeatedoffenseswhicharemade
onadailybasis)?
8. Howdowemovefromforgivingtheothertoblessingthem?Howdoweprayforblessingwhen
wedontthinktheotherisworthyofblessing?
9. HowareourheartstransformedtobecomeliketheFathersheart(forgiving70x7,extending
grace,lovingourenemies,etc)?
10. Howdowedealwiththesystems(church,family,team,work)thatgenerateoffense?