The Trap That Kills Fellowship

[SPEAKER_01]: Ephesians chapter 4 verses 1 through 3 it says this says therefore I the prisoner for the Lord this is Paul talking urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received with all humility everybody say humility with all gentleness say gentleness with all patience say patience accepting one another in love everybody say love

Ephesians 4:1–3

[SPEAKER_01]: diligently keeping the unity of the Spirit with the peace that binds us.

[SPEAKER_01]: Hallelujah, diligently keeping the unity of the Spirit with the peace that binds us.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, that scripture goes to tell me that you can be in disunity with what the Spirit of God is wanting to do.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you can easily be in disunity with what the Spirit of God wants to do when you are not walking in humility, gentleness, patience and love.

[SPEAKER_01]: And can I tell you all four of those things have to do with how we handle our relationships and how we handle people.

[SPEAKER_01]: If we can't be humble, forget it.

[SPEAKER_01]: If we can't be gentle with one another, forget it.

[SPEAKER_01]: If we can't have patience, hello, hello, patience, then forget it.

[SPEAKER_01]: If we cannot simply love one another, forget it.

[SPEAKER_01]: So the title of today's message, if you're taking notes, is the trap that kills fellowship.

[SPEAKER_01]: Father, we thank you, Lord, for your word today.

[SPEAKER_01]: We thank you, Lord, for teaching us something new.

[SPEAKER_01]: We thank you, Lord, for setting us free.

[SPEAKER_01]: We thank you, Father, God, for what you have already begun in this house today.

[SPEAKER_01]: But, Lord, what you are going to continue to do.

[SPEAKER_01]: We thank you, Father, God, for that it is spirit of offense that has walked into this room today.

[SPEAKER_01]: or is watching online today.

[SPEAKER_01]: I thank you.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's super naturally.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's being broken.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's being destroyed in Jesus' name.

[SPEAKER_01]: Even if we don't even know that we are offended or somebody has offended us or we are walking and living in offense, I thank you, Lord God right now in Jesus name that by your spirit, a Lord, that you would touch us, super naturally, God.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's, that's,

[SPEAKER_01]: Spiritually speaking God, that our spirits would come alive again, God.

[SPEAKER_01]: When this thing is eliminated and eradicated out of our lives, once and for all, so Lord, we present ourselves to you, humbly Lord, as a living sacrifice Lord.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we say, God, we surrender all of who we are to all of who you are today.

[SPEAKER_01]: And if that means you've got to pull some stuff and some crap out of us that needs to be pulled out by all means Lord, we give you permission and we give you authority to do so right now, God.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we thank you that you are setting the captive free today in the mighty name of Jesus, somebody shout amen.

[SPEAKER_01]: Amen.

[SPEAKER_01]: Hallelujah, amen.

[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you, Lord.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I know that the devil did not, you did not like this today.

[SPEAKER_01]: I texted Zach last night and I said, Zach, I'm preaching a stern message tomorrow.

[SPEAKER_01]: I want to make sure that I'm destruction free before I take the mic.

[SPEAKER_01]: I need to be destruction free because this is not messages like this or not.

[SPEAKER_01]: The easiest message for a pastor to preach, but they're necessary.

[SPEAKER_01]: But also, there is always something like this.

[SPEAKER_01]: There is always retaliation from the enemy when he's aware of the victory that we're about to walk into.

[SPEAKER_01]: Not to give him credit to it, but he understands, and he knows.

[SPEAKER_01]: So he's going to try to do anything he can to put a stop to it.

[SPEAKER_01]: Come on, somebody.

[SPEAKER_01]: And if a few weeks ago, we were, what do we

[SPEAKER_01]: We were having our ordination service, that amazing service that we had, and God, man, it was so good.

[SPEAKER_01]: And Pastor St. was in town for it.

[SPEAKER_01]: And all these amazing things, and our friends, Seth, McConke came and led worship for it and all these guest pastors were here.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, it's all these amazing things we're happening, and that day, that day of the ordination service, my tire blew out, and I texted the, I texted the leaders and I told them, hey, you know, tire blew out, be praying, and Josh, Pastor Josh, where's your bleeder response?

[SPEAKER_01]: And he says, my tire just blew out.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we were dealing with tires blowing out and then all kinds of weird things were happening and we're like, man, the devil is just not wanting us to have this and he's trying to stop this thing, but we're not gonna allow it.

[SPEAKER_01]: Um, you know, so I did what I needed to do and got it fixed and all that kind of stuff.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I prepared this message and, um, I just, and I still feel, I just feel like a rumbling in the spirit.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm telling you like, I could feel it like God's about to do something supernatural in this room.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I woke up feeling that way this morning and it was almost like the, the spirit of God almost told me to just be quiet all morning, like don't say too much, just don't talk too much.

[SPEAKER_01]: allow him to be the loudest voice as possible, until I needed to go into the class and teach today.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I tried as best as I could to be as quiet as possible, even as I was getting ready this morning.

[SPEAKER_01]: And Melissa said, these shoes look good with what I'm wearing.

[SPEAKER_01]: She's like, no, I need, like, a yes or no, like, do they look good?

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, you know, but I'm trying, I'm trying to help, but I'm also trying not to talk too much and all that way.

[SPEAKER_01]: Anyways, we pack up everything and we go out to the garage to load up the car and that same tire is flat as flat gets in my garage and I thought, you got to be kidding me.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I said, I told Melissa, we got in her car.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I said, I'm just telling you, I'm not surprised by this dirty rotten flat tire again.

[SPEAKER_01]: Because I know that the enemy is not happy with what I'm going to preach about today.

[SPEAKER_01]: And she didn't know up to that point.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I told her what I was going to preach about.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we got here this morning, and I want you to hear all this because I want you to understand, I'm not complaining what I'm doing is I'm trying to show you that there has been some retaliation for what I'm about to share with you.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it's just a little silly dumb stuff that this morning.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, we went to unlock the door to come in and couldn't get the key thing was like stuck, the key was stuck in the thing.

[SPEAKER_01]: We couldn't pull it out.

[SPEAKER_01]: Melissa was like trying to pull it out for forever and then I was like I'll I'll take a whack at it and I was pulling on it and pulling on it forever and we couldn't get the key out the door of the front door And we're like, man, this is frustrating, you know, and and finally Melissa's like, let me keep working on it You got stuff you got to do go and get it done.

[SPEAKER_01]: I said okay

[SPEAKER_01]: And she kept working on it, and she was like, and I'm telling you, like, five plus minutes, you stay in there trying to pull this key out and wiggle it out.

[SPEAKER_01]: Finally, I said, just leave that stupid thing in there.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, who cares?

[SPEAKER_01]: And so when Zach got here, I says, Zach, please, please figure out a way to get that key out of there.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it took him a little bit, but he got it out.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we're sitting here and we're trying to get everything prepared.

[SPEAKER_01]: And all of a sudden, the smoke alarm starts going off like the stupid thing.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm like, are you kidding me?

[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm like, but I'm well aware of the fact that there's a real enemy out there that's trying to distract and hinder and put a stop against what the Spirit of God is trying to do this morning.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so I was like, heck no, in Jesus name, not allowing all this.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so we got everything worked out and it worked out well.

[SPEAKER_01]: We were able to move forward, and so I feel something in my spirit today, and I know this is not an easy message to hear, and I know that this can, you can choose to make a decision this morning to let this go in one ear and out the other.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you have a right to do that, I guess, on your own, but I'm telling you today, to heed to this message from the Lord today, and to receive it, come on, so that we can walk in freedom and Jesus Christ this morning amen.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so I want to begin this morning by telling you that if we're going to have victory in our lives, and if we're going to operate in a true spirit of fellowship like we've been talking about, we must not allow offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: We must not allow offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: Have you ever felt like you and God were really good and you were on the same page, but somehow some way you and other people around you were not

[SPEAKER_01]: Like, you and God were good.

[SPEAKER_01]: I am going to show up the church on Sunday.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to lift my hands.

[SPEAKER_01]: Things are going to be great.

[SPEAKER_01]: Me and God are good, but somehow right now, my marriage is just somehow right now my relationship with this person or this relationship with that person is kind of all out of whack.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now, this is not uncommon.

[SPEAKER_01]: However, living in that is not acceptable to the Lord.

[SPEAKER_01]: Nor should it be acceptable of any kind of way of living for any believer.

[SPEAKER_01]: You cannot tell me that you love the Lord your God with all your heart, but yet you despise people of God.

[SPEAKER_01]: You cannot say you love the Lord your God with all your heart and your worship Him, but yet you can't stand certain individuals in this very room.

[SPEAKER_01]: And let me say kindly and boldly to you this morning that there is no room for that in the kingdom of God.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it shouldn't have been a lot stronger of an amen than that.

[SPEAKER_01]: But there is no room for that kind of stuff.

[SPEAKER_01]: Come on, in the kingdom of God.

[SPEAKER_01]: It may I add to it.

[SPEAKER_01]: There is no room for that at church of the city.

[SPEAKER_01]: Come on, somebody.

[SPEAKER_01]: Remember from week one of the series that I taught you that God didn't just come to make things right vertically, but he also came to make things right horizontally.

[SPEAKER_01]: He came to reconcile us back onto Jesus, come on, but he also came to reconcile us to one another.

[SPEAKER_01]: And he came so that we can live in right relationships with one another.

[SPEAKER_01]: That doesn't mean we have to be in relationship with everybody.

[SPEAKER_01]: But he wants to fix the relationships that we're supposed to be in.

[SPEAKER_01]: The people that he has linked us with, the people that he has put us together with for a specific reason in a purpose.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it wouldn't be just like the enemy to try to come in and put a wedge in those relationships.

[SPEAKER_01]: Some of you are already like, I don't like where this is going.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know if I won't, I already wasn't sure about coming today, but now I'm really not happy.

[SPEAKER_01]: You better let the spirit of God begin to work on you right now.

[SPEAKER_01]: but you cannot have Jesus in your heart and hate for somebody in your heart at the same time.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, those things cannot coexist together.

[SPEAKER_01]: You can't have a love for God in a hate for people in the same heart.

[SPEAKER_01]: One or the other has to take residence, but both can't be there.

[SPEAKER_01]: So you either have to choose to love God in his people or you can stay in a place of total offense and allow hatred to overwhelm and overtake your heart and live there and be there and be okay with that.

[SPEAKER_01]: But just as Joshua would say as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord, can I just tell you this today?

[SPEAKER_01]: As for me in this house, we will not live in offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: Come on, somebody.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_01]: So we have to make a decision today.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a men of God as women of God that we're gonna make a choice of, which position we're gonna be in.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I believe in Jesus' name that there is so much freedom here this morning,

[SPEAKER_01]: And that there will be a spirit of repentance here that's going to hit this room and any kind of strife, any hatred, any bitterness, any jealousy, any offense that is in your heart is going to be stripped right out of you.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's going to be pulled right out of you.

[SPEAKER_01]: Well, pastor, I don't have any of that.

[SPEAKER_01]: Oftentimes, the people that say they don't are the very ones that do.

[SPEAKER_01]: Come on, the grace of God, I'm grateful for the grace of God that says I don't have to live bound and I'm grateful for the grace of God that says even though somebody may have tried to offend me or offense may have tried to come my way I don't have to live an offended life.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't have to allow the spirit of offense to be prevalent in my life because of the grace of God that covers me, because of the grace that I walk in, come on somebody.

[SPEAKER_01]: So God not only sent Jesus to reconcile us back to the Father, but He also sent Jesus to help reconcile us back into true, genuine, godly relationships with one another.

[SPEAKER_01]: And hear me this morning, nothing is worse than knowing you're saved, but at the same

[SPEAKER_01]: You've all felt that before.

[SPEAKER_01]: Maybe you're feeling it now in your life where you're saved and you love Jesus, but there's this tension with relationships.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you often ask yourself, how can I love God the way I do and have such a great relationship with Him but yet my relationships here on the earth are gonna complete utter chaos and shattered and broken and miserable.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you and I have got to understand

[SPEAKER_01]: We are not ever going to have victory in the place of disunity, but we will always have victory in the place of unity with one another and unity with the Father.

[SPEAKER_01]: And division and disunity have never been the will of God.

[SPEAKER_01]: Division and disunity have never been the will of God for your life.

[SPEAKER_01]: It is only the devil.

[SPEAKER_01]: that would provoke and encourage any kind of division and disunity.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now, I want to read Luke chapter 17, verse 1 through 4, because this is really the core scripture that I want to really talk about today.

Luke 17:1–4

[SPEAKER_01]: Ephesians 4 is great, but let's look at Luke 17, 1 through 4.

[SPEAKER_01]: It says this, he said to his disciples,

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know we don't like to hear that, but they're going to come.

[SPEAKER_01]: But whoa to the one they come through.

[SPEAKER_01]: It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea rather than him to cause one of these little ones to stumble.

[SPEAKER_01]: be on guard.

[SPEAKER_01]: If your brother sins review him and if he repents for give him, and if he sins against you seven times in a day and comes back to you seven times saying, I repent, you must forgive him.

[SPEAKER_01]: The problem is is that when one person says something to us or against us or offends us or hurts us, we immediately want to

[SPEAKER_01]: put a block up and put a stop up and no longer want to be in relationship with that person anymore.

[SPEAKER_01]: Well, they hurt me.

[SPEAKER_01]: They said this about me.

[SPEAKER_01]: They did that about me.

[SPEAKER_01]: They talked behind my back.

[SPEAKER_01]: They betrayed me.

[SPEAKER_01]: They did this.

[SPEAKER_01]: They did that.

[SPEAKER_01]: And the Bible says, even if they do it seven times in a day, you still forgive them.

[SPEAKER_01]: See, some of us, it only took one offense and we completely severed and lost that relationship.

[SPEAKER_01]: And Jesus is trying to help us here and He's trying to say, offense is will come, but it's how you handle the offense that's going to determine the outcome of that relationship, but also what God wants to do in your life.

[SPEAKER_01]: You cannot be in one accord with the Father and say you're giving Him everything, but yeah, you carry offense for somebody in your heart.

[SPEAKER_01]: God wants to do something in your life, but yet you're holding on to this offense because well, they said this about me.

[SPEAKER_01]: And they did that to me.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you don't even know the things that they said and the things that they did.

[SPEAKER_01]: Listen, we don't need to know, I don't need to know.

[SPEAKER_01]: God already knows and he says, just don't let the offense overwhelm you and overtake you.

[SPEAKER_01]: But forgive.

[SPEAKER_01]: We've all heard that before and if we're given, we walk in forgiveness, hopefully come on, and we live in forgiveness.

[SPEAKER_01]: But it's that spirit of offense that wants to attach itself to you.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it's that spirit of offense that we've got to be so careful of.

[SPEAKER_01]: Because oftentimes we don't even know we're offended.

[SPEAKER_01]: Oftentimes we can't even see that we're offended.

[SPEAKER_01]: A spirit of offense, many times more than not, kind of lays dormant in our hearts.

[SPEAKER_01]: Kind of takes the back seat or hides in the back room of the building.

[SPEAKER_01]: A spirit of offense will come in kind of almost unaware and creep in and will try to make residents in our lives and make residents in our hearts.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so many times, we don't even know that we have been offended.

[SPEAKER_01]: by something that has happened or something that has been said.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then we find ourselves in a constant battle.

[SPEAKER_01]: for victory in our lives in certain areas, standing in a place of like, God, I'm believing for this, I'm believing for that.

[SPEAKER_01]: But yet, we don't want to open up that back door to let that offense out.

[SPEAKER_01]: We'd rather hold on to the things that those people did that hurt us, that cut deep.

[SPEAKER_01]: The things that people said, we'd rather keep that back there, kind of like as a backup, if you will.

[SPEAKER_01]: Like if anything were to happen again, if they were to say anything again, if I were to encounter them again, then that thing I remember what they did.

[SPEAKER_01]: No.

[SPEAKER_01]: Because what Jesus says is that, hey, you have sinned.

[SPEAKER_01]: But you know what?

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to take that sin and I'm going to throw it into the sea of forgetfulness.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I don't remember it anymore.

[SPEAKER_01]: But yet, we hold on to those things.

[SPEAKER_01]: One and another has sinned against us.

[SPEAKER_01]: and act like Jesus, and respond like Jesus, if we're trying to become more like Him, then that means when the offense comes, we have got to put a stop to it, and we cannot allow it to take residence in our hearts.

[SPEAKER_01]: Because it's the enemy that loves, loves, loves, to get you all uptight in offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: Because offense will then begin to spring up bitterness and anger and resentment and unforgiveness and all of a sudden the people that we thought we love are the people that we despise.

[SPEAKER_01]: The people that we thought we were in relationship with that we loved with them forever and we connected with them forever are the very ones that we hate and we're angry at them and we're bitter about what they've done.

[SPEAKER_01]: And the Lord would say to us, if we're going to be in a true spirit of fellowship, we've got to eliminate all that offense, and we cannot allow it to take place in our lives.

[SPEAKER_01]: Well, Pastor, you don't understand my situation.

[SPEAKER_01]: You don't understand how bad my situation was.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I don't know what it was.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know what they did.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know what they said.

[SPEAKER_01]: to the littlest of words that we're spoken over you, it's all the same.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we have got to protect ourselves from offense that tries to come into our lives.

[SPEAKER_01]: So there's two things that I wanna give you today.

[SPEAKER_01]: There's two truths of offense that I wanna teach you.

[SPEAKER_01]: The first one is this, I'll give you time to write it down.

[SPEAKER_01]: Offence will come, but you don't have to accept it.

[SPEAKER_01]: Offence will come, but you don't have to accept it.

[SPEAKER_01]: We just read the scripture.

[SPEAKER_01]: Jesus said, offense is going to come at you.

[SPEAKER_01]: He doesn't protect us from offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: No, but he cannot make the choice for us whether we accept it or to, it's on us, a hundred percent.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so if it's on us, that means we can make the choice whether or not it becomes a part of who we are.

[SPEAKER_01]: What's I think, the original.

[SPEAKER_01]: I, in my head, if something, whatever it may be, it's almost like you got to make a decision immediately that you're not going to accept it because if you don't, it's like all of a sudden it gets in there and then you begin to think about it.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it begins to grow and to develop into something

[SPEAKER_01]: It never even was intended to be, you know?

[SPEAKER_01]: But the enemy will take that and he'll water it and he'll put more stuff in it and all of a sudden, it will be this one little statement that somebody made to you or against you that will turn into this whole giant thing that they didn't make, we made out of it.

[SPEAKER_01]: And that's how offense works.

[SPEAKER_01]: or somebody looking at you the wrong way.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you're like, oh God, they must hate me now.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, like, and we blow these things up into something that's so much bigger.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now, I'm gonna say something that you're gonna wanna review, but it's the truth, so are you ready?

[SPEAKER_01]: You will get offended.

[SPEAKER_01]: I knew somebody would do it.

[SPEAKER_01]: I expected it from Eric, but it came from you.

[SPEAKER_01]: All right.

[SPEAKER_01]: You will get offended.

[SPEAKER_01]: No way to second.

[SPEAKER_01]: Pastor, why would you tell me that?

[SPEAKER_01]: Now I'm offended that you told me that.

[SPEAKER_01]: No, you will get offended.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'll pastor not me, I'm a prayer warrior, I'm a worshiper, I serve at church.

[SPEAKER_01]: No, if you are a believer in Jesus, you better know that the spirit of offense will be knocking at your door.

[SPEAKER_01]: And let's get real for a minute.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't care if you speak in tongues.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't care if you're the most spiritually whatever in the room.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't care if you've memorized 300 scriptures.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you know what, I don't know that matters.

[SPEAKER_01]: Offence, according to Luke, will come at you.

[SPEAKER_01]: But it's choosing to accept the offense that makes all the difference.

[SPEAKER_01]: It will come at you, but it's our choice

[SPEAKER_01]: So hear me church, offense may come at you, but offense doesn't have to have you.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, yeah, right that down.

[SPEAKER_01]: offense may come at me, but offense doesn't have to have me.

[SPEAKER_01]: It doesn't have to have me.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't have to allow it in my lives.

[SPEAKER_01]: I can come against it.

[SPEAKER_01]: I can stand against it.

[SPEAKER_01]: I can put a stop to it.

[SPEAKER_01]: I can put a guard up.

[SPEAKER_01]: I can pray against it.

[SPEAKER_01]: I can be in a place where I'm so free and I understand who I am in Christ Jesus and my identity with him and that nothing that said against me can put a stop to what I know and who I know I am in Christ Jesus.

[SPEAKER_01]: Amen.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you say, well, you mean that someone can say something hurtful to me, and it doesn't have to be taken to heart?

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, wow.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_01]: I hear people say that a lot of time.

[SPEAKER_01]: Well, someone said, oh, oh, man, it just really hurt my heart.

[SPEAKER_01]: It just really just hit my heart.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's like, really?

[SPEAKER_01]: You will loud it in your heart.

[SPEAKER_01]: God didn't allow it in your heart.

[SPEAKER_01]: You allowed it in your heart.

[SPEAKER_01]: And if you didn't know, I've got breaking news for you today.

[SPEAKER_01]: It is possible for you to live an off-rance free life.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's possible.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's possible for you to live an off-rance free life.

[SPEAKER_01]: You don't have to live a life of offense all the time.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm always offended by what somebody says to me and somebody's always offended by what I say.

[SPEAKER_01]: I say something nice, but yet they still get offended.

[SPEAKER_01]: It makes no sense.

[SPEAKER_01]: But you can live an offense free life.

[SPEAKER_01]: I say this all the time, and I teach it even in our growth track a little bit when we talk about honor that you can live in an offense free zone.

[SPEAKER_01]: That there is a protection and a barrier that can be around you that offense cannot penetrate your heart.

[SPEAKER_01]: Well, Pastor, how do you know that?

[SPEAKER_01]: I live it.

[SPEAKER_01]: I live it, and I'm not going to tell you anything that's not true.

[SPEAKER_01]: I live this every single day, I make a choice to not allow the spirit of offense to affect me or get into my heart.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I say all the time, all the time, I live in an offense free zone, you cannot offend me.

[SPEAKER_01]: There is nothing that you can do, there is nothing that you can say that will offend me.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm telling you, it's truth.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now, I'm not saying that because I'm greater.

[SPEAKER_01]: No, I'm saying that as an example.

[SPEAKER_01]: If I can do it, and that's a choice that I make, then you can do it too.

[SPEAKER_01]: You can live an offense free life.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, it's like a fence, it's like a barrier, it's like a invisible something that surrounds me, kind of like a tube, like I'm walking around in this invisible tube that, you know, it's like, you know, say whatever you want, but it's not going to hurt me.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know how many people have back stabbed me?

[SPEAKER_01]: Have turned on me?

[SPEAKER_01]: Have said evil things about me?

[SPEAKER_01]: Have tried to destroy my life?

[SPEAKER_01]: Have tried to destroy my marriage?

[SPEAKER_01]: Have tried to destroy my kids?

[SPEAKER_01]: You know how many times I've gone through absolute hell?

[SPEAKER_01]: But yet, at the end of the day, I said I will not allow the spirit of offense to take place into my heart and take place in my life.

[SPEAKER_01]: And those of you that are close to me, you know the stuff that has been said,

[SPEAKER_01]: And all those times that I've walked through where I said, you know what, at the end of the day, like, God be God.

[SPEAKER_01]: And let the enemy be scattered.

[SPEAKER_01]: Come on, somebody.

[SPEAKER_01]: I am not going to allow offense in my life, amen.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I want to encourage us in that today that we are not going to allow offense to reside in our lives, that we live in an offense free zone.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I want us to really,

[SPEAKER_01]: Grab a hold of that today and grasp that.

[SPEAKER_01]: Can you live in an offense-free zone?

[SPEAKER_01]: Can you live an offense-free life?

[SPEAKER_01]: And the answer should be, yes, yes, you can.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now, does that mean that you will not be tempted by offense?

[SPEAKER_01]: No, you absolutely will.

[SPEAKER_01]: Does that mean that offense is just not going to exist?

[SPEAKER_01]: No, it will try to come at you.

[SPEAKER_01]: It will.

[SPEAKER_01]: But maturity in Christ is when the offense comes at you, but instead of taking the bait, you refuse to allow that trap.

[SPEAKER_01]: You refuse to say, I'm going to take that bait and be trapped in it today.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's when you take that bait, then you get trapped.

[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, yeah, I'll take that bait of offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'll take that thing that they said about me.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'll accept that lie.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'll accept that betrayal.

[SPEAKER_01]: No, no, no, no, no.

[SPEAKER_01]: Do not accept the bait.

[SPEAKER_01]: And let me tell you something about offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: Most of the time, the person that offended you did not attend to offend you.

[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, yes, they did.

[SPEAKER_01]: No.

[SPEAKER_01]: More than likely, they did not wake up that morning and say, let me offend KK.

[SPEAKER_01]: They did not wake up that morning and say, ooh, today I'm gonna offend Theresa.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_01]: No, now if people wake up and act like, that's the money and it's like, that's not any kind of way of living and that's whatever.

[SPEAKER_01]: Like, God will take care of that.

[SPEAKER_01]: But most of the time, people don't attend to offend you.

[SPEAKER_01]: It just happens.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so it's the dirty rotten, you know, stink and devil that wants to ensnare you and get you caught up in a spirit of offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: Because listen to me, if the devil can get you to buy on the bait of offense, watch this, he'll then take you into isolation.

[SPEAKER_01]: You should know.

[SPEAKER_01]: You should know.

[SPEAKER_01]: And now we're going back into something that we talked about for two weeks.

[SPEAKER_01]: Isolation.

[SPEAKER_01]: And if you can take the bait,

[SPEAKER_01]: of offense, the very next step that takes place is you find yourself isolated.

[SPEAKER_01]: Isolation.

[SPEAKER_01]: And this is how the enemy will work it.

[SPEAKER_01]: Offence, and then isolated.

[SPEAKER_01]: He knows if I can get you offended, I can get you isolated.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it happens all the time.

[SPEAKER_01]: People get offended at what somebody said to them at church and they say, I'm no longer going to that church again.

[SPEAKER_00]: isolation.

[SPEAKER_01]: If you take the bite, if you take the bait, you'll live in isolation.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then once you're in isolation, anger begins to grow.

[SPEAKER_01]: You're living in darkness.

[SPEAKER_01]: And before you know it, you had no intent to do so, but before you know it, you are living completely disconnected.

[SPEAKER_01]: Disconnect it.

[SPEAKER_01]: Turn to your neighbor and tell them, say neighbor.

[SPEAKER_01]: And not all of you are doing it, so on my way.

[SPEAKER_01]: Turn to your neighbor and tell them, say neighbor.

[SPEAKER_01]: Today is the day.

[SPEAKER_01]: You're totally free from offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now turn to somebody else and say other neighbor.

[SPEAKER_01]: Today is the day.

[SPEAKER_01]: You're totally set free from offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: Come on, you accept that and believe that this morning.

[SPEAKER_01]: Hallelujah.

[SPEAKER_01]: Hallelujah.

[SPEAKER_01]: So number one, offense will come, but you don't have to accept it.

[SPEAKER_01]: And number two is this.

[SPEAKER_01]: Offence has to have a voice.

[SPEAKER_01]: Offence has to have a voice.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now I want to read.

[SPEAKER_01]: Luke 171 again, we read one through four, but I want to read just one.

[SPEAKER_01]: Said it was disciples.

[SPEAKER_01]: Offences will certainly come.

[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, we've addressed that part, but now let's look at the second part.

[SPEAKER_01]: But whoa, to the one, they come through.

[SPEAKER_01]: But whoa to the one, they come through.

[SPEAKER_01]: They're going to come, okay?

[SPEAKER_01]: We know that now, we get it.

[SPEAKER_01]: But, whoa to the one that they come through.

[SPEAKER_01]: Whoa to the one who got offended?

[SPEAKER_01]: No, not whoa to the one who got offended, whoa to the one who brought the offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: God is not mad that you accepted the offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: God is hurt by the one who offended.

[SPEAKER_01]: Low to the one who it came through.

[SPEAKER_01]: Hear me, just because you took the trap of offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: And maybe you took the trap and you've been living in isolation.

[SPEAKER_01]: Doesn't mean you try to bring people into your offense with you.

[SPEAKER_01]: Because oftentimes that's what we see is I got offended.

[SPEAKER_01]: I got hurt by what they told me.

[SPEAKER_01]: And now I'm going to tell you, almost like our goal is that you will be just as offended as I.

[SPEAKER_01]: And before you know it, watch this.

[SPEAKER_01]: But now we're bringing the offense into other relationships.

[SPEAKER_01]: And now the Bible says, whoa to the one, it comes through.

[SPEAKER_01]: And this is what happens though.

[SPEAKER_01]: Come on, Justin, I love you.

[SPEAKER_01]: Come here, come here, come here.

[SPEAKER_01]: He is ready, come on.

[SPEAKER_00]: For all it's so good.

[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, stand right here.

[SPEAKER_01]: David, come on.

[SPEAKER_01]: David, David, come stand right here next to Justin.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then, Eric and Zach and Lane y'all stand right here.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'll just hang out.

[SPEAKER_01]: Good brothers.

[SPEAKER_01]: OK?

[SPEAKER_00]: Any brothers?

[SPEAKER_00]: No.

[SPEAKER_01]: Here's what happens.

[SPEAKER_01]: This is how it works.

[SPEAKER_01]: David loves Justin.

[SPEAKER_01]: Justin loves David.

[SPEAKER_01]: David says something to Justin that affins him.

[SPEAKER_01]: Any hurt some?

[SPEAKER_01]: Look at him.

[SPEAKER_01]: Look at him.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, see, that's what we did.

[SPEAKER_01]: We try not to make eye contact with the anyways.

[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, that's a whole other message.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_01]: But David said something hurtful to you, bro.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you're a man of love, and you're a man of grace, but the offense was real, and it came from him.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now, what you do, Justin, is you come over here to these group of guys that are hanging out and having a good time.

[SPEAKER_01]: Lane, are you having a good time or are you bored?

[SPEAKER_01]: Act like you're having a good time, Lane.

[SPEAKER_01]: Do I have to replace you?

[SPEAKER_01]: Now, I want to finge you, so everybody come over here.

[SPEAKER_01]: Here, land come on this side, because you're too far over there.

[SPEAKER_01]: Stay away from Zach.

[SPEAKER_01]: You have better.

[SPEAKER_01]: All right, yeah, yeah, there we go.

[SPEAKER_01]: OK, they're over here, having a good time.

[SPEAKER_01]: They're enjoying fellowship.

[SPEAKER_01]: Hold on, wait a second.

[SPEAKER_01]: They're at the Men's Breakfast next Saturday.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, they're having a good time.

[SPEAKER_01]: Justin comes over, and he comes to the Men's Breakfast.

[SPEAKER_01]: But he says, guys, I got to tell you something.

[SPEAKER_01]: David said, yeah, and all of a sudden, all of a sudden, Eric's like, David, and Zach's like, man, that's terrible, bro.

[SPEAKER_01]: And now before you know it, this group right here is all talking about that guy right there.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it's it's it's it's it's getting worse and then and then and then and then then lanes like well you know now that I think about it one time he said that it it it up to me oh and now all of a sudden we got this whole thing so when David says I'm going to men's group this morning and he walks in look what he walks

[SPEAKER_01]: And all of this that's taking place, it's fake, fake handshakes, fake smiles, fake hugs because before he walked in, talking, talking, talking about him.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now David has no idea that this is how they feel about him.

[SPEAKER_01]: But they're going to all leave there in the same position.

[SPEAKER_01]: Wow.

[SPEAKER_01]: One bit of offense, and now one person was offended, but guess what?

[SPEAKER_01]: Now all of them are offended.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you see how it spreads like a wildfire.

[SPEAKER_01]: So then God says, low to the one who it came through.

[SPEAKER_01]: Not low to the one who offended,

[SPEAKER_01]: And it came through him, and then it went through him, and then it went through him.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so God says, now, not just whoa, listen, listen, not just whoa to him, but whoa to them.

[SPEAKER_01]: See what should have happened is that Justin should have came and said, guys, duh, duh, and Eric said, hold on, we're not going to talk like our brother like that.

[SPEAKER_01]: Let's bring him and let's have a private conversation, you know, whatever, right?

[SPEAKER_01]: But this is the culture that we live in, the society that we live in.

[SPEAKER_01]: Let me hear all the gossip.

[SPEAKER_01]: Let me hear all the drama.

[SPEAKER_01]: Let me be involved in all the stuff.

[SPEAKER_01]: Give me the juicy stuff, right?

[SPEAKER_01]: Like, let me hear the stuff.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, give me the tea, you know.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's like, oh, all of these things.

[SPEAKER_01]: And before you know it, one conversation that took place amongst two people now affects a whole group of people.

[SPEAKER_01]: And David has no idea.

[SPEAKER_01]: All right, you guys can sit.

[SPEAKER_01]: Come on, give it up for him.

[SPEAKER_01]: I have seen, and I know you have all seen, but

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I have seen relationships completely destroyed.

[SPEAKER_01]: I have seen churches destroyed.

[SPEAKER_01]: I've seen wonderful Christian marriages destroyed because somebody wanted to invite someone else into their offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: And listen, just because you got mad, doesn't mean you need to share it with someone else.

[SPEAKER_01]: Just because you got hurt by what they said, doesn't mean you got to go tell everybody else.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so let me break this down in a more simpler understanding for you today.

[SPEAKER_01]: Just because you've got drama, doesn't mean you have to invite everybody into your drama.

[SPEAKER_01]: Just because they offended you, doesn't mean you got to go on Facebook

[SPEAKER_01]: and you don't even use their name because you don't even have the guts to use their name but you just need to let everybody know that you're offended by somebody and then everybody now has to put the pieces together or they'll say well who are you talking about?

[SPEAKER_01]: well message me and I'll tell you offense!

[SPEAKER_01]: offense!

[SPEAKER_01]: offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: Come on, somebody say offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, this is real y'all.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, we deal with this every single day in our workplaces, in our families unfortunately, in our marriages unfortunately.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, in all these different areas, we deal with these things.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I don't know, like you, you know, this morning, but I'm telling you,

[SPEAKER_01]: I believe today that we are driving out every demonic and wicked spirit of offense right out the door this morning.

[SPEAKER_01]: I believe it.

[SPEAKER_01]: And again, you may say, well, I'm not offended.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm not hurt.

[SPEAKER_01]: No.

[SPEAKER_01]: Because again, so many times it lays dormant back there.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it could be something that happened or was said to you 30 years ago that you still have not let go of that offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm telling you, it is holding you back from what God wants to do in your life today.

[SPEAKER_01]: The spirit of offense is ungodly, and it's a hundred percent demonic.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm not just saying today that offense is only amongst church folks because it's not.

[SPEAKER_01]: But so many times we allow offense in our marriages and with coworkers and with our boss and all this kind of stuff, but woe to the one who brought offense into the equation.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I don't know what woe means.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now maybe you do, maybe you're more theological than me.

[SPEAKER_01]: I have no idea what woe means,

[SPEAKER_01]: The only other time those words were mentioned in the Bible is when people rejected the message of the gospel and Jesus said,

[SPEAKER_01]: And so I believe personally, because I tried to look this up, I tried to study this, you know, I got into the blue letter, Bob, I got into the vine dictionary, I broke down the Hebrew, I broke down the Greek, I did all this kind of stuff.

[SPEAKER_01]: What is woe, couldn't find nothing about woe?

[SPEAKER_01]: So I believe woe is this.

[SPEAKER_01]: I believe woe is turmoil and destruction.

[SPEAKER_01]: who the offense was through, woe to you who did not receive this message of the gospel.

[SPEAKER_01]: In other words, you're gonna just live a life of turmoil and destruction.

[SPEAKER_01]: Woe to the one who the offense came through, destruction upon their lives, turmoil upon their lives,

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I often times don't, I have no idea how some people can lay their head on their pillow at night when they've said the things that they've said to people.

[SPEAKER_01]: When they've hurt people as much as they've hurt people, I have no idea how some of those people can sleep at night.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I don't have to take care of them.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't have to worry about them.

[SPEAKER_01]: The Bible says, woe to them, woe to them.

[SPEAKER_01]: You want to bring turmoil and destruction into your life and into your home?

[SPEAKER_01]: then go plant seeds of offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I want to tell you this right now is a warning from the Lord.

[SPEAKER_01]: The next time someone comes to you and wants to gossip or talk badly about someone else.

[SPEAKER_01]: or anything that you know is the spirit of offense at work and is happening right there before your eyes.

[SPEAKER_01]: You need to tell them boldly, I love you, but I will not be brought.

[SPEAKER_01]: I will not be wowed into offense with you.

[SPEAKER_01]: When somebody starts talking about anybody, it is your responsibility as a man of God, as a woman of God, as somebody who walks into offense, free zone, into offense, free life, to say to them, I will not allow you to woe me into your offense with you.

[SPEAKER_01]: And if that don't stop them right there, honestly, I don't know what will.

[SPEAKER_01]: but it will stop them in their tracks when they realize that just because I'm offended doesn't mean you have to be offended too.

[SPEAKER_01]: But that's what we do.

[SPEAKER_01]: We say, well, I'm offended everybody needs to be offended with me.

[SPEAKER_01]: No, they don't.

[SPEAKER_01]: You need to get it out of your heart and you need to get clean and you need to repent and you need to move forward and you need to say, I am not going to be wowed into a spirit of offense any longer.

[SPEAKER_01]: Come on, somebody say amen.

[SPEAKER_01]: One more scripture, can I give you one more?

[SPEAKER_01]: And then I'm done, don't worry.

[SPEAKER_01]: Send me like, they're gone.

[SPEAKER_01]: The cowboys didn't even play in today, chill.

[SPEAKER_01]: All right, Matthew 24.

[SPEAKER_01]: And don't matter anyways, how bad they play at the other night, Jesus.

[SPEAKER_01]: I had a really practice my offense free zone in life with the cowboys on Thursday night anyways.

[SPEAKER_01]: All right, Matthew 24, 10.

[SPEAKER_01]: Look at this.

[SPEAKER_01]: Then many will take offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, I don't want to be a part of the many, but many will take offense, but tray one another and hate one another.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now this is what happens.

[SPEAKER_01]: You get offended.

[SPEAKER_01]: And all of a sudden, that offense grows, you don't take care of it, you don't settle it, you don't squish it, you don't, whatever.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then before you know it, betrayal has its way.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then the next thing you know, it's hatred.

[SPEAKER_01]: Put that simple diagram there.

[SPEAKER_01]: This is what it looks like in our lives.

[SPEAKER_01]: Offence turns into betrayal.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then betrayal turns into hatred.

[SPEAKER_01]: I love them, but all of a sudden I can't stand them.

[SPEAKER_01]: I love them, but all of a sudden now I don't want to have anything to do with them.

[SPEAKER_01]: I love them, but all of a sudden now I don't want to be around them.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we have allowed offense to turn into betrayal, to turn into hatred.

[SPEAKER_01]: And the Bible is very clear about hating.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's very clear.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, my grandparents used to stop me when I was young if I used to say I hated something.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, now you may think that, well, this is like super spiritual, no, it's just real, okay?

[SPEAKER_01]: Now follow me.

[SPEAKER_01]: I would say, you know, okay, let's just use an example with a cowboy.

[SPEAKER_01]: Let's just use that.

[SPEAKER_01]: All right, this has a girl.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I hate the books.

[SPEAKER_01]: OK, now you say, well, there's nothing wrong with saying that.

[SPEAKER_01]: You hate a team and you like the other team.

[SPEAKER_01]: No, no, no.

[SPEAKER_01]: Because if I can easily say, I hate somebody that I don't even know because we lost, whatever.

[SPEAKER_01]: Then it's much easier than when Eric offends me

[SPEAKER_01]: And it becomes easier and easier for us to use those words of hatred.

[SPEAKER_01]: Anytime, when I was young, I would say, oh, I hate the bruise.

[SPEAKER_01]: My grandparents would stop me and say, no, you cannot hate.

[SPEAKER_01]: You can say you dislike them, but you're gonna love them.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you will never say that you hate anybody.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I remember every single time it would accidentally come out of my mouth, my grandparents would stop me immediately and say you better not say that ever again, you do not hate anybody.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we throw that out there all the time.

[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, I hate someone so I hate them.

[SPEAKER_01]: I hate that, you know, whatever.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we have no idea, hello.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it's real.

[SPEAKER_01]: that love and hatred do not exist together.

[SPEAKER_01]: You say, well, that's kind of going overboard pastor.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's okay if I say, I hate somebody.

[SPEAKER_01]: No, it's not.

[SPEAKER_01]: You have no right to hate anything.

[SPEAKER_01]: Anybody that God has created.

[SPEAKER_01]: You have no right.

[SPEAKER_01]: You have no right.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't care if they did the worst of the worst of the worst of things to you.

[SPEAKER_01]: You still cannot allow hatred in your heart for them.

[SPEAKER_01]: But this right there, put that diagram back up, the simple thing here.

[SPEAKER_01]: This right here is the sad progression of the spirit of offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: You get offended at your spouse and before you know it, you hate your spouse.

[SPEAKER_01]: I hate you, whoa, we allowed this thing up here to turn all the way into that, and you can imagine, you can just imagine how much it hurts the father's heart when we spill out hate for one another because we didn't take care of the offense to begin with.

[SPEAKER_00]: Josh, can you come play softly behind me?

[SPEAKER_01]: I want us today to eliminate offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now I want to say after what I just told you that I hate offense.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I do not like offense at all.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't like it at all.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's terrible, okay?

[SPEAKER_01]: I believe God wants to take care of business today, but you got to allow him to.

[SPEAKER_01]: And the first step really in this whole thing is to really search your heart,

[SPEAKER_01]: and to take some time with the father and really ask like Lord if there's any offense in me if there's anything in me that I need to get rid over that you want to highlight or show to me God reveal it to me because I don't want it there.

[SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for listening to today's message.

[SPEAKER_00]: We pray you were inspired, challenged, and marked by the word you heard.

[SPEAKER_00]: If this message blessed you today, we encourage you to subscribe to the Church of the City Podcast.

[SPEAKER_00]: There you can find more faith-filled messages to uplift you and help you on your journey of faith.

[SPEAKER_00]: For more information about Church of the City, head on over to www.cotcdfw.com.

[SPEAKER_00]: And until next time, remember this, the best is yet to come.