The Gatekeeper of Offenses

Unfortunately, I think it's suffice to say that we've all stood at the gate of offense. If we're all being honest, none of us can say we haven't. :) Surprisingly enough, the gatekeeper knows every one of our faces. Just for explanation's sake let's go a little deeper in to this. What is an offense? An offense is something that is created when we make the choice to become offended. When we are offended, we are hurt, wounded, angered, annoyed or irritated by something another person has said about us, or done to us. The part where it gets unhealthy is when we allow our emotions the freedom to team up with the offense. Then what we have in our hands ... morphs into something very ugly that we've willingly embraced. Not good.

Now, we are no longer simply standing at the gate, we've opened up the gate and walked through it. The gatekeeper is thrilled, he likes it when we visit! But beware of pertinent danger ahead, because when we walk through the gate it crosses us over into offense. Suddenly, our attitude takes on a very negative connotation and we become saturated in unforgiveness, bitterness and strife. The three amigos! These three amigos can cause some serious damage to our emotions, as well as our outlook regarding our immediate circumstances or situations we are currently facing due to what's been done to us by another person.

Here comes the sticky part. Ready? Offenses have a way of surmounting themselves. How? When we share them with others. See, when we talk about our offenses with other people we poison their spirit towards the person we are offended with. We cast a lot that throws them into a dungeon with bars made of retribution, judgmentalism and retaliation. We bring others into our circle of pain and strip the other person of having any sense of justification on their behalf, because our flesh just wants them to pay for what they said, or did to us. Even though our flesh is convinced that vengeance produces satisfaction, it doesn't. This only drives our flesh into a deeper sense of self-gratification.

Before we know it, we've created a demonic highway for the enemy to freely drive in and out of. Doors and avenues have been swung open for all the demons to tread upon. Who is the gatekeeper? None other than satan himself. The Bible talks about the way he goes to and fro in the earth looking for people he can steal their destiny from and destroy by filling them with offense and unforgiveness. When we are filled with offense, there's no room for the gifts of the Spirit. What are the gifts of the spirit? They are nine endowments given by the Holy Spirit found in first Corinthians chapter twelve. They include:

• wisdom
• knowledge
• faith
  
• healing
• working of miracles
• prophecy
• discernment
• tongues
• interpretation of tongues

How can we be filled with these wonderful endowments of the Spirit, when strife-unforgiveness and offense have clogged up the pipe? When we choose to carry offenses, we make a deadly spiritual decision. God has given us each a free will and we can choose to use it however we decide. Don't allow the gatekeeper to open that gate! Wisdom shows us the right thing to do. Knowledge beckons us to embrace it. Faith causes us to step out in it. Healing comes when we obey it. Discernment shows us which path to take.

Allow the gifts of the Spirit to guide you to the destiny that God has intended for you. Offense leads to death, but forgiveness leads to life. Make the right choices!

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Until next time, Be blessed! Love & Prayers ... Tracy :)