Offense = unbelief = no power

Offense.  It's only mentioned 13 times in the Scriptures with 11 of them in the New Testament.

Cutting to it - Jesus said, "Blessed is the one who doesn't take offense at me." [Matt 11:6] We have only one account in the Scriptures where it is recorded that Jesus acknowledged the offense of a group of people.

""Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?" And they took offense at Him."[Mark 6:3]

What did their offense immediately lead to?

UNEBLIEF

What was the result?

"He could do no miracle (lit. work of power) there except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them." [Mark 6:5]

Bottom line - don't take the bait of the enemy via offense and render useless the power of God available towards you.

Offense leads to unbelief.

"All things are possible to those who believe." [Mark 9:23]

When you choose to not take an offense or lay it down, you are choosing to believe God.

"It is his (a person's) glory to overlook an offense" [Prov 19:11] It is to your credit to make the decision to overlook an offense.

When you hold an offense you are not receiving the grace that has been offered to you by Jesus and you are most certainly not extending grace. It doesn't mean the offense didn't hurt. It DOES mean you take the grace of God understanding both your sins and the sins of the offender has been forgiven. You give over the offense to Jesus. Every time the enemy hits the replay button and that scene flashes in your mind, extinguish the fiery dart of the enemy by saying, "I forgive from my heart ALL who have offended me."

When the enemy ceases to get mileage out of that tactic and it accomplishes the opposite result, he'll lay off that device. Turn the trap on the enemy. Believe God by putting down the offense. Let the power of His finished work flow FREELY in your life by not allowing offense to stop the flow. You are the ONLY ONE who can make that choice.

-Guest blog by Arin Rentz