You may have a dangerous demon that you never expected would attack you. Among those who show interest in deliverance, they tend to focus on evil spirits most commonly thought of. This includes demons such as Lucifer, Leviathan, Jezebel, and Beelzebub. But often the spirits that hold people in bondage are related to emotional states of the mind. And because they are unsuspected, they are dangerous. Take for example the spirit of offense.
Here’s how Jesus addressed this matter Luke 17:1-3 – “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
Offenses, where minor injustices or outrageous insults, have a debilitating effect. They cause bitterness, anger, hate, division, and strife. Offenses cause disruptions in an individual’s mind as well as the larger body of Christ. Just as the spirit of fear can be a gateway to other more powerful demons, so it is with the spirit of offense. Offenses may make you feel that you’ve been wronged, and this may lead to acts of revenge, witchcraft spells to curse them, or even murder.
When someone offends you your first response should be to forgive them. Unfortunately, that’s not how human emotions are wired. When offended we often make a list in our thinking of all the ways we were right, and the other person was wrong. The next step is to find ways to strike back. Initially, those ways aren’t violent or necessarily evil. We simply justify responding to an offense because we have an inflated sense that we need to protect integrity. It’s really our ego that we are trying to protect. In the name of defending our reputation, we may go to unreasonable lengths that’s harmful to the person who offended us.
Stop for a moment and take inventory of all the people who have offended you. Then, follow the path of forgiveness as Jesus taught in the sermon on the mount. One of the most difficult passages of scripture is Luke 6:27-28: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.” As Romans 12:21 says, “Overcome evil with good”. Plotting in your mind to counter an offense often leads to thinking about how the other person can be hurt so we get even. That’s the devil’s way of corrupting our emotions and opening the door to the demon of offense.
