1 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:13,720 Hi everyone. Grace and peace to you all in Jesus' mighty name. 2 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:19,960 Greetings from the beautiful Aber Falls here in North Wales. 3 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:26,120 Welcome to another edition of 'Faith Is Natural' here on God's Heart TV. 4 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:32,640 Today, I want to talk to you about something that has really eaten deep 5 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:40,080 into the very fabric and fibre of our everyday relationships. 6 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:49,120 I can liken it to a virus against which no one is completely immune. 7 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:54,240 It is in fact one of the most effective tools of the devil 8 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:58,640 and one of his most common traps. 9 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:03,680 I am talking about offence. Yes, offence. 10 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:09,760 No matter how complex or simple, 11 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:18,880 the possibilities for offence are as endless as the list of relationships. 12 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:28,080 In other words - in this world, it is impossible to avoid offence. 13 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:33,160 It's not a question of who will offend you or when you will be offended 14 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:35,640 or where that offence comes from. 15 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:44,640 The question is - what is your response when offence comes? 16 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:48,440 People of God, just ask yourself right now: 17 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:53,160 Whenever you are offended, how do you respond? 18 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:59,960 When someone hurts or wrongs you, how do you respond? 19 00:01:59,960 --> 00:02:13,440 Because often our response leaves us vulnerable to a root of resentment. 20 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:18,120 That's dangerous. 21 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:23,160 When resentment takes root in your heart, 22 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:30,760 if care is not taken - it will lead you down, it will deceive you down 23 00:02:30,760 --> 00:02:41,600 the route of bitterness, envy, jealousy, malice, anger and strife. 24 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:48,760 And that's dangerous. Resentment is dangerous for your spiritual life. 25 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:55,200 The issue is not the gravity of that offence in the natural 26 00:02:55,200 --> 00:03:00,760 or your perception of your right to be offended. 27 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:09,000 The issue is - harbouring offence is deadly. 28 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:17,400 No matter what anyone has done to you or said to you, harbouring offence is deadly 29 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:22,400 which is why we must guard our hearts. 30 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:28,520 People of God, you must guard your heart. 31 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:35,680 When we are offended, it's common to feel hurt and blame our offender. 32 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:42,080 And because we feel our rights have been infringed, 33 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:53,040 our hurt hearts can easily believe that it is our right to be offended. 34 00:03:53,040 --> 00:04:05,520 We therefore defend our anger and bitterness to justify our unwillingness to forgive. 35 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:10,880 But if you look deeply, 36 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:18,120 the basis of that claim is carnal, not spiritual. 37 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:23,320 It's natural law, not spiritual law. 38 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:28,240 As a Christian, this is our principle: 39 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:33,760 Whether you are right or wrong, 40 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:40,720 you have no right to hold offence. 41 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:44,960 That's our standard; that's our principle. 42 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:55,000 If you claim your right, you are already wrong. 43 00:04:55,000 --> 00:05:02,560 "But you don't know my case! You don't know the circumstances in my case!" 44 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:09,600 Look, no matter the arguments you internalise to try and convince yourself 45 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:17,160 of the legitimacy of your right in your case, 46 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:20,720 that doesn't change God's standard. 47 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:25,560 Resentment has no justification. 48 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:32,720 Resentment has no justification. Full stop. 49 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:37,360 You may be right in the eyes of man. 50 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:41,080 You may even feel you are right in your own eyes 51 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:45,480 but before God - 52 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:54,040 the Owner of your destiny, the One who holds all hearts in His hands - 53 00:05:54,040 --> 00:06:02,440 you have no right to resentment. 54 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:05,200 No ifs, no buts. 55 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:13,200 As a Christian, you have no right to resentment. Full stop. 56 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:16,760 Offence will come. Yes - it will come. 57 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:22,880 But we must not feed on that offence in our hearts. 58 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:27,720 We must not give room to that offence in our hearts. 59 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:32,160 Look, being offended is normal. 60 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:37,320 But harbouring offence is sinful. 61 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:42,720 Harbouring offence grieves the Holy Spirit. 62 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:48,480 It's a decision to place yourself above God, 63 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:52,040 to regard your claim to resentment, 64 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:56,120 your self-centered claim 65 00:06:56,120 --> 00:07:03,360 as a higher authority than God's Word. 66 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:16,200 And if the devil deceives you into believing that it is your right to be offended, 67 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:27,680 you use your own hands to tie the chains that bind you. 68 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:36,440 And what makes it more dangerous is that you don't even realise that you are trapped. 69 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:41,320 You can easily fall into this vicious cycle of 70 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:47,120 self-centredness and self-imposed isolation. 71 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:54,840 For that's the consequence of living with an offended heart. 72 00:07:54,840 --> 00:08:04,120 When you retain offence in your heart, then you filter everything through it. 73 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:08,800 Even if you were to come and look at this beautiful waterfall today, 74 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:11,680 you would look at it through the lens of offence. 75 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:15,720 You talk through it, eat through it, laugh through it. 76 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:18,240 You even pray through it, 77 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:25,000 which is why many prayers today are against enemies instead of weaknesses. 78 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:30,880 You sleep through it, which is the cause of many nightmares today. 79 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:35,560 You relate to others through it, 80 00:08:35,560 --> 00:08:40,280 which is why today many of us read meaning 81 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:45,200 into people's actions and inactions. 82 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:52,160 Today, there are many imaginary wars that we fight in our minds 83 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:58,600 over issues that don't even exist in reality. 84 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:07,640 We misinterpret people's actions and misjudge people's motives 85 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:18,520 through our narrow perceptions and misguided preconceptions. 86 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:28,280 We easily rationalise our own actions while we judge and condemn others. 87 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:34,120 We hold others to a standard that we ourselves cannot attain 88 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:40,640 and unrealistic expectations lead to unhealthy relationships 89 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:45,280 based on the flesh, not the Spirit. 90 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:52,880 And such relationships are set up for disappointment before they even begin. 91 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:58,640 And thus the cycle of life goes on and on - 92 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:04,000 the cycle of hurt, the cycle of pain, the cycle of offence. 93 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:07,600 People of God, this has to stop! 94 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:13,480 We must return to the Cross - to the Cross of Christ! 95 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:22,360 Remember Jesus' words on the Cross. He said, "Father, forgive them!" 96 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:27,440 That's God's standard; that's our standard as Christians. 97 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:31,440 "Father, forgive them!" 98 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:35,640 This leaves no room for resentment. 99 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:41,200 The Cross of Christ leaves no room for resentment. 100 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:45,720 It gives no right to resentment. 101 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:58,360 Because after all, all of us stand in helpless need of God's Divine forgiveness 102 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:04,920 and as the Bible says in James 2:10-11 - 103 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:12,880 only God can determine whether one sin is greater than another. 104 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:16,040 As I bring this message to a close today, 105 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:24,520 let me remind you of the parable of the unmerciful servant in Matthew 18. 106 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:29,880 After this message, I want to encourage you to go and read that parable. 107 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:34,240 And as you read, ask yourself - 108 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:42,840 why would anyone withhold from someone else 109 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:54,480 the very gift that God so freely gave to you? 110 00:11:54,480 --> 00:12:05,680 In our hearts, there is always a battle between the flesh and the spirit. 111 00:12:05,680 --> 00:12:15,480 But remember this - each time you harbour offence in your heart, 112 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:20,000 you submit to the flesh. 113 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:24,480 Remember the book of Romans 8:6-8. 114 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:32,080 It says those who live in the realm of flesh cannot please God. 115 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:38,840 So, resist the devil today by refusing resentment! 116 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:47,680 Resist the devil today by refusing to be offended. How? 117 00:12:47,680 --> 00:12:55,600 When you see whatever is done to you as done to the Father. 118 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:59,320 If they insult me, they insult the Father. 119 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:03,280 If they maltreat me, they maltreat the Father. 120 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:07,040 If they lie against me, they lie against the Father 121 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:13,680 because I have no power of my own. 122 00:13:13,680 --> 00:13:18,440 I have no room for resentment in my heart 123 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:26,280 because I know I have no right to resentment. 124 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:33,360 In the words of Prophet TB Joshua: 125 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:44,760 "There is nothing I cannot overlook for the sake of Jesus!" 126 00:13:44,760 --> 00:13:50,640 Proverbs 19:11 127 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:55,640 Right now, people of God, let us pray together. 128 00:14:01,560 --> 00:14:06,440 Begin to release yourself 129 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:16,720 by forgiving those who have wronged you in one form or another. 130 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:22,920 By the authority in the name of Jesus Christ, 131 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:30,240 be released from the grip of resentment right now! 132 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:35,360 Be released from the hold of hurt right now! 133 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:38,240 Be released! 134 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:44,720 Be released, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ! 135 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:51,680 I declare your emotion free from offence right now! 136 00:14:51,680 --> 00:15:00,840 Be free, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ! 137 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:09,040 All chains of offence within your spirit - be loosed right now! 138 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:16,080 All chains of bitterness within your spirit - be loosed right now! 139 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:24,800 All chains of anger within your spirit - be loosed! 140 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:29,080 In the mighty name of Jesus Christ! 141 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:35,640 Whatever chain satan has used to connect himself to you - 142 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:40,960 to your family, business, marriage, finances - 143 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:44,400 I say, be broken right now! 144 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:54,920 Be broken, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ! 145 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:57,120 Amen! 146 00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:01,320 I can see those chains loosed right now! 147 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:06,800 I can hear the chains falling in the name of Jesus Christ! 148 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:12,040 Right now, begin to give thanks to God for your freedom, 149 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:19,160 for when the Son of God sets you free, you are free indeed! 150 00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:21,080 Thank You, Jesus Christ.