WEBVTT 00:00:08.240 --> 00:00:13.720 Hi everyone. Grace and peace to you all in Jesus' mighty name. 00:00:13.720 --> 00:00:19.960 Greetings from the beautiful Aber Falls here in North Wales. 00:00:19.960 --> 00:00:26.120 Welcome to another edition of 'Faith Is Natural' here on God's Heart TV. 00:00:26.120 --> 00:00:32.640 Today, I want to talk to you about something that has really eaten deep 00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:40.080 into the very fabric and fibre of our everyday relationships. 00:00:40.080 --> 00:00:49.120 I can liken it to a virus against which no one is completely immune. 00:00:49.120 --> 00:00:54.240 It is in fact one of the most effective tools of the devil 00:00:54.240 --> 00:00:58.640 and one of his most common traps. 00:00:58.640 --> 00:01:03.680 I am talking about offence. Yes, offence. 00:01:03.680 --> 00:01:09.760 No matter how complex or simple, 00:01:09.760 --> 00:01:18.880 the possibilities for offence are as endless as the list of relationships. 00:01:18.880 --> 00:01:28.080 In other words - in this world, it is impossible to avoid offence. 00:01:28.080 --> 00:01:33.160 It's not a question of who will offend you or when you will be offended 00:01:33.160 --> 00:01:35.640 or where that offence comes from. 00:01:35.640 --> 00:01:44.640 The question is - what is your response when offence comes? 00:01:44.640 --> 00:01:48.440 People of God, just ask yourself right now: 00:01:48.440 --> 00:01:53.160 Whenever you are offended, how do you respond? 00:01:53.160 --> 00:01:59.960 When someone hurts or wrongs you, how do you respond? 00:01:59.960 --> 00:02:13.440 Because often our response leaves us vulnerable to a root of resentment. 00:02:13.440 --> 00:02:18.120 That's dangerous. 00:02:18.120 --> 00:02:23.160 When resentment takes root in your heart, 00:02:23.160 --> 00:02:30.760 if care is not taken - it will lead you down, it will deceive you down 00:02:30.760 --> 00:02:41.600 the route of bitterness, envy, jealousy, malice, anger and strife. 00:02:41.600 --> 00:02:48.760 And that's dangerous. Resentment is dangerous for your spiritual life. 00:02:48.760 --> 00:02:55.200 The issue is not the gravity of that offence in the natural 00:02:55.200 --> 00:03:00.760 or your perception of your right to be offended. 00:03:00.760 --> 00:03:09.000 The issue is - harbouring offence is deadly. 00:03:09.000 --> 00:03:17.400 No matter what anyone has done to you or said to you, harbouring offence is deadly 00:03:17.400 --> 00:03:22.400 which is why we must guard our hearts. 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:28.520 People of God, you must guard your heart. 00:03:28.520 --> 00:03:35.680 When we are offended, it's common to feel hurt and blame our offender. 00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:42.080 And because we feel our rights have been infringed, 00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:53.040 our hurt hearts can easily believe that it is our right to be offended. 00:03:53.040 --> 00:04:05.520 We therefore defend our anger and bitterness to justify our unwillingness to forgive. 00:04:05.520 --> 00:04:10.880 But if you look deeply, 00:04:10.880 --> 00:04:18.120 the basis of that claim is carnal, not spiritual. 00:04:18.120 --> 00:04:23.320 It's natural law, not spiritual law. 00:04:23.320 --> 00:04:28.240 As a Christian, this is our principle: 00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:33.760 Whether you are right or wrong, 00:04:33.760 --> 00:04:40.720 you have no right to hold offence. 00:04:40.720 --> 00:04:44.960 That's our standard; that's our principle. 00:04:44.960 --> 00:04:55.000 If you claim your right, you are already wrong. 00:04:55.000 --> 00:05:02.560 "But you don't know my case! You don't know the circumstances in my case!" 00:05:02.560 --> 00:05:09.600 Look, no matter the arguments you internalise to try and convince yourself 00:05:09.600 --> 00:05:17.160 of the legitimacy of your right in your case, 00:05:17.160 --> 00:05:20.720 that doesn't change God's standard. 00:05:20.720 --> 00:05:25.560 Resentment has no justification. 00:05:25.560 --> 00:05:32.720 Resentment has no justification. Full stop. 00:05:32.720 --> 00:05:37.360 You may be right in the eyes of man. 00:05:37.360 --> 00:05:41.080 You may even feel you are right in your own eyes 00:05:41.080 --> 00:05:45.480 but before God - 00:05:45.480 --> 00:05:54.040 the Owner of your destiny, the One who holds all hearts in His hands - 00:05:54.040 --> 00:06:02.440 you have no right to resentment. 00:06:02.440 --> 00:06:05.200 No ifs, no buts. 00:06:05.200 --> 00:06:13.200 As a Christian, you have no right to resentment. Full stop. 00:06:13.200 --> 00:06:16.760 Offence will come. Yes - it will come. 00:06:16.760 --> 00:06:22.880 But we must not feed on that offence in our hearts. 00:06:22.880 --> 00:06:27.720 We must not give room to that offence in our hearts. 00:06:27.720 --> 00:06:32.160 Look, being offended is normal. 00:06:32.160 --> 00:06:37.320 But harbouring offence is sinful. 00:06:37.320 --> 00:06:42.720 Harbouring offence grieves the Holy Spirit. 00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:48.480 It's a decision to place yourself above God, 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:52.040 to regard your claim to resentment, 00:06:52.040 --> 00:06:56.120 your self-centered claim 00:06:56.120 --> 00:07:03.360 as a higher authority than God's Word. 00:07:03.360 --> 00:07:16.200 And if the devil deceives you into believing that it is your right to be offended, 00:07:16.200 --> 00:07:27.680 you use your own hands to tie the chains that bind you. 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. 00:07:36.440 --> 00:07:41.320 You can easily fall into this vicious cycle of 00:07:41.320 --> 00:07:47.120 self-centredness and self-imposed isolation. 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:54.840 For that's the consequence of living with an offended heart. 00:07:54.840 --> 00:08:04.120 When you retain offence in your heart, then you filter everything through it. 00:08:04.120 --> 00:08:08.800 Even if you were to come and look at this beautiful waterfall today, 00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:11.680 you would look at it through the lens of offence. 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:15.720 You talk through it, eat through it, laugh through it. 00:08:15.720 --> 00:08:18.240 You even pray through it, 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:25.000 which is why many prayers today are against enemies instead of weaknesses. 00:08:25.000 --> 00:08:30.880 You sleep through it, which is the cause of many nightmares today. 00:08:30.880 --> 00:08:35.560 You relate to others through it, 00:08:35.560 --> 00:08:40.280 which is why today many of us read meaning 00:08:40.280 --> 00:08:45.200 into people's actions and inactions. 00:08:45.200 --> 00:08:52.160 Today, there are many imaginary wars that we fight in our minds 00:08:52.160 --> 00:08:58.600 over issues that don't even exist in reality. 00:08:58.600 --> 00:09:07.640 We misinterpret people's actions and misjudge people's motives 00:09:07.640 --> 00:09:18.520 through our narrow perceptions and misguided preconceptions. 00:09:18.520 --> 00:09:28.280 We easily rationalise our own actions while we judge and condemn others. 00:09:28.280 --> 00:09:34.120 We hold others to a standard that we ourselves cannot attain 00:09:34.120 --> 00:09:40.640 and unrealistic expectations lead to unhealthy relationships 00:09:40.640 --> 00:09:45.280 based on the flesh, not the Spirit. 00:09:45.280 --> 00:09:52.880 And such relationships are set up for disappointment before they even begin. 00:09:52.880 --> 00:09:58.640 And thus the cycle of life goes on and on - 00:09:58.640 --> 00:10:04.000 the cycle of hurt, the cycle of pain, the cycle of offence. 00:10:04.000 --> 00:10:07.600 People of God, this has to stop! 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:13.480 We must return to the Cross - to the Cross of Christ! 00:10:13.480 --> 00:10:22.360 Remember Jesus' words on the Cross. He said, "Father, forgive them!" 00:10:22.360 --> 00:10:27.440 That's God's standard; that's our standard as Christians. 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:31.440 "Father, forgive them!" 00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:35.640 This leaves no room for resentment. 00:10:35.640 --> 00:10:41.200 The Cross of Christ leaves no room for resentment. 00:10:41.200 --> 00:10:45.720 It gives no right to resentment. 00:10:45.720 --> 00:10:58.360 Because after all, all of us stand in helpless need of God's Divine forgiveness 00:10:58.360 --> 00:11:04.920 and as the Bible says in James 2:10-11 - 00:11:04.920 --> 00:11:12.880 only God can determine whether one sin is greater than another. 00:11:12.880 --> 00:11:16.040 As I bring this message to a close today, 00:11:16.040 --> 00:11:24.520 let me remind you of the parable of the unmerciful servant in Matthew 18. 00:11:24.520 --> 00:11:29.880 After this message, I want to encourage you to go and read that parable. 00:11:29.880 --> 00:11:34.240 And as you read, ask yourself - 00:11:34.240 --> 00:11:42.840 why would anyone withhold from someone else 00:11:42.840 --> 00:11:54.480 the very gift that God so freely gave to you? 00:11:54.480 --> 00:12:05.680 In our hearts, there is always a battle between the flesh and the spirit. 00:12:05.680 --> 00:12:15.480 But remember this - each time you harbour offence in your heart, 00:12:15.480 --> 00:12:20.000 you submit to the flesh. 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:24.480 Remember the book of Romans 8:6-8. 00:12:24.920 --> 00:12:32.080 It says those who live in the realm of flesh cannot please God. 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:38.840 So, resist the devil today by refusing resentment! 00:12:38.840 --> 00:12:47.680 Resist the devil today by refusing to be offended. How? 00:12:47.680 --> 00:12:55.600 When you see whatever is done to you as done to the Father. 00:12:55.600 --> 00:12:59.320 If they insult me, they insult the Father. 00:12:59.320 --> 00:13:03.280 If they maltreat me, they maltreat the Father. 00:13:03.280 --> 00:13:07.040 If they lie against me, they lie against the Father 00:13:07.040 --> 00:13:13.680 because I have no power of my own. 00:13:13.680 --> 00:13:18.440 I have no room for resentment in my heart 00:13:18.440 --> 00:13:26.280 because I know I have no right to resentment. 00:13:26.280 --> 00:13:33.360 In the words of Prophet TB Joshua: 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:44.760 "There is nothing I cannot overlook for the sake of Jesus!" 00:13:44.760 --> 00:13:50.640 Proverbs 19:11 00:13:50.640 --> 00:13:55.640 Right now, people of God, let us pray together. 00:14:01.560 --> 00:14:06.440 Begin to release yourself 00:14:06.440 --> 00:14:16.720 by forgiving those who have wronged you in one form or another. 00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:22.920 By the authority in the name of Jesus Christ, 00:14:22.920 --> 00:14:30.240 be released from the grip of resentment right now! 00:14:30.240 --> 00:14:35.360 Be released from the hold of hurt right now! 00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:38.240 Be released! 00:14:38.240 --> 00:14:44.720 Be released, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ! 00:14:44.720 --> 00:14:51.680 I declare your emotion free from offence right now! 00:14:51.680 --> 00:15:00.840 Be free, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ! 00:15:00.840 --> 00:15:09.040 All chains of offence within your spirit - be loosed right now! 00:15:09.040 --> 00:15:16.080 All chains of bitterness within your spirit - be loosed right now! 00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:24.800 All chains of anger within your spirit - be loosed! 00:15:24.800 --> 00:15:29.080 In the mighty name of Jesus Christ! 00:15:29.080 --> 00:15:35.640 Whatever chain satan has used to connect himself to you - 00:15:35.640 --> 00:15:40.960 to your family, business, marriage, finances - 00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:44.400 I say, be broken right now! 00:15:44.400 --> 00:15:54.920 Be broken, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ! 00:15:54.920 --> 00:15:57.120 Amen! 00:15:57.120 --> 00:16:01.320 I can see those chains loosed right now! 00:16:01.320 --> 00:16:06.800 I can hear the chains falling in the name of Jesus Christ! 00:16:06.800 --> 00:16:12.040 Right now, begin to give thanks to God for your freedom, 00:16:12.040 --> 00:16:19.160 for when the Son of God sets you free, you are free indeed! 00:16:19.160 --> 00:16:21.080 Thank You, Jesus Christ.