Don't Get Offended
by Matthew Ball
First Apostolic Church of Maryville (Maryville, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Proverbs 18:19, Luke 17:1, 1 Timothy 2:8, Acts 24:16, Matthew 24:9-11

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/matthew-ball--dont-get-offended
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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The book of Proverbs, chapter 18. Open your Bibles with me to the book of Proverbs, chapter 18. Thank you, Pastor Cheser, and the entire ministry team for this opportunity. We honor you. To all the speakers who have poured your heart into this men's conference, we thank you. To this host church, Bishop Carpenter, and all of your team, we honor you for hosting this great event. Every time we open our Bibles, we should say to ourselves here and now, God is about to speak to us. Whether that's your pastor teaching on a Wednesday night or an evangelist on a Sunday morning or you in your morning devotion. Every time you open this holy book, you should say to yourself here and now, God is about to speak to me. How many believe God has spoken to us this week as we've opened this holy word? Now, as we open this book one more time, we say to ourselves, "Here and now, >> God is about to speak to us." A brother offended is harder to be one than a strong city. And their contentions are like the bars of a castle. a brother offended. Lord Jesus, I thank you for your holy word, for your power and anointing that has filled this room last night and today for this incredible message we've just heard from brother Vera. And now as we prepare to go home to our local churches, I ask that one more time you would minister to us as men. Lord, do something within us that would help us reach our fullest potential. Speak to us one more time in Jesus name. Everyone say in Jesus name. >> Thank you for standing. God bless you. You may be seated. Jesus often spoke of possibilities. He told the man who had a demon-possessed son, he said, "If you can just believe, all things are possible to him that believes." He told his disciples, he said, "With men this might be impossible, but with God all things." Everyone say, "All things." >> All things are possible. So often Jesus spoke about possibilities. But on a few rare occasions, we see the Lord tell us that there are some things that are impossible. It's very rare in this scripture to hear of Jesus speak of impossibility. But in Luke 17 and verse one, Jesus shares with us one of those rare occasions when he says this, "It is impossible, but that offenses will come. Seems so strange to hear Jesus say that anything would be impossible. But here he said that it is impossible to go through life without offenses coming. It is impossible but that offenses will come. We will all have to deal with things in this life that are offensive. Being a child of God does not exempt us from this truth. Offenses are inevitable. The word offense in the New Testament means a stumbling block or a temptation. So it is impossible to go through life without things happening to you that have the potential to trip you up. The potential to be a stumbling block to you that would tempt you to quit to give up on God or to put up walls or distance yourself between people. And if you've lived very long at all, I am certain that you have had to deal with offenses. All right, every one of us tonight, today, I'm sure that someone has said something to you or done something to you that was hurtful, that was offensive, something happened to you that could be a stumbling block and make you want to quit. Likewise, if you've lived very long at all, I'm sure that you have done something to someone else that has been offensive. I know I have. Offended means resentful or irritated about a real or even perceived insult or injustice. Offended means wounded or hurt. In many years of pastoral ministry, I've witnessed a lot of people get offended. And sometimes it was over very silly things. Other times it was over real wrongs and true injustices. I've also learned that how deeply a person is offended does not always match up with the seriousness of the offense. Right? >> We've all seen people get offended over the silliest things. Perhaps we have become offended over something that in time we look back and we say to ourselves that really wasn't a big deal at all. We've all seen people and we've been guilty ourselves of becoming offended over petty things. Sometimes it's small things that tempt people to quit, to pull away. I've seen people become offended over the dumbest things. Pardon me for using that word in the pulpit, but over the stupidest things. when I was 25 and took the pastor of our first church in Southwest Virginia, one of my first services there. I looked at that flower arrangement in front of the podium and I thought to myself, I think that'll look better over there in front of the piano. And so in that congregation, I was 25 and I think the average age there was 125. And and I said, I'm going to move that and I moved that flower arrangement from the front of the podium to the front of the piano. And you can't imagine how many faces I met after church of people who were offended. I put that there. I made that. I That was my doing. We've seen people become offended over the dumbest things. Someone forgot to shake my hand. Well, boohoo. >> Somebody forgot my anniversary. The pastor didn't see me after service. Or somebody forgot to acknowledge a job well done. They didn't mention my name. They mentioned everybody else but didn't mention my name. Somebody didn't invite me to the restaurant and they invited everybody else to the restaurant but me. And the list goes on and on. People offended over the smallest of things. So, how deeply a person is offended does not always match up with the seriousness of the offense. Interesting enough, I've I've also seen people who have suffered real injustice, a serious wrongdoing, yet refuse to become offended. They refuse to allow that mistreatment to become a stumbling block. So, it seems that offenses are inevitable, but whether or not I become offended is not inevitable. Amen. >> Offenses shall come, wrongs, hurtful things shall come. But whether or not you allow those offenses to lodge in your spirit, whether or not you harbor those offenses, that is a decision, brother, that you have the power to make. Offenses shall come. But whether or not you become offended or stay offended is a situation that you have the power to say something about. Jesus said offenses shall come. It's impossible to live life without offensive things happening. But Jesus never said you had to become offended. He never said you had to be bitter. Jesus never said you had to hold on to those things in your spirit. Whether or not you harbor resentment or bitterness in your life is a choice that you make. >> Been thinking a lot about the word harbor. The word harbor. Harbor is a protected body of water that gives refuge, a place to a ship. The action to harbor means to provide a place for a ship to lodge, to port, to dock. You know, you can harbor something in your heart. You can provide a place in your spirit for something to lodge, for something to port. You can provide a safe haven in your mind for things that you really should just send on down the coast. Offenses shall come like ships carrying unwanted cargo. They will come. They will show up. But you decide if you're going to harbor them. You decide if you're going to give them refuge. You decide if you're going to provide a safe haven. You decide if you're going to make a place for them to dock in your life. Some folks, they just wave the ship right in and they throw out the mooring ropes and they tie the ship to the dock of their heart. Some people give that offense a harbor. They give that offense protection. They give that ship a place to dock and port. I've seen people harbor offense over the most trivial things. But I've al also seen others who refused to give that ship harbor. They might have suffered real injustice, but they said, "You're not staying in my spirit, so go on down somewhere else." I refuse to give harbor to the offense that comes into my life. offenses are inevitable. It is impossible, but that in life things will come. Things are going to come that are going to be hurtful and that are going to be wound had the potential to wound and to hurt you. But you decide whether you're going to open up your life and say, "Come on, just I'm going to give you a safe haven to harbor this." No, sir. I'm going to send it on down the coast and say offenses may be inevitable, but being offended is not inevitable. >> Sometimes sometimes the offense is not petty. Sometimes it's real. It's a legitimate wrong. A dishonest character attack. Being treated in an unjust manner, the betrayal of someone who is close to you. that's hurtful. Being passed over for something that you truly feel you worked for or deserved, or perhaps when someone else you care about is mistreated or treated in an unfair manner. But brothers, whether that offense is truly serious or some petty misunderstanding, harboring offense in your spirit is a dangerous and a damaging thing. When we are harboring offense in our spirit, we are headed down the wrong path. Please listen to me today, men. We must not harbor offense. Offenses will come. They will stir up feelings of hurt and pain. Just make sure you don't let them lodge in your spirit. Just make sure you don't give them a safe haven to dwell in your life. And if you've got offense in your spirit before we leave this men's conference in a few minutes, I pray we lay it down on the altar. We're going to forgive and we're going to move forward today because harboring offense in your spirit will always lead to your destruction. >> Harboring offense in your spirit will separate you from the body. Harboring offense in your spirit will block the flow of God's anointing in your life. Harboring offense in your spirit makes you a target for the devil's deception and delusion. Harboring offense in your spirit will keep you from reaching your fullest potential in the kingdom of God. We must get rid of offense in our spirit because it will destroy us. In 1 Timothy chapter 2, Paul gives some specific instruction to men. He said, "I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting." He's zeroing right in on issues that are typical among men. Of course, later he addresses issues that are generally more typical among ladies, modest apparel and things concerning one's appearance. Now, that does not exempt men from dressing in modest apparel. Neither does it mean that women would never be tempted with anger or wrath or doubting. He's just saying, men, there are some things that men tend to struggle with more so than the ladies. wrath, anger. Paul said, "Brother, I want you to be able to lift up holy hands without anger. I want you to be able to lift up holy hands and you don't have offense in your spirit. Don't let offense get in your spirit. Men are particularly susceptible to anger. Harboring offense feeds that anger. I know so many men who are so angry. They are angry because they have offense in their spirit. They are angry about what happened 5 years ago or 20 years ago or 50 years ago. Men, we must be freed today from offense in our spirit. Guard your heart. Don't give that offense a harbor. If you've got it in you, get it out today at this conference. It is imperative. One of the most difficult things dealing with as a pastor is to see people who walk away from God and walk away from the church in spite of my prayers, in spite of my encouragement, in spite of my pleading and begging. I've seen people walk away from God and walk away from the church. I painfully watched that man who was serving God, a pillar in the church, active, involved, leading, but he fell into sin and he fell into moral failure, lost his family, lost his ministry. Today isn't even serving the Lord. I've watched that person. At one time he was on fire for God, faithful, contributing, giving, making a difference in the local church. But it began to pull away. He quit serving and gave up his ministry positions. His faithfulness began to slip after a while. I'd only see him once every month or two. And then when he did come, he'd sit in the back and wouldn't worship and wouldn't get involved. I I've seen that brother who at one time was a student, a teacher of God's word, but he began to isolate himself from the body and began to embrace error and false doctrine, eventually denying the apostolic faith and today does not even believe that Jesus is God. I'm talking about real people. People in Carmel, Indiana, people in your churches, that man who was on fire for God. No one outwored him. No one out prayed him. But something happened. He began to pick up things that he had laid down and began to pick up old habits. And today he's backslid back to doing drugs. He's an addict today in worse shape than he was before he even came to God. I I could go on and on today. Sad stories about people about real people. People who backslide, people who fall away, people who give up, people who quit, people who fall into moral failure and lose everything valuable in life, or people who may still be in our churches, but they've lost their zeal and they've lost their heart for God and they're just going through the motions and they're angry and they're bitter. And as I was reflecting on these heartbreaking stories of those who've fallen away, the Lord showed me that showed me something about every one of their cases. At some point, an offense came and they let it lodge in their spirit. They were wounded. They were hurt by someone or something. And whether the offense was petty or legitimate is irrelevant. They fell away because they became offended. And rather than getting that anger out of their spirit, they let it linger and they let it lodge. Rather than sending that ship down the coast, they let it pull up and dock right there in the safe harbor of their heart. That offense wasn't dealt with and it became their downfall. Please listen to me today. of every person in my life that I have ever seen fall away from God, backslide, give up or give in, I can trace their downward journey back to some offense somewhere. Maybe it was a year before the problem surfaced. Maybe it was years before they backslid. But I can always go back to some point in time, to some place where they became offended and they never got over that offense. They allowed that fence to harbor, to fester, to take root, to grow. And so, brothers, I tell you today, one of the greatest things that you can do to safeguard your life and your family against falling out with God is to never let anger and hurt remain in your heart. If you're offended, you got to get that offense out. You can't let it stay in your spirit. It'll poison you. It'll destroy you. It will ultimately lead to your downfall. You say, "Pastor, well, I was mistreated. I didn't deserve what happened to me." Maybe that's all true. Maybe you're justified in feeling hurt. But listen, you've got to get that offense out of your spirit because if you hold on to it, it'll be the cause of your spiritual destruction. Listen, hurts are inevitable. They're going to come. You're not a bad person. If something hurts you, offenses are going to come. Wounds are going to happen. The problem comes in, the danger comes when we harbor them in our spirit. When we hold on to it, it's not getting that anger out that'll lead to our destruction. This may seem dramatic, but I'm convinced that not dealing with offenses may be the single greatest cause of spiritual problems and issues and ultimate shipwreck, an unresolved wound that we allow in our heart. It's going to get worse and worse. It's like a cancer. It's going to grow and grow and it's going to metastasize until it affects your wife, until it affects your children, until it affects your church, until it affects your ministry, until it affects your health. I've come today to say, I know this isn't an easy thing to hear. I recognize the challenge I have today. It's not an easy subject, but I'm here because I love you and I believe you've got potential in God. But I've seen too many people's potential derailed because they never could get the hurt and the and the offense out of their spirit. It'll grow and grow until it poisons everything you touch. >> One of the reasons >> harboring offense is so destructive >> is because it always causes separation. A brother offended is harder to be one than a strong city. Solomon makes a comparison between a brother harboring offense and a strong city. What's he talking about? In ancient times, a strong city was a city with walls. He was saying that a brother harboring offense is like a city with walls. A brother offended is hard to be one because he puts walls up around himself. When a person becomes offended, they build walls. Walls that separate them from their brother and sister. Walls that separate them from the body. Walls that separate them and keep people out. But that's not all. They build walls that keeps God out. They build walls that keeps the preached word of God out. They build walls that keep the pastor out. They build walls that keep the church folk out. They build walls that keep the very people that care about them out of their lives. And so they're hard to be one because their anger is like the walls of a citadel. That's one of the most damaging things about offense. A brother offended has difficulty receiving ministry. the very ministry that he needs because of the walls that he's put up. He separates himself from the very people that he needs the most. He's unable to receive ministry from people because he's got offense towards those people. And it very might well be that God is trying to use that preacher that that brother has offense with. God's given that preacher a word that man needs but he's got walls built up and he can't receive the very ministry that he needs. When we got a fence in our spirit, we'll put up walls that'll keep the pastor out. And then on Sunday or on Wednesday when I need a word from God, when the very word I need to heal me of my issues, I can't even receive it because I've got walls or walls will impede the flow of the anointing. Walls will keep the power of God from flowing into your life. That man's unable to receive ministry from people. >> He's got a fence. He doesn't like that preacher. >> He doesn't like that singer. >> He doesn't like that church. >> He doesn't like that pastor. He doesn't like that organization. >> God may be trying to speak to him through that pastor and through that church and through that ministry, but I can't receive it cuz I've got a fence in my spirit. and my offense are like the walls of a city and it won't let ministry through. The ministry I desperately need. Offended people have a hard time receiving ministry from the word and ministry from the pulpit and ministry from the spirit of God. It's a vicious cycle because the walls hinder the flow of ministry and I don't get the healing I need and the offense grows and the anger grows and so I strengthen the walls and before long I'm a prisoner in the very castle that I have built and soon every comment and every action and every look and every word from another is seen through the lens of offense and so it causes more separation and it's a vicious cycle. We cannot allow anger and offense to harbor in our spirit or we will be like a man with walls around us. We will be like a man behind the bars of a castle will keep people out. >> Not only do we keep people out, the bars of a castle will keep you in. >> Keep you locked in the prison of your past. keep you locked in the prison of what happened yesterday. Oh, we need to we need to see clearly. >> Won't you take your hands, put them over your eyes right now? Say, "Lord, help me see clearly. I need to see clearly today. I need to see clearly today." My my one request of you brothers today, my one request of you is as this word of God is going forth that you resist the temptation to say, "Oh, oh, brother brother Zach, I I sure hope he's listening. He needs to hear." >> My one request of you today as the word of God's going forth is that you not sit there and say, "Oh, I hope brother so and so is hearing this because boy, he sure needs this." My only request of you is to say, "God, if I've got anger, if I've got if I've got offense in my heart toward anybody, I got to get it out. I don't want to pass on a legacy." Oh, I don't want to pass on a legacy of offense. I don't want to pass on a legacy of anger. I don't want to I don't want my children to grow up not being able to receive ministry be because of the offense that I planted in their spirit. So don't don't be looking around saying, "Oh, I I sure hope that brother over there is listening today. I hope you're listening today. I hope I'm listening today. I've been praying, God, if I've got a fence in my spirit for the sake of my ministry, for the sake of my wife, for the sake of my children, for the sake of my legacy, I got to get that fence out because walls walls will keep you from seeing I want y'all to look this over here. >> It's this direction. Look over here. Look, everybody look. Aren't those Smoky Mountains beautiful? >> Look how beautiful. >> My goodness, man. If I could live here in East Tennessee, my Lord, just wake up every morning, go out on my back porch with my cup of coffee, and just look at those majestic mountains. They're right there. Look over there. You see those? >> No, you you can't see those mountains. >> You know why? Because there's a wall right there. >> And when you got a wall around you, it impedes your vision. When you got a wall around you, you can't see clearly. When you got a wall around you, you can't see what's on the other side of that wall. So, when you got a fence in your spirit, the wall keeps you from seeing clearly. imaginations begin to thrive and misunderstandings begin to thrive and we so easily believe the lie of the devil because we cannot see clearly. Let me tell you what walls do. Walls will impede your vision. They'll impede your vision of the future. We can't see beyond the walls of our offense. When we build walls, we can't see what lies ahead. We can't see our vision of the future. You know what? When you got walls around you, you can't see the future. >> There's only one thing that you can see. >> If I been built walls around me, I can't see the future. The only thing I can focus on. >> The only thing I can focus on is what's behind me. The only thing I can focus on is the past. You can tell if someone has offense in your spirit. Because usually, usually, usually, Pastor Hammond, within a couple of minutes, I can tell if they have offense in their spirit. Because people that have offense in their spirit, they're never talking about tomorrow. >> They're always cuz I can't see tomorrow >> because I'm a brother offended and I've got walls up. I can't see around that wall to see what God's want to do. So all I can do is look back and I tell you what I can see in my citadel, in my castle of the fence. I can look back and say, "Well, you know what they did to me 10 years ago. You know how they wounded me? I can tell if somebody's got offense in their spirit usually in a couple of minutes because their conversation will always revert back to what happened to them yesterday or last year or two years ago or god forbid 50 years ago or 75 years. Let me tell you what, we've got too much potential for us to be focused on the hurts of yesterday. God's got a promise. My Lord, God's got a promised land for us. God is calling us to the future. Oh, but I can't see the future. All I can talk about is the past. All I can see is what that pastor did to me. What that preacher did to me, how that church failed me, how that father abandoned me, >> how that wife cheated on me. How that brother wounded me. How that organization did me wrong. How I was mistreated. How I was abused. How I was molested. How I was forgotten. >> When you when you build walls, >> you can't see what's on the side that wall. >> You can't see what God's people with the fence. They're never singing. I just feel like something good is about. No, no, no. They're always their vision is limited not to the future but to the past. I am I am so sorry and I am grieved and it is horrible that those things may have happened to you and you did not deserve that. But I tell you what is worse than the injustice you may have suffered. And that is being a prisoner of offense. It will keep you from seeing into the future. God wants us to lift up our eyes and see the promised land. He's trying to take you somewhere. He's trying to take us somewhere. He's trying to lead us somewhere. But if oh, if I'm a brother offended, I can't see beyond the walls of my own offense. Could it be the revival God is trying to give you? You can't see it because you're a brother offended and you got walls up. I got to get rid of that offense. It'll keep me a prisoner to the past. I pray you be released right now in the name of Jesus. I pray God release us today from our In the name of Jesus, I'm not going to be a prisoner to my past. Yeah, the injustice might have been real. Yeah, I might have been horrible. Yeah, I might have been terrible when I had to suffer, but I will not stay locked up behind bars in my castle. I will not be a brother offended. I'm will lay it down on the altar and say, God, your future for me is greater than the pain of my past. In this service today, God wants to break the prison bars of offense and set you free. Free to do the will of God. Free to lead your family into the divine destiny that lies before you. >> Got to tear down those walls >> of offense >> because they'll obstruct the flow. Paul said, you can be seated just a moment. Paul said, "Herein do I exercise myself." And it doesn't come easy. Takes exercise, takes effort, takes discipline, takes working on it every day. Here in do I exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offense. I've got to exercise myself to have a conscience void of offense towards God and man. When our hearts are free of offense, then there's going to be a flow of the anointing, a flow of God's power. I believe, you believe it. If we can get the walls of offense down, there's nothing that's going to keep the flow of God's anointing from flowing into your life and flowing out of your life. Let me tell you that the the key to miracles and signs and wonders in the church. Get the offense out. Get the walls down and there'll be a flow of God's anointing from the head all the way down to the skirts of the garment. The key to healing, the key to deliverance is as Paul said, to exercise ourselves to always, >> everybody say always. >> Always have a conscience that's void of offense towards God, towards men. Matthew chapter 24, the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Lord, tell us." What is the world going to look like just before your return? Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, shall kill you. Ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then see it. >> And then many shall be offended and shall betray one another and shall hate one another. >> Many shall be offended. It is the sign of the end times. The spirit of offense is a sign of the end times and it is rampant in our world. There's always been offense, right? >> But you know what? There's always been earthquakes >> and there's always been wars and there's always been pestilence. But in the end times, there will be a marked increase in the frequency and the intensity of wars and rumors of wars and earthquakes and pestilence. And likewise, in the end time, there will be an increase in the intensity and the frequency of offense. We are living in a world that is offended about everything. Students are offended at their teachers. Teachers are offended at the principal. Democrats are offended at Republicans. Republicans are offended at Democrats. Parents are offended at their kids. And kids are offended at their parent. You can't say anything without someone saying that triggered me. Oh, >> I can't believe I said pardon me, Bishop, for saying shut up. I honor this pulpit. I'm sorry I said shut up, but that's the way I feel. I want to tell some folks just shut up. I I'm tired of hearing about how everything triggers you. Everything is going, "I'm offended that he said that. I'm offended. I don't like what they did. I don't like what I saw. I don't like what they did to me. I don't like this. I don't like that. I'm offended. I'm sick and tired. Everybody's offended about everything. But didn't Jesus say that's what it's going to look like in the end times? Didn't Jesus say in the last days that's exactly what's going to happen? Everybody's going to be offended about everything. But here's the problem. We've let the spirit of the generation creep into the church. We've let the spirit that's rampant in this end time world creep into the church. You got to guard your heart. You've got to guard your mind. You've got to guard your family. I will not let the spirit of offense that's in this world creep into my life. >> Even the word of God offends people. >> My folks walking out on Sunday morning, I'm offended. >> No, I'm tell you what's going on in your life. You have let the world around you get in you. >> But I will not I will not bow to the culture of this world. I'm going to be like Daniel. I'm going to be Haniah and Azeriah and Mishael. I refuse. You say, "I thought that was Shadrach, Meshach, and Bingo." No, that was the Babylonian culture. I said, I refuse like Daniel and Haniah and Azrael and Mishael. I refuse to bow to the culture of Babylon. Everybody around me might be bowing to the spirit of offense, but I'm not going to put walls up. Why? Because I'm more interested in my future than I am my past. I'm more interested in the vision God has for me for tomorrow than I am yesterday's hurts. Yeah. You know what? We've all been hurt. So just >> shut up. >> We've all been hurt. >> Think you're the only one been hurt? >> We've all been hurt. >> But you've got the power >> to make up your mind. See, I will not bow to the culture of this world. >> Just just shut up and drive the jeep. >> These four or five guys in a jeep >> fleeing out of a war zone being decimated. You me see just a minute. Being decimated by the enemy. I mean, they were fleeing for their lives. planes flying overhead and bombs dropping and they were they were avoiding craters in the road and shrapnel going everywhere and tanks and everything and they're they're getting decimated by the enemy and so they're fleeing. They're they're they're scattering for their lives and and there's four or five of them in this jeep and they're they're they're driving getting out of this war zone when all of a sudden the guy that's driving it and slumps over in the front seat. He goes, "H, I've been shot." piece of stray shrapnel. Got him. So those guys, they they grab him, brother H, and they hold him in the back and some other guy jumps up behind the wheel. He gets about 100 yards down the road. You know, they're they're they're circumventing craters in the road and bombs flying and planes overhead and all of a sudden he goes, "Ah, been hit." Got hit by a stray bullet and wounded. So they grab him and they pull him in the back. Another guy jumps up and gets about 100 yards down the road and and all of a sudden he just slumps over. Got hit by some shrapnel, some bomb or something. So they grab him. They pull him in the back. Another guy jumps up and he gets about 100 yards down. All of a sudden he goes, "Ah, I've been hit. Somebody take over from the back of the jeep." He hears him say, "We've all been shot. Shut up and drive the Jeep." I feel like telling the men today, we've all been shot. Just shut up and lead your family. We've all been wounded. We could all be sucking our thumb about some injustice. You I'm sorry if I sound harsh, but you think you're the only one who's been lied on. You think you're the only one who's been mistreated. You think you're the only one who's been unfairly treated. I just made up my mind. I'm not going to bow to the culture of this world. I will not be offended. I'll tell you why. Because I don't want to be in a prison where all I can talk about is what he did to me yesterday. I'm going to tear down those walls so I can see where God is leading me. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. >> Hallelujah. >> Somebody better come to the organ or I'll never stop. >> We can't >> We can't let the spirit of our age creep into the church. >> We got to close the harbor. Nope. Not here. You're not porting here. You're not coming here. I'm not going to protect you. I'm not going to give you a safe place to anchor. So, just go on. No vacancy, no room here for you. Because when we harbor off a fence, it will ultimately destroy us. >> Have you noticed? >> Oh, God. Have you noticed that just after Jesus said many shall be offended? You ever paid attention to what comes next? >> False prophets shall arise >> and deceive many. I'm tell you why, brother Carpenter, I can't let off a fence stay in my spirit. Because if I've got offense in my spirit, I've got a red bullseye target on my back for the spirits of deception and delusion. You show me one person who has denied the apostolic faith. Amen. >> You show me one person who has walked away from this glorious apostles doctrine and I'll show you a man or a woman or a family who got offended about something. And because they didn't get the offense out of their spirit and built up walls that prevented ministry from flowing into their lives, they became a prime target of the spirits of deception and delusion. I know people who have denied that Jesus Christ is even God. >> I'm talking people apostolic raised people. who say, "I don't even believe Jesus is the son of God." >> I don't even believe it's got to be in Jesus name. Or you got to speak in tongues to receive the Holy Ghost. Or you got to live a holy life. >> Thinking how how in the world >> did you get from here to there, I tell you how it happened. Every case I know, I could be wrong, but every case I know >> somewhere along the line, >> somebody wounded them and somebody hurt them and they didn't get to Oh, Lord have mercy. They didn't get asked to preach this, didn't get asked to preach that, overlook them for some title, somebody overlooked them for some position they thought they deserved. that that that offense just started growing and metastasizing and pretty soon it led to exactly what Jesus said. He said, "Many shall be offended and false prophets shall rise." >> False prophets are doing this. >> Oh yeah. Oh, false prophets rise up when they see somebody who's offended. >> Have you ever noticed that people who have offense in their spirit? They're like a magnet of false prophets. >> Oh, Lord have mercy. We got to stop. We'll preach all day. >> They got offense in their spirit and all of a sudden their phone starts ringing. It's uncanny. >> It's uncanny how many phone calls they get. But Jesus said, "When you are offended, false prophets will arise >> and deceive many." You can't let offense stay in your spirit. It'll destroy your future and it'll make you susceptible to false doctrine and delusion. Lift your hands with me right now. Come on, musicians, help me. In the name of Jesus, we need to pray. We're we're we're not not at the altar yet. We're going to come to the altar in just a minute, but I want you to pray first at your seat. I want you to lift up your voice at your seat. In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. Come on. At your seat. It is Don't Don't be thinking about somebody else. Don't Don't be thinking about I hope somebody else hears this. No. I want you to say, "God, I'm looking inward right now. Lord, could it be that I've got offense in my spirit? Could it be that I've got anger in my spirit towards some brother, towards some church, towards some pastor, towards some ministry? Oh God, I got to get that offense out in the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. Now, now, here's what we're going to do. I want every man who is ready, every man who is ready to lay down a fence out of your spirit or dig up a fence that might be lodged deep in your I don't want you to come and just stand and look around. If if this message is not resonating with you that then first to just just hold off a minute because I feel like there's some men that are really ready to dig in here this afternoon and do some self evaluation and honest inward look at their hearts and say, "Oh God, see if there be some offense in me." If you're ready for some serious praying like that, I want you to come. You can kneel, but if you kneel, I don't want you to put your face in the carpet and be quiet. If you kneel, I want you to lift your head up toward heaven. Or you can stand, but if you stand, I want you to lift your head up and lift your hands up. I want you to open your mouth and I want you to pray. It is so important for your family. It is so important for your ministry. It is so important for your future that you dig out any offense that might be you got to forgive. I pray there be a spirit of forgiveness today. I pray there be a spirit of forgiveness in this room today. You need to forgive that man right now. You need to say in the name of Jesus, I release that man for what he did to me. I forgive him. I bless my enemies. I pray for them which despitefully use me. I bless them that curse me. Oh, you need to bless somebody right now who's cursed you. You need to That's about forgiveness. That's about getting the offense out. You need to pray for revival for somebody who's been critical of you. You need to let that you need to let that person free. You've been holding some injustice over that man, over that woman, over that family member for 5, 10, 20, 40, 50 years. You need to release them right now. I forgive that man who wounded me. I forgive that pastor who dropped me and crippled me. I forgive I forgive that woman who mistreated me. I forgive that person who violated me. I forgive. I will not be a prisoner. I will not be a prisoner to the past. I will not be a prisoner to the hurts of yesterday. Be released. Be released in the name of Jesus. Come on prayer warriors help me. Come on intercessors help me. In the name in the name. Y'all help us. Everybody in this room. Come on. Let your voice out. We want to pray. This is spiritual battle. This is spiritual warfare. This is spiritual warfare right now. The devil wants to keep you bound. The devil wants to keep you bound in a prison of hurt. The devil wants to keep you bound in a prison in a prison of pain. He wants to keep you bound in the past. We're praying right now. We're interceding. I need every intercessor. Help me pray right now. Somebody help me pray in the Holy Ghost. Somebody cry out to you praying in other tongues. Somebody pray. Pray. Come on, somebody pray till you're groaning in the spirit. Somebody pray. Pray. Pray. Hallelujah. Cuz God's setting somebody free right now. God's setting somebody free right now. God's loosening somebody right now in the name of Jesus. Be free from offense. Be free from anger. Be free from the past. I set you free in the name of Jesus. By the authority of Jesus' name. be set free by the authority of the word of God. Be set free in Jesus name. In the name of the Lord. In the name of the Lord. I pray the walls be torn down. I pray the walls of the fence. I pray the brother offended would begin to tear down the walls right now. Let us see clearly. Let us see vision of the future. Let us see revision. Let us see fresh vision of tomorrow. of the promises of God, of the destiny of God that lies before us in the name of Jesus. >> Don't stop praying yet. I know it's late. I know we've been in church a long time, but don't stop praying just yet. There's a deep move of the Holy Ghost right now. There's a deep move of God's spirit right now. God's trying to loose somebody. God's wanting to release somebody from pain you've been carrying for 20 years. God wants to set you free. It's time to move forward. Time to move forward. Forward. Forward in the name of Jesus. Here is where I burden >> in the name of Jesus. >> This is my surrender. >> In the name of Jesus. >> Be released in Jesus name. >> Brother, be released from that offense right now. Lay it down. Come on. Lay it down on this altar. Lay it down at his feet right now. Hallelujah. >> Hallelujah. >> Do whatever you want. Whatever you want. I will make room for you. Whatever you want. Whatever you want. >> Jesus name. >> Every burden. >> Jesus name. >> This is my Jesus name. >> Jesus name. >> Jesus name. Jesus name. In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. I am In the name of the Lord. In the name of the Lord. I just In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus, release us, oh Lord. Help us, Jesus. Help us today, Jesus. Help us today, Jesus. This release of hurt and injustice is not only to be done on an individual level. But I feel to tell you that there are churches, entire churches that are bound in offense because of some injustice from another church. And I'm here to speak to you right now, pastor. You may very well be hindering the future revival that God has for your congregation because you have imprisoned your entire congregation in a citadel of offense. And there are whole churches that need to say we are not going to talk about what happened. >> We forgive. >> We release We move forward >> into the future that God has for us. >> It's not just about a brother offended. It can be a church offended. I need to release. I I feel the strangest the way to end this. But I just have to obey the Holy Ghost. >> I want you to pray this prayer with me. Our Father, >> our Father, >> who art in heaven, >> who art in heaven, >> hallowed be thy name, >> be thy name, >> thy kingdom come, >> thy kingdom come, >> thy will be done, >> thy will be done >> in earth, >> in earth >> as it is in heaven. >> as it is in heaven. >> Give us this day >> Give us this day >> our daily bread. >> our daily bread. >> And forgive us >> for us >> our trespasses. >> our as we >> as we >> forgive those >> who have trespassed against us. >> Would you stay there just a moment? >> Would you stay right there in the spirit just a moment? Forgive me my sins. But God, I forgive those who've wounded me, I forgive. Forgive me my trespasses as as I forgive those who've trespassed against me. Don't pray to be kept out of temptation >> until you prayed, "I forgive those who've trespassed against me." >> Because if you got anger and bitterness and hurt inside of you, don't don't say, "God, you got to keep me from deception and delusion. Lead me not into temptation and deliver me from the evil one. You're wasting your prayers praying that. If you don't get the order right and the order before we can say God lead me into my future and lead me into my destiny and Lord protect me from harm and protect me from the fiery darts of the wicked. before he said pray that >> he said you pray forgive me as I forgive others >> forgive me >> say it with me now forgive us our trespasses >> as we forgive those who've trespassed against us >> and lead us not into temptation >> but deliver Deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Come on now. Let your voice out. Shout a praise to God. Come on free man. Come on free man. Let's all shout and shout in praise and victory.