OFFENSE KILLS FAITH
Kay Keith Peebles 05/07/2021 21.18
Probably the greatest tool of the devil is the spirit of offense! He is well aware that when the people of God are offended, he can keep them bound, in sin, doubt, and unbelief. Doubtless more people reject the gospel because of the spirit of offense than any other reason. Unbelief is fueled by offense. The Greek definition for offense (skavndalon) and (proskommal) give the connotation of a stumbling block. It can mean a trap or a snare causing one to sin.
In 1990 I became hungry to know more of God. I began to watch Christian TV as channels and programs sprang up across the nation. One morning I tuned in to a healing crusade produced by an evangelist named Benny Hinn. He wore a white suit with white shoes, and had an unusual hair style. He was very expressive and flamboyant in personality. I quickly felt offense at his demeanor. I decided to turn off the program. As I reached for the remote to change the channel the Lord spoke to me: “Watch this man, you will learn how to worship Me, and know that I heal My people.” That day I realized I had a bias in regard to how a man (or woman) of God should look or act which caused me to make a superficial erroneous judgment toward them. It was a stumbling block to me which I could have passed on to others.
I watched him and tried to ignore the things which seemed “offensive”. I began to focus on the children being healed. I knew their experience was genuine because I could see it in their eyes and hear it in their testimonies. I found myself tuning in every morning. The anointing from the presence of God was strong and soon my faith for healing increased. Little did I know that in two years this man and his ministry would powerfully impact my family!
My husband was playing tennis for exercise in 1992 when he sustained a very painful back injury. Some disks in his lower back were bulging and he could not stand, sit or lie down for very long. He wasn’t a candidate for surgery and the solutions the doctor’s gave did not relieve him of his pain. He suffered for approximately six months. He was not born again at the time. (John 3:1-6) Benny Hinn’s church was only one hour and a half away and I suggested we attend his healing service one Sunday night. He agreed to go. At that service Benny called out back pain and my husband stood up as did others. He was encouraged to step out into the aisle if he believed God could heal him. He did so. Then Benny said those people in the aisle would feel the touch of God on their body. My husband felt two fingers gently touch his forehead although looking around, he saw no one was near him. He began to weep and thought, “My God, You’re real!” It took several minutes to compose himself as he moved back into his seat. Afterward, he realized all the back pain was gone! That night my husband was not only healed, he became born again! As God touched him, he believed. If I had remained offended by this unusual man and the way he ministered, I don’t know what our lives would be like today. God kept me and my husband from losing one of the greatest blessings of our lives. We were fortunate to be able to sing in the choir at several of his crusades in the Florida area.
In 1985 a couple who were students at Christ For The Nations in Dallas joined the church we attended in Texas. They came to our home one Sunday afternoon and the wife talked to me about receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. I had read about it in the scriptures and believed it was a gift from God but when she said I had control over it I became scared and offended. I had misunderstood the scripture that said, “as the Spirit gives utterance” and would not let her pray for me to receive. I thought God should “force” me or “cause” me to speak instead of me having the free will to pray whenever I needed or wanted.
The scripture says: “And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all assembled together in one place. When suddenly there came a sound from heaven like the rushing of a violent tempest blast and it filled the whole house in which they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were separated and distributed and which settled on each one of them. And they were all filled, (diffused throughout their souls) with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other (different, foreign) languages (tongues), and the Spirit kept giving them clear and loud expression [in each tongue in appropriate words].” Acts 2:1-4.
I had no idea He would give me the ability to pray with Him directly according to His perfect will. My prayers would have authority and power as did the Spirit of God within me and upon me! Months later my close friend, spiritual mother and Bible teacher Arlene knew by the Spirit of God that I was ready to receive that gift. She gave me a book entitled They Speak With Other Tongues by John Sherrill. He was an investigative reporter who began researching the phenomenon of speaking in tongues to prove it false. Instead of succeeding, he began to believe and became filled with the Holy Spirit himself with the evidence of speaking in tongues! I was convinced. Soon after reading the book, I prayed with a friend to help me receive and did so instantly. Had I remained offended at the how’s and why’s, or thought the Lord would not give me the gift, I would not be spiritually where I am today. I depend on my prayer life daily, knowing that when I don’t know how to pray, He gives me the perfect prayer through His Spirit and He will answer it completely!
Many people are offended with God because they believed the Lord “took” their loved one from them. I was at the funeral of one of my husband’s employees years ago. Her son was killed at the age of 18 in a tragic car accident. The Pastor railed at the pulpit saying God “took” him at such a young age! Who wouldn’t feel offended at God if they thought their husband, wife or child was “taken” by God because He needed them in heaven more than they needed them on earth? The truth is the Lord did not make the three boys drink alcohol until they became inebriated. Nor did He force them to enter the car and drive 90 miles an hour into a huge tree. Their own choices set up the tragic scenario.
When my mother died in 2001, the Lord clearly spoke to me, “Do not tell people I “took” your mother, tell them I received her!” I knew I was hearing the voice of God but a few years later I found the scripture in my daily reading that confirmed it. “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” Acts 3:19-21. Heaven has also received our godly loved ones who are among the cloud of witnesses waiting to come back with Him on that day!
When man doesn’t know the answer, he manufactures one that seems to pacify but will eventually bring offense, whether it’s doctrine or explanation for things unknown. Man’s theories can cause us to become offended with the Lord and become a stumbling block to our faith and growth.
The latest offensive topic is the one of “signs and wonders”. Just as with every other offensive topic, we must compare a “belief” or explanation with the Word of God to discern the truth. When Jesus sent out His disciples to minister, He gave them a command, “And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand! Cure (heal) the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely (without pay) you have received, freely (without charge) give.” Matthew 10:7-8. Emphasis mine.
“And Jesus summoned to Him His twelve disciples and gave them power and authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out, and to cure all kinds of disease and all kinds of weaknesses and infirmity.” Matthew 10:1. Disciple is the Greek word mathetes meaning to become a pupil, to be discipled, to be taught. Key Word Study Bible NKJ.
In Mark Chapter 16 Jesus commissioned his 11 disciples before He was resurrected into heaven affirming the same command! “And these attesting signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will drive out demons, they will speak in new languages; they will pick up serpents (Acts 28:3-5); and even if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick and they will get well.” Mark 16:17-19. Believe in this scripture is the Greek word pisteuo meaning to have faith; to entrust one’s spiritual well-being to Christ.” Key Word Study Bible NKJ.
Today, many believe that only the 12 Apostles could do these miracles but the scripture clearly says those who believe! All believers are to be “disciples” of Christ Jesus. We are all to be “taught” the scriptures and continually grow in faith until we reach full maturity! “And His gifts to the church were varied and] He Himself appointed some as apostles, some as prophets , some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, [and He did this] to fully equip and perfect the saints for works and service, to build up the body of Christ [the church] until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ’s own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him.” Ephesians 4:11-13 Amplified.
We often fail to remember that Jesus, although fully God, laid down his divinity and became fully man so that He might live a sinless life, fully develop and obey the Father and die as the holy sacrifice for our sins. His life and ministry showed us how we are to live, act and if need be, die.
My question would be: Did Jesus heal the sick, cast out demons, cure the lepers and raise the dead? Yes! Are we matured in the fullness of the measure of Christ? No, not all and not yet! But we don’t have to become discouraged. God is fully willing and able to give us everything we need to grow into the fullness of all Jesus died for us to have and become!
Some say that the gifts have passed away as in 1 Corinthians 13. The gifts will pass away when we don’t need them anymore; when we stand before the Lord. Until then, people still need healing. There are still people bound by demons who need deliverance. I have been to two different leper colonies in India. They still exist. There are still those dying before their time. The gifts are for the church to do the works of Jesus! Healing is a powerful sign to the unbeliever. Many Muslims, Hindu’s and other religious people come to faith through the demonstration of healing. They will listen to the gospel when they are healed in Jesus’ name! Those who are bound and tormented by demons will gladly follow the Lord when they are set free from demonic oppression/possession. Those addicted to cigarettes, drugs and alcohol can be gloriously set free instantly by the power of God. All the gifts of the Holy Spirit are needed in our world today!
Sadly, many reject the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the pursuit of being perfected in the faith to the maturity of Christ through offense and unbelief. What’s also sad, many of us have misused our gifts or acted immaturely when using them which helped to fuel the misunderstanding. The gifts do not make anyone more important or special. They should make us more accountable and humble before the Lord.
Offense has caused a rift in the church resulting in division which the devil loves. May we all humble ourselves before the Lord and choose to lay down our offenses, seek the Word of God as if starting over and submit to His Lordship in order to truly become like Him! Offense kills faith but the fullness of the love of God empowers us to become all He died for us to be.
