1 Peter 5:8, New living Translation

“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”

God's plans for us are so good! We are often reminded of this from the scripture found in Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT), “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” We may have all heard this scripture often, but there is so much truth to it that somehow quickly leaves the brain...somehow, we end up on a rabbit trail of being hurt by someone's words, or offended by an action...in essence we are getting caught in a snare. The Bible tells us, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith…” (Hebrews 12:1-2, NLT) The Bible also tells us to “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8, NLT)

Satan will do anything to trip us up in sin. That includes the rabbit hole of hurt and offense. As humans, we tend to hold on to things for far longer than what we need to, not thinking about the fact that it hurts us more than it hurts the person that hurt us or offended us. But by the grace of God and by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith, we can recognize what is happening and take action. Satan has had thousands of years to observe humanity and perfect his techniques. He knows what makes us tick, the things that hurt us and how we will react to it. He will use these things against us to lead us into sin. By carrying this weight, we are hindered from walking in the Spirit and fulfilling what God has planned for us. So, what do we do? We must be quick to take it to the Lord, to repent for our sins, to give the situation to the Lord, and to forgive the person from our heart, so that we can be released from the pain of our hurt or what offended us. Paul instructed us to "throw off every weight that slows us down!" The weight of sin is heavy, and it slows us down. When Christ died on the cross, He died for all of our sins. That wasn't a dying so you can be forgiven once, no, it is for every sin. But we have to be willing to humble ourselves before our God to repent and turn from what slows us down!

Ephesians 6:10-12 (NLT) instructs us, “… Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” This scripture is so important, and it is one that I have to make myself go back to. Offense and hurt don’t come from the people we love and care about or even the person we rub shoulders with at work or in passing. Hurt and offense come from Satan; the roaring lion who is roaming around to see who he can devour. Another truth we need to remember is this...mankind was made in God's image. The person who offended you or hurt you, they are made in the image of God. The bear the image of Christ. God loved them just as the same as He loved us...He gave His one and only Son to die for them just as much as for us. If we can recognize these two things, I believe it will help us to forgive from the heart, which the Bible instructs us to do. Jesus had been teaching on the Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor. A servant had his debts forgiven by the king. After his encounter with the king, he went to one of his fellow servants and had him put in prison until he could pay his debts back. When the king had found out what this wicked servant had done, he had him sent to prison and tortured until his debts were paid. The parable finishes with this sentence “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” (Matthew 18:35, NLT)

Being able to forgive someone is a serious matter. Satan is counting on us being ensnared by that sin, by that offense and hurt. But, if we put on the full armor of God, as Paul instructs, and keep our eyes on Jesus, the champion of our faith, we can overcome the enemy with humility. Have you ever heard the phrase "pride comes before the fall?" Well, we are going to let Satan keep taking the fall, while we, as children of the Most High God, humbles themselves with repentance and forgiveness. The Bible tells us that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6)

When we put these things into practice, I believe we will experience a breakthrough that will bring us even closer to God, because as we draw near to Him, He draws near to us.