Offences- The Bait of Satan

                                                               

                                                        Offences-The Bait of Satan 
One of the signs of the last days according to what Jesus said in the verse that we just read is that many will be offended and will betray one another and will hate one another.
These days’ people get offended for no good reason and go on shooting rampage. One guy in America recently went to the Discovery TV station building in America because he was upset about the fact that they are showing programmes that shows human beings destroying the planet or something like that. He was offended.
The rate of murder has skyrocketed in recent times, there is a lot of betrayal and so much hatred in our society.
Jesus said, it is impossible offences will come but woe to him through which it come. We will feel offended but it is how we deal with it that matters.
The danger is that if we allow offence in our life, it can stop the blessing of God from flowing in our life, but when we exercise patience and remain focused on God and His Word, He will turn your situations and circumstances around.
It is God’s desire that you do not become offended. That we become dead to self.
Phil 1:9-11 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Offense blocks God’s blessing because it cuts one off from the power of God.
Sometimes people become offended with God but this is not wise because He is the only One who can help you get out of a negative situation or circumstance.
Don’t strive with God (Isaiah 45:9).’Woe to him who strives with his maker’
Nobody can be successful if he has a heart that is against God (Job 9:4b – Who has hardened himself against Him (God ) and prospered.
Everyone will at one point in time suffer offence in one form or another all men are subject to the possibility of becoming offended many times a day in life. We also offend people consciously or unconsciously. You may never know what your words or actions lead to.
One of the most potent weapon that Satan uses in these last days to steal people’s destiny and destroy their lives is the weapon of offence.
I heard a make believe story about Satan and his schemes. The story is that Satan held a fair and had many diverse items/gadgets for sale like fornication, alcoholism, homosexuality, witchcraft, lying etc but on these two items he put not for sale, Discouragement and offence. Someone then asked Satan why are these not for sale, he said, these are the two instruments that he had used to destroy many destinies and they have almost 100% success rate. He said irrespective of race, color, economic status, age, they always deliver.
What is offence?
The word offence comes from the Greek word, Skandalon. The word means a snare, a noose or a trap. It also means something that makes someone to stumble or fall into a scandalous act.
Generally it means to feel annoyed or hurt by something or what someone did or said.
The devil can ensnare one through offence and when that happens one begins to do his will and manifest feeling of anger, resentment, wrath and criticism which ultimately leads to divisions, rebellion and fighting.
Great men and women in history have missed golden opportunities because they’ve allowed offences to dictate their responses and actions at crucial points in their lives.
You may not indulge in so called big sins like fornication but the weapon of offence could create greater damage if we are not careful.
Matt 24:10 ‘And then many will be offended, will betray one another and will hate one another.
When we allow ourselves to be offended and we don’t deal with it, it leads to other very damaging human emotions like betrayal and eventually hatred of the person concerned.
This occurs in marriages, work places, churches and businesses.
Proverbs 18:19 ‘A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city. This means that it is a lot easier to conquer or win a strong city than reconcile a brother who is offended.
This is serious.
We get offended by sometimes minor issues
An usher asked you to move from where you are sitting and you are not happy because you feel, how dare this young girl talk to me like that.
You feel someone walked past you in church and didn’t greet you properly and you are offended.
Or maybe the pastor preached a sermon and you think he is referring to you and you get offended. A pastor narrated how he finished preaching one day and a woman came to see him and said, I know you were referring to me in your message but the pastor insisted that he wasn’t even thinking about her. She was all upset. It will be difficult to preach if one has to avoid speaking about certain things just because someone in the church has been through or going through similar situation.
Offence is dangerous and it can attract evil spirit into our lives.
A man and his wife had a quarrel and there was strife and offence between them and the HS nudged the man to apologize to his wife but he refused and was being stubborn. As they were lying down the man couldn’t sleep and at about 2 am the Holy Spirit spoke to him and said look at what you have allowed into your house and in an open vision this man saw a large, fierce looking demon spirit wearing armor. The man could see each piece of armour and understand it’s symbolic meaning. The spirit wore helmet of pride and breastplate of unrighteousness,he carried a sword of bitterness and a shield of hatred, from his belt hung a hammer of judgement, a cloak of deception and his feet were shod with boots of anger.
Why do we get offended?
The reasons why we all get offended differ amongst different people but there are certain common reasons or causes of offences irrespective of who you are or where you are from.
Read Luke 17: 1-4
1.We are imperfect people . No human being is perfect and we all have the propensity to get offended. Psalm 51:5 ‘Behold I was shapen in iniquity (sin) and in sin did my mother conceive me.
We daily encounter people carrying all kinds of experiences, traumas and fears of their past which greatly influence their behavior.
Read Romans 7:15-20 .
Every man has an inborn tendency to disappoint. Men cause offences because of human limitations. They are limited in scope of seeing and understanding situations hence their inability to make correct judgments.
That is why people make flawed judgments and conclusions about others which can trigger negative emotions and tendencies such as anger, bitterness and resentments. Men can wrongly interpret your actions because of their limitations.
It is only God who is all knowing and all understanding and has the ability to make sound judgments.
2. People differ in opinion, ideas and perceptions.
3. Lack of the fruit of the Spirit.
Biblical examples of people who got offended
The bible is full of stories of great men who got offended and they ended up missing God’s purpose for their lives and were destroyed in the process.
Absalom: Read 2 Samuel 13:1 -20 – 32.
Absalom, King David’s son story is a classic example of what happens when offenses are taken personally and nursed over a period of time. He was a favorite son of his father King David.
Absalom had a sister called Tamar who was very beautiful and Absalom also had a half brother called Amnon who was infatuated by Tamar. He liked her to the extent that he became sick and a friend of his called Jonadab (that’s why we need to keep godly friends) told Amnon that he should pretend to be ill and when the king comes to see him he should tell the king that he will like Tamar to come and give him food. Then when the king came to see him, he requested that Tamar his sister should come and give him food and the king agreed.
When Tamar came, Amnon basically raped her. When Absalom got to know in verse 22 ‘Absalom spoke to his brother neither good nor bad for Absalom hated Amnon because he had forced his sister Tamar.
Absalom was really offended but he did not deal with it but kept it in his heart.
Two years passed and Absalom then planned and got Amnon his brother killed.
What started off as an offence which Absalom should have sorted out with his brother spiraled into betrayal, hatred and ultimately murder.
Offence, once it enters our heart must the rooted out completely otherwise it can come back to claim victims and do more damage.
Absalom later on betrayed his dad and he ended up being killed. What began as a disapproval of his half brothers actions let to betrayal, hatred and murder. Untamed offence mixed with confusion about his father’s failings resulted in Absalom death.
Anywhere there is offence, betrayal is an inevitable consequence. Offence provokes and triggers betrayal. Whenever you feel like betraying somebody, it may well be that you are offended.
Colossians 3:12-14
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
John the Baptist:
Matthew 11:2-6
John the Baptist who was the forerunner of Jesus Christ was also offended. He came from a priestly home and he had a ministry that was commended by Jesus himself.
Jesus said among those born of women, there has not arisen one greater than John the Baptist. Matt 11:11.
John the Baptist questioned whether Jesus was really the Messiah because he was imprisoned and expected Jesus to get him out of jail (Matthew 11:2-6).
John knew that Jesus was the Anointed One, but he was offended because Jesus didn’t immediately come to His rescue.
John’s offense kept him from his deliverance. Offense can destroy one’s destiny.
When you are offended, your defenses are broken down, and the serpents of life can bite you.
Offence has no respect for royalty or status. John was put in prison by Herod because he told Herod it was not good that he took his brother’s wife.
While in prison John then sent a message to Jesus to ask inn Matt 11:3 ‘Are you the coming one or do we look for another’.
One brother was interested in a sister and approached her, and the sister said she will pray about it to see if it is God’s will. When she didn’t respond o time, he said to her, Are you the one or should we look for another’
Jesus then sent a message back to John with testimonies of how His ministry was doing but He now also said, Blessed is he who is not offended because of me. Maybe John felt that Jesus could have used His influence to free him from prison or by some supernatural intervention free him? Or maybe John expected Jesus to at least visit him in prison. Remember that they are cousins.
John could have felt that his cousin Jesus had forsaken him. Then he started doubting Jesus.
It is common to find in churches members who used to on fire and supporting the ministry suddenly now turn to antagonists of the church. This is usually because they are offended.
If offence could turn John the Baptist the forerunner of Jesus into a doubter, we need to watch out for offence in our lives and stamp it out as soon as possible.
Ephesians 4:30-32 ‘And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
SIGNS THAT YOU ARE OFFENDED
1. Withdrawal from relationships and fellowship.
Relationships are created by God to strengthen and empower us and Godly relationships are designed by God for our blessing but when we begin to withdraw from Godly relationships around us, we are most likely offended.
Bible says two are better than one for they have a better reward for their labor.
Several relationships have been ripped due to offenses. Sometimes church splits are a result of someone who has been offended.
An offended person will often decide to stay away and withhold any support and contribution he or she used to make.
Many people have moved away from their marriages, job’s churches, friendship because they are offended and thereby missed their destinies, may you never miss your destiny in Jesus name.
Bible says we should not forsake the assembly of our gathering together.
2. Resentment.
If you find that you resent someone, it is a good sign that you are offended. Resentment is harboring animosity against a person or group of people who you feel has mistreated you. It may also be unresolved anger you have over a negative event which occurred in the past.
Resentment is bad because it consumes you of joy and peace of the mind. It possesses a self destructive power.
Resentment can often lead to bitterness which then leads to fatigue, backaches, ulcers, high blood pressure.
3. Distrust: Offended people lose trust for everybody. A church member that is offended can lose the respect and trust and esteem he or she has for the leader.
The offended person may also encounter difficulty in submission to authority and will often develop destructive independent spirit.
The person just refuses to communicate.
Col 3:8 – 9 ‘But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds.
4.Betrayal
Matt 24:10 And many will be offended and will betray one another and will hate one another.
Offence can lead to betrayal of love, friendship as well as disloyalty. Many people because they are offended will betray the trust of their previously close friends.
Ahithophel betrayed David and Judas betrayed Jesus because of offense.
Prov 17:17 ‘A friend is born for adversity’.
Please do not betray your brother and sister.
5. Unanswered prayers. Carrying offenses can lead to unanswered prayers. Jesus said in Mark 11 that if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them so that your father in heaven may forgive you your sins.
Luke 1:5 – 15. Zacharias and Elizabeth did not have any child but they were still serving as priests in the house of the Lord and it was while serving that the angel appeared to Zacharias and told him that they will have a child.
Don’t be offended at God to the extent that you stop doing what you are supposed to be doing for Him. It is dangerous.
6. Rebellion: Offended people often develop a rebellious spirit and go against the established order.
Absalom rebelled against his father’s David’s kingship due to offence. He succeeded momentarily in overthrowing his father but he died such a shameful death eventually.
When young people rebel against their parents, it is usually as a result of the fact that they are offended by something.
7. Recollection of Events.
Offended people also seem to have very good memory. However it is always selective because they always remember wrongs committed against them.
The painful memories become a mental picture they permanently carry around. This is major blessing blocker.
How to deal with offences.
The reason why this issue of offence is really important is because one can attract a lot of demonic spirit into one’s life
1.Forgive quickly. Ephesians 4:32 .
Forgiveness means to release, dismiss, to cancel debts or punishment due to sinful conduct,
It is the ability of releasing people and events, hurts and bitterness from your heart.
It is a feeling of no longer being angry with someone.
2. Learn to confront issues biblically. Matt 18:15 – 18
3. Pray for your enemies. Matt 5:44
4. Make a decision early not to revenge. Romans 12:17 – 19
God has not given us the privilege paying back evil for evil. We as Christians are not allowed to take vengeance on anybody irrespective of what the offence is. God is the only one who has the right to take vengeance because He is all knowing.
Luke 9:51 – 56. The disciples and Jesus went to this Samaritan village and the people did not receive Jesus and the disciples said let us call down fire from heaven to destroy these people but Jesus said, What kind of spirit are you made of?
Joseph was treated badly by his brothers but he still forgave them and did not allow offence to stifle his judgment.
Some churches curse their enemies and pray fire prayer over them. That is not scriptural.
6. Give the situation to God in prayers and stop talking about it.
The problem is that when we talk and think about what that person did or said about us and then the enemy makes it look bigger that it is.
7. Love unconditionally
A true test of love is the capacity to forgive. If you have the mind to hold offences against someone, then you are not walking in love.
Romans 13:8. Owe no man nothing but love.
Love never tales offence. Love does not seek his own good but the good of others.
CONCLUSION: Ephesians 4:26-27 Give no foothold to the devil. Offences make us give a foothold to the devil.
Faithfulness to the End
Apart from the fact that God is love, one of God’s key characters is His faithfulness. God is faithful to us meaning that He does what He promises and He is reliable and dependable. You can totally rely on God because He is faithful.
1 Thess 5:24 ‘Faithful is he who has called you who will also do it’. That is why I believe that because God has called you and because He is faithful you will receive answer to that great desire in your heart and that need in the name of Jesus.
2 Timothy 2:13 ‘If we are faithless, He remains faithful for He cannot deny Himself.
God always delivers on His promises. He promised Abraham and Sarah a child in their old age and it came to pass.
Heb 11:11 ‘By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised’
Receive strength and grace today to bring forth that child, that dream, that vision in the name of Jesus.
Because of God’s faithfulness, Sarah though past the age of child bearing bore a son.
Deut 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.
1 Cor 10:13 ‘No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Even when it comes to temptation, God is faithful. He does not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear. He even makes a way of escape for us so that we don’t fall.
In truth, all of God’s creation depends on His faithfulness. Because of His faithfulness, He has put some natural laws in place and that is why everything functions the way they do. If God decides not to be faithful and refuses to allow sun to shine or rain to fall, all plants will be dead.
Faithfulness is not just a character of God but God demands that we are faithful.
1 Cor 4:1 – 2 ‘Let a man consider us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful’.
Apostle Paul is saying here that we are considered as servants of Christ and stewards of mysteries of God. God has entrusted us with His mysteries but we must be faithful.
A good servant does what His master says. He is there to please his master.
Rev 2:10b ‘Be thou faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life. It means that in order to receive the crown of life, we all have to be faithful. You will not miss your crown in Jesus name.
This shows that our entire life is a test of our faithfulness or stewardship. Pass the test of faithfulness or stewardship and you will be promoted.
Jesus spoke a parable that the kingdom of heaven is like a man travelling to a far country and then called his servants and to one he gave 5 talents and another he gave two talents and to the last one he gave one talent.
The master divided the talents among the servants according to their abilities. No one received more than he can handle. If one fails in their assignment it is not because they were overwhelmed but because of laziness or being disobedient towards the master.
The talents represent our gifts, our time and our resources. God expects that we invest them wisely until He returns. We are responsible to use well what God has given us.
The issue is not how much we have but how well we use what He has given us.
After a long time the master came back and he called his servants and the one that was given 5 talents have doubled it up and it is now ten talents and the one with two now had four but the one with one just went and buried it and did nothing with his talent.
The master then said to the one with five talents vs 21 ‘Well done thou good and faithful servant, you were faithful over a few things, I will make you a ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of the Lord.
It is interesting because the master said the same thing to the one with the 2 talent vs 23 ‘Well done thou good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you a ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.
This shows that it is not the size or quantity of the result we have but our being faithful to what the Lord has committed into our hands.
The third servant just went to bury the talent he was given, he decided to play it safe and called his master a hard man. Read vs 26 – 29.
Everyone does not have the same opportunities. Nor do we all have the same abilities. But we all have something.
May the Lord find us faithful when He returns? In the story the master is the Lord Jesus himself and the servants are us.
What does it mean to be faithful?
It means to be steadfast or consistent in allegiance or affection. A faithful person does not waver. They are always there. You can count on them.
Firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty. You keep your promises and do your duties well.
It means to be loyal. Prov 17:17 ‘A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity’. A faithful person is a loyal person.
It means to be dependable and trustworthy. A faithful person can be relied upon. Are you dependable and trustworthy?
Willingness to carry through on all God’s commands to the end. It’s not just to do things half way but to be there till the end. That is why faithfulness is not proven overnight but it is demonstrated over time. That is why our motive has to be right. Motive is the reason why we do what we do .
Faithfulness is doing what God has told you to do with the resources He has given you.
Faithfulness is one the fruits of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit works on our heart and on our mind to reveal how much better it is when we do what God would do or say what God would say. By practice over time we develop characteristics, we routinely behave as God would behave. Not because we should, or must, but because we choose to, we prefer to, because it is in our character to do so.
Prov 20:6 ‘Many a man claim unfailing love but a faithful man, who can find. It means that faithfulness is not a very common character trait. It is rare.
Faithfulness is not an option we choose. God expects us to be faithful to Him, and He seeks men and women who will live so as to consistently carry out His will.
“And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind…”–1 Sam 2:35
Biblical characters that was faithful
Gen 5:24 Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. He must have been loyal, reliable, feared God, obeyed God.
Jesus Christ is the supreme example of faithfulness. He always did God’s will and spoke God’s words. He had only one desire, which was to do God’s will –Luke 22:42
Jesus’ obedience did not come naturally. This we are told in the Book of Hebrews. Even for Jesus, faithfulness was something to learn. “Though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered…”–Heb. 5:8
We, too, can learn faithfulness. “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?”–Luke 16:10-12
As we grow more faithful in one area of our life, that faithfulness can carry over into other areas.
Faithfulness toward God begins with faithfulness toward family, faithfulness on our job, and faithfulness in financial dealings. We can’t wait to show our faithfulness until someone trusts us with something big. We must be faithful now with whatever has already been entrusted to us.
Let us not be too quick to say or promise anything. God judges us when we make promises: will we do the thing that we have said? “…draw near to listen [in the house of God] rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools;… Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God…When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it, for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow! It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.”–Eccl. 5:1,2,4,5 NASB
Moses: Please Read Number 12:6 – 8
What does “all God’s house” mean? It means that he obediently did all God asked of him. Moses was characteristically enthusiastic for God…thus quite different from the Israelites with him. They were enthusiastic one day, grumbling the next, and idolatrous soon after. Moses did not allow the people’s attitude to deter his own obedience.
He was an imperfect man like us, and he, too, made his notable mistakes. Yet, he consistently did God’s will the best he could.
You will recall that to others God often spoke in dreams and visions, but He did not do so to Moses. God spoke clearly to him, and He cites Moses’ faithfulness as his reason for doing so. You and I can learn from that. If we obey, if we are faithful, that behavior enables us to hear God’s voice more clearly. When our heavenly Father speaks, He expects and deserves obedience.
Abraham
Nearly every action in Abraham’s life showed how faithful he was to God. He left his country and countrymen never to return. He believed the promise of a son though such a birth was naturally impossible. Rom 4:18 – 21. He cast out a son, Ishmael when Sarah and God commanded it Gen 21:9 -14. He was even willing to offer his the son Isaac out of obedience to God when God demanded it (Heb 11:17 – 19. Because of his faithfulness, he enjoyed the blessings of God.
Daniel. Read Daniel 6:1 – 5
Daniel was faithful to God, but he had reasons of personal safety to disobey or “deny” God. He had been snatched from home, moved as a prisoner to Babylon, and enrolled in school in the king’s court.
Daniel refused to defile himself with the king’s delicacies. They told him not to pray and he still chose to obey God rather than ma. They threw him into the lions den and the Lord shut the mouth of the Lions.
God honored and exalted him for that faithfulness. He was so faithful in his assignments From Daniel we learn that God honors faithfulness even in the most ungodly surroundings.
Joseph
Joseph obeyed God even when faithfulness brought him difficulties. He was sold as a slave while carrying out his father’s orders (Gen. 37:13-29). He was thrown into prison because he was faithful to his master, Potiphar (Gen. 39:1-20). Joseph was always faithful to God, and in due time he was set down at the right hand of Pharaoh, ruler of Egypt.
Joshua
(Joshua 24.15) − Joshua was faithful to the very end. For example, he did not give in to group pressure (Num 13.1 – 14.10). Not once did his faith waver—from the slavery in Egypt to exploring the land of Canaan; from serving for 40 years as Moses’ aide to taking the people through the river; from the conquest to the covenant renewals. Joshua relied on God entirely.
This should be our approach to life as we face God’s enemies around us. Joshua was a great leader because he was a man with ‘backbone’. He was ‘faith full’—full of faith and one on whom others could rely.
In what ways do we demonstrate faithfulness?
1.By first of all being faithful to God
Have you made up your mind that no matter what happens you will remain faithful to the end and never give up on God?
Luke 10:27 ‘And you shall love the Lord with all your heart, soul, strength and mind and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Satan will do everything to make you quit serving God and we have to remember that that it is those who endure to the end or are faithful to the end that will be saved. Matt 24:13
I’ve seen people quit serving God because of unmet needs; they say that if God can’t give me a wife or a husband, or job why I have to serve Him.
Ask yourself, can Satan do anything to make you quit serving God? Our true character is demonstrated when the pressure is on.
If God does not give you what you want, will you still serve Him? He can see our heart you know.
We have to realize that God does not need us to be who He is but we need Him to be who we are.
That is why our motive for serving God is very important. Why are you serving God? We must make sure we are serving Him for the right motive because He knows what is in your heart anyway. Our motive for serving Him should be because He is the almighty God and without Him life makes no sense.
If we serve Him only because of His blessings, we will not be faithful when the pressure is on.
A lot of times, people have stopped serving God because of the pleasure of sin. Sex, drugs, boyfriend and girlfriends. Bible says sin is pleasurable for a season but the end of it is destruction.
2. Be faithful in prayer
Prayer is the life blood of a believer. If you are not praying, you will not have spiritual strength. We are encouraged to be faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12(Niv ) Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Bible says we should pray without ceasing. Pray always. How is your prayer life today?
I will like to encourage you to come for Wednesday’s prayer meetings and last Friday of the month prayers.
3.Be faithful in attending church
Heb 10:25
Church is a place we gather to meet with Jesus. 2 Thessalonians 2:1
Believers are encouraged to be faithful in church attendance. Jesus our master faithfully attended church services. Likewise, we must aspire to do the same.
Luke 4:16, John 6:58 – 58, Luke 13:10
Have a fervent passion of being faithful in church attendance. Don’t only go to church when you feel like it.
There is always a blessing for when you attend church. Psalm 84:1 – 4. Sometimes it is spiritual but because you don’t see it with your physical eyes, you don’t know.
When people stop missing church regularly it is a sign that they are falling out of love with God or they have backslidden.
They start to drift away from God. It’s automatic. Heb 2:1
They will begin to have doubts of things you were sure about. I’ve seen this happen to people. Heb 3:12 – 13
4. Be faithful in giving.
Prov 3:9 ‘Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the first fruits of all your increase;
5. Be faithful in your relationships
Be faithful to your relationships. Husbands, wives’, brothers and sisters.
1 Peter 4:8 ‘And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sin’
Benefits of being faithful?
Promotion in God’s kingdom requires faithfulness. Prov 28:20 ‘A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished’
Faithfulness is a pre-requisite for blessing and that is why the enemy will always challenge your faithfulness.
I’ve never seen anyone who serves God faithfully and is not blessed.
It is a key requirement of our heavenly reward. Rev 2:10b ‘Be thou faithful unto death and I will give you a crown of life.
God preserves the faithful. Psalm 31:23 ‘Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints For the LORD preserves the faithful, And fully repays the proud person’
Protection for evil one. Psalm 97:10(niv) Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Deliverance from death. When God told Isaiah to go and tell king Hezekiah that he should put his house in order and was going to die, He said to God ‘Remember, LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. God then added 15 more years to his life. Isa 38:3 (niv)
Conclusion
God demands that as His children we are faithful. Make a decision to be a faithful person today because God blesses faithfulness.