Every one of us can be and we will be offended and hurt by someone else at some point!
I don’t care how spiritual you are, I don’t care how long you have been serving the Lord , it’s just a matter of time !
Luke 17:1
Jesus said to his disciples: It is impossible that offences will not come
It’s going to happen.
Being offended is something you’re going to experience in your family, your church , at work and of course, with somebody you love and care!
Somebody is going to lie on you, somebody is going to betray you , somebody is going to hurt you , somebody is going to break your heart!
People we love most can be those who hurt us the greatest
It’s going to happen ! It’s not possible , according to Jesus for you to scape it .
It’s not possible for you to have relationship with people and at some point not enter in conflict and offend each other. And, if you allow it, there’s a possibility that a grudge caused by unforgiveness will set in your heart.
One day you will remember this little sermon because you are going to get offended, you are going to get hurt in your marriage, you are going to get angry, you are going to be violated by someone you love , sooner or later !
Somebody is going to hurt you, insult your pride !
It’s a fact that you will be offended!
Since it’s a biblical fact that you will be offended, we’ve got to learn how to deal with it .
Because trying not to get offended is unachievable !
The first thing I want to say to you is : God will use the offence in your life to make you into what he wants you to be .
Sometimes it takes the worst things to bring the best out of you !
Sometimes we need to understand that there are “heights” you will never reach until you pass the test of being offended and getting through it with love.
All opposition will make you to grow and you are going to become stronger.
Some people ask: why do I face so much opposition, people in my family are always criticising me .
The truth is: oppositions enables you to do things you would not do if you were not being attacked by others and sometimes it takes the worst things done to you to bring out the best in you .
If you live for God and seek to do his will there will be times when you find yourself being wounded while following God’s perfect will .
I have been hurt by people that I really loved ! I have been offended by people that I was helping !
I have been betrayed by people, I’ve been falsely accused! I know what I’m teaching today .
Today we are going to learn : How can we can find Hope and healing when we love like Christ loved
When people offend you , when they hurt you , when they falsely accuse you , don’t get mad , don’t get angry , don’t get bitter , don’t try to get revenge, love like you have never been hurt !
Even though you’ve been wounded, even though you’ve been insulted, even though you’ve been done wrong , even though you’ve been offended and hurt !
Don’t get bitter, , don’t get hard and angry, don’t plan your vengeance !
Stay sweet, forgive and love like you have never been hurt ! This is the key !
Because it’s impossible to lose your respect and honour if you’re loving. If you love, the circumstances will be transformed by the power of God.
God knows the whole story, God knows the whole truth and He will fight your battle. We just need to let the Lord fight that battle!
God said vengeance is mine ! God is a God of vengeance
God said : I will repay if you stay calm, if you zip it 🤐, if you quit trying to defend yourself !
Your Words can destroy people or heal broken hearts ! Then stay loving and kind.
It’s so hard to be kind when you have been offended!
In the natural world, we want to fight, we want to defend ourselves , we want to retaliate, but God says : calm down !
My brothers and sisters , God takes offence seriously, if you keep the right spirit, if you keep the right attitude, He will fight your battle and he’s going to defend you !
You can be a peacemaker and you can be at peace with the fact that everybody is not at peace with you.
You need to stay calm and let the Holy Spirit do his work in you !
You need to say I’m not going to be mad, I’m not going to be bitter, I’m not going to be hateful !
We all have been wounded, we all have been hurt , we all have reason to give up and quit but you have to say : it’s time for me to love , it’s time for me to forgive, it’s time for me to love like I have never been hurt!
We have to say : I’m a new creation in Christ , I’m in Christ , I’m going to humble myself, I going to humiliate myself, I’m going to restore this relationship, I’m going to be like Jesus !
If you obey God , He is going to fight your battle!
But it’s very dangerous to keep resentment, to keep anger and bitterness in heart.
This is a very dangerous poison that is going to destroy your life !
Unforgiveness is like drinking poison but expecting someone else to die !
To forgive is to set a prisoner free and this prisoner is you
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,”
Just as we were reconciled , now we are called to be in the ministry of reconciliation !
You are called to be in this ministry , here it doesn’t say the preacher , it says YOU are called !
If you have accepted what Jesus did at the cross you are called into a ministry of reconciliation.
I have been in many trials , I have faced a series of trials in my personal life , In my family life , because the enemy will do everything to destroy my family and your family , my life and your life .
Sometimes we walk through darkness.
We have to make the choice of loving like we have never been hurt .
We must suffer many tribulations (hardships) on our way into God’s kingdom
The bible says through much tribulation you are going to enter in the kingdom of heaven .
You are going to be hurt , you are going to be offended , you are going to be betrayed and you are also going to hurt people.
The only remedy is to love like you have never been hurt .
The body of Christ is full of families that are strangers to one another! Siblings who don’t talk to siblings. Parents who don’t talk to their children. Brothers in church who don’t talk to other brothers. They are people in the same church and don’t talk to each other!
People in church living isolated, with no relationship.
We have to learn how to reconcile our broken relationships .
It’s our responsibility to reconcile! As you were reconciled with Christ you have to reconcile your broken relationships.
We have been called into the ministry of reconciliation!
What should we do ? What do the scriptures teach us?
You were estranged from God, you were despicable and you were wrong but as a god who is rich in mercy, he took the first step to reconcile you back to himself !
You could not get to God , you couldn’t earn it , you couldn’t deserve it !
Jesus Christ took the first step to reconcile you back to God.
In return He expects that when people do you wrong and there’s conflict in your life, to do the same as he did to us. Jesus expects us to be part of the ministry of reconciliation in the same way he reconciled us back to God.
Reconcile with your own blood kin !
Children don’t always do what they are supposed to do !
Parents don’t always do what they supposed to do !
God loves you like you have never hurt him !
He died for you while we were still sinners.
The prodigal son:
The Word prodigal means not doing what you are supposed to do.
But what do you do when you’re going through something and God doesn’t seem to do anything about it? He won’t fix the situation and doesn’t seem to care about it. Are you dealing with a prodigal God ?
What do you do when God doesn’t do what He was supposed to do ?
You have to love God sometimes like you have never been hurt!
Sometimes you prayed and God didn’t listen to you
Your father, your mother , relatives were sick and they died.
Your parents got divorced!
We do not understand why things like that happen!
When we look at Job’s life , he lost his children, his health and all his money !
He says: the Lord gives and the Lord takes away . Blessed be the name of the Lord , even when I don’t understand.
I’m going to love you like I have never been hurt !
That’s when you begin to grow !
I’m telling you, sometimes we all have to say : I’m in the ministry of reconciliation
Love never fails! 1 Co 13:8
The most important gift is the gift of love , for love never fails
When you love somebody, it will never fail .
Sometimes God is going to show you how much flesh and spiritual pride is inside you !
When you go through it you will be a broken vessel
When you are a broken vessel then You will love like you have never been hurt.
When you love somebody it will never fail.
You may say about the one you love : I don’t agree with their lifestyle, ! I may not approve what you are doing , but you are mine and as long I’m alive I will love you !
You are mine , you can’t make me not love you , you can’t kick me out of your life !
I want to talk to you , I want to have a relationship with you , because I love you !
The Bible says: Love never fail ! Love is the most powerful weapon we have !
We have to turn around and reconcile with people who hurt us .
It may take a month, years , but if you keep loving that person , that family member who has hurt you , your brotherly and sisterly Love will never fail !
Remember:
Forgiveness is not a feeling, it is a choice
Unforgiveness hurts and forgiveness heals !
It’s not easy , it’s not overnight, but it is a choice of Your will
You have to go to God and say : Help me to forgive! And also pray for them !
You can rewrite your future if you forgive !
God is going to give you a brand-new life
God commanded us to forgive !
Lord’s Prayer: Forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us
When we do that , God begins to supernaturally open up doors
God is faithful! He said I will never leave you and will never forsake you !
You can love like you have never been hurt
My heart and prayer for you and your family is that God may move in your heart and you may enter in the ministry of reconciliation
You should take the first step and do everything you can to reconcile!
You can and you must forgive others , when you do , it will set yourself free and you will be healed.