Understanding Spiritual Warfare: Victory Through God's Presence, Prayer, and SurrenderSample

The Offense Trap

Every day, we are given opportunities to take offense or to forgive. It can be small, such as when someone cuts us off in traffic or says something careless. Or it can be as deep as a close friend’s betrayal or a wound from someone we trusted.

Each moment asks the same question: how will we respond? The Bible points us in the right direction. Proverbs 19:11 says, “Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs” (NLT). Colossians 3:13 commands, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (NLT).

Forgiveness isn’t a popular concept in society right now. But it is central to the life of anyone who walks with Christ.

Offense is one of the enemy’s most powerful traps, mainly because it often feels justified. It can look like righteous anger or self-protection. But under the surface, it hardens the heart. It isolates you from God’s presence and from the people he has placed around you.

Bitterness grows quickly in a heart clinging to offense. Resentment and anger take root and choke out spiritual life. Jesus warned about this when he taught us to pray, “Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” (Matthew 6:12, NLT). He followed those words with this warning: If you forgive others, God will forgive you. If you refuse, you will not be forgiven (see Matthew 6:14–15).

Forgiveness doesn’t mean pretending the hurt never happened. It means giving the wound and the person to God, the only One who judges perfectly. When you forgive, you clear space in your heart for God’s love and peace to fill you again.

Forgiveness is more than a moral choice. It is a spiritual weapon. It breaks the enemy’s plan to divide and destroy. It keeps your heart tender and free. It unlocks joy that bitterness has tried to bury.

The Apostle Paul said, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander… Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31–32, NLT).

Today, choose to let God’s grace and mercy become the pattern you live by. When you feel the urge to become angry or resentful, pause and bring the emotions to God. Ask him to give you his perspective on the situation. Trust him to bring justice, while you walk in the mercy and forgiveness he makes possible.

Reflection Questions

1. How has holding on to offense affected your peace or your relationships in the past?
2. Who do you need to forgive right now? What would it look like for you to choose forgiveness over offense in these situations?