“But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.”
Mathew 13:20-21
In the above scripture, the Lord is showing how offense causes people to become unfruitful. How they may at first believe God’s promises in their life, but when circumstances come against them and continue to buffet them, they can become offended and unfruitful. In order to understand how the enemy uses this tactic, it is helpful to look at some synonyms to the word:
“OFFENDED”: Upset, Pained, Hurt, Bothered, Disturbed, Distressed, Outraged, Stung, Grieved, Disgruntled, Agitated, Ruffled, Resentful, Affronted, Displeased.
Therefore, when we become upset, or hurt, disturbed, distressed, etc., then we have become offended. You can not be in faith if you are offended. You can not bear good fruit if you are offended. Let’s look at some scriptures to see what this looks like in action:
“And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? They be almost ready to stone me. “
Exodus 17:3-4
Immediately after this, The Lord had Moses smite the rock and water gushed out. Even though the Israelites had seen marvelous miracles time and again, at each new challenge they were ready to believe the worst. They believed the circumstance more than they believed God’s promises and became offended (hurt, distressed, disturbed, disgruntled, grieved…). If they had simply reminded themselves of God’s faithfulness with the Manna, the parting of the Red Sea, their deliverance from Egypt, they could have stayed in faith. Yet they didn’t do that. They allowed themselves to be moved by what they saw and walked by sight, not by faith.
This scenario happened time and again. Every time the circumstance seemed impossible, the people assumed that Moses had taken them into the desert to die. What kind of character must they have thought of God? They obviously didn’t believe or trust the Love of God for them. If they knew how much God loved them, they wouldn’t assume the worst each time. At each step they became offended and were ready to either leave Moses or stone him. Moses was God’s messenger, so when fear came along or despair, then the people turned on God’s mouthpiece.
When it was time for the Israelites to take the land God promised and the spies returned reporting that the land was exactly as God had said; instead of rejoicing, they became frightened. Ten spies gave an evil report, saying that the inhabitants were bigger and stronger than they were. They became so convinced of the bad report (instead of God’s word) that they were about to stone Moses! Not only Moses, but Joshua and Caleb as well for daring to tell them they could indeed take the land as God had promised. Why would they try to stone those who believed what God had said would come to pass? Because as Jesus illustrated in Mathew 13, persecution arose for the WORD’S SAKE and they became offended. They believed the circumstance over God’s word. Therefore, they believed and agreed with the people who said and confirmed what they felt, rather than what God said!
We must guard against this today as well. When a Pastor, a friend or anyone else continues to point you to faith and to God’s promises, even in spite of the circumstance you see, do not become offended. Choose to believe God’s word no matter what! Choose to believe God’s love for you no matter what! And you will indeed see God’s promises fulfilled in your life! The key to not being offended is understanding how much God loves you and wants to bless you. As you grow in the love of God, it becomes easier to believe Him. As you understand that His will is to bless you, then you are able to persevere and stay in faith, even when trials come.
We have looked at a few examples of how people have become offended and unfruitful, but let’s now look at a couple situations where the temptation to become offended existed, however the people chose not to give into the spirit of offense, and experienced victory:
In 1 Samuel 30 the scriptures say: “So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. ..And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved…but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.” 1 Samuel 30:3-4 &6 In this account, David did not give into the spirit of offense. He stayed in Faith. He knew God loved him. He knew God is faithful. He inquired of God. God told him to Pursue and Recover All! David did as God directed. The men had a choice to make; believe God or believe the circumstance and remain offended. The men chose to believe God, and they indeed recovered all. They received the victory because they did not give into the temptation to remain offended.
Joseph is another example of someone who could have become offended and unfruitful. If anyone had reason to be offended, it was Joseph; sold into slavery by his own brothers, falsely accused and thrown in prison. Yet Joseph continued to faithfully believe God’s promise and not become offended. As a result, he got the victory and even reconciled with his brothers.
One of the key weapons the enemy uses is OFFENSE!! Why? For THE WORD’S SAKE. You see, when we begin believing God for things in our life, whether healing, or finances or whatever it may be, we may endure for a while. However, the enemy knows if he can turn up the heat and make things look like God’s promise can not possibly come to pass in our lives and get us offended, then the word will not produce for us. We will become unfruitful. This is where people can get offended at their Pastor or a friend or anyone in their lives that is encouraging them to believe the Promises of God despite all odds. Persecutions arise for the Word’s Sake. The Devil does not want us being fruitful. But God’s grace is sufficient! When we stand on his promises and don’t give up or give in, we will always win!
Choose not to get offended, do not faint, and you will inherit the promises of God. Trust in God with all your heart, lean not unto your own understanding. If you determine in your heart that you will believe God’s Word and Promises regardless of what you see or what has happened, then you will have the victory. You will be fruitful and you will be like the man who’s heart was good ground and will produce one hundred fold in the things of God.
You also may be like Caleb, Joshua, David and Joseph, the one having courage enough to encourage your friends, your family to believe God no matter what. As you are having faith together and circumstances appear to go the opposite direction, do not be discouraged if they become offended. Be encouraged, it is just the enemy using the same old trick he’s used since the beginning. Pray for them, love them, but don’t stop encouraging people in the Word. Continue, just as Joshua and Caleb, Joseph and David did. Do not lose heart, do not faint. Stay in faith and you will inherit the promises of God!
Luke 21:19
“In your patience possess ye your souls.”
Hebrews 6:12
“That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
Galations 6:9
“And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
2 Corinthians 4:17-18
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
Psalm 27:13
“I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”
Hebrews 12:1
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross; despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
2 Corinthians 5:7
“For we walk by faith, not by sight…”
Isaiah 55:10-11
“For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
2 Corinthians 1:20
“For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.”
Mathew 13:23
“But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
