A few weeks back I wrote a blog on how offense was the number one reason I have seen people leave leadership and fall away from God.

“What’s so Bad about Getting Offended,” you may ask?

Simple – if you get offended and don’t deal with it – you end up Cold. No, not physically cold – as in cold dead. But cold – as in a cold heart.

“No way,” you say, “you exaggerate.”

Sorta’. You have to go through 5 other steps first. Then you end up with a cold heart – away from your first love.

“How,” you ask?

This is how the process from offense to Cold works: You first get offended at someone and then you feel betrayed by them because they are withholding from you something that they should not. This can be affections, work, loyalty, etc.

You then withhold your love from that person. If not watched, this can grow into full blown hatred and revenge. A door has now been opened to allow demonic influence in your life.

You then get prophecies and spiritual words – lots of them – from the devil. The Devil makes sure you get lots of false prophecies and words justifying your position and stating how the other person is in the wrong. This is a common scheme of the enemy – to masquerade as an angel of godly light and insight.

If you believe the prophecies, you then enter into full blown deception in that area complete with scriptures and other religious language supporting your viewpoint. Bad place to be! Plus, it’s almost impossible to be rescued at this point because ‘God’ has led you to this place complete with prophecies and scriptures. How does somebody prove to you that it’s not God when you think it was God that got you to this place? All because you opened up a door of offense and wouldn’t deal with it.

You have now made your own biblical law and you feel spiritual about it. You become a martyr suffering for Jesus. You are being persecuted for Jesus and the stand you are taking. But in actuality you are suffering because of your offense, lack of love, and false prophecies.

The offense has become full blown – you now can’t hear God very well and your love towards Him has become cold love. All while feeling closer to God than ever. What a black hole. Here is a summary of the steps from offense to cold love.

Offended -> Feel Betrayed -> Withhold Love -> Justified by False Words -> Deceived -> Become a Martyr -> Cold Love

How do you break this cycle? Simple.

First, Forgive (Luke 23:34a). Second, then pray for the other person (Matthew 5:44).

Hard, but Simple.

Acts 24:16 So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.