Matthew 18:7
“Woe unto the world because of offences! For it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!”
Offences are bound to occur, but woe unto the one through whom the offence comes. It would have been better for such a person if he had not been born.
Offence is one of the devices of the devil, designed to hinder and disqualify people from entering the Kingdom of God. Satan uses offences to provoke bitterness, unforgiveness, anger, and other sins that can lead a person away from God.
Judas Iscariot became an offence to Jesus Christ. He betrayed the Lord, believing that he could hinder His mission. Yet Jesus overcame Satan and triumphed over all his powers. He took the keys of hell and death and established His authority over every realm.
Offence can become a means through which a person is disqualified in the presence of God. When someone repeatedly provokes another person to the point of anger, Satan may seek to use that situation to trap the offended person in unforgiveness. If Satan succeeds in holding someone captive through unforgiveness, he has gained an advantage over that soul through the person who caused the offence.
Whoever becomes an offence to others, even when God’s purpose is ultimately fulfilled through the situation, will still give an account for his own actions. Divine purpose does not excuse personal wickedness. Every person remains responsible for the choices he makes and the consequences of his actions.
Judas was used by the devil against Jesus because he permitted Satan to use him as an instrument in the plot against the Saviour of the world. Although the death of Christ was within the divine plan of redemption, Judas was still accountable for his betrayal.
As long as you permit yourself to be used by Satan to hinder another person’s progress, you cannot consider yourself guiltless simply because God may eventually turn the situation for good.
The Bible says that offences must come. Without certain offences, many people might never arrive at the place of their destiny. Without the offence against Joseph, he would not have become a ruler in Egypt. Yet, while God can use the evil actions of men to accomplish His purpose, Scripture still pronounces woe upon those through whom the offence comes.
The seed of the serpent was destined to become an adversary in the path of the Seed of the woman. The serpent would bruise His heel, while the Seed of the woman would bruise the serpent’s head.
This is the destiny of the two seeds. There may be disturbances, delays, sorrow, and opposition, but the plan of God will surely prevail.
Nevertheless, the judgment of God remains upon those who deliberately become instruments of offence. The fact that God can bring good out of evil does not remove the responsibility of the person who chose to do evil.
That is why Jesus declared concerning Judas that it would have been better for him if he had not been born. Jesus also warned that it would be better for a person to have a millstone tied around his neck and be cast into the sea than to cause one of His little ones to stumble.
Anyone who deliberately makes another person a candidate for hell has become an offence in that person’s life. Those who cause others, especially children and the spiritually vulnerable, to turn away from God or follow the path of error have committed a serious offence.
If your actions lead someone away from God and towards destruction, you have become an offence. Those who discourage others from serving God faithfully are also instruments of offence.
Do you think there are no consequences for making people enemies of God? Even when a person repents and receives forgiveness, the consequences of his actions may remain. A person may still reap the fruit of what he has sown in the lives of others.
You may experience the same grief that you caused those whom you discouraged from obeying God wholeheartedly.
As the serpent became an instrument in the devil’s devices against humanity, it received a curse from God. It was cursed above every other animal and brought low to feed on dust all the days of its life.
Whoever permits himself to be used by the devil to cause offence places himself outside the path of God’s favour. The moment you begin to listen to Satan and submit yourself to his influence, you begin to depart from the mercy and grace of God and expose yourself to divine judgment.
The ancient serpent is associated with deception and offence. When you become an instrument of destruction in the devil’s hand, you begin to operate according to his image and character, which is an abomination in the divine presence.
Because the serpent became an instrument in the devil’s hand, it became associated with the enemy of God.
When Satan entered Judas Iscariot, Judas surrendered himself to Satan’s influence and became an instrument in his hand. In that condition, he stood against the purpose of God, even though he had once been one of Jesus’ disciples.
The moment you surrender yourself to be used by Satan, you position yourself against God, and the end of that path is destruction.
Those leaders and pastors who become an offence in the lives of God’s followers have positioned themselves under divine anger. They teach error and disqualify others from the true path.
Those who are newly born again and are supposed to be led in the right path are being led astray by false teachings. Those who teach such errors will harvest the fruit of their labour. Whoever causes these little ones to sin, it would have been better for him if he had not been born.
Unless there is intercession and deliverance, as Jesus prayed for Peter, a person who continually yields himself to Satan’s influence may end up like Judas, whose end was destruction.
Prayer: Father Lord, do not let me become an offence in the way of others knowing You intimately. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Do not become an instrument of offence. Do not allow Satan to use your life to hinder another person’s relationship with God. God may fulfil His purpose despite the offences of men, but woe unto the one through whom the offence comes.
