Words about the WORD - Clint Chapman - Maranatha Fellowship
Clint Chapman
Maranatha Fellowship
OFFENSE
I am going to get personal in this writing about some things that I had to conquer in my soul. I have learned through scripture the power of transforming our souls and renewing our minds with the word of God. 2 Cor. 2:10-11 “For God has unveiled them and revealed them to us through the Holy Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things diligently, even sounding and measuring the profound depths of God (the divine counsels and things far beyond human understanding.) vs.11 For what person knows the thoughts and motives of a man except the man’s spirit within him? So also no one knows the thought of God except the Spirit of God.”
This is good to know that the Holy Spirit can help us as we send him to search out our souls to find any woundedness or hurts that are allowing us to be oppressed by the enemy.
And so this story goes back to high school basketball season of this year. I found myself not being able to enjoy my son’s basketball games. I didn’t even want to go watch. I would watch the game and what I saw as a bad call or injustice out of my belly would come words. “that’s a terrible call.” Or “call the foul” or maybe “that is a travel.” Out of my belly was not flowing rivers of living water like the Word of God talks about. I was speaking out of a wounded soul. And I was miserable. I couldn’t even sit in the gym and enjoy my son playing the sport he loved.
So I took 5 days and I began to pray and fast and I asked the Holy Spirit to search out my soul and find anything in me that had allowed these bitter words to rise up inside of me. And boy, did things begin to rise to the surface. For several years I coached my kids in their sports. And the same refs or umpires that work today were working a few years back when I was coaching my kids. And I had several situations where we were just absolutely done wrong by referees and umpires that changed the outcome of the games we were playing in. I got angry. I didn’t like injustice. I would lose sleep over it. I felt cheated and didn’t like cheating. And so every situation that I had held onto was rising to the surface and the Holy Spirit was speaking to me to forgive. Even though I thought I was right and had a reason to be mad and angry, I was led to forgive. And as I chose to forgive, another memory would come up and I would say yes, Lord, I choose to forgive them. And Father forgive me for holding onto this memory and becoming bitter and angry.
It was an emotional roller coaster and during this time I watched Clay’s games at home on the computer instead of going to the gyms. It took about 5 days for me to go to the last couple of district games, but I was a changed person. I could go to the games and no matter the call, I could enjoy my son playing his favorite sport. I didn’t yell at the officials. I didn’t feel my heart racing and anger rising up. I felt a peace that when I forgave those officials in all of those circumstances the Holy Spirit and the Blood of Jesus that is speaking mercy and grace now over those sins and washing them away. The Holy Spirit and resurrection power began to heal the wounds on my soul. The memories, the thoughts, the imaginations, everything associated with the hurt was healed. I strongly believe as you seek the Lord and get closer to him in relationship, that he will shine his light into areas of your soul so you can be free. The word tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
I share this because offense is the number one way for Satan to ruin your ministry. It will ruin relationships. Offense will keep you from the presence of the Lord. Offense will cause bitter seeds to be planted by the words that come out of our mouths. If I were to continue every day to tell my wife who I was angry with and why I was angry eventually she would be angry at that person with me. Offense breaks apart unity. Seeds of offense can be planted in other people with our words. Matt. 15:11 “It is not what goes into the mouth of a man that makes him unclean and defiled, but what comes out of the mouth; that makes a man unclean and defiles him.”
Offense can even affect our wealth. Matt. 5:23-24 “So if when you are offering your gift at the altar and while you are there you remember that your brother has any grievance against you, leave your gift at the altar and go. First make peace with your brother, and then come back and present your gift.”
We all want to defend our kids when we see an injustice coming against them. But remember Mary the mother of Jesus. She forgave everyone who crucified her innocent son Jesus. How do I now this? Because in Acts 1:14 Mary joined back with the disciples in the upper room.
