JULY THEME – “Armed for Battle: Winning the War You Can’t See”
SUNDAY’S SERMON SUMMARY
GO TO www.belmontbaptistchurch.com/sermons and listen to Sunday’s message.
Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart
OFFENSE IS A STRATEGY
“Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” — Psalm 119:165
Offense is one of the most effective and subtle strategies the enemy uses to divide believers, destroy relationships, and derail destinies. It often doesn’t begin as full-blown conflict—it starts with a misunderstood comment, a missed invitation, a tone that felt off, or an unmet expectation. But make no mistake: while offense feels deeply personal, it is strategically spiritual. The devil’s goal is not simply to hurt your feelings—it’s to separate you from the very people and places God has called you to.
A heart wounded by offense becomes defensive, suspicious, and closed off. Offense blocks spiritual growth, poisons discernment, and clouds vision. It replaces peace with bitterness and humility with pride. Once you are offended, everything is filtered through pain, not truth. And the longer you nurse that offense, the deeper its roots go.
Jesus warned us plainly in Luke 17:1: “It is impossible but that offences will come.” That means you can’t avoid offense, but you can choose how you respond to it. The enemy wants you to become isolated, to walk away, to stop trusting, to start assuming, and ultimately, to disqualify yourself from what God is trying to do in you and through you.
But here’s the truth: you don’t have to stay stuck. Offense doesn’t have to define your days. You don’t have to carry it into your relationships, your worship, or your purpose. The devil may have intended that offense to become a trap—but God invites you to turn it into a testimony of forgiveness and freedom.
Psalm 119:165 declares, “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” That doesn’t mean you’ll never get hurt—it means you won’t allow that hurt to take hold of your heart. There is a kind of supernatural peace available to those who love and live in God’s Word—a peace so deep that offense loses its grip.
Forgiveness is the only path forward. Forgiveness isn’t pretending it didn’t happen—it’s choosing not to let it control you anymore. It’s releasing them so God can release you. It’s saying, “You don’t owe me anything—I’m giving this to God now.”
The cross is our model. Jesus, fully innocent, lifted up a prayer for the very people who crucified Him: “Father, forgive them…” If Jesus could forgive from the cross, how can we withhold forgiveness while standing at the foot of it?
So today, ask yourself:
What offense have I been carrying in my heart?
What wound am I still nursing in secret?
What moment do I keep replaying that God is asking me to release?
Because offense will never just stay offense. It will grow into anger. Anger will turn to bitterness. And bitterness will harden your heart and blind your eyes to truth. That’s the enemy’s plan. But God has a better one.
Let it go.
Application:
- Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any hidden or lingering offense.
- Don’t nurse it—release it. Don’t rehearse it—repent.
- Forgive even if they never apologize. Your peace is not dependent on their remorse.
- Speak blessing over those who’ve hurt you.
- Protect your freedom by guarding your thoughts.
Prayer: Father, search my heart and reveal any offense I’ve allowed to take root. I confess that I’ve held on to things that You’ve called me to release. I forgive those who have wounded me, whether intentionally or unintentionally. I don’t want to live another day rehearsing pain. I want to walk in peace. I release every offense and surrender it to You. Heal my heart, renew my mind, and help me to walk in unity, humility, and grace. I refuse to be trapped by the enemy’s lies. I choose to live free. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Daily Challenge: Take one step toward healing today. Pray for someone you’ve resented. If the Lord leads you, reach out. But most of all—let it go. Don’t let what they did be bigger in your mind than what Christ did on the cross. Freedom begins now.
WEDNESDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
Doug Stephen’s Family – Sondra and Juniors Son – Went To Live With Jesus And His Parents
Jessica Headrick
John Parillo
Sadie Almand – Home
Linda Mays – Heart Procedure
Ann Stanley – Home
Kim McClain’s Mother
Andrea Nix– Friend of the Shellnutts
Jason Parker – James & Sarah’s Son – stroke
Mary Williams – Rehab
Scotty Nix
Stephanie Seivers – Friend of the Shellnutts
Angela Bryan’s Sister
Danny Jarrard
Darlene Wiggins
Doris Loyd
Dr. and Mrs. Davis
Eric Magnusson’s Mother
Eric Ward
Friend of Linda Hodge
Gayle Sparks
George & Linda Alexander
James Burnette
James Garner
John McClain’s Mother
June Cronan’s Sister
June Davis
Kailey Bateman
Kathryn Raines
Kim’s Sisters – Ann & Brenda
Lee Cronan
Lillianna Magnusson’s Mom
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Lonzo Christian
Lori Blount’s Mother
Mary Williams
Mary Williamson – Dana Jackson’s Mom
Mrs. Franklin
Nora Allison
Rose Fuller – Pruitt-Monroe Nursing Home, Forsyth GA
Scott Lanier
Steve Michaels
Theresa Bain’s Granddaughter
Tom Witcher