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Special Messages (2025)
February 2, 2025
47m 26s

Bait of Satan

by John Bevere
Our good friend John Bevere was with us as we celebrated 35 years of Victory! He brought a timely word to carry with us throughout each day as we interact with others on our journey with Jesus. The bait of Satan is the trap of offense, a breeding ground for deception that leads us out of God’s will. While Luke 17:1 tells us that “it is impossible that no offenses should come”, we can choose how we will respond to it. Tune in as we learn the impact of offense and how to stay free from its destructive power.
Sermon Notes

"Then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another."

 MATTHEW 24:10 | NKJV
"A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city."

PROVERBS 18:19 | NKJV
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh."

2 CORINTHIANS 10:3-5 | NKJV
"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments (imaginations or reasonings) and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ."

Betrayal

When a person seeks his own benefit or protection at the expense of one he has a relationship with.

"When a person seeks his own benefit or protection at the expense of one he has a relationship with."

1 JOHN 3:15 | NKJV
"Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many."

MATTHEW 24:11 | NKJV
"And because lawlessness will abound, the LOVE of many will grow cold."

MATTHEW 24: 12-13 | NKJV
"But he who endures to the end shall be saved."

MATTHEW 24: 12-13 | NKJV
"It is not an enemy who taunts me - I could bear that… Instead, it is you—my equal, my companion and close friend. What good fellowship we enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God."

PSALM 55:12-14 | NLT
All offended people can be split up into 2 categories:
1. Those who’ve been genuinely mistreated
2. Those who think they’ve been mistreated

A person who cannot forgive is a person who’s forgotten what they’ve been forgiven of!

"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, if my brother keeps on sinning against me, how many times do I have to forgive him? Seven times?”

MATTHEW 18:21 | TEV
“No, not seven times,” answered Jesus, “but seventy times seven.”

MATTHEW 18:22 | TEV
“You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?”

MATTHEW 18:31-33 | NKJV
"And his master was angry, and delivered him to the TORTURERS until he should pay all that was due to him. So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."

MATTHEW 18:34-35 | NKJV
"And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men."

ACTS 24:16 | KJV
“But I tell you…pray for anyone who mistreats you.”

MATTHEW 5:44 | CEV
"Evil people…pay me back evil for good, and I sink in despair. But when they were sick, I dressed in mourning; I deprived myself of food; I prayed with my head bowed low, as I would pray for a friend or a brother."

PSALM 35:11-14 | TEV
“It is impossible that no offenses should come.”

LUKE 17:1 | NKJV
‘offenses’ (skandalon)
"And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, this will cause them to rediscover themselves and escape from the snare of Satan who caught them in his trap so that they would carry out his purposes."

Maybe you made a decision to follow Jesus today, or maybe you’re curious what life with Him is all about. Wherever you are on your journey, we invite you to share with us so we can help you discover your next step.

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