The Trap is Set (The Bait of Satan)

By Pastora Monique Lopez Ong

If you have a critical sickness and a doctor operates on you without charging a fee, would you not thank him? Now, if you need spiritual surgery, why be angry at the Lord when He says He will fix you? You are sick and in need of major surgery. What will you say? Me? Again? But the good news is—you will get well. The Lord will heal you, and when you are healed, will you not thank Him?

The bait of Satan is what traps you. We will all be offended in one way or another. The only question is: when? Biblically, offense is deeper than hurt or annoyance. It attacks the soul. It is a hidden hook, and once caught, you lose peace and love. You no longer see the truth.

Offense comes from the Greek word skandalon, meaning stumbling block, trap, or snare. It hardens the heart and becomes a barrier to faith. Matthew 24:10–13 says:

“And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

Luke 17:1 says:

“One day Jesus said to his disciples, ‘There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting!’”

Different Kinds of Offenses

1. The Unseen and Unheard Offense

When you work with all your heart and someone else gets the credit, you feel hurt. But Colossians 3:23 says: “Whatever you do, do it heartily unto the Lord and not unto men.” If you do things for God, your reward will come from Him. It will not matter if no one on earth sees you, because the Lord does.

2. The Hurtful and Wounding Words Offense

They say, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” That is not true. Ecclesiastes 7:21 says: “Don’t eavesdrop on others—you may hear your servant curse you.” You do not have to take to heart everything others say. Know who you are in the eyes of God.

3. The Social Media Offense

Spending most of the day on social media can be offensive. It is full of anger, hate, and endless opinions. Galatians 6:4 says: “Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.” Social media can be a place of lies. Not everything posted is true. Stop comparing yourself to what you see. The best way to avoid the bait is to go offline.

4. The Church Hurt Offense

When a church leader corrects you, it hurts. Some accept it because they want to grow, but others get offended. Remember, the church is not perfect. Even the best intentions can feel offensive. God sees everything. Bear with one another.

5. The “I Was Wronged” Offense

Sometimes we are truly wronged by others, and offense takes root. But if we let it stay in our hearts, it poisons us little by little. Romans 12:19 says: “Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, ‘I will take revenge; I will pay them back,’ says the Lord.” Let the Lord work on your behalf. Yes, you were hurt, but you do not have to carry it alone.

6. The Reality vs. Expectation Offense

When expectations are unmet, offense arises. Disappointment comes because we did not surrender it to God. We should always surrender everything to the Lord so that offense does not take root. Proverbs 3:5 says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.”

There are two major categories of offense. Those who have been treated unjustly and those who believe they have been treated unjustly. Offense is a snare that bindsus to truth and unity. What are you going to do if you are offended?

1. Do not take offense. Offenses are inevitable but entrapment is a choice. 2 Timothy 2:26 says, “and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”

2. Do not pick it up, cook it and ingest it. Do not keep hurt, anger, jealousy, resentment, strife, bitterness, hatred and envy in your heart. When you are trapped in an offense, you will experience insults, attacks, wounding, division, separation, broken relationships, betrayal and backsliding.

3. Check your heart. Keep your pride in tact. Pride will keep you out of focus and make you feel like a victim. It will keep you from dealing with the truth and distort your vision. It will also harden your heart and will dim your eyes from understanding. Proverbs 16:2 says, “All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord.” F you are offended, you might be building walls without your knowledge. Ask yourself these questions: Are you doing everything to keep yourselves from future wounds? Are you selective with people and deny entry to people you think might hurt you? Do you filter people if you think they owe you something? Proverbs 18:19 says, “Casting the lot settles disputes and keeps strong opponents apart.”

What is the cure if you are offended?

1. See your true condition. Isaiah 48:10 says, “Behold, I have refined you but not as silver,; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.”

2. Rebuke and repent. 1 Peter 1:6-7 says, “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

3. Love like Jesus. Matthew 5:44 says, “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”