OFFENSE IS
’S STRATEGY
1 Peter 5:8
8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
John 10:10
“The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy.”
1 John 2:11
“But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”
OFFENSE
US
Proverbs 19:11
“Good sense makes one slow to anger; and it is his glory to overlook an offense”
1 Corinthians 1:10
I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters,[a] by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.
OFFENSE
OTHERS
Romans 12:18
if it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Matthew 18:15
15 “If another believer[a] sins against you,[b] go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. 16 But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. 17 If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.
Hebrews 12:15
15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
Proverbs 6:16-19
There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
OFFENSE
THE HEART OF GOD
Ephesians 2:1-3
Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world….3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
Colossians 1:20
God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.
Matthew 6:14-15
If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
PRACTICE
PRACTICE
Ephesians 4:32
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”