The Bait of Satan

3/27/11

I’m reading The Bait of Satan by John Bevere right now and it’s pretty much rocking my world.  The main theme of the book is how being offended is one of Satan’s greatest schemes and how to overcome this deadly trap.  I thought I would post a few quotes from some of the chapters.  Praying it will bless and challenge you as much as it has me. 

“Humility and refusing to avenge myself were keys that freed me from my prison of offense.”     “Once you leave the place God has chosen for you, your root system begins to dwarf.  The next time it will be easier for you to flee from adversity because you have been careful not to root yourself deeply.  You end up coming to the place where you have little or no strength to endure hardship or persecution.  You then become a spiritual vagabond, wandering from place to place, suspicious and afraid that others will mistreat you.  Crippled and hindered in your ability to produce true spiritual fruit, you struggle in a self-centered life, eating the remains of the fruit of others.”   OH Mylanta!  Enough said. 

“Offended Christians also cut off their own ability to produce fruit.  Jesus compared the heart with soil in the parable of the sower.  Just as Cain’s fields were barren, the soil of an offended heart is barren, poisoned by bitterness.  Offended people still may experience miracles, words of utterance, strong preaching and healing in their lives.  But these are gifts of the Spirit, not fruits.  We will be judged according to fruit, not gifting.  A gift is given.  Fruit is cultivated.” 

“Though He (Jesus) was a son, He learned obedience by the things which He suffered” (Heb. 5:8).  “Spiritual growth is neither a function of time or learning, but it is a function of obedience.”  “Now we understand one reason why we have people in the church who have been Christians for twenty years, who can quote verses and chapters of the Bible, have heard a thousand sermons, and read many books, but still wear spiritual diapers.  Every time they meet with difficult situations, rather than responding by the Spirit of God, they seek to protect themselves in their own way.  They are ‘”always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth because they do not apply it. 

“Many times God will allow people to run from situations He desires them to face if they are set on running from them in their hearts.”  He uses the example of Elijah running from Jezebel even though God wanted Elijah to confront her. (1 Kings 18-19). 

“Jesus desires to heal our wounds.  But we often do not let Him heal them because it is not the easiest road to take.  It is the path of humility and self-denial that leads to healing and spiritual maturity.  It is the decision to make another’s well-being more important than your own, even when that person has brought you great sorrow.  Pride cannot travel this path, but only those who desire peace at the risk of rejection.  It is a trail that leads to humiliation and abasement.  It is the road that leads to life.”