Proverbs 18:19 A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a castle.
Offenses (unresolved bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness in broken relationships) grieve the Holy Spirit and undermine the unity and prayer vital to revival. When the Holy Spirit is grieved, the flow of His power, counsel, and comfort is stymied, and the enemy is given opportunity to accuse, torment, imprison, and ultimately defeat us. This blocks our ability to give or receive God's mercy because our relationship with Him is compromised, and the church is prevented from presenting the glory of God to a community. If we repent of our offenses to God and make things right before others (Matthew 5:23-24 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift), we can live in the power of an "ungrieved" Holy Spirit. Thus released from anger and bitterness, we can expect continual revival, abounding in the grace of His forgiveness, mercy and kindness (Mark 11:25-26 “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”)
Do you have someone that you need to forgive? Better yet, have you offended someone and need to apologize and ask forgiveness? So often we look at others and their offenses against us and forget to remove the plank out of our eyes to see how we have offended them.
May God shed His blessings on you.
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