Fast 2026 - Day 14

Free from Offenses

Matthew 5:23-24  So, if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar.  Go and be reconciled to that person.  Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.

In our desire to be close to God, we offer up to Him our prayers, worship and fasting. While we are seeking God, in our pursuit to be near Him, if we realize that there are any unresolved issues with anyone—then we are instructed to leave our gift (our time of seeking Him) and go and resolve the issue first.  Look!  We don’t even have to be the offended party!  He says if we remember that someone else has an offense against us!   If we are unaware of any hurts or offenses that someone has against us, then we are free to pursue God with a clear conscience and a clean heart.  But if we know or are prompted by the Holy Spirit that someone is offended with us, whether that offense is real or just wrongly perceived, let us go to them quickly and do our best to resolve the issue.  
 
Let us also check our own hearts.  Is there anyone that we are offended with—anyone we are holding a grudge against and refusing to forgive?  We are instructed in Ephesians 4:27 in our anger not to sin--not to give the devil a foothold (an opportunity to lead you into sin by holding a grudge, nurturing anger, harboring resentment which if left unchecked can become a root of bitterness which can defile many)!  Come on now—we’ve got to deal with—don’t let the sun go down without resolving the issue!

Holy Spirit, we ask You to examine our heart and reveal any areas where we might have given the devil a “foothold,” any areas of unforgiveness, anger, bitterness or resentment that we may be carrying in our hearts and help us to deal with it.  We ask that You reveal any hurts or wounds that we have stuffed down deep inside our hearts and as we forgive those who have hurt us, we ask You to heal and restore us.  Show us if there is anyone who is carrying an offense towards us and wherever possible we will go and attempt to resolve these issues.  You are the God of peace and wherever possible you have called us to be at peace with all men—so we repent for all strife and contentions.   Heal every wound and fill us with your peace.  In Jesus name, Amen!