Walking the tightrope of Love - Part 2 of last week's testimony

If you read last week's message this will make sense to you. If you haven't read it you can catch up here.

I wanted to include this 'Part 2" as it's something that I experienced just this week and again it was another very powerful lesson based on the same subject. I hope you don't mind me sharing but it will highlight what was said in Fear and Torment - A Personal Testimony from last week, even better.

A couple of days ago I replied to a post on Instagram as I felt strongly about what was being discussed. It was about God, written by people who do not believe in God. It wasn't a major deal but I wanted to give my two pennies worth (probably a mistake in the first place) and show them that their audience may comprise of believers and that they would probably do better to not make assumptions on what they don't know.

I was polite and diplomatic and chose not to use accusatory language. However, I couldn't quite get passed this comment and the audacity of the person posting it. In addition the comments that followed were equally ignorant. I wrote my comment and went back and forth with the lady whose account it was. We couldn't see eye to eye, not only about the post itself, but also about more general things. Then I realised that she has a specific agenda because of what she represents. I am not a fan of her ethos but chose to be neutral. Unfortunately, all of her comments came from this school of thought and there was no way to have a discussion on general terms.

The details about what was said really do not matter (I know you're itching to know!) what matters is this, pay close attention:

That same day I found myself in the supermarket doing some shopping, as you do. I had completely forgotten about this incident as I had decided to politely end the conversation. Not in a bad way, we just agreed to disagree. In fact the lady was coming from a different angle to me so I guess I saw it from her view and decided that it was pointless going any further.

So I went about my business doing my shopping. THEN, out of nowhere I got one of those 'paranoid' thoughts (refer to last week's blog) come to me. I was shocked. Where did this come from? I was taken aback. So much so that I had to leave the queue. I had to go back and walk in the aisles because I could not finish my shopping. The bizarre thing is that I haven't experienced such a thought for a very long time. These thoughts are distinguishable. They are irrational but very real. They involve some immediate threat or danger. They evoke the response of fleeing a situation, which is made worse if you cannot flee. They are tormenting and terrifying. They are phobias.

In the aisles I quickly asked God, 'What's going on, what is this?' 'Am I not walking in love?' I didn't have to ask a second time. Thank God for His mercy because He replied immediately.

God showed me that I had walked out of love with this lady on Instagram!!! I may not have been rude to her but I WAS OFFENDED at her. I couldn't quite believe it. I mean I was stunned. Really? I was offended at a lady on Instagram and it opened the door to demonic activity in my life? For real? I immediately adjusted myself before I did anything else (I knew by then what to do) and the ridiculous thoughts of impending doom disappeared but I was left in slight shock at this and continued to question God, yes, in the Supermarket!

God showed me that after that incident every time I had thought about her I had an attitude. I was so offended by everything she represented! I was having virtual conversations in my head with her and telling her how wrong she was. I was truly offended on the inside.

Then I thought, hang on a minute, if I can walk out of love so quickly and so easily and if that is regarded as walking out of love then love is quite literally like walking a tightrope! You have no leeway on either side. You better be walking straight or you will fall straight down. It's a tough walk! There is no other option but to walk in the straight line and because it's a law it will work every time like gravity, YOU WILL FALL, and fall badly if you walk out of it.

I was so shocked and enlightened by this at the same time. I realised the seriousness of walking in love. I was reminded of a book I had read by Kenneth Hagin called Love: The Way to Victory. In the book brother Hagin talks about going to preach somewhere and staying in a pastors' house for two weeks. These pastors' went away while brother Kenneth and His wife stayed in their home. Brother Kenneth described that the pastors' did not leave a crumb of food in the fridge or cupboards. The Hagins had no money at all and were relying on at least being fed while they were there to preach. They went for days without food and were so tempted to tell someone but Brother Hagin said that he refused to tell another soul that this pastor did not leave them any food as it would shape other people's view of this pastor and that would be walking out of love with the pastor!

He also said that he had to fight feelings of offence. He knew that the pastors were wrong not to leave food for them or anything for that matter. But he refused to be the one to shame them. He chose to leave it to God because he was not going to walk out of love with those pastors. He and his wife didn't eat a thing for two weeks straight.

Now that takes it to another level! This is how tight the love walk is. This is how serious it is. If you know Kenneth Hagin, you'll know the type of anointing he operated in.

You may say, 'Well I don't know if I want to operate in that kind of anointing, I'm not a minister...'. Whether you want to walk in the anointing of God or not, you need to walk in love for your own well-being! It's simple. You walk out of love, YOU open the door to the devil. The Bible says that when you are offended your prayers will be hindered (1 Peter 3:7). It also says that faith works by love (Galatians 5:6), which means that faith does not work if love is not there. It is serious folks. For me it was one form of attack, for you it might be different but check where things are not going well in your life or where prayers are not being answered then check your love walk. If you are even slightly walking out of love, you may have opened the door to the enemy without even realising it. Remember, the devil is cunning and subtle. It won't be obvious and he can get you on a very small loophole (I mean Instagram, c'mon!). The Bible says don't be a fool, walk wisely (Ephesians 5:15) and be sober because the devil is roaming, seeking who he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).

To top this lesson off, I finally went to the checkout to pay for my items. By then those horrible thoughts had disappeared and I was still in awe of the sensitivity of the law of love. Then I happend to look up and saw this sign (picture below) and it really hit home. All I could see was 'DO NOT BE OFFENDED" jump out at me and I got the message loud and clear.

Jesus said "Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me' (Matthew 11:6). We'd be wise to not be offended whether in the big things or the small.

Take this sign. Print it off and stick it on every wall in your house if you have to, but whatever you do, Do Not Be Offended and Walk the Tightrope of Love.

Blessings and Peace be to you in the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ ❤