Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ (Matthew 25:24-25)

For the past 3 days we have been looking at different forms of sin that prevent us from experiencing fully the at.one.ment that is already ours through the sacrificial death of Jesus.

Over the next 3 days, we will examine three ways in which people of faith, including Christians, can allow offense against God to stand between us and Him.

The first of these offenses has to do with how we view God. More precisely about the ways in which we may have developed a twisted image of God or a misunderstanding about His true nature and character.

Quite often, when I am visiting with a family that has experienced the unexpected loss of a loved one, it is not uncommon to have someone blame God for not intervening or for allowing it to happen or for punishing them for something they had done or not done.

While it is natural to ask: “Why” and wonder why it happened, there is a tipping point at which a person can move into developing an offense against God, hold a grudge and even lose faith in Him altogether.

Perhaps you have done this too, or know others who have, amen?

In the so-called Parable of the Talents, the servants who received five and two talents respectively take risks and increase the value of their portfolios 100%. They are rewarded for their efforts handsomely with more responsibility.

However, the servant who received one talent does nothing with it. Here is his explanation of his reason for inaction:  ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

What sets apart the first two from the third servant is their belief about their master. The first two believe that he rewards risk, so they invest their capital and double it. The third one sees his master as a demanding boss with a reputation for being unreasonable. So he does absolutely nothing with what was entrusted into his hands.

Isn’t it true that sometimes we allow an unhealthy/unbiblical fear of God to erect a wall between Him and us? Now we jeopardize our chances of experiencing at.one.ment to the fullest possible measure, do we not?

This is why one of the key components of Sozo ministry (to which we have referred in previous posts) is the Father Ladder. You (the Sozo-ee) ask each person of the Trinity this question: “Is there a lie I am believing about you?” Once you receive a response, the Sozo minister helps you to seek and receive forgiveness, renounce the lie and replace it with the truth.

Dear friend, would you take some time to ask this question—either right now in the privacy of prayer time or in the context of a Sozo ministry session or other setting—and see if you are holding any offense against God because He did not meet your expectations?

Ask Him for a revelation of the truth. And let go of the offense. Please.

You will be amazed at the difference it makes in experiencing at.one.ment with Him!