Harder to Win Than a City

Harder to Win Than a City

As a believer, you know that Jesus bought your freedom with the price of His blood-you are free to do whatever He asks of you. Speaking to believers, the Apostle Paul says in Galatians 5:1, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."



In other words, because Jesus paid such a precious price to make you totally free, you should do whatever it takes to avoid becoming ensnared again. Jesus died to liberate you from all fear, sickness, poverty, depression, and every other form of bondage that the devil tries to burden you with.



You are free to either go where God tells you to go, or remain inactive when He tells you to wait. No matter what He directs you to do, nothing should hinder you. Regretfully, there are many things that have kept Christians in bondage even though Jesus paid an awesome price for their freedom.



Proverbs 18:19 says, "A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, and contentions are like the bars of a castle."There are two things this verse identifies that every Christian must avoid-contention and offense. Let's study the latter portion of this verse first. Notice that it says, "Contentions are like the bars of a castle."Bars do two things. First, they prevent people from getting out. Second, they prevent people from getting in.



This verse emphasizes that contention-strife, quarrels, and disputes-creates prison bars, or barriers, in your life. Your involvement in any form of contention will hinder you from either getting to the place you should be or getting out of the situation that has ensnared you.



Now let's study the first part of Proverbs 18:19. It says, "A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city."Have you ever had a desire to minister to a particular person but sensed, that no matter how carefully you phrased it, they would get offended? Most likely, we have all been in a similar situation. It is very sad to have a friend or acquaintance with whom you can't be open and truthful because you're so concerned about how they will react.



Offended people live stirred-up, angry, and agitated, with a ready-to-bust attitude. Everyone around them feels that they must walk on eggshells-fearful that at any moment they might say the wrong thing. How many times have you thought, I believe the Lord has given me something to tell that person, but I wonder how they will react? If you are like me, you have thought that many times. In reality, when we wonder how someone will react to what we say, we are really wondering if they will become offended as a result of our conversation.



Have you ever heard someone say, "I would tell them, but I don't think it would settle well"? What do you suppose is meant by that statement? It means that the person they want to speak with is wound up tight, agitated, and ready to snap at any moment. You're concerned that if you say anything, it will be the very thing that makes them snap or explode. They might snarl at you with a retort like: "How dare you talk to me that way! What exactly do you mean by that remark?" And since we have all been in that awkward situation at one time or another, we've become reluctant to offer our counsel ever again.