In a world where betrayal is all too common, healing can seem distant—especially when the wound comes from someone you considered a spiritual father. In an interview with Lecrae, John Bevere shared his raw and transparent story of deep offense, heartbreak and ultimately, divine healing.
Bevere begins by describing a painful season in his life, marked by betrayal from someone he trusted more than his own father. “I went through a really deep wounding offense. It was somebody that I looked up to as a father, and he was actually closer to me than my natural father,” he shared. “But he did some things over the course of the year that were just devastating.”
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The pain was so apparent that others around him noticed. “It was so obvious, people were coming up to me saying, ‘You okay?’” The offense wasn’t hidden—it was real, raw, and left a mark. Yet even as he tried to be spiritual and forgiving, something deeper was going on.
This cycle of hurt and half-forgiveness persisted until one day, while praying, Bevere received an answer from God when he asked him: “Am I offended?” To which the Lord said, “Yes.”
As the Lord worked on healing and restoring Bevere, he also used his pain to share with others how to deal with offense. Bevere’s best-selling book, The Bait of Satan, is just one example of how he is now helping others release their pain and bitterness to find healing through Christ. This is something especially needed today for those working in ministry.
“Nobody that leaves ministry ever said, ‘One day I’m going to leave ministry,'” says Bevere. “Not one of them planned to do it. They were take out, and it’s usually by offense.”
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In today’s church culture, where disappointment and division are far too common, Bevere’s message couldn’t be more timely. Healing is possible, but it takes confronting the offense, not covering it. Those who feel disillusioned or ready to give up must recognize that offense is often the enemy’s first strategy to derail a God-given purpose.
By facing the pain, acknowledging the wound and allowing God to bring restoration, believers can rise stronger—able not only to walk in freedom themselves but to lead others into it.
Abby Trivett is content development editor for Charisma Media.
