The Bait of Satan

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Summary: A Wonderful Book For Anyone Hurt By A Church
Review: If you have been offended or hurt by someone in your local church then this book is for you. John explains how to keep offense out of your heart towards those who have offended you. We must 'keep our heart with all diligence' even in hurtful situations. If you've been hurt or offended DON'T LEAVE YOUR CHURCH WITH OFFENSE IN YOUR HEART! As John explains, you will just carry it with you.
Read this book with an open heart and mind. You will receive the help you need.

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Summary: The Bait of Satan
Review: In the past twelve months I have studied this book twice in two different classes. We used the study guide in the second class. This is a MUST study for Christians of every maturity level. In the last days Many will be offended, inside of the church. We cannot afford to allow Satan to hinder us by keeping us bound by offence and bitterness and this book holds the keys to the freedom we all desire in Christ. If I could, I would put a Bible in one hand of a new Christian and this book in the other hand.

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Summary: My testimony with this book.
Review: It has taken me nearly 5 years to write this review. I first was introduced to Bevere by a relative and read this and another book of his. After reading this book I entered a downward spiral which lasted nearly two years. In this spiral I went from a place of security and peace and advancement in God, to at rock bottom feeling guilty most of the time, that I would drop into hell at any moment, and having urges to do horrible things not fit for this web page.

During this time period I sought help from other Christians, some of them very seasoned, and no one seemed to see any problem with this book. In fact the few people that I did encounter who were aware of this author only raved about him like most of the reviewers below do. They zealously evangelize you to read all of his books from cover to cover. This encourages the spiral of feeling bad about yourself and crazy for thinking there is something wrong with this picture. I also encountered a number of people who refused to talk about the subject as well as a few who were suffering through similar struggles, though each book affects each person differently.

Let me say that I am a now, after healing, a staff member at a successful church in a major apostolic movement and Dean of a Bible School. I am fully submitted to authorities as it is one of our core beliefs. Moreover, I do not believe in Once Saved, Always Saved.

I'm not saying that what happened to me will happen to everyone who reads this or other books by Bevere, but now know that I am not the only one. If you are feeling the same way, I want you to know that you can put this book down and never look back. I believe it was a combination of my weak conscience at the time, and the spirit and errors in this book which allowed this to happen.

What is wrong with the teaching in this book is hard to pinpoint, but other reviewers have approached the problem. It uses many scriptures, sometimes out of context to define what an "offense" is, and do so broadly enough that anyone who is honest will discover that they have some. Then, it procedes to show you how horrible offenses really are, that they are the same thing as unforgiveness, and suggest that they will send you to hell. It does also place a large burden on the offended person without offering much if anything in the way of help to overcome this horrible problem. What makes this one particularly tricky is that if you have a problem with the book then you are "offended" and therefore all the more damned. In addition the tone is authoritarian, not just authoritative, and I think ends up glorifying the author more than God.

I was finally freed of this problem after "randomly" attending a major conference where the main speaker came out publicly in opposition to the previous book "Thus Saith The Lord?" He proceeded to tell how he had taken the Matthew 18 route with Bevere, and even to the point of having him brought before the apostolic board, but that his concerns were not addressed, and so he had to publicly state that while John Bevere was clearly a gifted teacher that there was something in the book that was clearly not of God.


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Summary: An important message for our time
Review: It is a plain truth of God's word that at some point in their life a Christian will be treated unfairly. Just as Christ was not treated fairly by this world, those who follow Him should expect the same treatment.

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!"

Matthew 18

Even more important than the knowledge that we will be treated unfairly, is the knowledge of how to handle that unfair treatment. In 1st Peter chapter 2 it is written that Jesus: "who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;"

The Bait of Satan demonstrates that as Christians we are supposed to live up to the same standard. The object of Christianity is to become Christ-like. We are never more Christ-like than when we forgive those who sin against us.

Make no mistake about it: We ARE required to forgive those who wrong us! In Matthew chapter 6 Jesus said:

14"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

THAT STANDARD HAS NOT CHANGED!! Jesus further illustrated this point by the man who owed a debt he could not pay, but who begged the king to spare him. The king, moved with compassion, forgave the huge debt this man owed him. Immediately after being forgiven of this huge debt, this man went out and found someone that owed him a small sum. When that man could not pay, the man who had been forgiven of a massive debt had the man who owed him a small sum thrown in debtor's prison.

When the king heard of this, he was angered and had the man who owed a great sum thrown in prison.

The moral of the story? If God is willing to forgive us of our sins against Him, then we as His children MUST forgive others of their sins against us. After all, what right do we have to be angry at someone for sinning against us when we know we have sinned so greatly against God, yet He has forgiven? What right do we have to be offended at someone's trespass against us when we have been shown so much mercy by our Heavenly Father?

The Bait of Satan also says we must forgive in our hearts even BEFORE someone comes to us to ask forgiveness! This is hard to swallow, but remember that Christ is our example. He died on the cross and paid the debt for my sin LONG BEFORE I ever asked for His forgiveness. He PRE-EMPTIVELY forgave me, so how then can I not do the same to others?

Our call as Christians is to live like God. Grace is not merely some big coverup for our most base acts! It is the divine power of Almigthy God to LIVE LIKE GOD! God doesn't think like us, act like us, or speak like us. He is calling us to live on HIS level, not ours!

A big step in that direction is properly dealing with unfair treatment!

Do not be deceived! With every action, thought, or attitude we either Glorify God or reject Him. The Bait of Satan makes this clear! It is preposterous to believe that we can do whatever we want (not obey God, rebel against Godly authority, refuse to forgive) and still be called the Sons of God. Jesus said, in John 14:

23Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me."

Jesus also says in Matthew 7:

Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22Many will say to Me in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

God is our loving Heavenly Father. He is our Savior and our protection. But above everything else, He is our King and we MUST obey Him. The evidence of true faith is obedience to God's will and God's Word. If we fail to obey then we are NOT children of God, but are sons of disobedience.

The Bait of Satan tries to open our eyes to that fact and show us truth that will keep us from being deceived.

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Summary: What an awesome, powerful word from the Lord.
Review: John Bevere like the prohpet John the Babtist has come out of the wilderness. The message he preaches through this book is lifechanging. I have required my entire worship team to read this word from the Lord.

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Summary: An excellent book to promote unitiy and growth.
Review: John Bevere tackles a deep problem throughout the Body of Christ in "The Bait of Satan". This book will help any church or individual grow and face a major problem of unforgiveness and offenses. Don't let offense become a fence in your life and trap you in. Get this book! It is required reading for our church membership class and it will save you and your local body a lot of grief (his other books are great too).

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Summary: A Must read for anyone whose ever been hurt or offended
Review: John Bevere's books are some of the most challenging and lifechanging books I have read. I consider his books The Devil's Door, The Bait of Satan and The fear of the Lord a must read for all believers.

The Bait of Satan deals with the issues of offense and forgiveness. Christ taught us to pray "Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us." But do we do this? Do we forgive those who hurt us? John Bevere explores both the importance of doing this, and teaches how to deal past hurts and anger so that we can actually love as Christ loved us. An excellent and challenging book. If you read it with and open mind and a willing heart, God will use it to change your life; opening up new levels of healing and closeness to him.

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Summary: Offense
Review: Offense is one of the problems that plague the church today, and John Bevere exposes this with a fresh breathe of God. Read this book and your eyes will be opened greatly to how satan operates so subtly.

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Summary: This is a must read book!
Review: Read this book & apply what John is saying - it will change your life forever. People with "issues," those who justify their hurt and pain and those with "religious spirits" will not like what is said one little bit. John's message is prophetic, he comes as a messenger in these "last days" and a wise man will not "throw the baby out with the bathwater" because of their particular theology re. salvation or philosophy of ministry. There are so many priceless "pearls" contained in this book. Yep - it can be blunt, but so what? Bevere exhorts us to not only be "hearers" but "doers" of God's word. It is biblical for a man or woman of God to "examine" themselves - and the cross is a good place to start that process. Bevere exhorts us to pick up the cross - and I say "amen." I see those who practice a form of godliness but denying it's power" i.e. those who practice a form of Christianity but have no revelation of the power of the cross - and it's very sad indeed. Let the love that the Father has for you flood into your hearts. John's books have never brought condemnation to me, just loving conviction.
This is an excellent book.

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Summary: OK, but read along with your Bible
Review: The Bait of Satan is an essential book for people who desire to obey the Lord in the area of forgiveness. Forgiveness is one of the most difficult commands to follow but is a 'must' in the kingdom. This book identifies how it is Satans plan that we hold onto offenses and thus render us ineffective. We become part of Satan's plan rather than an effective weapon against the enemy. It is a must read! It is an easy reader but surely not quick, it will require a lot of thinking and reflecting. You will not regret the purchase and will probably want to permanently keep it in your personal library. You will also want to purchase copies for your friends and fellow warriors!