Offense can lead to envy and jealousy as in the story of Cain and Abel. I want you to notice the relationship of David and Saul and how the spirit of offense entered Saul.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah
(1 Sam. 16:13 AMP)

You know the story how Goliath was provoking the army of God and David saw that there were rewards to be gained if one could kill Goliath. Amazingly, he slew Goliath and became son of the king. He married the king's daughter, came into covenant with the king's son, and he began living in the king's palace. He gained a great deal that day.

And one day, as Saul and David were returning from battle, there were songs being sung by the women as they entered into the city. They were singing, "Saul has slain his thousands but David has slain his tens of thousands."

And at that moment, a spirit of offense entered into Saul's heart. He became jealous and envious of David.

...And Saul [jealously] eyed David from that day forward...And he raved [madly] in his house...
(1 Sam. 18:9-10 AMP)

This infuriated Saul and caused him to despise David so much that on two occasions he tried to kill him in the palace. The spirit of offense caused him to want to kill his own son-in-law.

With 3,000 warriors, he chased David all over the country. Eventually, David entered into the city of Nob, and the priest fed him and clothed his men. When Saul heard about it, he had all the priests and all of their families slaughtered and killed.

An offense is like a seed that grows and grows. It must be purposely dealt with and uprooted. Notice what took place from the spirit of offense.

David cried unto Saul saying, "See my father, see the skirt of your robe in my hand! Since I cut off the skirt of your robe and did not kill you, you know and see that there is no evil or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, yet you hunt my life to take it."
(1 Sam. 24:11 AMP)

He was saying, "See what I have done for you. All I've ever done is love you, serve you, and devote my life to you. There is no evil or treason in my hands. Why are you seeking my life to kill me?"

Saul went away. But, he began meditating on it, thinking about it, dwelling on it. Then the spirit took over his life once again, and he began chasing David throughout the land.

In order to be accepted by Saul, David tried to prove his loyalty to him. But only a short time later, we see Saul chasing him again throughout the land in order to kill him. Then one night, David and one of his soldiers quietly crept into Saul's camp.

Then said Abishai to David, God has given your enemy into your hands this day. Now therefore let me smite him to the earth at once with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.
(1 Sam. 26:8 AMP)

David's soldier is begging him, "Let me take his life. I'm only going to have to strike once and my spear will go all the way through him."

I want you to listen to David's response.

David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him; for who can raise his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless?

"As the Lord lives, [He] will smite him; or his day will come to die or he will go down in battle and perish.

"The Lord forbid that I should raise my hand against the Lord's anointed; but take now the spear that is at his head, and the bottle of water, and let us go."
(1 Sam. 26:9-11 AMP)

David would not kill Saul even though Saul was trying to kill David at every turn in the road. Saul was chasing David constantly trying to kill him, but again David's response was, "I will not raise my hand against the Lord's anointed."

David was a godly man who respected the anointing on Saul's life. He would not touch God's anointed.

In fact, later when David heard about Saul and Jonathan being killed, he didn't throw a party and celebrate at their destruction. Do you know what he did? He mourned. He wept. He called for all of Israel to mourn. He even instructed that the man who killed Saul be put to death.

Tell it not in Gath, announce it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
(2 Sam. 1:20 AMP)

David wrote a song in honor of Saul and Jonathan. He encouraged the people to not voice this tragedy because the enemy would rejoice over it.

From this example, we see a person, David, who could have been greatly offended, but chose not to. Instead he was deeply sorrowful.

In other words, even if you have the "right" to be offended because you are not the one who is in the wrong—don't yield to that spirit. The spirit of offense affects you, not the one who hurt you.

Source: Conquering The Spirit Of Offense by Carolyn Savelle.
Excerpt permission granted by Jerry Savelle Publications