Fighting Lies with Truth

Fighting Lies with Truth

I recently realized I was falling victim to the enemy's trap without realizing it.  In Beth Moore's "Breaking Free" book she talks of Satan using lies to deceive us.  These lies we believe cause us to be captive and not fully living the lives God desires for us.  Lies such as:

I make no difference.
God is tired of trying with me.
I can't do it.
No one cares.
There is only so much God can do.
I'm not worthy of his grace.
I've done too much wrong.
I'm weak.
I'm not good enough.
My past is too much to overcome.
God only tolerates me.
I don't deserve it.
He can't still love me.
I don't have what it takes.
I can't change.
I'm hopeless.

These lies are a trap set by the enemy.  The first step is to recognize that these thoughts aren't from God and by accepting them we are siding with Satan.  The enemy takes a small truth and twists it to make it believable lie.

The second step is to fight these lies with scripture.  Put truth in place of the lies.  Beth Moore states that "The walls of your mind will never stay bare...once we tear down lies we have to replace them with truth or the enemy will happily supply a new roll of deceit." We must know scripture to fight off Satan's lies, not knowing scripture is like having a gun with no bullets.  We need to get in His Word!  We need to truly believe scriptures such as these apply to ourselves:

And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. Eph 3:18

But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. 1 Tim 1:16
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow--not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. Romans 8:38

For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 2 Cor 5:19

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6

Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 2 Cor 12:9

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:19

But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Psalm 86:16

He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. Ephesians 1:7

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zep 3:17

Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. Colossians 1:22


Nothing is so ruined that God cannot rebuild it - and better than before. God is calling us to believe truth and to get rid of the self doubt and insecurities that are hindering us from living a life of doing great things for God.    He is waiting for us to return to him and stop thinking that my weakness can triumph over God's strength.  God is God and nothing is too difficult for him.

I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free." Isiah 44:22

 

Ephesians and Romans Journaling

Mathew 25:31-46

We are called to help the least of people.

What am I doing in my life that will matter in eternity?

³¹ “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

God has chosen me

I HAVE CHOSEN YOU

"Long ago, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes." Ephesians 1:4

"Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own?  Will God? NO!  He is he one who has given us right standing with himself.  Who then will condemn us?  Will Christ Jesus?  No, for he is the one who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of honor next to God, pleading for us."  Romans 8:33

Ephesians 1

Ephesians 1:3-9

"How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ.  Long ago, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be hold and without fault in his eyes.  His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ.  And this gave him great pleasure.  So we praise God for the wonderful kindness he has poured out on us because we belong to his dearly loved Son.  He is so rich in kindness that he purchased our freedom through the blood of his Son and our sins are forgiven.  He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.  God's secret plan has now been revealed to us, it is a plan centered on Christ, designed long ago according to his good pleasure."

A Gift of Peace

Isaiah 48:18 "¹⁸ Oh, that you had listened to my commands!

      Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river

      and righteousness rolling over you like waves in the sea."

Jesus offers us peace like a river - not a pond.  Peace in the midst of chaos and busyness. With Christ it is possible to be in turmoil and walk in peace.  Do you trust that God is bigger than your fear?

Share Love

Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

Our love for others should go beyond affection to self sacrificing service to imitate Christ.

I will allow the JOY of the Lord to rise in me continually.

I will walk in PEACE and not stress. 

I will be PATIENT and not lose my temper.

I will show KINDNESS no matter what.  

I will be GENTLE and not harsh to others.

I will not allow myself to get out of CONTROL.