Liar! Liar!

But now I’m afraid that as that serpent tricked Eve with his wiles, so your hearts and minds will be tricked and you will stray from the single-minded love and pure devotion to Him. 2 Corinthians 11:3 (VOICE)

In Genesis 3, Satan starts up a conversation with Eve. In it, he suggests things about God and Eve that are not true. He uses overt lies and innuendos. She falls for it. I have to admit, I sometimes wonder how you can walk with God and then believe Satan’s lies. And as I type that, I realize how ridiculous it sounds.

I do that all the time! I bet it happens in your life too.

You might have thoughts like:

You can’t do that. You are not __________ (fill in the blank.)
If you were doing something different you would be __________ (happy, rich, successful, loved.)
Look at all the mistakes you make. What is wrong with you?
You deserve ______________.
God isn’t listening to your prayers. If he was he would ____________.
This bad thing is your fault. You should have _______________.

The reason there are so many blanks is because each of these lies is customized for individual use. Satan’s tactic is to get us to believe them and like Eve, take our minds off of Jesus. He wants us to turn from looking at the One who can change our story to ourselves. He wants us to think we are in this by ourselves.

Satan is a Liar!

I have developed some tactics to help me deal with these lies. One is when they pop into my head I yell “Liar!” (Think of the wife yelling at the husband in Princess Bride.) I also ROAR. Out loud. This reminds me that the Lion of Judah has conquered the lion who seeks to devour. Another tool is to recall Bible verses. For example, when you think “You can’t do that. You are not __________.” I counter with I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13) Or “God isn’t listening to your prayers” For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer. (1 Peter 3:12) Another thing I do is call a friend who knows Jesus and I talk it through and let them speak truth into my life.

Your methods of countering these lies will be different than mine. Not everyone wants to walk around shouting things out loud and roaring. Go figure. Whatever you decide, let it be based on the one truth you know. You are loved. God’s intentions for you are pure. He has not abandoned you but is walking with you through this life. However you do it……remind yourself of that. Every. Single. Day.

We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 2 Corinthians 10:4 (NLT)

Let's Fight

I will contend with those who contend with you. Isaiah 49:25 (ESV)

The definition of contend is to compete, vie, contest, fight, battle, tussle, go head to head. In Isaiah God says he will contend for us. He will get involved, stand in the gap and battle for us. He will go before us and battle our battles. He will fight for what we are fighting for.

And I think he expects the same from us.  I think he wants us to fight for what's important to him. Primarily, his kids. What does that look like? Maybe it looks like coming along side someone who is struggling, placing an arm around their shoulders and giving them a hug. Maybe it will be showing up on moving day or during a time when someone feels overwhelmed and alone. Maybe it's going to your knees and battling in prayer. It is never watching from the side-lines and doing nothing. It means following that prompting to be in the middle of a sometimes messy life.

There are so many ways that we can come along side God to "contend" for each other. One of the things I've discovered in this discipleship journey, people are the most important thing to God. He puts them in your path for a reason. He's inviting you to join the battle - to go head to head for his kids. Join in! You have an army of angels all around and the power of God at your front.

Will it be hard sometimes?  Yes! Will it be worth everything you pour into it? Most definitely! One thing you can be sure of....the reward is huge. When you bow before Jesus and hear him say, "Well done good and faithful servant!" you will know it was all worth it.

A Minute In It - Fighting Back

A minute in God's word will change your life. Take a minute to read the passages below and ask yourself the questions at the bottom of the post.

Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. Ephesians 6:13-18 (MSG)

What are some of the weapons in the arsenal of God?
Why do you need them?
Why is Truth important?
Why is Christ's righteousness important?
Peace? Faith and Salvation?
What do you do with God's Word?
And why is prayer essential?
What about encouraging one another? What does that have to do with the battle we face?

Praying for you that God will guide you and keep you as you serve him.

Using What I Already Have

Sing to the Lord!
    Praise the Lord!
For though I was poor and needy,
    he rescued me from my oppressors. Jeremiah 20:13 (NLT)

Yesterday we talked about the negative voices we hear in our head that cause us to doubt who we are and how much God loves us.  What are some things you can do when you hear those voices?  Here are some things I do to counter these attacks.

Prayer and Quiet Time - Luke 5:16 tells us Jesus often went off for quiet time with God and to pray. No doubt he was the most attacked person who ever lived. His time with God reset his focus and helped him to hear the still small voice.

God's Word - There are so much in God's Word that tell us who he is and how he cares for us. Dive in. Read it and remember.

Use Your Brain - when you are being emotionally attacked, you need to use your brain to counter attack. Think about who God is and what you know about him. Think about your past with him and your current relationship. Use this information to determine if what you are hearing is from him.

Praise!  Any time we praise and worship God in song, it takes our minds off of our troubles and focuses them on God.

Props - when I feel that I am being attacked, I develop props that help remind me who is in control. For example, one of the things I do is ROAR - out loud. You see the Bible says the devil prowls about as a roaring lion trying to devour us. But the Bible also says that Jesus is the Lion of Judah - and he has already conquered through his death on the cross. Jesus is the stronger lion. When I roar, it reminds me that this battle is already done and I can relax.

God loves you and every day he is telling you. When you are being attacked, fight back. God has already won this war. Remember to use the tools he has given you.