If you’re anything like me, you may think you’re too strong, too wise, too rooted in Christ for the devil to get into your head with lies. But, the truth is, no matter what height we think we’ve reached in Christ, the devil will always be a liar who is trying to destroy us at all costs. Therefore, we must be on guard to the enemy’s tactics (1 Corinthians 16:13-14).
However, even when we are on our guards, it can still be hard to decipher fact from fiction. We must match up what we read, hear, see and think to what’s in the Bible. Pastor Mike Todd says, “What the enemy can’t destroy he distracts.” Lies of the enemy are very distracting and can lead to destruction if we don’t go to the scriptures for truth.
Through spending more time with God, knowing truth when we see it will become second nature (Psalm 119:105). The devil and God are total opposites. So, if God speaks in a still, quiet and peaceful voice (1 Kings 19:11-12), the devil will come roaring like a lion (1 Peter 5:8-9). It is imperative to be vigilant to the Holy Spirit and rooted in scripture enough to know these two voices apart. Just like we would see and hear a large lion making a beeline for us, we should see and hear the lies coming!
However, deciphering these voices is especially hard in the midst of a storm. When we are going through the trials of life, big or small, our ability to hear clearly may be out of whack, and this is the precise moment when that roaring, lying lion sounds like the truth.
I will never trust anyone again. Trusting God (Proverbs 3:5-6) will prove fruitful time after time and if we love God like we say we do, we will love people also (Mark 12:30-31) which comes with trust, accountability and friendship.
God will never forgive me for this. God sent Jesus to die for our sins so that through Him we are forgiven totally (1 Peter 3:18). This is a gift we get to freely accept because once we repent, our sins are as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).
I don’t deserve this pain and suffering. James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. It’s true we reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7-9). But, hardships also come with the territory of being alive. Instead of the mindset of wallowing in what we think we deserve, we must grow through trials so we can learn everything we can from them. It’s hard to see when we’re amid our suffering, but trials will pass, and we will be all the better after enduring.
I’m all alone. The Bible tells us in Deuteronomy 31:6 that God will never leave us nor forsake us. Also, God works through people on the earth, so there are more likely than not people in your life who care for you. Sometimes we must set our pride down and reach out for a shoulder to lean on.
I can’t do this anymore. Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33) and if we have the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead living inside of us (Romans 8:11), we without a doubt can push through everything that comes our way. Just like Paul said in his letter to the people in Philippi, we must learn to be content in every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. We truly can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.