Lies are powerful things. And unfortunately the author of most of
them is us. We tell ourselves lies
every day: I have nothing good to say, If I was better looking it’d be easier
to love me, I’m stupid, I’ll never make my parents proud, I’m not going to be a
good father, I’m not strong enough, guys are not allowed to show weakness, I
can do it on my own…you get the idea. We fill ourselves up constantly with
these types of lies every day.
Example: An old lie for me would be that I’m not going to be a good father.
But don’t be fooled for a second. These lies we tell ourselves aren’t
just singular battles. They don’t
only affect you – the individual – they affect our relationships. Because quite often the lies we tell
ourselves sneakily involve others. A problem with yourself can quickly become a
problem with someone else. Cinthia
and I have watched as lies creep in and resulted in stupid, useless,
unimportant arguments. The kind of
quick and heated arguments that leave you wondering “What was that about in the
first place?!”
But where do these lies find their
foothold? Where do they reside
that gives them the ability to wreck havoc on our lives and relationships? Usually, as most things of
darkness do, they hide. Finding
some small crack that has been made by a wound – a small insignificant offence,
a small pain, a heartbreak that we carry around unconsciously – it hunkers down
in dank and aching places and makes it their home.
Lies are initially small and squeeze their
way into those tiny cracks, but over time stretch and inflate and gain momentum
until they expand causing the crack to become a gaping chasm.
Example: I might see someone else’s father-son relationship and have a
twinge of jealousy from that, causing me to feel that since “I never had that”
I won’t be able to recreate a proper father-son relationship.
Once the lies have created the chasm we
become that much more susceptible to more lies. They have a little house party, and what was one small
mistrust in ourselves can quickly fester into a larger belief system about our
iniquities.
Example: With the pile of lies that I am believing about being a bad father,
I could come to the conclusion that I should never have children.
The bible tells us that Satan is the father
of lies (John 8:44), and that truth comes from God (John 14:6). But when you stop your inner
monologue long enough to try and discern the words that you are hearing in your
mind, you would be shocked to know that most of your thoughts about yourself
are directly from Satan. He who
comes to steal, kill and destroy will start by whispering to you that you are
not worthy, loveable, or good enough.
Because if he can get you to willingly believe these things, then he is
winning his battle for your heart and mind.
But, the great thing in Jesus is that he
has given us the power and the authority to cast out these lies. His teachings and words have told
us that we are the beloved, the redeemed, the cared for and holy. And we have full ability to take every
thought captive. So be
listening closely to what you are hearing in your mind. And when a lie starts to dig its way
in, recognize it, and pray it the heaven
out. You’ll be amazed at how
much freedom you have when you start believing what God says about you, instead
of Satan.
