That Ancient Serpent

I feel like one of the things God has really been trying to teach me on this World Race is how the enemy operates.  Maybe not one of the most fun things to learn, but if you don’t understand the tactics your enemy is going to use to try and destroy you then you will find yourself at a severe disadvantage.

It’s really a lot more simple than most people realize.  All the power of the devil lies in deceiving us.  Think of Eve.  The way he got to her was by outright lying and telling her that the fruit would not make her die if she ate it.  THAT WAS A LIE.  He tricked her into thinking that God was holding out on her and didn’t want her to have something good. 

*You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire.  He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him.  When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.  -John 8:44 

When I thought about it more I realized that deception from the enemy has been used in my life in so many different ways.  But the main lie that has been repeated to me over and over again is this:  “The cost of following Jesus wholeheartedly will be too great, it just isn’t worth it, it’s too hard.”  When I desperately wanted to give up and go home a few weeks ago this was the lie that fueled me wanting to make that decision.  At the time it seemed like being away from my family and the comfort of home simply wasn’t worth it.  I was convinced that God wanted me to lose everything I held dear and spend my life on earth being miserable.  But now I know that it isn’t true, though I knew it before in my head, I’m at last beginning to understand in my heart.

The reason God has me on this trip is to help me mature and grow and become a stronger person, His plans for me are only the best and I’m having to learn to disregard that annoying little voice that would try and tell me otherwise. 

There are many other ways the enemy uses deception.  There have been times when I struggled with depression and my self worth when I just felt completely worthless and couldn’t believe God loved me and wanted to use me.  One day I saw a picture in my head of myself lying on my stomach on the floor in the dark.  There was a large black creature sitting on my back.  He had his claws entangled in my hair and was bashing my head against the floor all the while saying things like:  You’re so worthless, you’ll never be anything, God doesn’t love you, he couldn’t use you to do anything, you’re just a loser and you won’t ever be anything else.

There are so many people in the world, many of them christians, who are slaves to the lies the enemy is telling them.  The sad thing is that the only thing that needs to happen for the enemy to lose his victory over someone is for them to stand up when they hear these things being spoken to them and say “That’s a lie!  I am not a loser!  God loves me, I am fearfully and wonderfully made and God has a special plan for me.  He made me in his image!  He redeemed me from death and my sins are completely and utterly forgiven!”

So here is my challenge today for anyone who is reading this.  What lies are you believing about yourself and about God that are holding you back from experiencing the abundant and free life God meant for you to have?  Are you believing that God is holding out on you?  Are you refusing to believe that God will take care of you if you surrender everything to him?  Are you believing what the enemy says about you instead of what God’s word says about you?  If you aren’t sure it helped me to pray and ask God to show me what lies I am believing that need to be replaced with the Truth.