I remember an old joke declaring how you could tell if a particular individual was lying. The punch line was, “If his lips are moving, he’s lying.”
The devil has earned such a reputation. John 8:44 tells us four realities about the devil’s reputation: there is no truth in him, he is a liar, he is the father of lies, and lying is his “native language.” Through his skilled lying, the devil has led countless people astray, including many Christians.
Maybe you’ve heard the lies. “You’re no good.” “You can’t _____.” “You won’t ________.” If you try, you’ll just _______.” You may have heard many other such lies. The devil likes to get in our heads.
Preparing Our Minds with Truth
We are not helpless against his lies, however. The only effective defense against the devil’s lies is God’s truth. You don’t have to fall for his deception. You can prepare your mind for the inevitable onslaught of his lies by arming yourself with God’s truth. Let me share three ways you can get ready and fill your mind with God’s truth.
KNOW God’s truth.
Since the devil is a pathological liar, and since our only defense is God’s truth, then we need to arm ourselves with as much truth as possible. John 8:33-34 teaches us that if we remain in God’s Word, the truth of that Word will set us free. There is no substitute for regular, systematic, intentional personal Bible study. Consequently, I’ve written about that a lot lately, so a quick trip through the archives of 2016 will give you plenty of help in personal Bible study.
Suffice it to say, we cannot experience spiritual victory over the devil apart from knowing God’s truth. I cannot encourage you strongly enough to develop a plan to arm yourself with the truth of the Bible.
GROW in God’s truth.
God does not intend for His Word merely to fill our heads with knowledge, rather God’s Word nourishes us spiritually so that we grow in our faith. Peter encourages believers to desire God’s “spiritual milk,” His Word, like babies desire milk. (1 Peter 2:2) The word translated “spiritual” is the same one from which we get our word “logical.” Peter refers to the systematic Bible study through which we not only learn truth, but we apply it to daily life situations and put the Word to work in our lives.
The more we know God’s truth, the more we respond to life situations the way God desires and prescribes in His Word.
CHOOSE to believe and live in God’s truth.
Once we know the truth, we bear the responsibility to believe the truth. We prove we believe God’s truth when we choose to obey it. Many make the claim to believe God’s truth, but their disobedient lives do not match their confession. As He concluded the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus contrasted two lives and their response to His Word. The wise man heard and obeyed His Word. Jesus compared this man to one who built his house on a firm foundation. When life’s storms struck, his house survived.
The foolish man heard His Word, but instead chose not to obey. Jesus compared this man to one who built his house by merely staking a few planks in sand. When life’s storms struck this man, his house fell. (Matthew 7:24-27)
What Can I Do?
The devil lies to us every day, and many of us are unaware. Consequently, we fall for the deception and let him inside our head. Do you recognize his lies? Can you counter his lies with God’s truth? Are you equipped with your mind full of God’s Truth that sets you free?
For ideas about personal Bible study, read these blogs:
Getting Started With Personal Bible Study