2Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.3For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth.4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
The absorption of the truth of God brings life and light to our souls. God wants us to be healthy in our the realm of our soul, which includes the state of our minds. Incorrect thinking about the Lord and His ways will lead to incorrect and even destructive actions; our lives will not produce the fruit or the fulfillment that God desires for us to have. We seek to counter the lies of the enemy with the truth of God's Word - Satan's will for your life is to bring bondage and misery, rooted in disobedience to the principles of God. God desires for us to experience the life-changing, life-freeing truth of His Word and to abide in His love and power. The mind is a key battleground and we must train our minds with truth.
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God can’t love you – you are not worthy of His love.
You are invincible and the center of your own universe.
Your relationship with God is directly related to how much you do for Him.
Now, I want to deal with an area that can be paralyzing, and that is buying in to fear. It may go something like this: Things might be going well now, but the other shoe could drop at any time or a variation: Things are not going well, and conditions will not improve. I think that some people, in their human condition, may just have a hard time believing that our lives could actually produce joy rather than misery and hope rather than heartache. And, even when there is a blessing of God that comes our way, an improvement of our condition may be a temporary fix. So our expectations are fueled by fear, and not faith.
2nd Timothy 1 challenges us to think rationally and reject the fears that could bring us down:
7For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.8Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,9who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began...
So, there you have it - even when we do encounter suffering and our circumstances seemingly go south on us, we can walk in a manner of being free from fear and reliant on God's faithfulness. Our expectation can be in the power and purpose of God, and we can walk in the peace of God, no matter what. The Bible tells us is Isaiah that He will keep the mind stayed on Him in perfect peace. Break free from fear today and enjoy the hope of Christ.
Another lie is somewhat related to the last one in that it deals with a pessimistic view of life - specifically other people. It's: You can’t trust people; they’ll only let you down – they’re out to get you anyway. Sure, we have been disappointed by others and perhaps we have acquired a victim mentality or a persecution complex. But, we serve a God who believes the best for us, who is for us and not against us, and I believe that He desires for us to believe the best about other people. Some insight into the nature of Christ's love is found in 1st Corinthians 13 - it:
7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.8Love never fails...
Sure, people will let you down, but do you really believe that people are against you, intent on doing you harm - in a general sense? If you do, I would encourage you to rely on the One who will never let you down, who always wants the best for you, who is for you and not against you, and allow Him to change your point of view.
Another destructive lie that I came up with is: Try to work your problems out for yourself, and when you’ve exhausted all your options, try God. Trust in or reliance on God is not one of many options for our situations. If we have been born again, the Spirit of God is in our hearts, and He is placed there to direct and strengthen us, acting in accordance with God's Word to enable us to live a fulfilling Christian life. We are called to be dependent on God, not independent of His direction. So, when we make a decision, we do it in accordance with the wisdom of God. He doesn't call us to try other courses of action and then use Him as a fallback - no, He offers us the treasures of heavenly wisdom and knowledge, so that we may experience what He has in store for us.
Paul wrote to the church at Colosse about the people of Laodicea in Colossians 2:
1For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh,2that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.4Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.
Paul really, really wanted to get the message across that He wanted to see God's people walk in truth. We have access to the mind of Christ, and as we abide in Him, His ways become our first option, really our only option, for our walk in life.
Finally, the seventh potentially damaging lie that I came up with is that God’s way is best, but you need to help Him out a little. God does not need our help. And, we need more than just some assistance from time to time when we get in a jam - He wants us to be totally dependent on Him. Perhaps we have the head knowledge that we need to follow God in a situation - and we do - but we still try to figure things out for ourselves. And, when our human wisdom contradicts what God's Word says or how the Spirit is directing us, then we have to guard against defaulting to our own human understanding. Proverbs 3 is clear:
5Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;6In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.7Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
Remember Proverbs 14:12, which reads:12There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
I think one of the great challenges of the Christian life is to recognize that as believers, we are to no longer occupy the throne of our lives - we have surrendered to a higher authority, One who loves us, who has our best in mind, who knows us well, and who is calling us to walk in His truth. He does not need our help, nor does He request it. The phrase, "God helps those who help themselves," is a misnomer. He does call us to walk in obedience, and we are called to act as He leads, but not to help Him out. He is totally sufficient for us!
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