You Are Being Lied to...Every Day
Every day subtle lies are being introduced or reinforced in your thinking
Subtle lies are the devil’s oldest trick. The Bible introduces him in the Garden of Eden as more “subtle than any other beast of the field.” (Genesis 3:1). He deceived Adam and Eve into believing lies about God. That tactic has worked on all of us ever since.
In his book You Can Change, Tim Chester asserts that behind every sin and negative emotion is a lie. We exchange the truth about God for a lie. (Romans 1:24-25) “Did God actually say…?” “You will not die.” “You can be like God.” The devil knows we are too aware to fall for obvious falsehoods. Most of us would reject outright lies about God’s existence or the core truths of the Scripture. Instead, he plants the smallest seed of doubt and cultivates it into full-grown disobedience. If we are not vigilant, the weeds of subtle lies choke out the truth in our lives.
Subtle Lies
I see the devil’s subtle lies attacking people from two directions today: negative lies and so-called positive lies.
Negative lies whisper that God doesn’t really love us, that we’ve sinned too much for Him ro forgive us, or that He is punishing us. Sometimes, we are tempted to believe that our shameful past will always define us. Other times, he tells that God will not do for us what He does for others. You can likely identify other lies he has tempted you to believe. The strategy is always the same, but he tailors his game plan to each person.
Positive lies sound appealing on the surface. I often hear people say, “I am enough.” Other include “God wants me to be happy.” “It’s easier to get forgiveness that permission.” “It won’t hurt just this once.” “After all I’ve been through, I am deserve…” The devil used the same tactic in Eden, tempting Adam and Eve to suspect God’s motives and believe they could do as they pleased. Today, he casts the same lies in fresh packaging.
Blatant Truth
The best remedy for the devil’s subtle lies is blatant truth about God, His purposes, and His ways. Chester offers four gospel truths counter the devil’s attacks.
1. God is great, so we don’t have to be in control.
One lie of the devil is that everything depends on us. When we do not feel in control, we worry – and at its root, worry is a belief that God will not get it right.
But the blatant truth is God IS in control. He DOES know what it best. And He is ABLE and WILLING to accomplish that best. When you are tempted take control, remember Romans 8:28.
2. God is glorious, so we don’t have to fear others.
The devil tempts us to obsess what others think about us. He plants fear that others could harm us outside of God’s sovereignty. At times, we bend over backwards to impress others; at other times we shrink back to avoid rejection. We crave approval and fear rejection.
But the blatant truth is that God loves us unconditionally. He delights over us with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17) Scripture warns us that the “fear of man is a snare”, but the fear of God liberates us. (Proverbs 29:25) When you are tempted to fear others, remember Psalm 27:1 and fix your gaze on God’s glory.
3. God is good, so we don’t have to look elsewhere.
In Eden, the devil convinced Adam and Eve that God was holding out on them and that they needed more. And he uses the same tactic today. We try to add to God – expecting fulfillment from people, possession, or experiences. Yet these never satisfy.
The blatant truth is that God created us for Himself. St. Augustine confessed: “…because You have made us and drawn us to Yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in You.” When we chase satisfaction elsewhere, we deny God’s goodness. When tempted to believe fulfillment is found outside of Him, remember John 4:13-14.
4. God is gracious, so we don’t have to prove ourselves.
The devil tempts us to believe we will never measure up or be good enough. And on our own, that is true – we are hopelessly inadequate and sinful. BUT GOD. In His grace, He loved us even while we were sinners and sent His Son Jesus to die for us. He already knows the truth about us and has dealt with is in mercy and grace. (Psalm 103:8-14).
The blatant truth is you are free from trying to earn God’s favor. You are free from the lie that doing good guarantees blessing or that avoiding sin avoids His anger. When tempted to prove yourself, remember Romans 8:1.
Preaching the Truth to Yourself
I want to encourage you to be alert when temptation comes your way. Ask, “What lie is the devil trying to get me to believe about God? What truth about God sets me free?”
If you do stumble into sin, reflect afterward, “What did I misbelieve? What truth about God do I need to remember hold fast?
And then finally, think pre-actively. The devil will come whispering subtle lies. Prepared yourself with the God’s truth. Daily – even several times a day – rehearse these four truths in your mind. Reflect on who God is. Memorize His Word, especially the verses mentioned here and treasure them in your heart. Prepare yourself to counter the devil’s lies with God’s truth. (Psalm 119:9-11)
Be ready to counter every subtle lie of the devil with the blatant truth of God.