January 1, 2016
Truth and Lies
Logan Wolfram
Today’s Truth
Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie. (Psalm 40:4-5)
Friend to Friend
Have you ever noticed how much longer it sometimes takes us to believe the truth of what God says about us than it takes for us to be deceived by a lie from the enemy? Our sin comes charging after us cloaked in a blanket of false identity, and the more we allow ourselves to believe the lies that Satan spews, the more we actually begin to live our lives out of that place.
But how do we know the truth? How do we combat the lies? 2 Corinthians 5:17 is a verse that so many of us are familiar with saying, “ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” But what does it really look like to be new? How can I look like (or begin to see myself as) a new creation when I so often see the same sinful patterns and lies trip me up over and over?
When I stumble over the lies in my head, I resolve to know exactly who God says I am because I ask Him to show me Himself in the Scriptures. And when I forget, or choose to ignore, the truth He says about other people too, I can do the same thing.
Sadly, it’s often easier for us to identify the negative things we believe about ourselves (or others) than the positive, right? I can identify when I feel inadequate, afraid, or impatient, and because of that it’s so easy to get stuck there. But as believers in Christ, we are a new creation! The new has already come; we just have to make sure we don’t miss seeing what God has for us right in front of our noses!
Here’s what I mean. In writing, or praying, I’ve found that I really enjoy tools that help me brainstorm words that expand the way I think about a certain topic. So for the purpose of embracing the new creation that God says we are, if we can begin to identify even one word of false identity that the enemy plants in my heart, we can combat it with the truth of Christ!
First identify the false word (lets say “fear”) and then think of the opposite of that word (so in the case of fear, the opposite would be “courage.”) Then if you try googling “synonyms for courage”, you will have loads of options right at your fingertips to expand your thinking. “Courage” becomes “brave, confident, secure” and before you know it, the newness you have in Christ is a list right before you.
When the enemy says “fear”, you can take that to the Scriptures and see what God says about it! Break out a concordance and it won’t take you long to see that 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” Then look up all the words you found as synonyms of “courage.” As you seek out God’s word, you will be reminded that God’s promises are the same for you, even now, as they were to King Asa in 2 Chronicles 15:7, “take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.”
“Blessed is the one who makes the Lord his trust…who does not go astray after a lie!” Sisters, you are a new creation in Christ! Claim the blessings that are yours as the redeemed and do not allow your heart to go astray after a lie! Search the Scriptures for the truths that are meant for you and walk in the fullness of your identity as Daughter of the King!
Let’s Pray
Sweet Jesus, we thank You that because of Your sacrifice for us, we are a new creation in You! Thank You for defeating the lies of the enemy and giving us the truth of our identity in You all throughout Your Word. Lord, give us wisdom and discernment to root out the lies we believe so that we can replace them with the newness that we have in You. Thank You for Your unending love and that we can fully trust in.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Think about some of your common insecurities and distill a couple down to one word each, such as, fear, worry, and value. Now think of the opposites of those words. Plug each word into the search bar at www.bible.com to find what God, through Scripture, says about your concerns.
More from the Girlfriends
Logan Wolfram would give you full access to her pantry if you lived next door. She is a plate-juggling mom and interior decorator turned writer, speaker, and host of the Allume Conference. She is a passionate leader who desires to see women live fully in Christ. Her first book, Curious Faith; Rediscovering Hope in the God of Possibility releases March 1, 2016 with David C Cook publishing house. Logan and her husband, Jeremy, divide their time between wrangling two inquisitive boys and a 175-pound dog named Titan. They reside in Greenville, South Carolina. Visit her at www.LoganWolfram.com.
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Originally published Friday, 01 January 2016.
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