Know The Truth

Friends, for the rest of your life remember this: The way you fight a lie is with the truth. Whoever knows the truth wins. And there are two truths that I want you to have a death grip on today.

First is the gospel. Jesus paid the price for our sins. He died for them on the cross, and He was raised from the dead. He defeated death, giving us hope for eternal life, so we can be with God forever – not because of what we do, but because of what He did for us. This is the first truth, and it is one we can’t just blow past. If we grasp the gospel truth, it changes everything.

The second truth is that we can trust the instructions in the Bible. Second Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” The Bible isn’t just some old dusty book, full of irrelevant tales. It’s the tool God has given us to fight back against every lie, accusation, and attempt at deception the Enemy will throw at us.

The Enemy loves when we believe the lie that “our truth” overrides the truth God has given us in His Word. He will dance with you all day long. That is the equivalent of you pulling up a chair to your table and saying, “Hey, Satan, have a seat.” He says, “Oh, you have a rebellious spirit against God’s Word. Hey guys, I got one over here!” Some demon will gladly lead you away. Sadly, I have seen countless people in the body of Christ go their own way, venture further from the church, and withdraw from God’s people, all because they believed the lie that their truth wins out.

I am not selling you a false bill of goods here. I know that the truth can change your life. It can revise the script of your story with which the villain has been deceiving you. When it comes to combatting the Enemy’s lies, we must know what is actually true. You can’t go out unarmed into this battle. Imagine how that would play out. Do you know what he’s going to say to you? He will speak to you like this: You are worthless. Totally worthless.

Now, if you don’t have the Word of God hidden in your heart, it’s easy to buy that lie and say, “You’re right. I am.” But if you are equipped for the moment you can say, “Wait, hold on. I’ve been created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). I’ve been purchased by His blood; He purchased me with His Son. And I’ve been created in Christ Jesus for a purpose – to do the good works that God has prepared for me to do (Ephesians 2:10). He has a purpose for me. I’m not worthless. That is what the truth says.”

The deceiver might continue: Just take a second look at him. Take a second look at her. I know you guys aren’t married. That’s okay. Just a second look. It’s no big deal. Just entertain the thought. What if?

“No, Job 31:1 says that ‘I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully’ at another woman. Matthew 5 says that if I look lustfully at someone, I’ve already committed adultery with them, and 1 Corinthians 6 says that I am supposed to flee sexual immorality. Because all other sins a person commits are sins outside their body, but whoever sins sexually sins against their own body. I’ve been bought by the Holy Spirit. I am not my own, so I am going to honor God with my body.”

He won’t give up with his lies. You know, if you just had a little bit more. Maybe a little bit more money. If you just lived in that neighborhood, had that car, you’d be happy then. If you just increased your income a little bit, you’d be happy.

“That’s interesting, deceiver, because Scripture tells me that whoever loves money never has enough (Ecclesiastes 5:10). That, in Proverbs 23:5, it sprouts wings and flies away. It says that with food and clothing, I should be content with these (1 Timothy 6:8-10). In fact, it says in 1 Timothy 6 that anyone who loves money falls into temptation, into a trap, and is lured away. So, you’re a liar.”

Now, if you have never practiced this, you are not going to be very good at it in the beginning. But the Scriptures tell us if we are followers of Jesus Christ and we have His Spirit, He will help us in this effort (John 14:26). We are to take thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). This is a continual, tiresome effort. I have met with lots of people who’ve said, “I can’t do this.” Really what they are saying in most cases is they have given up too easily. I encourage you to not stop short of success, which is exactly what the Enemy wants you to do.

The author of Hebrews said, “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood” (12:4). So keep fighting! Don’t give up! Start today. Let the truth win out.