We all do it at one time or another. Believe in a lie.
I’m not good enough.
I’ll never be able to…
This is just how God made me and I can’t change.
Last week, I received quite a few emails from men and women who had read my article on Relevant’s website, The Good in Grief. Most of these emails had a common theme; an admission of a belief in some type of lie from Satan.
God is a cosmic-killjoy, waiting to pull the rug out from under us.
God is a stern judge, waiting to punish us for our sin.
God does not desire to have a personal relationship with us.
God is not loving.
Based on personal experiences, how someone was raised, influences from others, and tragic circumstance, there are numerous ways people choose to negatively view God.
The greatest way for any relationship to be damaged unfairly is to:
- Believe a false-hood
- To trust in a rumor
- To refuse to learn both sides of the story
- To have an inaccurate perception of who someone is
Not only does this drive a wedge in relationships, but we build our ideas of who someone is or isn’t based upon false information. These kinds of lies can destroy even the closest of relationships.
And yet, how often do we choose to believe what others say about God, instead of what God says about Himself? Even as I peruse what my friends in social media have to say about God, I often see the following:
God is going to smite me for…
God is going to hate me because…
God will never forgive me for…
If I stepped into a church building, it would be struck by lightening.
Photo: Courtesy of Ian Boggs
These are all lies that we have grown accustomed to believe in. And, once we have believed in them, we then build our ideas of who God is (or isn’t) around these lies. Therefore, any bad circumstance that happens in our lives could be perceived as a punishment, or a lack of love from God, a discipline, or God bestowing His wrath and judgement on us.
What a great way for Satan to hinder our relationship with God – to make us believe that God is something He’s not.
So my challenge to you this week is three-fold:
- Think through your own concept of who God is.
- Find a Bible verse (or verses) that refute any negative characteristics that you have attributed to God. Find out what God has to say about Himself.
- Ask God to give you a biblical reality to refute your negative concept of who God is.
For instance:
- God is a stern judge, waiting to punish us for our sin.
- “God is a righteous judge…” Psalm 7:11
- We do not deserve Heaven. And, if God gave us what we really deserved, we would all be separated from God for eternity.
Or…
- God does not desire to have a personal relationship with us.
- “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
- The death of Jesus enables us to have a personal relationship with God. If God did not want a personal relationship with us, we would still live under the Old Testament law and Christ never would have died for our sins. If God did not want a personal relationship with us, He would not have sent His Holy Spirit to live within us.
It is only when we ground ourselves biblically in a true understanding of who God is, that we can refute these lies from Satan. So, my question to you, is, what lie are you believing?
Outstanding, Erica! One of your best posts yet! Keep them coming
(The lightning surely is an overstatement – maybe not by you but by those who make it), but flows well and nice picture!)
Thanks James! =)