Defeating Lies

Happiness

The dramatic contrast between colors and black is like the difference between light and darkness. Light in the heavens is a combination of all colors. Placed over black, the bright colors become even more vibrant. Splashes of color bring fresh life and energy into the picture. On the right lower portion of  this prophetic painting is a heart with a cross representing the act of giving Jesus your whole heart. When you give your heart to Jesus and place your trust in Him, true happiness will spring forth. This happiness will spread from the inside out as you put your hope in Jesus, the source of all hope. Jesus is the source of truth, too.

Just as there is a sharp contrast between colors and darkness, there is also a contrast between truth and lies. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life according to His own words as recorded in John 14: 6.

Can any lie stand in the face of placing your trust in Jesus?

Pilate, the governor of Judea, questioned Jesus in order to determine if crucifixion would be his sentence. The religious leaders turned Jesus over to Pilate because they needed his approval for the death sentence of crucifixion. Pilate wanted to know if Jesus was the king of the Jews. Jesus answered that His kingdom was not of this world. Jesus told Pilate,

“I was born and came into the world for this one purpose, to speak about the truth. Whoever belongs to the truth listens to me.” John 18:37

Although Pilate could find no reason to condemn Jesus, under pressure, he released a bandit instead of Jesus. It wasn’t that he couldn’t figure out the truth of Jesus’ innocence, but that he could not defeat lies. He knew Jesus was innocent, but did not believe Jesus was the Son of God. Who would dare to crucify God’s only son if he believed the truth of His testimony?

How then can you defeat lies? How can you tell truth from lies? If you have ever been deceived and believed a lie you might feel a bit defensive.

A lie is often difficult to spot if the liar is an expert. They know how to look straight at you and contradict the truth. Then, the lie is made to appear attractive and desirable. What will you get out of believing a lie?

The key is to know the truth.

No lie can stand up to the truth. If you know what a real $100 bill looks like, you won’t be fooled with a counterfeit.

When the serpent tempted Eve in the garden with the fruit of the forbidden tree, it started with a direct contradiction of the truth and enticements to believe the lie were added.

Eve said that God told them that if they ate of the tree, they would die. The serpent called God a liar. “That is not true; you will not die.” Then he told Eve that God had impure motives and added temptation to his lie, “God said that because he knows that when you eat it, you will be like God and know what is good and what is bad.” See Genesis 3:1-7.

Who was the reliable player here? Eve knew God and his character, yet she believed the liar because she wanted what the deceiver offered.

Peter, Christ’s disciple, was told by Jesus how not to fall into sin,

“Keep watch and pray that you will not fall into temptation.” Matthew 26:41

But, he slept instead. Just a short time later, he was tempted to sin. He fell for the temptation. He denied he knew Jesus. Peter did not even recognize he had sinned until after he heard a rooster crow.

Lies cause people to fall because they are not rooted in faith in God. Peter thought he could take care of himself when he denied Christ. Peter had not taken the time to pray in order to place his hope in God. That is what overcomes all lies.

No lie can stand in the face of placing your hope in God.

Only the blood of Jesus can wash away sin. Repentance, or turning away from a sinful lifestyle, is required for the blood Jesus shed on the cross to be activated. Holy Spirit will come to cleanse you of the sin of breaking God’s law. The courage to live in obedience comes through prayer.

Jesus is the king of a heavenly kingdom, not of this world. When you believe in Jesus and choose to walk with Him in His kingdom, you become a child of God. Prayer needs to become a part of your everyday life to strengthen you, to give you courage. Holy Spirit will release power in your life when you pray to put your hope in God. Lies will no longer have a grip on your life. You will recognize lies, and the liar, and defeat your enemy.

And his commands are not too hard for us, because every child of God is able to defeat the world. 1 John 5:3-4

Scripture quotations are taken from the GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION, SECOND EDITION, Copyright©1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.