To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32
What is truth? This is the question Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, tossed to Jesus on the night He was condemned to die. (See John 18.) While Pilate seemed rather cavalier in his approach to truth, we can’t afford to be. Whether we talking about what we believe about Jesus that impacts us for all eternity or whether we’re talking about facts that impact us in the everyday, truth matters.
In John 8, Jesus is teaching about Satan, calling him in verse 44, “the father of lies”. There is a spiritual battle raging for our souls and the battleground starts in our minds.
What lies do you believe about yourself? What tapes play in your head that keep you from being all God intends you to be? What stories do you tell yourself that are simply not true? Many times, we tell ourselves that we are not worthy, that we are not loveable, that we are not capable, that we are not…..fill in the blank. What do you tell yourself that is not true?
The enemy will hurl lies at us. He is indeed the father of lies with falsehoods so subtle we are not even aware they are not true. We have a choice regarding whether to believe them or not. But first we have to be aware that these deceptions exist. That can be difficult to discern and acknowledge. Take some time to reflect on what distortions you are believing about yourself.
Sometimes these lies come at us from deep within. Over time, we’ve spun a tale about who we are based on our history and our emotions. Or perhaps they are “gifts” from others who have spoken untruths or even half-truths into our hearts that are now buried deep inside our souls. Lies either latch onto existing insecurities and fears or they create new ones. Preventing us from taking risks because we’re afraid, these falsehoods can keep us from reaching our full God-given potential while they wreak havoc in our lives and in those around us.
John 8:31-32 says if we know Jesus, if we read the Bible, and if we live according to His teachings, then we will know the truth. Verses like you are loved by God (Jeremiah 31:3), that God has lavishly bestowed His love on you and you are a child of God (1 John 3:1), and that nothing can separate you from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35) are truths we can hold onto. These and other truths from the Bible can replace the lies in our minds. They can rewrite those stories in our heads that our heart have believed.
In John 8:32, Jesus says that when you know the truth, “the truth will set you free”. When you stop believing lies about yourself and start believing God’s truth about you, the lies lose their power over you. Believing the truth frees you to be who God wants you to be, to live as God intends you to live, to be free to be you!
Lord, I want to break free of the lies that so entangle me. Set me free with the knowledge of Your truth and Your love for me so I can freely and fully be who You created me to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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Text and photo copyright © 2016 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of Mediterranean Sea from the monastic ruins on Île Saint-Honorat, near Cannes, France.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
What is truth? This is the question Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, tossed to Jesus on the night He was condemned to die. (See John 18.) While Pilate seemed rather cavalier in his approach to truth, we can’t afford to be. Whether we talking about what we believe about Jesus that impacts us for all eternity or whether we’re talking about facts that impact us in the everyday, truth matters.
In John 8, Jesus is teaching about Satan, calling him in verse 44, “the father of lies”. There is a spiritual battle raging for our souls and the battleground starts in our minds.
What lies do you believe about yourself? What tapes play in your head that keep you from being all God intends you to be? What stories do you tell yourself that are simply not true? Many times, we tell ourselves that we are not worthy, that we are not loveable, that we are not capable, that we are not…..fill in the blank. What do you tell yourself that is not true?
The enemy will hurl lies at us. He is indeed the father of lies with falsehoods so subtle we are not even aware they are not true. We have a choice regarding whether to believe them or not. But first we have to be aware that these deceptions exist. That can be difficult to discern and acknowledge. Take some time to reflect on what distortions you are believing about yourself.
Sometimes these lies come at us from deep within. Over time, we’ve spun a tale about who we are based on our history and our emotions. Or perhaps they are “gifts” from others who have spoken untruths or even half-truths into our hearts that are now buried deep inside our souls. Lies either latch onto existing insecurities and fears or they create new ones. Preventing us from taking risks because we’re afraid, these falsehoods can keep us from reaching our full God-given potential while they wreak havoc in our lives and in those around us.
John 8:31-32 says if we know Jesus, if we read the Bible, and if we live according to His teachings, then we will know the truth. Verses like you are loved by God (Jeremiah 31:3), that God has lavishly bestowed His love on you and you are a child of God (1 John 3:1), and that nothing can separate you from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35) are truths we can hold onto. These and other truths from the Bible can replace the lies in our minds. They can rewrite those stories in our heads that our heart have believed.
In John 8:32, Jesus says that when you know the truth, “the truth will set you free”. When you stop believing lies about yourself and start believing God’s truth about you, the lies lose their power over you. Believing the truth frees you to be who God wants you to be, to live as God intends you to live, to be free to be you!
Lord, I want to break free of the lies that so entangle me. Set me free with the knowledge of Your truth and Your love for me so I can freely and fully be who You created me to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Want to subscribe to future posts? Click here.
Text and photo copyright © 2016 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of Mediterranean Sea from the monastic ruins on Île Saint-Honorat, near Cannes, France.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
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