“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
~Philippians 4:8~
Tricky and misguiding, lies disguise themselves in our lives like chameleons camouflage in a tree. Both of their counterfeit appearances seem reliable, but a trained eye can reveal their true colors. For instance, dishonesty can stealthily weave its way into our belief system about God, about ourselves, or about others without us even knowing. They can warp our thoughts and lead us away from the everlasting Truth. The slightest deception we believe doesn’t just negatively affect our thoughts, but our actions as well. Instead of believing the lies of Satan,” Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness” (Ephesians 6:14 (NLT)). Focus on Jesus, “…the way, the truth, and the life…” (John 14:6)!
The Steps to Focusing on Truth:
God calls us to…
… IDENTIFY the lies we believe.
“Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.” ~Ephesians 5:11 (NLT)
Lies are easy to come by, but we can’t let them brainwash us. We must “expose them.” In other words, we are called to utilize the Holy Spirit’s wisdom to discern lies from Truth in any situation. Then, we can…
…PRAY about the lies we have identified in our lives.
“Pray all the time. Ask God for anything in line with the Holy Spirit’s wishes. Plead with him, reminding him of your needs, and keep praying earnestly for all Christians everywhere.” ~Ephesians 6:18 (TLB)
Ephesians 6:18 advises us to pray about everything. Our loving Father will gladly listen to our prayers, “and we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28 ESV)
…KEEP PRAYING about the lies that continually invade our thoughts.
“Don’t be weary in prayer; keep at it; watch for God’s answers, and remember to be thankful when they come.” ~Colossians 4:2 (TBL)
According to Colossians 4:2, we must keep praying and talking to God about our problems, leaning into His guidance, direction, and provisions for us. In day-to-day struggles, it is important to…
…REPLACE the Devil’s lies with the Gospel’s Truth.
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” ~John 8:32 (NIV)
By going back to the Truth of the Word of God, we can be freed from the Devil’s lies. We must keep filtering the things we hear and think through the Bible. We must replace the lies misleading us with the real Truth. Then, we will be FREE, and we can…
…REST in God’s peace.
“Practice what you’ve learned and received from me, what you heard and saw me do. Then the God who gives this peace will be with you.” ~Philippians 4:9 (GW)
Identify. Pray. Keep praying. Replace. These steps to focusing on God’s Truth take time. Am I right? Meanwhile, we can find peace knowing that God made us, that He loves us, and that His Holy Spirit lives inside us. The thoughts we consistently think shape the way we act. Pinpointing the lies that we believe can make us feel powerless and out of control of out mind. Only God can fill us with peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7 ESV). And that, my friends, is a deep, joyful peace in which we can find restoration. Turn to Jesus! Seek His Truth, and rest in His peace!
