Topic: Identify the Lies [Joyce Meyer Devotional 17 July 2020]
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[Jesus said] You are of your father, the devil, and it is your will to practice the lusts and gratify the desires [which are characteristic] of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a falsehood, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar [himself] and the father of lies and of all that is false.— John 8:44 (AMPC)
The devil lies. In fact, he doesn’t know how to speak the truth, so everything he says is a lie.
Too many of us don’t know how to use the truth of God’s Word to defeat Satan’s lies. Many people—even Christians—don’t realize that they can refuse to listen to that voice. Sometimes his lies seem to just pop into our minds for no apparent reason, other times Satan will speak to us through other people. He puts something critical or hurtful into their minds about us, and they speak it out for us to hear. If we believe and accept those harsh words, our enemy rejoices. If we listen long enough to the deception we’ve taken in, we will find ourselves facing serious problems. Instead of listening and absorbing those lies, we can look at what Jesus did and follow His example. After fasting for 40 days in the wilderness, Satan tempted Him three times. Each time He defeated the devil by declaring, “It is written,” and then quoting the truth from God’s Word. No wonder the enemy fled from Him (see Matthew 4:1–11)!
I encourage you to know that you are not alone in this spiritual battle—your mind isn’t the only one under attack. Satan comes against all of us. His entire goal is to kill, steal, and destroy, but Jesus came so that we could have and enjoy our lives abundantly (see John 10:10). By becoming more aware of the spiritual weapons the Lord has made available to us and learning how to use them, we can gain more freedom. The Bible tells us that when we know the truth, that truth will free us from Satan’s strongholds (see John 8:32). Learn the truth of God’s Word, and every time Satan lies to you, fight back by speaking out Scripture.
Prayer Starter: Jesus, thank You for giving me the weapons I need to defeat the lies of the enemy; please teach me to use them effectively. Thank You for staying by my side, even in the middle of my biggest battles. In Jesus’ Name, amen