He is a liar

(An old blog post written in 2022 that I just found and thought deserved to be posted) This morning, I sat down and knew I needed to write about this for my quiet time. I need to see it written, to remind myself of what is truth and to run from the things trying to destroy me.

What tries to destroy us?

Lies.

But more than the lies, it is the one delivering them.

Yesterday I was sitting at work when a thought hit me like a ton of bricks.

It was a really scary thought, but the truth was, based off of the anxiety I was feeling and the racing thoughts...I was not believing truth.

And we may not usually think about it this way, but the reality is if we are not believing the truth then we are believing a lie.

And who is the Father of truth?

God.

And who is the father of lies?

satan.

So the thought that hit me hard was terrifying,

"I have begun to believe satan's words over God's."

Now, some of you might think that is harsh. But when we get to the root of it, that is what we are doing. And sometimes the denial of it allows us to just continue living in it.

That is the opposite of what we should do.

We should be unsettled by that sentence. We should be alarmed when we begin to believe satan over God because then how are we to believe the truth that helps to set us free?

I suddenly became alert and on guard, aware that there was a real enemy threat that wanted nothing more than to destroy me.

Please hear this.

satan is not a red guy with a tail and horns.

he looks like so many things in this world.

he doesn't say crazy lies that are always easy to identify. no, he is a patient enemy that will slowly devour you from the inside out and twist the truth ever so slightly that you continue to believe it until you are so far removed from the truth you do not even know how you got there.

These lies take a variety of forms.

Ultimately, he will do whatever it takes to destroy you.

You must know this. satan is deceiving you

he is out to kill and destroy you

he wants me and you, you must know this.

Since i suddenly was reminded of the battle I was in, I wanted to learn about my enemy. Since you have to know what you are going up against to fight with the most intentionality.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12

The only place I knew to trust when searching to learn about the enemy was in the Bible.

Might I remind you, something I take comfort in is that satan is not just my enemy, He is an enemy of God too. And God knows how to fight this battle better than anyone else since He is the one who has already defeated satan.

So, with one simple search of "Bible verses about satan" I found the necessary intel that I needed.

John 8:44 "He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies."

John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

Romans 16:20 "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.”

Why would God put so many warnings and info about satan in Scripture unless he wanted us to know our enemy so we can fight effectively and efficiently. This information tells you what resources you need (community, prayer, and God's word) it allows you to know your weak points (asking God for strength where you know the battle is hard).This intel is invaluable.

Knowing your enemy allows you to fight . If you fail to know your enemy, you will continue to fall for the same traps...because the enemy has studied human kind for thousands of years and knows us.

Yet, we have God. that changes everything. Today this is your reminder that we are at war with a real enemy who wants nothing more than to destroy everything you love…to destroy your relationship with God, to destroy your family, to destroy you marriage, to destroy your community, and to destroy you. Don’t let him.