Can I be honest for second? I’ve had a battle in my thoughts this week, and the battle actually came from one little moment where I ENGAGED a lie from the enemy instead of dismissing it immediately.
I engaged his lies, which opened the door to more conversation in my head about the particulars surrounding this lie, which then caused full-blown warfare on my mind.
We’ve all been there. But friend, this is NOT our reality any longer!
Fighting off lies after we’ve engaged them does not have to be our “normal.” It’s just not who we are in Christ.
Here’s a personal illustration to better paint a picture for you. My previous neighbor across the road from us in South Carolina used to have issues with his 3 big dogs getting out of his fenced yard and running up and down the street. The dogs were rambunctious, would bark at people and would chase cars.
They were intimidating and even the postal workers would carry sticks to be sure they were safe.
One day a man was walking down the street, and the dogs were out. They ran up and down the street along the opposite side of the road, barking and snarling and jumping around. However, the man kept his eyes fixed in front of him and did not flinch. After a moment the dogs got no response from the man so they backed off and the man continued his journey, dog free.
That same afternoon, a woman was walking along and the dogs started acting up again. The difference is that the woman engaged the dogs. Where the man kept walking and never made eye-contact, the woman looked straight at the dogs and started yelling swear words at them. She picked up a stick from our yard and went to throw it at them, but the dogs charged at her and knocked her over. The story ends with me calling 911 and the woman crying hysterically.
The Lord really used this situation to teach me a valuable lesson about the lies of the enemy in my own life. How many times in the past had I engaged the intimidation, fear and accusations of the devil? It’s such a trap, because the result was the same every time – there was always pain and I’d always feel overcome.
Yet had I not even acknowledged what the enemy was whispering to me and just kept my eyes on the truth about God and the truth about me, I would have saved myself years of grief and pain.
Friend, when the accuser of the brethren comes to lie to you about your identity, you must be like the gentleman walking down my road and not engage. Remember the truth and only allow that truth to enter your mind. Do not dwell, even for a second, on the devil’s innuendos. He is a father of lies and there is absolutely ZERO truth in Him (John 8:44).
Let’s look at how Jesus does it in Matthew 4:1-11:
And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you, ’and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ”Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
I believe that Jesus is the perfect example of one who did not engage with the devil! The devil came to him and tried to bring intimidation, but Jesus only responded with truth. Jesus never once engaged, yelled at the devil or even tried to debate him. Jesus spoke truth until the devil left Him alone. And in doing this, Jesus taught us a better way than Adam and Eve had chosen. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
Thanks to Jesus, the only truth you need engage with is the truth about HIM. As He is, so are you (1 John 4:17). You are like Jesus. You are as righteous as Him. Holy living is an overflow of your relationship with Him. You are not an orphan, but a son or daughter who has full access to your Father. You are in His image, with His characteristics and His Holy Spirit to remind you how loved you are. The Bible says that you are a partaker of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), and you are seated with Christ in Heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). Colossians 3:2 says to set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.
Engage only these truths, and the devil will have to back down. Engaging only God’s truths will also help break off any strongholds that the enemy would want to use to keep us in bondage. The devil is crafty, but TRUTH is way more powerful. Just close your eyes, take a deep breath, and begin to meditate on the Jesus-truths that you know to be true! Know these truths, and the truth will set you free (John 8:32).
~ Mandy Woodhouse
Restored People Community 