Limiting Lies and Barrier-breaking Beliefs

Satan uses lies to limit us. Sometimes it's a bold-faced lie. More often it's a subtle twist on the truth or a different context for a truth statement that derails us.

[tweetthis remove_twitter_handles="true" remove_hidden_hashtags="true" remove_hidden_urls="true"]Satan uses lies to limit us. Sometimes it is a bold-faced lie. More often it is a subtle twist on the truth or a...[/tweetthis]

Thoughts constantly bounce around in our heads. Some are true and helpful. Many are true statements with drops of untruth or frameworks that propel the truth in the wrong direction.

We need to destroy the limiting lies of Satan with barrier-breaking belief in God's Word.

For example, I've been thinking, "I'm too busy to exercise and to study my bible in the original languages (Greek and Hebrew)." It is true that I'm busy; but too busy? There's the subtle twist and limiting lie. The barrier-breaking belief is that I have exactly enough time to do what God wants me to do and he wants me to take care of my body and meditate on his Word. Therefore, there must be other time-wasters in my life that make me feel "too busy."

Here's another one: I'm not gifted in evangelism and that is why I and my church are not seeing conversion fruit (initial faith and repentance). I think it's true that I'm not gifted in evangelism. I think it's also true that this is an actual reason why Bethany Baptist Church is not seeing conversion fruit. But is the framework (context) for these thoughts true? No. The thought bounces around in my head as if this is the WHOLE picture when it is only PART of the picture.

One must add to these 2 true statements the barrier-breaking beliefs that (1) God desires all to be saved, (2) he has chosen some that are still unsaved in Los Angeles, (3) he calls me to prayer and repentance from prayerlessness in my soul or in the lives of our church members, (4) he reminds me that I need to thank him for his active grace evidenced in me and other members gospelizing non-Christians, and a lot more truths that the Bible teaches.

If I just say, "those 2 statements are true" without examining the framework I would stay in a state of discouragement, excuse-making, passivity, and maybe even bitterness toward God! But if I challenge the subtle lie of the part being the whole and examine the framework for the two statements, I realize that God has been gracious and active, there is reason for optimism and hope, and there is a lot of room for me to grow as a Christian and pastor in evangelizing and equipping and mobilizing my church to evangelize.

The takeaway for Christians is this: take every thought captive to Christ (2 Corinthians 10.3-5) and beware of the subtle twists to the truth or the invisible frameworks that lie in order to limit us.

What we need is barrier-breaking belief in the truths of God's Word and in the truth himself, Jesus our Messiah.

[tweetthis]What we need is barrier-breaking belief in the truths of God's Word and in the truth himself, Jesus our Messiah.[/tweetthis]