From The Armor Series
“The wicked have set a trap for me, but I have not wandered from your precepts.” Psalm 119:110 CSB
Hey friend!
We have been discussing the belt of truth in our armor series over the last week and I sure have needed this particular piece of armor. Over the last few weeks, my family and I have been busy doing some minor home improvements. Things have been rocking along fairly smoothly since we started, and we are finally nearing the finish line. Friday at last arrived and I was so excited to hopefully make some serious progress towards getting the project finished and my house back in order.
The start of the weekend would have been just peachy but as Friday started winding down, I noticed that something was wrong. Seriously wrong. My mind got foggier than normal. My body started aching. I couldn’t make a single decision or have an ounce of peace. And my emotions? I didn’t know what I wanted to feel – all I knew was I felt more overwhelmed than what I could even put into words. This uneasiness rocked on within me all weekend. I sunk deeper and deeper into despair as the evidence stacked against me of what all I wasn’t getting accomplished. Crazy how this happens at just the right time! It’s definitely not a coincidence but a strategically laid out plan by a clever enemy.
The enemy lays out traps against us just like our key verse talks about in Psalm 119:110, “The wicked have set a trap for me, but I have not wandered from your precepts.” However, we can stop Satan in his tracts when we put on the belt of truth. We combat the enemy’s lies and deception when we take God’s word and apply it to our circumstances. We have victory when we choose to believe the truth, God’s truth, over the lies that the enemy is whispering.
Sweet friend, how is the enemy targeting you? We can’t just gloss over the armor of God. We must take the battle we are in seriously. We must start praying as if our life depends on it because friend – it really does. Our eternity is secure when we place our faith in Jesus but until we reach our home in Heaven the devil will not stop in trying to trip us up and render us ineffective for the kingdom of God.
I want to share with you a post that a friend of mine shared a while back. You can find the original post here at http://carolhatcher.com/2020/01/dont-believe-the-lies.html. I’ve included her post below but make sure you click on the link above and go to her website. She has a free download of truths you need. As you read Carol’s story, I pray that your eyes will be open to how the enemy is targeting you. It’s my prayer that you will hear God’s truths louder than you hear the lies of the enemy. Friend, I agree with Carol – don’t believe his lies.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for exposing the enemy and his lies. That is all he has – lies, lies, and more lies. Keep my eyes and ears focused on your truth. Help me to not give him a foothold in my mind. Protect my heart and mind and fill me with your Word – the truth. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Don’t Believe the Lies – By Carol Hatcher
As I was getting ready last Sunday for church, I fell deep in my thoughts. I’m not sure what provoked it, but I began thinking about a person who hurt me. This individual severed our friendship, but I don’t understand why. I ran through scenarios of what could have happened. I thought of many possibilities of what I might have done to cause this person enough pain to cut me off. It’s an old hurt but a deep one.
As I thought of possibilities of what I might have done, I also thought, “Who are you to share God’s truth when you don’t know how to show love? Obviously – because you’ve caused such hurt.”It didn’t stop there.
“Who do you think you are? No one listens to what you post on Facebook or anywhere else. Who cares what you say? People only tolerate you. They scroll on past. You need to stop sharing what you think is God’s truth. If you can’t even figure out why you hurt this person, what makes you think you are smart enough to share something as complicated as the Word of God?”
The lies were familiar. I’ve heard them before, and I’m sure I will hear them again. Before I spiraled into self-doubt, I stopped and prayed. “Lord, please shut satan’s mouth. Block out the lies. Help me to know your Truth. Draw near me, Lord.”
I continued applying my make-up but couldn’t shake the feeling. I thought about asking my husband to pray for me, but I even worried about that. “He will know I’m dwelling on all this more than I should. I don’t want to ask him.”
Y’all satan is tricky. He whispered lies and wanted me to feel alone. He didn’t want me to ask for help, which is why I swallowed my pride and walked into the bedroom and did just that. My sweet godly husband stood up, drew me to him, and said, “Carol, satan always starts with ‘Who are…’ but God starts with ‘You are…’ Remember that.” Then he prayed over me.
The peace that comes from prayer is like no other. I decided to open up to each of you, my readers, and show my vulnerability because I want you to know you are not alone. Satan wants us to believe we can’t share our feelings. Don’t believe that lie.
Don’t believe the lies he whispers in the depths of your soul. After my experience, I thought I would make a list of some of the lies we hear and combat them with Truth from God’s Word. I’ve made it a downloadable PDF, so you can print this and post it where you will see it often or place it in your Bible.
God, my prayer today is to see myself through Your eyes. I am who you say that I am. Block out satan’s lies. Bind him and cast him far from here. Fill me with your spirit. Amen.