“Lies vs. Truth: What Do You Believe?” by May Patterson
“Did we meet? I don’t remember you at all.”
Wrote the editor of a large publishing house in a curt, rude email. We had met just a few weeks before but obviously, I failed to make a lasting impression. Ouch.
He went on to say, “Your book proposal doesn’t meet our current editorial needs.” Or in plain English, he didn’t remember me, nor did he even look at the book proposal I had labored so hard on before he trashed it.
In crushing, disheartening moments, I’m so tempted to believe lies like:
I’m a failure.
I’m not good enough.
I just can’t do it.
Sometimes, I brush off the temptation to believe such garbage, and sometimes not.
I don’t think I’m alone.
We’re all tempted to believe lies that simply aren’t true. Our world is deceptive. We are easily confused and misled. Why is this?
Because all lies originate from the same place. Satan, the “great deceiver” (Revelation 12:9), infuses your thoughts with lies to try to get you down. Cause pain. Make you weak. And stifle your growth.
Let a bad day hit, a project fail, or a dream shatter into a million pieces, and Satan will whisper his lies into your ear about:
Who you are.
What you can’t do.
Your past, present, and future.
These corrosive lies will eventually become your truth, unless you know the truth and use it to protect yourself. That’s the good news about lies—they can be easily overcome with truth, just as light overcomes darkness.
As I see how damaging lies have been to my own life, the more I value truth. And I hope you do, too. Jesus taught that the truth sets us free. (John 8:32)
So, to inspire you (and me) to live in the mindset of truth, rather than deceit, I’ve made a list* of common lies Satan whispers and the truth of God that overcomes them.
The Rest of the Story
The editor’s discouraging email shut me down for a week or two. But finally, I decided to keep on writing my book, anyway.
Sometimes I believed I’d never finish it, but then I remembered the truth about how all things are possible with God (Matthew 19:26) and kept going.
In 2017, to God be the glory, my book (Seeking a Familiar Face) was published! I’m surprised (and perhaps that rude editor would be, too) that thousands of copies have been sold.
But here’s the best part: many have embraced its life-giving message of seeking for God every day. (Right now, a church in France is studying it—I’m beyond amazed!)
But the book would’ve never been finished if I’d believed the lies.
Here’s what I’ve learned: every decision you make stems directly from what you believe is true.
Satan understands this, so he throws lies at you like darts, one after the other, hoping you might believe them.
But you don’t have to.
Set your thoughts free by meditating on God’s truth each day (the verses in the list above can help you*). Pray for God to reveal the lies you might be believing right now, and then fight each one as if it were an enemy (see Ephesians 6:11-16). Let God’s truth shield you and inspire you to do greater things today than you believed you could do yesterday.
*Want a copy of these lies and truths? Email me at: hello@maypatterson.com and I’ll send you this free PDF of Satan’s lies vs. God’s truth with Scriptures.
~ Written by May Patterson ~
May Patterson, author of the book Seeking a Familiar Face, began writing in response to God’s grace. And by His grace, she has written articles for magazines such as Focus on the Family, Crosswalk and Upper Room, and she speaks at a variety of events. Her desire is to help people draw closer to God. May is married to her dear friend Mike and they have three grown children. She has a great love for the outdoors, travel and blogging at maypatterson.com.
One Comment
Amazing words May! Thank you so much for these verses! They will be part of my days. May you continue to believe our ever faithful God and go and do as you have with your book ,articles and your Christ filled life!
Prayers !