Last time, I gave you a little background on how I became an insecure, raging, control freak.  But I refuse to live my life in fear, in victimhood, in regret, and in shame.  Through it all, I became a fighter.  I fight for what is good.  I fight for what is right.  I often wonder why I never quit.  I just never saw that as an option.  By the grace of God, here am I.  I fight every day to live a life in Him, through Him, and for Him.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)”
– 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 KJVS

I truly believe that we can change our lives and go from being trapped in our own prison of being “fine”, to knowing the truth of how good God really is and being set free to live a great life in Him.  I think the foundation to getting there is combatting the lies with truth.  Not my truth or your truth, but God’s truth.  Let’s start with God’s truth.

In Hebrews 6:17-18 it says, “Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.”

 And John 8:44 says, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

In these verses, we see two things. First that God cannot lie, therefore truth is of God. Second, that Satan is a liar with whom there is no truth.  And I am willing to bet that most of us wouldn’t have a problem making this conclusion.  However, if I told you that we tend to still believe lies enough to alter our views, behavior, and actions in life enough to embrace lies as truth, you might call me crazy.  Yeah, I probably am.  But I lived lies for many years as truth. Trying to learn and make changes isn’t as easy as someone yelling, “Hey stupid, can’t you see that you are being lied to!” And without knowing what the truth really might be, we become a slave to the lie, and the one who tells it to us, Satan.

John 10:10 says, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.”  He sows seeds of doubt, robs us of our peace, and pretty soon, we feel like God is so far away that He is unreachable. We are alone full of fear, anger, worry, and stress. We completely lose any desire to help anyone else. We become completely focused on ourselves. We become emotional and irritated with anything that challenges these emotions.  When we don’t get them validated the way we want or expect, then we become more entrenched in these thoughts as I have many times: I don’t need anyone, I can handle it, I can fix it myself. No one is like me, been through what I have been through, or understands where I am coming from. Your life is better than mine. I am not good enough. God doesn’t even care. I don’t deserve it. I deserve what I get.  But here is the truth:

“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.”
– Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 KJVS

“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
– 1 Peter 5:7 KJVS

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
– 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 KJVS

When I feel sorry for myself or beat myself up thinking I’m not good enough, I am selfish and know I am choosing to reject the goodness of God.  When I have peace and pursue a closer relationship with the Father, I know I am on the right path.  I know I am doing the things of God when I start seeing how I can help others.  No, I can’t fix their problems or take away their pain, but I can encourage them.  I can pray with them.  I can love them, and hopefully they see that God loves them through my actions.  John 10:10 finishes with Jesus speaking, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.“  He also said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

So, if we want the life that Jesus promises, we have to choose it.  If we want a relationship with God, we have to choose it. If we want to live in truth, we have to choose truth.  If we want to have love, joy, peace; we have to choose to seek it no matter what the circumstances may be.  If we want honesty and integrity, we have to choose to walk in it.  If we want our life to mean something, we have to choose to believe that God has a plan and purpose for us, listen for His voice, and put feet to the ground to do what He wants us to do.  The flip side is true as well.  If we want to be stuck in the victimhood, we will choose to be a victim in everything.  If we want to continue to be freaked out, insecure, neurotic, and emotional (FINE), we will choose to continue to do everything on our own without acknowledging or including God in any part of our life.

For me, I want to kick my emotions to the curb and rely on the truth of God to guide me, not my feelings.  There is no peace in lies. Only in truth. The truth that sets and is setting me free is this: In a world of pain, suffering, and hopelessness, Jesus is our only hope. He really loves us and cares about us.  He is the only one to heal our brokenness.  It doesn’t matter if it is worry; fear; self-doubt; depression; jealousy; addiction; loneliness; hopelessness; physical, emotional, or sexual abuse; or anything else…He knows. He knows where we are. And He is here with His hand out to pick us up just as a father would do to his child.   The first step is just to reach up and grab it.  And hold on as tight as we can, as long as we can.

— Written by Lee

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