Liar, liar, pants on fire

I remember the days when I would sit in church on Sunday morning and wonder. I would wonder when am I ever going to be comfortable sitting here? Wonder how disappointed God must be with me to even be sitting there or thinking such thoughts. Wonder what was wrong with me.

Those were the days after I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, but didn't know how to deal with all the trauma trapped in my head and in my heart. As I look back now, I realize that those were times when I knew Jesus had forgiven me, but I still hadn't forgiven myself. I think as Christians, especially new believers, we get caught in a vicious cycle of feelings and emotions in the beginning of our walk with Jesus. We have all this new information to absorb and it all sounds refreshing and wonderful and we want more and more of it, but the more we dive in, the more questions we have. And if we're left alone with those questions - especially questions or situations we've never spoken out loud - the enemy has the perfect atmosphere to turn our questions into guilt and shame. And guilt and shame do not usually bring forth the courage to ask for help. And there I was... stuck, in my not-so-healthy walk with Jesus.

For trauma victims, it doesn't just work that way in church, it can be that way in everything. Friendships, work, family, recovery programs, counseling. Guilt and shame are nasty and the enemy loves to take advantage of them. You think Jesus is going to make your life better, make you feel loved, let's just see about that. You think just because no one at work knows your little secret that you can achieve something? Who do you think you are? You think your family is going to pretend you're NORMAL just because you don't talk about it? You'll never be normal! Counseling? Seriously? If God can't fix you who do you think can! Lies, lies, lies and more lies. But Satan and his little cronies will shoot those arrows at you all day long if you let them.

Most of you are familiar with the scripture in John chapter 8, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” But later, in that same chapter, Jesus is speaking of Satan and says, "He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies."

Jesus is truth and Satan is lies.

Those days of guilt and shame are long past. Thank you, Jesus! The enemy doesn't like it when we find FREEDOM in Christ. When we discover who wins in the end. It took some time, but I finally figured out whose daughter I am. And I fight my battles with the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit. Satan has no authority over me... and I know it.

Pay close attention to my words... I said "I know it" not "he knows it." The enemy is kind of tricky sometimes, but he has very few tools in his toolbelt, LIES and PERSISTENCE. He's never going to give up trying to lead us away from Jesus. He'll do whatever it takes - whatever he can get away with to keep us from God. New believer, maybe he'll try lies. The young people in college or away from home, maybe he'll try to overwhelm them with legalism and socialism. The forever faithful, he'll make them so busy they don't have time to pray or worship or read God's word.

I think most believers have this gory picture in their head of the enemy we fight - the satanic cult that sacrifices animals in the dark of night. But few recognize him and his little cronies underneath the blanket of lies our world lives under. Even our churches are at risk. We are no longer encouraged to "Seek His face" and do our own homework - to have an intimate, personal relationship with God.

The church today lives under its own cuddly blanket of lies, sown together with guilt and shame. We can't say that, we'll sound racist. If we don't support this, no one will give us money for ANYTHING. If we encourage them to raise their hands then other people might not join our church. If we play that music, someone will think we're not "churchy" enough. Any of those lies sound familiar?

The church of today wants us to believe that life is peach fuzz and butterflies... just listen to the messages coming from the pulpit. Life is wonderful and everything will be perfect if we all just hold hands and smile. When you hear something on Sunday morning from the pulpit that makes a little red flag go up in your heart, do you check it against God's word? That little red flag is there for your benefit - your spiritual life may be at stake. Just because someone says it from the pulpit, doesn't make it true. Make sure it stands up to the TRUTH.

There is only one truth, God's truth. There is right and there is wrong. There is THE truth and there is the lies. I heard someone say "Life doesn't come with instructions." Yes it does. And it starts out "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."

Ephesians 6:12 NIV

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.