Life Marks: Exposing the Big Liar

Last week we were introduced to the devil who will fight us tooth and nail every step of the way as we move forward in living out our Christian lives. For some of you who may be questioning the existence of the devil, I believe that the place to start is to acknowledge the fact that Jesus believed in him, as we clearly saw from John’s gospel last week. Jesus called him a “murderer” who tries to destroy our relationships (Jn. 8:44), as well as a “thief” who tries to steal our joy, hopes, and dreams (Jn. 10:10).  Jesus also described him as a “liar,” one who dresses up his “lies” to make them look really good. And last week we saw that the devil can take God’s truth and then add to it, making his “addition” a lie.

We can never underestimate the power of a lie. The devil will take something that at first appears to be really good for you, and then does everything in his power to convince you that God’s plan is not nearly as good as his plan for you. Let me say categorically — the devil’s plan for you is never good. Although God’s plan for you may be more challenging and difficult, it is always not only “good” for you, but also the “best” for you. The Apostle Peter tells us that “The devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour” (I Peter 5:8). And who is he seeking to “devour?” Simply stated, it is anyone who does not know the truth. They are the ones who are easy prey for the evil one. If you don’t know the truth, then get ready for him to take a “bite” (or several “bites”) out of your life.

Like Peter, the Apostle James exhorts us to “Resist the devil” and if we do, “he will flee from us” (James 4:7, 1 Peter 5:9). Interestingly, the Bible does not tell us to “run from the devil,” but to “resist him.” Don’t turn and run because we cannot outrun him. We must stand our ground and face him (metaphorically speaking, of course). So how do we resist the devil? We simply need to call out his lie, and if we need to verbalize it, we simply say, “Hey devil, that is a bold face lie!” But how do you know it’s a lie?

So here comes the key – you can only spot the lie and resist the devil if you know the truth, God’s truth. And how can you know God’s truth? In the very same chapter in John’s gospel where Jesus warned us about the devil being a murderer and a liar, Jesus said, “If you abide in My word….then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). If we want to be free from being “deceived” by the evil one, free from falling into his oppressive, destructive traps, then we need to “abide in His word,” that is “abide in His teachings.” To “abide” means to “remain,” and Jesus wants us to “remain in His teachings. This means that we need to learn and assimilate His words into our lives. 

There is something else that Jesus said about “the truth.” Remember on the last day of Jesus’ life, as He stood before Pontius Pilate, Pilate asked Him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” After a few moments of dialogue, Jesus responded that He was indeed a King, but that His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:33-36). Jesus them proceeded to tell him that, “For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice” (John 18:37). Jesus came to reveal the truth to us. But are we listening? And if so, do we hear His voice calling us to respond to the truth that He came to reveal?

At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told a very revealing parable (Mt. 7:24-27). He told of two men, both of whom heard the words that Jesus had just spoken. One of the men who had heard the “Sermon” left the mountainside and actually did the things that Jesus asked them to do. Jesus likened this man to one who built his house upon a rock, and when the rains descended, the floodwaters rose, and the winds blew, the house (his life) stood firm. However, the other man who had also heard Jesus’ words left the mountainside, but failed to act upon them. Jesus equated this man to one who built his house (his life) upon the sand, and when the same “storm” hit his house, it came crashing down. Jesus then added this little tidbit to the story, “….and great was its fall.”

I implore you to not allow this to happen to you. If you want to build your life upon a solid, unshakable foundation, then pay attention to Jesus’ words and allow them to guide your life, and when the storms of life come, you will not be shaken.