Replacing The Lies In Your Thought Life: Help from a Christian Counselor

God tells us in his Word that Satan is the father of lies and that he has no truth in him. (John 8:44) If Satan has come to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10), can you imagine the lies that he tells? Imagine what you might hear if you mingled with him around the water cooler at work or at a family gathering? Can you imagine what the “Father of Lies” might have to say about you?

Our Culture Feeds us Harmful and Destructive Lies

Our culture plays a big part in propagating these lies. It feeds us with images and standards and we allow these to shape our values. We tend to spend our time conforming to the culture rather than being transformed by God’s Word. (Romans 12:2) We happily spend hours on Pinterest and Facebook, and watching television, all the while feeding on lies when we should be feasting on the Truth.

Believing lies can have a big impact on us. Lies cause things like anxiety, fear, anger, depression and shame. These lies can lead to addictions, unhealthy sexual behaviors and an obsession with food, dieting or appearances. It is the lies that we believe about ourselves that keep us from changing our lives and obeying God.

Only by replacing these lies with the truth will you be able to begin to know the truth about yourself.

Ten Common Lies We Often Believe About Ourselves

In the list below, I name ten common lies that you might believe, and contrast them with the truth that we find in God’s Word. It is this truth that enables us to combat these lies.

Lie One: I am a loser, I can’t do anything right.

Truth: I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)

Lie Two: Nobody loves me.

Truth: For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. (John 3:16)

Lie Three: I can’t do this job. I don’t have the right gifts.

Truth: Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for our selves, but our competence comes from God. He had made us competent as ministers of a new covenant. (2 Corinthians 3:5-6)

Lie Four: I am afraid I will fail.

Truth: Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. (Proverbs 16:3)

Lie Five: I’m ugly.

Truth: I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works, my soul knows it very well. (Psalm 139:14)

Truth: I have received a crown of beauty instead of ashes. (Isaiah 61:3)

Lie Six: I’m not any different. I’m just like I was before I became a Christian.

Truth: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Lie Seven: I wish I were talented like she is.

Truth: We all have different gifts, according to the grace given us. (Romans 12:6)

Lie Eight: I’m a mess.

Truth: For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

Lie Nine: I’ll never be happy unless I’m dating/married.

Truth: Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:25-26)

Lie Ten: I can’t help it. This is just the way I am.

Truth: For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. (Romans 6:6)

Three Steps to Break Free from Lies

If you believe any of these lies about yourself, or if you believe other lies about yourself, you are not alone. I would encourage you to begin to break free from them. Replace the lies with the truth. God’s Word is true and God’s Word has power. You can begin the process of defeating these lies by following the three steps below.

• Identify the lies in your thought life.
• Begin to challenge the “Father of Lies.”
• Replace these lies with the truth that you find in God’s Word.

Christian Counseling Can Help You Break Free from Lies

We all want to break free of lies, but this is not always easy. Negative thoughts can engrain themselves and you may feel that you need help confronting the “Father of Lies.” A trained Christian counselor can provide helpful support as you seek to break free of the power of the lies you have accepted about yourself.

 

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