Jesus came to earth to show us God’s love and to give His life so we could have eternal life. He was perfect…sinless…and He willingly took our sin upon Himself on the cross to pay the price for our salvation. God’s love for us is so amazing!
John 3:16 (NIV) says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (emphasis mine). And in John 8:31-32, Jesus says, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”
It’s so important for us to know the truth, because the lies we believe—especially about ourselves—can cause many other problems in our lives. That can mean trouble in our relationships, our work, our health or any other area of our life.
The key to getting free from deception and overcoming the issues that hold us back from the life Jesus died to give us is facing truth. Because when we face the truth about ourselves, we grow spiritually and access more of God’s grace, which gives us the ability to do what we need to do.
I’ve learned to ask God on a regular basis, “Show me truth. Help me to face the truth You show me—especially what You show me about myself.”
I remember when God showed me I needed to stop feeling sorry for myself. I used to have such a problem with self-pity! I’d been abused, I didn’t get to go to college, Dave didn’t spend enough time with me…and on and on.
I blamed my problems on the injustices of my past and complained, “I’m this way because my dad sexually abused me and my mother abandoned me; she knew what he was doing and didn’t do anything to help me. I’m this way because my first husband was a con man and petty thief and he ran around with other women.”
God spoke to my heart and said, “That’s true—that’s why you are the way you are. But don’t let it become an excuse to stay that way.”
I needed to stop wasting my time feeling sorry for myself and begin taking responsibility for my life, specifically my thoughts, attitudes and behavior. It was so hard to accept this truth…but I realized that if I wanted the power of God to work in my life, I had to give up self-pity, trust Him and obey His Word.
This reminds me of Deuteronomy 7. After God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt to lead them to their promised land, He told them, “When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites…and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy” (Deut. 7:1-2).
Just as the Israelites had enemies to face to take possession of God’s good plan for their lives, we have our own “ites.” And we have to destroy them totally and “show them no mercy.”
The first thing we must do is take responsibility for where we are in life. You may be in your mess because of something you’ve done or because of something someone else has done that you couldn’t control. But no matter who has caused your hurts or problems, you don’t have to stay stuck there if you will cooperate with God and obey what He puts in your heart to do.
God’s truth is armor! When you start walking in the truth, it gives you the ability to overcome your enemy and get free from the bondages that have held you back.
Ephesians 6:14 says, “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist…” In other words, when you’re going through something tough, you’d better hang on to God’s Word tighter than you ever have before!
Remember that God loves you so much He gave His only Son so you could have eternal life. He wants you to be free from any injustice, pain or problem that is keeping you from growing spiritually and becoming everything He has created you to be.
Humble yourself before God and pray, “Jesus, I need You to help me.” Spend time each day in prayer and studying His Word, and do whatever He shows you to do. No matter how hard it is, you can trust Him to give you the ability to do your part in the process and know that He will do what you can’t do.
Even though it’s painful and it may not seem fair, forget everyone else’s part in your problem except your own. God is your vindicator and He will deal with your enemies as you focus on doing what He shows you to do. God makes wrong things right…and He will lead you to your breakthrough! {eoa}
Please note: The views and opinions expressed throughout this publication and/or website are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Joyce Meyer Ministries.
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