Throughout my depression I dealt with a lot of feelings and thoughts that brought a ton of distress on me. Any time I would do something I’d be flooded with thoughts of self hatred and I convinced myself others hated me too. I went to my pastor about this problem often, and there was one verse that he’d quote at me every time. John 10:10 “For the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come that you may have life and have it to the full.” He would tell me that anytime I had a negative thought I needed to examine it and ask myself if it sounded like Jesus’ promised life, or the enemies death and deceit. My pastor’s words stuck with me for a long time, and the practice of comparing my thoughts to Jesus’ truth was a pivotal part of my healing.
So if we’re going to identify the enemy’s lies by comparing them to God’s truth we need to figure out what God’s truth is. The first truth to remember is that we are children of God, and that gives us great value. John 1:12 says “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” We are children of the God of the universe, that makes all of us incredibly important and valuable.
Next, even if we aren’t loved by the world, we are loved by God. Romans 8:38-39: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I love this verse because it shows us how deeply and truly God loves us. John 15:18-19 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” This verse reminds us that the world will most likely dislike us as Christians, and that’s okay. It’s okay, because it hated Jesus (a perfect man) first. Instead of finding comfort in the world, we need to find love and comfort in our God.
The final truth I would like to cover is that God has a good plan and good future for you. Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” This verse reminds us that God works all things, good and bad, for His glory and our good. That is such a great comfort, knowing He has a plan, and is able to turn anything for good.
The best way to be able to tell lies from truth is to be so deep in God’s word that you can instantly recognize when something doesn’t align with scripture. Next time you feel lies creep into your mind, remember that Christ came so that we may have life, not death and deception.