“You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. 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.” (John 8:31-32; 44 NIV)
The lie detector is a 20th Century invention that is still used by law enforcement and, sometimes, governmental agencies to determine whether people are telling the truth. Though inadmissible as evidence in court proceedings, it still is viewed as a useful tool in determining if a person is a truth-teller or a liar.
In the spiritual realm, from the beginning of time, the devil has been a liar and deceiver and labeled as such by Jesus. His relationship with the human race has always been adversarial in the sense his ultimate purpose is to “kill, steal, and destroy,” but, as with Judas and Peter, he is quite comfortable to ally himself with humans to get them to do his bidding. The truth is he is constantly scheming against us. Thus, like law enforcement, a lie detector is very handy so as not to be taken in by the falsehoods that emanate from him like sweat from human glands. And it is likely not far from you if you just will pick it up and make use of it. It is the Word of God.
You will notice that Jesus says it is obedience to His teaching that leads us to know the truth and to then be set free by it. Since Jesus is God, all of Scripture is His teaching. If we know it, we will be able to discern the lies of the enemy, and if we obey His teachings, then we will be set free from the deadly impact of those lies.
Here are some examples of how this works, ones I have employed and also teach to the students with whom I work. You are extremely worried about something—money, a project deadline, or the future. Read Matthew 6:25-34 and I Peter 5:7, meditate on them, and then apply them to your immediate situation. The lie is God will not provide for you or take care of you in your circumstance. The Scriptures reveal the truth.
Another example is feeling condemned because you did something wrong—you lied to someone, you hurt someone, you cheated or stole—even though you freely confessed it. Read I John 1:9 and Romans 8:1-2, meditate on them, and then confront your feelings with them. The lie is you cannot possibly be forgiven for something so egregious. Again, these Scriptures reveal the truth.
One final example is one with which I am confronted almost daily—sin doesn’t matter because of the overwhelming love of God. Of course, lust, greed, drunkenness, etc. are bad, BUT God’s grace is so great that it really doesn’t matter if I engage in them. Read Romans 6 and consider what it says. The lie is sin no longer matters in light of the love and grace of God. Again, the Scriptures detect the lie and reveal the truth.
Today, know the devil spews lies and you are in danger of accepting them unless you know and obey the Scriptures. They are the lie detector the Lord has given you to protect you from the devil’s schemes and to enable you to live in freedom from their intended consequences.
© Jim Musser 2017
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