"I am the way and the truth and the life." (John 14:6)
The reality that we so often forget or don't even fully understand is that there is an enemy who is a liar. Jesus actually says:
"He was a
murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because
there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his
character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me!" (John 8:44-45)
The more we are bombarded with lies, the deeper we're engulfed in them-- they seem to become more and more like the truth, they become our reality. It's just like Jesus said, "when I tell the truth, you just naturally don't believe me!" It's so hard to believe the truth when we've subscribed to the lie for so long. We're fully bought in.
I really think half the battle is recognizing the lie. Realizing that it's possible that some of your greatest hurts, bad habit or recurring hang-ups are all rooted in a lie you've believed so long, that it's become your truth-- your reality.
There are lies that come from our environment-- from the media telling us we need to look a certain way, have certain things, believe or not believe in something. Then there's the lies that have been instilled in us through painful words of someone else (whether intentional or not). There are the lies that whisper in our minds because of past failures or mistakes. Regardless of the source of the lie-- we need to remember that if we hold to the Word of Truth:
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32)
