“You’re not allowed to do that!” my cousins would say to me after catching me doing something they thought against the rules and my immediate response was always, “Who said?” I needed to know by what authority they were operating under! Have you ever asked that after hearing something? As my own kids grew, sometimes they’d come home from school with some outlandish story they’d heard, fully believing what they were saying, until I asked, “Who said?” After further questioning, we would figure out that it was another student who usually didn’t know what he or she was talking about. This taught my kids to investigate and search for the truth, not just take someone’s word for it.
“Who said?” When did we stop asking that question and just believe everything we see and hear allowing lies to replace truth? Who said you couldn’t reach that goal? Who said you weren’t strong enough to overcome adversity? Who said you would never measure up? And why do you believe them?
I believe most of us have a list of lies about ourselves that we’re fully convinced are truth, but if we dig deep and ask “Who said?”, maybe the lie will begin to unravel and truth will rush in to fill the void caused by the evacuation of lies. Not easy but most definitely worth the effort.
So, how do you replace lies for truth? First, recognize that you are a beloved, precious child of the God who created you. Who said you weren’t? By what authority do they speak? Not under the authority of God because here’s what He says: “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1a NIV). When we’re rooted in the solid foundation of love and fully understand we have value simply because we are God’s, those lies that plague or even just nibble at the corners of your mind that want to tell you that you’re not loved, fade away until the truth engulfs your thoughts.
Second, recognize the lie as a lie. Easier said than done I know! Even after years of overcoming and dispelling the lies that held me captive for so long, they can still try and sneak back in but when they do, I recognize them and attempt to take hold of them right away and call them out for what they are. Lies! “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV). In other words, take that thought to Jesus and let Him determine lie or truth. Not sure how to do that? A good first step is to read about Jesus and study the Bible. When your mind is filled with truth, there’s no room for the lies.
Third, walk confidently in your new-found truth! Once you decide to stop believing the lies and allowing them to dictate your steps, walk as if you believe it! We have an enemy that absolutely does not want us to live our best life—whether you’re a follower of Jesus or not. If you are, that enemy will attempt to keep you from sharing the love of Christ. If you’re not, you’re still a target because he does not want you to know the truth let alone walk in it! “Be well balanced and always alert, because your enemy, the devil, roams around incessantly, like a roaring lion looking for its prey to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 TPT)
The truth is that you have value and worth that is not measured by what you accomplish and that value does not diminish because of mistakes you’ve made or because of what another has said to you. Who said? God did. “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8 NIV)
Allow these treasured truths sink into the depths of your being and the moment a lie wants to creep in, challenge it by asking, “Who said?” Measure it against truth and if it comes up short, take it captive and walk confidently in truth!
Moments To Treasure 