Determining Which Will Stay

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 3 John 1:4 (NIV)

I am learning there are many disciplines to the Christian life. There are things I must be practicing and implementing in my life on a continual basis in order to stand victorious against the attacks, lies, and schemes of the enemy. One of those disciplines is to walk in the truth. To live by, follow, occupy myself with, and link arms with the truth. To stand on it, in it and for it!

This is not a one time decision I make in the morning without further thought throughout the day. I must understand that I will be coming up against the enemies of truth all day long and each time I must remind myself of the truth, stand on the truth, voice the truth, embrace the truth, and enfold myself in the truth. If what I am seeing, feeling, thinking, or experiencing is contradictory to the truth, I must set aside what APPEARS to be true for what IS true.

Elizabeth George says, “Truth is what is based on and in agreement with God’s Word, what is real, and what is not a lie.” My thoughts must stand or fall according to that test. This is a process that takes time to practice, especially if I have lived with certain mindsets my whole life. The lies I have believed are exposed as I hold them up to the light of truth. They are then dismissed as I believe and receive the truth.

God is the only One who can help me to accept the truth over what I have been told, what I think I see, what I assume to be true. Lies and truth cannot coexist. There is room in my heart and mind for only one to reside at a time. Allowing lies to stay with me is easy. All I have to do is accept them without question or resistance. Not putting them through a comparison with truth is the same as putting out the welcome mat for them.

Truth on the other hand requires that I reject, renounce, and release the lies I have held to as I am taking in the truth. The longer I have held to lies about God, myself, and others the harder it is to exchange them for truth. But it is necessary, worthwhile, and possible. God said so!

Father, today I choose to stand on the truth of Your Word. Although the enemy will do everything in his power to keep the lies embedded in me, You are faithful to help me in the process of walking in the truth. I stand in agreement with You that there is only room for Your truth. Amen.