Question 6, Nov. 12, 2010

The ultimate battle is against the Enemy of your soul. People and even you, inflict some real damage with words. But we give Satan the greatest weapons he uses against us: bitterness and unforgiveness. Pause and ask God if you would benefit from forgiving someone....or yourself? If so, please deal with this. Call one of Bible study buddies to pray with you, to help you become accountable to truth and get free!

The Enemy tells lies and tries to stick his lying labels on you. Do you realize a label only becomes yours if you allow it? If you invite a lie into your thought closet and give it shelf space, it is yours. If you refuse to let it in to stick, it can't brand you! You can begin now to refuse hurtful labels. 

***I am so reminded of that story by Max Lucado again today. So I will post it in case you have not read it lately or ever...you can. ***

Read 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 and learn these steps...

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (New International Version)

⁴ The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. ⁵ 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. 

Step 1. Crush the lie----demolish every thought opposed to God. How are your labels in opposition to God?

Imagine each lie or label is a brick and see demolition balls destroying entire wall of them! Can you imagine each lie crushed? Hmmmm...now you probably can't see the lie anymore. Take a mental picture of this, because I want you to see it the next time a lying-label starts to stick to you. Crush it, blot it out!

Step 2. Capture the thought----hold thoughts captive. This time imagine prison bars on your labels.

You hold these lies captive because they've broken God's law. This prison is not afforded any rights; it's not subject to the Geneva Convention! No parole! And, it doesn't get a life sentence, it gets the death penalty!

Friend, what I'm trying to say is, keep that lie imprisoned. Next time you feel it start to squirm, next time it bangs on the prison bars, remind your Enemy that he has no freedom to label you any longer. 

What three things does God give you to maintain victory over the imprisoned lie according to this verse?

2 Timothy 1:7 (New International Version)

⁷ For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 

I have: