I want to help you discover what is holding your false identity together. I call it “the lie” you believe about yourself. You may have picked this lie up as a child, teen, or adult, but it’s the wheel upon which your false identity turns.
At a conference where I was teaching, I asked a small group to to share a lie they believed about themselves. It was fascinating to hear the lies Satan had whispered, a different one to each individual. Here are just a few:
I’m better than everyone else.
I’m invisible.
I’m one big screwup.
I’m not masculine enough.
I’m a whore.
I’m a success.
I’m inadequate.
I’m a mistake.
I’m the life of the party.
Do you know what lie Satan whispers to you?
If the truth sets us free, then lies keep us in bondage. That’s why it’s essential that you identify what lies could be affecting you. We all believe more than one lie, yet over and over I’ve seen people with one core lie from which the others fan out like spokes on a bicycle wheel.
Here are a few steps you can take to help you discover your core lie. Keep in mind that this lie is the complete opposite of what your heavenly Father thinks about you. It’s the same hook Satan used with Adam and Eve when they ate from the tree in the garden of Eden. Here’s an important clue:
Your core lie will always involve some kind of performance to make yourself acceptable to yourself, others, or even God.
This lie gets inserted into your mind directly from Satan or through the voice of a person in your life. It may have initially happened during a particular event in your past. This lie is then whispered by Satan to you over and over at various times.
From my experience, I’ve found the quickest way to identify your core lie is to ask God to show you what it is directly. Why don’t you give it a try? Ask God this question: Father, would you please show me what my core lie is about my identity?
Sit in silence and wait. Consider the thoughts that come to mind, even if you are not 100 percent clear about what they mean. Write them down somewhere.
When I asked God this question several years ago, he impressed upon me that my core lie was “I must be the best to be important.”
You can see how my lie put me at the center of my own life as my own source of defining my personal identity. That is a tiring way to live, believe me. I walked in that lie for years. It generated a lot of pressure that brought a lot of anxiety. I felt good temporarily when I performed up to the standards that I set, but I also felt bad the numerous times I failed.
Copyright God’s Best-Kept Secret:Christianity is Easier than You Think
Lies keep us in bondage. Truth sets us free…especially the truth about our identity. Our Advanced Discipleship Training, starting April 11, is a great way to dive deeper. Click here to learn more and register.
