Whispered Lies

I keep walking through this lesson of faith, learning to understand how faith really works, why some people are able to operate in such amazing faith while others seem to struggle so much. It seems like every time I open my Bible I learn another valuable lesson that helps me see another piece of the bigger picture. It seems like every time I pray, God is whispering encouragement and love and building me up.

But it also seems that the enemy of my soul doesn't want me to believe what I am learning. Twice in the last 2 weeks I've had very similar experiences - both while driving alone in my van; both actually in very similar locations and at similar times of day. The first time it happened, I was taken back by it. The second time it happened, I just laughed because it reminded me SO much of the first time, that it was clearly a lame second attempt, since the first one failed. Here's what happened...

I was on my way from the bank back to the church when out of the blue, a whispered thought went flooding into my mind, 'JESUS WAS JUST A PROPHET. HE'S NOT REALLY THE SON OF GOD. HE'S A FAKE.' I was so taken back by it. Where had that come from, really? It was so random, and so contrary to what I believe. Why on earth would something like that go through my mind. Then I realized it was a whispered lie that the enemy had put in my mind to steer me off course - to make me doubt what I believe and question what I've learned. As soon as I realized what was happening, I did the only thing I could think of to do - I started talking out loud, declaring the things the Bible says about Jesus. 'Jesus is the only begotten Son of God. He is the Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Savior. He is the Word of God in flesh. He has defeated the powers of darkness and sits at the right hand of God...' and on and on. By the time I got out of my van, the doubt was gone.

Well, the second time, I was also coming from the bank, and I was turning onto the same road that I had been on the first time - only I was about 5 blocks away from where it happened the first time. I was listening to a song on the radio, and I was thinking about the day when Jesus returns. All of a sudden, along comes another whispered lie: 'IF JESUS IS REALLY COMING BACK, WHY HASN'T HE COME YET? HE'S NOT COMING. HE'S A LIAR. HE'S A FRAUD.' For another second, I was taken by it, but instantly, I was reminded of the first incident. I just laughed out loud, and the only thing I said this time was, 'Nice try.' Satan is such a liar. I am so thankful that what I know in my heart is so much stronger than what may go through my mind. What I know in my heart, I know beyond a doubt, and the whispered lies of a desperate enemy cannot shake me when I listen to what my heart says.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 - For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, inasmuch as we refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)...