Ideas are powerful. What we think about matters. What we believe ultimately determines our direction. The ideas or thoughts we believe in have the power to direct our steps. They impact our day-to-day whether you want them to or not. I am sure you have heard statements like these, but have you allowed a statement like one of these to grip you. To grip you so tight you actually had to act on it?
In a previous article, Seeds of Deception, I described a recent journey of discovery God lead me through while pursuing my dream or my Chazown. In this process, God revealed a chapter early in my life where the Enemy was busy working. He was busy planting ideas or seeds in my life which set themselves up against the knowledge of God. These seeds became agreements I made with the Enemy. It is one thing to see the Enemy working in your present situation, but have you ever looked back only to discover he was working in your past? The more I see his fingerprints in my life, the more tangible this battle becomes.
The Naming Process
So why bother naming the lies? Why spend time giving them a name? You discovered they existed, acknowledge them, deal with them, move on… right? Wrong! By naming them I keep them from hiding any longer in the recesses of my mind. I keep them from having a seat at the table. Now, by giving them a name, I can identify other thoughts or ideas which align themselves with these lies. Giving the lies a name is not about putting them in a place of honor, giving them a name is drawing the battle lines.
Waging War
Let us be clear, naming the lies is about waging war! It is saying, you once held me captive, but no more! Before I knew you existed, there was no way to reasonably fight against the lies. Before, you could easily disguise yourself as truth. Before, I cuddled up next to you because I thought I could trust you. Now I have given you a name. I have exposed you for what you really are …(lies)!
The Practical Implications
Talking about this is a lot of fun, but really it is no good if it does not lead to something productive. What are we going to do once we have given the lies a name? I will stop you right there because I thought the same thing. I started asking what good will this do by naming them. I failed to spend time with each of the lies. My first inclination when naming them was to go to war. I was ready to throw down without knowing much about each of the lies. It is much like going into battle without a battle plan. Building a house without blueprints. Quite simply it is foolish!
Get to Know Your Enemy!
If step one is naming the lies, step 2 would be to understand your enemy. Much like in battle, it is wise to know and understand your enemy (the lies) before going into battle against them. Next up I’ll spend time explaining how to get to know the lies.
