August 13
A LIBERATING FRIEND
Psalm 51:6 NIV
Surely You desire truth in the inner parts; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place
Absolute truth is the revelation of God's Word, and we must live that truth in the inner self. When David lived a lie he suffered greatly. When he finally found freedom by acknowledging the truth, he wrote, "How blessed is the man . . . in whose spirit there is no deceit" (Psalm 32:2). When David later reflected on the same incident, he wrote, "Surely You desire truth in the inner parts; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place" (Psalm 51:6 NIV ).
We are to lay aside falsehood and speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15, 25). A mentally healthy person is one who is in touch with reality and relatively free of anxiety. Both qualities should epitomize the Christian who renounces deception and embraces the truth.
Deception is the most subtle of all satanic strongholds. Have you ever noticed that all people with addictive behavior lie to themselves and others almost continuously? The alcoholic lies about his drinking, the anorexic lies about her eating, and the sex offender lies about his behavior. Lying is an evil defense prompted by the father of lies, Satan (John 8:44).
The first step in any recovery program is to get out of denial and face the truth. Truth is never an enemy; it is always a liberating friend. People in bondage to the lie grow weary of the darkness. They hate to sneak around, lie and cover up. "God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all" (l John 1:5). We must "walk in the light as He Himself is in the light" (1 John 1:7). There is great freedom when truth dispels the anguish of living a lie.
Choosing the truth may be difficult for you if you have been living a lie for many years. You may need to seek professional help to weed out the defense mechanisms you have depended on all this time to survive. The Christian needs only one defense: Jesus. Knowing that you are forgiven and accepted as God's child sets you free to face reality and choose the truth.
Prayer: Lord, I choose the truth, and I renounce all self-deception and rationalization of wrong behavior and attitudes.
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