You Have An Enemy

How would it affect you to find out that some of the things you have believed are not true? What if you found that you have an enemy who has been systematically brainwashing you? What would you do with that information? How would you combat it? You do have an enemy named Satan who is intentionally lying to you. He only speaks one language, and everything he tells you is a lie. His target is your mind. He knows that when he controls your mind, he controls your beliefs. The frightening thing is that a false belief holds just as much power over your actions as a true belief. The only way to combat a false belief is with the truth. Darkness can only be defeated by light. But, hallelujah, it is always defeated by light! How do you know if a thought comes from God, yourself, or demonic forces? If any thought is destructive, defeating, depressing, or divisive you can assume it is not from God. The Scriptures say that Satan's objective is "to kill, steal and destroy" (John 10:10). When your mind believes a lie, it causes you to act in ways that kill your relationships, steal your joy, and destroy your hope. His mission is accomplished. Satan's goal is for the lies he speaks to take root and become a part of your mind's default pathways. When that happens, they become part of the very fabric of who you are.

This is Warfare

You must take the offensive by proactively, immediately, and intentionally replacing those lies with truth each time they enter your mind. This must be done within seconds before they have a chance to take root. It can only be done through the truth of Scripture. It is not enough to recognize and challenge the lie. You must also replace the lie with the truth. The truth must be emphasized with the same power the lie was emphasized. It must be repeated often enough to form a new default pathway in your brain. This takes work. It is intentional. Lazy minds are the devil's delight.

Reflect

In this parable of the treasure in the field, a man discovers some extraordinary treasure, he makes sure it stays tucked away, and then he is off—off to sell everything that he has in order to obtain it. What must this have looked like to his neighbors when a “For Sale” sign went up in his front yard, he started pulling junk out of his garage, and he sold everything he owned? Everything. For those on the outside looking at this, he would have seemed like a crazy fool.

But the man was no fool—he knew something that they did not know. Most people would struggle and hesitate about selling all their possessions, but this man made a quick but calculated decision. He considered that the treasure in the field far exceeded in worth all he had—and all he could ever hope for. And so, his calculated risk was actually no risk at all. Instead, it was a joyful and wildly uneven exchange—as wildly, graciously, and lavishly uneven an exchange as when we are given Christ’s glorious robe of righteousness and acceptance for the filthy shrouds (uncleanness) of our own self-righteousness.

This parable pictures the truth in the book of Hebrews that Jesus is better. This kingdom parable points to the King. He is the exceedingly great treasure in that field. He is better than all the treasures of the world and better than all our own personal treasures—the things we value most, whether our plans, possessions, time, health, or even life itself. If Christ is supremely valuable, then selling everything and giving everything to have Him is not a loss—it’s gain. Jesus told us as much, for He said to those who would follow Him, “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matt. 16:25). Pastor and author, John Piper, put it this way: “The ultimate purpose of life is to show that Jesus is more precious than life.”