A Few Lies You Should
Never Believe
John 8:44
Pastor Abraham Adesayo
Dear Church Family,
Every day, we hear voices that seek to shape what we believe about God, ourselves, our circumstances, and our future. Some voices are obvious. Others sound reasonable. Some even sound spiritual. But not every thought is the truth.
Jesus described the devil as a liar and the father of lies in John 8:44. This means we must learn to recognize lies before they become beliefs, and beliefs before they become patterns that control our lives.
In this Sunday's message, Pastor Abraham challenged us to identify and reject several lies that can weaken our faith, delay our obedience, and cause us to walk away from what God has promised.
The question is not whether we will face these lies. The question is whether we will believe them.
You Are Too Tired to Continue
Weariness can make you believe that continuing is useless.
You may pray and feel tired. You may serve and feel tired. You may wait for an answer and wonder whether anything is changing. But weariness is not evidence that God has forgotten you.
God promises renewed strength to those who wait upon Him - and reminds us not to become weary in doing good, because there is a harvest connected to our faithfulness.
Do not allow temporary tiredness to make you abandon a permanent promise.
You may be tired, but you are not finished.
Your Prayer Lacks Power
One of the enemy's strategies is to make you question the effectiveness of your prayers.
You may pray and see no immediate change. You may pray repeatedly about the same situation. You may begin asking yourself, "Does God really hear me?" Scripture gives us a different perspective.
The prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces results. Those who cry to the Lord in their trouble find Him bringing them out of distress.
Do not measure the power of prayer by what you see immediately. Keep praying. Keep believing. Keep trusting God.
Your prayer is not wasted.
It Is Time to Give Up
There are moments when circumstances tell you to give up.
Caleb faced a situation where age and opposition could have become reasons to surrender. Instead, he declared his readiness to possess what God had promised.
Caleb did not allow the passing of time to cancel his expectation. You may have faced disappointment, delay, or opposition - but do not confuse difficulty with defeat.
If God has given you a promise, do not surrender simply because the journey has become difficult. There are things you must still possess. There are promises you must still pursue.
A Little Compromise Won't Hurt
Compromise often begins with a small decision. One adjustment. One excuse. One choice that seems harmless. But the enemy wants you to believe that you can compromise without consequences.
The foundation of God stands firm. Those who belong to the Lord are called to depart from unrighteousness.
Your spiritual identity must influence your decisions. Do not exchange what God has established in your life for temporary acceptance or temporary pleasure.
Stand for what is right.
Your Promise Has Expired
Delay can make you believe that your promise has expired. You prayed. You waited. You watched time pass. Then the enemy whispers, "It is too late." But God's timing is not controlled by human impatience.
The vision has an appointed time. Though it may seem to delay, we are instructed to wait for it because it will surely come.
Do not call expired what God has only delayed. Keep your faith. Keep your focus. Keep waiting on God.
Take the Faster Route
A shortcut can look attractive because it appears to get you where you want to go faster. But not every fast route is God's route.
There is a way that appears right to a person, but its end can be destructive. Some trust in human resources and earthly strength, but we are called to trust in the name of the Lord.
Do not sacrifice God's process because you want a faster result.
Trust God enough to follow His way.
You Need More to Be Satisfied
Material things can become so important that they begin to define our satisfaction.
Jesus warned us to guard against greed because life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. Paul demonstrated a different kind of contentment - learning to be content in every circumstance.
Having more is not the same as being fulfilled. Do not allow possessions to become your source of identity, security, or satisfaction.
Your contentment must not depend on what you have.
Grace Will Cover It
Presumption says, "I can continue doing wrong because grace will cover me." Scripture rejects that thinking.
Grace is not permission to continue in sin. A person cannot mock God and escape the consequences of what they sow.
Grace should lead us toward obedience, not presumption. Do not use God's mercy as an excuse to remain in what He is calling you to leave.
Your Past Defines You
Condemnation tells you that your past has permanently defined you. It tells you that because something happened, you must always remain the same.
There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Jesus also challenged the assumption that a person's condition automatically meant that they or their parents had sinned.
Do not allow condemnation to define what God has not defined. Your past may explain part of your story, but it does not have the final word over your life.
In Christ, you can move forward.
You Can Obey Later
Procrastination tells you that you can always obey tomorrow. Tomorrow can become next week. Next week can become next month. Eventually, an opportunity that required action is missed.
There is a difference between desire without action and diligent pursuit - and a warning about the danger of continually delaying action.
If God has placed something before you that requires obedience, do not keep postponing it.
Do what you know you should do. Start today.
What Lies Are You Believing?
The enemy does not need to destroy your faith completely if he can simply weaken it through lies. He can tell you:
- "You are too tired to continue."
- "Your prayers are not working."
- "It is time to surrender."
- "A little compromise will not hurt."
- "Your opportunity has expired."
- "Take the shortcut."
- "You need more possessions to be satisfied."
- "Grace means you can keep doing what is wrong."
- "Your past defines you."
- "You can obey later."
But God's Word gives you truth to answer every lie. When a thought contradicts God's Word, do not build your life around the thought.
Return to the Word. Believe what God has said. Stand on His promises. Walk in obedience.
Practical Ways to Reject the Lies
1. Know the Word
You cannot recognize a lie if you do not know the truth. Stay in Scripture.
2. Guard Your Thoughts
Not every thought deserves your agreement. Examine what you are thinking and compare it with God's Word.
3. Keep Praying
Do not let delayed answers convince you that prayer is powerless.
4. Refuse to Compromise
Protect your relationship with God even when compromise appears easier.
5. Keep Waiting on God
A delay does not automatically mean denial.
6. Take Faithful Action
Do not allow procrastination to keep you from doing what God has placed before you.
7. Reject Condemnation
If you are in Christ, do not allow condemnation to become your identity.
What Lie Have You Been Tempted to Believe?
- Have you allowed weariness to make you want to quit?
- Have you questioned whether your prayers matter?
- Are you tempted to take a shortcut because God's way seems slower?
- Are you postponing something God has already told you to do?
- Are you allowing your past to define your future?
The answer to every lie is found in the truth of God's Word. Do not believe every voice. Believe God.
Do Not Believe Every Voice
You may hear many voices, but you do not have to believe every voice.
When weariness says, "Give up," remember that God renews strength. When doubt says, "Your prayer has no power," keep praying. When delay says, "The promise has expired," keep waiting. When compromise says, "It is only a small thing," stand firm. When condemnation says, "You are your past," remember that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. When procrastination says, "Do it tomorrow," choose obedience today.
This week, ask yourself:
- What lie am I currently believing?
- What does God's Word say about it?
- Am I allowing delay, fear, or weariness to influence my decisions?
- What step of obedience should I take today?
Do not believe the lie. Believe God's Word. Stay faithful. Stay watchful. Keep moving forward.
Words to Carry With You
"Do not allow temporary tiredness to make you abandon a permanent promise."
"Do not call expired what God has only delayed."
"Do not sacrifice God's process because you want a faster result."
"Grace should lead us toward obedience, not presumption."
"Do not allow condemnation to define what God has not defined."
"When a thought contradicts God's Word, do not build your life around the thought."
Missed Sunday's Service?
Watch the Full Message
Watch the full message from Pastor Abraham and allow God's Word to strengthen your faith, correct your thinking, and help you stand firmly in the truth.
Watch Pastor Abraham's Full Message