“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
John 8:34
One of the greatest deceptions the enemy uses to hinder believers, is the same one he used in the Garden of Eden. When he lured Eve to eat the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, he did his best to get her to have the wrong image of herself. Genesis 3:4-5: “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Then Eve, when she saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her: and he did eat.”
How did the enemy convince Eve to go contrary to God’s command? He showed her a different image of herself. When God created Adam and Eve, He said that He created them in His very own image. He gave them dominion on the earth and the authority over it. He gave them wisdom and everything they would need to be successful. Yet, the enemy convinced Eve that she wasn’t like God. He made her believe that the only way she could be like God and have wisdom, was to disobey and eat the fruit. He showed her a distorted image of herself, like that of a mirror in a fun house. Yes, you can see an image of yourself in a fun house mirror, but it is not accurate, because the mirror itself is distorted. Anything that goes contrary to God’s word will create a twisted, inaccurate image, because it is based on a lie.
The devil uses the same tactics today. The scripture declares that we are made free in Christ, yet the enemy convinces many believers that they are bound with fear, sickness, lack or addictions. Yet the truth is that Christ did everything that was needed 2,000 years ago to make us free and provide a blessed life. 2 Timothy 1:7 says: “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” The Word of God is the mirror we need to keep ever before our eyes. When fear tries to come to bind you, simply declare the above scripture, knowing that you have been made fear free. When thoughts of lack or sickness attack, gaze into the accurate mirror of God’s word. Instead of lack, confess 2 Corinthians 8:9: “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” Look through the scriptures and get the right image of who you really are. Do not believe the distorted image the enemy tries to use to deceive. God’s word is true. The devil is a liar.
When the enemy tries to convince you that you are a sinner saved by grace and you can’t help but sin or be bound by an addiction, instead decree that you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and have been redeemed. You are a new creation. (see 2 Corinthians 5: 17-21)
If the enemy tries to convince you that you are sick or will never overcome an infirmity, simply look into the mirror of God’s Word and declare: “He sent His word, and healed me, and delivered me from destruction.” (See Psalm 107:20)
In this new year, determine that you will only believe what God says you are in His Word. Do not believe anything that goes contrary to that mirror. Get rid of all other false images. As you do, you will become a reflection of God’s glory in the earth, and He will do great and mighty things in your life.
Further reading: Psalm 112, Psalm 103, Genesis 1-2, Galatians 3:13-14, Philippians 4, Isaiah 54:9-17, John 3:16
