3. Renounce the lies that kill your faith. 

Satan’s primary activities include lying and accusing.  He lies to us about God and accuses us of things before our Father.  Jesus, our Defender and Advocate, reminds him that our sins have been forgiven.  He puts the enemy in his place. 

But when he lies to us, do we agree with God?  Or is Satan so artful that we cave to his arguments?  Here are some examples of lies and accusations.

You are a failure and are of no use to God or the church.

You are an embarrassment.  Keep quiet or you’ll be humiliated. 

It’s a waste of time to confess your sins because God isn’t listening. 

You are inferior to other believers. 

You are a hopeless victim of your past. 

Who you are now is who you will always be.  Forget dreaming of being different.

God is so disappointed in you and you can never earn His approval.

Do any of these sound familiar?  Throughout my life, I believe I’ve heard them all, depending on what season I was living.  Given the relentless nature of our enemy’s attacks, we know that he doesn’t come at us just once.  These accusations come often, and as long as they are effective, he will repeat them.  He knows that if he can get us to give mental space to these and rehearse them internally, they will grow exponentially and turn into strongholds.  

How do we deal with a lie before it does mental and emotional damage?  Let me offer a 2-part process.

1. Capture it and take it captive.  Focus on it with the Holy Spirit’s help.  Decide if you’re willing to disown it and believe God over people.
2. Kill it with the Sword of the Word.  Renounce it out loud with specific scriptures that expose it as false. It will sound like this:  

I used to believe _____________________, but Your Word says _________________.  Though it feels true, I know it’s not.  I repent for believing it, I renounce it, and choose to believe You, Lord.  

You’ve exchanged the enemy’s lie for God’s truth.  The stronghold is broken, the torment from the lie is removed, and peace will move in.   If the lie has held you captive for much of your life, you may need to process this with Spirit-led friends or a pastoral counselor.  God promises freedom but we must seek it.