Author: Dr. Mark D. Flattery 

Chapter Six

Victory Action #3: Live in Truth

 

“`If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’” (John 8:32).

 

On the night that Jesus was betrayed, tortured, and suffered a horrific death on the cross, He endured mock trials before religious leaders and political figures. Jesus stood before Pilate, who represented Rome, because the Jewish leaders did not have the authority to enforce the death penalty. The Jewish leaders had to convince Pilate that Jesus was a criminal whose crimes were against Rome and were worthy of execution.

It was during Jesus’ interview with Pilate that He said, “‘You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.’” (John 18:37). Pilate then asked, “What is truth?” (John 18:38). What a ridiculously outlandish question!

Jesus is the very definition of Truth! He is Truth! Even though He is Creator standing before His creation, He willing stood as one accused falsely of crimes against God and against Rome and before self-righteous and self-proclaimed “authorities.” How outrageous! Then Pilate, in the presence of “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6) had the gall to ask, “What is truth?” Jesus is right before his eyes, so close that Pilate could literally touch the One who is fully God and fully man, and yet he is blinded by his sin. Unbelievable!

The Jewish officials who brought Jesus before Pilate had their version of the truth; they wanted to protect their power and authority. The crowd had their version of the truth; some were influenced by the Jewish officials while others wanted Jesus to be the political leader who

would defeat the Romans. Pilate had his version of the Truth as he saw himself being the true authority in this drama. Even many of those who genuinely followed Jesus saw truth as being that which would usher in a new day for the nation of Israel. Only Jesus understood the Truth.

 

Since you were knocked to the canvass of life, you are struggling mightily to make sense of it all! No doubt, your mind is reeling and you asking, “What is going on?” “How can this be happening?” “How could he (or she) do this to me?” “What’s going to happen next?” All these heart-felt and important questions are forms of the question that Pilate asked; “What is truth?”

Voices around you are flooding your mind and heart and presenting their version of truth. You have people at work offering their advice as to how you should respond to your personal dilemma. You have voices from the media presenting their philosophy of overcoming the odds and “winning.” Even you friends with the best intention give you their advice but, their thoughts are tainted by their experiences and motivations. What is truth? Whose truth should you follow?

The voice that is most difficult to understand is often the voice of your offender. Someone you trusted, believed in, or considered a friend on some level, now is telling you a new reality that makes no sense to you. The voice sounds familiar but the message is vastly different.

It reminds me of a story of a man who worked for a company for seven years. One day he received an Email from his boss that, without prior warning or discussion, he was to be replaced in his current role and to be given a lesser role in another location, all due to comments made to the boss by those who are subordinate to the man. Seven years of working and then in a moment’s notice, he was told that his work demanding a relocation and being placed in a role with no authority. The man was crushed! He was being told that his work was subpar, that he mishandled finances, and that his relationships with those subordinate to him were inappropriate and unprofessional. Yet, he knew in his heart that none of this was true! If he had opportunity to

discuss this matter with his boss, he would go issue by issue and defend his actions. The man became so discouraged that he questioned if he should continue with the company. The voice from his boss which was previously encouraging and supportive turned to one spouting a “truth” that was not aligned with the man’s actions or motivations. Yet, the man wondered if this was indeed the voice of truth.

I know that you are hurting right now. I know that your initial response to being hit is to see it as an unwarranted attack on you, the innocent victim. This might be the complete truth! And yet, . . . it is in your best interest to see if there is any truth to what your offender is saying. Proverbs 15:31 puts it this way, “He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise” (NIV). So, the first way that you can live “Victory Action #3 Live in Truth” is to consider if there is any truth to what your offender is saying.

Let’s say that you are in a tail-spin because, like the man in my story, your boss just fired you. How could he do that? How are you going to pay the bills? How are you going to find another job in this economy? These are all valid questions! But, did you stop to consider that your boss may have legitimate reasons for asking you to empty your desk? If you do not stop and address the truth of why you were fired then you are doomed to continue that behavior in your next job and you will probably be fired again! Truthfully, maybe you needed to be fired! After your hurt and anger subsides and stabilizes, take time to honestly assess your actions and behaviors. Learn you’re your mistakes. Look for ways to honor Christ in your workplace. I heard it put this way; dealing with the truth may cause you to take two steps backward in the short term but eventually, it will slingshot you to a better life. The truth hurts . . . but, the truth heals, too!

A second way for you to live “Victory Action #3 Live in Truth” is to know the truth about our spiritual enemy, the devil. The evil one wants us to focus on his lies and to consider

them as if they are valid. He is a master manipulator who wants us to be tossed on the waves of chaos and confusion. The antidote to his tactics is to find Truth and to live in truth. Truth is the anchor that keeps us steady when we find ourselves in the storms of life. To restate it in a similar way: Truth is the lighthouse that brings us hope and direction for rescue in the middle of the upheaval of life’s storms.

There is so much that I could share with you about our spiritual enemy but, I will mention just two truths about him. The first truth is that all that is “bad” originates from the devil. The evil one has power in this world for a time and uses it to kill and destroy everything and everyone created and loved by God. The devil knows the Truth of God’s Word and yet he must still believe his own lies; lies that say one day he will defeat God. Yet, he knows that he cannot hurt God. So, he goes after the ones who God loves the most, God’s children, in effort to destroy them and crush God’s heart. In Romans 5:12-21, Paul wrote that sin entered the world through one man, Adam, and brought death. So, the origin of sin and death is the devil. Please note that the same Romans passage brings hope. It states that just as sin entered the world through one man that God’s grace entered the world through one man; Jesus Christ.

You may be facing a life-threatening illness, a loss of job, the betrayal of a spouse, or a natural disaster. While you may know the individual who is at fault, the one who originated all sin, evil, and death is the devil. As we discussed earlier, the object of your anger and wrath should not be God but ultimately on the devil. Get mad at the one who originated sin and death!

The truth is that God is good and only that which is good comes from Him. The Bible says it this way,

“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives

birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created” (James 1:13-18).

 

The second truth about our spiritual enemy is that the devil’s main tactic is to cause you to doubt. We mentioned this earlier but it is important to repeat it. When bad things happen to good people the devil tries to whisper in your ear that God is not in control. He wants you to question, “God, why did you not save me?” or “God, do you not care about me?” Once again, I remind you of Genesis 3, in the Garden of Eden, when the serpent asked Eve, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” The devil wants you to think that he has the authority and the right to question God.

After he gets you to doubt God then he wants you to doubt yourself. He will tell you that you are no good, you have no value, you are alone, and no one cares. He lies about God not being in control and he lies about your self-worth. He wants you to be inundated by the voices of this world that present their “wisdom” and “experience” as if it were truth. Thankfully, the Bible is filled to overflowing with truths that overcome the doubts of the devil.

The third was that you can fulfill “Victory Action #3 Live in Truth” is to replace the outside voices that you hear with the Truth found in God’s Word. Every single day, you must declare Truth to yourself and live in the light of this Truth, even when you do not feel like it.

Every single day, you must tell yourself that God is in control. Right now, the focus of your mind and heart is on your pain. In fact, it is so bad that you wonder if you will ever be able to breathe without making a concerted effort. Even though you cannot see the finish line to this

life struggle and even though you feel that you are without any hope, you must remember that God is in control. This season of life will pass, you will survive, and you will emerge in victory all because you are allowing God to control and rebuild you life.

We live in a world where it rains on the just and the unjust. Bad things happen to good people and to bad people. This is the result of our living in a world corrupted by sin. In spite of this, God is still in control. The story of Joseph makes the point that while Joseph’s brothers had evil intentions and sold him into slavery, God was still in control. Joseph was placed strategically by God in Pharaoh’s presence to bring God glory. Once all was revealed, Joseph told his brothers, “`You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives’” (Genesis 50:20).

There are times when we want Jesus to return immediately and balance the scales of justice. But, even with all the wars and rumors of wars and worldwide tragedies, God is still in control. In II Peter 3:8 we read, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

There is one more verse that I will share on this point. It is found in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” When you encounter life’s battles, stand firm on the truth that God is in control and will work all things for His glory.

Every single day, you must tell yourself that you are God’s child. You do not have to doubt His love for you or doubt to whom you belong. When you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord you became a child of God and an heir to the King. You matter to God. You are loved unconditionally. The natural reaction to being knocked to the canvass of life is to doubt your self-worth and wonder if your live every amount to anything noteworthy. You may

even feel that you are a failure due to a loss of a relationship, a loss of a job, or the death of a loved one. While these aspects of life are important, they do not define who you are.

The truth is that you are a child of God and that you belong to Him. God did not define you, or love you, because of your job, your role in life, or for what you can do for Him. He loves you unconditionally. You matter to God! You have worth and value because God loves you! This is truth. Stand firm and live in Truth. Romans 8:31 puts it this way, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” and a few verses later in verse 37, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

Every single day, you must tell yourself that God keeps His promises. The Bible is God’s letter to you that reveals His character and His love for you. The Bible teaches us that God loved you so much that He sent Jesus Christ to die for your sins. Jesus loves you so much that He gave His life willingly and then He rose again on the third day and conquered sin and death. You can live in the Truth that Jesus is alive and walks with you throughout life’s journey! God does not promise you will never face a battle in life. The truth is that He promised that He will never leave you or forsake you and that He will fight life’s battle for you!

Every single day, you must tell yourself that Jesus is Truth and so you will follow Him and His ways. As we discussed earlier, many voices are screaming at you to fight back, or to run away, or to see revenge. But, we determined that we will stand firm by playing by God’s rules. Every day, you must declare that you will follow Jesus. Every day, stand firm in the truth that the way out of this nightmare is to follow Christ. Stand firm in the truth that Jesus said, “`I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:6). He also taught, “`If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’” (John 8:32).

The fourth way that you can fulfill “Victory Action #3 Live in Truth” is to determine respond to life’s challenges in a manner that honors Christ. You goal is to follow closely the Truth of Jesus Christ so that you will honor Him and so that you will live without regret. Believing the lies of the enemy, or the one who hurt you, does not honor Christ because it is not truth. Seeking to hurt, disparage, or any forms of retaliation towards your offender will bring seeming satisfaction in the short term. However, once the heat of passion cools, you will find yourself not only dealing with your pain but now wallowing in the guilt and shame of your reaction; regret.

You can find victory in the midst of the ferocious storms of life by determining to respond in ways that honor Christ. For example, when your spouse has an affair and abandons you and your children, speak words of honor only about that spouse to your children or do not speak at all. While you do not lie about the spouse either in effort to speak good, you must realize that your words of anger and hurt will sow seeds of bitterness in your home. Otherwise, you will rue the day of your unwise words and you will reap a harvest of anger in your children. You will live to regret reacting to sin with more sin.

If you choose to speak on that which brings honor, or not speak at all, then you will reap a harvest of righteousness. I know that, in the short term, every fiber in your being wants to spout off and declare the “truth” of your situation and the reason for your unending pain. But, if you honor God by living by the Truth of His Word then He will honor you. In the long term, and this is where you live the rest of your life, you will find refugee and eventually relief from the storms of life. Live without regret by honoring Christ in every thought, every conversation, every day and in every way and you will live in victory.

The fifth way that you can fulfill “Victory Action #3 Live in Truth” is to surround yourself with people who know Truth. Find people who will encourage you and challenge you

to live in Truth and allow them to speak Truth into your life. Rid yourself immediately of friendships and relationships with people who do not practice the Truth of God’s Word and who encourage you to consider reactions that do not honor Christ.

When I was going through my darkest hour, the Lord blessed me with a man of God who counseled me. Instead of focusing on my offender, he directed my attention on me; my thoughts, my reactions, my goals to live in victory. It was during each conversation that he would take me back to the Bible. God’s Word became my bread of life that fed me Truth each day. Instead of continually hitting the “rewind” button of my mind to consider life’s beat down, or wasting emotional energy plotting revenge, he led me focus on the Truth found in God’s Word. In doing so, I was rebuilding my life even when I was emotionally and physically weak.

I encourage you strong to take this course of action. Sitting with your friends and telling your tale of woe will bring relief, but it will be fleeting. You are dealing with the symptoms of the problem and not the core issues. Your friends will freely voice in their opinions, some of them with impassioned pleas, but if they do not speak Truth, then your conversations are nothing but hot air and amount to nothing. In will not take long to discover that if your pain becomes the center of your conversations, your friends will leave. No one wants to stay around others who are depressed, emotionally needy, and draining.

Surround yourself with friends who live and breathe and speak Truth. These are true friends. They will speak the truth to you love. They will stand with you during the trial. If you ask the Lord to bring you such friends, you will be surprised at who He will choose. You might discover that He will bring people into your life so that you can form new friendships; friendships that will last a lifetime.

“What is truth?” This is a question that each of us must encounter many times in our lives. Jesus Christ is the Truth. Align you heart, mind, soul, and strength to Him. When you do, you are on the path to healing, to rebuilding, and to victory.

 

 

For You To Consider

 

1. What, if any, truth is there to what your offender is saying to you?

2. Who is the source of your dilemma and who is truly on your side to protect and defend you?

3. Evaluate your feelings, your thoughts, and what you have been told in light of the Truth of God’s Word. Remember, God is not the author of lies, chaos, or anxiety and so any such thoughts are not from Him.

4. List three promises from God’s Word that apply to you. State aloud each promise and declare that you will live by Truth.

5. Identify three friends with whom you should spend time and allow them to speak Truth into your life. List any friends whom you should avoid because their words or actions are not edifying.

Scripture for You to Pray Today: John 8:23, “If you hold on to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

 

What is the Lord saying to you right now?