As pointed out previously, it is not what you "know" but how you act on what you know, that indicates what you truly believe.  In the Bible, even demons knew who Jesus Christ was and recognized him, but did they act on that belief?  Of course not.  Satan is very clever and will attack us in the areas where we are weakest.  He will also convince us of Half-Truths, which are just as damaging, and then convince us that we are not blind. 

One of the most dangerous areas he attacks is our belief system about God.  Satan knows that if our thinking about God is skewed, our thinking will be skewed everywhere else.  Bottom line:

What we believe about God determines how we live.

--Nancy Leigh Demoss

 

I also love this quote by Hannah Whithall Smith in the book The Unselfishness of God:

Everything in your spiritual life depends on the sort of God you worship.  Because the character of the worshiper will always be molded by the character of what he worships: If it is a cruel and revengeful God, the worshiper will be the same, but if it is a loving, tender, forgiving, unselfish God, the worshiper will be transformed slowly, wonderfully, into this likeness.

 

I'll be brief in this section, because if you are interested in further study, you will have to buy the book:-)  DeMoss's commentary is great and gave me a new way of thinking and evaluating whether or not I had actually bought in to a particular lie, so if you don't have the book, I would encourage you go get it.  (I have seen it at Mardels right now marked down.)  The following are lies we sometimes believe about God:

1.  God is not really good.  If he were, he would. . .

This a particularly damaging lie because once Satan can get us to doubt God's goodness, we can justify all types of sin.  In essence, it give us license to reject God's will and make our own decisions because we don't believe that God's decisions and plans for our life are "good". 

Truth:  God is good and everything He does is good.  Ps 31:19; Ps 34:8; Ps 100:5; Ps 106:1; Ps 119:68; Ps 136:1; Eph 1:3-14 (also Jer 29:11)

Truth: God never makes mistakes.  Isa 46:10; Rom 8:28-39

2.  God doesn't love me.

This is a lie I have struggled with throughout my life.  I remember thinking how much I would love to have a relationship with God, if only he loved me.  God's love for us is not based on how we feel.  He loves us whether we feel loved or not.  However, if we believe that he loves "others" and not us, it will affect every area of our lives and relationships.  God loves even you.

Truth: God's love for me is infinite and unconditional.  John 15:13; Rom 5:8; Rom 8:32, 38-39; Eph 3:14-19; I John 4:7-10

Truth: I don't have to perform to earn God's love or favor.  Eph 1:4-6

Truth: God always has my best interests at heart.  Psalm 21

3.  God is just like my father.

The wisest kindest earthly father can only be a pale image of what God really is because they are all imperfect.  But in reality, many of us had fathers who were extremely flawed.  Don't let your image of your earthly father distort your perception of your heavenly father.

Truth: God is exactly what He has revealed Himself to be in his Word.  John 1:1; Heb 1:3

Truth: God is infinitely more wise and loving than any earthly father could ever be.  Heb 12:9-10

4.  God is not really enough.

Do we truly believe God is enough, or are we looking to other things or people to fill the void? 

Truth: God is enough.  If I have Him, I have all I need.  Ps 23:1; Ps 73:23-26; Col 2:9-10

5.  God's ways are too restrictive.

We are free to choose our own path, but we are not free to choose the consequences.  Satan would love for us to believe that following God will make us miserable.  In reality, it is the only path to peace and freedom.

Truth: God's ways are best. Deut 6:24-25; Josh 1:8

Truth: God's restrictions are always for my good.  James 1:19-27

Truth: Resisting or rebelling against God's ways brings conflict and heartache.  Ps 68:6; Prov 15:32-33

6.  God should fix my problems. 

This lie is perpetuated by many leaders in the Christian community, and, unfortunately, it causes many women to become bitter and angry.  While some things may be better (i.e., we won't have to continue living in sin, and therefore will avoid many of the consequences of sinful choices--although not the past ones), God has never promised that the path we take when we follow him is easy.  In fact, he states quite the opposite.  God is much more concerned with transforming our character (and the character of others through us) into his likeness, than he is giving us a problem-free life.  It helps to keep your eyes on Jesus and live with an eternal rather than an earthly perspective.

Truth: Life is hard.  Rom 8:21-22

Truth: God is more concerned about glorifying Himself and changing me than about solving all my problems.  2 Cor 4:17

Truth: God has an eternal purpose He is fulfilling in the midst of my problems.   Rom 5:3-4; James 1:2-4

Truth: God wants to use my problems as part of His sanctifying process in my life.  Job 23:10

Truth: No matter what problem I am facing God's grace is sufficient for me.  2 Cor 12:7-10

Before beginning this section, I encourage you to ask God to give you wisdom (James 1:5) and to reveal His Truth to you.  It is a good idea to go through each of these lies, slowly, meditate on the Truths and Scriptures and begin replacing lies with the Truth (Rom 12:2) .  Try it!  It could be life changing.