Hold On To The Truth

Memory Verse: "And you will know the truth and the truth will set you free." (Jn.8:32, TLB)

Scripture Reading: Matt.4:1-11

I was having a chat with someone yesterday evening and while we got chatting, I asked him to remind me of my birth date and he responded, 'May 12'. I knew he was right. I knew that was the truth but I felt like testing his conviction of this truth (and I do this many times with different people). And so I did. He gave in at the point where I began questioning his conviction and he asked me to tell him the 'truth' because it appeared he did not get it right. Trust me, if I had mentioned another date to him, he would have believed my lie as the 'truth' while discarding his own truth, which is actually the truth. When I finally told him he was right, we simply laughed over it. But just then, the Holy Spirit said to me, "Isn't that how the devil works? Always questioning the truth that he knows we already know about God's word."

Friends, the devil will always question the truth that we know from God's word. He will always want us to 'prove' our truth. But you see, I want you to be smarter than him. As believers, we do not need to 'prove' to the devil that the word is truth. Neither do we also need to 'prove' to him that the word works. Trying to argue with the devil in other to prove the 'workability' and efficacy of the truth we know from God's word will floor us. Eve learnt this truth the hard way (see the entire chapter of Gen.3).

I love the temptation story of Jesus because this story teaches me the right way to respond to the devil whenever he comes knocking on the door of my heart asking me to prove that the word is true. In case you are not aware, "the devil knows that everything about the word is true." So, why bother proving anything to him in the first place? Can you imagine the devil asking Jesus to prove that He (Christ) is the Son of God and then Jesus too will go ahead and prove what He already is? That will be insanity of the highest order. Satan may be mad but definitely not my Jesus. Jesus Christ simply held on the truth that He already knows.

There are other people I have had this kind of conversation with trying to test their conviction of their knowledge of my birth date (I even go as far as suggesting another date to them) just to confuse them and see if they will lay down the truth and pick up my lies as truth but they just will not budge. Some of them will tell me, "When you finish, you let me know." At this point, I am the one that eventually will give up. And that is exactly how the devil is. When he sees that we are not ready to let go of the truth that we know, he leaves us alone and goes to try others.

Sweets, when the devil tries to question the authority of the truth you already know [and believe] from God's word concerning any situation or circumstance of your life, don't give in to his subtlety and deception. Hold on the truth, I tell you the truth in Christ and I lie not, "If you stand strong by the word, the word will stand strong for you."

In conclusion, the secret to knowing and discovering these truths to counter the devil's lies and attack is in searching (see Jere.15:16). A revelation of the truth produces strong conviction. If you are lacking in the knowledge of the truth, you will be trapped by the lies of the devil. Also, even if you know the truth and you do not believe that truth enough to stand by it, you will be deceived which is the devil's goal so you can remain trapped in that circumstance. But henceforth, that will no longer be you in Jesus name, Amen.

Ponder Point: If we hold on to the truth of God's word, we won't be trapped by Satan's lies.

Action Point: Go for revelation.

Prayer Point: Father in the name of Jesus, give me a deep(er) revelation of the truth of Your word that will generate a strong conviction in my heart so I can be empowered to resist the lies of the devil. Amen.