To Tell the Truth
What is Truth? Pilate asks Jesus. In spiritual warfare, Jesus, the Truth, is fighting the battle for us. That is one understanding of truth, and a very important one. We cannot be the embodiment of truth, but we can model our behavior after Jesus by fastening on the belt of truth (Ephesians 6:14).
Truth (or honesty) is the spiritual weapon we need to counter the attack of fear. I can't be honest because of the perceived (and maybe real) risk of telling the truth. When I don't tell the truth, I feel like a fraud, a fake, inauthentic. I can't be myself because "myself" is not okay. Satan knows all of this. He is the father of lies, and he wants us to lie, even if the lie is minor. That's a win for him.
How battle-ready is your weapon of truth?
There are six areas of truth to consider. Some of these might be easy for you; others, not so much. (There may be other areas as well, but this will give you a taste of how truthfulness affects us in the spiritual battle.
Feelings. When you are having a rough time, can you tell someone or do you keep it to yourself? We don't need to share it with everyone, but we should try to be honest with those who can be intercessors for us, who can pray with us, who can walk with us in the difficult times. The devil wants us to suck it up. Be strong! When we hold it in, we feel alone, unloved. It doesn't have to be that way.
Hurts. When someone has been unkind to us, betrayed us, lied, we might suffer in silence. We pretend everything is fine, but it isn't. Then we feel guilty about acting friendly to someone who is not our friend. It's not that we should lash out at them. That's the devil's way. God's way might be to share honestly about the hurt you are feeling without trying to hurt them in return.
Our past. Many of us have done things in the past that we are embarrassed or ashamed of today. We were lost, ignorant, and foolish. We don't want people to know who we were because they might reject us or look at us differently. The apostle Paul handled this in just the opposite way. He said, here's what I did. I was getting people arrested and killed, and then Jesus came along and changed me. He didn't hide his past. He used it to give glory to God and to show others God's mercy. The devil wants to keep us captive in our secrets. God wants us to tell the truth because it shows His power and grace, and gives hope to others with a similar past.
Our Needs. I have a hard time asking for help. I think I need to do it all myself. If someone asks if they can help, my first, almost automatic response is "No, I'm good." But that isn't true. I would like help. There are people who have helped me be honest about my needs, and I appreciate their insistence on helping.
Our beliefs. When someone criticizes Christians, I might hesitate to challenge what they are saying. Do I want to go there? Can I articulate what I believe and why? Am I brave enough to speak up? I believe in the truth, and I want to be honest enough to say it. When I hold back, my silence is a lie. I don't have to go all Rambo on someone, but I can confidently speak the truth that I know about God.
My opinion. This is a tricky one. My opinion doesn't matter that much. But if someone asks for it, I'll usually tell them what I think. If someone is telling me what they plan to do something wrong and want me to affirm them, I can't, in all honesty, tell them it's okay. I know that's what they want to hear, but I can't help them along the way. Satan wants me to make them feel good. But God expects me to speak the truth, which may redirect them from a bad decision.
Why speak the truth?
We don't speak the truth because our ego needs it. If you offend me, my ego wants me to tear into you and because I should not be treated that way. How could you do/say that to ME, of all people? That is an ego-driven response. I'm telling the truth but losing the spiritual battle. Instead, we can tell them how we are feeling without accusation. We own our feelings. For example, "When you did that, I felt hurt and excluded." We acknowledge what happened and how it affected us because our feelings are valid.
Speaking the truth with love.
A friend was about to do something very wrong. In the past, my approach had been very judgmental. What you're doing is wrong. It's bad. You shouldn't be doing that. But one day God changed my heart, and I spoke the truth in love. I said, "This is bad for you, bad for your family, and bad for your soul." I stated the facts without condemnation. When we take that approach, it's a big spiritual win.
Truth is an important and powerful spiritual weapon. Prayerfully consider how comfortable you are with this and where you are holding back. That's part of the spiritual inventory you can do on the weapons in your arsenal. You might find it helpful to do a daily examen focused on truth. At the end of the day, reflect back on the times you spoke honestly and those times you didn't. What fears hindered you? Is there anything you would do differently?
Jesus always spoke the truth. The devil always lies. Be like Jesus.
Questions for prayer:
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In what areas are you comfortable speaking honestly to others? What situations or people make it easier for you to speak truthfully?
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When do you resist speaking truth and why? How might you want to change, if at all?