the lie has to die

“Then Elijah said to them, ‘Take hold of the men who speak for Baal. Do not let one of them get away.’ So they took hold of them. And Elijah brought them down to the river Kishon, and killed them there.” *

What a drastic move this seems to us in a tolerant 21st century culture. Yet in God’s way of doing things, the lie has to die. These prophets were the source of the lie that the Israelites had learned. If they were no longer heard the lie, they could listen to the truth. Then they could choose to walk with God and no longer practice idolatry.

If you’re scratching your head wondering how this applies to us, think about some of the things we bow down to: power, position, wealth, people, and possessions to name a few. These are lies we’ve been fed that supposedly will bring happiness. Then there are addictions we run to as we attempt to find comfort: food, TV, computer games, excessive cleaning, shopping, and eating out. It isn’t that any of these are bad in themselves. It’s when they go beyond the point of balance in our lives and become the thing we run to instead of God. I have either experienced these or seen them taken to extreme. Again, these are lies that we believe will bring us fulfillment or comfort. Even from a psychological point of view, the lie has to die in order to get healthy emotionally. It’s no different with the Father. There’s also the stuff most church people list while they leave out their own personal sins: smoking, drugs, alcohol, and porn. These are lies that bring torment; I’ve seen it in those I love. Speaking of what the church leaves out, how about gossip and criticism? These are lies that keep us from seeing our own faults as we focus on others and what they do wrong.

We all have things we run to instead of the Father. Probably the most transforming experience I’ve had since turning my life over to the Lord was when I went through the 12 Steps that are used in Alcoholics Anonymous. I highly recommend it for everyone. It helps you walk through the pain you’ve experienced, own up to your own stuff you’ve done, and lean on God.

No matter how trendy a lie may be, it’s still a lie. Just as the beliefs of Baal were popular in Elijah’s time, remember they were still lies. The lie has to die. I encourage you to lay yourself on Daddy’s surgery table and give Him permission to remove what’s inside you that shouldn’t be there. Repeatedly in the Old Testament it’s made clear that He is a jealous God. He wants you because He loves you so deeply. His heart is not to rule and control you with threats of lightning bolts from the sky if you don’t do what He says. His motive is a deep, incredible, pure love for you. If you’re really serious about walking with Him, at some point the lie has to die.

* 1 Kings 18:40, NLV

See my post “depression”.