This morning, we’re going to talk about the “The Lies (L-I-E-S) That We Believe “ And the reason I titled it “The Lies We Believe” is because that’s what the Lord told me to title it. (Laughter)
Stephen and I were watching a program on ESPN called “30-30” which looks at the history of athletics during a certain year, like 1980 for example. If you are not a football fan, the name Marcus DuPree won’t mean much to you.
In 1981, he was a freshman running back at Oklahoma. The starting running back got injured and DuPree came in a shocked college football. He was, in my opinion, more talented than Bo Jackson.
What made me think about Marcus DuPress was the fact that people would say over and over, “He had God-given talent.” And knowing what I would be ministering on today, I thought it was very interesting that I would be watching this program.
Over the years, one of the lies that we have been taught is “I am the way I am because God made me that way.” Or, “I get angry real quick about something because God made me that way.” Or, “I can’t jump as high as some folks because God made me that way.” Or, “I have this body because this is the body that God gave me.” Or, “I’m not as smart as some folks because God didn’t give me that type of intellect.”
All of our shortcomings, the things we didn’t like about ourselves, or we wished we were better in some areas – we justified it by saying “This is the way God made me. So I have to deal with it.”
The reason that the examples I just gave are lies is because they are. God is an egalitarian. He treats everyone the same. The reason that those examples are lies is because there is a direct connection between what you believe and what you say with your faith. A direct connection.
So those areas where you are off in your doctrine, when it comes to the things you believe and say, you won’t have any faith. God wants us to maximize our faith. But you can’t maximize your faith if you believe God, your Heavenly Father, designed you the way you are.
One of the subheading you see in your notes is “Ethnicity.” There was a time in our country’s history when a lot of people believed that a person with my skin color was cursed by God. In other words, God cursed us and made us this way for a reason. Many people believed that.
And there was a time in our history when someone with my skin color didn’t want to be born with this skin color. We didn’t talk about it. But privately, we would much rather have been white than black. We knew that if we were white, we would have certain advantages and things available to us that we didn’t have at that time. So, there was a time in our country when it was preferred not being black.
Now, if God made me this way, made me with black skin, what are we saying? We’re saying God made me a second class citizen, or a third class citizen – whatever you want to call it. Obviously, if God made me this way, He didn’t make me first class because I’m subservient always to someone who has a lighter skin color.
Do you see how devastating that can be to building your faith? How can you love and trust a God who would purposely make you less than another human being? So, in that case, if you have a relationship with God that is not 100% in love with God and I’ll do anything He wants me to to because He made me black, then you’re not going to have a whole bunch of faith.
And on the other side, if the folks with the lighter colored skin believe the same thing, they’re not going to have a lot of faith either. Why? Their doctrine is just as off as the person with the black skin. Can you see how it’s a lie that God made me the way I am?
We’re going to look at a couple of verses that we’re familiar with in Genesis chapter one.
(26) And God said, Let us make man in our image, after or likeness: [This is the way it was in the beginning. We were exactly like God.] and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping them that creepeth upon the earth.
(27) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; [I want you to pay attention to how many times scripture says in the image. That’s at least three times we’ve seen “in the image” so far.] male and female created he them.
(28) And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, [The word “replenish” means to “fill.”] and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that move the upon the earth.
Now this is how God had everything in the beginning. When we get over to Genesis 2:17, that’s when God tells man that you are not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. When we get to Genesis 3, we find that Adam and Eve have eaten of that tree.
When you get to Genesis 3:7, man is no longer Genesis 1:26-28. Man is no longer like God. Man no longer has the image of God. Can we agree on that?
Now look at Genesis 4:1. “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, [This is what Eve said. I want you to understand this.] I have gotten a man from the Lord.”
Just because Eve said it doesn’t mean it’s true. Did you hear me? Just because Eve said it that does not make it true. We all know what it means when someone says “He’s raising Cain.” We know exactly what that phrase means, don’t we?
A lot of times we’ll read the Bible and think that everything in it is what God believes or what God desires. God has given us an overview of what people thought and what they did.
Remember the story of Job? He said the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. But when we read the story of Job, especially chapters one and two, we see that it was Satan doing all the damage. It wasn’t God. But Job didn’t know that. He was simply saying what he believed. But when you read to the end of the book of Job, Job says that when he talked about God, he talked about things he didn’t understand. In essence, Job admitted that he was wrong for blaming God for the things that happened to him.
Now turn with me to Luke and then we’re going to come back to Genesis 5. In Genesis 4 we read where Eve said that she had gotten a man from the Lord. And for many, this is the basis for saying that children come from God. But let’s look at Luke 3, verse 23.
(23) And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli.
Now do you see where it’s says “the son” and they are in italics? You can just take them out. Now jump down to verse 38.
(38) Which was of Enos [Which means came out of the loins of Enos.], which was of Seth, which was of Adam, which was of God.
In this list, who are the two sons that came of God? Adam and Jesus. Every one in between had a father who had a sin nature. Now, do you want to put the capstone on it?
Turn to Genesis 5. I remember the first time I saw this. I said my gosh! And it’s been in here the whole time. This has been in Genesis 5 at least 63 years! Because I’m 63 but it wasn’t until recently.
(1) This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;
(2) Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
Remember in Genesis 1:26-28 it says God created man in His image and His likeness and the phrase “in the image” three times. Look at verse 3.
(3) And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, [Do you see this? Not in God’s likeness. Adam begat a son in his own likeness. What does that mean? His son did not have the spirit that God originally gave him in Genesis 2:7. He now had the nature of his father, which now had a fallen nature. Adam’s image now is not like God’s. Why would scripture make the distinction between “God’s likeness and image” and “Adam’s likeness and image?” ] and after his image; [What was the image of God? His nature and His life. Adam’s image now is not like God’s. Why would scripture make the distinction between “God’s likeness and image” and “Adam’s likeness and image.”] and called his name Seth.
What we have seen in these passages is that, when we are born, God did not make us the way we are when we are born the first time. He made us the way we are when we are born the second time, when we are born from above.
So, the first lie, “This is how God made me,” is not true and the second is close to it.
Now, how many times have you heard “There but for the grace of God, go I.” How many times have you said that? You’re walking in the mall and you see someone in a wheelchair. “There but for the grace of God.” You see someone who is blind. “There but for the grace of God that could be me.”
So what you’re saying is this: “You are so wonderful, you are so holy that God smiled on you and that poor person in the wheelchair, that poor person who is blind, didn’t have a shot. But God smiled on me.” This is what we’re saying but we don’t think about it like that. You hear things and you repeat things.
But this saying is a lie.
And when you say ‘There, but for the grace of God go I,” that does not build your faith because what you’re saying is God treated that person in the wheelchair, that person who is blind, that person who has a Down’s Syndrome – God treated them differently than He treated you. That’s what you’re saying but according to scripture that is not true.
When it comes to our first birth, there is nothing fair about it. We’re born into what situation or circumstance we’re born into. That’s just the way it is. “If there, but for the grace of God go I,” think about all the people in the underdeveloped countries. If it wasn’t for God’s grace, I could be living over there. Praise God! No!!!!
God has nothing to do with it. But as long as we believe God plays favorites, we are going to try to earn His favoritism when we’ve already been born into the family. But for us to say that if it wasn’t for God’s grace, I could be living in Africa or Egypt or anywhere else other thank the United States, we’re saying God hand picked us to live here.
“There, but for the grace of God go I” is a lie from the pit of hell, from Satan’s throne room. He wants you to think that when bad things happen it is God not being fair to you. Why? He’s the one working behind the scenes causing the problems.
Before looking at the last lie, I want to make a point about “This is how God made me” and “There but for the grace of God do I.” Life is not fair but once we are born again all of us start at the same place – all of us are equal. Then it is up to us how we build on that starting point.
Now, lie number three: “Satan is the god of this world.”
Look in 2 Corinthians 4.
(1) Therefore…. Do you see the word “Therefore?” It tells us that there is something we need to know from chapter three. And what is that? Let’s go back to verses five and six of chapter three.
”Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killers, but the spirit giveth life.”
So what ministry do we have? We are ministers of the New Testament. We are ministers (and not talking about pulpit ministers) of life. The ministers of the law are ministers of death.
Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not.
(2) But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscious in the sight of God.
(3) But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: [Now remember he’s talking about Christians.]
(4) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
Paul is saying “You are a Christian and you’re not lost. But if you are not believing the gospel, it’s because you are being blinded by those – from the pulpit – who are teaching things that blind you to the truth of God’s Word.
It clearly says that Satan is the god of this world, does it not? Turn to John 12.
(28) Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it gain.
(29) The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, Sid that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.
(30) Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes,
(31) Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
Back in 2 Corinthians 4, the word “world” in the Greek is AION, which means “age, generation.” Jesus says that he is also the “prince of the KOSMOS. This word means “everything that we see going on in this world.” In other words, he’s the prince of the world systems we see in operation.
In Ephesians 2:2, Paul says he’s the “prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in children of disobedience.”
Now the question becomes, “Who is he the god of?” Scripture says he’s the god of this world, and if he’s the god of this world and this world is dominated by sin and the sin nature, then who is he the god of?
Now this is the question that the God asked me.
“Who is the ‘god of your world? You live in “your world” but you also live in another world. Remember My Son said the kingdom of heaven shall be in you. (And we read this in Luke 17:20-21.) That is the world you live in once you’re born again. That is the world that you bring to the world in which your physical body resides. (Our bodies have not been glorified. It’s the same body we receive when we were born into this world.)
“Your body lives in a world dominated by sin. (Can I get an Amen?) Your spirit lives in a world dominated by My life and My nature. In the most literal and truest sense, the “god of your world” is determined by who you belong to. When you got born again your human spirit left the family of darkness and moved into My family – the family of light.
“Your spirit “moved” but your body did not. And it is your body that hinders you from experiencing the fullness of what it means to live in My world – the kingdom of light.
“And because you live in two worlds, two kingdoms, at the same time, you must choose which kingdom you will serve every day, every hour, every moment. You must choose. (We have to choose. And do you realize that we’re the only beings on earth that lives in two different kingdoms at the same time.) You can live by what you see and hear (kingdom of darkness) or you live by faith (kingdom of light).”
So, of what world is Satan the god of? Not mine. Satan is not the god of my world. I should be dominating his world with my world because that’s exactly what Jesus did. He dominated Satan’s world with His world.
Satan, ladies and gentlemen, is the god of the world systems. He is not the god of God’s creation. Do you see the difference? How is he the god of the world systems? He works through men and women who have a nature that is just like his and he’s able to influence them to do what he wants done. And we’ve been seeing his influence in our country the past few weeks with the riots and looting.
Now let’s look at Luke 4.
(5) And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
(6) And the devil said unto him, All this power (The word “power” is EXOUSIA – authority.) will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
(7) If thou therefore will worship me, all shall be thine.
(8) And Jesus answered and said unto him, “Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shall thou serve.
Hold your finger here and go to Colossians 2:15. And this is referring to Jesus after He’s risen from the dead. “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” Everyone in the realm of the spirit knew that Jesus had utterly defeated Satan.
In Luke 4, Satan tells Jesus that all authority and everything associated with it, he will give to Him if He will fall down and worship him. Whatever you read about Satan, thinking about John 8:44.
“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
Now, I’m not an English major. But the Bible says there is no truth in him. What does that mean? There is no truth in him. Satan cannot tell the truth. He can’t help it. God is love and He can’t help loving us!
Now back to Luke. Remember in verse 6 the devil tells Jesus “All this authority will I will give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.”
Of all Satan said, what did Jesus respond to? No one should worship anyone other than the Lord thy God.” Jesus didn’t respond to Satan’s other offers because it wasn’t his to give. God gave man dominion and he never took it back. Jesus knew that.
My point is this: There are so many people who will read this and tell you that this world is in the state that it’s in because Adam gave his authority to Satan. Adam rebelled against God and took on Satan’s nature. But he didn’t lose his authority. When Adam fell and received a sin nature, now listen me, he gave Satan access to his spirit. And because Satan now has access to man’s spirit, he can now influence him, USE him, to accomplish his goals.
But once we get born again and receive the life that comes with being a child of God, Satan no longer has access to our authority. Do you see how important it is to get people born again?
God is no different than Satan when it comes to his ability to work in this world. He needs people to agree with Him and to give Him access to their authority. Satan has people who are agree with him and giving him access to their authority. How? In Mark 4, remember the parable of the sower? He uses the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches. Satan uses money to get people’s authority.
Your Heavenly Father wants your authority to seek and save the lost for His kingdom.
These are lies, ladies and gentlemen, that are lies WE USED to believe now that you’ve heard this message. Amen? Amen!
