The three of us gather in chairs right there in my dining room. We go heart-deep and my dear friend Jennifer says words like these, “I’ve struggled with believing the lie that I’m not smart enough.” It’s a stunning confession to those of us listening because, as Suzie replies, “You’re one of the smartest people I know!”
Later Suzie admits she’s struggled with believing she’s not good enough. And we are again shocked because she’s a woman of faithfulness and excellence in our eyes. I add my own lie, that I have strived to earn my worth because I sometimes don’t believe who I am is adequate. Yet I’m the girl God has used to write books about embracing who we are and becoming all God created us to be.
A lightbulb comes on as I realize suddenly that the enemy is lying to us in the area of our giftings.
I imagine he does the same with you too. Because I think the purpose of the lies is to hold us back from who we’re created to be and what we’re called to do. I will never forget Priscilla Shirer making a powerful statement that basically came down to, “The attacks on our lives are more about who the enemy believes we can become than who we are right now.”
So if you are in a battle today, if you are hearing lies, do not let the enemy shame you, do not let him make you feel guilty. We can block those arrows and say, “No, in Jesus’ name, I am a warrior and I’m going to resist until the day I go home.”
There are going to be times when we need our sisters to lock shields with us too and say, “I’m going to take those arrows for awhile. I’m going to stand in the gap for you.” There is no shame in that either. In the Kingdom of God, there is no such thing as an army of one. We are always strong, better and braver together.
{Continue reading with me today over at (in)courage…}
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If you’d like to listen to the entire conversation between Jennifer, Suzie and I you can find it on this #morethansmalltalk video. And if you want more encouragement for overcoming the lies in your life, you’ll find it in my new devotional Do You Know You’re Already Amazing? 30 Truths to Set Your Heart Free.
