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Marching Into Truth

By Martha Bush

Marching

Hello, my fellow SUMite Marchers. Can you give a big shoutout to Lynn for this remarkable teaching in her new book, Marching Around Jericho!

Today, I want us to talk about those false belief systems and lies Lynn refers to in Chapter 1.

Quote, page 20:

“The majority of my march consisted of displacing deceptive mindsets and lies. I’m convinced seventy-five percent of spiritual warfare is stepping into awareness and out of deception. The remaining twenty-five percent, well, that is faith and prayer. Together, we’ll battle through false belief systems, religious mindsets, doubt, apathy, fear, and displace false identity. Expect the cheers of heaven each time we step out of a lie and become fully aware of God’s truth, his whole truth.”  (End of quote.)

Join me as I share with you a false belief that had almost paralyzed me both in the natural realm, and was about to paralyze me spiritually.

False Belief: “I must be approved (accepted) by certain others to feel good about myself? Approval Addict is the name of the game.

Some of the Symptoms I experienced were:   people pleaser, fear of rejection, easily manipulated with guilt trips, don’t rock the boat, strive for peace at all extremes

Those traits kept me paralyzed with fear of making a decision on my own. It got pretty bad when I couldn’t even make a decision in Walmart about the type of paper plates to use for Thanksgiving dinner. Oh, yeah, I would stop other customers and ask, “Which plates would you choose?"

My self-esteem rating was ZERO! And isn’t that just what the enemy wants us to think about our self-worth?

I finally discovered that this False Belief (I must be approved by others to feel good about myself) actually started in my childhood, where most of our beliefs, attitudes, and behavior patterns are formed. Sometimes, those beliefs are true; sometimes they are not.

My road leading to this false belief went something like this:

I never doubted for a moment how much my parents loved me as a child. They showered me with hugs, provided my every need, and disciplined me with firmness, yet with love and kindness. Through their love, I also sensed how much Jesus loved me.

So, what could be the problem with that? Many children would die for a touch from their parents, especially their father, whom I believe forms the basis of our relationship with God.

Here is where I was blocked: Out of my parents’ deep love for me, they kept me under their wings to protect me, in their view. In short, they smothered me. The results: I became a cripple at making decisions on my own and lost confidence in myself. I lost sight of how I felt, what I desired, and was too intimidated to pursue my own thoughts and beliefs. I became a puppet on a string in my adult life trying to please everyone with whom I interacted.

I began to sense the emotional strain this was having on me, but did not realize the extent of it until in my forties when I began to feel God leading me down a certain path. Upon discussing this new direction with my husband, I was met with total opposition. I was brought to a crossroad in my life: One road led to continuing to please others, the other road lead to pleasing God.

The truth of The Word of God literally stared me in the face with the following scriptures:

1. “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10 KJV)

Can I just say that it is hard to truly be a servant of God when all our efforts go into pleasing people and their desires, even our spouses.

2. We ought to obey God rather than men. (Acts 5:29 KJM)

By now, I was getting close to making my decision to follow the direction God had talked to me about. The final scripture that brought it on home to me was Deuteronomy 30:19: I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life that both thou and thy seed may live.

Though we are no longer under the curse, I believe there are times we have to make a choice as to which road we choose to take in order to become God’s servant. Stop and think about it—the world we live in is filled with people who demand that we please them in exchange for their approval and acceptance.

Praise God for Jesus’s sacrificial payment for our sins. Through this payment, we all can find forgiveness, reconciliation, and we are totally acceptable to Him at all times.

And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him Holy and blameless and beyond reproach. (Colossians 1:21-22)

What about you? Are there lies that you have believed? Let’s talk about them in the comments, and let’s all go marching into truth together.

Can I hear an Amen all across Cyber Space for the truth that sets us free? (John 8:32)

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