The Liar: Spiritual Warfare

If you have been a Christian for a while, you have likely heard the term "spiritual warfare." However, you might not fully understand what this means or how it manifests in your daily life. When you hear this term, it is not unusual for people to envision the Archangel Michael triumphing over Satan, driving a spear through his side, as we have seen in religious imagery. And that certainly reflects the spiritual aspect of spiritual warfare. However, you may be unsure of what spiritual warfare looks like for the average Christian going about their average day. This uncertainty isn't your fault; many churches only touch on the topic of spiritual warfare briefly, often referencing the familiar verse from Ephesians where Paul wrote:

Ephesians 6:12

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

They read the scripture, tell you this is why you need the armor of God, or why the real enemy isn't the jerk who cut you off on your way to work Friday, but the spirit inside him instead, and basically they move on. But that doesn't really give us any of the tools we need to do warfare; it just tells us that screaming "jag-off' at the guy is way the wrong answer because he's not really our enemy. So what does real spiritual warfare look like?

Well, it could look like resisting the urge or temptation to scream at that guy and instead praying for him. Truthfully, there are many topics I could address, and this might end up turning into a series. However, for today, I want to focus on two specific tools used by our adversary that I have encountered, and that I know many of you have faced in the past or are currently facing. Those tools of the enemy are lies and fear, and often they go hand in hand, creating anxiety, stress, doubt, and panic in the hearts and minds of believers and non-believers alike.

How do we know that lies are a tool of the enemy? Is it just because it's a sin? No, Jesus told us that Himself. In John 8:44, Jesus says this:

John 8:44

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

The enemy lies because it is his very nature, and he uses negative self-talk and false beliefs about ourselves or our situations as one of the many devices against us, which is why we must be aware of it. This is why the Apostle Peter warned us to be on guard, that our enemy is looking for people to devour in 1 Peter 5:8. Let's look at the verse now.

1 Peter 5:8

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Our enemy, much like a lion on the hunt, watches and waits for the perfect moment to attack—when we are weak, tired, or beaten down. Just as a lion targets the young, the old, and the sick from a herd, our enemy seeks to prey upon our vulnerabilities. He tries to isolate us from the safety of our community, which, in this case, is the church and the people around us. Then he seeks to turn our small problems into insurmountable challenges and convinces us that change is impossible. Then, while we are down, that prince of lies, the serpent of old, either tempts us or lies to us, whatever he can to keep us stuck and to drive a wedge between God and us.

We all face the same adversary, and his tactics rarely change. However, if we are not aware of these tactics, it becomes impossible to overcome them. The song "Liar" by the artist Jelly Roll effectively illustrates one of these tactics. "Liar" serves as a battle cry for me and many others who struggle with negative self-talk. So, let's examine some of the lyrics from the song and discuss how we can overcome these challenges through Christ.

Here's the first part I want to look at, and don't worry, I am not singing, just reading:

"I let you drive around my mind

I can't count the times you made me feel like I'm nothing

Played me like a fool, like a fool

Saying, "Drink another whiskey, pop another pill

Money makes you happy, Heaven isn't real

You won't find nobody to love because your heart's too broke."

These are all lies and accusations that the enemy makes against us. Maybe the devil uses different words for you; maybe he tells you that no one will know if you do so and so. Or that no one will care or notice if you don't show up. Maybe he tells you you are worthless, and life can never get better. Maybe that negative voice throws your past in your face and tells you that you can't really change. Regardless of the words the enemy uses, these are all lies because our enemy is the father of lies. Often these lies become the loudest when we are alone, choking us with fear of the future.

Let's look at another line in Jelly Roll's song "Liar" where he describes that very thing like this:

I can hear you in my head, in my bed when I'm dreamin'

Then he shows us what spiritual warfare looks like and how to counter the lies of our enemy with the next few lines:

Oh, and now I ain't scared of tellin' you where you can go

'Cause I know, you're nothing but a liar

You burned me one too many times

Like a devil in disguise, hiding your true colors

In these lyrics, Jelly Roll says he isn't afraid to tell the enemy where to go, that he knows the enemy is a liar, and he has been burned enough times by believing those lies that he isn't going to fall for it again. Now let's close in on one specific line Jelly Roll used here: 'Tell the enemy where to go.' This is a reference to when Jesus said in Matthew 16:23, " Get behind me, Satan." And also the authority we have been given in Christ. Let's take a look at the verse in Matthew now, before we get to authority.

Matthew 16:21-23 reads like this:

21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.

Please understand, Jesus wasn't really calling Peter Satan here; he was speaking to the spirit influencing him, just like earlier when I said it wasn't the guy who cut you off that was the problem, but the spirit working through him. And notice in Jesus' response to Peter, or more accurately, the spirit working through Peter at that moment, that he didn't just stop at saying 'Get behind me, stand down, go away; ' he let the devil know what he was guilty of. Jesus told him that his mind was not on the things of God, but of man. Following this pattern in his lyrics, Jelly Roll also countered the lies of the enemy with what he was guilty of. But then, Jelly Roll continues his lyrics and defensive counterattack by declaring truth in strength. Here's what that sounded like in the song:

Now I know

You ain't nothin' but a liar

Yeah, I walk right out the fire

Yeah, you try to keep me down, try to put me underground

But I'm only going higher

Jelly Roll told the enemy that he was a liar, that he knew his tricks and he wasn't following that path anymore; he has a higher calling and higher authority now. Speaking truth to lies is the same defense that we saw Jesus using throughout His ministry, but especially when satan tried to tempt Him in the wilderness. Here's just a small sampling of that portion of scripture found in Matthew 4.

Matthew 4:5-7

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’

and

“‘On their hands they will bear you up,

lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

In this secular song, we find the pattern and prescription for spiritual self-defense. Be aware of the enemy and his tactics, call it out when you see it, command him to leave you, and counter the lies with truth. That's why this song reminds me of Ephesians 6:12; it's spiritual warfare in action. It's a reminder that we can overcome the enemy when the truth lives inside us. James, the brother of Jesus, wrote it like this:

James 4:7

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Our enemy is determined to steal, kill, and destroy. To undermine and corrupt the things of God. But you were born to overcome. When you were born again, the Holy Spirit came to dwell within, empowering you with the very strength of God. You are more than a survivor, more than what meets the eye, more than what your bank account or number of followers online says about you.

You are a child of the Most High, beloved by the Ancient of Days, grafted into the family of Abraham as an inheritor of those promises and the Kingdom to come. You are valued and desired by the One who formed you in your mother's womb. Resurrection power is in your veins, and the authority of heaven and earth is yours; we see this in the book of Matthew following the resurrection. Here's what Scripture says:

Matthew 28:18-20

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Today, as we wrap up, I want to encourage you. Spiritual warfare is real; it can be painful and may seem like it has taken over every aspect of your life. But remember, the devil is a liar, and today, you have learned how to overcome those lies. When we recognize this and understand that we have the authority to dismiss these lies and counter them with truth and Scripture, we become empowered to conquer them. It takes time, and we may have to battle the same lie over and over again, but one day, you will look back and realize how far you have come and how much you have overcome by the power of Christ working in you and through you.

Today, you have been equipped for the battle by learning to recognize the tactics of the enemy, calling them out, and being provided with the truth to counter those lies that lead to self-harm, fear, and isolation. My friends, the battle has already been won; we just need to walk in that victory and tell the enemy where he can go. One final passage to take with you: if you are struggling with fear, depression, and battling the lies of the enemy, I encourage you to write it down and read it daily, because it was immensely helpful for me when I was struggling with those same emotions.

2 Timothy 1:6-7

6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

In some translations of the Bible, instead of "self-control," it says "a sound mind." That is how I learned it, and to me, it represented a promise of freedom from racing thoughts, constant negative self-talk, and overwhelming fear and depression. As I read that verse over myself daily and studied the Word, I began to feel stronger. I started to trust God's Word, and I rebuked those negative thoughts. I fought back and began to walk in freedom. Today, I no longer suffer from anxiety and depression, and I am no longer contemplating suicide. By the power of God, I have been set free, and He wants to do it for you too.