Stop lying to God. God created all things, and He gives life and breath to all things Acts 17:25; He knows every word we speak and each breath we take. He knows every lie we ever told. Before God, we will have to give an accounting of every word spoken and everything done Matthew 12:36. When you speak a lie, you have spoken that lie to God and man.
Knowing that God hates lies; how can a believer expect God’s best when he tells lies or, worse, living a lie? Living a lie is when you live according to the lie(s) you believe, generational lies.
Notice, of the 7 things that God hates, 4 of them involve lying and deceiving. Numbers 2 and 6 the lying tongue and false witnesses are clear liars. Numbers 4 and 7 the heart that plots evil, and those who plant seeds of dissension between friends will lie; They gossip and spread misinformation to accomplish their objective. Lying is the most wicked of sins.
Not Everyone Lies
In our culture, lies are common and it seems like everyone does it. While it seems like that, it’s not true. I don’t lie. Telling the truth, like my faith, it’s something I practice daily. Speaking the truth must be part of our daily walk in Jesus Psalms 15:2. It’s integral to my being a man of God. I certainly did not stop lying on my own. I turned my entire life over to Christ and read, studied and meditated on His word. Growing in faith and grace, and knowledge, He taught me not to lie Romans 12:2.
I grew in knowledge of Jesus and learned to trust Him and His word. Then by His grace one day I realized I had stopped lying Proverbs 12:22. That’s God doing the work while I set my heart and mind on Him. Believers call that “effortless transformation” 2 Corinthians 3:18. We are being transformed from the inside to the outside. I hid His words in my heart and walk in them daily and continue in today Psalms 119:11. It was as if I was compelled to tell the truth. It was the power of God in me who encouraged and strengthened me to always speak the truth.
When you love someone, you want to please that person and do the things that pleases him or her. When you love God with all of your heart, mind and soul, you want to please Him before all others, even yourself. It’s a “walk in Christ”, one foot in front of the other, one day at a time Colossians 2:6. The power of God can break the chains that bind you to lies. The Holy Spirit can set you free from telling lies as well the lies you believe, the family lies. Those generational lies often do the most damage. When a mature believer loves God, He loves the truth and hates lies; as he is being conformed into the image of His Son.
What happens to unbelievers who doesn’t lie?
It is possible that someone can become convinced that what he has been doing is wrong and then attempt to stop lying and he may even succeed. But if such a person has not placed his faith in Jesus Christ and the righteousness He provides, then he is simply trusting his own moral reformation. So, even though he stopped lying at judgment, his fate is eternal damnation.
Helpful Advice and Hints to Avoid Lying
Things the Holy Spirit taught me:
– Ask for forgiveness. As soon as you realize you have lied, just correct yourself. It may be embarrassing, but it’s better than sinning.
– Repent is admitting to God that He is right and you are wrong for telling or believing any lie and that you need Him to walk the walk.
– Offer a polite version of “None of your business.” If someone asks a personal question you rather not answer, say kindly “you rather not talk about that” or just be silent.
– Develop a reputation for honest speech and for doing what you say you will do. Let your yes be yes and your no be no.
– When you make a commitment, do your best to fulfill it. Don’t make promises you can’t keep.
– Build a truthful environment in your life by speaking truth yourself, and expecting it from those you keep close to you.
REPENT: CHANGE YOUR MIND
Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, putting away lying, let everyone speak truth
Put off the old man, stop lying and deceiving like those who don’t understand or want to understand the life of God. They don’t want to understand because their heart is dark and blinded by the pattern of the world. Put on the new man, born again in Jesus Christ.
The will of God for Believers
Ephesians 4:23 “be renewed in the spirit of your mind” and “put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Jesus Christ” Colossians 3:10.
When you lie, you disown God and call Satan dad. Put on speaking truth, transform your mind with the knowledge of scripture and be renewed. “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers” Romans 8:23.