Satan's Lies to Families

John 8:44
Whenever he [the devil] speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies.


I can think of at least four lies Satan tells families:
1. "You're a failure. You'll never make it." The lie of self-condemnation is one of Satan's chief weapons. You may struggle with feelings of guilt, failure or inferiority. Satan would have us believe that our faults are much too damaging to be covered by the grace of God. If you believe this lie, it renders you powerless, passive and paralyzed without any hope of progress as a parent.

2. "You don't deserve to be unhappy." Of course God does want us to be happy, but the way Satan puts the statement is a lie because he means, "All you need to do is get out from under this relationship or these family pressures and you'll be happy." It's a "feel-good lie" because what really feels good is working through problems together.

3. "Nobody will find out." Have you ever heard a little voice tempting you to do something illegal or immoral that would bring instant satisfaction or pleasure? You may think nobody will discover what you do, but that's a lie. The truth will come out.

4. "If I had what Sam has, I'd be happier." Satan wants you to think that what you have is inferior to what someone else has. The lie is exposed when we realize that such comparisons are always made from a distance. If we had what Sam had, we would probably experience Sam-type problems, and they may be worse than ours.

Remember that Satan is a counterfeiter. If we refuse to believe his lies, he is rendered powerless. Resist him by remembering the truth of God's Word.


Prayer:

That a sense of God's own power will fill your heart, and that His voice through the Word will drown out each of Satan's lies.
Discuss: Which of these lies do you see Satan using with you? Be specific.