What Do You BELIEVE?

Yesterday morning, the Holy Spirit woke me up talking about the importance of what we BELIEVE. It was an elaboration on the word He had me release the day before about the great delusion and God‘s “judgment” coming as He allowed people to believe the lie.

There are basically two “narratives” to life. Two stories being told. Both in the world at large and in your own personal life. One is what God says and the other is what the enemy says. 

The enemy, who is the father of lies, tells a false narrative. That’s all he does. He lies. Again, both personally to you, by whispering lies into your heart and mind. And to the world by the people he works through.

But, we have a choice on what we BELIEVE. It’s quite literally the plot of the movie, The Matrix. It is up to us if we choose to believe what the world, the enemy and our own flesh tries to get us to believe, or if we’re going to CHOOSE to believe what God says, period. 

In the end of the Matrix, Neo finally realizes he doesn’t have to believe the “story” that’s being presented to him and as soon as he does, the illusion immediately loses its power over him.

In “The Truman Show,” there’s a line that says, “We accept the reality of the world with which we are presented.” But, God is saying, don’t believe it! 

The enemy has been telling us lies ever since the very first one in the Garden of Eden. His very goal is to get us to believe something other than the truth. But, we get to CHOOSE what we believe.

Throughout my “wilderness” season of God transforming me, He repeatedly taught me not to believe what I saw. Once, He had me speak over my gas tank and I literally watched the needle go up, not down. Another time, He flat out had me drive miles and miles on what appeared to be a past-empty gas tank to teach me that all I needed was His word to sustain me. And again, to not believe what I saw. And then there was my infamous trip to Tulsa with nothing but 83 cents. The “natural” was telling me I had no money, no gas, there was a tornado watch and my dog was sick, but God said He had it all covered and to go. So, I chose to believe Him and I went and He took care of everything.

Jesus told us over and over throughout the Bible, just believe. It’s literally how we are saved in the first place - simply by BELIEVING Jesus’ sacrifice covers us. But, BELIEVING is also the key to the freedom and blessing we are supposed to have IN Christ.

This is exactly why the “placebo effect” is a thing. When it is in effect, someone basically experiences the effects of a treatment without taking the real thing. They just think they are. If ever there was proof of the power of what we believe, that is it! You can literally end up having the same results with a fake treatment simply because you BELIEVED you were getting the real thing.

And this is why it is SO important, now more than ever, for believers (there’s a reason we are called that!) to get clear on what they believe. Because in these times, what we are presented with in the world and in our own lives will pretty much appear to be the opposite of what God says. But, we don’t have to believe it! We don’t have to “take” it!

I have tried several times to explain to friends how unaffected I have been by the different things that have gone on this year. It’s not just a conscious matter of deciding every day not to worry. It literally feels like it’s not even a part of my reality. It doesn’t even enter my consciousness until I go out or someone says something online.

Some people would say THAT is blindness or ignorance. When in actuality, that’s the freedom God wants us to have! It’s what Jesus died for! And it’s what happens when you choose to BELIEVE God. REALLY believe Him. He changes you at the core and the lies of the world don’t have power over you anymore. Just like Neo in that scene from The Matrix. You literally stop living in the false narrative and start living in God’s. And again, never before will we have seen such a sharp contrast between the two. 

Again, God’s “judgment” is about LOVE. He wants everyone to be free from the lies of the enemy. Permanently. His judgment isn’t because He is mean and angry. He hates the lies the enemy tries to ensnare His people in and He doesn’t want them to believe them. But often, in our stubbornness and rebellion, we refuse to turn from them. And thats when He has to “leave us to our ways” for us to realize we do need Him and His truth. Because without it, we are lost and doomed for destruction.

And that’s what we’re seeing now. God hasn’t left us. He is still in control and He has His eyes on everyone. But, He IS shaking things to get people to wake up and realize how much they need Him and His protection. From the evil of the world, the enemy and from their own flesh that will cause them to go astray.

Remember, you get to CHOOSE. At any moment and every moment, you get to stand up to the lies of the enemy and say NO. NO MORE. I am choosing now to believe God at His word and I wont believe the lies any longer.

God’s words are real. His promises are real. His provision, protection and peace are real. But, you have to CHOOSE to take them. You have to choose to BELIEVE them.

But, when you do, THAT is when you will finally start to experience the true freedom and LIFE that Jesus gave His life for you to have. 🙌🔥