|
|
A Snake In The Boat
All of us have experienced the work of Satan in our lives through lies that he has led us to believe as the truth. However, quiet often, we don't even realize that the lies exist. Sometimes we come to realize that the lies exist but we allow them to remain, thinking that we just have to coexist with the lies. There are all kinds of self-help books to help us cope with the lies. However, I want to share with you coping or coexistence is a terrible option. Other people try to escape the lies by jumping into some addiction. I use following analogy to reveal some truths concerning the lies.
1. You need to recognize that there is a poisonous snake in the boat. If you see the snake and think that it is a large rope, you may step on it and get bitten.
2. If you recognize there is the snake in the boat with you, as long as the snake is in the boat, the snake won't rest or sleep neither will you get any rest or sleep.One thing about lies is that they are deceptive. If we have accepted a lie as the truth, then we are in the bondage of that lie. We need the truth of the Word of God to reveal the lie as being a lie. We also need the revelation of the Holy Spirit to pierce through the bondage of the lie.
3. As long as the snake is in the boat, you can't concentrate on paddling to go anywhere or doing much fishing.Here we find an internal conflict of knowing at least part of the truth and trying to live with the lie. We cannot rest or get any restful sleep as long as the conflict remains.
4. If you try to ignore the snake and just leave the snake in the boat, the situation may become critical ... you may get bitten by the snake and die.Quite often this is where tendencies toward ADD may enter into the life of the individual. The individual may desire to go somewhere and become successful or fruitful, but they are distracted by the lie or lies.
5. If you dive out of the boat into the water, you may drown before you can swim to shore, get bitten by another snake in the water, or possibly eaten by an alligator.Many people simply try to cope with the lie which they have believed. They may try biofeedback, positive thinking, certain medications, or some therapy to cope with the lie.
6. If you open a case of beer to drink away the idea of the snake being in the boat, the snake still will remain in boat, the beer will impair you judgment, and you will become more susceptible to getting bit.Some people try to escape from the lie by moving to another job, city, or relationship, but in reality the lie does not go away. It follows you where ever you go. Quite often the problems become worse rather than better. I am reminded of a woman who came to me when she was on her eight marriage.
7. Your first priority is to get the snake out of the boat and not to just sit there waste a lot of time trying to figure out how he got in the boat in the first place.To keep from dealing with the lies that we believe, we may enter into all kinds of addictions: sexual, drug, work, eating, sport, exercise, and even ministry.
8. How do you get the snake out of the boat? This will probably be a new experience for a lot of people. If you are wise, you will pray and ask God.Although it is important to find where the lie came into your life, it is most important to renounce the lie and get it out. Some people obsess over how the lie came into their life and never deal with the lie itself.
9. What do you use to get the snake out of the boat? You use whatever is available! You use what God has already provided.Prayer should at the top of the list. However, you need to renounce the lie and replace it with the Word of God.
10. There is also a need to find out how the snake got into the boat. If you have parked the boat under a shady tree, he may have fallen off a low branch ... you don't want to do that twice.We should remember that God's promise is that He will provide all our needs. Therefore, we should look to see what he has already provided. The confession of the Word of God is important. However, we must also take authority over the liar and the lie using the Word.
11. For many people this experience may be in the category of a traumatic experience. Some may never want to get in a boat again or ever want to go fishing again. You may need freedom from fear and healing.We not only need to get the lie out of our lives, we need to make sure that the lie does not come back into our lives again. We need to shut the door on the enemy.
12. If you don't see purpose in the experience, you most likely will become angry at God, yourself, or someone else. Therefore you need see that in the sovereignty of God that God had a purpose in your life by allowing the snake in the boat.Emotional healing is always in order. You should follow the steps forgiving others who have brought lies into your life, ask for God's forgiveness for holding offenses toward them, ask God to take back any additional ground that the enemy has taken, bind and cast out fear in the name of Jesus, and accept Jesus as your emotional wound substitute.
Complete healing comes as you see that God works all things together for your good and also the benefit of others.
"(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (II Corinthians 10:4-5).
