Introduction
THE FATHER OF LIES
Have you ever heard it said of someone who wasn't the
most honest person in the world that "he wouldn't know
the truth if it bit him"?
Today, it's not considered politically correct to call
someone a liar, even if everyone can see that the person has
a problem telling the truth. But when Jesus walked the
earth, He didn't hesitate for a second to refer to His number
one enemy using that very word:
"He was a murderer from the beginning, and has
nothing to do with the truth, because there is no
truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his
own character, for he is a liar and the father of
lies."
John 8:44
That murderer Jesus referred to, not just as a liar, but
as "the father of lies," is Satan. When it comes to lying,
deceiving, and twisting the truth, the devil is truly in a
class all his own. He's a liar by his very nature, and his
entire motivation-his reason for being-is to lie and
deceive.
Part of what makes the devil such an effective liar-I'd
say the best who ever lived-is that he's extremely smart.
He knows how to manipulate and work through this
world's systems. He also knows our strengths, our weaknesses,
and the things we "like" when it comes to sin. And
after doing these things for thousands and thousands of
years, he's perfected them.
In the Bible, we first read of Satan's lying ways in the
third chapter of the book of Genesis. The devil appears to
Eve as a snake in the Garden of Eden and begins spewing
his deceptions in an effort to get her to do the one thing
God had told her and Adam not to do, namely, eat the fruit
from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Satan lied, Eve believed him, and the world was
thrown into chaos. But that doesn't mean the devil is done
lying. Not by a long shot!
Adam and Eve lived in a perfect environment where
there was no sin or death. Yet Satan was right there, throwing
around his deceptions and lies. Now if the devil came
at these folks who knew nothing of sin or evil, what do you
think he wants to do to you and me, people who are
exposed to all kinds of evil every day of our lives?
We simply don't have the option of just ignoring Satan
or his lies. To do that would be to give him a huge head
start in his deception. No, the devil's lies must be confronted,
refuted, and defeated once and for all. But how do
we do that?
This may surprise you, but you can't beat the devil.
He's far too powerful, intelligent, and crafty for even the
most gifted among us. We can't overcome the devil through
positive thinking, through gritting our teeth and working
harder, or through making the most sincere resolution to
"do better."
If we go face-to-face with the devil using those kinds of
personal strengths, it's "game over" before we even start.
So far, this seems like a pretty hopeless situation,
doesn't it? It sounds like no matter what we do, the devil's
going to win. But it's far from hopeless, because God has
given us the one weapon that will defeat Satan and his lies
every time: the truth.
The devil can handle anything we throw at him in our
own strength, but the one thing he absolutely can't handle
is the truth, and especially the truth of Jesus Christ as it's
recorded in the Bible.
The Bible isn't just a book full of nice stories and good
life principles. The Bible is truth-God's truth. It's eternal,
complete, and all-powerful truth that easily takes the devil's
lies and puts them in their place. When that happens, we
have the abundant, victorious life God has promised us.
This little book you're holding right now lists the six
biggest lies of Satan and, more importantly, how the truth
of the Word of God overwhelmingly and eternally counteracts
and refutes each of those lies.
As you read on, you may recognize times in your life
when Satan has sent one of his whoppers your way. It is my
hope that you won't just recognize the lies you've been told,
but that you'll be empowered to do something about them.
(Continues.)
