Pastor Reveals Remedy to 10 Lies Men, Women Believe
The answer to combating the debilitating lies one might believe about oneself is to find the truth in Scriptures, suggests a Tennessee pastor who recently wrote two separate "10 Lies" lists for what men and women might wrongly think about themselves.
Church strategy consultant Ron Edmondson, who is a co-founding pastor at Grace Community Church in Clarksville, told The Christian Post that after working with hundreds of people over the years he has come to see that there are some consistent lies men and women believe.
"I counsel with people every week who are believing lies that keep them from enjoying life and being all God would have them to be. Ultimately, as believers, we are to believe and follow truth," Edmondson said.
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At some point in their lives, men have believed at least one lie off his "10 Lies Men Believe" list, Edmondson wrote in his post.
His list of lies for men includes: "I will fail if I try; I don't measure up; I am not as good as he is; I don't have what it takes; I can't win; I can do this and no one will know; I can't be honest about that; I'm the only one who has ever struggled with this; I can't recover from that; and I can't be the spiritual leader of my home."
When asked about whether there was something about a pastor's work that enables them to observe how hurtful lies have been in people's lives, Edmondson answered, "I think pastors usually become involved after the lies have started to destroy a person or a relationship."
"Every pastor I know attempts to teach truth, so when a person comes to a pastor and shares struggles he or she is dealing with, one of the best ways to help the person is to discern the lie they are believing," he explained. "Remembering that Satan is a liar and distinguishing truth from a lie are two keys to effective discipleship."
In his "10 Lies Women Believe" post on his blog, Edmondson introduced the list by writing that he had heard from several women after publishing his men's list that they often believe in the same lies as men.
He wrote, "I don't doubt that. Some men will believe some of the lies in this list also..."
However, in his experience as a pastor he said, "It does appear to me that the most common lies we believe, at least the ones the enemy uses against us most often, are often different."
Edmonson's list of lies for women are: "I will never let someone hurt me again; I can depend on this guy to meet all my needs; I think everyone is talking about me; I'm not as beautiful as she is; I can't do that even if I try; I must do ________, so I'll be loved; I won't let it hurt my feelings; I'm not good enough for him; I'll never recover from that mistake; and I know this guy would never disappoint me."
He reiterated what he believes to be the antidote for destructive lies.
"The only remedy to a lie is the truth. Truth that is fully reliable comes from the word of God," he said. "I recommend to people that they find the truth in Scriptures that counters the lie they are believing, and memorize verses or passages to combat the lie."
"They can write them on index cards, on their mirror where they get ready, put them on the dashboard of their car or on their desk at work. Scripture says to hide God's Word in our heart and the surest way to recognize truth and overcome our dependence on a lie is with the Bible," he explained. "The Bible is the greatest weapon against the lies of the enemy."
"I do believe God confirms His truth through other people and by experience, but God's Word never returns void," he continued.
"One reason the Apostle Paul wrote, 'Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.' (Phil 4:8)"
"The Christian who wants to overcome evil with good is the one who starts their day with the words of God; through the pages of a Holy Bible," he concluded.
