Today's inspiration comes from:
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Today's inspiration comes from:
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Countering a lie is not as simple as believing a truth instead. If it were this simple, would we still be walking around ashamed, addicted, exhausted, and discouraged? We could just quote a verse and snap out of it. It’s not so much replacing the lies with truth as it is replacing them with God’s vision for our lives.
My friend and I went out for dinner, and like always, we went deep quickly, talking about what’s happening in our lives. My friend told me she just couldn’t snap out of it, that on any given day she’d rather do anything but the things she should do. Like spending time with God, replying to the text from a friend, sending invoices that needed to go out, deciding what to eat for lunch.
This friend is humble and well aware that she has much to be grateful for and that God’s love for her doesn’t waver based on what she does or fails to do—she knows the truth. But like so many times before, we hit the same dead end: “I’m stuck and I know it.”
“I’m fine. I know my life is good.” But beneath the surface of that answer is an ache of shame that she keeps, and we are sometimes scared to take the shame off.
The fear is that if she took off that shame, then she would become the worst version of herself. Because the only thing keeping her in check is the story her shame is telling her. Her shame has almost become a parent who protects her from going off into this horrible version of herself—checked out, undisciplined, unaware, selfish even.
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If my friend really let herself believe, “I’m okay even though I’m late. I’m okay even though my clothes don’t fit. I’m okay even if I didn’t spend time with God today,” then she would never be self-controlled, disciplined, spiritual.
But the irony is, because of the heavy cloak of shame, she doesn’t want to get out of bed in the morning or spend time with God. The irony is, the very song being sung over her is causing her not to experience freedom and peace and life.
I remember [my other friend] Curt telling me something similar....
“I want you to notice how many times you say the words ‘I should’ throughout your day,” he said. “I think you’re afraid that if you quit saying ‘I should,’ you’ll float out to sea and you won’t ever do anything. You won’t care anymore. The voice of ‘should’ is keeping you in check.” Then he asked if that voice sounded like God’s voice. Because if it didn’t, then whose was it?
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And at that moment, I didn’t know. Had I been living off the fuel of shame? Just like my friend sitting in front of me, processing it in the same way I have for so long?
- (I should) get out of bed.
- (I should) stop numbing out.
- (I should) pray more.
If I stopped telling myself “I should...,” I would certainly stay in bed all day, go days without reading my Bible or praying, and find a million ways to avoid deadlines and discomfort.
But this time, sitting across from my friend, I didn’t have platitudes or a pep talk. To some degree the lie is a little bit true. We are a little bit helpless. We are a little bit unlovable. We are a little bit worthless. Yeah, there’s some truth to these things.
Which is why pretending or convincing ourselves isn’t enough.
We want to prove so badly that we are not helpless, unlovable, and worthless. But it’s a futile fight against real Darkness and a real voice of shame from a Dark Kingdom.
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Beneath the Surface
Part of what makes it so hard to see outside of that box of shame, to take His hand and walk out and into the kingdom Jesus offers us, is that there is something darker going on beneath the lies. Underneath every obvious lie we believe—those loud, painful words we speak over ourselves—is something even more dangerous. A deeper, more seductive lie that keeps us stuck.
It’s the lie beneath the lie.
On the surface, the lies are:
- I’m helpless.
- I’m worthless.
- I’m unlovable.
But beneath each of those is a darker lie. Not one that crushes us, but one that quietly entices us to fix it ourselves.
A lie that says,
- I can be in control of my life.
- I could be perfect and measure up.
- I can be accepted by everyone.
And as long as we believe those deeper lies, we’ll keep striving and hustling and performing—trying to escape the pain of the surface lies by building our own version of salvation.
- If I could just get control . . .
- If I could just do it perfectly . . .
- If I could just win everyone over . . .
- Then I’ll be okay.
- Then I’ll be enough.
- Then I’ll finally be at peace.
But if you’ve lived long enough, you know this doesn’t work. Because even when we manage to check all the boxes, our souls still aren’t settled. We might have the job, the applause, the plan—but deep down, we still ache.
Here’s what’s true:
You were never meant to be in control. But Jesus is, and He is good.
You don’t have to be perfect. Jesus is perfect, and He gave you His righteousness.
You won’t be accepted by everyone. But Jesus has already accepted you, fully and forever.
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You can’t always snap out of the snare of a lie quickly or easily, but the Lord is with you! He won’t leave you to struggle alone. He’s in control and He loves you and accepts you right where you are! ~ Devotionals Daily
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The Lie You Don't Know You Believe
Online Bible Study
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The Lie You Don't Know You Believe Online Bible Study
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In The Lie You Don't Know You Believe Bible study, Jennie Allen helps us define the lies that distort our identities and influence our decisions, and we'll learn to replacing the lies with the Truth of who God says we are based on His Word!
We will journey with Jennie into Matthew 4, where Jesus faced the enemy’s temptations and revealed a decisive truth: God’s Word holds the power to silence every lie that comes against us.
Join The Lie You Don't Know You Believe Online Bible Study and get access to six teaching videos and other helpful tools—all FREE when you sign up!
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PREMIUM BUNDLE
The Best Value! Get 3 incredible resources and save $28.98 (41% off retail!)
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This Premium Bundle includes:
- (1) Study Guide - The study guide includes group discussion questions and personal Bible study between sessions for reflection and application. You’ll also receive an individual access code to stream all 6 video sessions online (you don't need to buy a DVD!).
- (1) The Lie You Don't Know You Believe: How to Find It, Fight It, and Live Free book - AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! The companion book to the study: In The Lie You Don't Know You Believe: How to Find It, Fight It, and Live Free, Jennie Allen pulls back the curtain on the enemy's oldest trick—and shows you how to dismantle it with the spiritual authority you already have in Christ. She guides you through how to:
- Spot the three core lies everyone believes—and name the one running your life
- Trace the moment your lie took root and how the enemy has been using it to keep you stuck
- Cut ties with your old narratives so they stop shaping your choice
- Challenge lies in real time and replace them with God's truth. This isn't about behavior modification. This is about transferring your life out of the enemy's kingdom of lies and into the kingdom of light—where joy, peace, and strength aren't fleeting feelings but your everyday reality.
- (1) Journal- The perfect companion to the study: The NKJV Scripture Journal: I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life can be used for your quiet time with God, recording your thoughts, and much more. The encouraging words of John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” will be a daily reminder of God’s help in our lives. Makes a perfect gift, for yourself or someone else!
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ESSENTIALS BUNDLE
includes the study guide and The Lie You Don't Know You Believe book!
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+ Free Shipping included!
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This Essentials Bundle includes:
- (1) Study Guide - The study guide includes group discussion questions and personal Bible study between sessions for reflection and application. You’ll also receive an individual access code to stream all 6 video sessions online (you don't need to buy a DVD!).
- (1) The Lie You Don't Know You Believe: How to Find It, Fight It, and Live Free book - AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! The companion book to the study: In The Lie You Don't Know You Believe: How to Find It, Fight It, and Live Free, Jennie Allen pulls back the curtain on the enemy's oldest trick—and shows you how to dismantle it with the spiritual authority you already have in Christ. She guides you through how to:
- Spot the three core lies everyone believes—and name the one running your life
- Trace the moment your lie took root and how the enemy has been using it to keep you stuck
- Cut ties with your old narratives so they stop shaping your choices
Challenge lies in real time and replace them with God's truth. This isn't about behavior modification. This is about transferring your life out of the enemy's kingdom of lies and into the kingdom of light—where joy, peace, and strength aren't fleeting feelings but your everyday reality.
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STUDY GUIDE
with lifetime streaming access to all 6 videos!
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+ Free shipping on $20+ with code SPRING20
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Your perfect companion for the OBS! The study guide includes group discussion questions and personal Bible study between sessions for reflection and application. You’ll also receive an individual access code to stream all 6 video sessions online (you don't need to buy a DVD!).
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this devotion with someone who needs it today
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*Sale price ends on 04/30/26 at 11:59 PM. Limited quantities available.
*FREE U.S. shipping on orders of $20 or more with code SPRING20 valid through 4/30/26 until 11:59pm ET, excluding Alaska and Hawaii.
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