Lies young people believe

Transcript from the podcast (so sorry for the spelling mistakes)

Wildfire podcast is an extension of Wildfire, which has a focus of igniting men and women of God into a deeper discipleship with Christ, instilling people with a passion to radically and relentlessly pursue Christ wherever that leads.

That God's truth will spread like a wildfire.

Hi, everyone.

Welcome back to another Wildfire podcast.

Today, it's a bit different because it's not looking Peter saying, it's Jemima.

And I'm Karis.

So yeah, we're the young women's leaders.

So we are going to be doing our podcast on lies young people believe.

So we put up a poll on the Instagram, and some of you put in lies that you believe.

So we're going to try and tackle some of them as best we can, including scripture.

Yeah.

We get into about just what lies are, or?

Yeah.

So like when I was thinking about this, the thing I initially thought was why are there lies?

Why are there lies in the world?

Why do we believe things that we know are contrary to scripture and who God is?

And ultimately that is because of sin in the world, and Satan, the devil, trying to tempt us, and worldly desires, so it says-

The first sin was a lie.

Yeah, exactly.

So ultimately that's how things started when you look back from the very start of the Bible.

And it says in John 8 verse 44, for you are the children of your father, the devil, and you love to do evil things he does.

He was a murderer from the beginning.

He has always hated the truth because there is no truth in him.

When he lies, it is consistent with his character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

So, yeah.

Yeah.

And also, we know that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.

And if Jesus and the devil are opposite of each other, then the devil is automatically a liar and everything that he speaks is lies.

And he can use that to really eat away at our faith and try to make us believe him over God and choose the world over Jesus.

He can use lies to try to make us think that God doesn't have a plan for our lives.

And that really would cause worry and fear in a lot of people's lives.

Yeah, and it says, because you say it when you let lies eat away at you and get a hold on your life, it says in Ephesians 4, 27, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

So the more vulnerable we are, we become by Satan, Satan's temptation, Satan's lies, the more vulnerable we feel, the more attacks we're going to experience from the devil.

So it's just all about staying strong in our own faith, in our own relationship with God, ultimately.

Yeah, totally.

Unreal.

Will we get into some of the lies?

Yeah.

What's our first one, Jemima?

So the first one I have done is God could never use me.

So this is a very common lie young people believe.

It's definitely something I've struggled with and I currently struggle with, thinking how could God use me?

I'm not good at doing the podcast.

I'm not good at speaking in front of people.

Maybe I'm not as spiritual as some other people or anything like that.

But yeah, it says in the Bible in multiple places that they are the people that God uses.

God think about Moses when he didn't think he was able to speak.

God said, no, you can't, and he had to do one of the scariest things probably.

And I've got down here as well in 1 Peter 2 verse 9.

It says, but you're not like that for you're choosing people.

You're a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's very own possession.

As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, but he called you out of the darkness and his wonderful light.

So that verse, every time I read it, I just think, whoa, like a royal priesthood, that is what God calls us.

Yeah, we think we're inadequate to do so many things.

We think God can never use us.

Yeah, that's what he calls us.

Yeah, and God, throughout the whole Bible, just chooses people who we don't think are the likely candidates.

If you think, even in Genesis alone, whenever it's always the firstborn son that you think is going to be chosen, it's always the second that gets chosen.

Like if you think Jacob was chosen over Esau, Isaac over Ishmael, and then Seth over Abel and Cain, and those are just some of them, but throughout all of it, it's always not what we think it is.

And whenever I was also thinking just about examples of unlikely people that have been chosen by God, Saul and Paul, like literally murdering Christians, and then on the road to Damascus then was called by God.

Yeah, and then think how he was used in the future.

Yeah, I think most of the New Testament.

So there you go.

Yeah, also I was also thinking who would be likely, who is a likely candidate, like who?

Yeah, exactly.

I was thinking the Pharisees, maybe you would think that the way that they thought that they were the likely candidates, but they weren't.

They weren't, lucky.

Yeah, and it's all about as well.

We are all given gifts by God.

Spiritual gifts, it talks about that in the Bible.

And whether you know what your giftings are yet or not, God has given us all something.

And it might not be something we think we are necessarily good at or that we have really run with.

We maybe haven't run with it that much, but other people can see.

And so yeah, I encourage all of you to encourage your friends and encourage people in things that you think that they're good at or gifted at, or things they can do that maybe you wouldn't be as good at, but then things that they can't do, maybe you'd be better at.

Because it says in 1 Peter 4 verse 10, God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts.

Use them while to serve one another.

And it says in verse 11, do you have the gift of speaking?

Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you.

Do you have the gift of helping others do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies?

Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ, all glory and power to him forever and ever.

Amen.

That ultimately is our goal, bringing glory to God.

So shouldn't be about us in verse 11.

Yeah, exactly.

Amazing.

Shall we move on to the next?

Yes.

Should we do If Only I Were Like This Person?

Yeah.

Like a comparison kind of one.

Because yeah, this is something again, yeah, I've struggled with.

I'm sure you have cars.

All the time.

And yeah, it's just really common in people just comparing yourself to others.

And you might look at someone and think if only I could do what they're doing, or if only I could be in their position or have the job they have, or have their life, have their friends.

And just to start off, ultimately, it says in Romans 5 or 8, ultimately, we're all sinners, and that's the thing we need to remember.

It says, but God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

And that is what I think we need to think about first and foremost, even if we were like the other person, they haven't got their whole life put together.

They haven't got the perfect life we might think they have.

And yeah, God is place is where we are for a reason, and with the certain people in our lives that we think maybe we don't want in our lives, they're there for a reason and we need to just walk in that.

I think we're so close to, we take our eyes off of God whenever we are trying to think of what we were saying just in the live before.

Yeah, I think, like I know, I'm guilty of saying like, if I had this, I'd be way better.

My faith would be way stronger.

Like, all these different things are so silly that they genuinely like, oh, if I had like brand new Bible that had absolutely everything, and it was just amazing, then my faith would grow.

But that's not how it works.

Materialistic things as well.

We think, oh, if I have this, my life would be so much better.

But realistically, it's all earthly things that are fleeting and temporary.

So we just need to have a heavenly perspective other than a worldly one.

Yeah, so yeah.

Doodly.

Amazing.

Maybe move on to, I'm too young to do big things, which is kind of, kind of elicited to what we have been talking about.

And I was thinking about this in the car on the way here, just about that life, about people thinking that they're too young to do big things.

And all I was thinking was, if you're old enough to believe and trust in God, I think you're willing enough to do whatever he tells you.

Yeah, definitely.

And yeah, what was the verse in 1st Timothy 4 verse 12?

Don't let anyone think less of you because you're young.

Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you love, love, live, sorry, in your love, your faith, and your purity.

Yeah, so that's, yeah, don't let anyone think less of you because you're young.

It just says it, yeah, plain and simple as well.

So in my Old Testament studies class, we were looking at all of the kings, and one of the kings, Josiah, it's in 2nd Chronicles 34.

It says, Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned 31 years in Jerusalem.

He did what was right in the Lord's sight and walked in the ways of his ancestor David.

He did not turn aside to the right or the left.

So he was eight years old.

And then it said-

I'm trying to think, what did I do when I was eight years old?

I know.

I can't even think.

I don't even know.

But yeah, so as well, he says, or it goes on to say in the eighth year of his reign, so he would have been 16.

While he was still a youth, Josiah began to seek the god of his ancestor David.

And in the twelfth year, which he would have been 20, he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherah poles, the carved images, and the cast images, which is a lot of stuff.

But yeah, he began to do big things and he was so young.

Like he was way only here up till 20, just in that short passage.

And he was doing all these big things.

And even like, I think with David as well, David and Goliath, everyone knows that story.

And like, out of everyone that could have been chosen to fight Goliath, David was the one that God used.

And he was probably only, I don't know, really young.

And even in the Psalms as well, like one of the verses says, For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth.

And there's times in the Psalms where David is referring to his youth and saying that he relies on God just as much as anyone.

I think it depends, we've all experienced different things, like in our churches, or whether we've grown up being a Christian, or doing certain outreach things, or with kids.

Maybe we've had experience being up at the front, doing a story, or doing something, or maybe we do more behind the scenes things.

And that comes back to our gifts.

Everyone's different, and everyone's been giving different gifts.

And we just need to be thankful to God that he's given us things, even from being so young.

And maybe some of us might mature spiritually later than others, but ultimately it's a journey that God has planned it all out.

So we just need to trust in him.

Yeah, I think it's important to remember as well that God, even though you're young, God's going to have somebody who's going to guide you.

Like if you're really young, obviously if you're like five years old, it's not going to be...

You're limited in what you can do at five years old.

But as you grow older, people will mentor you, and you'll follow older Christians' examples.

And like how Paul and Timothy, there's always going to be someone there to guide you as well.

Yeah, definitely.

And if not, there's Jesus.

Not there's Jesus.

There's the word.

Yeah.

And it's good to know, it's comforting to know that even when we are so young, we know that we are being sanctified as well.

We're being made more like Jesus, we're being made more holy.

And like that could be a really slow process, most likely it will be.

But it's exciting.

And just the more you learn, the more you read your Bible and speak to God, you will grow naturally.

So yeah.

Yeah, definitely.

Amazing.

What would our next slide be then?

Do you mind, Ma?

I don't know, Carson.

You tell me.

What about Christianity makes you better than others?

Yes.

Yeah.

This is a really hard one.

Whenever I was just working on it, I was like, how do you go about this?

Because the answer is, it doesn't make you better than anyone else.

It makes you a better person, but not better than anyone else.

It makes you better than your former self.

But definitely not then.

Especially, yeah, I think that is a very stereotypically, people are like, oh, but you're a Christian.

So you're perfect.

You are.

What are you doing?

You can't.

Why do you make that mistake after you're a Christian?

Like in school, a lot of people used to say that to me.

And then they'd be really watching out for what you do.

And then when you did trip up, they'd be like, oh, Christian.

But ultimately, being a Christian, yeah, if anything, it should make us more aware of how sinful we are.

And the closer we get to God, the more is revealed to us about our sin and the more unholy we feel naturally because we know how sinful we are.

Definitely.

I had written down, oh yeah, I had written something similar just acknowledging that we're sinners saved by God's grace and that we're in no way worthy or deserving of that.

So we have no right to be trying to be better than anyone else.

I also had look 18 verses 9 to 14, which is the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, where the Pharisee is doing this big prayer and he's saying, oh, I do all of this, I tithe, I do so much for the Lord.

I'm like this tax collector here that he is literally nothing like all this.

And the tax collector was down on his knees, and it says he would not even raise his eyes to heaven, but kept striking his chest and saying, God have mercy on me, a sinner.

And then Jesus goes on to say, I tell you this one went down to his house justified rather than the other, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.

Yeah, that's so true.

And that is what, as Christians, we should be humbling ourselves, because then ultimately we'll be lifted up, we'll be made perfect in heaven, and because that's definitely not the case on earth.

And also, we're saved by grace.

Ephesians 4.32 says, Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgive one another, as God and Christ forgive you.

So we can only forgive others, and we can only be anything to others because of Christ, and because of his sacrifice, and how we are forgiven.

So only because of that can we begin to be any way that we are, which is so important to remember.

So yeah, by no means are any of us perfect.

Yeah, uh-huh.

That actually connects with another lie that we were looking at about the lie of we have to be perfect, or that we are expected to be perfect.

I know we had already touched on that.

I have written down here that God is perfect, and we are not, and we can't be on that level.

We can't be on the same level as God, so therefore, we are not perfect.

And we cannot be until, like you said, until we are in heaven.

But we can aim, and we can strive to be more Christ-like.

Because again, Jesus was perfect, and we can always try to be more Christ-like.

And that's why God sent Jesus, is because we can't see how God does.

Yeah, can't do it by ourselves.

And it also reminded me of the story of Mary and Martha in the house, where I literally loved that story.

It was one of my favorites.

Where Martha's running around the house, trying to get everything perfect for Jesus.

And Mary is just sitting at Jesus' feet and just listening.

And Martha's like, why are you not helping me?

Like, Jesus is here.

And what is it that Jesus says?

Martha, Martha, you're worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary.

Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.

Yeah.

So it's just important to remember that we don't need to be, nothing needs to be perfect.

We just need to come to Jesus or to God as we are.

Yeah.

So.

Yeah.

That's all I have on that one as well.

What is next?

Yeah, what's next?

I have, I'll always be happy.

Okay.

Slash, my problems will disappear.

So yeah, that's it.

It's a big one, because you do think, a lot of people will think that as soon as you're saved, that's all your problems disappear, that everything is so easy.

And yeah, it's, your problems will just disappear, but that is not the truth.

So yeah, well, because we're saved, it doesn't mean that problems are gonna be taken away, but we have more of a reason to be joyful.

Yeah.

Being joyful isn't forcing happiness.

It's about having that comfort that Jesus is there, and that he has saved you.

But joyfulness will often bring happiness even in really bad situations.

I just have here the point that life still sucks sometimes.

Super.

Amen.

Yeah, and that's such a good point.

Because, obviously, Christians go through the same things as everyone else, obviously, like we were saying, none of us are perfect.

But there's so many verses and passages in the Bible that say about how we do have joy in Christ, and joy with the Lord is our strength.

That is like...

What was the second?

Yeah, oh yeah, Psalm 34 verse 5 says, those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy.

No shadow of shame will darken their faces.

And what was the lie again?

Not being...

I'll always be happy.

Okay.

Or my health is with us here.

It's good to think that as a Christian, oh, we can always be happy.

It won't necessarily be happiness, but we can have deeper to joy, which will overrule that, even when we're going through hard times or suffering, we know that we have a God that is for us.

And yeah, that will bring us true joy, not necessarily happiness.

Yes.

Amazing.

Yeah.

I have written down, as Christians, we know there's more to come.

So it's only natural that this life is hard because we don't eternally belong here.

Hebrews 11 verse 13, I don't actually have it written down, but it talks about being temporary residents on the earth.

Yeah.

So yeah, obviously, we're going to find this life really hard because this is not where we're supposed to be, and this is not where we want to be.

So it's just really about getting through it.

But I have 2 Corinthians.

I'll not go through it because it's really long.

But it's really about, actually, you can go read it yourself because it's really, really long.

And yeah, it's 2 Corinthians 11, verse 23 to 29, and it's Paul's sufferings.

And he goes through all these different things that he's gone through, saying, I face dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from Gentiles, and all these different things.

Yeah.

So we think about that all our problems are going to disappear.

This is Paul, and he was facing so much more trouble than most of us will in our lives.

And yeah, it's just important to remember that.

Yeah.

And on Paul as well, even when he was in prison, the scripture that you look at when he was in prison, he never once talked about the struggles he was going through in prison.

I think about all that he was facing there and being persecuted.

He was always just praying for the churches and reminding himself of God's promises.

He wasn't even being caught up in his own circumstances.

So that is someone who had a deep root of joy.

And probably wasn't thrilled about the fact that he was in prison and being persecuted, but he knew it was for God and for a greater purpose.

Great.

I also have another lie, which is everyone is thinking badly of me, which is something that I struggle with.

I always think I overthink absolutely everything, in any interaction that I have, and oh, well, oh, goodness me.

So, yeah, I will overthink everything.

And yeah, something that I do struggle with, but we can't control what people think.

Yeah.

And that's just like reality.

We really can't control what people think, but we can give them reasons to not think badly of us, which is mirroring Christ, mirroring.

Mirroring Christ.

Mirroring.

Imitating Christ.

And being fruitful.

Because then all of those things are so good.

Like all of those things are, like Christ is good.

Christ is perfect.

And producing fruit.

Like will, like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness.

Yeah.

Gentleness.

Self-control.

I think I got, I think I got, I'm not sure.

But yeah, having all those things, why would people think badly?

Yeah.

You know.

And again, you can't control what people think, but.

Yeah.

Also the verse, like, do not be conformed to the patterns of the world, but be conformed by the renewals of man.

Yes.

Like that as well.

Like we can't be thinking always what other people are thinking of us.

This is always where we know we're not actively sinning against someone.

And we're trying to glorify God, then God will honor us for that.

And I have from Romans 8, 38, 39, I'm not sure.

I think it's relevant.

It says, for I am convinced that neither life nor death, nor angels, nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

So even when we are being like, when we're caught up in thoughts thinking of what others are thinking of us, or just overthinking in general, like you were saying, we know that nothing can separate us from God's love ultimately.

So that's, yeah, what we need to, like, what we need to remember.

Definitely.

Amazing.

Yeah.

Will we talk about some ways to overcome lies?

Yes.

We will.

Yes.

I have, like, one verse I do have done is Ephesians 6 verse 16.

It says, in addition to all of these things, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.

So obviously, we should be putting on the whole armor of God.

And that verse specifically talks about the shield of faith.

Because it's comforting to know that the Bible talks about how the devil will be throwing fiery arrows of lies and things that he wants us to believe, to bring us further from God.

Because that is what happens.

That is how it feels sometimes, that we're drifting from God when that happens.

So yeah, we need to hold up the shield of faith and pray, pray that we'll be able to do that and not let ourselves believe the devil's eyes.

And Jitterotomy 31 verse 8 says, do not be afraid or discouraged.

For the door will personally go ahead of you.

He'll be with you.

He will never fail you nor abandon you.

Yeah, speaks for itself.

He's always with us.

Yeah, we don't need to be afraid.

Yeah.

I think it's so important as well to be prepared.

Yeah.

Like for the fiery arrows.

Arrows.

Arrows.

Yeah, so it's so important to be prepared.

I remember a few years ago, I was chatting to people about being prepared by studying God's Word and it's just like a test.

It's just like an exam where if you don't revise for your exam, probably not going to get a good grade.

And it's the same with life.

If you aren't studying the word, then you're not going to have the answers when they come, whenever the questions are asked.

Yeah, and it makes sense.

Like obviously, if we're not in the word daily, we're not going to know, like even if I haven't read the Bible in a while, or like a day or something, I'm like, oh, I'm not equipped for the day.

Like even if I've read something the day before, it's not as fresh in my mind.

And we're going to be far more susceptible to lies whenever we have a lack of knowledge.

Yeah, definitely.

Whenever we don't know.

Yeah.

Then we're going to be like, oh, actually, maybe that's true, but it's not.

Yeah.

So become well equipped with verses, even just like one verse a day that, you know, will help you in different circumstances.

And you might not think it's relevant at the time.

Because sometimes I read scripture and I'm like, oh, that won't really help me out today.

But then even a couple of weeks on the line, I'm like, oh, I'm so glad I read that the other day because I didn't think it was relevant then, but it is now, so yeah.

That's a practical tip.

Great.

That's awesome.

Is that us?

Is that everything that we have?

That's everything I have to cover.

So yeah, I hope you found this helpful.

Yeah.

And we will be doing more videos on lies because there are lots of people who believe so.

Yeah, I hope this is helpful and yeah, that was us.

Good, we'll see you soon.