Intro to the Lies We Tell Ourselves Series

By Gena Barnhill @BarnhillGena

In today’s complex world, people often find themselves entangled in a web of misconceptions and false beliefs while searching for meaning and purpose. Advances in technology flood us with information daily through social media, making it difficult to determine truth, which can lead to confusion and acceptance of lies.

Embracing falsehoods is not a recent phenomenon  Yes, we have more access to information than ever before, which can lead to confusion and acceptance of lies. However, the enemy has been lying to us since he tempted Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden.

Lies Explained 

Lies or false beliefs are thoughts or words that are not in agreement with God’s Word. We learn these falsehoods from our families, friends, communities, culture, social media, and sometimes our churches. These lies are reflected in our attitudes, expectations, judgments, decisions, and behaviors. We may make vows based on inaccurate beliefs. We have heard people declare they will never again engage in a relationship after leaving a toxic one.

Many are not aware of the extent to which they hold onto incorrect beliefs about themselves, others, and God. These ingrained lies can manifest in various aspects of life, including self-worth, relationships, purpose, and faith. Falsehoods regarding personal identity, such as “I am not good enough” or “My past defines my future,” can shatter self-esteem and thwart fulfillment of God-given destiny.

Intro to the Lies We Tell Ourselves Series #lies #healing Click To Tweet

Darkness and Lies 

During our training in inner healing prayer, we were reminded believing lies is an agreement with darkness. This can open the door to the enemy and oppression. Once we recognize an ingrained belief is a lie:

• We need to renounce and reject it,
• Ask forgiveness for partnering with it, and
• Ask the Lord for His truth.

During inner healing prayer sessions, the Lord shares His truth with prayer recipients when they ask Him. They are no longer bound by misconceptions and experience joy and freedom.

Ten Common Lies 

This blog post series will explore ten different lies people tell themselves and contrast them with truths from God’s Word. It is a journey that takes us from deception to the awareness of God’s unfailing truth, love, grace, and desire for our restoration and healing. The timeless wisdom of Scripture and God’s promises are presented to refute the enemy’s lies.

Stay tuned for the first blog post in this healing prayer series—The Lie I Am Not Good Enough.

In the meantime, consider praying aloud the bolded words in this prayer from our manual, Simple Effective Prayer: A Model for Inner Healing.

Prayer for Dismantling False Beliefs

1. I confess my sin of believing the lie that ____________________. I forgive each of the following people for influencing me to form this false belief (Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, name the people aloud). I choose to forgive ________, _________, _______, _________.

 2. Lord, I ask You to forgive me for accepting this false belief and living my life based on it. I receive Your forgiveness, and I choose to forgive myself for believing this lie.

 3. I renounce and break agreement with this false belief and any associated darkness.

Pause here and ask the Holy Spirit for His truth that replaces the false belief. You may ask the Lord aloud, “What do You want me to believe about this situation or myself?” Use the information gained here to complete step 4.

4. I choose to accept, believe, and receive Your truth Lord, which is ______________. ¹

Now it is your turn. Do you recognize any lies you have believed? What will you do to experience freedom in Christ?

Be sure to leave your thoughts on our Facebook Group Healing Prayer Discussion.

Looking forward to your thoughts.

Blessings,
Gena

¹Gena and Press Barnhill, Simple Effective Prayer: A Model for Inner Healing (Birmingham, AL: Brookstone Publishing Group, 2022), 35-36.