Welcome to the Women at Grace Newsletter! As we studied the fruit of the Spirit over the past 18 months, I learned that I cannot produce spiritual fruit on my own. This is the work of the Holy Spirit as I abide in him. I am grateful for the time we spent hearing from different women and studying Galatians 5:22-23. As we enter a new season, we will explore some of the lies we believe and how to replace them with truth.

Most of us believe lies. Lies about God, ourselves, our circumstances, sin, and so much more. Lying is Satan’s primary weapon against believers. He is the “father of lies” (John 8:44). Jesus said in John 10:10: “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” We are in a real battle against both our self-generated and the enemy’s lies, but God wants us to know and believe the truth. Real freedom is found in a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus is the living Word of God, and he has revealed himself in Scripture. So if we want to know him, we need to dedicate ourselves to reading, studying, and meditating on the written Word.

I have believed (and still believe) many lies. Sometimes I believe God does not love me. I KNOW he loves me, but my actions and feelings don’t always reflect that belief. Here are some other common lies I have believed:

My voice doesn’t matter

I am a failure

I am unforgivable

I don’t have enough time for all of my responsibilities

When I believe these lies, I live into them, fall prey to sin, and believe my own perceptions instead of God’s truth. I become enslaved to Satan’s lies.

In the very beginning, Satan tempted Eve to doubt God, telling her the lie that God was withholding good from her. Eve (and Adam) believed the lie and ate the fruit, and through their disobedience, sin entered the world. They listened, believed, and acted according to the lie. This is what you and I do: we listen to lies, believe them, and then act according to what we think is right.

So what can we do? Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth, in her book Lies Women Believe and the Truth that Sets Them Free says: “First, we have to recognize the evidence. Pay attention to your thoughts, feelings or any sin. Second, we have to identify the lie and stop feeding it. This could be a commitment to stop thinking about it so much. And lastly we are going to replace the lie with the Truth. Find verses in the Bible to help you think about the Truth.” Let’s go to our Bibles to find Scripture to meditate on, memorize, and believe!

Here is the truth I am choosing to believe during this season: my only responsibility is doing what God has assigned me to do. I am asking him for clarity on what responsibilities to take care of, what to delegate, and what is not urgent for today. This gives me so much freedom! I have also memorized John 15:5: “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

Freedom comes from knowing, believing, and living by the truth. Jesus says he is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). So let’s go to him, fill our hearts and minds with truth, and live in freedom!

Nathalie Richard

Women at Grace Staff

Read these passages and make notes on these topics as you read:

• Satan’s lies and deceit
• How Jesus describes Satan (who he is and what he does)
• Our Savior: the One who invites us into freedom by knowing and believing the truth

Genesis 3

“You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”

John 8:42-47

“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.”

John 10:1-15

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”

Isaiah 26:3-4

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock!”

Jamie Bishop

Women at Grace Staff

We encourage you to use these questions as a means of self-reflection and for discussion within your community.

1. What would change in the way you think, feel, or respond to others if you truly believed that God loves you deeply?
2. Where have you seen the Word of God expose and free you from lies in your life? If you haven’t yet, what verse could you commit to memory to help speak truth to yourself?
3. What lies are you tempted to believe? Who can you share these with as we begin to explore this topic?

Stephanie Clarey

Women at Grace Staff