It may be true that circumstances are closing in. Enemies have taken up their position in the night. Your whole world is surrounded by threats, accusations, missiles, and hate. But here’s the thing: That’s only half the story. The Enemy wants you to believe you are doomed. That there is no way out. Now, we’ve got to be really careful about this lie, because Scripture calls us to be humble. But as it’s been well said: humility is not thinking less of yourself; humility is thinking of yourself less. We easily get these confused by thinking it honors God for us to think less of ourselves. But nothing could be further from the truth. The Enemy always paints a great picture of freedom. It’s over there—where the grass is always greener. These thoughts that you can shirk commitments and have it your way don’t come from Jesus. He comes to give life and give it to the full.

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This lie isn’t a reflection of true humility. It’s a club that beats you over the head. This lie whispers to you that you’re useless. You will never have what it takes. Have you been called to lead a small group at your church? This lie insists it can’t be done. Have you been called to lead your family with integrity and compassion and kindness and strength as a wife and mother who follows God? This lie tells you that you’re not good enough; you’re never going to amount to anything, so don’t even bother trying.

Don’t give in to this lie. The Devil loves for you to look at your life and compare it with somebody else’s, so you wish you had what they had. He’ll mix in a little jealousy and sift in a little coveting and add a dash of woe is me and throw in a few lines about how God must love that person more than you. Or about how God is blessing that person more than He’s blessing you. Or about how surely God has withheld something you need. Pretty soon the Devil has you convinced that God isn’t good. God hasn’t blessed you. God doesn’t love you. You missed out on something good, because God is mean, or God forgot about you, or God’s been lying to you all this time. The truth is that you need to let the Good Shepherd lead you by still waters. When God is walking you through the valley, you can stop worrying about managing all the outcomes. You can stop looking over your shoulder. You can take the boxing gloves off. But if we’re not careful, the enemy will pull up a chair at our table, and we’ll start reflecting his attitude to everyone instead of the Lord’s. Instead of feeling more secure, we’ll grow more paranoid. Instead of increasing in confidence, we’ll become crippled by fear. But God has other plans for you, better plans, where you can experience intimacy, rest, and joy beyond your circumstances.

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What’s the truth? Well, it’s possible that somebody hates you. Sure. But it’s not likely that everybody’s against you. What’s more likely if you’re hearing that lie is that you’ve got your fist clenched and you’re ready to strike. Somewhere in the past you developed a defensive posture, an untrusting nature, and now it has become your default. Your walls are up. Certainly, there are subtler forms of this lie. The Enemy is great at sowing seeds of doubt, at working to undermine your confidence about what God says is true about you. You might not exactly hear the word hate, but maybe you are hearing yourself say words like this: Well, that person didn’t even look up when I walked into the office—I bet she doesn’t like me. See those people talking over there—I guarantee you they’re talking about me. They are out to get me. Look at that friend—I bet she never wants to talk to me ever again. I don’t have any friends. All my friends do things without me. No one ever invites me anywhere. Nobody likes me. In the beautiful comparative picture, we have of the Good Shepherd in John 10, Scripture tells us Jesus “lays down his life for the sheep” (v. 11). Jesus has put it all on the line for you! Here’s the thing: you need to know the “not enough” anthem was composed in the pit of hell. It’s crippling. Debilitating. Paralyzing. Suffocating. It didn’t come from the Good Shepherd. In Don’t Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table Pastor Louie Giglio uses Psalm 23 as a framework to offer biblical insight on how to…

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The way you renew your mind is to wrap your thoughts around Scripture. You can take control of what you think about. You deliberately plant the good seeds/thoughts of God in your mind. As these thoughts take root and grow, they will help remove the destructive weeds that the Enemy tries to plant in your mind. But the Spirit of God is interceding for you: Lord, open her spiritual eyes; Father, let him see with the eyes of faith. How do you cultivate, weed, and water the garden of your mind? Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is— his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Whatever you give shelter and sustenance to in your mind is ultimately what will grow in your garden. You’re going to reap what you sow. Don’t give the Enemy a seat at your table. You can win the battle for your mind. Do not give in to sin, despair, or darkness. Take every thought captive. Bind every thought in Jesus’ name that doesn’t come from God. Fill your mind with the goodness and richness of Scripture. Memorize Scripture, and become the DJ of your mind, letting thoughts of God consistently fill your heart and life. Surrender your life completely to Jesus. He will lead you to green pastures and quiet waters. He will lead you through dark valleys, but you don’t ever need to fear. You will not be in want, because Jesus will restore your soul. Jesus will lead you to a table in the presence of your enemies, but there’s nothing to worry about, because your head is overflowing with oil, and your cup overflows, and goodness and mercy are following you all the days of your life.