Jesus highlights the extent of the devil’s power, to all the kingdoms of this world, not just a particular locality. Here’s the key message: Secular society has misguided ideas about freedom, and many people are slaves to their desires. Contrary to popular artistic imaginings, the devil is not in hell; he’s here, on earth. If Jesus’s anthem is ‘On earth as it is in heaven,’ the devil’s is ‘On earth as it is in hell.’”

I’ve been training myself to be a gracious reader, seeing the best in other writers. That practice has made me resistant to offering critiques, even when I have them, though I also believe I’m morally obligated to offer critiques in love. Fortunately for this book, I really don’t have any. Perhaps Comer could have camped out a bit longer in some biblical texts, but I wasn’t bothered by his approach. He was paying attention to the original languages and engaging with historical and contemporary voices throughout. I found the book clear, focused, and profoundly useful. Should You Read It? The way of Jesus seemed familiar and boring to me heading into college and the way of the world was very enticing. Praise God that he has put me on a trajectory of falling in love with him once again, thanks to an incredible community of friends and family and a ministry that has prevented me from living comfortably. John Mark has been one of the most influential catalysts in my faith in my entire life right up there with Centrifuge, Bill Rodriguez, La Vida, Ebeth, and Akash. I cannot wait to continue being taught by him as he launches into a new chapter of his ministry. But there is a dark side to these as well. In this sense, the flesh is basically our selfishness and rebellion against God’s rule, manifesting itself in sinful cravings and corrupt desires. Our animalistic appetites and self-gratifying pleasures may feel natural to the body, but they are fundamentally opposed to God’s ways. Some ideas are more dangerous than others – so in their spiritual war against lies, it’s crucial that Christians remain vigilant. After all, this is certainly not a straightforward battle. The devil is subtle and skilled, and his assault on truth is more like a digital disinformation campaign than a traditional war with weapons. People need to be prepared to think critically to protect themselves from the lies they hear on a daily basis. To resist the devil and his lies, Christians should try to be more like Jesus. Here’s the key message: We reap what we sow, and the choices we make determine the people we become.But sometimes, willpower alone is not enough. People have to battle with their desires for self-gratification on a daily basis. In the Bible, Paul says that Christians have to “crucify” the flesh and its desires. According to scripture, anything that has control over a person is their master. By that definition, a huge part of Western society is enslaved – people compulsively chase after their desires, looking for freedom and happiness in the wrong places. But it’s never too late to try to change. It’s worth reflecting on your thoughts and behavior, and deciding whether this is the person you want to be. If you feel guilty, use the guilt as a positive, motivational force to change your habits for the better. The author also makes an excellent point that the worst lies are those which deny something good and right about God. This affects our trust in him; so if we are struggling to trust him then we should consider if there is a lie behind this which we have accepted into our lives.

In addition, a church should be a community of holiness, set apart from the hedonism of secular society. For example, Christians should be mindful of their sexual behavior and attitudes, and use their bodies to honor God. Live No Lies is brilliant, deep, scriptural, and will equip you to face the enemy and fight.”—Jennie Allen, New York Times bestselling author of Get Out of Your Head Comer’s illustrations and phraseology are very US-based, and overall the book could be shorter, while still getting the main points across; in other words, parts of the book can be skimmed. But always be aware that there are gems here and that the overall thesis is vital and worth repeating until we really get the message. I spent over two months reading this book because for some reason I found myself re-reading chapters, in a good way though?

Success!

Saint Peter predicted that Christians would be exiles. But living in exile doesn’t mean having a lonely existence. In today’s culture, an effective church needs to be a community of close relational ties, where people form deep, intimate relationships with each other. Christians should also commit to attending regular meetings with other followers of Jesus; at the meetings, people could confess to each other and offer love and support. Jesus offers Christians the perfect example of relationships and reality, which you could also call spirit and truth. He came to show the world the truth, and he came in the form of a teacher – a human being who could relate to other people. Christians should follow his example by connecting with others and focusing on the truth. This book is more of a manifesto about spiritual formation. Specifically, why do we find it so hard to become people who look like Jesus? The World, the Flesh, and the Devil One simple way to become more like Jesus is to adopt spiritual practices, such as quiet prayer. When a Christian prays in solitude, the illusions of the self are exposed for what they really are: the devil’s lies.