Misinformation and the father of lies ∙

Misinformation and the father of lies ∙

The devil 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 8:44

2 Corinthians 11:14-15

 14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

 15 Therefore, it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,

 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.

 5 We are destroying speculations, and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

In the information age, the widespread dissemination of misinformation and disinformation has enormous consequences. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, “Misinformation is the inadvertent spread of false information without intent to harm, while disinformation is false information designed to mislead others and is deliberately spread with the intent to confuse fact and fiction.” In 2018, many analysts and experts identified misinformation as the year’s most pressing issue.

There are many sources of false and misleading information, such as social media platforms, fake news websites, unreliable news outlets, conspiracy theories, deepfakes, influencers, celebrities, and echo chambers (also known as filter bubbles), where individuals are only exposed to information that aligns with their existing beliefs. This cumulative effect often leads many people to question the trustworthiness of any information they encounter.

On August 19, 2018, Rudy Giuliani, then a White House lawyer, controversially stated, “Truth isn’t truth,” implying that truth is subjective and influenced by partisan beliefs. However, we have the power to combat this narrative of misinformation. Misinformation pervades narratives, creating doubt about the obvious and leading to alternate explanations, interpretations, and views that can obscure the facts. By committing to seek and uphold Absolute Truth, we can counter this narrative and bring clarity to the discourse.

Absolute Truth is True Truth. It is a unique gift from the Father. Absolute Truth, with its unwavering nature, is a powerful force that never varies, compromises, or synthesizes. It remains steadfast, confronting all falsehood and deceit. Absolute Truth stands alone against all conflicting opinions and points of view, inspiring confidence in its unshakeable nature.

How do we know when we are being told a lie? To discern lies, we must test all information against the standard of the Word of God. This makes it essential to immerse ourselves in the Word, reflecting on and meditating upon what we read and internalizing its truths in our hearts and minds.

The enemy of our souls, the father of lies, is a master of misinformation and disinformation. He uses lies, deceit, and duplicity to achieve his hidden objectives. The enemy seeks to destroy goodness, chastity, honor, honesty, beauty, and all that makes life lovely. Evil routinely destroys.

In stark contrast, Christ brings life and leads us to life. He provides the Way, the Truth, and the Life that leads to the Father. We can prepare and train our minds for spiritual warfare against the enemy’s forces by taking every thought captive and aligning them with the truth of Christ.

Therefore, it is incumbent upon each child of the King to develop a sophisticated Truth filter. We must equip ourselves to discern truth from falsehood and recognize the enemy’s tactics.

John 8:44 [The evil one] speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

The Lord Jesus Christ declares that when the evil one speaks and tells a lie, he is only doing what is natural to him. Thus, whenever he lies, “he is only behaving in accordance with his own character,” or “he is true to his own heart,” or “he is speaking from his own heart” (UBS). He is doing what comes naturally. He disassembles and prevaricates because “Lying speech is his native tongue” (NAB).

REFLECT & PRAY

Each of us can recall a time when we were confused, uncertain, and childlike about the truth of the Word of God. For some of us, that might not have been too long ago, and it may still seem so.

Father, please help me to desire and be energized to engage with and remain in the truth of your Word. Let the truth of Scripture fill my mind, soul, and spirit.

INSIGHT

The Lord Jesus Christ and the enemy are diametrically opposed. While Jesus loves us and desires the best for us, the enemy hates us and seeks our downfall. Jesus brings life and light, whereas the enemy brings death and destruction.

The battleground for this conflict is the mind. The apostle Paul emphasizes the importance of preparing and training our minds for spiritual warfare. We are to take every thought captive and make it obedient to the Truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We must recognize and combat the invisible, intangible spiritual forces that the enemy promotes. He continually spreads false information and propaganda that contradicts the Father’s revealed Truth. His half-truths may appear wise and sophisticated, but they are hollow, pretentious, and fallacious, leading to despair, misery, and death.

A Truth filter equips us to separate valuable information from worthless, tangential, and base material. By reflecting on and meditating upon God’s Word, we can internalize the Truth in our minds, souls, and spirits, allowing it to permeate every aspect of our lives.

Jeremiah 15:19 If you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become My spokesman.

How do we become His spokesman?

“The conversion of a soul is the miracle of a moment, but the manufacture of a saint is the task of a lifetime” (Alan Redpath). Conversion happens instantly; maturity takes years.

The Father must bring us to the end of ourselves through brokenness. When His work is complete, our weakness is transformed into strength, hope, and confidence.

We learn to downsize and discard. We purge ourselves of certain traits and habits. We repent of unsuitable goals and desires. Finally, we strip ourselves of all self until we can genuinely say, “All that I am and all that I have is God’s. He is in me, and I am in Him, and that’s all that matters.”

Pause and consider. What have you put between yourself and total surrender to God? What do you trust more than you trust God? Who or what do you love more than God?

The Father is at work to change you and bring you to spiritual maturity. His goal is to use you to lead others to wholeness and spiritual sophistication. No matter how long or difficult the process, God will continue to break you and bring you to a place of wholeness and spiritual maturity.

What an honor and joy it is to know that the Father is with us, working in and through us.

He equips us to tear down the strongholds of misinformation and replace them with Absolute Truth. The Father has promised. “I will make you as secure as a fortified wall of bronze. They will not conquer you, for I am with you to protect and rescue you. I, the LORD, have spoken!” (Jeremiah 15:20).

One day, we will hear the triumphal words of our Father’s pleasure and delight, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23).

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© Dr. H 2024