Recently, I read this statement by a recovered addict: "When you're transparent about everything, it knocks the devil's feet right out from under." In other words, don’t give the devil a foothold, or place, in your life. Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Ephesians 4:25-27 NLJV
Being a citizen in right standing in God’s Kingdom requires that we do not give the devil a place in our life through secret sins and ungodly deeds. It requires that we are transparent in all we do. But we naturally try to put on a good front to "save face". Sadly, "saving face" is more predominant in religion than transparency. Religion is far more concerned with how our outside looks rather than the condition of our heart and soul. This creates a religious façade that conflicts with what is controlling our soul (mind, will and emotions). But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7
This façade will, in time, hinder our ability to hear from the Lord God by the Holy Spirit—our Kingdom Governor. Jesus told them “Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear Me! For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. 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. So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe Me! Which of you can truthfully accuse Me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe Me? Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.” John 8:43-47
This lack of transparency, in an attempt to protect our reputation, damages our ability to influence the world in which we live. Gallup’s 2023 survey on honesty and ethics by occupation puts clergy at an all time low of 32%. Just 32% of those surveyed thought clergy were honest and ethical. You cannot lead those around you to Jesus if they don’t see you as being honest and trustworthy. Consider this: The world is starving to see someone with an incorruptible spirit and immovable standards. They want to see someone who cannot be moved. They WANT to believe that person still exists, so they seek to tear down believers to test and see if we actually live what we preach! Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. Colossians 4:5-6
Believers must be transparent to knock the demonic realm "off its feet". They used to say "tell the truth, shame the devil". That lack of transparency and truthfulness goes all the way to many pulpits. If the pastor and their leadership aren't truthful and transparent, the members won't be either. When they see transparency modeled by their leaders, they will feel safer to be transparent. They will follow their lead!
I can testify to the damage done by living a religious façade. Growing up in a pastor’s family, I can tell you we weren't transparent. Being transparent could cost Dad his job so our family motto was "what goes on in this house stays in this house". That lack of transparency cost us our family, our church and it shattered relationships and reputations. Also the sad thing to me, was that the people shaming us and gossiping about us were doing worse things and keeping their sins hidden by shining a spotlight on us. That's why I became a truth-speaker. The devil ALWAYS uses the hidden things to bring down believers. For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all. Luke 8:17 We only deceive ourselves, because the Lord God sees all.
I've always said that all the devil wants to do is to make you believe a lie. Jesus told us who the devil is: “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 8:44b
What lie is he telling you?
"No one will ever know"
"Trying it won't hurt anything"
"I can stop anytime"
"He doesn't love his wife, he's staying for his kids”
"What they don't know won't hurt them"
"A little innocent flirting is harmless"
Little lies protect pet sins….those sins we don’t actually want to give up. The hard truth is that they mean more then our relationship with King Jesus and His Kingdom! Ouch!
The lack of transparency and openness about our lives is a breeding ground for hidden sins, which are open doors, allowing the demonic to wreak havoc in our lives. Face what is keeping your spiritual doors open and shut them. Repent, clean your spiritual house of all that does not line up with God’s Kingdom laws and principles and pray for His mercy and grace to cover you.
This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in Him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.. 1 John 1:5-9
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes, and He is the one to whom we are accountable. So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:13-16
If you aren’t being transparent with people, is what you are hiding unrighteous in the Lord God’s eyes? Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33
God's Word says "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free" but do we really believe it? If we do, we will never tell a lie or live a lie. We will never tell “half truths” (which are lies) or even lie by omission. We will be truth-speakers and become averse to anything but the truth.
What you may not see is that your transparency may also set others free…free to be truthful and set free from the lies and hidden sins that chain them. My prayer is that they will see Jesus working in our lives and want Him in their life. Show those around you what life in God’s Kingdom looks like!
You are an ambassador of the Kingdom of God everywhere you go. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. Colossians 3:17
Now may the God of peace—who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with His blood—may He equip you with all you need for doing His will. May He produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to Him. All glory to Him forever and ever! Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21
Deborah Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
All scriptures are NLT unless otherwise noted.
Being a citizen in right standing in God’s Kingdom requires that we do not give the devil a place in our life through secret sins and ungodly deeds. It requires that we are transparent in all we do. But we naturally try to put on a good front to "save face". Sadly, "saving face" is more predominant in religion than transparency. Religion is far more concerned with how our outside looks rather than the condition of our heart and soul. This creates a religious façade that conflicts with what is controlling our soul (mind, will and emotions). But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7
This façade will, in time, hinder our ability to hear from the Lord God by the Holy Spirit—our Kingdom Governor. Jesus told them “Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear Me! For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. 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. So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe Me! Which of you can truthfully accuse Me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe Me? Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.” John 8:43-47
This lack of transparency, in an attempt to protect our reputation, damages our ability to influence the world in which we live. Gallup’s 2023 survey on honesty and ethics by occupation puts clergy at an all time low of 32%. Just 32% of those surveyed thought clergy were honest and ethical. You cannot lead those around you to Jesus if they don’t see you as being honest and trustworthy. Consider this: The world is starving to see someone with an incorruptible spirit and immovable standards. They want to see someone who cannot be moved. They WANT to believe that person still exists, so they seek to tear down believers to test and see if we actually live what we preach! Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. Colossians 4:5-6
Believers must be transparent to knock the demonic realm "off its feet". They used to say "tell the truth, shame the devil". That lack of transparency and truthfulness goes all the way to many pulpits. If the pastor and their leadership aren't truthful and transparent, the members won't be either. When they see transparency modeled by their leaders, they will feel safer to be transparent. They will follow their lead!
I can testify to the damage done by living a religious façade. Growing up in a pastor’s family, I can tell you we weren't transparent. Being transparent could cost Dad his job so our family motto was "what goes on in this house stays in this house". That lack of transparency cost us our family, our church and it shattered relationships and reputations. Also the sad thing to me, was that the people shaming us and gossiping about us were doing worse things and keeping their sins hidden by shining a spotlight on us. That's why I became a truth-speaker. The devil ALWAYS uses the hidden things to bring down believers. For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all. Luke 8:17 We only deceive ourselves, because the Lord God sees all.
I've always said that all the devil wants to do is to make you believe a lie. Jesus told us who the devil is: “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 8:44b
What lie is he telling you?
"No one will ever know"
"Trying it won't hurt anything"
"I can stop anytime"
"He doesn't love his wife, he's staying for his kids”
"What they don't know won't hurt them"
"A little innocent flirting is harmless"
Little lies protect pet sins….those sins we don’t actually want to give up. The hard truth is that they mean more then our relationship with King Jesus and His Kingdom! Ouch!
The lack of transparency and openness about our lives is a breeding ground for hidden sins, which are open doors, allowing the demonic to wreak havoc in our lives. Face what is keeping your spiritual doors open and shut them. Repent, clean your spiritual house of all that does not line up with God’s Kingdom laws and principles and pray for His mercy and grace to cover you.
This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in Him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.. 1 John 1:5-9
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes, and He is the one to whom we are accountable. So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:13-16
If you aren’t being transparent with people, is what you are hiding unrighteous in the Lord God’s eyes? Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33
God's Word says "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free" but do we really believe it? If we do, we will never tell a lie or live a lie. We will never tell “half truths” (which are lies) or even lie by omission. We will be truth-speakers and become averse to anything but the truth.
What you may not see is that your transparency may also set others free…free to be truthful and set free from the lies and hidden sins that chain them. My prayer is that they will see Jesus working in our lives and want Him in their life. Show those around you what life in God’s Kingdom looks like!
You are an ambassador of the Kingdom of God everywhere you go. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. Colossians 3:17
Now may the God of peace—who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with His blood—may He equip you with all you need for doing His will. May He produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to Him. All glory to Him forever and ever! Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21
Deborah Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
All scriptures are NLT unless otherwise noted.
