1. “He who dies with the most toys wins.” We say we don't believe this, but our lifestyles say otherwise. The lie is that it’s all a winnable competition when in fact it is not a competition and there is nothing to be won. Life is not about accumulating stuff.

2. “I need to prove something to my old man.” This is a lie that many young people who were not properly loved by their father tell themselves, believing that you can change the past. The past can’t be changed, but it can be redeemed.

3. “I need to make something of myself.” The lie is that your significance is a function of your accomplishments. The truth is who you are is a function of your relationship to your Creator.

4. “Make hay while the sun is shining.” The lie is that you need to work hard now because bad times are on the way. While hard work is a virtue, God ordains times of rest and is a God of good news and optimism.

The fact is, we tell ourselves lies all the time and live compromised lives as a result. We live according to the enemy’s agenda rather than God’s as we embrace lies about our need for comfort and security. We live in bitterness and unforgiveness as we fail to comprehend one of the first and primary teachings of Jesus concerning how we are to treat those who wrong us.

While Jesus came to set the captives free, many of us won’t allow him to complete his ministry in our lives. As we give in to his words of truth, we not only are liberated, but we take the first steps in walking in our role as liberators.