Welcome back to the Womens Bible Cafe as we review and discuss week one from Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. As we learned from Nancy in the introduction on page 17, “reading this book won’t make your problems go away, but will point you in the direction of the Someone who can help.” The entire focus of our study is to unveil the lies and replace them with Truth based on scripture. We’ve been carrying the weight of past lies and hidden shame far too long…and its time for God’s children to reclaim their identity in Christ. Jesus says “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly,” John 10:10 NKJV. So my question is…how many of us are living abundant and joy-filled lives? Is your life “abundant to the full, till it overflows” John 10:10 AMP or is there room to clean out the lies? Let’s get started with our discussion….your participation is essential to add value to our bible study.
Last week when we launched our bible study we asked you what lies you wanted to break free from. There are 250+ women doing this study at the Womens Bible Cafe and 35% of you participated in last week’s discussion. Let’s do better this week! Pray and ask God to reveal to you any lies that are keeping you in bondage. Ask Him to reveal them so you can replace the lies with truth.
What Lies We Want to Replace With Truth (answers from last week’s group discussion)
- negative feelings that are not of the Lord
- “You Are Not Good Enough.” I often feel that I am not good enough as a mother, as a wife, as a teacher, as a friend, as a daughter, as a sister, etc. Fear of not measuring up, I have to be better than others in order to get recognition, needing approval from others
- worrying about my children
- that a woman must be conventionally pretty to be happy or successful and that, as a 56-year-old I can no longer influence my family or impact the kingdom; insignificance that i can’t be better than i am right now and i wont be a mother; the lie that I do not provide value in my job and that I must work 24/7 to get ahead in this world. I would like to break free from the idea that what I do for a living is no big deal. I did not graduate from college and it is a huge regret in my life. I don’t feel like I met my expectations. I am always wondering “what if.” I would like to break free from entertaining the lies that I’m not smart enough, I missed my calling,
- the lie that I have to hold on to anger or seek revenge when a friend has hurt me
- “the need to be perfect,” “the need to only trust myself, because you can’t trust anybody else,” “there is no one to talk to when you are down because you look like you have issues and no one wants to inherit your problems”
- the lie that I can not lose weight, the lie that I’m not pretty
- I am great at comparing myself with someone else, then I can’t measure up. I hang on to guilt. I am horrible at asking for help. I feel like I am bothering someone by asking for help. I would like to not believe that I have to feel guilty for everything I do.
- one lie that I want to leave behind is that I have to do everything on my own. feeling like I have to be a martyr and do it all by myself when it comes to kids, work, home, etc. I then feel guilty to ask for help when I need it. the lie that I need to be the perfect mother, wife, room mom, housekeeper, well… everything.
- an even bigger lie: the media is more trustworthy than God or your faith.
- I want to break free of the lie of worry. but probably most importantly lies that I have to have a perfect home (always OCD clean!); I have to be perfect in the eyes of others and that people won’t like and love me for who I truly am. I want to live a God given happy and free life without worry or the need to control everything.
- I want to break free from the lie of Satan that I am not good enough in my marriage… I feel that I need to be a better wife which leads me to compare myself to other women. Having fear that I will not be here long enough to see my children grow up. I’d like to break free from believing I have to be the perfect wife, mother, daughter, worker and stop being such a martyr all the time.
- I want to break free from the lie that being “religious” is enough.
- I would like to fully accept that my identify is not based on what others think/say but on Christ and Christ alone
- I want to break free from the lie that it’s never going to get any better and that I am not going to get anything back from the “sacrifices” I’ve been making. Sick of listening to the doubt! Feelings that the Lord is disappointed in me when I don’t live up to what “I” feel that I should be. Or what I’m not.
Nancy says there’s a common thread in the lies we desire to be set free from…“the best lies look like the Truth.” In the weeks ahead, we’ll open our eyes to deception and learn to recognize Truth. We’re on a journey to be set free!
Quotes From Nancy Leigh DeMoss
- Satan has used deception to win our affections, influence our choices and destroy our lives.
- What we believe will be seen in the way we live.
- Every act of sin begins with a lie.
Prayer Requests
Our Prayer Wall is the place to reach out with your prayer needs and praise reports. Please visit the page and pray for those people who are asking for you to lift them up in prayer.
For Next Week
- Pray for the women who are doing this study with you.
- Read Chapter Two in your book and companion guide.
- Check in with your Small Group Leader.
Group Discussion- Answer ONE question or as many as you like
- Find one scripture verse that would help you walk away from one of Satan’s lies or one of the lies listed above. Use www.BibleGateway.com type in a keyword, such as “worry” or “perfect” and post your verse below as a comment. Let’s see how many verses we can find!
- Name one lie that is widely accepted by society as “true.”
- How can we avoid being deceived and become more discerning?
- Share a favorite moment from this week’s lesson.
Have a great week…stay on track with your reading and may you grow in love and faith!
God is good…always!
PS- if you want to add a photo beside your email name, use Gravatar.com its free.
4.Share a favorite moment from this week’s lesson.
Have to tell this story. I am new to Bible Study, have not been faithful in my faith, and have not grown for years. This week, I am behind in my study, no suprise for me. So, last night I go to a revival in a little Methodist church I have never been to before, to hear a scripture I have never heard before, to get up this morning to read and catch up on my study, to have the same scripture pop up in my book. You suppose he is trying to get me to HEAR SOMETHING????? I adore God, and his ways. Always his ways.
That reminds me of how I found my life verse Barbara. I read a verse in the morning, placing my hand over the bible and saying a prayer “Lord, please give me a verse I can cling to today.” Then I went to a doctor appointment for my daughter and heard her doctor quote the exact same verse! I had chills up and down my spine and KNEW that God was near and would walk this journey with me. From that day forward, I’ve never doubted God’s presence and I’ve always known He is near.
He may be telling you…”I am near.” Keep reading…and see where He leads you in this journey.
That is soo cool barbara! I am thankful for your honesty in reference to your spiritual walk. I believe I have been the same way since October of last year and this bible study is a step closer to God and a good decision to help us get back on track, the difference this time is that we will have learned some truths to help us along the way!
I’d have to say that I think a lot about what Carin wrote about listening, believing, doing, the lie(s). This has been a good study so far
Kimberly- it is funny because today I am struggling with something I am going to do this evening. The enemy is feeding me some lies about someone tonight that I barely even know. I said to myself…Wait! What am I listening to? I don’t even know this person, how do I know they are going to behave this way. I already started believing this lie and how I was going to act if they did act the way I think they are going to act. Which is probably not how they are even going to behave. So my husband & I prayed about it. I have started to reverse my negative thoughts into having faith that God is putting us together for a reason. An amazing revelation!!
First off, thanks to all the wonderful ladies for all the wonderful citations. Look at all the help we ever really need all in one place!
My verse this week is Gal 1:10. Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
2. One of society’s lies is that we should all be superwomen. Tend the family, work the job, keep the house, spend NO time on ourselves!
My moment this week? That ah ha moment when I realize that I rely on possessions to make me happy and Things are not the way to true happiness.
Lynn – you made a FANTASTIC point with your answer to your #2 question. This is an issue that I am dealing with at this time. I feel so frustrated because I am the one doing everything – being a mother, wife, business women, friend, daughter, sister, etc. is a lot. I have a hard time trying to balance everything and I feel like I give so much of myself to others and I don’t make time for myself. That is something that I am going to work on because if I don’t make time for myself – no one else will.
1. The verse that I found that I identify with is Psalm 139:3 “You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am.” Even though I have regrets regarding my past and wish I could have done some thing differently, this verse tells me that God as put me right where he wants me – he has charted my path. Very freeing verse
2. I think that a lot of people believe the lie that God is not good. They think that God is out to get them.
3. The more we read the bible the more we are able to avoid being deceived.
1. The verse I found is Matthew 19:26 “Jesus looked at them and said “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. This verse reminds me to trust in him, stay focused on him because with HIM all things are possible.
3. Continue to read the Bible, pray the more we are in God’s word, the more protected we are.
3. How can we avoid being deceived and become more discerning?
The first thing for me is to study God’s word because his word is the Truth. We can not defeat the enemy if we have no idea what the Word of God says. Knowing the truth and replacing them with the lies that have been imparted in my life I feel empowered. Because the enemy uses many different tactics in deceiving us we must be fully prepared each and every day to rebuke him in the name of JESUS. Being prayful, I feel will help in becoming more aware of the deception of the enemy. Constantly consulting with God throughout the day and being able to listen to the voice of God. At times, all we need to do is listen and we can learn so much.
1. I struggle with thinking I am not good enough (mother, wife, employer, just about everything). It is a lie. Just because I am not perfect does not make me a failure. Psalm 17:8 (NIV) Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings
2. Lie: you need all the latest gadgets, phones, etc to be happy
3. Rather than just assuming I do not believe I lie, I will look at my choices to see what belief they reflect.