While I was praying, the Lord gave me a vision in which I saw an old-fashioned phonograph with the large cone protruding up out of it. Sitting in front of it was a dog listening to it, and above this were three large letters and a word … “R-C-A Victor.” The scene looked just like the old RCA® logo. And the Lord said, “RCA Victor … rapid, Christian, advancement to victory is determined by how you listen.” Then the picture changed, and I saw a small puppy sitting next to the dog. And the Lord said, “Train them up.”

The little puppy by the bigger dog speaks of mentoring and training. It is important for both those shepherding flocks and those in ministry that we train the saints in the importance of how they are listening. In the days that are ahead, it will be critically important that we are not hearing things distorted by the tones of the accuser of the brethren.

How We Hear
Most believers realize how important it is to guard what you listen to — avoiding the wrong movies and music, not joining in off-color humor, and fleeing every manner of gossip. Many saints have matured to the place where they know they must determine at all times to whom they are listening — God, self, Satan, or the world. But to become the victorious overcomers we are called to be, it is also important how we hear! Jesus told us this in Luke 8:18, “Therefore consider carefully how you listen.” In the New King James this is translated “Therefore take heed how you hear.”

A while back I had a conversation with someone working with me in our church office that shows the importance of how we hear. One day she came in to see me exclaiming “You won't believe what this person is doing,” and she began to explain how this person was mistreating someone else.

When she got to about the third sentence, I said, “Stop!” “Well, you don't know all they're doing …” she insisted. To which I interrupted her again declaring, “That didn't happen, the person telling you this is wrong.” She looked at me in bewilderment and explained, “No, I just talked to so and so and …” Once again I interrupted her, “This isn’t true. I know the person you're talking about, I know their character, and they would never do what that person is saying about them.” If she would have known the person’s character, as I did, she would have known that what was being said was not correct. In fact, it turned out later that the story was only an accusation from someone trying to manipulate their current situation by trying to make someone else look bad.

It is important that we learn not to accept everything said about others, especially when it goes against the character we have seen them demonstrate. This is even more critical when things are said about or implied concerning God. It is also important to not accept negative comments and opinions against people we do not know — not just giving them the benefit of the doubt, but actively choosing to believe the best.

The Truth About Truth
Most believers know the first two tenants of basic Christianity, which are: “great, big God, ity-bity devil,” and “God is good, Satan is bad.” Now it is time to learn the next basic tenant — “God is True, Satan is a liar!”

Jesus told us that Satan is the father of all lies. Speaking to the Pharisees He said, “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).

Satan is the deceiver and everything he speaks is a lie. EVERYTHING! There is no truth in him. The enemy's desire is to speak lies and have us believe them. If we allow his lies to take root, they will distract us, derail us, and cause defeat in our lives.

How did Satan tempt Jesus? Quoting the Word of God. Is the Word of God true? Yes it is! Is it true when Satan speaks it? No, it is not! When Satan declares a Bible verse it is a lie, for he is a liar in whom there is no truth. Jesus knew this, and didn't fall into Satan's Scriptural trap when he was tempted in the wilderness. Every fact becomes a lie when spoken by the devil. If Satan were to say to me “Your name in Randall D. Kittle.” I would declare, “that's a lie from the pit of hell!” Though that is my legal name, it is a lie when Satan says it, because his desire is always to deceive and mislead.

The Truth About Lies
I believe the spiritual definition of a lie is more than just something that is not true. A lie is any discussion, declaration, or action which causes a person to be deceived. Satan is called both the deceiver and the father of lies, so deception and lies are merely two sides of the same coin. Many believers are good at making a number of true statements which lead others to a false conclusion. They justify themselves by stating that everything they said was true. But I want you to know this is a lie. If the intent of making true statements (or not saying something) is to leave the other person with a false impression (deceived) it is a lie. Bringing someone into deception … is it the work of Truth or the deceiver … of the Light of the world or the kingdom of darkness … is it God or Satan? Anything and everything that brings deception is a lie — whether it is factual or even Scriptural — and emanates from Satan, the father of lies.

As believers we need to make sure we “consider the source.” We should listen to Jesus, the Lion King; not Satan the “lying king.” We must attune our ears to hear our heavenly Father who is the Father of Lights, not the devil who is the father of lies! Satan is the accuser of the brethren — who speaks words of accusation and condemnation, Jesus is the excuser of the brethren — who died our death so He could speak words of forgiveness and life!

Believing the lies of the enemy can lead us into spiritual shipwreck. Nearly 100 years ago a famous shipmaker boasted as he commissioned his new ship for its maiden voyage, “God Himself couldn't sink this ship.” But the ship he spoke about, the Titanic, sank on its very first excursion, carrying nearly all aboard to a watery grave. Many who believed this brazen boast lost their lives ... and lies are still causing spiritual shipwreck in the lives of believers to this day.

Top Four Lies Of The Enemy
What are the lies the enemy is wanting us to believe in order to bring about spiritual shipwreck in our lives?

#4 The Lie of Little Sins
This lie tells you when you are being tempted that one little sin won't matter. After all, it is only a molehill, a mere “bump in the road.” The voice of the enemy comes saying, “It’s only a little sin … everyone's doing it … once isn't so bad.”

#3 The Lie of False Victory
This comes right after you have given in to the “little sin” lie. After realizing that no sin is little to God, and feeling the grieving of the Holy Spirit, that little “molehill” of a sin suddenly looks like an insurmountable mount Everest. You hear a voice declaring “You can never recover from this sin. You are spoiled and unusable. Get on the shelf and hope for heaven.” This is the voice of the enemy, a voice we must silence by knowing the character and nature of our God, who is the God of the second chance. Satan stamps “REJECT” across our lives, but God is the original Recycler! He will offer forgiveness declaring “I am the God of restoration and reconciliation.”

#2 The Lie of Worldly Pleasures
If Satan cannot “pollute” you with the sin he has lured you into with the first lie, or hold you down with the false victory of the second lie, he will try to “dilute” your walk with God through worldly cares or pleasures. The devil will promise you fulfillment in the things of the world — fame, success, money, alcohol, drugs, sex, etc. He knows that these worldly pleasures will slowly dilute both the presence of God and the zeal for God in your life. His desire is to water down your spiritual life until you are more of the world than you are of God. The solution to this lie is simply to resist the devil. Just say NO!

#1 The Big Lie … “God is holding out on you!”
This is the lie the accuser of the brethren loves to use — an accusation against God himself! If we listen to this lie, we will become a whole generation of doubting Thomases, doubting God's goodness, faithfulness, and abilities even when everything around us testifies of it!

This is the lie Satan used against Eve in the Garden of Eden. “Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil’” (Genesis 3:4-5). The serpent was saying, "God is holding out on you. He knows that the minute you eat that fruit you will be filled with knowledge and be just like Him." Even to this day the enemy comes to us and paints the portrait of Father God looking like Ebenezer Scrooge — a miser who won't do anything for us even though He can. The widespread belief of this lie causes the Church to fail to ask for anything (why ask if you're not going to get it) or ask without believing (since old Scrooge isn't likely to give it to us).

It is so important how we hear, so that we don't believe the lies of the enemy, but instead believe the big truth: “God is for us, not against us!” Even when Adam and Eve sinned against God, He came to the garden seeking them, and made a covering of animal skins for them. And this is still the heart of God today — seeking us, covering our nakedness and shame. Let us wash our hearts and minds of every accusation which has come against God. May we be protected from spiritual shipwreck by not accepting even the smallest lie of the enemy and removing every root of cooperation and toleration of deception in our lives. Lord, give us ears to listen to what you are speaking and hearts that hear it just as You are saying it. As the old RCA® logo used to say, help us to hear our Master's voice, so we may heed His call and rapidly advance His victories!