Whether it is in my own life, or in the lives of the people I see around me, it is clear that lies are easy to believe. More than that, once we start to believe a lie it is apparent that we like to reinforce that belief with all kinds of evidence.
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:5-6 (ESV)
A lot of you will have heard it said that we should ‘speak life’, to build on this I would say that truth (spoken in love) is the definition of words of life. Which means lies are words of death.
Recently when I was studying I was introduced to a way of challenging and changing mindset called ‘The Table Leg Method’ and I believe it lines up perfectly with Romans 12:2 which advocates transformation through the renewing of our minds, more than that it speaks of discernment.
So, as a tool for transforming your mind to line up with Biblical truth and growing your discernment muscles, I want to introduce ‘The Table Leg Method’ to you.
The general idea is that your belief is like a table. You have your Tabletop, which is the thing you are believing, and holding your belief/tabletop up are the Legs, which is the evidence that supports your belief. Your evidence can be things people have said to you, things you have experienced, basically anything that you have accepted as a reason that your belief is true.
To establish truth in your mind you first have to acknowledge the lie you are believing, or as in 2 Corinthians 10:5, take every thought captive. Write down what you are believing and then consider what is holding that belief up.
What are the legs that this tabletop is being held up by? Because the next thing you are going to do is knock out the legs that support that belief, or as is said in in 2 Corinthians 10:5, destroy arguments and every lofty opinion. Again, write it down. Record the table legs that are holding your tabletop up.
Now, knock those table legs out! This is where you replace your faulty beliefs with truth. Often the thing you are believing stands in complete opposition to the truth, so once you figure out your lie, you dispute the evidence that reinforces what you have been believing, creating doubt around their validity, and you place your new tabletop and start installing the legs to support it.
You can talk to others and get help with this task, or you can remind yourself of things you already know that back up your new truth, but ultimately you want to base your supporting arguments on Bible truth, because the truth in God’s word is not easily shaken, which means you won’t be either. Using tools like Open Bible, and doing a search can be incredibly helpful, just make sure that you have a minimum of three examples to support your new tabletop.
A common lie I have seen in people is the “I’m worthless” belief, and yet the Bible is full of truth to dispute this, here are three ‘legs’ that call out the lie and replace it with the truth “I am valuable”.
- Luke 12:7 – Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. (His words states not only that we have value, but that we are so valued each of the hairs on our heads are numbered).
- Ephesians 2:10 – For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (The ultimate artist created each of us, and the Bible calls us His ‘workmanship’ which means we are created with skill.)
- Isaiah 43:4 – Because you are precious in my eyes, and honoured, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. (The God of the universe has recorded in His word, as a permanent reminder, that you are precious and loved)
These are just a few examples for this one lie, there are so many more, but no matter what you are believing, no matter what has been done in the past, 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us that we are a new creation, which means that you no longer have to live under any lie, you are being transformed into the likeness of Christ, and though you may occasionally falter, with your identity in Christ you only need to acknowledge your belief and realign yourself with him to completely knock out the legs of a tabletop of lies.
I pray that strongholds that have been built up in your life be destroyed and replaced with God’s truth, and I hope that this tool be of value to you as you align yourself with God.
Karla